My 2021 Challenge

Want to up your frugal game? Join one of our challenges.
Post Reply
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

My 2021 Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

After going over everything in the way of known expenses and projected expenses I have set up my budget. Teddi seems to be the biggest drain on my budget compared to what I had projected last year. Also I do have some much needed repairs for my house as well as my car. I am prioritizing them according to necessity first.

1. Teddi needs to go beef and chicken free. I have been phasing out his other dog food. Starting tomorrow he will be eating potatoes, ground pork, no salt added green beans, and the occasional cooked apple. Also he will be eating canned salmon. I hope this will help him with his allergy. His Vet said that we can try a prescription food also. I want to try the home cooked food first to see if I can decrease his itching. It might be easier and cheaper to cook his food at home. The next step would be a prescription food through the Vet's office. She said the manufacture will give me a full refund if it does not help him. If we still do not get him relief there are 3 dog allergist that he can be referred to. Only one of them is in an area that I would consider since the others are at Vet offices at universities one in Illinois and one in Missouri. They would require overnight stays. The remaining one is a couple of hours away in Missouri and would be a day trip. He is such a sweet little guy I do not want him to suffer if we can make his life better. So a fund is being set up for him incase he needs to see an allergist. I had planned on not going to the grocery store for myself and try to coast but I may have to go for a while to pick up things for Teddi's diet and will have to fill in with other items to get the free curbside pickup at Walmart. It is $35.00. After I get the food storage down in my fridge freezer I will be able to order more ground pork at a time and that will stretch the need for buying things so often. However that is going to be a couple to three weeks.

Due to the pandemic I am not going to be going in to any stores for anything. I am canceling my Amazon Prime monthly membership that is due the 12th of this month. When the pandemic hit in March it was impossible to find pantry items in the stores so joined Prime. Even then a lot of things were not available. However now with curbside pick up at so many grocery stores and even Big Lots and drugstores I do not see the need to waste that $12.99. It can be used here in my community for things I need. I have earned $15.00 in gift cards and was planning on ordering things through Prime pantry before my membership runs out and hoping to earn more gift cards to help pay for them. I have been putting things in my cart as I came across things that I needed now or in the near future. However I noticed today that a lot of things I have put in my basket were being taken out of my basket as being ( no longer available and not sure if they will be later on) or (temporally unavailable). So today I went ahead and made an order with the things that I could still get. The order was for $30.39 and I had $15.00 in gift cards so got $15.00 free. I also made an order for tomorrow for Walmart curbside pick up. It will be free since I am using some of the money my brother gave to me for Christmas.

Looking forward to a new year and some new challenges. I do love a challenge.
Janet Alliesmama
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: My 2021 Challenge

Post by HappyDaze »

Janet, I am happy to see that you've posted your challenge again this year! We can cheer each other on! I think you are doing a great job!
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: My 2021 Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

Thanks Sheila.. I do like to have someone to cheer me on and will do the same for you.

I looked up Teddi's last allergy shot it is called Cytopoint injection. It is a protein and not a chemical. Suppose to help with allergies. It takes a day or two to kick in and lasts 4 to 8 weeks. However not on him. I guess the steroid shot Hope received is a completely different treatment. I hope that Hope is vastly improved?
Janet Alliesmama
Beverley
Posts: 552
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2020 11:33 am

Re: My 2021 Challenge

Post by Beverley »

Count me in too. Since I cannot find very many ways to protect my income from the ravages of inflation I am looking for whatever I can cut back that I really don't need. I find I am buying fewer extras since the pandemic started. No store trips mean no impulse buys. I am doing surveys to keep up and I use my cash reward credit cards for darn near everything. That's probably the best way of dealing with inflation. My pension and SS do get COLA's but they are very small and while I do appreciate every bit I can get the COLA's do not keep up with the rising cost of living.

Bev
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: My 2021 Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

Beverley wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 6:22 pm Count me in too. Since I cannot find very many ways to protect my income from the ravages of inflation I am looking for whatever I can cut back that I really don't need. I find I am buying fewer extras since the pandemic started. No store trips mean no impulse buys. I am doing surveys to keep up and I use my cash reward credit cards for darn near everything. That's probably the best way of dealing with inflation. My pension and SS do get COLA's but they are very small and while I do appreciate every bit I can get the COLA's do not keep up with the rising cost of living.

Bev
Welcome aboard. It helps when you have others dealing with similar problems. You do not feel so alone and we can give each other support.
Janet Alliesmama
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: My 2021 Challenge

Post by HappyDaze »

alliesmama4 wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 5:37 pm Thanks Sheila.. I do like to have someone to cheer me on and will do the same for you.

I looked up Teddi's last allergy shot it is called Cytopoint injection. It is a protein and not a chemical. Suppose to help with allergies. It takes a day or two to kick in and lasts 4 to 8 weeks. However not on him. I guess the steroid shot Hope received is a completely different treatment. I hope that Hope is vastly improved?
Janet, Hope's injection is called Depro Medrol. Yes, she is much better - I'm going to say 80%. She's not miserable. I have been putting the $37 drops in her ears. :roll:
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
Post Reply