Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

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

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

BevMoore wrote: Wed Jan 02, 2019 2:03 pm I am in the process of going over my Visa statement line by line to eliminate a few things. I put all of my purchases (including groceries) on this card so I can get cash back and it's less likely to get compromised. I stay away from the debit card and only use it for ATM withdrawals which is very rare.

I would like to use my money from work to put towards paying off my house. Since I am paying almost no interest on my new vehicle I will keep that payment the same.

Bev
Bev glad to hear you are going to be in the challenge. I hope your plans work out for you. Looking forward to seeing how things go. Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

So far this year is looking good. I just received a check for $30.00 for my diabetic testing strips. My blood glucose meter died and they no longer manufacture that style and I was left with 6 canisters of testing strips. Also was able to save $2.59 cents on my water bill for December which I pay in January. I will keep the extra money and it will go towards either chicken wire to make my garden cages or towards replanting an apple tree. Also saved money on my monthly gas tank fill-up. Gas down to$2.03 a gallon and I had money left from last month plus money from my DB for taking him to the airport. So I am saying that I only spent around $4.00 for my monthly fill up which is usually $20.00.

Food wise I made potato salad yesterday. The potatoes were free from my aide and the eggs cost about .26 cents (.79 cents a doz). The mayo was from Dollar Tree so about .50 cents and the mustard was free from my SIL. Also added onion and seasonings but cannot factor the cost for them. I used leftover dill pickle juice from the fridge. I have had at least 7 medium servings from it and shared two of those with my aide... so about 10 cents a serving. Also made egg salad with some of the mayo, mustard, and eggs... about .19 cents a serving. I used pork rinds in place of bread or crackers and the bag is fairly large for about a 1.00. Drinking coffee from a new canister that was free with an order when a store was going out of business last year. Drinking it with a splash of half and half.. The half and half is a luxury but still under $2.00 from Ruler. I figure I am saving in some areas so can splurge a bit. I still have some nice spiral sliced ham that was originally bought for Christmas for around $7.00 and I froze half for New Years Day. It is a small ham but yummy and very little fat also from Ruler. That store has made it so much easier for me to buy things that are healthy and yet inexpensive. I am going to have a nice big salad for dinner with radishes, lettuce, cheese, ham, and sunflower seeds. The salad dressing is free due to Amazon sending me someone else's order by mistake and they told me to either keep it or donate it.. I of course counted it a blessing and kept it. I like the dressing it is by Kraft and is called Tuscan Italian. I made a pumpkin cheese cake the other day. The cream cheese was bought on sale for around 1.68, generic cool whip for around .80 cents, and the flavor packet was 1.00 at Dollar Tree. It was very tasty and I shared it with my aide. I think we are up to date on things for now. Off to a good start.. Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
Momof2Still
Posts: 173
Joined: Mon May 14, 2018 10:05 pm

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by Momof2Still »

Janet- sounds like you are off to a great start for 2019. I am glad you have found a store with more affordable prices. I love Aldi for that same reason. My day was a little more costly, but I knew it would be, and already had the cash pulled and off to the side for today’s expenses.

I shipped RM’s laptop and tablet to him, so that was the biggest expense- ouch. I also sent him a care pkg. with notebooks, pens, pencils, and highlighters to use while at his tech school. I bought everything at the Dollar Tree, but the postage ended up costing .75 more than I spent on all the items. I know he could have bought the stuff himself and saved the cost of the postage, but it makes both of us feel good- me to send him a pkg., and him to get a pkg.

It was a low cost food day. I was running behind for an appointment, so skipped breakfast (I try not to do that). Once the appointment (3 hours spent mostly waiting) was done, I wanted to get RM’s laptop shipped to him as soon as possible, so a late lunch. I also wanted to get the other pkg. sent to him, so I ate a quick lunch- leftover from yesterday’s lunch a friend paid for. Dinner was left-over soup (made from the Christmas duck carcass, a little onion, garlic, carrots, spinach, and seasonings), salad that I need to use before it goes bad, and a smoothie (also using items that needed using before they went bad).

Tomorrow should be a no spend day. I plan on straightening the house before it gets bad and just relaxing. I have a lot of left-overs still in the fridge, so another low cost meal day.
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

Momof2Still wrote: Wed Jan 02, 2019 8:56 pm Janet- sounds like you are off to a great start for 2019. I am glad you have found a store with more affordable prices. I love Aldi for that same reason. My day was a little more costly, but I knew it would be, and already had the cash pulled and off to the side for today’s expenses.

I shipped RM’s laptop and tablet to him, so that was the biggest expense- ouch. I also sent him a care pkg. with notebooks, pens, pencils, and highlighters to use while at his tech school. I bought everything at the Dollar Tree, but the postage ended up costing .75 more than I spent on all the items. I know he could have bought the stuff himself and saved the cost of the postage, but it makes both of us feel good- me to send him a pkg., and him to get a pkg.

It was a low cost food day. I was running behind for an appointment, so skipped breakfast (I try not to do that). Once the appointment (3 hours spent mostly waiting) was done, I wanted to get RM’s laptop shipped to him as soon as possible, so a late lunch. I also wanted to get the other pkg. sent to him, so I ate a quick lunch- leftover from yesterday’s lunch a friend paid for. Dinner was left-over soup (made from the Christmas duck carcass, a little onion, garlic, carrots, spinach, and seasonings), salad that I need to use before it goes bad, and a smoothie (also using items that needed using before they went bad).

Tomorrow should be a no spend day. I plan on straightening the house before it gets bad and just relaxing. I have a lot of left-overs still in the fridge, so another low cost meal day.
I think you have the right idea about your RM. When you are in the military it is important to receive mail since they are far away from home, family, and friends. There are times I spend more when I could be frugal but you have to judge what is more important being frugal or sharing something or doing something for someone. There is a difference between being frugal or being miserly. Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
floridacatlover
Posts: 8056
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:21 am

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by floridacatlover »

Shiela, $100 for gas for the year is amazing! Janet, $20/month is amazing, too, given that you live in the country.

Last year I budgeted $40/month and went over it a bit, $523 for the year so about $44/month. That does not include my trips to Plains, Ga. and Fort Lauderdale which I put in my travel budget.

I had already decided to watch my gas more carefully and will now aim for $30/month. Gas is cheap right now ($1.97 at my regular station yesterday) but they say it will go up in the spring as usual.
BevMoore
Posts: 1012
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 11:04 pm

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by BevMoore »

Gas is so cheap where you'all live! Here in Cali I am thrilled I have been able to fond gas for less than $3.00 a gallon. Yesterday I filled up one of my vans for $2.68 per gallon, cheapest I have seen yet. I will be filling the other one today. Along with finding less expensive sources of gas we are driving less so that helps. Too much traffic here to do much in the way of driving. No fun at all.

Bev
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