Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

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

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

2dogs+someCats wrote: Sat Jun 29, 2019 12:31 pm Greetings All,

Have been busy and frugal. Worked at my second job last evening. It is literally around the corner from my house and I can do it any time between Friday morning and early afternoon on Saturday. It takes me about 3 hours start to finish. I think I will go later in the evening next Friday. The store was CRAZY BUSY and I would prefer to be dealing with hundreds and hundreds of books and magazines when it is less crowded.

I came to the library to submit my time online - I should be paid for that in a few days.

I WILL BE making homemade soup today. I have a lot of things that need using up - some lentils, some beans, some cabbage, some canned tomatoes, 1 ear of corn, etc. I swear by having a good pantry stash of spices and seasonings (from Save A Lot or Dollar Tree) - and I can make a big batch of soup for so cheap!

Eggs have been CHEAP lately - got a pack of 18 for .99 cents and a dozen for .79 cents - so some quick and easy meals have been a handful of frozen veggies made into an omelet of sorts. I use three eggs because I usually give the dogs a taste and because I'm trying not to eat bread - so no toast.

My boss has two long weekends away coming up and wants me to watch her dogs. That is even better money than my second job gig - so yes!

Janet, glad Teddi is doing better. Hope's ear infection is better - no thanks to her - she fights me on putting the medication in. Off to read some of the forum. Take care all!
Hi Sheila good to hear things are going well for you.. Glad you found a job to make extra cash and that it is not that far from your house.. Nice to be able to pick up extra cash dog sitting as well.

I agree if I have the basics in the house it is so much easier and cheaper to make yummy things at home. I am not a natural cook like some people but with recipes I am getting better and enjoying cooking at home..

Good to hear that Hope's ear infection is better. I know what you mean about resisting medicine. Teddi would not take his oral antibiotic without a struggle even hidden in something yummy. A Vet had shown me how to pop it to the back of Allie's throat but Teddi's mouth is so tiny it was not easy.
Take care my friend and stay in touch. Love hearing how you are doing. Your friend, Janet
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 »

Another month bites the dust.. Barreling along to half of this year gone. I have so many needs and so very little money....lol. I had decided in May to make the extra money I need to go to my nephews wedding next May using only money made on line. I achieved the goal for May and now June. Although it is a technicality. I am working towards a $25.00 Pay Pal payout on My Points. I have enough to get the amount I set for my goal but not enough to get the payout. I am about 2/3rds of the way there. When I do get it I will be ahead by $5.00 whatever month I get the payout. I also made a few dollars on InBox Dollars.

I still have the $6.22 in my food budget from this month to use in July. I was thinking of buying a rotisserie chicken with some of the money but have decided to see how creative I can get with what I have in the house.. It is going to be fun.

I have been doing a lot of things around the house today unusual for a Sunday since in our family we try to keep it as a day of rest to honor Our Lord's Day. However I am so far behind on things and needed to get things done that involved me going in and out of my basement and using my car to drive things up and down to the lower level. With all of the rain it has been impossible to do...so as we farmers say.."Make hay while the sun shines."

I had two hard boiled eggs for breakfast. Made some yesterday to make tuna fish salad and deviled eggs. Did not make anything so they came in handy this morning. Had leftover coffee with milk.. Late lunch was pork rinds with a dip made with sour cream, Chinese sweet chili sauce, curry powder, and some of Frank's hot sauce. Martha Stewart will not be calling me for the recipe but it was quick and used up the odds and end. Also 2 dill pickles.. No I am not expecting...lol. Dinner was a lettuce salad with some radishes throw in and the last of my raw almonds...sniff, sniff. Made an Asian salad dressing using things from the fridge. I had saved the soaking water from when I hydrated some dried peaches and it was very refreshing.. I did not add any sweetener and it was just the right touch after a light dinner.

I must be doing something right. My blood sugar is stable and I am slowly loosing weight. The other day I tried on a pair of old jean cut offs that I had not worn in years. They were so loose that the waist band, which was elastic, would fall down to just above my hips..They were a size 18! I was thrilled. I cut them up to save the fabric to make something else later on. Not sure yet what it will be.

So I march bravely off in to July hoping for the best but planning for the worst.. Teddi's Medical bills really took a big chunck out of my budget but he is worth it.

Oh I almost forgot to mention tomorrow the state of IL is raising their vehicle gas tax from .19 cents to .38 cents a gallon so I went in to town early this morning to fill my tank.I paid $2.69 a gal.. Then a gas station down the same road had $2.59 bummer.. Oh well sometimes you win and sometimes you loose.
Janet Alliesmama
Dgflorida
Posts: 4381
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by Dgflorida »

Congrats on the weight loss and stable blood sugar.
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

Dgflorida wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2019 11:17 am Congrats on the weight loss and stable blood sugar.
Thank you. I had a big surprise this morning when I weighed in. I have lost another 4 lbs.. I have not been at this weight since the 1970's.. woo hoo.
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 »

I am trying to work up menu ideas to cook with what I have. This morning I had two sausage patties with a fried egg and leftover coffee. Down to just a few drops of store bought milk so will have to buy some tomorrow when I am out running errands. I am down to the nubs in the meat department. I thawed out a roll of breakfast pork sausage and was going to make keto sausage gravy (10 oz) and fry the rest in pattie form however last night found a recipe that used 4 oz of breakfast sausage to make chili. I was surprised since it was in a diabetic magazine. So this morning I divided the sausage up 4 oz for the chili, 2 patties about 1.2 oz each and the remainder was fried to make keto sausage gravy. The roll cost $3.79 + tax on sale. The chili made (5 )servings, the patties( 1) and the keto sausage usually last 5 or 6 days depending on how hungry I am. Pretty good stretch for that roll of sausage.. However I did not like the sausage in the chili.. It just did not seem right..lol. Who puts breakfast sausage in their chili? I did like the base which was fire roasted tomatoes, water, and cumin powder. I also added pinto beans and corn per recipe. Except for the sausage it was good. So next time leave it out and add more veggies and/or maybe chicken. It was cheap to make. The corn was from Dollar Tree 3/4 C and a whole bag is $1.00. The fire roasted tomatoes were also from Dollar Tree (.50 Cents). Since I first bought them they raised the price to $1.00 bummer. I had a bowl of chili for lunch and another one middle of the afternoon with some radishes and 2 dill pickles..I needed something to crunch on since I have given up buying snacks and have not gotten around to making anything at home. Dinner was a salad made with the last of a head of lettuce, radishes, pickled jalapeno peppers, a hard boiled egg, some raw walnuts and a couple of sprigs of cilantro.. I was using my home made Asian salad dressing so thought the cilantro would be a nice add in. It you put cilantro in a bowl of water it will last a long time in the fridge.. Just stick it in a tall bowl
mostly the stems.. I actually use my 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup.

I have made lemonade today just a glass at a time using True lemon packets (3)and stevia powder. It really does seem to cut down on my craving for something sweet instead of a dessert.. Over a year ago True Lemon had a sale of buy 500 packets and get 500 free. I am still working my way through the lemon and lime packets..They are pricey in the store and I will only buy from them when they have a major sale like the one I am using now. Also had free shipping.. So if you are interested go to their site and hopefully find a sale. I love having their lime packets for making Asian foods and to make limeade so much cheaper than buying the icky sweet kind from the store. I just add my own stevia at home. Stevia bought from Big Lots.

Will try to keep you updated more often to stay on track. I hope this does not go off in to cyber space when I click submit..
Janet Alliesmama
Dgflorida
Posts: 4381
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by Dgflorida »

I may have to look into true lemon although hubs is content with solar iced tea. Congrats on the continued weight loss if you want it.
Post Reply