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 »

Woke up to to the first frost/freeze of the season. It is ( 32 F ) (0 C )with a wind chill of (25 F) ( -4 C) . I did run the furnace yesterday to make sure it was ready for the seasonal change. It kicked on and off at ( 66 F) (-14 C) throughout the day. Turned it down to ( 61 F) ( 16. C) for the night and it did kick on a few times. I turned the furnace up to (66 F) (-14 C) to take the chill off of the house. I am going to turn it down a little bit more once the chill is decreased. Once I start to work in the kitchen it will feel warmer. The house smelled so good when I got up this morning due to the chicken scraps in the crock pot. It seemed to actually make the house feel warmer. Just my thoughts but it was a nice thing to wake up to instead of a cold house.

I feel so blessed to have a snug house. I have a new roof on the house all paid for by insurance except for the co-payment. Also a few years back my furnace died and with the help of my power company had a new furnace installed. They paid for a large portion of the new furnace and arranged a 10 year loan with a company to pay off the other portion at only $40.00 a month which is manageable. It does help to be low income sometimes you get more perks than people who are working.

I am so excited! I was contacted the other day by Oh Nut's! it is an online company that I buy my nuts from as well as gluten free products. They told me they are starting a panel that would involve testing and tasting their products and would I be interested in being on the panel. If you become a panel member you would also be able to buy things with reduced free shipping charges. Currently you receive free shipping with orders at $59.00 or above. With the panel membership it is reduced to $39.00. I accepted of course. I would continue to buy from them no matter what so a great perk. They are a great company. They always send a little extra sample of something in their shipments. Then periodically they offer special treats. The last time it was a free pound of walnuts or a free pound of almonds. The current offer is a free pound of pumpkin pie flavored almonds or a free pound of candied pecans with a touch of bourbon. I would have liked the almonds but the coating had graham crackers so not gluten free. I have pound of the candied pecans in my next order.

I am off to work on surveys and points.
Janet Alliesmama
mona50
Posts: 101
Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2017 8:24 am

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by mona50 »

Janet, I also LOVE cold, dreary, rainy days. Windy even better! I am in the South and we are having extremely warm weather. Just a little cooler the last couple of days but nothing really Fall yet . . . :( so looking forward to colder weather!!!
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

mona50 wrote: Sat Oct 12, 2019 1:30 pm Janet, I also LOVE cold, dreary, rainy days. Windy even better! I am in the South and we are having extremely warm weather. Just a little cooler the last couple of days but nothing really Fall yet . . . :( so looking forward to colder weather!!!
Mona we are kindred spirits.. I love wind and the more the better as long as it is not destructive. Also love a good thunderstorm as long as it is not being destructive. I think we are a rare breed.. but love it.
Janet Alliesmama
Dgflorida
Posts: 4381
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by Dgflorida »

Congrats on getting on the tasting panel. They are predicting a cold winter in the north. Glad you have a almost new furnace.
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: Sun Oct 13, 2019 6:20 am Congrats on getting on the tasting panel. They are predicting a cold winter in the north. Glad you have a almost new furnace.
Thank you.
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 »

Time blends as the days go on so not sure where I stopped and started with my post. I went shopping at Big Lots and plan on going back. They had organic gluten free cream of tomato soup. I bought a carton and it is a keeper so I plan on going back to stock up. Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches are a comfort food in the winter or if I am sick. It is almost impossible to find gluten free soup in our local store so this is a necessity..lol. I also bought some other fill in items for winter prepping. As well as some mascara and personal care items. Spent more on food than planned but food it the one exception to my budget.

I went to our local grocery store to use my $5.03 cent coupon for free Starkist tuna fish. I should have put blinders on...lol However I found the gluten free hamburger buns were still on sale so bought them. Also had a $1.00 off coupon on a loaf of gluten free bread. It is still pricey but I have not had the time or energy to make any at home. The total bill was $27.54 but with sale prices and coupons it came to 21.51. They savings was 9.01. It did not seem right but the store figures it out for you and it comes out to that with their reduced sale prices.
Stopped at Goodwill and bought Teddi some baby shirts. I bought 4 shirts and a little jacket with a hood for a total of $6.45. I will have to adapt them for him. I cut the bottoms off of the onesie's and hem them and put elastic in the waist otherwise he gets the hem area wet when he goes outside to potty. Also depending on the length have to shorten the sleeves..
Just for fun I am going to try to break down the cost of what a meal cost.I buy everything on sale but when it comes down to the wire there is overlapping of things and I think it would be fun to see what something really costs. I may abandon this as time goes on but right now sounds like fun. Have I mention I have no social life...lol.
Janet Alliesmama
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