Black Belt Frugality May 1-May 7

**marei** · 05-02-2006, 02:13 PM

Black Belt Frugality - May 1st - May 7th

The only thing I have done so far to-day is make a batch of homemade granola.
To-night is my volunteer night so get supper for free.

**AmyBoz** · 05-02-2006, 02:16 PM

Okay, taking from the fabulous idea of the other black belt frugality thread, let's go ahead and post what exactly we are doing to HI-YA (that's a karate chop sound...not a greeting) our money troubles. Not the usual "turned off lights when not in use", or "line dried the clothes" but some new, big, different things we're trying.

**ewokgirl** · 05-02-2006, 02:18 PM

I'm stuck at home at the moment. My car is in the shop to repair an axle leak. This repair was budgeted in, though, so no big deal. My friend is going to pick me up in a little while to take me to get my car.

Yesterday the only money I spent was on prescriptions and groceries. I spent the afternoon chopping up fruits and veggies, mixing hummus for snacking, preparing dinner, and mixing the spice rub and preparing the meat for tonight's dinner. I need to pick up one more prescription, but I don't anticipate spending any more money this week, unless we run out of milk or something.

I picked up a bunch of DVDs and books at the library yesterday, too. And we're borrowing LOST season 1 from a friend right now, so entertainment is costing us nothing right now.

**AmyBoz** · 05-02-2006, 03:03 PM

Okay, I merged these, but they went in out of order...Sorry!

**schellie69** · 05-02-2006, 03:19 PM

I am making more, from scratch got out of this when my health went south but now that i am feeling better I am going to be making a lot from scratch which is where alot of my grocery money was going, plus going to start, getting back into hanging clothes and making my own cleaning products, I have completely feel off the frugal wagon. biggest thing I have done this week is went to straight powdered milk for everything no more buying regular milk. I am going to see what else I can find to make from scratch, also going with no fabic softner or making it myself, I have not been doing very much frugal wise lately. boy i really need to tighten the belt.....

**joyb** · 05-02-2006, 03:27 PM

Dh and I got some tomato plants in the ground Saturday. We are definitely not what you would call gardeners, so for us, this is a big deal. So far, I have spent nothing in May and I haven't driven anywhere. I know it's early in the month, but it's a start.

**Lorelei** · 05-02-2006, 03:33 PM

Started well here, too. Went shopping for household goods yesterday and spent almost $15 less than budgeted.

**tervsforme** · 05-02-2006, 03:41 PM

I used to give myself one day a week where I eat lunch out, but not for this month! I put an offer on a house so I need to save all the money I can. One good thing about the house is that it has a clothes line!!! YEAH!!! I have never dried clothes outdoors, but my grandmother did. The only thing I didn't like were the scratchy towels! I'll be hanging laundry out to dry next month!!!

**miss_thrifty** · 05-02-2006, 03:52 PM

bought bread at wholesalers Bens xtra soft thick slices. 1.29 instaed off 2.00. And bagels 505 off beacuse tommoprrow is due date, Ill freeze them. Garlic brad large loaf with cheese and all, Im freezing 1.25.

**sunnysideup** · 05-02-2006, 07:14 PM

I am going to keep the A/C off in our apartment and the windows open for as long as we can stand this month to save on electrcity.

**dwallyfam** · 05-02-2006, 09:41 PM

Well this month got off to a sucky start. Here I am the one that started this and I am falling on my face. I had to put my father in the hospital yesterday so all the running back and forth between his apartment and the hospital is eating up gas. This all could have been prevented if my dad would have called the Dr. two weeks ago saying he was having problems.

I can say that I have convinced DH to hang out clothes when he is doing the laundry. So that is a big step. I did get DH to check the air in my tires to make sure I have proper inflation for better gas mileage.

we have been using up all the leftovers and the food in the refrigerator.

Kellie

**ewokgirl** · 05-02-2006, 11:30 PM

Hey, don't feel bad. I said earlier TODAY that I didn't anticipate having to spend any money the rest of the week. We had some lights burn out, and I discovered that we were out of lightbulbs. DH can't find his work gloves, and a friend who came over today and does landscaping showed me that my red-tip photinias have black spot. So... we made a trip to Lowe's tonight. All that, along with some new sprinkler heads that DH needed and a short hose for them, and the total came to about $72. Yikes! I hadn't budgeted all that in because I just didn't anticipate all that. Sometimes stuff just happens.

**frugalfarmwife** · 05-03-2006, 01:49 AM

I did run to town today and to a friends, an unneeded trip but I'd been promising to come see her new foal for two weeks and was getting cabin fever, but, ran a few errands too and went to the bread thrift store, 4 loaves of good bread and 4 packs of deli buns for a total of $4.00, this'll last us a few weeks!

kj

**joyb** · 05-03-2006, 03:41 AM

Wanted to add, got an idea from reading about the powdered milk. I don't drink milk, dh uses it on cereal quite a bit. I have been using powdered for all my cooking and baking and we are paying over $4.00 for a gallon of milk. Talked to dh and he said powdered is fine with him. I am going to switch to ALL powdered. That should save some money. Also, I never line dry our clothes. That is something I need to look into. Hubby dear is very cooperative when I mention anything that could save us a buck, so I'm betting he will help get me up a clothesline. This is such a good place for ideas. I like it here

**rebecca** · 05-03-2006, 05:17 AM

Keeping the heat off. Have had the heat off for about three to four weeks. Believe me there were a few mornings that I should of turned on the heat just to warm up the house! Just kept telling myself if you turn on the heat the less money you will have to pay off the car. That was enough motivation to have me keep the heat off. Now that my mom is back from FL and she is the only one living in her home we get together and buy some groceries that we split. Such as lettuce when it is on sale and it is buy one get one free we split the cost. If we would of bought the buy one get one free on our own one of the salad bags would of spoiled and really would of been money down the drain. So, will be saving money on groceries.