2012 Frugal Challenge!

**smk0817** · 02-20-2012, 09:48 PM

2/20:

-all meals at home
-had some leftovers for my lunch
-no spend day
-reading and cross-stitching for entertainment
-minimal driving...stayed at DD's studio while she was teaching instead of driving back home
-finished my menu plan for this week
-made a super cute door hanger to put on the front door. One side says "Yes, we can play" and the other side says "No, we can't play". We have a terrible time with neighborhood kids ringing our doorbell on days they are out of school and we are not.

Stephanie

**mynameisanniemc** · 02-21-2012, 06:29 AM

No spend day today....

really wanted a bought coffee but had instant free one instead!
waited to have tea at home even though meeting went late and walked in the door at 9.20 pm (drove past lots of fast food joints)
packed daughters' lunches so no spend there
drank water all day
read the free newspaper at work

home tomorrow with sick chick so no spend tomorrow too!!

**Telephus44** · 02-21-2012, 10:43 AM

*Went to a children's museum with DS and DH yesterday since we all had the day off. The only one we could find within reasonable driving distance that was open was fairly cheap ($10.50 per person) and saved $1 on each of our admissions with AAA card. We also did NOT stop and get lunch on the way home, though I badly wanted to. Managed to avoid the gift shop, too.
*Working on our huge leftover pile in the fridge. Had some yesterday, taking some for lunch today.
*Made a batch of corn chowder yesterday with some veggies that were a little past their prime, but at least I didn't have to throw them away. I was out of potatoes, but used leftover mashed potatoes to get the flavor and thicken it up.
*Paid 2 bills online, saving stamps.
*Had an awesome CVS trip. Spent $25, and saved $40 with coupons and sales. Managed to pass up the 50% off Valentine's Day candy.

**warramra** · 02-21-2012, 06:55 PM

2/21/12

- no spend day
- heat off/limited lights
- except for taking DS to/from preschool stayed home
- dd12's practice was cancelled saving me that 40-mile round trip, good thing since I was calculating how little gas I could buy to cover that trip.
- crocheting the hats for SIL. 2 1/2 done out of four. Hopefully I will see her Thursday when we go into town for dd12's soccer practice.
- going through seed catalog like I've won the lottery. But, have not bought anything, yet. Really tempted to spend some extra money on a mushroom kit since we love mushrooms so much.
- Breakfast (Pancakes) for dinner since it is Fat Tuesday.
- Going to be able to watch the NC State-UNC B-ball game tonight since it is available over the air!!
- Collecting eggs from the ladies and weeded my lettuce/spinach patch. Be eating salads in another week or two.

**brennasmom** · 02-21-2012, 07:37 PM

Tuesday:

* all meals at home
* got a $25 gift card for a restuaurant in the mail due to poor service
* using up some leftovers for dinner
* DS has soccer and we will stop at Target (we drive right by) for a few cheap items with coupons
* put a book on hold at the library

**warramra** · 02-22-2012, 07:49 PM

2/22/12

- No spend/limited driving
- heat off
- beautiful day, had windows opened and enjoyed all the natural light
- Spent the day cleaning & organizing, have more bags to donate to Goodwill
- put aside my old pantyhose to use in the garden this summer
- repaired our deck table with extra PVC pipe we had
- Neighbor gave us a boxful of potatoes
- Dinner tonight was cheesy potatoes & ham...using up various things in the frig
- collected three eggs from the hens
- My mom sent me a new book on raising chickens that I will be reading
- got an email from the local garden shop that said they will be giving away a free strawberry plant to each child this weekend. I need to go pick up my seed potatoes so we will be going to get the strawberry plants too.

**brennasmom** · 02-22-2012, 08:23 PM

Wed.

* mailed a package for an item I sold on ebay (geez, shipping is getting $$$)
* all meals at home or packed
* got the entertainment book that I ordered for our vacation
* no money spent for me, DH bought dog food

**mynameisanniemc** · 02-23-2012, 04:55 AM

Frugal day yesterday and today.

Not going to shops - yay
Cooking food from freezer and fridge
Making up weird lunches with left overs - had rice, tuna, feta and roasted pumpkin today - yummo

returning library books before getting fined
and ....... not getting dvds from dvd shop and paying fines when we forget to return them

**brennasmom** · 02-23-2012, 06:57 PM

Thurday frugalness:

* stopped at Rite Aid after dropping the kids as school and got 3 12 packs diet coke and 2 of DH's favorite bar soap for $3 OOP and got $3 UPR back
* dropped off and picked at library
* cooking a take and bake pizza we had in the freezer for dinner
* all meals at home and packed kids lunches
* got coupons together to stop at the grocery tomorrow for a Fri-Mon sale (do your stores do this too? Have certain items in the ad that are only on sale for a few days... argh!)
* have 4 items listed on ebay
* DS needed a few pictures for school which I ordered from Rite Aid which I think will be cheaper than using my home photo printer.

**smk0817** · 02-23-2012, 07:10 PM

This is for the 21st through the 23rd:

-21st was a no spend day

-the only spending on the 22nd was I had to book a hotel room for an upcoming trip and it was getting close to the last day I could get it at a discounted rate. Plus I'm splitting the cost with a friend so it's not so bad. Refused to upgrade to the bigger beds plus it has a breakfast bar. I'm happy.
-Bought a new GPS today, but had a coupon for an instant $30 rebate. It also has lifetime maps...no need to spend $40 a year for map updates. This will be a life saver for me with all the traveling I have to do in the next few months. Peace of mind is priceless!

-went to Hobby Lobby and got 2 cross stitch kits. It was a splurge for myself which I rarely do. One kit was even on clearance.

-took kids to Cold Stone Creamery and they used gift cards they received at Christmas. No out of pocket $
-filled up my car with gas at BJ's since it was the cheapest place around and the news keeps saying gas is going to go up by another 5-20 cents in the next few days.
-bought groceries at Aldi today. Refused to buy milk for $3.69. I think it's on sale at another store for $2.98. Shopped with a list and didn't get any "extras" like sodas or snacks.
-all meals have been at home except for tonight's dinner. Now I'm reminded of why we eat at home so much. It really didn't settle all that well with me, plus it was $20 for 3 of us. Yikes. I spent $35 at Aldi for our groceries for the week!
-re-reading and looking for new to me books about frugality to re-ignite my fire!

**Mamaw** · 02-24-2012, 01:45 PM

Posting for the last week or so
*using leftovers for lunches and small dinners
*was gifted large sack potatoes, carrots, cabbage, couple loaves of bread, sliced apples, bag onions, large bag tomatoes, cookies, coffee, pop tarts and large can fruit cocktail. Will gift some to my DD. Freezing the cabbage and the bread for later use. Will save me having to spend on this stuff at the store...
*paying bills online
*reusing coffee grinds and tea bags
*using samples of moisturizer
*Reading books I own plus library ones for entertainment
*limiting driving as gas is getting more and more expensive
*monitoring the amount of product I use when doing wash or cleaning, etc
*received bonus - treated self to a craft light and used a 50% off coupon. Spent 100 intead of 200 for it. The rest of bonus is going to debt snowball
*not buying junk/snack foods - doctor has me on diet so hopefully good for my body as well as my budget. Spending instead of fresh fruit, veggies and whole wheat items
*getting contractor bids to add a living room to my home...time will tell on this step.....
*keeping heat on low.....use sweater and socks or go to bed early.....
*sending for samples
*cutting coupons to try and match to sales for stockpile
Other than that...same old, same old....
I could sure use some new inspiration if anyone finds any!

**Telephus44** · 02-24-2012, 02:33 PM

I hear you on trying to find inspiration!! It's tough.

*Took lunch and coffee to work today.
*Tried to do a coupon trip at Target yesterday, but all of the things I had coupons for they didn't have.
*Bought a french press at Target to replace the one I lost last year. Now I can go back to making coffee at work.
*Received a $3 Rebate check
*DH got shorted in his last check from his old job, got an additional check today Fedex.
*Tonight is leftovers night at our house. We have tons.
*Still using skin care samples

**Maine Girl** · 02-24-2012, 06:10 PM

This week

All my meals from home
made a casserole on monday that was my dinner all week

Yesterday i picked up a book on hold at the library and also picked up a book i ordered from my local book store. So have plenty to read.
Also went grocery shopping last night but forget to get fresh fruit and veggies i was so focused on picking up milk, butter and eggs.

**warramra** · 02-24-2012, 06:24 PM

2/23-2/24
- Limited driving, gas went from 3.65 Thursday to 3.79 today. I'm afraid we are going to have some hard decisions to make on this front soon.
- paid bills online
- Very short shopping list. I have spent less than $300 this month on groceries!!
- All meals at home
- Using ground turkey to make tacos tonight, I cannot pay $4/lb for 70/30 store brand beef.
- looked for soup bones, nobody seems to carry them anymore. I did find a little less than 1 lb stew beef marked down to $2 to make vegetable beef soup for the weekend. My neighbor told me to try Whole Foods because they actually have a butcher.
- Got some good finds at thrift shops today. Bought a DVD/VCR combo ($10) to replace the 15-yr-old VCR that died in the kids' playroom. And a Le Creuset enamel cast iron dutch oven for ... $10!!! I have wanted one forever.
- lights off as much as possible
- collecting eggs (seven over the last two days)
- doing some more research on vegetarian dishes for meat-lovin' families

**brennasmom** · 02-24-2012, 06:55 PM

Friday:

* major score @ Rite Aid with UPR and clearance we got: 11 32ounce bottles of snapple, colgate toothbrush, & 3 4x6 photos for $1.84
* dinner will be leftovers.. we have some pizza and fruit to eat up
* printed some coupons to work with Albertsons doublers that I hear we will be seeing this weekend (no stores regularly double coupons here)
* earned some swagbucks
* going to lay low tonight and stay home (woke up with a sore throat today and have a busy day tomorrow)