2012 Frugal Challenge!

**warramra** · 02-28-2012, 11:34 AM

2/26-2/28

- I'm staying home as much as possible, running what errands I have when I am out for kids' activities
- lights off during the day
- all meals at home
- today I cut up a whole turkey we had in the freezer from Thanksgiving sales. Have the breast in the crockpot for dinner tonight. The rest is simmering in the stockpot making stock and precooking turkey for the rest of the week. Never realized how easy it was to cut-up a whole bird until I had to do it on a chicken last month. Since it is generally cheaper to buy the birds whole I may never go back to precut poultry.
- planted the strawberry plants in pots on the deck
- planted 2 sets of potatoes in pots on the deck to use for baby potatoes this summer. The rest of the seed potatoes will be used in the chicken wire towers I am going to make.
- soaking a celery end to plant
- collecting eggs from the hens
- back to working on my scrap quilt for entertainment. I am reusing an old/stained comforter and hand-stitching patches on. It is slow going, but going to very neat when done.

**Telephus44** · 02-28-2012, 02:31 PM

*Paid a little extra on the mortgage today.
*Took leftovers for lunch and coffee to work this AM
*Turned all lights off before I left the house this AM

**brennasmom** · 02-28-2012, 09:06 PM

Wed.

* our new budget seems to be working well so far
* made breakfast for dinner (I have a cold and needed something quick/easy)
* used 2 sets of doublers @ Albies to stock up on some Olive Oil, salsa, and snacks.
* all meals @ home and kids packed lunches
* watching DVR for entertaiment (catching up on Apprentience)

* trying to keep the lights off

**smk0817** · 02-29-2012, 09:52 AM

2/26-2/28:

-no spend on 2/26 and 2/27
-went to Walmart to gather last minute items for this weekend's trip. Spent $77. ACK! Granted, $16 of that was DH's contact solution, but seriously. I did buy some food items to take with us, so in the long run we'll save a little money. I hope!
-all meals have been at home
-washed baggies
-DS's grandparents visited on their way home from a trip and took him out to lunch. They live over 2 hours away, but travel quite a bit. Saved us gas from taking him down there.
-repaired a pair of DD's dance shoes
-DD has found a new hobby in sewing. Super proud of her, because all I can do is put on a button.

She's using scrap material I have to practice on.
-organized my medicine cabinet to see what I need to add to my stockpile. Have quite a good supply of first aid supplies, vitamins, and aspirin.
-laundry washed in cold and trying to be diligent about getting clothes out of dryer as soon as it stops. No more dewrinkling!
-went through my fridge and tossed unidentifiable objects! Boo. Need to get better about using up leftovers.

Stephanie

**Telephus44** · 02-29-2012, 10:19 AM

*Made dinner at home - fishsticks and fries.
*DH took leftovers for lunch.
*Took my own coffee and lunch to work.
*Turned off all lights before leaving the house today.
*Still using skin care samples
*Will be stocking up on dishwashing tabs today - I buy them online and they are part of the 29 products at 29% off at Alice.com for leap year. They are more expensive than cheap liquid at Target, but they do a much better job.
*Got a coupon in the mail for a free package of ravioli that I won online.
*Got a sample of an acne-treating face masque in the mail.
*DH is submitting some bills for his new cell phone for reimbursement from work

**brennasmom** · 02-29-2012, 06:46 PM

Wed.

* Stopped a Rite Aid and got 2 bags Sun Chips, 2 Rold Gold Pretzels, 2 Razors, and 2 small balls for DS for under $1.00 oop with my UPR and Q
* Picked up some sale items at Fred Meyer
* Dropped off library books
* all meals at home
* registered kids on the first day of registration for discount
* hoping to have leftovers from dinner to use for lunch tomorrow
* didn't have to buy gas

* reading Red Mist for entertainment
* scored a great deal for 3 pairs of socks for DD for $4.00 shipped. They are the mistmached ones and I got her 2 set so she will have 3 pairs of matching socks.

**oheoh's momma** · 02-29-2012, 10:10 PM

washed and hung laundry using half laundry soap and vinegar as fabric softner
kept light off all day
ate dinner pasta alfrado and asparagus
made craft for entertainment nothing spent on it all the stuff was here ( took empty lysol wipe container used contact paper glued it down and stuffed full of grocery bags)

**smk0817** · 02-29-2012, 11:24 PM

2/29:

-no spend day

-minimal driving
-all meals at home although I was almost too lazy too cook dinner. I kept thinking it would be easier to get take out. Geez. Gotta get out of that way of thinking!
-made cookies for dessert
-made my version of homemade potpourri. Had orange slices in the fridge that were drying out. Mixed them with cinnamon and water and simmered on the stove. Smelled wonderful!
-no laundry day
-had leftover homemade pizza for lunch
-got our pool dues in the mail today. Didn't freak out because we have already saved the money for it. May even mail them in early to receive the discount.

-played Words with Friends with my family tonight for free entertainment. It was my first time. That game is SO addicting!

Stephanie

**warramra** · 03-01-2012, 09:04 AM

2/29
- Only drove to and from dental appointment for kids today
- receptionist at dentist office handed me a bagful of toothpaste samples. She says that they are overrun with them right now.
- heat off
- All meals at home, eating leftover turkey with mac n cheese. Did not feel like cooking and was glad I had the precooked turkey.
-bought more melatonin to start taking again as a migraine preventor. It worked really well last year.
-collecting eggs from the hens

**Maine Girl** · 03-01-2012, 03:23 PM

02/26/12
Carpooled to nh for birthday party at Chuck E Cheese, split a salad with my best friend and i bought a soda. Total out of pocket $6.
We had free pizza.

02/27/12-02/29/12
All meals from home
got gas on my way to workout

03/01/12
Today was a snow day, by the end of the storm we will have 10 to 14 inches of snow
So today i didn't drive
all meals at home

Tomorrow i will have to dig out!!

**oheoh's momma** · 03-01-2012, 04:50 PM

no heat it is 70 degrees here we are enjoying it very much.. hope everyone is safe after storms....
cut open bath and body tube to use up the bottom.
cooking tonite at home... I really don't want to.. but I am.
made shopping list out for stores and matched coupons

**Telephus44** · 03-01-2012, 05:32 PM

Had some non-frugal slip ups this week, but will try and get back on track.

*Got a free pastry at Panera (yes, eating dinner at Panera was definitely NOT frugal).
*Turned all the lights off before leaving the house this AM
*Still using skin care samples
*Downloaded some free games for my iPad
*Did not buy the awesome dishwasher tabs last night, since I realized that the discount was only for one box. I assumed I could buy 10 boxes at the discounted price. So I did abandon the bad deal.

**oheoh's momma** · 03-01-2012, 05:52 PM

it is ok hope u enjoyed your panera our anniversary is this month so we are going out....
I would have abandoned that deal also....
frugal slip
grandma is home and is leaving all the lights on and turned up the heat it is 70 I gave her a a bathrobe...see we all have slips

**brennasmom** · 03-01-2012, 06:31 PM

Thursday:

* took breakfast, lunch and coffee to work
* kids packed lunches
* dinner will be made at home
* got my staples rewards in the mail

**smk0817** · 03-01-2012, 07:30 PM

3/1:

-all meals at home, using some of stockpile
-no spend day
-no heat on because it was 80* today, but they are talking about snow on Monday. Really?! Plus, we're supposed to have bad storms tomorrow night/Saturday morning.
-received a check in the mail for 15 cents. Evidentally, we finished paying off our 401k loan for DS's retainer. That's extra $ back in the paycheck! Too bad we'll be doing the same thing soon for DD's braces.
-laundry in cold water
-walked on treadmill. I have it, I might as well USE it.

Stephanie