2012 Frugal Challenge!

**Telephus44** · 01-01-2012, 04:24 PM

Welcome to the 2012 Frugal Challenge!

This thread is for keeping track of any frugal activity that you do - clipped a coupon, washed laundry in cold water, turned off lights, switched cell phone plans - anything you can think of that counts as frugal. I personally find it inspiring to read what other people are doing - helps give me ideas AND keep me on track! So feel free to join in!

Today I:
*Started working on my taxes. Made a list of the tax documents I'll need so I can cross them off when the come in and know what I'm still waiting for.
*Worked with Quicken and Mint to review some year end stuff and work on some preliminary budgeting.
*Paid 2 bills online, saving stamps.
*Washed 4 loads of laundry in cold water using less detergent than recommended.
*DS was dying for a new game on my iPad, but I only got 2 games with free trials so they didn't cost anything.
*Lunch was leftovers. Breakfast was leftovers.
*Went through my coupon box and pulled out the expired ones.
*Used skin care samples

**hotprincesscm** · 01-01-2012, 04:43 PM

I love this thread too!

Today:

~Laundry in Cold
~Leftovers for lunch
~Breakfast from stockpile and fridge
~Coffee at home
~Ran errands in a loop to save time and gas
~Grocery shopped at an off brand store to save money(although still went over my grocery budget for the week

)
~Lights off when not in use
~Kept my space heater off even though I would like it on
~Menu planned for the weeks meals, to try and save on money and time

That's all I can think of for the time being...but I think it's a good start to the new year!

**Debbie-cat** · 01-01-2012, 04:51 PM

I am going to try and keep up with this one in 2012.

Today I.....

- didn't go anywhere, spend any money, use any gas
- hard boiled some eggs before the expiration date - will eat them for lunches and snacks
- wrote out grocery list and cut coupons - will only be picking up items for the stockpile that are on sale, milk, bananas and potatoes. Otherwise we will be eating out of the stockpile for the next week.
- using the computer to talk with Ds who is away at school
- had leftovers for lunch
- walked outside for exercise
- cleaned out two kitchen cupboards and organized.... I now know what we have and will begin utilizing those gadgets that had been pushed to the back of the cupboard. If I do not use them at least once within a week, then they will be tossed in the donate bag.

That's all I can think of for now! Thanks telephus for getting us started.

**dwallyfam** · 01-01-2012, 05:10 PM

Today I

Washed laundry in cold
Hung laundry to dry on rack over heat vent
Used 35.02 in coupons/sales
lights off
walked the neighborhood for exercise
got 2 free loaves of bread from dad
leftover for food today

**AspiringToBeFrugal** · 01-01-2012, 05:16 PM

I'm also going to try to keep up with this thread this year! Helps keep me inspired!

Today:
~ No lights on--all shades open.
~ Turned thermostat off and have ceiling fans running with windows open a crack to air out the house (it's really stuffy in here today!)
~ Breakfast was from stockpile
~ Lunch was leftovers from New Year's Eve
~ Counted change to get me started on my change jar challenge
~ Dinner will be from groceries I purchased for first week of 2012
~ Will get newspaper and coupons from my grandma this evening.

**dean** · 01-01-2012, 06:59 PM

Today:
All meals including big family Sunday dinner entirely from stockpile.
No spend/No travel/No gas
Washed in cold/HM detergent/line dry
Composted
Collected free eggs from hens
Fed hens leftover peelings
Started shopping list for next weekend
Started notebook for detailed spending log/gift list/daily organization
Baked 4 loaves of bread for DH lunches this week
Heating with free wood in wood burner
Filled shelving unit dh made me from scrap lumber with organized craft room items.

**madhen** · 01-01-2012, 07:37 PM

Today:

washed laundry in cold
didn't spend any money
ate from stockpile

**brennasmom** · 01-01-2012, 07:38 PM

Looking forward to a frugal new year

Sunday
* make 4 times size batch of spag. sauce for dinner + freezer
* made breakfast cookies
* took walk around the lake with Sadie + kids
* clipping coupons
* making a trip to Albies after dinner to use my doublers
* finishing up my library book
* slicing up fresh veggies for kids to snack on
* used up some leftover garlic in spag. sauce

**Palooka** · 01-01-2012, 09:02 PM

Today:

Organized my pantry.
Deposited some extra money in savings
Made so much HM pizza for the family tonight that they will have leftovers for lunch tomorrow and dinner! So no cooking tomorrow.

**Mom23boys** · 01-02-2012, 12:21 AM

~Washed 2 loads of laundry in cold
~Drinking water - no cokes
~Used a coupon for lunch after church - B1G1 meal free
~Heater off during the day - will be 31 tonight, so will turn it back on before I go to bed
~Tossed out expired coupons
~Balanced checking account
~Printed off some new coupons that I know I will use

**Maine Girl** · 01-02-2012, 08:49 AM

I love this thread and always read but now i want in to see how well i can do!!

Yesterday i was traveling home so I do not have a post, but let see what i can do today.

**KimZ** · 01-02-2012, 08:58 AM

Adding this to my challenges...

~Made New Years Dinner from Pantry and Freezer
~Didn't go ANYWHERE .... Saved gas
~No lights on unless in room - even asked brother to turn stuff off when he came out to watch TV with family
~ Breakfast HM Waffles and bacon for breakfast.. everything on hand and bacon was on sale for $3 YEAH
~ Limited shower to 2 1/2 minutes
~ No air or heat (live in Florida)

On to today!

**Parksfamily5** · 01-02-2012, 09:06 AM

Yesterday:
-Stocked up on the Sunday paper for coupons.
-Cut out my Q's.
-Got list ready for the store today with Q's for some stockpiling.
-Unplugged kitchen counter small appliences.
-Made sure lights and t.v's remaind off when not in use by someone.
-Started my envelope system.
-put the thermastat on hold until 1am.

I love being able to keep track of this. Thanks for this thread.

**Uniwolf** · 01-02-2012, 09:34 AM

Okay, will add this to my list for 2012... I need all of the accountability I can get.
Yesterday Jan 1st
made turkey veggie noodle soup - stock and turkey from the freezer, it was Christmas turkey

all other ingredients were from pantry and freezer.
This will be lunches to take to work, and dinners when hubbs and I eat out of the freezer.

other than going to get my Sunday paper went and spent nothing else.

On to today, Jan 2nd.

**AspiringToBeFrugal** · 01-02-2012, 10:30 AM

Today:
~ Breakfast was from stockpile
~ Using meal plan and groceries I purchased last week for lunch and supper.
~ All lights off until dark--it's a beautiful sunny day today!
~ Washing clothes in cold water today and will air dry some of them
~ Using up leftover/overripe bananas to make banana bread
~ Using up overripe pears given to me for FREE (thanks mom!) plus some apples to make some pear applesauce to go with supper. This will help with my No Wasted Food Challenge.