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August "Renew Your Vows" Challenge

6K views 126 replies 15 participants last post by  calimomx2 
#1 ·
For those of us who have been slacking off a bit (and I include myself in that group), starting August 1st, this is a challenge to spend just one month being "hyper-aware" of our habits, good and bad, and to try to make the former outweigh latter.


If you think you can be better about saving, spending wisely, stockpiling, using up what you have more efficiently, not wasting, this is the challenge for you.

Can you unleash your frugal diva for one month? If so, step up and throw your name into the ring. Starting August 1, you'll be asked to document, on this thread, how you have put your money where your mouth is (or, actually, how you have put your money to much better use <g>).

Bonus points for anyone who comes up with a tangible goal (i.e, cut my grocery budget in half this week; make it through the month without spending any extra money; making all meals at home).


The challenge starts on Wednesday....
 
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#4 ·
OK...here are my goals for August:
--$60 weekly household/food budget
--$20 weekly entertainment budget
--eat out once per week
--save $50 weekly
--have three Christmas presents made by the end of the month...I don't even know what i am going to make LOL :)
--help DD to live on her fun budget
--keep my cleaning schedule
 
#5 ·
My August goals:

1) Track every penny - why is this so hard for me? I resolve to do it every month, and then I lose one receipt on the way home, and I give it all up as a lost cause;
2) Utilize my gym membership. I'm paying for it, so I need to use it. If I can't get myself going regularly this month, I need to cancel the membership.
3) Maintain my "half hour every morning" general cleaning routine - I started this a few weeks back, setting a timer when I got up in the morning and making myself clean anything that needed cleaning, organizing, etc until the timer went off. I do it M-F (work days) and save the weekends for the larger cleaning jobs or, if I prefer, to just goof off. :) It is actually working. I am seeing some improvement, so apparently I mess up my house at a rate less than I can clean in 2.5 hours per week. :)
 
#7 ·
Oh thank you for starting this thread...we are not staying on track this Summer at all..had hoped to have the mortgage under $70,000 by now...so our over spending is kicking us in the arse...So my goals are the following:

1) Put Ebay money from sales unto mortgage,get it under $72,000
2) $500 for groceries and household items or $125/ week
3) Use half the meat in recipes...just spent 450 bucks on 100 lbs of organic chicken...make it last until next Summer.
4)Keep track of spending!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
#8 ·
ok Hubby got a small raise this week....this is only 80 on the month..
Goals: money
1. Keep hubs from wasting money..
2. keep track of spending better
3.keep the food budget around 450 I also am stockpiling
4. Use my coupons
5. start saving for Christmas

personal
1. keep the house cleaner longer
2 work on walking program for injured knee too much weight on me.
3.drinking more water
4. walk dogs more often and play with them more..
5. go to church more often

Went to pick up my meds yester day they are normally 16 bucks per month..But had to sign back up for program so it was 36 bucks but they gave me a 10 dolar coupon for the grocery store.

hubby also fibbed to me he did not pay the ins. last week ( he gave his daughter money The one at UK, to go back to school on however she went on vacation with it grr)
so this week we paid the car ins. and have 200 for electric instead of the 316..had to have some stuff for house cigs, meds for me, dog food....
so this week 110 cable, 117 dollars for electric......rest groceries....
 
#9 ·
I'm in.

Really need to refocus. I start school the end of this month for an added expense of 300-400 in gas. Plus the loss of my full time income at a staggering $500-600 a month. But that is still taking a hit.


So August will be crunch month.
goals-
Eat out once a week
menu plan and cook ahead
work out kinks in budget
No unnecessary spending
Go over approved spending list.
TRACK EVERY PENNY

I will ponder this some more and update later tonight.
 
#10 ·
Im in!!!

I have alot of rebudgeting to do, so this is my main concern.

I have a new hospital bill to pay down/off. It is $2200.
I have new insurance premiums/meds to cover the cost of starting the 1st: Not sure how much this will be yet
And I need to get busy preparing for Christmas.

I also want to start decluttering so I guess this is as good a time as any to start that also!
 
#14 ·
Okay in again this month, hopefully with better results than last month.

Resolve getting rid of cable and working on what my alternatives are with an old tv..this is my weekend project.

Working on my stockpile for the fall and winter, also need new recipes for fall and winter

Have a line item in my budget for fun this month it is $100 because i have vacation and an annual craft fair i like to go to for ideas and the occasional purchase

Bring on the month. Good Luck to all:clap:
 
#15 ·
Okay, in my resolve to track every penny, I spent $35 on a haircut ($25 + tip), $24.35 on lunch for myself and a co-worker who came to town to work on a project with me and who then took on a much BIGGER project to help me out, and $100 to the vet to pay for some thyroid meds for the donkeys ($42) and a balance from their last visit that they hadn't billed me for yet.

I did my half hour of cleaning.

I did not go to the gym, but should have. I could have gone after the haircut, but wasn't prepared this morning and didn't pack my gym bag.
 
#16 ·
So far this month spent 65$ on groceries, but I have a very long list of meals that I can prepare with food I already have at home so I feel confident I can do it. As long as I don't bring my husband grocery shopping for the rest of the month. I just hate saying no this isn't on the list.
 
#18 ·
Started the morning out right by going to the gym! Also did my half hour of cleaning this morning, and seeing incremental progress from that. I used to spend the entire time in the kitchen, always finding one more thing that needed wiping down or dusting, but I have since progressed into the bathroom, and today actually found myself dusting a dresser in the bedroom! :)

Reincarnated my YNAB software to start seriously tracking where the money goes!!
 
#20 ·
I am in! I want to really enjoy the next 22 days with my kids before school starts and I want to enjoy some cheap summer fun. We were going to go away one weekend but I think we will just save the money and find frugal summer activities instead.
 
#24 ·
Made it through yesterday with no spending. I really wanted to get an app for my iPad to track some projects I am working on, but couldn't find any free ones, so I didn't get one. I will have to spend today, because I am driving up north to deliver my mother's birthday present to her (early). It is a juicer, and I think it is only right, if giving someone a juicer, to give them some fruit and veg to juice along with it. :)

No time this morning to clean, so I have promised myself I will do my half-hour cleaning tonight.

I doubt I'll make it to the gym today, unless things go a LOT faster than I expect. Most likely, it will be very late before I return home.
 
#27 ·
went to 1 garage sale yesterday and spent nothing
Didn't go at all today (shocked by Bf as she wanted me to keep my eyes out for a bike for her college bound Ds)
We are going out for the postponed anniv. dinner ($50. held aside). That better be too much held too.
Treated the dogs ears myself but will need to vet him.Will get his shots at the same time to save another charge for exam.
Washing the sheets today I home shopped for for DD=free
Spent $86. on groceries. Just aggrevating! and $10. for juices for DH for recovery=aggrevating.
 
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