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September Renew Your Vows Challenge

4K views 71 replies 15 participants last post by  oheoh's momma 
#1 ·
For those of us who have been slacking off a bit (and I include myself in that group), starting today, 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 today, 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).
 
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#2 ·
Throwing my Hat in the ring here (thanks for the thread :clap: )
Goals:
All meals made at home
Get 20 jars of Jam made and stockpiled
Get 20 jars of Jelly made and stockpiled
Get 10 bags of apple sauce made & frozen
Going to try & dehydrate apple rings (first time trying it with oven - wish me luck)
Make & freeze 10 apple tarts - (freeze pre baking)
Brew stout, beer and wine
Save €5pw from Grocery budget for stockpiling - going to start this month

looking forward to the challenge ;)
 
#4 ·
I'm actually very pleased with how I did in August so it is going to be more of the same in September for me!!
-track our spending
-combine as many errands into 1 day so I'm not constantly in the car and driving and wasting gas!
-1 planned meal out for dh's b-day unless he decides he wants to do something at home.
Besides dh's b-day we do have 1 planned day out to the fair. We will get in free for taking canned goods and books and only need to pay for parking. Food/drinks is another story, it's the fair so hopefully we won't do too much damage! :D
 
#5 ·
Count me in!! I need to renew my vows to frugality. I had gotten too comfortable. Not that I was going "full hog wild" or anything, but I can think/look back and I have been wasting so much $$. So I am changing back to my frugal divaness!

Goals for Sept:
  • Log all spending in Spensa
  • 1 spend day per week
  • Only visit thrift once a week, if that. ( I need nothing, but like to browse on lunch but it still costs me apx $0.75 to drive back and forth from office to store) So going to try to cut that way back or out
  • 1 Out to Eat day a week
  • Track savings and extra earnings
  • Cut back on the electicity and monitor it again (I said I got lazy, lol)
  • Sell [Ebay/CL/FB] 8 Items

Possible forseeable hurdles/added expenses:
  • May attend a out of town wedding [trying to not :)]
  • I am going to a HUGE yardsale with some friends but I have already gave myself a $50 budget, unless I find furniture that I need ( I have a YS/Thrift list)
  • I also am having a friend over for a stitch-in but that should be frugal, I will make snacky foods that I probably have on hand or from sales.
 
#7 ·
-canceled the repair ins. on 3 phones so i will save $25, a month plus tx.
-made Septembers budget and shifted some things
-will payoff the 1st mortgage in 3 months now instead of 4.
-working on Oct. shifts
-working on the goal targets for next year.
-bought a xlg. pitcher to put cold water in the fridge because i am buying even less juice and pop. $6.
Happy September.
 
#8 ·
Did well yesterday. Didn't spend anything, so nothing to report. I am trying to put together a ROUGH menu for this week, so I don't buy anything that ends up wasted. I need to go to the store today or tomorrow, but I have told myself I won't go until the menu is done.
 
#12 ·
Okay, spent money today, but put it all in the budget. Didn't get around to meal planning, so I just bought a bunch of stuff to make a mega-batch of veggie soup. That should hold me for a week or two!
 
#14 ·
Well duct taped the vaccumn cord and forgot the Dyson coupon which expires today.

Went to the fair and spent $2.50 between parking and popcorn Dh just toured the old cars,I looked at the G.sale and left the bake goods behind.
Have had a few "dates" for under $10. lately. Farm park =free,S.A.=$4.36,Ice cream for $3.50,coke and lemonade 1.98/2,and dog walking free.
We did splurge on chinese last week for $15. for 5 meals. And rented Hunger Games for $4.99.

Still on track w/ the budget. To kill the mortgage and pay the rest of the surgery bills.
Van is "buzzing under the pedal" again. $$ maybe?
 
#15 ·
FW, sounds like you are finding some fun things to do on the cheap! I have a few duct-taped cords around here, as well, between the parrots, the bunnies, and foster puppies. I am amazed no one (including me) has been electrocuted yet!

OM, dare I ask or did you post in another thread?
 
#17 ·
Im late but Im in. We are doing some ebay selling this month and Dh is doing some side work to make some extra money. We are being more aware of our food waste so we are making sure to eat what we have before it goes bad. We are also cutting back on spending so we will only eat out for dds bday later in the month.
 
#20 ·
Doing ok so far this month.....
Would have had all no spend days, but yesterday bought a new frig. I had been planning and shopping for one for some time. I saved around$500 and it will be delivered to my house.

Trying to figure out my next spend day....I am going to need fuel soon in the car so I need to plan my other shopping for the same day. I am also debating on if I need to go to the Dollar General store on Sat to use the $5 off $25 cpn or not. It may be a 2 spend day week....darn it, lol!!

It amazes how much "playing" the no-spend game helps me to prioritize my spending.....do I need it, can it wait, what can I use instead.

Made $5 this morning doing a survey.
 
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#24 ·
I'm in! And I DO!
 
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#25 ·
I've spent the last few days dreading getting the electric bill in the mail!! It has been so hot here for a couple of months with no relief in sight for the next week or so so the AC has been on! I'm good about keeping it set at 84 and not running any other appliances during peak hours but I was still scared to get a huge bill in the mail! Well, it came today and although it is high it isn't anywhere near where I thought it would be, just over $200 which isn't bad for a unit that is 25 years old and that has been running non stop for a month now! I budgeted $300 for it so I'm happy with what it is!!

Other than that I've not spent anything so far this month!! :)
 
#26 ·
Spent a lot more money than I would have liked, but am pretty well stocked up now on bird food and dog food. Entered it all into YNAB, as well as the money I spent for lunch, so I am still 4/4 on recording all my expenditures this month! Hoping to squeak through the rest of this week on LO's from the soup I made, so I don't have to go out to eat any more, and then spend this weekend trying to put some of the supplies I bought into some sort of meal plan for the rest of the month!
 
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