[Scarlett_Kaye]

I did put this challenge up originally for anyone to join but what I had missed was the challenge that was already a thread started for this challenge (how I missed it, I've no idea!) so I'm re-writing this challenge to just post my own challenge for on here as I don't want to step on anyone's toes with the other challenge that was already started for 2021. I'd delete this thread but don't see the option for doing so.

Scarlett

 

[marthamfi]

good for you! trying to spend less but think ds taekwondo yearly payment coming up , our anniversary and valentines.. but don't need craft stuff or clothes etc.

 

[jettsmom]

I've had a few no spend days this month. Today is a big spend. Stocking up on bird seed. I love the birds in winter. Needed dog food and treats. Picking up a few other laundry items to stock up on. With the weather we've been having, it's easy to stay home and not spend money. Just need to stay off amazon. Bought a new toaster. Old one is going out and the new one is a slim model that takes up less space on the counter.

 

[Scarlett_Kaye]

I've had a few no spend days this month. Today is a big spend. Stocking up on bird seed. I love the birds in winter. Needed dog food and treats. Picking up a few other laundry items to stock up on. With the weather we've been having, it's easy to stay home and not spend money. Just need to stay off amazon. Bought a new toaster. Old one is going out and the new one is a slim model that takes up less space on the counter.

If you're like me, sometimes staying off from Amazon is WAY easier said than done, huh? 😂🤣😂

 

[MaggieTru]

so far I'm spending every 3rd day. That's about when I need gas so I plan other spending, or NOT, for that day. Getting a good number of "no spends" stacked up.
Today I got fuel, bought a planned tool, and paid the phone bill. That MIGHT be it until Monday. Here's hoping.

 

[Scarlett_Kaye]

so far I'm spending every 3rd day. That's about when I need gas so I plan other spending, or NOT, for that day. Getting a good number of "no spends" stacked up.
Today I got fuel, bought a planned tool, and paid the phone bill. That MIGHT be it until Monday. Here's hoping.

Keep up the good work, Maggie! 😀 Believe it or not, I still haven't started the challenge yet but will get around to it eventually. lol

 

[MaggieTru]

SK: I started not buying from Amazon slowly then in 2020 made it a resolution. Bezos has enough money, I'd rather spend mine locally if possible, or at least elsewhre. I also avoid Walmart. I did have to have my sister buy a thing on Amazon last year...had her do it because she's an info tech person and I am NOT. She knew what I needed to work from home. The only wifi hotspot she thought would do a reasonable job was on Amazon. So, 1 purchase in 2020. So far in 2021 none. Avoiding Amazon, ebay, big box stores really cuts my spending because I don't see stuff that triggers the "oh cool!" response in my brain which leads me to a stupid purchase. This month I'm also trying to avoid thrift stores unless I have an item on the list that might be in there. That has cut my spending about 10$ a week! THank goodness it's not yard sale season! They are my other kryptonite

 

[Scarlett_Kaye]

SK: I started not buying from Amazon slowly then in 2020 made it a resolution. Bezos has enough money, I'd rather spend mine locally if possible, or at least elsewhre. I also avoid Walmart. I did have to have my sister buy a thing on Amazon last year...had her do it because she's an info tech person and I am NOT. She knew what I needed to work from home. The only wifi hotspot she thought would do a reasonable job was on Amazon. So, 1 purchase in 2020. So far in 2021 none. Avoiding Amazon, ebay, big box stores really cuts my spending because I don't see stuff that triggers the "oh cool!" response in my brain which leads me to a stupid purchase. This month I'm also trying to avoid thrift stores unless I have an item on the list that might be in there. That has cut my spending about 10$ a week! THank goodness it's not yard sale season! They are my other kryptonite

I most definitely know what you mean about yard sale season. I seldom go to them anymore ... I used to though and ya know, it's funny when you go to the yard sales and you find something you just "had to have" even though you didn't know you even wanted it UNTIL you saw it there. lol (Then a good part of the stuff, within a couple of months, I was like - WHAT was I thinking? The thrill of the find had worn off and no specific place to put half of it and so I ended up donating it just to get rid of it because of course, a lot of the things I had no use for.

 

[ermadunk]

Oh how this brings back memories.When i was younger and felt better i was always going to yard sale and flew markets always left them with something and most of time not something i could use or no place to put things.Have found some things i could use.

 

[MaggieTru]

That IS the problem with yard sales and flea markets and the like. Always something so cool or strange. I once bought a strange folding wooden stool or shelf or something. Years later I figured out it is a footstool for people with gout! I was amused by it for ages but never did find a use. I should turn it in to kindling

 

[dlrcpa]

Ugh, I just spent months cleaning out parents' house, they had everything imaginable, often in multiples. I only brought home stuff I thought I could really use. So much got donated. I keep remarking I wish mom had kept her money in her pocket instead of buying a thousand things that never got used. Some still had price tags attached! Money in the bank would have been much simpler.

 

[Scarlett_Kaye]

That IS the problem with yard sales and flea markets and the like. Always something so cool or strange. I once bought a strange folding wooden stool or shelf or something. Years later I figured out it is a footstool for people with gout! I was amused by it for ages but never did find a use. I should turn it in to kindling

Maggie, that is hilarious about the footstool for people with gout. lol

 

[Scarlett_Kaye]

That IS the problem with yard sales and flea markets and the like. Always something so cool or strange. I once bought a strange folding wooden stool or shelf or something. Years later I figured out it is a footstool for people with gout! I was amused by it for ages but never did find a use. I should turn it in to kindling

Maggie, yard sales I don't do much anymore and thankfully I'm not in an area that has big flea markets as for some reason, those I never seem to have self control with. lol

I've only been to two of them in my life - one was by Buffalo, NY in the 1970's and big black velvet coloring poster. I think because there are so many different vendors and so many different things, it just makes it a lot more fun to me. lol

The other one I went to was in Wichita, Kansas and I'm sure there I had to have bought "something" but can't remember if I did (and knowing me, I'm SURE that I did!) but have no recollection of what it was!

 

[Scarlett_Kaye]

Ugh, I just spent months cleaning out parents' house, they had everything imaginable, often in multiples. I only brought home stuff I thought I could really use. So much got donated. I keep remarking I wish mom had kept her money in her pocket instead of buying a thousand things that never got used. Some still had price tags attached! Money in the bank would have been much simpler.

dlrcpa - I know what you mean about having to clean out someone's house as I've went through that as well a few years ago. Not parents house and it was only an apartment but it was this man who lived in the same building as I did and I helped to take care of him because he had no family living.

He was an absolute pack rat but then too, at the time he was almost 90 and had gone through the depression so he saved everything. In fact, believe it or not (and it's true!), I had to go through papers, papers and MORE papers. He had every year of income tax papers going all the way back to 1946 (which was 10 years before I was even born!) Also many treasures that he had collected along the way which really weren't worth keeping but I guess they must have been to him. What a job and one that I NEVER want to have to do again!

 

[Scarlett_Kaye]

Oh how this brings back memories.When i was younger and felt better i was always going to yard sale and flew markets always left them with something and most of time not something i could use or no place to put things.Have found some things i could use.

One thing that helps me the most for not going is that I no longer have a vehicle so I don't get to near the yard sales that I used to. I've found things that I could use as well but have to admit that I probably brought more things that I didn't need home than those I did need. lol

 

[MaggieTru]

I managed a "no food spend" february. It seems to have led to a generally low spend month! Without the grocery store trip to get me in to town, and some really bad roads for 2 weeks (hmmm...maybe that was the main thing) I spent about 2/3 my usual non-food budget.

 

[dlrcpa]

Sounds good Maggie. When the weather warms up will you get things from your garden? How are the chickens producing? I had to buy a lot of gasoline due to driving back & forth to parents' house but thank goodness that is over. Very little driving in the foreseeable future. I have let hubby do all the grocery shopping lately to minimize my risk of getting sick until sale of parents' house was completed. Guess I will have to get back to grocery shopping now.

 

[MaggieTru]

I spend an easy 200$/month on gas...and I claim to be an environmentalist!!! Sigh. I chose to live where I commute and where one needs 6" of ground clearance so, there you go.
The chickens are putting out an egg or two a day but suddenly consumed ALL the oyster shell (calcium supplement) that had been ignored for 2 months. I hope that means they are starting to produce again and feeling the need to beef up mineral stores for the shells. The weather is warming up and we're getting at least 8hours of daylight now so that helps too.

I'm hoping the kale will come up again and I have radish seeds to put out as soon as it looks like I've got a couple of weeks of non-super-freezing weather. We'll see. Really, last frost date is mid june, though 1 map of seasons says there is NO guaranteed frost free date in this part of the state which is true. Usually I can plant in early june for the tender stuff. Kale is pretty reliable in the minigreenhouse and potatoes, garlic, beets...things that grow on the russian steppes...can grow here pretty well. Still a couple of months away from even reliable greens though.

Glad the parents house is off your plate now!

Just after I wrote the previous post, I got a call that 2nd Harvest had a surprise truck drop off. It's usually the 2nd and 4th tuesdays here. This one included beef and bison meet!! That is rare. Once in a while there is a "protein box" but it's usually cheese (I don't do dairy) and salty meats like ham and I have to watch my salt so I skip those. This time it was just 3lbs of each of those meats, ground. Frozen solid. There was room in the work freezer. I can't wait to fry up a burger this weekend and make a nice bison stew with the rest of the meat. It has been ages since I have had a decent burger. I don't even care that I don't have a bun! ...I could get one though!