[telephus]

Hope no one minds me starting up the normal challenge this week:

1. We ate dinner at home (again). Total cost was about $3.00 for two people, and we have enough leftover for one of us to take lunch to work tomorrow
2. I took my coffee to work and leftovers for lunch
3. I got a free magazine in the mail today (Redbook)
4. I'm not running the dishwasher tonight because it isn't full yet
5. Used freebie samples of shampoo and conditioner this morning
6. Planned tomorrow's meal so we won't eat out again
7. No spend day!

 

[Shilah]

No "food shopping" this week (just pick up milk and bread)
No shopping this week
Line drying all clothes
Not running the water while I wash dishes
Only using the oven when the Foreman grill or crock pot or microwave is not an option

 

[PrairieRose]

I stayed home all day until about 3, then went to mom and dad's to help hang some pictures.

No spend day here too.

We ate from the fridge and freezer tonite.

Did my laundry using 1/2 the soap.

No a/c or heat today.

Blinds open for light, no lights on when not in use.

 

[LadybugDreams]

May 13th-15th

Traded my 2002 Sebring in for a frugal 1997 Honda and saved myself $6500 (not to mention gas money saved as well!)!
No shopping
Staying at home when not working
No lights, candles all the way...
Dringking koolaid-no soda for us!

 

[Nada.Leona]

May 15th:

~ breakfast, lunch and dinner were all homemade
~ drinking water all day
~ at home entertainment
~ found an online instruction manual for my second-hand popcorn popper
~ fixed my popcorn popper with some tin foil and a hair elastic
~ dried clothes on a dry rack in the livingroom
~ trying to turn lights off
~ had to buy :cat: some cat food. Cost me $30, but should last a month.

 

[marei]

Nothing too exciting her, washed in cold water and hung to dry. Made a gallon of iced tea and all meals homemade. Very rare for us to eat out.

 

[wendy]

I really want to join this one, but all I can say is that I'm having my baby on Thursday, in laws will be here Wednesday through Sunday (oh I'm so excited, not!) and there is NO telling how much money that we will spend that we don't have to spend.

Today, I mailed out all the bills that have come in so far and told dh that we are broke. It's not the whole truth, but hopefully he won't want to spend a bunch of money this week.

I'm terribly aggravated.

 

[ewokgirl]

I assume you don't want to hear about the $1700 I spent at the dentist's office today? :toothy: I had 3 crowns put on and about fell over when I was given my share of the total. Once I was home and able to talk again, I called the dentist's office to inquire about that crazy total. Our insurance covers 80%, and that seemed really high for 20%. Turns out they thought my insurance only covers 50%, so that's what I was charged. Should be getting about $1000 back. Whew!

Other than that...
~Made up a new batch of homemade laundry soap--that stuff cleans pretty well and it's so cheap to put together!
~Bought a few necessities at the dollar store (pretty much a first for me)
~Cut up fruit and whipped some cream since it was going to expire soon
~Haven't eaten out (not even fast food) in a week!
~Used a coupon at Petsmart

 

[mommymath]

Hi all! I need to get back on this as well ...

Plans for the week:
** redeem 2 freebies for treats (1 jamba juice, 1 froofy coffee)
** pack lunches
** do better dinner planning
** take coffee for dh and me from home
** list stuff on ebay!!
** list stuff on half.com
** work on the budget
** declutter, declutter, declutter

 

[miss_thrifty]

-Made last nite sheperds pie enough for tonites supper.
-puter isnt staying on long(just enough to check mail)
_keeping up with laundry(1-2 loads a day), If i don't do it every day, dryer goes all day till 2:00p.m.
-no eating out this week or weekend
-fridays baby bonus check will stock up on dry goods, and dollar stuff(some of it)
_bought brita filter machine to hook to tap( in long run saves us on running two times a week to fill up and on gas) Brita on sale for $20
_

 

[shelsmiles]

*washing in cold only and using less soap and softener:laundry:
*consolidating all of my errand running into one efficient trip
*no eating out - cooking from scratch at home:stir:
*turned off the heat and the a/c so neither is running
*reprogrammed the sprinkler system to be more efficient
*timed showers for my kids :bath: :shower:
*implementing a healthier diet for the family
*drink water
*shop at home
*stay away from Walmart

 

[my4littlebuffaloes]

Hung a load of laundry

walked to pick up ds from preschool

washed out some ziploc baggies

scrapbooked 3 pages using supplies I had on hand, wasn't tempted to run out and buy more stuff, but got some incentive to do more pages using only what I have

working on a list for walmart and sams, I will make my monthly trip this weekend, I don't want to forget anything

will be having spinach from the garden tonight for dinner

pricing stuff for our garage sale this weekend and borrowing a table from a friend

Jennifer

 

[Laurie in Bradenton]

No work today so no need to drive anywhere
Having all 3 meals from stuff we've got on hand. Shouldn't have to shop for at least another week.
No a/c or heat on here windows and doors open having a light rain really taking the heat out its been in the 80's here.
Rain is filling emtpy rainbarrels so now we can water the garden for free!!!
Spent morning hours clearing my desk- boy is the recycle bin full
Spent afternoon going throught a pile of old magazines passing them on to SIL

Laurie in Bradenton

 

[Homekeepn]

Here goes:

1. Only driving when I really need to. And then I combine all errands in one trip.

2. Only turning the furnace on when I need hot water for more then one reason.

3. Making all meals from home. Including snacks and drinks:coffee3: away from home.

4. Keeping up with my weekly menu.

5. Hanging all laundry to dry. As soon as it stops raining.

That's what I have on the top of my head.

~Cathy~

 

[peanut]

Sara:
"1. We ate dinner at home (again). Total cost was about $3.00 for two people, and we have enough leftover for one of us to take lunch to work tomorrow."

What was supper? That's a good price!

I haven't done much frugal today. Eating leftovers for lunch. Making spaghetti sauce from scratch, but I'm afraid it will be too salty.

Weeded the garden a bit. Vacumming the house. Doing laundry and hang drying it. Busy reading. Window shopping for dneice's wedding.

Jean

 

[Mamaw]

Not frugal at all over the weekend. Had saved $$ since I knew DD was expecting in order to splurge on a pink Barbie motorized jeep for DGD. She is 2.5 so time to buy it. Also bought her a Dora big wheel that was just too nice to resist. Paid cash, had budgeted for it and saved for it so it was a planned splurge but still a splurge... and now I am having a hard time getting back to frugality!!!! Somebody motivate me......
Anyway...today
~Used sample of body lotion, sample of facial mask and sample of shampoo for grooming.
~ used coupons and loss leaders at grocery store tonight
~sent in several rebates today
~Washing in mostly cold with HM soap
~Need to make more soap this week
~organized coupons
~replied to a survey for points program

 

[telephus]

Sara:
"1. We ate dinner at home (again). Total cost was about $3.00 for two people, and we have enough leftover for one of us to take lunch to work tomorrow."

What was supper? That's a good price!

Jean

Wow, I know a lot of ladies on here could do this for a lot cheaper, but I made a Pasta Roni recipe. The Pasta Roni was $.50 (on sale with coupons), plus we used 1/2 of a Turkey Kielbasa ($1.00 - normally they are $3.99 each but these were on sale B1G1F) - and the we used half a fresh tomatoe and half a fresh pepper (Basically you brown the kielbasa, add the whole pasta roni kit and start cooking, and add the veggies in the last 3-5 minutes so that they are still kind of crunchy).

For 5/17...

*Took coffee and lunch to work (again!)
*Resisted temptation to eat out (DH offered to pay and we had a free meal pass) but we stayed home and made spaghetti (meatless)
*Figured out that using the Daycare FSA will be cheaper for us than not using it!
*Found out my credit card was upgraded to a points reward system (without changing the terms or interest rate!) and one of the "rewards" is cash back.
*Needed to get $20 for laundry money from the bank, and went to one of our bank's ATMs to avoid the fee
*Purchased gas for the first time since May 2nd. (Woo-hoo!)
*Not taking my usual nightly shower to keep down the electric bill
*Our Electric Bill was a lot less this month - our usage went from 864 KWH to 666 KWH. Our record is 495 - I'm aiming for under 600 next month!

 

[marei]

Nothing very exciting here. Did a laundry in cold water and hung it to dry. Last night was my volunteer night and the caterer made a wonderful meal so I had a free supper last night and brought home enough baked ham for five meals and home baked beans for supper to-night and enough for me for lunch to-morrow. This is a plus to volunteering that I never dreampt of. The other caterer used to count everything right down to the last roll but they have a new one and she cooks very generously. Gotta love it. Have been doing major decluttering and for the first time in my life filled a whole bag of recycling in one week. Also am working on my third large bag (garbage bag) of things for the schools yard sale. Am in the tossing mood and that's a good thing.

 

[marianne98]

Recipe for Homemade Laundry Soap

Can you give me the recipe for your homemade laundry soap, that you made up? Thanks,

Marianne

 

[treeluva]

I went into the basement storage area here, and found all the clothes from my oldest daughter that I saved for the younger one when she got this size..... and FOUND THEM! So that is one summer wardrobe that I will not have to purchase!
Other than that, I have been keeping up with the recycling bit.... I never realized how much I threw away that could have been recycled. Pretty much almost EVERYTHING!
I am also writing up a list and waiting for the grocery Case Lot sale next weekend... they are going to have a lot of things that we usually get for next to NOTHING..... so I hope that I will get there before everything that we use is gone....I also made room in the basement storage area I have to store it!

Other than that, just refusing to buy anything. I think I have done pretty well with my own money challenge this month, and it certainly opened my eyes to how much money I truly have to spend each month!