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February 4, 2015

February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 4 Recap

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Good evening, savvy savers! So for Day 4, I challenged you all to #Choose30! So did you all stop and think, “is there anything I need to change?”

I did. I have decided to take this next thirty days and work on myself, by way of maintaining a product, effective morning routine. 

Each morning I would like to:

  • Wake up at 6:30 am.
  • Walk my fur babies.
  • Eat breakfast.
  • Read my devotional.
  • Take My vitamins.
  • Shower, dress, and have a cup of coffee, by myself.
  • All done before 7:30 am!

I want to have myself “fixed,” before I can fix my family each day. While this may not sound like a lot, for me this is a huge thing! Some days I spend so much time fixing things for work, my home, my family, and my husband… that it’s nearly 10 am before I can stop and worry about me! Hopefully this will soon change!

As well today, I was also able to accomplish:

  1. I woke up at 6:30, walked my fur babies, showered, & dressed to my shoes, (just sans shoes indoors, as we’re a no-shoes indoor household!) (Thanks, Flylady!)
  2. Worked on my daily Motivated Moms Planner.
  3. I finished one days work of work-week, clerking assignments.
  4. I read part of a new review book.
  5. I finished today’s Day 4 No-Spend Challenge!
  6. I enjoyed a Free Chik-fil-a- frozen latte!
  7. I cooked from my pantry, three times.
  8. I walked for three miles!
  9. I finished all of my daily blog posts on time!
  10. Read my daily devotional.
  11. I cleaned out my linen closet and makeup drawers! 

So today I saved:

  • I was able to subscribe to a new, free magazine subscription, which will have a combined savings of $11.00.
  • I completed 2 surveys online via Ipsos-iSay, and earned a $1.00 towards my next Amazon gift code.
  • I eat at home three times today, saving our family $8.91. 
  • I recycled, upcycled, and composted one bins of deluge, and saved $0.25, the cost of 1 trash bag. 
  • I enjoyed a free Chik-fil-a frozen latte, for free, a savings of $2.99!
  • I received $23.34 worth of product review items, which can be placed in my home gift closet!
  • I used a gallon of milk from my deep freeze, and saved $3.98 from having to run to the store for milk!
  • I also did not watch cable tv, and saved $3.68 by doing so.

So, overall today my family saved: $55.15

This months savings goal remaining: $702.60

Hopefully today’s challenge will have helped you to start thinking about more in your life that simply surviving in the day-to-day world! Until tomorrow’s challenge! 

Here’s to saving,

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Challenge Links:

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Wednesday Ways To Save: Freecycle.org!

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Hello again, savvy savers! Today’s Wednesday’s Ways To Save is about one of my favorite sites on the internet, Freecycle.org!

I love Freecycle. When I say I love Freecycle, I mean it, truly! Freecycle.org is a website, run through Yahoo, that connects people looking to get rid of household items, with people who need certain items; this method helps keep belongings out of landfills, and puts it in the hands of those who truly need, or want, the items! One great bit of advice I give friends is that if they are looking for furniture, craft materials, building materials, toys, clothing, uniforms, or some other needs, try Freecycle first! I thought I’d share some tips on Freecycle etiquette that I’ve picked up in my time using five freecycle groups in three cities here in my area.

Here’s how to start using Freecyle in your own home:

  1. Start a Freeycle.org account; sign-up for an account, find the group closest to your town, and once your account is approved by a group moderator, make sure that the organizations emails are secured as safe-senders in your email accounts.
  2. Post an offer. With any free site, its always best to start terms off with your best foot forward, and this case its by posting an offer to give away a free item you can part with; with Spring cleaning on the near horizon this should not be a hard endeavor! Be sure to start your ad with the following ISO (in Search Of), INO (In Need Of), or VES (Very Eagerly Seeking), followed by a colon, and then the desired item in question.
  3. Be considerate and realistic. Be sure to ask for things you truly need; asking for outrageous, egregious, or expensive items will cause your account to be suspected, or possibly deleted by group administrators.
  4. Ask for an item. Once you have given an item away, or made arrangement to do so; once you receive your item, always be sure to post a group note stating it has been taken, and while on the site post your first request!
  5. If someone offers you an item, be prompt in making arrangements to pick the item up, and after doing so always remember to shoot the sender a thank you email, as well as to return to the site and list the item as haven been received!
  6. Keep up with Freecycle.org emails. Be sure to check back often, and if you are able to do so, offer items to wanted ads, and never be too proud to ask for items from others!
  7. You will never receive a blessing with a closed hand, or mind! Be sure to think of your fellow group members before throwing out household items, as you would be surprised in what others may be in need of.

 

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With all of this stated, I wanted to give you all an example of one set of items I received recently. There is a lady in my local group. She and I have exchanged items several times, and as she knows that I coupon and upcycle furniture, she often writes me to take things off her hands. This past weekend she wrote and offered me a pair of perfectly fine, white rocking chairs! Why was she getting rid of them? She felt that my husband and I, as a young couple, should have a place to sit and converse with one another! Is that not amazing? In addition to this, over the past year I have received antique mason jars, fabric, buttons, end tables, trunks, and other fun items!

I highly recommend this site, and hope you will use it soon!

Here’s to saving,

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February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 4 (#Choose30 Challenge)

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Hello again, savvy savers! A new day, a new challenge! To change things up today, let’s switch courses and think about ways of enriching ourselves.

 As some of you may have noticed yesterday, but I mentioned that I have just finished reading the book, “And Now I Choose,” by Tam Hodge, and subsequently, I started following her site. And currently on her site this month, Mrs. Hodge has started a new challenge, the #Choose30 Challenge, encouraging people to choose one thing to do differently, that will positively impact in their lives.

Now I know how daunting this may be. Putting yourself out there, admitting our shortcomings can be frightening, but for the sake of a good challenge, I’m game! So today, I am challenging both myself and my readers to find one thing in their life that they can spend the next thirty days making this new change habitual! 

So for Day 4, I challenge you to #Choose30! Before you hop off the computer, just sit and think, is there anything I need to change? 

Know I’m pulling for you. 

Stay tuned for the Day 4 Challenge recap this evening!

Here’s to saving,

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Challenge Links:

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