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31-Day No Spend Challenge Day 2: Kitchen & Pantry Organization

 

Hello again, savvy savers! As many of my readers and online friends may know, I am always juggling several projects, business opportunities, scholastic goals, and home projects at any given time. With so much constantly going on, it’s sometimes easy to forget one of my main passions, and antithesis for this blog, the ability to save money, while live a better live, in hopes of having a “whole living blog,” to help me have a better run life. So, for 2015 I have decided to take an old-school approach to spending, and so for every other month this year, for the months of February, April, June, August, October, and December I will be participating in a NO SPENDING month cycles! 

Why this crazy idea? Well, a month of NO spending is an awesome way to both reset your spending patterns, as well as to either kick-start your budget or revamp and make changes to any existing budget you or your family may have. This is also a great challenge for personal responsibility; you can track what you have been spending your hard earned funds, and keep yourself on track, in terms of responsible spending thereafter. 

I will be blogging daily about my NO SPEND struggles, victories, and suggestions from the previous day, and will be posting easy-to-follow daily challenges for my readers during my no-spend months. As well, each Sunday will share what I’ve learned, saved, and gained from this challenge as part of my Weekly Goals & Reflections Posts. I hope that many of you will join me in this challenge, as we can all you use more ways to save around the home.

 

 

The rules are pretty simple:  

  • No spending on anything  beyond absolute necessities.
  • Eat from your pantry & freezer as often as you are able.
  • And make changes to the way you purchase and consume goods, services, and commodities in your home. 
  • The idea of the challenge is to keep up with your daily activities,, but the main goal is simply to stop spending.  
  • This challenge can be a life changing experience, as you may just be amazed at how your mindset and perspective will change after just a month of seeing how you can enrich your life, without spending more!

Challenge 1: Part 1, Commitment

This first challenge has two parts. The first part of the first challenge is committing to the challenge itself. Knowing that starting any personal challenge, starts with following through with the challenge itself, and this no-spend month is no exception! 

Also knowing that this April is not just about not spending, although that will be our main goal.  I always challenge each of you to find ways to live well, live better, find new sources of joy, will spending less. You may just find out just how much we already have, and how little more we really need.  And hopefully, by the end of them month, a life rich with family, friends, and creative planning, secured by fiscally responsible measures, will be who we truly are. In addition, I hope to make my posts comments section a place of encouragement and accountability for us all, too!

I’m not gonna lie, there presumably will be tough moments, and for that reason, with one week remaining, stock-up on any items you currently feel you cannot do without. But the biggest reason for following through with this month daily challenges? In the month of February, I was able to save $1,456.87

This month is not about thinking what you won’t be spending and economizing on, but what you are saving for!

With that in mind, for today’s challenge, I encourage you all to physically take a few  minutes to make a list for this month, to include the following:

  • How much you plan to save this month.
  • What are your long-term financial goals.
  • What activities will you plan this month, to take the place of your spending.

 

 

Challenge 1: Part 2, Pantry Organization

I should warn you from the get-go:  my challenge is going to be geared around a lot of cleaning, organizing, self-and home inventorying this month! This is done in an attempt to re-wire our spending habits to include less conspicuous consumption, and finding more contentment is the ability to live off of what we currently have, and moreover, can afford! This is a spend less, dig deeper kind of month!

So today, we are going to start by taking stock of exactly what we have on hand. And if  you are a couponer/stockpiler like me,  you probably have more than a few forgotten packages hidden in the recesses of your pantry, and it’s time they come out to play!

Here’s a few tips for cleaning up your home pantry:

  1. Clear your kitchen counters, kitchen islands, and table before you begin to allow you so you have adequate work space. 
  2. Empty your pantry.
  3. Put like items together; all like items should be grouped separately into piles.
  4. All open containers need to be grouped separately.
  5. Any items that you will not be eating in the next six months, discard.
  6. Any items that will expire in the next three months, that you will not eat, group separately and donate. 
  7. Wipe down and sanitize cleared shelves.
  8. Take a sheet of paper and create an inventory of what you currently have in your home pantry.
  9. Keep in mind, when placing items back into your pantry, arrange items closest to expiration, nearest to the front of your shelf, and those items farthest from expiration towards the back of each shelf.

A few additional tips to keep in mind:

  • All shelved goods should be checked and rotated seasonally, and this is a task that should be placed on your calendars accordingly. 
  • Place all unopened containers in your pantry in like areas; cans with cans, boxes with boxes, jars with jars.
  • Open snacks, cookies, and candy should be taken out of the pantry and placed in other areas of the kitchen so that they can be easily consumed.
  • Be sure to wipe down the front of your pantry; this includes cabinets, panels, knobs, etc.
  • Take a well needed break, for a job well done!

Stay tuned for my end of day report updates, which will be reported to Instagram!

Here’s to saving.

misty1

April’s No-spend Month Challenge Starts Tomorrow!

Hello again, savvy savers! Tomorrow starts a new No-Spend Month Challenge on The LadyPrefers2Save! So, here is a re-cap of last months start, the ground-rules, and the basics for this month:

As many of my readers and online friends may know, I am always juggling several projects, business opportunities, scholastic goals, and home projects at any given time. With so much constantly going on, it’s sometimes easy to forget one of my main passions, and antithesis for this blog, the ability to save money, while live a better live, in hopes of having a “whole living blog,” to help me have a better run life. So, for 2015 I have decided to take an old-school approach to spending, and so for every other month this year, for the months of February, April, June, August, October, and December I will be participating in a NO SPENDING month cycles! 

Why this crazy idea? Well, a month of NO spending is an awesome way to both reset your spending patterns, as well as to either kick-start your budget or revamp and make changes to any existing budget you or your family may have. This is also a great challenge for personal responsibility; you can track what you have been spending your hard earned funds, and keep yourself on track, in terms of responsible spending thereafter. 

I will be blogging daily about my NO SPEND struggles, victories, and suggestions from the previous day, and will be posting easy-to-follow daily challenges for my readers during my no-spend months. As well, each Sunday will share what I’ve learned, saved, and gained from this challenge as part of my Weekly Goals & Reflections Posts. I hope that many of you will join me in this challenge, as we can all you use more ways to save around the home.

The rules are pretty simple:  

  • No spending on anything  beyond absolute necessities.
  • Eat from your pantry & freezer as often as you are able.
  • And make changes to the way you purchase and consume goods, services, and commodities in your home. 
  • The idea of the challenge is to keep up with your daily activities,, but the main goal is simply to stop spending.  
  • This challenge can be a life changing experience, as you may just be amazed at how your mindset and perspective will change after just a month of seeing how you can enrich your life, without spending more!

There are a few exceptions to the rule as follows:

  1. Unavoidable expenses related to employment, such as gas, are okay.
  2. Unavoidable school related expenses.
  3. Doctors appointments, veterinarian appointments, co-payments, family/pet prescriptions, and therapy sessions are okay.
  4. Do keep existing service and repair appointments that can’t be rescheduled to “Spending” months, such as hair appointments, lawn care services, trash removal, in-home repair services, etc.
  5. Do keep existing tithing and charitable giving.
  6. Do have an adequate stockpile of necessities prior to beginning this challenge, such as pet food, bedding, litter, laundry detergent, dish soap, snow salts, bottled water and emergency staples (if you live in areas frequently affected by seasonal weather), etc. 
  7. Do keep up with healthy living habits. I will continue to use my envelope saving system to fund app purchase rebates (iBotta, Shopmium, Snap by Groupon) for fresh produce and milk savings that may pop-up during my no-spend months; due to my PCOS I need several servings of fruits and veggies daily, and these app savings help keep my freezer stocked on a budget. 
  8. And it goes without saying, please do pay all of our monthly obligations; rent, mortgage, insurance, utility payments, banking fees,  student/financial/business loans, medical expenses, and assumed or credit card debt. 

February is not just about not spending, although that will be our main goal.  I always challenge each of you to find ways to live well, live better, find new sources of joy, will spending less. You may just find out just how much we already have, and how little more we really need.  And hopefully, by the end of them month, a life rich with family, friends, and creative planning, secured by fiscally responsible measures, will be who we truly are. In addition, I hope to make my posts comments section a place of encouragement and accountability for us all, too!

I’m not gonna lie, there presumably will be tough moments, and for that reason, with one week remaining, stock-up on any items you currently feel you cannot do without today;  you will also need pens, paper, a clip board, laundry basket, and an open mind these coming weeks!

I’m not sure how many of you are on board for this month’s challenge but the gauntlet has been tossed, and I am calling on all of you all to try this challenge, in your own way, with your own rules, and just to do this with me. Right here, right now let’s both commit to a whole month of no spending, starting tomorrow!

Here’s to Saving,

Wednesday Ways To Save: Free Budgeting App From Dave Ramsey!

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Dave Ramsey Budgeting Software

Hello again, savvy savers! Happy Humpday! For this weeks Wednesday Ways To Save, I want to share with you an exciting new budgeting freebie available to you all, the new Dave Ramsey launched a brand-new budgeting software and app this week called EveryDollar; the new basic version is free. The EveryDollar iPhone app makes it easy for you to track transactions on the go or even check your budget at the grocery store—you know, just to see if there’s room for an extra box of cookies.

iPhone App Features:

  • Update your budget quickly. Any time. Any place.
  • Know how you’re doing with your money at a glance.
  • Track new transactions on the go.

Sign up for the free EveryDollar Budget Software and App here.

Here’s to saving,

misty1

Save $300.00 A Year By Unplugging Your Power Strips Nightly!

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Hello again, savvy savers! If your home is anything like mine, you have a myriad of electronic devices in every room of your house. Two years ago, when moving into a larger home I started to notice my electrical bills were skyrocketing! Upon calling my local electrical company, I was told to self-evaluate my home for “phantom drainers,” or electronic equipment that draws a continual supply of power when they’re plugged in but turned off; this causes a vampire drain of power and spikes in your consumption rates!

Here area few tips:

  • I began to try and find ways to shave dollars and cents off of my bill, which went from $110.00 a month to $190.00 this past summer, even under incremental billing implemented. What trick did I come up with? Power Strip with Switches.
  • You can use a power strip with on/off switches to plug in your appliances. An example, I have a power strip in my living room, where my TV, DVD player, game system and sound system are all plugged into. I have another power strip in my office, where my computer, printer, paper shredder, lamp and phone charger are plugged in.
  • I invested in ENERGY STAR® power strips because, according to the Standby Power Data Center, a website from DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), which aids the general public to identify low standby power products, pulling plugs at night, via the unplugging of power strips, can help save the average homeowner 5-10% off residential energy use rates, whereas the average user would save $100 per year. In three months time, I have saved $48.10 off of my electrical bill.
  • You can realistically save upwards of $1.05 a day, and a savings of $328.25 yearly simply by unplugging power strips!

That’s an amazing savings! Before you go to bed, unplug your power strips! you’ll sleep better knowing all of the green savings you’ve generated!

Here’s to greener living,

Shamrock 21

February No Spend Month Challenge: Day 28 (Take A Free Cooking Class Online)

home renovations

Hello again, savvy savers! Can you believe today I is the last day of this year’s first month of No-spend Challenges! Woohoo! So, as today is our end point, and tomorrow morning I will be creating a monthly tally of my overall savings, I thought today’s challenge should be a relaxing, yet informative challenge. 

Who would benefit from this challenge? Well anyone, especially those inspiring home chefs, bakers, and grilling enthusiasts! My videos of choice? ChefSteps, an online creative cooking class series, online community creativity boards, and internet video series, offer free step-by-step video seminars to help cooks, of all levels of experience, classes to help hone their culinary talents! To find out more about this program, click here!

Today, I challenge you all to take a free online cooking class! Also, be sure to check back tomorrow for my monthly tally, steps for spending month budgeting, as well as what to stockpile for April’s No-Spend Month Challenges! 

Here’s to saving,

Shamrock 21

 

 

Challenge Links:

February No Spend Month Challenge: Day 27 (Take A Free College Course Online)

modern-

Hello again, savvy savers! A new day, and a new challenge! Today, I want to switch topics, and discuss a way you can save money, and that is by taking a refresher course from one of America’s best colleges and Universities. As part of today’s No-Spend Challenge, I want to post about an awesome at-home learning tool many users may be interested in using, Coursea.com.

  • Coursera is a for-profit educational technology company offering massive open online courses founded by computer science professors, Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller from Stanford University.
  • This online course directory offers persons from all walks of life the ability to sample, full-length classes, webinars, refresher courses, or to browse syllabi and test prep, in a full range of Liberal Arts topics, from many of the national top colleges and universities, including Duke University, Yale University, Vanderbilt University, and Johns Hopkins University.
  • There are also courses focused on music education, art appreciation, small business management, and anthropological studies.

For those interested in this site, click here. So, for today’s challenge, I encourage you all to check out this site, and see if you may be interested in taking a new online course on for size! Good luck! Be sure to check back tomorrow morning for the final day of this months No-Spend Challenge!

Here’s to saving,

Shamrock 21

 

Challenge Links:

February No Spend Month Challenge: Day 26 (How to Become A Book Reviewer)

Day 26-

Hello again, savvy savers! A new day, and a new way to save with today’s No-Spend Month Challenges! If  a mug of soup, a cup of hot tea, and a great, new book sounds like your perfect night, than that makes two of us! If you are anything like me, than you are nothing short of a bibliophile! Well, you are in luck, as today’s challenge centers around being able to score free books.

How can be score free books?

  • You can become a book reviewer, with one of several dozen online book reviewer programs.
  • The best part is that you do not need to be a designated book blogger, to be able to review books.
  • You simply need to have a love of the written word, a social media following, and a verifiable mailing address.
  • Each blogger will need to apply for book reviews, and just wait for the reviews to come in.
  • Keep in mind, you will need to keep reviews legal, by always disclosing your reviewer status. 
  • Beyond this, you will need to review books online, as well as reviewing on an online purchasing outlet, such as Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble. 

Here are a list of Reviewer Programs:

1. BookSneeze:  They have both print and e-books available. Booksneeze sends out a monthly newsletter informing participants of the latest books available for review.  

2. Blogging for Books: This program is ran by Waterbrook Multnomah. It has a pretty simple sign-up and I like that they send out email notices monthly informing you of the different books they have available. 

 3. Bethany House: Here is a link to the latest newsletter with the list of books available for review.

4. Tywebbin: Offers a quick simple sign-up to be host of one their virtual book tours. Books offered from this review program tend to be primarily African American books. 

5. Cross Focused Reviews: This program is a service of Cross Focused Media, LLC. Once you have signed up on their list, you will receive email notifications of available books on tour. 

6. TLC Book Tours:  Offers a quick sign up process to get on their list of tour hosts. 

7. Tyndale Blog Network:This program is hosted by Tyndale House publishers. Each month they send out a list of available books once you have been approved. 

8. NetGalley: This program offers books from a vast number of publishers. According to their website, “NetGalley is a service to promote and publicize forthcoming titles to readers of influence. 

10. The B& B Media: I have done several reviews through this program. Once you’re on their distribution list, you receive an email notification of available books they have and you simply fill out the form to be a part of that book’s tour. They give you a date the review must be posted by.

This list provides a great start for book lovers and bloggers alike, that are looking to review books. Each program offers free books in exchange for an honest review and have their own requirements about review length and where you must publish your reviews.  So, today I challenge you look into saving on your monthly book purchasing costs, by becoming a book reviewer!

Be sure to check back tomorrow for a new day’s challenge!

Here’s to saving,

Shamrock 21

 

Challenge Links: