Budgeting

February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 8 (Preparing For Cleaning Week)

Hello again, savvy savers! Happy Sunday! Can you believe we are a week into a No-Spending Month Challenge!

A full day, a new way to find to save at home! This last week, we focused the first part of the week on pantry organization, organizing food swap days, creating meals based on pantry staples, and then switched focus to alternative pantry re-stocking methods, including starting and maintaining a coupon swap, rain-check shopping, and saving money on the grocery bill, and monthly expenses for that matter, by channeling funds from utility premiums back into your overall family/personal budgets. So you could say, last week was all about food!

This coming week I want to change course. I want to focus on our homes. I want to focus on all of the cluttered, chaotic, dirty, overlooked blemishes that hinder out overall vision of what a simple, efficient can bring into our day-to-day existences. This week we are going tackle the chaos that be head on. We are going to scrub, dust, sort, purge, evaluate, and hopefully make a profit in the process! No matter is you rent, lease, or own there is work to be done! No matter if your home is showcase worthy or disaster-adjacent, there is something can can be done to better your home this coming week!

This week will be slow. This week will seem awful. This week will leave you feeling wonderful.

So today I challenge you two fold. First, I challenge you to make a list of four areas in your home that need organization, cleaning, sorting, or the like. Secondly, I challenge you to prepare to clean this week.

As well, in addition to the challenges ahead of you today, I encourage you to procure from your home the following:

A large basket, bin, or box.
A clipboard with paper, or notepad.
A few pens, markers, or sharpies.
Three empty bags, bins, or boxes large enough to hold a load of laundry or like items.
A handful of sponges or rags.

Nothing too dramatic today! So, be sure to have a cup of coffee or tea, take a moment to collect your thoughts, write your list, and then mosey on back here this evening to see today’s recap!

Here’s to saving,

Challenge Links:

5 Comments

February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 7 Recap #nospendchallenge

Hello again, savvy savers! So for today’s challenge, I suggested you all look to find ways to lower your utility bills at home. For me, this meant mailing off letters requesting new, updated prorated billing information for all three of my utility companies, for gas, electric, and my city water station. Within a month, I generally receive this information in the mail, and from this letter, I can better plan my consumption and usage at home! A little forethought goes a long way towards living a greener existence!

So, here is what I did today:

I was able to stop by Winn-Dixie and purchase 40 pounds of produce for under $12.00 (post to come)!
I mailed off letters for today’s challenge, as well as Valentine’s Day Cards for out-of-state family.

As well today, I was also able to accomplish:

I woke up at 7:25, walked my fur babies, showered, & dressed to my shoes. (Thanks, Flylady!)
Worked on my daily Motivated Moms Planner.
I finished today’s Day 7 No-Spend Challenge!
I enjoyed a Free Chik-fil-a- frozen latte!
Ate free samples for lunch at Sam’s Club!
I cooked from my pantry for dinner.
I finished all of my daily blog posts on time!
Read my daily devotional.
I finished all of my errands and shopping before 1 pm!

So today I saved:

I used drying racks for six loads of laundry this afternoon, saving an average of $3.25, the cost of running my dryer for 3.5 hours!
I completed 2 surveys online via Ipsos-iSay, and earned a $1.00 towards my next Amazon gift code.
I eat at home this evening for dinner, saving our family $3.95.
I recycled, upcycled, and composted one bins of deluge, and saved $0.25, the cost of 1 trash bag.
My husband and I both enjoyed free Chik-fil-a frozen lattes, a savings of $5.98!
I received $7.99 worth of product review items, which can be placed in my home gift closet!
My family drank water today, and saved $0.69, the cost of a 2-liter of soda.
I also did not watch cable tv, and saved $3.68 by doing so.
I created a years worth of DIY Hand Sanitizer from materials I found in my home stockpile, saving my family $30.00; the cost of twelve, twelve ounce bottles.

So, overall today my family saved: $56.79

This months savings goal remaining: $445.48

A full day, a new way to find to save at home! Be sure to come back tomorrow morning for a new day’s challenge!

Here’s to saving,

Challenge Links:

2 Comments

February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 7 (How To Save On Your Utility Bills) #nospendchallenge

Hello again, savvy savers! It’s a new day, and time for a new challenge! Did you know that you can request from your utility companies, your gas, water, and power companies, an itemized summary of your peak and non-peak hours and service pricing? Did you also know that you could be saving as much as 1/4 off of your bills monthly? Well, you can! Here’s an example…

Starting last Spring, my water bill went up by 20% in a months time! Not that it was a lot of money, but in a year’s time it would have amounted to $400.00! I set out to figure out how to reduce this amount!

Here’s what I did:

I started by calling my city water department, who did not return my call.
I then called my city managers office, and was informed by a kind gentleman there, that water, like electricity has a variable cost, and there are peak and non-peak times of the month, season, and year when water charges are higher, so countries and cities can offset the cost of public works projects in many areas. He also said, that you can request in writing, that your city water department tell of you of current charges, pending spikes for everyone, etc.
When I found this out last summer, I noticed that charges were higher the last week of the month, so I implemented new water usage strategies in my home; I purchased rain barrel systems to attach to my gutters, which I now use for watering my garden the final week of the month, I also do not wash during that week, making sure all of my wash is prepped before that time, for example.
I also checked all of my toilets, plumbing, and water lines for any leaks or pipes that needed to be replaced; luckily they did not!
Just these two changes saved me $38.10 monthly!

What’s better? I then went on to repeat this process for all of my other services, too! I found out that every county seat in this country must provide customers that opportunity to learn what are peak and non-peak hours for consumption. I requested this from my local power co-op, and was then able to see that later in the week, from 7-12 am nightly power premiums were less in price, so I adjusted my washing, drying, dish-washing, and vacuuming to this time. I also found out the same schedule from my city managers office, in terms of out city water department, and adjusted watering for my garden to Sunday’s and Wednesday’s, as the water was nearly 20% less in premiums on non-peak times.

With just these two changes, I was able to save over $400.00 last year!

So today, I challenge you to pull out your paper and e-print utility statements, check out your peak and non-peak hours, and then write your companies and request an itemized usage statement so that you too can reduce your overall gas, power, and water consumption rates in your neck of the woods!

So today I challenge you to start the process of seeing where you can save on your utilities, too! Be sure to come back this evening to see today’s recap!

Here’s to saving,

Challenge Links:

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23 Comments

February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 6 Recap

Hello again, savvy savers! So today I challenged you all to “Rain-Check Shop,” to “shop” for deals, particularly weekend drugstore deals, which can be used at a later time.

So, here is what I did today:

After work, I first went to my local Winn-Dixie and was able to snag rain-checks on BOGO bread, butter, cereal, pasta, juice, pork roasts, pork chops, and frozen veggie deals!
I then went to Walgreens and received rain-checks on Culturelle Digestive Health Probiotic and Nutella.
At Rite Aid I was able to get rain-checks for GE CFL Light Bulbs and Softsoap Liquid Hand Soap,
And at CVS, I snagged rain-checks on Nutella, Colgate, and Excederin; I also checked the CVS Coupon Machine for store coupons to tuck in my coupon binder.
During March, I will be able to spend $24.00 for $78.00 worth of groceries and personal care products!

As well today, I was also able to accomplish:

I woke up at 6:25, walked my fur babies, showered, & dressed to my shoes. (Thanks, Flylady!)
Worked on my daily Motivated Moms Planner.
I read part of a new review book.
I finished today’s Day 5 No-Spend Challenge!
I enjoyed a Free Chik-fil-a- frozen latte!
I cooked from my pantry, three times.
I walked for three miles!
I finished all of my daily blog posts on time!
Read my daily devotional.
I cleaned out my coupon cabinet, paper files for my ETSY business, and recycled numerous bins of random scraps of fabric around my craft room, too!

So today I saved:

I was able to procure 16 new rain-checks savings $54.00 in savings for March!
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 $7.93.
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 $12.99 worth of product review items, which can be placed in my home gift closet!
My family drank water today, and saved $0.69, the cost of a 2-liter of soda.
I also did not watch cable tv, and saved $3.68 by doing so.

So, overall today my family saved: $83.53

This months savings goal remaining: $502.27

Hopefully today’s challenge will have helped you to start thinking not just about savings during no-spend months, but for spending months, too! Until tomorrow’s challenge!

Here’s to saving,

Challenge Links:

14 Comments

February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 5 Recap

Hello again, savvy savers! So today, I challenged you all to look into starting a coupon swap box, or to perhaps look for coupon swap groups online. For me, I went online and posted a few coupons I currently had, and requested a few deals that I knew would make for freebies at my local Dollar Tree! I have had a few hits so far, and was even able to work out a deal today on a handful of freebie coupons, which should be on the way to my home soon! I love making a deal, don’t you! So for an hours worth of work today, I have gained $40.00 in free products, which all tax-only buys! As I’m set for bread, cheese, creamer, and the like this month, these items will be tucked into my deep freeze for April’s next No-Spend Month! Score!

That’s my kind of an afternoon!

As well today, I was also able to accomplish:

I woke up at 6:30, walked my fur babies, showered, & dressed to my shoes. (Thanks, Flylady!)
Worked on my daily Motivated Moms Planner.
I read part of a new review book.
I finished today’s Day 5 No-Spend Challenge!
I enjoyed a Free Chik-fil-a- frozen latte!
I cooked from my pantry, three times.
I walked for three miles!
I finished all of my daily blog posts on time!
Read my daily devotional.
I cleaned out my coupon cabinet, paper files for my ETSY business, and recycled numerous bins of random scraps of fabric around my craft room, too!

So today I saved:

I was able to subscribe to a new, free magazine subscription, which will have a combined savings of $12.00.
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 $17.99 worth of product review items, which can be placed in my home gift closet!
I used two gift cards from Jolly Awesome Pet Tags, and scored $29.98 worth of pet tags, one for all of my fur-babies for free, with a spare for my kitty who “misplaces his collar!”
Scored $40.00 in free item coupons to be used at the Dollar Tree
I also did not watch cable tv, and saved $3.68 by doing so.

So, overall today my family saved: $116.80

This months savings goal remaining: $585.80

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,

Challenge Links:

16 Comments

February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 4 Recap

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:

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!)
Worked on my daily Motivated Moms Planner.
I finished one days work of work-week, clerking assignments.
I read part of a new review book.
I finished today’s Day 4 No-Spend Challenge!
I enjoyed a Free Chik-fil-a- frozen latte!
I cooked from my pantry, three times.
I walked for three miles!
I finished all of my daily blog posts on time!
Read my daily devotional.
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,

Challenge Links:

19 Comments

Wednesday Ways To Save: Freecycle.org!

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:

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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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!
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.

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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