It’s hard to believe that today marks the first day of March in my 2018 No-Spend Year! While this past month was very trying for me personally, financially is was a boon.
This past month I spent a total of $362.34 and saved our family $2,081.99.
What I spend on:
- $246.98 in groceries (including tax) for the month
- $35.00 on a new bookbag
- $80.36 charge to have our gas line and heating system serviced
How I saved:
- $416.00 on requesting interlibrary loan books for all 12 of my reading club and Facebook group reading selections for the month of March
- Used earned Amazon gift cards to purchase $175.00 in household goods for my ETSY and Art business.
- Earned $1,400.00 on sponsored blog posts in a 2-week span that was used to fund a personal savings account.
- Groomed pets at home which saved us $70.00
- Reviewed a microphone filter product for my upcoming podcast saving me $20.99
I was very encouraged by my savings this past month. Especially with what I was able to put back from blogging.
Keep in mind, I’m only counting a third of what I earned. As those were the funds went directly towards our savings goals. With the remainder of the funds paying for yearly blogging fees and pre-paying the myriad of taxes we pay at home each year.
Anyone who has been a professional blogger for some time will know that quarter one drives are often slow, and I’m over the moon that blogging is starting to pick up for me this season!
How I’m not spending at home
You may also be curious to know what I personally do during a no-spend month at home? Luckily I find it easy to amuse myself without spending any money.
Early Spring is generally a busy time of year for my family. As we are in the throws of Seaperch aquatic robotics competition season for my husband as well as preparing for regional science and history fairs and modern dance team finals for others.
Spring has also found its way into my garden. With the sprouting of hyacinths and the blooming of magnolia trees and dogwoods, my time to start landscaping and gardening also begun.
I’ve spent a lot of time germinating seeds, weeding flower beds, pruning crepe myrtles, mending the trellises for our climbing roses, planning to build additional compost bins, and turning the last of fall’s leaves into mulch for the warmer months ahead.
There’s also been the cultivating and creating of new videos for my YouTube channel, including a new YouTube venture, The Lady Prefers Plants. I’m also still pre-recording and editing podcasts for my upcoming Spring podcast. As if that wasn’t enough, I’m working on not one but two ebooks set to be published later this coming season.
Additionally, I’ve been spending more time focuses on my personal health. Despite a few setbacks, I’ve lost an additional 16 pounds and have been making an intentional effort to utilize my at-home gym.
Needless to It has been a busy time at The Lady Prefers 2 Save, so I haven’t had time to worry about things to buy. With one exception.
Budget DIY
We have finally started the process of repainting the interior of our home. We started with using the leftover paint we had on hand from several art projects. We then repurchased that same brand from our local hardware store. Our paint color of choice? A good, solid white!
Speaking of hardware stores, our little bitty hometown recently opened a new mom and pops shop. In this shop, besides the usual and obvious, were trendy items like milk and chalk paint, an entire aisle of French-themed wallpaper selections, eCloth, Mrs. Meyers, Method, and an entire section of zero-waste all metal, stone, or wooden household, yard, and children’s items. Bestill my heart. And the kicker? The shop is within walking distance of our home. Shopping small has never felt so good!
For the foreseeable future whenever the need to nest strikes, you already know where I’ll be. For which I’ve already started a slush fund to take care of. Thank you very much!
There is also plenty going on at home that doesn’t cost anything. Including trips to the library, date-nights-in, listening to my husband’s immense vinyl collection, and taking long walks as a family by our local lake. All things that give me all the feels while costing none of the dimes. Perfect for this challenge!
Meal Prepping and Planning
February’s food bills were pretty low. While we still can’t see the bottom of our deep freezers, which are often very full, we are grateful that food is getting used rather than hanging around going stale.
Obviously, we have also been purchasing food. Just not nearly as much as we would have several years ago. We purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, almond, soy, and coconut milk, and staples we go through often like lentils and pasta. Overall we are just trying to minimize our spending by using up what we have.
Meal prepping and meal planning have been a blessing for us this month. As I plan meals for the week and prep meals only twice a week, on Sunday and Wednesday afternoons. Then for the rest of the week, I either throw pre-packed meals into my Instapot or Crockpot for dinners, use jarred salads or pre-made spreads for lunch, and enjoy smoothies or tofu scrambles for breakfast.
This saves me hours at home each week. As a family, we plan to continue this trend long after our no-spend season is over.
Where I’m not saving
One area of my life that needs some help is my personal self-care routine. Specifically my hair! I really need a haircut. Every day is a bad hair day at the moment.
Because I didn’t want to spend much I have been putting this chore off. But in March I do have an appointment and have already set aside funds for this purpose.
I am also setting aside funds for purchasing new cruelty-free makeup because after becoming vegan my stash was decimated after purging any and all brands that weren’t cruelty-free, including 3rd party overseas, testing, fair tread, and came in post-recycled packaging.
And if you have any suggestions for affordable, low-plastic, cruelty-free makeup, skin, nail, or haircare products, let me know below!
Besides, it’s truly an investment. Proper skin acre in your 20’s and 30’s can save you on costly plastic surgery procedures in your 50’s and 60’s, am I right?
Overall, I want to feel better about myself each day and so I’m giving myself permission to bend the rules a little and indulge in these two areas this Spring. Afterall, I’m worth it.
Lessons learned
Friends, those are the savings and situations that went down during the second month of our 2018 No-Spend Year Challenge. A month full of both great lessons, both learned and garnered, on living a more savvy savings season at home.
There are so many ways to save money that are worth trying. Maybe they will work for your family and maybe they won’t – but you never know until you try!
This past month of not spending reminded me that the little things do add up. With my biggest lesson being: When you want your savings to start adding up quickly, stay home and eat from the pantry! Solid sage advice!
For those who are thinking of starting a no-spend challenge this month or for anyone interested in learning more about a no spend challenge, check out my past no-spend challenge series.
And if you participated in our no-spend, or your own frugal February, be sure to leave your comments about what you learned! If you didn’t participate, I’d still love to hear how and where you saved the most this month! Share your stories below!
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