Nothing New/Mindful Spending Week three

[Ginevra]

The "rules" of this challenge are self-defined. Anyone can join in at any time. The aim of the challenge (for me) is to combat consumerism, wastefulness, mindless buying, and overspending. It is meant to nurture creative problem solving, ecology, frugality, intentionalism, and resourcefulness. To support these goals, I seek to buy nothing new/unnecessary. I aim to use existing resources, borrow, hand-craft, and buy existing second-hand materials to the greatest extent possible. However, I recognize that life is unpredictable, and family life increases this factor exponentially, so I will buy new in the following cases, when a non-buying option does not present:

 

Food, health, and necessary household goods excluded.

Requirements for school, work, or health and well-being which cannot be obtained used.

Gifts, when a creative non-commercial option will not suffice.

Anything animal or gardening related that cannot be obtained used.

Fuel/energy sources.

 

Posts will appear each Saturday, referring to the week that is ending. Post your successes, creative solutions, relapses and weak moments. It doesn't matter if you have a weak moment! Just keep swimming!

Well, I kinda hate to bump the other thread in favor of our fresh thread, but I'm sticking with my typical procedure. :) Feel free to re-post something from the other thread or not. Either way is fine.

 

I don't think I bought anything unusual or unnecessary this week. Clearly, I should have been scouting snow gear for DS16! I knew his old boots would be small, but stupidly, I did not realize the snow bibs would be absurdly small for him. He wore a different pair, but they were not really right for him, either, just better than his own. I'm not sure how I failed to notice it.

 

We're having homemade pizza tonight. So very grateful we still have electricity!

 

My hair is going grey-crazy, but I procrastinated on having it done. I think I am just going to color it with SP color at home tomorrow; I already had a couple boxes for "emergency" use. I think it looks great even when I color it myself; the only things that make me not want to do it myself is a) my hair is long and thick and it is hard to cover it well myself, and b) this is a messy proposition.

 

Last week I did paint my DS11's bedroom and put up solar system stickies on one wall. It turned out great! It was $50 for paint. I bought the stickies last year; I think they were $38.

[Jane in NC]

I am not the poster child for this thread.  Sigh.

 

Among the many things that I am working on is that of limiting kitchen/food waste.  As a locovore, I tend to buy foods seasonally which means that I buy a bushel of sweet potatoes in the fall (keeping them in the garage) and I have bags of strawberries, peas, peppers, etc. from local farms in my freezer.  The good thing is that I have a bunch of basic ingredients so theoretically I should be able to "shop" from this pantry and create some lovely meals.

 

Theoretically.  This past week I decided to use 'er up and not do a regular grocery shop.  And use 'er up I did with regard to bits and pieces in the fridge.  I threw out one thing--some leftover roasted sweet potatoes that were pushed to the rear and hidden.  But my problem with using 'er up is that every idea I had involved something that was not on the shelf or in the freezer.  So instead of doing one regular grocery shop, I made three small stops at a supermarket as well as one trip to the fishmonger.  To be fair, I'd go to the fishmonger even with one regular grocery run but that trip added to my feeling that I was living in grocery stores this week.

 

By the end of the week I decided that I really need to restock the pantry with basics even if there are some basics still living there. 

 

On the positive side, I added to the freezer stash of grab and go meals for my husband who works long hours in the weeks ahead.  I also used up lots of weird bits in calzone which I think is the perfect vehicle for all the weird bits.  And I have extra dough in the freezer for a quick pizza or another calzone should the weird bits accumulate again.

 

I re-upped my membership at an area garden.  I find having a membership to be a good value which pays for itself after a couple of visits. We enjoy walking the trails there, seeing the azaleas in the spring and strolling through the holiday light displays.

 

I also took a friend/colleague out for dinner. We had attended a grant writing workshop together and were passing by a restaurant that we both love.  The friend/colleague is saving for his first trip to Europe this spring so I picked up the tab.

[Annie G]

Kind of an off week for me, starting with my car not starting after a tutoring session. Dh came to rescue me and got it started but of course that's led to us talking about replacing this car. It's 11 years old and I share it with ds but I think it's time to think about what we want to do with it- 150,000 miles and it's been a good car but it's a Chevy so...

 

Did a bit of spending beyond food.  Bought a frame so I could hang a picture dh gave me for Christmas, and bought backing fabric for a quilt I finished last week. Picked out the fabric and went to have it cut and found out it was a clearance fabric and more than 50% off. Yippee! And then today dh and I went to a movie. I had enough points to cover both the tickets and popcorn/soda but opted to pay for tickets out of pocket. So $11 for the movie. 

 

Question:  Do you guys accumulate rewards like my movie card or a credit card?  If so, how do you use them? Dh uses his to buy books or things on Amazon.   I either use them to reduce my bill or occasionally I'll save them for a long time and then just have the cash deposited into my checking account to use when I take a trip.  How do you guys use yours? I'm open to ideas to get the most out of this. I do know I'm not going to use them on Amazon because I'll just buy stuff I don't need- it works great for dh but it's just not my thing. 

 

Movie reward card- not a credit card, just a loyalty card that they swipe. So my goofy mental game is that I'd rather have two dates where I just buy tickets and use points for snacks rather than one date that's totally free. I know it's the same amount out of my pocket but that's how I roll.  I wish I knew why my brain works like it does. 

 

Did those of you who were in the path of the snowstorm have to buy things due to the storm? 

 

 

 

[Jane in NC]

Annie, I think you attend more movies than I do. One of the theaters that I go to has a loyalty card but I haven't bothered to sign up.  Maybe I should investigate.

 

There are a couple of local businesses with loyalty programs.  Great Harvest bread, for example, gives a free loaf after purchasing twelve.  While I like to bake bread, I do sometimes pick up bread or rolls at GH.  I enjoy using the freebie loaf for something decadent like a sweet bread that I may not be inclined to bake.

 

As far as credit cards go, I like to use my airline affiliate card for miles.  From Discover we sometimes get cash rewards or else just use the reward on Amazon.  I needed to replace the silverware basket in my dishwasher recently.  I found the part on an Amazon affiliate and got it for half price with the Discover card reward. The darn thing was ridiculously overpriced for a plastic basket so this made me feel a tad better.

 

 

[Annie G]

Annie, I think you attend more movies than I do. One of the theaters that I go to has a loyalty card but I haven't bothered to sign up.  Maybe I should investigate.

 

There are a couple of local businesses with loyalty programs.  Great Harvest bread, for example, gives a free loaf after purchasing twelve.  While I like to bake bread, I do sometimes pick up bread or rolls at GH.  I enjoy using the freebie loaf for something decadent like a sweet bread that I may not be inclined to bake.

 

As far as credit cards go, I like to use my airline affiliate card for miles.  From Discover we sometimes get cash rewards or else just use the reward on Amazon.  I needed to replace the silverware basket in my dishwasher recently.  I found the part on an Amazon affiliate and got it for half price with the Discover card reward. The darn thing was ridiculously overpriced for a plastic basket so this made me feel a tad better.

 

We live in a small town but have a really great theater. $5.50 for tickets.  Our two youngest are living back at home now and they like movies, too. So between all of us, the card gets a workout.  We're making up for lost time- when we were raising kids we rarely saw a movie that wasn't a kid movie.   We just didn't hire a sitter so we could go on a date. So now that the kids are grown we're enjoying our freedom!

 

If I had a GH near me, it would be such a temptation. Bread is my weakness so I rarely have any...maybe once a month.  It's a good thing that the nearest GH is 45 minutes away! 

 

I can see using points to pay for an overpriced dishwasher part- it's annoying enough to have to buy something like that so saving money on it takes the sting out of it. 

[Guest]

Kind of an off week for me, starting with my car not starting after a tutoring session. Dh came to rescue me and got it started but of course that's led to us talking about replacing this car. It's 11 years old and I share it with ds but I think it's time to think about what we want to do with it- 150,000 miles and it's been a good car but it's a Chevy so...

 

Did a bit of spending beyond food. Bought a frame so I could hang a picture dh gave me for Christmas, and bought backing fabric for a quilt I finished last week. Picked out the fabric and went to have it cut and found out it was a clearance fabric and more than 50% off. Yippee! And then today dh and I went to a movie. I had enough points to cover both the tickets and popcorn/soda but opted to pay for tickets out of pocket. So $11 for the movie.

 

Question: Do you guys accumulate rewards like my movie card or a credit card? If so, how do you use them? Dh uses his to buy books or things on Amazon. I either use them to reduce my bill or occasionally I'll save them for a long time and then just have the cash deposited into my checking account to use when I take a trip. How do you guys use yours? I'm open to ideas to get the most out of this. I do know I'm not going to use them on Amazon because I'll just buy stuff I don't need- it works great for dh but it's just not my thing.

 

Movie reward card- not a credit card, just a loyalty card that they swipe. So my goofy mental game is that I'd rather have two dates where I just buy tickets and use points for snacks rather than one date that's totally free. I know it's the same amount out of my pocket but that's how I roll. I wish I knew why my brain works like it does.

 

Did those of you who were in the path of the snowstorm have to buy things due to the storm?

My main credit card is a rewards card. In the past I have used the points for Christmas gifts such as camera, video camera, RC car, etc. but now, I have saved my points for a long time on the idea that it will get me a plane ticket to France. dD and I want to go together. I din't know when this will actually happen, but I have enough points to cover one ticket to and from, which is very significant. :)

 

I don't go to the movies often, but I would probably do the opposite and have one completely free date than two where I pay for some of it. :) I don't buy many snacks at the theater when I do go...should probably not admit it, but I am in camp Smuggle Snack. Also, I don't drink soda at all, so if I buy a drink, it will be for whomever is accompanying me, not for myself.

[Annie G]

My main credit card is a rewards card. In the past I have used the points for Christmas gifts such as camera, video camera, RC car, etc. but now, I have saved my points for a long time on the idea that it will get me a plane ticket to France. dD and I want to go together. I din't know when this will actually happen, but I have enough points to cover one ticket to and from, which is very significant. :)

 

I don't go to the movies often, but I would probably do the opposite and have one completely free date than two where I pay for some of it. :) I don't buy many snacks at the theater when I do go...should probably not admit it, but I am in camp Smuggle Snack. Also, I don't drink soda at all, so if I buy a drink, it will be for whomever is accompanying me, not for myself.

 

Saving points to pay for a ticket to France is AWESOME!

 

Dh and I time our movies so it's over either lunch or dinner so we buy popcorn to replace the meal. It's a win for me because I LOVE theater popcorn and I get out of making a meal. Soda is a treat that dh and I share on special occasions. After his heart attack we really changed how we eat but we do enjoy the occasional syrupy theater soda!! And we're the weirdo couple who brings our own popcorn salt and bandanas to the theater.  We use bandanas instead of paper napkins at home and just really grew to hate paper napkins.  

 

Our theater doesn't care if people bring in candy or drinks but they'd draw the line if I walked in with a pizza or something. 

[SKL]

Last week I didn't do much since I was buried in work deadlines.  But I have started researching summer camps for my kids.  More than half of the camps are already allowing registration in January.  My goal this year is to try for more full-day (or sleep-away) camps and more close-to-home camps, to reduce the amount of running around I need to do in the summer.  The summer camp schedule tends to be the most hectic and most expensive thing I do every year.  (Well, other than travel.)

 

I just signed my kids up for several free library programs.  Now I just have to organize my life so we can get there without a lot of stress.  Some of the programs look great, but aren't for us due to distance and timing.  Too bad they don't have all of them at our nearest branch.  :)  Now that I think about it, I should look into some of the free activities the museums and parks have in winter-spring too.

 

My kid saved me some money by cutting her own bangs.  :P  Whatever.

 

I've had some recent expenses due to my kid growing, and will have some more in the near future.  Oh well.  Can't keep them in a box.

 

I might have mentioned this before, but we think we should buy a second parakeet to keep Pikachu company.  Hopefully they can share the same cage and stuff.  I don't know when we'll do this, but probably soon.

 

Not sure what this coming week holds.  Work won't slow down.  The kids will be on their normal routine with school and sports, so no new expenses for that (I don't think).  Of course life is always full of surprises, so we'll see.  :)

[Annie G]

My kid saved me some money by cutting her own bangs.   :p  Whatever. <----SKL, that cracked me up. 

 

 I remember those years when it seemed every week brought expenses for some kid's sport or art class or theater fee or something. When they all reached adulthood and dh and I discovered the joy of disposable income that didn't need to go to some sleep away camp or something, it was such a joy!  We don't regret spending for our kids to have these experiences but we did breathe a sigh of relief when our time and money was freed up. 

 

Do your girls like the same things, or do they want to go to different camps?

[Raifta]

I'd like to join in so I can try to prepare for the next 3 months.  The kids and I have created a minimal spending challenge for 3 months and if we successfully complete it we will have been able to pay off around $5000 in debt.

 

So, to that end I need to start keeping track of things!  I do keep track but sometimes get lost in the minutiae and lose track of the big picture of how much altogether we are spending.

 

This week wasn't so great because I paid for DD to attend Guide camp, bought supplies and food/drinks for her Hawaiian Luau birthday party and DH bought another computer we don't need (he's an IT guy - our house is littered with computers - literally) because it was better/faster than the 3 he bought last May.  

 

But next week, no parties, no camps, hopefully no computers is the plan.

[MomtoCandJ]

$200 to fix dh's truck and dh also had to go to the ED Friday because he got metal in his left cornea last Saturday while doing part of his CDT exam (they didn't use the same kind of guards that dh has at work). I think dh's employer will pay his ED bill though. Other the normal groceries, sitter money and BB gun club fees

[Ravin]

Too much fast food this week, but still coming in within budget.

[Prairie~Phlox]

Today starts a sale at Jo-Ann's & I plan to get fabric, notions & a pattern to work on dd's prom dress. I found a formal at a rummage sale for $1 that I ripped apart & will re-create for hopefully less than $10. The pattern I'm using will be: http://www.simplicity.com/miss-miss-petite-special-occasion-dresses/4070.html#sz=30&start=93top of the first one & bottom of the 2nd. The formal was a long purpleish blue satin dress.

[SKL]

Do your girls like the same things, or do they want to go to different camps?

 

This is a bit of an issue here.  My kids do have different interests.  So far they have always gone to the same camps, which are generally fun or at least tolerable for both of them.  This year I have a conundrum with theater camp in particular.  The option of a day camp (which they attended for 3 years) is probably off the table, but they now qualify for sleep-away theater camp.  Problem is, one of them loves theater and the other ... doesn't.  And I don't think they would want to be separated for the whole week.  They are very very close.

Edited January 24, 2016 by SKL

[Melinda in VT]

The week started out expensively because we were staying at a Westin for a conference. We did reduce our food expenses this year (and increase our health) by bringing some vegetables and fruits from home, and by ordering from the breakfast menu for two days instead of getting the breakfast buffet all three days.

 

I got three pairs of pants for DS10 for $16 total at the thrift shop. Between growing and ripping holes in the knees, he was down to few enough pants that he seemed to always be out.

 

I also spent $16 on bamboo knitting needles and yarn in my renewed pursuit to learn how to knit in a way that won't trigger numbness in my hands. This has inspired DS10 to pick up my old metal needles, so even if it doesn't work for me, I feel I've already gotten my money's worth in entertainment for him.

 

I have an Amazon order that I'll probably click Buy on today: two books I'll be reading all year.

[Ravin]

I ordered a new travel mug on Amazon. I don't have time to go hunting through stores for a good deal, and want it in hand before I leave for work in the morning.

 

Hopefully this one will last longer before it breaks.

Edited January 25, 2016 by Ravin

[SKL]

My kid!  She is clumsy.  She spills stuff.  She does not obey reasonable instructions like "use nail polish in the bathroom."  She prefers playing in her sister's bedroom even though she has a bigger room across the hall.

 

About a month ago she made a stain on her sister's brand-new carpet.  I could not get all of it out.

 

Today, about 10 minutes after being reminded to use nail polish in the bathroom, she spilled pink glitter powder on her sister's favorite Christmas present - a furry light-blue beanbag chair that cost $100.  I got most of the pink off, but not all of it.  Needless to say, my kid does not have $100 to buy a new one.

 

I think maybe I will give her a job to earn the money to pay for the beanbag chair.  I can only hope this will improve her sense of responsibility.  :/

 

ETA:  The owner of the blue bean-bag chair has begged me not to make her sister buy her a new one.  Well, I guess I should be happy that one of my kids is not terribly materialistic or vindictive.  :P  When I was a kid, I would have had a fit had my sister spoiled my stuff.

Edited January 24, 2016 by SKL

[Guest]

$200 to fix dh's truck and dh also had to go to the ED Friday because he got metal in his left cornea last Saturday while doing part of his CDT exam (they didn't use the same kind of guards that dh has at work). I think dh's employer will pay his ED bill though. Other the normal groceries, sitter money and BB gun club fees

Oh no! Boo on both! Hope DH is feeling better!

[MomtoCandJ]

Oh no! Boo on both! Hope DH is feeling better!

He's feeling much better. He was feeling great yesterday for dd2's birthday so he decided to go to work today to try to catch up on what needs to go leave the lab ASAP. As far as his truck, we planned to do the the plugs and wires after we got our tax refund (should be here hopefully this week or next) but his truck decided they needed to be done sooner oh well, though we did find out they were the original plugs and wires (from 2000!!!!) so they really needed to be done. Edited January 24, 2016 by MomtoCandJ

[Guest]

Today starts a sale at Jo-Ann's & I plan to get fabric, notions & a pattern to work on dd's prom dress. I found a formal at a rummage sale for $1 that I ripped apart & will re-create for hopefully less than $10. The pattern I'm using will be: http://www.simplicity.com/miss-miss-petite-special-occasion-dresses/4070.html#sz=30&start=93top of the first one & bottom of the 2nd. The formal was a long purpleish blue satin dress.

Beautiful! Her dress will be lovely, I am sure!

[Jane in NC]

Today starts a sale at Jo-Ann's & I plan to get fabric, notions & a pattern to work on dd's prom dress. I found a formal at a rummage sale for $1 that I ripped apart & will re-create for hopefully less than $10. The pattern I'm using will be: http://www.simplicity.com/miss-miss-petite-special-occasion-dresses/4070.html#sz=30&start=93top of the first one & bottom of the 2nd. The formal was a long purpleish blue satin dress.

 

Prairie Phlox, tell me more!

 

Are you using fabric from the rummage sale formal for the dress or using other bits and pieces from it? 

 

I'd love to get a progress report on this.

 

[Prairie~Phlox]

Prairie Phlox, tell me more!

 

Are you using fabric from the rummage sale formal for the dress or using other bits and pieces from it?

 

I'd love to get a progress report on this.

 

It was a dress similar to this: http://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_satin-and-organza-gown-with-beaded-inset-f12385 It was too small on top, because it had over lapping fabric on the skirt, it was better to seam rip it apart. I think we might be able to use the beaded section as a clutch. We'll try & get some photos up at some point.

[Jane in NC]

It was a dress similar to this: http://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_satin-and-organza-gown-with-beaded-inset-f12385 It was too small on top, because it had over lapping fabric on the skirt, it was better to seam rip it apart. I think we might be able to use the beaded section as a clutch. We'll try & get some photos up at some point.

 

I think you are a brave woman to sew satin.  Sending you good sewing mojo!

 

[Ravin]

SKL, I sympathize. My 12 year old was told to wait on doing craft projects in the upstairs room involving messy things like paint until we get something to protect the brand new carpet.

 

Today I discovered she was using hot glue in there.

 

Yeah, no.

Edited January 24, 2016 by Ravin

[Guest]

I think you are a brave woman to sew satin. Sending you good sewing mojo!

 

My personal no-way-ever-again is lamé. I made a gold lamé costume for DD when she was two. That fabric is hell! It "runs" constantly. She was an adorable Hershey's Kiss - and I still have that costume - but no, not for any future costume. Uh-uh. Nope.

[Annie G]

My personal no-way-ever-again is lamé. I made a gold lamé costume for DD when she was two. That fabric is hell! It "runs" constantly. She was an adorable Hershey's Kiss - and I still have that costume - but no, not for any future costume. Uh-uh. Nope.

 

1990- Disney's The Little Mermaid was released a year earlier and oldest dd really wanted to be Ariel for Halloween. Green Lame. A nightmare to work with.  

 

That's about the time I decided quilting was more fun than garment or costume sewing. Lame, satin, taffeta, velvet...not my friends. 

[JustEm]

Aside from normal gas and groceries for the week I spent $15 at goodwill getting dd 3 outfits, a handful of books, and a Lego set I had as a child! The legos were completely unnecessary because we have so many but they were $2 so I couldn't not get them. I can sell them on ebay for $50 but I don't think I want to.

[73349]

I'm trying to set up a Buy Nothing group for my neighborhood, but I haven't heard back from the organizers yet.

 

The up side to being trapped in our house for 3 days (so far) is that it's harder to spend money. :)

 

I put a spending record page in my bullet journal. So far it's working better than keeping a spreadsheet on my computer did when I tried that.

[Joyofsixreboot]

Unnecessary but worth it this week...I took my youngest two to the circus. That was a big deal for us. Dh and I decided that we will probably never do it again to go big so breaking all my own rules I bought popcorn and a lemonade and let the 8 yo ride the elephant. I'm working on overcoming my inability to enjoy money. This was really hard for me but the girls had a great time. Dh replaced the dead car battery while we were gone. That was expensive but necessary.

[Prairie~Phlox]

I' working on overcoming my inability to enjoy money.

I could have posted this. We've struggled for many years & dh recently went form self employed to working for the county, a regular paycheck has been a big change. We've splurged a little more recently.

[prairiewindmomma]

I decided this week not to continue doing highlights in my hair but to switch to all-over color.  Previously, I lived close to family that would do my hair inexpensively. Now I'm far enough away that I'd be paying full salon prices and I can't justify spending $$$ on my hair every 8 weeks.  I had my hair dyed back to my natural color and I will maintain it at home. 

 

I bought a couple of new shirts to replace ones that had developed holes or serious stains. I need to remember to order some Columbia knee length black shorts when they come back into stock for spring and summer. I'm still rebuilding my wardrobe for my new super hot climate and I'm trying to find super thin long-sleeved shirts and longer shorts for my sensitive skin.  I'm going through the kids' closets to finish out the lists of what they will need for summer. The thrift stores near me aren't well-stocked, but I hear that there are a couple of more stores I can check.  I know it sounds crazy to talk about summer clothes now, but it's in the 70s here already.

 

I'm ordering books for school next year....stalking amazon and other sites with used books to pick up what I can pre-owned.

[itsheresomewhere]

January will be known as Pet Medical Month in my house.

 

Spent more this week than I planned.  Took the dog to a new vet and her meds and a plan.  She is a older gal who deserves to live the rest of her life to the best she can.  Other dog had to be taken to the vet as we woke up and one side of his face was huge.  This also cause another lump on him to grow from a jelly bean to an apple.  So this week, that dog has surgery to remove the lump and to biopsy the face.  Kids ARBA membership is due this month.   

 

So after all that I can say I am not spending much this month on anything else.  

 

I forgot that I might need to pay some fees if my kids have the animals compete this year.  They might enter the guinea pig agility or the rabbit agility/hopping next month.  

Edited January 25, 2016 by itsheresomewhere

[Ravin]

I  have $125 until payday next week. Which should be enough!

 

February is going to be tight because it's such a short month, and yet all the same bills will be due. March should see us catch up and really be able to stick to the budget I set, I hope.

[Guest]

January will be known as Pet Medical Month in my house.

 

Spent more this week than I planned. Took the dog to a new vet and her meds and a plan. She is a older gal who deserves to live the rest of her life to the best she can. Other dog had to be taken to the vet as we woke up and one side of his face was huge. This also cause another lump on him to grow from a jelly bean to an apple. So this week, that dog has surgery to remove the lump and to biopsy the face. Kids ARBA membership is due this month.

 

So after all that I can say I am not spending much this month on anything else.

 

I forgot that I might need to pay some fees if my kids have the animals compete this year. They might enter the guinea pig agility or the rabbit agility/hopping next month.

Sorry about your dogs. :( My dog has been living with a tumor in his bowel since being dx'd last May. They did not expect him to live more than about a week. He has beaten those odds, but it is tough knowing he is on borrowed time.

 

What is ARBA?

[itsheresomewhere]

Sorry about your dogs. :( My dog has been living with a tumor in his bowel since being dx'd last May. They did not expect him to live more than about a week. He has beaten those odds, but it is tough knowing he is on borrowed time.

 

What is ARBA?

We suspect that the face one is cancer but won't know until they biopsy it. He has had some health problems since we got him and we know he is on borrowed time. The one on the chest they think is nothing but I want them to biopsy it when they remove it. ARBA is for rabbits. Edited January 26, 2016 by itsheresomewhere

[SKL]

Well, I had a talk with the girls about summer camp.  Theater is out (though Miss A sounded kinda sad about it).  They don't want to do more than 2 weeks of sleep-away camp, and they want to do them together.  They were most excited about math [day] camp, of all things.  :P

 

I registered for a couple of the camps already.  The sooner I finish the registrations, the sooner I can stop thinking about the cost.  :P

[shinyhappypeople]

DH gets paid on Friday and I've begun the mental countdown :)

 

Besides the small grocery shop (planned), we ended up needing to buy a new pair of work pants for DH, and spent $7 on concessions at the play, and $5 on fast food for younger DD between activities.   I don't think I'm going to label concessions as "eating out" but rather as "entertainment."  So, that makes $15 for eating out for the entire month. I have resisted the urge to run to In-n-Out many, many times (it's visible from the theater where the DDs take classes, ugh, torture)  and we've eaten a ridiculous amount of homemade burgers and spaghetti because they're easy.  Goal for next month: make some freezer meals so we can have a little more variety.

 

Anyway, we have about $8 left in checking :scared: , BUT we also have a full pantry, plenty of gas in the car, and no pending expenses this week, so it's actually no big deal.   

 

The only other (almost) huge expense is that although we've been cord-cutters for about a decade, we came *this-close* to resubscribing to cable/satellite service this week.  Close as in: ordered it and then canceled.  I want DH to be able to watch baseball this summer, because he's a huge, obsessed Giants fan.  But even with the internet/tv bundles that seem like such a good deal, you add on $10 for the "wireless gateway", another $10 for a DVR (I hate commercials) and finally an additional $10 in taxes/fees and that "great deal" for the tv portion has doubled in price.  We're still going to switch our internet, though.  Should save us about $20 a month.  In a month or two I'll resubscribe to Game Day Audio so he can listen to the games at least.  

 

 

[Raifta]

Spent $10 unexpectedly yesterday at the thrift store.  2 baskets to help organize DD's room when we redo it this week and a 'next size up' pair of swim shoes for some kid for the cottage where we need them for the rocky beach/muddy pond locations where we swim.

 

Then I got the Hydro bills for the house and cottage.  The house one - as expected.  The cottage one - over $100 more than expected.  Gulp.  That one is estimated so I suspect it is not correct but I'm not driving out there to figure that out.  It will have to remain estimated until we next go out in mid-late Feb.

 

I also registered for a scrapbooking weekend away.  But I used my Christmas money to do so.  

[SKL]

Oh, and I spent over $100 yesterday at a discount store, buying travel-sized toiletries for a charity packing project the kids are doing at school tomorrow.  I hope the items are enjoyed.  I was supposed to buy hair conditioner, which I did, but I also bought some shampoos and a lot of hand cream.  At this time of year, I would rather have hand cream than hair conditioner, given the choice.  :)

[MomtoCandJ]

Bought subway today for lunch for dh, his boss and dd2 and I. My sugar was rapidly dropping so I couldn't wait to get home to eat

[prairiewindmomma]

I've been burned too many times to buy off of general boards. I'd rather do it through amazon or better world books or some other commercial venture where I have easy recourse if books are lost or misrepresented.

 

As an example--just this week--I had a pm via paperback swap asking if I'd accept a book with 10% highlighting (despite their policy of no highlighting). I said yes, because it was a title I wanted. I received the book. Fully 80% of the pages are marked and highlighted.  The highlighting is not even done well as it does not aid reading and comprehension of the book. I am not going to complaint, but the experience furthers my resolve to stay with only commercial sites.

[SquirrellyMama]

$200 to fix dh's truck and dh also had to go to the ED Friday because he got metal in his left cornea last Saturday while doing part of his CDT exam (they didn't use the same kind of guards that dh has at work). I think dh's employer will pay his ED bill though. Other the normal groceries, sitter money and BB gun club fees

 

Oh man! That sounds really painful. I hope your dh is ok.

 

Kelly

 

[SquirrellyMama]

I have bought some new fabric this week :) They are for female things that can be washed and reused, so we won't have the monthly expense of buying disposable. I made some of my own when my kids were little, and like the feel of the fabric. I stopped because although they worked pretty well I was always afraid of leaks. This time I bought some PUL fabric, and am hoping this will work well. They are actually kind of cute, I used the PUL with pink flowers and one with a Chevron pattern.

 

I also bought fabric to make bowl covers. I'm really trying to reduce our trash, so I'm hoping these two projects will be helpful. I had the fabric budgeted for this month in our toiletry fund.

 

I spent way too much on groceries, but not all of our budget for the month. I'll most probably be serving a lot of ramen and pb&j the last week of the month ; )

 

Other than that, things are gone well. I really hate shopping, but the urge to go when I'm trying not to go is strong!

 

Kelly

[knoxinsox]

I have bought some new fabric this week :) They are for female things that can be washed and reused, so we won't have the monthly expense of buying disposable. I made some of my own when my kids were little, and like the feel of the fabric. I stopped because although they worked pretty well I was always afraid of leaks. This time I bought some PUL fabric, and am hoping this will work well. They are actually kind of cute, I used the PUL with pink flowers and one with a Chevron pattern.

 

Where did you get the PUL?  I'm looking for a good deal on it.  In the process of making some as well.  So far using up some old prefold diapers and an old flannel sheet.    

 

I spent nothing all week. Took the kids to the park. Free.   Started homeschool planning for next year and my goal of reusing textbooks is starting to pay off--very little to purchase for the 2nd child and not much for #1.  I haven't bought anything yet though.  

 

So thenI went out Saturday and took back some items to Walmart that I decided we didn't need.  Got a few groceries, and some Arnicare cream for Hubby's poor, sore feet.  And pizza because he asked me for it. I put off the shopping until the thrift stores were closed.  :-) I'm doing the no-spend January thing, or I should say, trying to remember to do the no-spend thing.   

[prairiewindmomma]

Wow, flashback! I went through a diaper and momma cloth sewing phase about a decade ago.  I bought a snap press and everything.   Fabric.com actually has a decent pul selection.  I used an organic bamboo velour for toppers.  It's gotten so much easier to buy FOE and other notions than it was a decade ago.

[BarbecueMom]

I kept my grocery budget (plus diapers!) down to less than $100 for the first week in forever. It helped that I've been ticked off for two days; I bake like a mad woman when I'm angry. The kids have a whole basket of premade breakfast for the week, and I'm on my second dessert.

[prairiewindmomma]

While we're talking about DIY personal care items...does anyone make their own herbal medicine or keep a very simple beauty regimen?

 

I've replaced most of my beauty care products with very simple things...witch hazel for toner and jojoba oil for a moisturizer.  I keep a very limited palette of mineral makeup.  My medication for my rheumatoid arthritis leaves my skin with some challenging issues; I simply look very unwell if I don't put on some makeup some days.

 

I'm now trying some alternative medicine once again along with the low dose chemo I take for my R.A.  Buying some of these herbs pre-made into tonics and pills is crazy expensive.  I have a fairly extensive herbal book collection  and I find myself once again blending my own massage oils and salves and teas and now I'm going to try making my own capsules for my tumeric, etc. I purchased some glycerin capsules but I'm not sure if the time/money tradeoff is going to be worth it.  It'd be different if I had a small online herb shop where I could bulk make some salves and sell them to justify bulk orders of ingredients to get better pricing, but I don't, and I have no desire to start a side business at this point in my life.  

[knoxinsox]

I used to get together with my friend and we split the cost of the herbs and supplies.  Such a fun time too and sad that we've moved 18 hours away!!  Anyone near you thats also interested? I try to make small batches of stuff so it doesn't go bad on me.  The good news is that the years when I go to the bother to make elderberry tincture, etc then nobody gets sick. The nosy old ladies always tell me that if I would just send them to school and expose them to all the junk, then we would build immunity.  

 

I have ended up with a little 2 drawer woven drawer unit with my potions.  A few oils, some homeopathic stuff, Emu-gency, Arnicare, witch hazel, grapefruit seed extract and a few other things.  Oh and bandaids.  We buy large amounts of bandaids.  Because bandaids make it all better.  LOL    All very simple, but mostly not homemade unless you count the oil blends.

 

[Ravin]

You guys reminded me I need to buy DD cloth pads. She doesn't need them YET, but it could start any time and I want to be ready with a gift package for her.

 

I have decided that the Thermos coffee mug I ordered was an excellent buy. It actually keeps my coffee HOT for HOURS, which mean that I took my time drinking it, which meant I didn't buy another refill when I stopped for gas in Flagstaff. If the coffee I buy in Anthem lasts me all the way to Tuba City every week, I'll save the cost of the mug in less than six months.

 

DD needed a new phone because the charging port went out; DH ordered one for her. I don't know how much it will cost, it will get tacked on to the phone bill.

[SKL]

The Snap Circuits Jr. set arrived yesterday, to my kid's delight.  Today both kids were having a blast with it.  I would count that as a mindful purchase.  It was somewhere between $10 and $20.

 

Not so sure about this next one.  I got a flyer in the mail for yet another summer sleep-away camp.  It sounds really good, but it's really expensive.  I decided to ask my kids if they would prefer this camp to the one they liked best last year.  I figured they'd say no, making the decision for me.  But they decided they want to go to this more expensive camp.  (They don't know it's more expensive.)  So now I shall start the registration process.  I hope it's worth it.  :P  I guess it's a good thing summer vacation is short.  :P