January 2012 Budget Challenge

[Valiant]

I've been reading through your budgets, and really feel a sense of kinship with all of you who are trying to get control over your finances with your personal goals of wills and won'ts. Way to Go, people!

I save a lot of money by cooking and baking in large portions, trying hard not to waste.
For breakfast, I cooked up a pot of oatmeal, enough for 2 days. I use half the first day, pour a little water in the pot over the rest, and refrigerate it till the 2nd day. It's a quicker breakfast the 2nd day, because I only have to heat it up, and it tastes great both days--a healthy breakfast, minimal cost. I always have it with 1 or 2 slices of toast.

Today, I checked & washed out my fridge produce bins, re-wrapped the lettuce in more paper towels as well as prepped the outer leaves for immediate use, shredded a carrot and washed some of my own Tiny Tim tomatoes which have finally ripened. So my salad fixings are ready-to-use. For salad dressings, right now I'm adding a tsp. of chip dip to the Miracle Whip or Hellmann's, plus some milk to make it go further. Other ways I add variety to the salad dressing: ketchup, mustard, Sizzling Salads pepper sauce, relish.

This afternoon, I made a large pan of lasagna which yields 15 large squares. I used Healthy Harvest lasagna noodles, a can of tomato soup, a can of Hunt's tomato sauce, a pot of cooked corn, fried a big slab of ground beef with chopped onions, then added various seasonings from Old El Paso &Hamburger Helper. I've oven-baked it to set it, and after it cools, will cut it into portions to freeze, keeping a few squares in the fridge.

I saved the pasta stock to make turkey soup tomorrow. There were 2 1/2 lasagna noodles left over, so I chopped them up for pasta to add to the soup. Will use 1 frozen turkey breastbone, and make the turkey soup with 1 pk. of Sidekicks Harvest Chicken rice, chopped potatoes, carrots, some frozen celery, chopped onion and tomatoes, some herbs. There should be enough soup in the big stockpot to freeze some small tubs of soup in the freezer, as well as keeping a small pot in the fridge for several days.

When I'm in the mood, I like to cook something big, then freeze it in portions; and later on eat with variety, adding a fresh salad and veggies to the plate. Same with the desserts, if possible.
I didn't have time to bake rhubarb cake today, but had some rhubarb sauce with Cool Whip topping for dessert at dinnertime.
So you can see that my plans are subject to change, depending on my energy level, and time. I am a free spirit.

[sotsuguyou]

This afternoon, I made a large pan of lasagna which yields 15 large squares...I've oven-baked it to set it, and after it cools, will cut it into portions to freeze, keeping a few squares in the fridge.

I did the exact same thing today!

My plan is to use it as homemade microwave dinners/quick lunches. I figured that was like a week's worth of food I don't really have to think about. Also, it is cheap to make and I didn't have to buy anything extra in terms of ingredients.

[lekate]

Wo. That is crazy. I never knew it can be that bad. Don't those companies filter their waste water before they release it out? I always hear people saying that humans are contaminating the environment and killing ourselves, but have never really heard an example. This is really one. I think in the future a lot of places will become like this.

Watching documentaries and reading books on the food industry is a real eye opener. If I ever go back to meat I wouldn't be able to eat what's sold at the grocery store that's for sure. E.Coli that gets into our food system is because of the meat industry, they feed cows an unnatural diet (of corn, their bodies are designed to eat grass, and only grass), when they digest it it increases the ph levels in their stomachs creating a thriving environment for E.coli. This runs off from poop lagoons or from slaughterhouse run off. Seeing beef sold at the grocery store with "corn fed" stickers upsets me greatly.

I've set up my budget and will post it later! so sleepy...

[Valiant]

Got an early start on my errands and shopping today; updates on my budget post.
Used the Kellogg's FPC, but it was priced at $6.49, the FPC subtracted $5.49, I paid $1.00, and when I opened it at home the box was half-full, probably due to 'settling', as they call it. IMO, not worth $6.49, but I'll add it to the other cold cereals mixed in an empty ice-cream pail, and it will be a welcome addition to the Corn Pops & Rice Krispies.

After a good rest, I'm going to make my turkey soup for supper, and hopefully some rhubarb desserts. Then continue to work away at organizing my sewing supplies, and do laundry. I like to have a few things going on at the same time. Today I improved the bathroom, by de-cluttering a floor vase of artificial flowers (threw out some of the rusty-wired ones, and kept the rest). Leaving my Christmas cards and photos out to cheer me, but will soon arrange them in a row on my LR curtain rod, where they will brighten my home for a few months yet.

[Valiant]

Will be working on cooking, baking, housework and organizing my sewing supplies today (had to recuperate yesterday from the downtown errands).
It should be a No Spend Day today.

To-Do list: with Updates
- cook beef roast: (in progress); (chill & remove fat from stock, add stock to soup later; slice roast beef and freeze portions)
- make turkey soup: (completed)
- bake rhubarb cake: (going to start this now)
- prepare rhubarb sorbet (rhubarb sauce with Cool Whip buzzed in blender & frozen; this tasted pretty good yesterday, so will try it frozen): (completed)
- scraped the rest of the carrots, so as not to waste; would be good for carrot cake, with remainder of a can of Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting
- laundry: (begun)
- sew some more rag-rug strips together for rolling into rolls
- de-clutter and organize another sewing supplies drawer: (3/7 completed)
- play some classical guitar solos in the background throughout the day
- read more on Warren Buffett's stock investments for 2012

[MamasitaDonna]

I am so glad that I am taking the time to look through this site in more detail and read some of the items. This area is great. Couponing is new to me and sound great but getting my finances in order with the help of couponing sounds even greater. I'll be back here soon.

[MamasitaDonna]

Thanks everyone for opening my eyes...I have no idea about my finances. I blindly leave it all up to my husband (who does a great job btw). My focus this week (and most probably next) will be to inform myself and get involved. I have always been used to spending when I need to (and many times just wanting to) but with wanting to travel and buy a home----it's time for some serious saving!!!

[Valiant]

So far, it's been a good day for frugal food preps and getting the housework chores done.
Saving money is almost as good as making it.

With the choices of:
1. SPEND LESS MONEY
2. EARN MORE MONEY

I find that I fit into the 'SPEND LESS' category best, right now.

[Valiant]

No Spend Day today

Updates on my To-Do list:
- cooked beef roast, chilled & removed fat from stock, added stock to soup
- made turkey soup, chilled & froze 2 tubs, kept 1 pot for the fridge
- baked rhubarb cobbler, cut into 8 squares, froze 1 tub-full on their sides so they don't mash together, and can be divided easily later on; kept 1 tub for the fridge
- prepared rhubarb sorbet & froze 1 tub
- scraped the rest of the carrots, so as not to waste; would be good for carrot cake, with remainder of a can of Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting
- made 1 large cuppa tea from 1 Tetley teabag, put the bag into a jar, filled 3/4 full of boiled water to steep, re-heated later today for 2nd cuppa tea from the same teabag
- did most of laundry, will do last load tomorrow

To-Do another day:
- sew some more rag-rug strips together for rolling into rolls
- de-clutter and organize another sewing supplies drawer: (3/7 completed)

To-Do today, if & when I can stand again:
- slice roast beef and freeze portions
- take out the trash
- do all these dishes....

To-Do, or Not To-Do today, that is the question?
- play some classical guitar solos in the background throughout the day
- read more on Warren Buffett's stock investments for 2012

[Freestuffrighthere]

Yes, for cooking and drinking, I buy large jugs of reverse osmosis purified water at our local supply outlet every week. We can't use the tap water due to various forms of contamination: intensive livestock operations, intensive use of pesticides & herbicides, industrial toxins. Even when I've been in hospital, I was informed by the staff to supply my own purified drinking water during my stay, after drinking their water caused immediate vomiting.

During our flood this year, we didn't even have that option when the flood-waters breached our water treatment plant; even the reverse-osmosis water systems were shut down for fear of contamination.
For weeks, our drinking water was transported from the city of Brandon.
Brita systems, other systems don't work, and we get very ill (short-term & long-term) from drinking the water as is. Therefore, the whole town & surrounding rural area buys water from 2 local reverse-osmosis water suppliers; and many homeowners & businesses get a reverse-osmosis water treatment system installed in their homes, businesses, offices.

The cost of using tap water is included in my rent, and is still used for everything except cooking and drinking water, although during high-contamination levels, even brushing teeth or bathing in it can cause infections.

It's a heavy chore to lug those big water jugs home twice a week on my medical walker, but I have no other options, and am just glad I have this option to drink pure water. The first year I lived here, I was always very sick from drinking the tap water, even with the Brita system, and then I finally realized everyone was buying RO water, so I started doing that too, and I felt better after 2 days, and was well within 2 weeks. I also spent 1 winter melting snow, and boiling & filtering snow-water, and that worked also; but for the last few years the snow-water has tasted acidic and toxic, so I don't use it anymore.

OMG. Have you ever thought of relocating? I think if even rain water or snow water is too acidic and toxic to drink, then maybe the place is not habitable anymore. Besides you have to spend money on water and that is like extra expense when compare to a place where you don't have to pay for water.

[carebearhamm]

Starting January I'm a cash only girl no credit cards - i can have a spending problem when I'm happy or sad and i want to change

I had a very very bad day and I went out, normally i would be buying lots fast food and spending lots of money - but instead i had a good cry and went to VV walked around I found a pair of work pants $5.99 (which i needed) and a 6 yatzee pads for $1.99 then went to timms for a coffee and a donut $3 (better then 6).
Still was a very bad day but i didn't add to it - no buyers remorse.

[sotsuguyou]

Starting January I'm a cash only girl no credit cards.

Change is never easy but I want to congratulate you on taking this big step and sharing with all of us on this forum. As cheesy as it sounds, I believe in you! You can do it!

I don't know about everyone else, but for me, it feels really nice, almost liberating, to share my spending habits (yes, even the bad ones) and goals with people. Too often money is that hush-hush taboo discussion topic.

buyers remorse.

Never heard it phrased like the before but I like it! "Buyer's remorse" is definitely a feeling I've had before...many...many..many times...

[freefreefree]

Change is never easy but I want to congratulate you on taking this big step and sharing with all of us on this forum. As cheesy as it sounds, I believe in you! You can do it!

I don't know about everyone else, but for me, it feels really nice, almost liberating, to share my spending habits (yes, even the bad ones) and goals with people. Too often money is that hush-hush taboo discussion topic.



Never heard it phrased like the before but I like it! "Buyer's remose" is definitely a feeling I've had before...many...many..many times...

Yes, sometimes I feel that too, and that is why I do returns sometimes.

[Valiant]

This thread is all about financial honesty and willingness to be accountable to ourselves, and being overcomers & achievers through goal-setting and goal-getting. We are all just folks with X amount of dollars and Y amount of expenses.

Buyer's remorse...so true...spending because we feel emotionally upset or vulnerable to product-allure; buying consumer products in order to cope or for some another pay-off.

Other ways to cope with emotional spending:
1. Time: wait a while; minutes, hours, days, weeks, months later you will feel better
2. Distance: put some distance between you and the bad experience, or temptation; (walk into another room, outdoors, hop a bus or go for a drive and renew your perspective)
3. Other experiences: choose positive experiences after a really bad one, or temptations; fill up on them. They don't have to be the kind that add pounds or subtract dollars, they can be beautiful music, relaxing exercies, looking at the stars, a walk in nature, looking a favourite photos, doing a chore that gives you a real sense of satisfaction, a spa hour at home & dressing nicely for your own meal with your best china, etc.

List your own.

[Valiant]

After washing my big pile of dishes, taking out the trash and sweeping the floors last night, I want to do these things today:

- carve the roast beef, freeze portions
- last load of laundry
- cook rice pudding, freeze portions
- cook banana custard pudding, freeze portions
- bake brownies, eat and freeze portions; (when I have chocolate products at-hand in the house, I don't feel deprived; then I don't have the urge to buy any chocolate bars)
- hoped to do some errands; but it's warm outside and the snow is melting, so not a good day to trudge around with my medical walker's tiny wheels in the slush

Wanna know why I'm doing all this cooking and baking?
1. Because I want to figure out a way to keep my internet.
I need to be able to afford this $40 cost per month. Maybe I can do it by intensive cooking & baking, thereby lowering my food cost budget expenses.
We shall see.
2. Another reason is that I want LOTS of ready-to-eat food on hand. That's because I'm freeing up some big portions of TIME (from food preparation), to be used for other projects I want to tackle (sewing & crafting, home projects).
TIME IS MONEY.

PS:
* I am trying to delegate responsibility for checking into Warren Buffett's 2012 stock investments to another website-person, who is a financial brainiac. That would save me even more time.