June 2012 Budget Challenge

[Valiant]

June 2012 Budget Challenge: $ $ $ $


It's another month to work on our goals!
All participants, please post below, thanks!






My June 2012 Budget:

Expenses:
Rent (+ utilities): PAID(as per rate)
Phone: $32.80
Water: $7.92 (reverse osmosis: cooking/drinking)
Food & Stockpile: $156.32 (2 milk, 4 Oasis oj, 7 Welch's juice, 2 family packs lean ground beef, 2 cans tomatoes, celery, 1 doz. eggs, lemon juice, margarine, cornmeal, yeast, chicken legs, potatoes, 1 doz. eggs, tomatoes, bananas, milk, chicken legs, 2 x Tetley tea, 1 x Royale tp, 1 x Milk to Go, 4 x tubs of strawberries @ $1 ea!, 5 tomatoes, Oreo cookies, Chips Ahoy cookies, eggs, milk, 1 pk. chocolate buds!, 2 pks. of chips for $1!)
Other: $7.20 (12 lb. test fishing line)
Pharmacy: $4.84 withPharmacare Deductible Balance (Paid, and completed)

Total June 2012 Expenses to date: $209.08 (plus Rent)

Coupons Used: $6.25
Money Found: $0.16

SPEND Days to date: 13/30

NO SPEND Daysto date: 17/30


Goals:
- maximize work
- essential expenses: rent/utilities, basic phone, R.O. water;
- Pharmacare meds deductible PAID To Date = $106/$106. Completed.
- Household Contents Insurance: $146.00 PAID (for July expenses)
- spending cuts on everything else
- exceptions: stockpile additions, emergencies


To-Do List:
- work
- utilize all my resources:
- spend spare time on crafting for gift-giving: must work on my Grandkids birthday gifts
- OAMC&B (Once-A-Month-Cooking & Baking): 5 loaves whole-wheat bread, 1 pan buns, 1 pan cinnamon buns, chili, cornbread, rhubarb cake, carrot muffins, bread pudding, homemade Nutella spread, 1 pail potato salad, 1 pan baked chicken.
- garden and yard work: moved 2 triple-decker planters into my backyard today (given to me by a friend), mowed lawns, planted flowers and planters, planted out all transplants, mowed back & front lawns...something is going wrong with my lawnmower, there's a grinding noise in the motor, and the switch won't shut off properly, looks like I need a repair or another 2nd hand lawnmower. Watered the garden today...it's sweltering weather again!
- sewing:
- some long visits with Mother Nature: GOING FISHING ASAP!!!; got my fishing tackle box organized and rod set up to go. WENT FISHING!!!; got 3 pike...now filleted and frozen in my freezer (a truly wonderful day!).


Living within my Budget: (updates)
- Would like to spend very little money this month, since my income will be less, and no paid work for the summer; but I see that my grocery flyer has some great sales on this week: sugar @ 10 kg for $9.99, ground beef family packs @ $2.48/lb, and Aylmer Accents tomatoes @ 2/$3 (with my coupons that would be .50 per can.) Hafta see.
- Replenished stockpile with lean ground beef, Welch's, Oasis juice, canned tomatoes, milk, water.
- Got a good deal on a big bunch of celery ($1.69)
- Had to buy new fishing line (12 lb. test), but it was worth it; found lots of new hooks, sinkers, and leaders at the river to add to my fishing tackle.
- Added more necessary foodstuffs to fridge and freezer, some for stockpile over the summer.
- Bought tomatoes and bananas (some for freezer).
- Found a great deal on large tubs of strawberries marked down at $1 each, so bought 4...no mold, and I prepped and packaged 3 empty Europe's Best bags with most of them, and froze those, plus had the rest for meals. Made a pail of potato salad from potatoes, lettuce, eggs, tomatoes, celery, chives, dill and salad dressing; also baked some chicken legs...this lasted 3 days, so I got my yard work done without having to cook.
- Aaackkk! My water hose has developed a torrential spraying leak, so needs a replacement or repair. I looked like a maniac this morning watering my garden, it was like a battle out there, and I even attracted the attention of the neighbours... on the plus side, I got the back garden weeded and some of the pruning done, the front bushes and flowers pruned, and only have t prune my grapevine and weed my raspberry bushes.
- Will finish June's update asap, and get the July Budget on the next thread. Bye for now!


June 2012 Budget Balance & Update: - $148.90 (Deficit)
As expected, I have a deficit, but it was largely due to replenishing my stockpile, as needed, so no surprise there. All in all, a good month!

[ashedfc]

Stop going to all restaurants, (including Tim Hortons, McDonalds, Burger King, Subway, Quiznos,etc) & take home cooked lunch & home made coffee/tea to work.......... the savings will be very significant & will add up over time.
Most important is, we need a cultural shift of having more home made food/drink so you can save more money or rather spend less & NOT promote huge profits to these corporates in the food industry.

[lekate]

Stop going to all restaurants, (including Tim Hortons, McDonalds, Burger King, Subway, Quiznos,etc) & take home cooked lunch & home made coffee/tea to work.......... the savings will be very significant & will add up over time.
Most important is, we need a cultural shift of having more home made food/drink so you can save more money or rather spend less & NOT promote huge profits to these corporates in the food industry.

I buy one coffee per day (well no everyday), but make a bagel with cream cheese at work and a fresh piece of fruit instead of buying at Tim's, Bring my own healthy lunches from home (costs me maybe 50-60$ a month) instead of getting take out. The guy I recently broke up with *always* wanted to go out for dinner, part of the reason I was so stressed - I couldn't afford it! I try to eat dinner before going out to meet friends, if not get a large tray of nachos, feeds 2-3 people for the price of one meal out normally.

There are things I want more than daily 'pleasures' like this? A trip to Montreal for OSHEAGA in August (Tickets alone are 220$) and Montebello Rockfest (I think 60$ for the weekend).

Gotta keep long term goals in perspective! Or at least, the things you could do if you didn't spend so much on 'treats'!

[bobbiegirl2010]

May/June Budget 2012:


Mortgage and Fixed Expenses: PAID

Variable Expenses:
Hydro: /$95
TV/Internet: $124.22/$124.22
Cell Phones: $61.82/$61.82
Home Phone: $28.61/$22.59 -$6.02 (went over plan minutes)
Line of Credit: ?
Visa: ?
Emergency Fund: ?
Groceries: $699.93/$650 -$49.93 (May 13- Jun 12 CC statement)
Gas: $433.03/$415 -18.03 (Apr 13 - May 12 CC statement)

Misc Cash Purchases: $132.72

Misc CC Purchases: $409.04 (for the record these were all purchases made by DH )
Timmies GC: $5.00
Trailer Part: $21.41
Camping: $111.87
Hardware Store: $146.87
Zellers: $4.51
Hardware Store: $40.65
Tires for Trailer: $78.73

Total Misc Purchases: $541.76/$600


Daycare Business Expenses: $41.27
Baby Monitor: $41.27

Extra Income:

Scrap Metal Sales: $82
Kijiji Sales: $85
DH's Carpool income: $65


Coupons Used: $179.41
PC Points Used: $40
SDM Optimum Points Earned: 0

Total Grocery Savings: $219.41


Actual Budget Results:

Goals for this month:

- Borrow money needed for roof repair and fence and then pay off as quickly as possible using all extra income. Plan is to still be debt free in 4 years
- Keep within grocery budget
- Try use cc only for gas and groceries and pay balance in full every month. Keep better track of cash spending (this is more DH's goal than mine!)
- Bake and cook more from scratch. Buy less junk food and take out
- No more taking kids to McDonald's on wknds!!!!! If going out for the day pack snacks and lunches
- Keep selling, donating and throwing stuff out. Have way too much stuff that is never used that is just cluttering up the basement and closets.
- Time Of Use Hydro Electricity Billing: Keep trying to do baking, laundry and run dishwasher only during cheapest times.

June 1st update: I was able to sell 3 items last month on kijiji and have 3 pending sales to take place this wknd. Also was able to sell $82 worth of scrap metal items that were in our garage (left behind by previous home owners). DH has also picked up 2 additional car pool riders from his work with each rider paying $25 per week. This will add up to an additional $200 per month As for my daycare income, I will be losing 1 daycare child at the end of the month (he turned 12 and does not need after school care anymore). But the good news is I have taken on a new family of 3 children The new mom's work schedule is varied so I am not sure how much monthly income this will bring. So far it looks like I may make an additional $400-$600 per month more than I was making before This is much needed extra income since we are facing some major home expenses this month (roof and fence).

June 3rd update: Made $40 selling items off kijiji and saved money by not taking family to McDonalds

June 7th update: Went almost $50 over budget on groceries this month. Went crazy stockpiling sale items. I have to keep my couponing and stockpiling within reasonable limits. Just because I have a coupon for something doesn't mean I need to buy it. Every week there are just so many great deals its hard for me not to go overboard... Next month the goal will be to be under my grocery budget...

June 9th update: Went to Guelph (an hr drive) to drop off a desk (I sold it on kijiji for $45). While we were there went to Walmart and bought a pool and a trampoline. Well at least we packed food and didn't buy any takeout...

[Valiant]

It's been a busy week for me, and I've been economizing with these activities:
- re-organized my freezer, so now I know what I have and can find it
- got cucs and zuccs from the greenhouse (the robins destroyed mine)
- prepped my fishing tackle box (with hooks I found at the river a few years ago) and fishing rod, ready for fishing asap
- baked bread and buns for freezer and fridge
- moved 2 triple-decker planters into my backyard (a gift from a friend's garden)
- found a few more garden windfall flower plants in odd places
- updated my account-book and cheque-book, so I know where I stand financially

[Valiant]

"Your Love Lifts Me Higher" -- words and music by Larry Kunkel


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWOmeJzewm4

Enjoy, my friends...and may you be blessed!

[Abby5]

I missed last month It has been really hard these last few mo ths with my health. I just don't care about money or debt. I took the kids to Tim Hortons last month and spent $6. I felt so guilty!! My stock pile room is so full. (I need to make a list of items we really need to finish my stock pile eg. Parchment paper) I am also starting a new way of life (not a diet) going vegan. I already am gluten free and dairy free(the latter is the hardest) So I am hoping to save here. Just means much less coupon use

Goals for June:
1) make list of what is still need for stock pile
2) only buy needed items for stock pile
3) do not buy dairy or meat or processed food
4)use dishwasher and washer after 7pm or on weekends only
5) use what we have before buying more food

[Shwa Girl]

Good list for June, Valiant

@Ashedfc, we stopped McDonald's "emergency meals" in April. Our local McDonald's helped us to make the decision -- their service is so slow, it's frustrating.

3) do not buy dairy or meat or processed food
4)use dishwasher and washer after 7pm or on weekends only
5) use what we have before buying more food

Your list looks like ours.
We are not as strong as you about the dairy and meat. We will buy much less meat, but will buy dairy on sale (e.g. Neilson's milk 1L/$1 minus coupons)
We are using the dishwasher and washer like you too. Hate that Smart Meter! More like a "stupid" meter.
We found some good food in the freezer and we are using that before bringing in more. The meal preparation creativity brain cells are in good use these past few months.

[bobbiegirl2010]

We were out of town at family events both days this wknd and the only take out we bought was a $6.00 sub on Saturday (DH and I split it while the kids ate lunches we packed for them). This was the first weekend in a long time that we did not eat at McDonalds I also made another $40 selling items from kijiji

[sweetproserpina]

I missed posting for may, but I've got my June budget planned on looseleaf in my homemaking binder- will post it tomorrow during naptime

Some great tips and conversation so far on this thread. (Have i mentioned how great these monthly budget threads are..?) Take-out is not a huge issue for us, although last month I did order pizza instead of make it after a long special event day at work.. Timmy's is a special treat and a couple dollars there a month really does make one feel less deprived I guess that's what it's all about- to get rid of the mindless spending and really enjoy and appreciate where one's money is spent. If one truly enjoys and gets great satisfaction from a special coffee every day- than it's money well-spent (as long as one can afford it, of course). The more I keep track of where all my money goes the more I can see my spending priorities and habits.

I have been noticing that a lot of our grocery bill is spent on dairy- 2 big bags of homo milk/week plus yogurt, cheese (we went through 4 bricks! in may alone), mozza for pizza, cream cheese, sour cream, ice cream, butter... I can't cut any of it out- we need the fat and protein in this house but I need to find a way of saving on this expense.. So. I think I'm going to try to make as much as I can from scratch after mid-june (i'm swamped until then) Then I can do a comparison first half versus second half of the month to see if the time invested is worth it.
Things I can make: yogurt, ice cream/frozen yogurt, farmer's hard cheese for sandwiches/crackers, mozza, yogurt cheese, soft spreadable cheese.
Not economical enough to make unless I had a cow: butter

So it will be an adventure into becoming a dairymaid this month- but I think it will be great fun..

Also a heads up to any of you that save by 'pick-your-own' and freeze/can, strawberries are already ripe in my neck of the woods! Got to get my canning stuff organized and make my plan-of-attack for this season..

[carebearhamm]

My biggest plan this month is to eat at home more!!! I have been off work for the last 2 weeks so my paycheck is going to suck (July 1) so I'm trying to save as much of last months (June 1) payday except i have no idea how much $$ is in purse at this moment (not looking good).

[Valiant]

So far, I've spent money on water, milk, eggs, lean groundbeef, Welch's juice (for my heart, and it's on sale this week for $2.97 per bottle), and Oasis orange juice (4/$5) on sale too. Stockpile is getting some necessary replenishment on these items, but is still holding out well on mostly everything else. I'm keeping an eye on my lettuce head, and just removing the 2 or 3 outer leaves as needed for a salad. I have 2 carrots left in the crisper, which will be shredded for salads, and 1 apple left for all kinds of possibilities.

I get cream from freezing 2% milk in small jars, then thawing it in the fridge and pouring it off into a sterile jam jar. This is my coffee cream, and also makes great ice-cream and sherbet, and anything else that uses cream. Haven't bought cream in a long, long time, and this way is quite a savings; plus, I don't get the grumps from drinking dishwater coffee (without cream). (heehee)

I didn't get out fishing yet, because of trouble walking, but after a good rest over the weekend, I feel better. This week, I've spent time on getting water and groceries to replenish my stockpile, mowed the lawn (bad news: having trouble with the lawnmower switch when trying to shut it off, it starts up again...oh no, may have to fix it), also planted my triple-decker planters each with an impatien at the top, then lamia, then hens n' chicks. Got the other impatiens potted. Found some yarrow in my front lawn, which I will be lifting and potting, for white accents and herb-value. Also washed and stored some patio gardening stuff, which makes my patio look nicer. Still have to plant my zucs & cucs out, plus the other pack of morning glories, and that should do it if all goes well. Neighbour's gas barbecue nearly killed them last night when they were out on the patio hardening off, but I rescued them in time.

I've counted the edibles, front and back, and they are:
rhubarb, chives, raspberries, black currents (looks like a good crop this year), scarlet runner beans, Valiant grapes (ban the robins!!!), russet potatoes (also have some red potato compost sprouts coming up in my planter pots which I will transplant into the russet potato hills), 1 large Early Girl tomato plant, 6 or more Cherry tomato plants, dill, cress, basil, leaf lettuce, ButterCrunch head lettuce, Nanking cherries, more chives.
(((Another possibility I haven't totally eliminated is pesty-bird pie!!!)))

Interspersed amongst these are planters and borders containing other perennials. And my pebble pond...just heard this week on the radio that some localities are inforcing pond-size, anything over 2 feet large must be fenced...thankful mine is just under that size, and could also be down-sized easily by moving the top pebble outline for a smaller design.

I'm really enjoying my yard and garden this year, but have to paint my table and chairs again; it's a very old children's play table (my kids had it), and the chairs were those large white polyethylene type which got mold specks. So I took many old light-coloured cans of paint, mixed them together, latex and oil, plus some cedar wood-stain, and got a peachy-cream colour like the crayon colour in Crayola crayons. It looked good when I painted it on about 6 years ago, but needs repainting, I saved the half-gallon that was left, so will stir it & strain it through some old mesh fabric, and should have enough for another top-coat. Who says oil-base and latex don't mix? Worked for me.

Forgot to bring all of my receipts along today for my update on Post #1, so will fix that asap. Have also been enjoying some good VCR movies, and learning some more songs.

Have a great weekend, all!

[Abby5]

I need to stay away from Costco!!!!

[carebearhamm]

I need to stay away from Costco!!!!

Can't go there without spending $200

[Abby5]

Soooo true! I went to buy hemp hearts $30 and came out with$250!!