July 2012 Budget Challenge

[Valiant]

July 2012 Budget Challenge: $ $ $ $


The summer months are here people, and so are we, working on our goals!

All participants, please post below, thanks!






My July 2012 Budget:

Expenses:
Rent (+ utilities): PAID(as per rate)
Phone: $ 32.53
Water: $ 8.91 (reverse osmosis: cooking/drinking)
Food & Stockpile: $ 142.34
Household Contents Insurance: $ 146.00 (paid)

Total July 2012 Expenses to date: $ 385.78 (plus Rent)

Coupons Used: $60.65
Money Found: $2.22
GST Rebate: $65.00

SPEND Days to date: 11/31

NO SPEND Days to date: 20/31


Goals:
- maximize work
- essential expenses: rent/utilities, basic phone, R.O. water;
- Household Contents Insurance: $146.00 PAID (for July expenses)
- spending cuts on everything else
- exceptions: stockpile additions, emergencies
- living off the land, the garden and the stockpile


To-Do List:
- work preps for next term
- utilize all my resources:
- spend spare time on crafting for gift-giving:
- OAMC&B (Once-A-Month-Cooking & Baking): cooked large pot of potatoes for salads, ground beef, made 2 quarts tea for iced tea, chicken soup, 1 homemade pizzas, butterscotch pudding, 2 jars mayonnaise, almost 3 dozen large coconut macaroon cookies.
- garden and yard work: some weeding, pruning, staking, lawnmowing (fix mower and garden hose); big summer storm broke branches in my backyard trees, brought down the phone line, so big clean-up this week (2 garbage cans of new pinecones...uggh!)...gotter done.
- sewing: summer clothing alterations...must get going on this one asap.
- some long visits with Mother Nature: fishing, picking berries, living off the garden, Farmer's Market


Living within my Budget: (updates)
- Did some cooking and baking last night, because it's going to be even hotter for the rest of the week. Prepped salad fixings, made soup, baked chicken, scones.
- Great sale on cheese slices (24 per pack) @ 3/$5 with coupon; also got 2 bunches of celery at $1.29 a bunch (another fantastic deal). Must cook up some salad dressing, it's far cheaper than those $5 jars at the store. Making tea in jars for the fridge is also far cheaper than buying those cans of iced tea. I use only 1 teabag per quart jar, add sugar and lemon, and dilute as necessary when I use it with ice cubes. Blasted birds are eating my Nanking cherries again, even before they are ripe, so I have to be out there and pick off anything faintly edible before they get it. Hope the roaming neighbourhood cats get the idea, and hang around and scare them off. Finished my garden transplants...nice to get that little job done, and fill up all my borders and spaces with equi-distance spaced plants, but as all gardeners know, the garden work is never finished during gardening season...now it's time for the rest of the pruning and staking, and then setting out a few garden ornaments in strategic spots. I should have some nice long dead grapevine branches to soak and shape for garden wreaths.
- A neighbour's cat has staked out my cherry trees and the devouring birds are now greatly diminished; I picked 1 1/2 gallons of cherries today, which I'll buzz in the blender, and then force through a colander to make a cherry pulp to use for jam and sauce.
- great deal on Kellogg's cornflakes yesterday: 3 large boxes for only $5.66 (with coupons)
- found another great deal on lemon juice yesterday: 1 large bottle for only $2.27, so I got 2 bottles, since I use lemon juice so frequently.
- made supper of ground beef steak, pasta and tomato sauce last night, then cooked and sealed 2 jars mayonnaise for salad dressings; used the egg whites for baking coconut macaroons this morning; picked another gallon of cherries very early this morning. Very hot day today.
- ate my first 2 tomatoes yesterday (delicious); made 2 impromptu jars of Nanking cherry jam, and prepped over a gallon of cherry pulp to make more jam.
- have a sick plant on my front step: has teeny white caterpillars crawling all over the leaves, devouring them, so I made a solution of dish-soap & water in a spray container, and sprayed the leaves--the worms are now dead, and the leaves very ill-looking, so keeping an eye on it, gave it another soap-spray dose this morning, moved it to the back.
- the workers are here now removing the gable siding, and then the re-shingling of the roof after that, so I'll have to move many of my garden pots well away from point-of-impact when stuff starts coming off the roof. (hope I can survive that ordeal...even lifting 2 lbs. is hard for me)
- Sorry for the long delay in updating here...I've been ill, also dealing with the severe illness of my son, plus housing renovations....consequently, lots of chaos, stress, and exhaustion.
Will do update asap.

July 2012 Budget Balance & Update:
Deficit of $ 258.60, which I took from my Emergency Fund.

[carebearhamm]

My July 2012 Budget:

We are at the lake for the month of July

Expenses:
Phone: $60.00
Bank Fee: $8.00
Food & Stockpile: $300.00
Saving $50.00
Visa: $200.00
Spending $200.00

I won't be making any $$$ this month

Coupons Used:
Money Found:

SPEND Days to date: 0/31

NO SPEND Daysto date: 0/31


Goals:
- Relax
- Read
- Sleep

[lucy16076]

Ok, here goes...I've been watching the great work done on this thread, so thought I'd join in & see where my money goes Whether we make more or less than others, it all seems to go by the end of the month. Tracking it might help me keep MORE of it in my bank account!

My July 2012 Budget:

FIXED Expenses:

Mortgage & property taxes: $PAID
Hydro/Water combined: $150/$150
Gas for house: $74 budget plan monthly
Car Insurance: $50
House insurance: $95.12/$95.12
Life Insurance: $79.77/$79.77
Cell: $60
Cable/Internet pkg: $96/$96

VARIABLE Expenses:

Gas for my car: $60/$200
Groceries: $400
MC: $most the vacation spending ($2000) charged & half paid for this month - will have to carry over into next month & pay off
Pet care: $220/$50 (doggie day care while away for 9 days)
Spending/Vacation: $2000/$200.00
Stuff for the kids: $60/$50 (DS just had to have new high top biking shoes)
Charity: $25/$25
Savings: $400/$400

Coupons Used: $
Money Found: .05 on the ground

SPEND Days to date: 13/31

NO SPEND Days to date: 3/31


Goals:
- perfect my cupcake recipe for the wedding in August. My friend has asked me to make 200 between red velvet & carrot.
-track spending more closely...although a trip to the Calgary Stampede will make this a challenge this month!
-buy more fresh produce locally at Farmers Market
-buy 1/4 beef for the freezer from our local butcher
-build up stockpile...it's getting low.
-work 3 extra shifts
-to not use the credit card (like I said, hard this month because of our family trip to Calgary from Ontario) One can always hope!

TO DO List
-weed/prune my garden
-2 doors needed for kids room
-decide if cable is worth the cost
-replace spark plugs & oil filter in my car

Accomplishments:
-came to the conclusion that red velvet cupcakes taste like nothing much so will be using a chocolate cake recipe for cupcakes instead & still working on carrot cake recipe for cupcakes.
-worked 3 extra shifts! yay me!
-spark plugs bought & should go in this coming week. Still need oil filter.
-1/2 garden weeded...now need to start again since vacationing set me back & the weeds forward again!

This month has been an unrealistic, expensive month with our vacation to Calgary...next month will be more accurate. Not much grocery shopping in July, but dug into the "stash". Looking forward to re-stocking next month & getting my produce & meat locally.

[lovelikewinter3]

Bills: paid as per rate
Groceries: /400$
Gas: /1250$
Smokes: /60$
Eating out: /150$
Medical: 520$


Goals for this month:

-earn 40$ from non-regular work
-stay within grocery and eating out budget
-try new meals at least once a week
-stretch the meat further
-finish the knitting/crocheting projects I've started
-finish the painting I started
-finish the sketch I started

[Valiant]

Updated 1st post.
Must mention here that I got a great deal at the greenhouse last Saturday, 5 packs of plants for $5. So I bought a large Tumbler tomato with about 10 big tomatoes on it, a 6-pk of tomatoes with small tomatoes and blossoms, a 6-pk of vari-coloured Swiss Chard, 1 tub oregano, 1 tub thyme. A super deal!
Need to finish picking my black currents to try to make a jar of jam from it this year; I thought I'd get a much larger crop, but high winds and heavy rain knocked most of the berries off at various times, and left only a few to harvest.
My lettuce is doing nicely, so will be able to harvest anytime. Hope the weather won't destroy any more of my garden. Should harvest my chives and cut them up, package and freeze them. Dill holding up nicely; tomatoes filling, cucs spreading, grapevine grapes tiny and beginning to turn purple.
I have a list of cooking and baking to do to replenish the freezer; also making a large amount of tea every morning, along with my cuppa, and storing it in a quart jar for later in the day. Should freeze some in water bottles for impromptu outings.
Summer time....and the living is...not easy...but different...and a change is as good as a rest.

[sweetproserpina]

July Budget

Rent: Paid per rate
Water: owe 66$
Groceries: 433.88/400
Summer 'Put Up/Freeze it/Can it': 22$ on upick raspberries

Coupons Used: 5.25$
SDM points: Used 50000, for 85$ redemption
"other money":

Goals:
-eat local and from the garden/stock up for winter/can/freeze- eating lots from local fruit stand, made a deal with farmer who tends our pear to trade for lots of peaches next month (yum, canned peaches and jam!), haven't been canning at all..
- EYC and splashpad as much as possible w/DD - been to EYC every week!
-Get letter and info available for pencil project/take to store managers - written letters to go out to friends and family about it, and ad for online work buy&sell, soo excited to get started on this.. waiting for school supply sales!

To Do list:
Get passports for DD and me!! -not yet! but Must do!!
pick blueberries and raspberries -raspberries done
make more jam -nope
find dehydrator on kijiji/craigslist - nope
get vacuum bag system from home hardware - nope
-make some extra money writing online - nope

[Abby5]

My July 2012 Budget:

Expenses:
Mortgage : paid
Phone: $10paid
Water/hydro:$400----$430!!! Paid
Taxes:$666 paid
Food:$200/week made it!!
Cable/Internet/cell:$200 paid
Gas:$50 only $20 paid
Car:$406paid
Gas (car):$400paid
Insurance:$300aid
Pets:$200 $100

Total July 2012 Expenses to date:

SPEND Days to date: 4/31

NO SPEND to date: 10/31


Goals:
- make calls 2x a week to LTD...so I can get money or hire a lawyer --finally got a letter saying my case will be reviewed July 18-then they will let me know---waiting for my union
- Spend $200 a week only did this!!


To-Do List:
- grass seed-did this
- gym 4 days a week-not this
- spend quality time with ds-tried
- Sell last items on line-sold some need to sell more
-clean out garage-dd this



Health updates
-call for lumbar puncture(was suppose to happen in may!)-waiting for an MRI appointment
-my phone is not working--3rd week now!!-working now

[Valiant]

Long update on my first post.
Notable notes for this week:
- great deal on cheese slices: 3 pks of 24 slices for $5 total.
- another great deal on celery bunches @ $1.29 each
- big clean-up from huge storm which brought down my phone line and lots of branches and new pinecones
- cooking in progress for salads again, tea, soup; found my recipe for cooked salad dressing (like Kraft), only it costs very little
- a few more garden tasks, then I want to get to my summer sewing, and some outings again

[corezz]

Expenses:
Food & Stockpile: $85.00
Saving: $200.00
Credit Card: $30.00
Spending $150.00

[Valiant]

Battle of the birds vs me and my Nanking cherries.
A few days ago, I noticed a cat sitting under my 2 cherry trees; it stayed there overnight, sleeping on the sidewalk. The devouring birds are rarely here now as a result, enabling me to pick 1 1/2 gallons of cherries today.
Isn't that wonderful?

[Valiant]

Got a great deal on Kellogg's cornflakes yesterday: 3 large boxes for $9.99, and with the B1G1Free and $1 coupons I had, I got 3 boxes for just $5.66. Also picked more cherries this morning...the robins and bluejays were at them again, but I did get some anyway. Prepped 2 homemade pizzas yesterday, had part of one for supper, froze the other. Found a toonie while walking to the library yesterday.

BTW, I want to trade 2 FREE Fibre 1 Brownies/Nature Valley Granola Thins/Fibre 1 100cal Choc. Caramel Pretzel FPC coupons ASAP, valid ONE DAY ONLY July 24/12.
I got one in an order, and 1 in a trade, but now I find out that my stores won't carry the products. Will trade for other food fpc's on my tradelist. PM offers asap, and I will send out immediately. Otherwise, I'll send the coupons out to a family member.

[Valiant]

A fierce thunderstorm early this morning, with a long and hard rain, but it cleared the air somewhat from a general heatwave, and the temp inside my home is now more bearable (no air-conditioning). Won't have to water the garden for a few days now, but should give my lettuce it's first picking just as soon as the lettuce leaves rise again. The cucs are blooming, and I have 13 golf-ball sized tomatoes on my patio tomato, which I bought for $1, so I'll pick them soon, and they can ripen, and after that, no more tomato purchases at the store for the duration of my tomato-growing season. The gigantic dragonflies are back again in my yard this year, so they're keeping the mosquitoes down; I've had only 2 mosquito bites this year, and haven't used any insect repellant yet.
I want to get at some more baking and my essential summer sewing, just as soon as I get some time, and can open the curtains for light and air, without a heatwave coming inside to heat up my home.

[Valiant]

I'm cooking and baking in the coolest parts of the day and evening nowadays; mayo and macaroons now done.
Also watching some great DVD's from the library: Hidalgo, Julie & Julia, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Best of Bonanza.
Reading the works of Lillian Beckwith lately: going through her whole series, just have a couple left...very humorous reading.

Found some great recipes for grape leaves (for my Valiant grapevine leaves).
Some links:

http://www.squidoo.com/stuffed-grape-leaves

http://www.ehow.com/how_5627716_cook-grape-leaves.html

http://www.jamieoliver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=30933

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/...roducts/3038/2 (nutritional value)

[Valiant]

Three Shopping Lists for bare-bones shopping and food preparation:
1. food emergency shopping list
2. bare-bones-empty-wallet shopping list
3. money-saving 100 shopping list

http://www.justpeace.org/shopping.htm#Bare Bones Empty Wallet

[Valiant]

Some Nanking cherries recipes on this link:

http://www.kiowacd.org/Tips_Links/nanking_cherry_recipes.htm