Attachment 160699
Chatter about how your month is going
Share cheap recipes, shopping brags and tips
Let's cut spending this month!
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Attachment 160699
Chatter about how your month is going
Share cheap recipes, shopping brags and tips
Let's cut spending this month!
Great topic FallenPixels, will be interesting to read all the ideas for a frugal February. Will be more baking in this house, will try to make muffin mixes, etc, and put it canning jars with recipe attached, no messing around once all the work is done, just grab a jar and make muffins, fruit breads, cookies, etc.
Started re-orgainizing the kitchen cupboards and pantry, so some free exercise, lol!
I'm just going to pick up the essentials this month ( milk,vegs.,fruit,etc) unless something is Free :) I love the idea someone posted on here a while back about making a big pot of soup and homemade biscuits, garlic bread or cheese toast once a week to use up vegs. I do this the day before I go shopping. Really cleans out the fridge. I will try and use up all of the items ( or a good portion of them) from my freezer and cupboards this month. Best of luck to everyone taking on the Feb. challenge :) :)
Even though we're very frugal already, this is the first month we have to start paying $200 more for rent, so things are going to be extremely tight. - it's not like our income went up by that much, sheesh!
Will be trying even more to be creative with meals using what's in the freezer and pantry - shopping pretty much only for essentials.
Gosh, it's going to be tough, we are already so very careful with our spending!
Note to self - do freezer inventory!
Let the games begin :P I've gotten out my journal so I can keep track of every dime I spend this month. I'm ready to start!
Plan on doing this too so when DH said he needed an oil change 3 days ago I told him it had to be done before Feb. 1st.
I plan to do this. Next week I know of something I have to buy already when I go to Canadian Tire. I live about an hour from a Canadian Tire so I have to take advantage of it while I am in the area. Doesn't help anything if I were to drive there in Jan. just to get one thing when the next week I was going to be in the area for an appointment anyway. It's an special shape energy efficent light bulb that I've only found at Canadian Tire....so technically this is a household necessity, or at least that's what I consider it. I'll take it out of my grocery budget. LOL
I'm looking forward to this. We're pretty frugal anyway. I can't think of the last time I've splurged on something that wasn't a necessity. Even Christmas I spent most of my Christmas money on items that we needed in the house. I don't feel this will be any different, but I just like that it will be a group effort. It may mean less trips to Timmy's, but that will be the biggest change. Anything that can wait to be replaced in March will wait. Other than the lightbulb. I really like being able to see in my hallway. :cheesygrin:
This is perfect timing for me. For Lent (which begins on the 13th?) I have given up shopping. (Is that even possible?) Nothing comes into the house that isn't a need. Meals planned, and groceries bought accordingly. I will even leave my coupons behind!:shock: No matter how good a deal is- if I am not going to use it that month- it doesn't get bought. DH is going to help build a roof on a school in Guatemala in June- hopefully, we are able to save something for him.
Really looking forward to other's ideas and hints.
I'm on board! Buying DH pre-made gluten free muffins is getting exceptionally expensive ($7 for 6) so I'm making it my mission to find some decent GF muffin recipes to cut down on the costs and we're eating out of the freezer as much as possible this month. Only buying fruits / veggies / yogurt and milk.
I decided at the new year that this is going to be a frugal year. There is far too much stuff in this house. I have already been trying to use as much out of the freezer and stockpile as possible. I try to do roasts and baking on the weekend or evenings when electricity is cheaper. Also won`t be buying any yarn or crochet cotton until I put a serious dent in my stockpile.
I'm not really a thrifty person by nature, but I'm keen to try my hand at this. Also trying to blog every day in February so it's a good way to keep track of my progress.
I put my goals up here: http://wearingthewig.blogspot.ca/201...ary-goals.html . On verra!
I'm in last month i had 19 no spend day so hoping i can get this close in February eating from the stockpile and items in my freezer
We're pretty frugal already but I did the budget yesterday for the whole month of February (took 1/2 a day going back and forth through what transactions & payments go through each month and ouch....
Starting this month - we're trying to live of dh's income for the next several months, cutting corners where we can etc....not much wiggle room for anything.
We have been eating out of the stockpile in freezer for the last 2 weeks and I'm either going to look like a porc chop or a chicken breast.....I need to re-invent the wheel if you get my drift.
About mid-January we starting to eat out of our stockpile, freezer, use up what needs to be used up, stop buying pre-made stuff like cakes mixes which I only buy to have when I'm in a pinch BUT I'm going to do like the lady above and pre-package my own cake & cookie mixes so that I only need to add milk, eggs, oil, etc... & voila.
Bring it on baby.....I'm so all over this one!
I'm on board! We're already pretty frugal, not much restaurant spending (maybe once a month, that includes fast food) and try to come up with free activities for us and our 2 year old. I'm looking to increase my stockpile this year, so I won't be as frugal, but would love to share some savings tips with everyone!
We put $50 away each month for 'car repairs'. It's much easier if something does break or we need an oil change etc., to know that money is already there...no worrying! :)
DH and I have decided to do this too, starting in March! :-) We need some of house reno's, and need to stop living pay cheque to pay cheque, so we are going to save my income and live off of his. I imagine it will be tough at first, but I'm happy I'll already be in extra frugal mode in Feb to make the transition into March easier.
Great idea FP!
this month will be hard ..I need to buy 3 new beds:( DH is taking them with him:( So off I go to warehouse sale! Fingerscrossed:)
I am going to stick to my budget come --ll or high waters!! Lol
we have several bank accounts (no service charges on these)
1. $60.00 directly deposited into this account bi-weekly for household needs (small appliances, anything house related)
2. $74.00 weekly into a mortgage pre-payment account (allowed so much per year)
3. $25.00 x 2 boys weekly into an account for my boys (for colleges, or down payment for a house, etc)
4. $200.00 bi-weekly into a income tax account - we end up with an extra little perk at the end of tax season
that's it for now.
I'm going to peek at this thread regularly. :secret: With guests coming today to "Hotel Shwa Girl", first week of February will be difficult. Maybe make up for this, in the rest of February:shrug:
I didn't know about Frugal February until I saw the thread in the tea room. My goals will be to:
1) cut back and possibly eliminate eating out (fast food and coffee)
2) no more nailpolish, makeup and clothes - I have more than enough and I need to get over the idea that I *need* more blush, eyeshadow and lipstick.
3)Instead of shopping, I need to get back to the gym. I bought a membership last Spring and used it up until October when I stopped going... school is not an excuse to be lazy!
I also started Frug Feb in mid-Jan. Using up the stock-pile and freezer.
I have a huge garden so this is an anual thing for me without even knowing it--I need shelf and freezer space for the coming harvest. I would like to say that I will only be buying the basics, but sometimes you just run out of something besides that. Only spending what is necessary on food. I have a jar (like Gail V.O.) and I put $100 in it mid-Jan. We can add to the jar, but it has to be 'found' $$-like money from recyclables or stuff sold on kijiji. All receipts go in the jar. And NO spending money on eating out (with the exception that we got gift cards for Christmas that I've been hoarding for this time of year).
I also figured out how much I spend on Christmas/Birthdays anually--gifts for kids, nieces and nephew, parents and grandparents and it came to $800. The first week of Jan. I started putting $15/wk in the jar. By Christmas next year I will have $780 in the jar (but honestly, I will be dipping into the jar for the Birthday gifts).
Hubby and I have our anniversary this month--trying to get some frugal ideas for that day!!! See how special I can make it with FPC's/marked-down Valentines Day items!
I'm in for Frugal February - I have $300 for the month for food and other. Normally we have $600 plus for food and other was another amount. We buy manly organic, so I'm going to be very selective this month.
1/28 no spend day
What a good idea about the jounal, I'll try that too! I'll write down every penny I spend! I'm going to try to make a lot of things from scratch this month and make some recipes from ingredients in my stockpile...
Oh and my tire blew today, and the first day of frugal february haha
well its february and i am trying to be frugal this month too -only buy whats needed-use from the stockpile
- my mom is in the hospital and i have to pay for parking -but everyday i go i take my own lunch-too expensive to buy anyway
-mom gives me the odd pudding like chocolate to bring home that she doesnt like -not to waste food
-went to the mall to look for p,j for my mom and didnt buy anything for me-got the p.js at sears for 13.00 -2 piece set too
Well, Feb. is quite a month - can't make any promises - but I'll definitely try to make some frugal changes. Our cupboards and freezer are full so we've got a lot to draw from.
Plan to live of my stockpile too, lots of stuff can be used up. I keep a budget every month of what we spend on everything so hopefully this shouldn't be any different with the exception of cutting back a little more. I have been doing all my baking from scratch for quite some time now unless I happen to get a FPC for baking items.
I'm down too!
Hahaha.. today was kind of a hilarious bust, but tomorrow is a new dawn. I'm trying to blog as much of Frugal February as I can to keep me honest.
http://wearingthewig.blogspot.ca/201...an-resist.html