No Spending for a Year?

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alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: No Spending for a Year?

Post by alliesmama4 »

Momof2 wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2017 10:28 pm Janet, I think we maybe post as we feel compelled to. I think that this may take the place of the monthly no spend thread, so some may want to post daily. I am hoping to post at least 4 to 5 times weekly to keep myself motivated. I have revamped my budget to bare bones for the first 6 months (and hope to keep it very low for the whole year), cut my grocery budget to almost nothing ($15.00 weekly for the first 4 months), made a list of my needs for the year and will only get those when I find a deep discount or nearly free and put a set amount on what I can spend on those needs for the year. I do not plan on spending any the first 4 months, and if I can meet my plan/goals, RM and I will be able to pay the costs of the flights, hotel rooms, rental car for all 4 of us (my daughter, son-in-law, RM and myself) with cash, along with spending money for me, a new dress for the wedding, and a gift for my son and his lovely new wife. The goal is to keep it low for the second half of the year and save for a new to me car or car repairs that are needed for my car I have now if possible to have it repaired. My greatest expense for the year will be items needed for my pets (2 cats and 2 rabbits). I have made a menu for the next year using what I have on hand, (will need to fill in some places in order to have variety) and have a list of meat needed for those fill-in meals I have listed to be made in order to buy when it is on sale. Fresh fruits and vegetables will be what is on sale at the time of shopping. I will buy staples as needed, or on sale as long as I stay within budget for the week, if the money is gone, I will try to make do with something else. I have a ton of bath items, shampoo, etc, but may need body wash and deodorant as the year goes on. I think I am set with clothing, but may need a new pair of shoes as time goes on. I am really looking forward to working on this goal and doing it with others will hopefully motivate me to continue to find substitutes for even those needs.
Momof2.. Thanks for your input. This sounds like a good idea. ie post when you feel the need.. You really sound a lot like me in the way of food and how buy and use it up.. Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
Momof2
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 4:42 pm

Re: No Spending for a Year?

Post by Momof2 »

ChristmasTree, I am by nature a planner, especially for cleaning and cooking. My menus are never written in stone- I am flexible. For instance, tonight on the menu was to be grilled steak, broiled tomatoes with pesto, and salad, but we have a ton of veggies that did not get used over the holidays, so instead of steak, we are having an assortment of grilled veggies, homemade tortillas, and I pulled a small container of Mexican beans from the freezer. We also had leftover rice in the freezer that I thawed for RM to have with his beans.

The way I did my menu planning for the year is: I love to cook, and I enjoy trying new recipes, so I sat down with my yearly planner and my cookbooks and when I came to a recipe I want to try, I penciled it in on a day in the planner. I did not actually set out to plan out meals for the whole year (I was really thinking 4 months), but once I got started, it really did go fast. I really just wanted to use up a lot of the things I have in my freezer and pantry. The majority of those meals contained meat. There are a couple of favorite recipes that I, or RM, likes to have once in a while, so I penciled those in throughout the year so that we can have them every couple of months. I was a vegetarian for many years and actually prefer meatless meals, but due to health concerns had to incorporate meat back into my diet, but at least 3 to 4 meals a week are vegetarian, so I skipped 3 to 4 days each week to allow for vegetarian meals and leftovers. Once I went through the cookbooks that have meat recipes, I took out my vegetarian cookbooks, and did the same, leaving two free days to have to use up leftovers, or to add a meal that RM and/or I feel like having that is not included throughout the year- we may find one of the new recipes to be a great meal that we would like to have more than that once time. Also, I hate to waste food, so we tend to have clean out the fridge night(s) once or twice a week. Friday is almost always pizza night, so that was immediately penciled in (I do not tend to want pizza every week, so most Friday nights I have leftovers from sometime during the week, or I will pull out a container of leftovers from the freezer if there are not any in the fridge. I do have a few more extra days free for the months of November and December, but I know that there will be times that what is planned will be moved to later due to leftovers or needing to use up something before it goes bad. If I do not cook something that is planned, usually it goes onto the next week’s menu plan, but since that week is already planned out, it will be added to the next free day, so those free days at the end of the year will eventually get filled in. I may have to fill in a few extra days near the end of the year, but that is okay. I also love breakfast for dinner, so if we by some miracle do not have leftovers enough for two days in the week, we will have breakfast.

I think if this works out, I may do it again for the following year. Who knows, I could probably just repeat this year’s plan for the following year leaving out anything we did not care for and adding a few new recipes.
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: No Spending for a Year?

Post by alliesmama4 »

Momof2 wrote: Sat Dec 30, 2017 7:52 pm ChristmasTree, I am by nature a planner, especially for cleaning and cooking. My menus are never written in stone- I am flexible. For instance, tonight on the menu was to be grilled steak, broiled tomatoes with pesto, and salad, but we have a ton of veggies that did not get used over the holidays, so instead of steak, we are having an assortment of grilled veggies, homemade tortillas, and I pulled a small container of Mexican beans from the freezer. We also had leftover rice in the freezer that I thawed for RM to have with his beans.

The way I did my menu planning for the year is: I love to cook, and I enjoy trying new recipes, so I sat down with my yearly planner and my cookbooks and when I came to a recipe I want to try, I penciled it in on a day in the planner. I did not actually set out to plan out meals for the whole year (I was really thinking 4 months), but once I got started, it really did go fast. I really just wanted to use up a lot of the things I have in my freezer and pantry. The majority of those meals contained meat. There are a couple of favorite recipes that I, or RM, likes to have once in a while, so I penciled those in throughout the year so that we can have them every couple of months. I was a vegetarian for many years and actually prefer meatless meals, but due to health concerns had to incorporate meat back into my diet, but at least 3 to 4 meals a week are vegetarian, so I skipped 3 to 4 days each week to allow for vegetarian meals and leftovers. Once I went through the cookbooks that have meat recipes, I took out my vegetarian cookbooks, and did the same, leaving two free days to have to use up leftovers, or to add a meal that RM and/or I feel like having that is not included throughout the year- we may find one of the new recipes to be a great meal that we would like to have more than that once time. Also, I hate to waste food, so we tend to have clean out the fridge night(s) once or twice a week. Friday is almost always pizza night, so that was immediately penciled in (I do not tend to want pizza every week, so most Friday nights I have leftovers from sometime during the week, or I will pull out a container of leftovers from the freezer if there are not any in the fridge. I do have a few more extra days free for the months of November and December, but I know that there will be times that what is planned will be moved to later due to leftovers or needing to use up something before it goes bad. If I do not cook something that is planned, usually it goes onto the next week’s menu plan, but since that week is already planned out, it will be added to the next free day, so those free days at the end of the year will eventually get filled in. I may have to fill in a few extra days near the end of the year, but that is okay. I also love breakfast for dinner, so if we by some miracle do not have leftovers enough for two days in the week, we will have breakfast.

I think if this works out, I may do it again for the following year. Who knows, I could probably just repeat this year’s plan for the following year leaving out anything we did not care for and adding a few new recipes.
Mom of 2 I also use to be a vegetarian and my neurologist and nutritionist both told me I had to eat more meat. I can go long periods of time without it and not miss it or even desire meat.

I have not planned ahead as much as you have with your menus but I went through recipes that I have clipped and try to find things that work with foods that I have on hand.

I think this coming year is going to be a challenge but fun.. Looking forward to seeing how we all do.. Janet Alliiesmama
Janet Alliesmama
2dogs+someCats
Posts: 845
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2017 7:46 pm

Re: No Spending for a Year?

Post by 2dogs+someCats »

alliesmama4 wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2017 9:14 pm I have gone over my 2018 budget again! I really need to cut my expenses even more due to unexpected changes in Medicare premiums, household repairs/needs and car repairs.
1. I am going to drop my landline long distance but have to keep my landline due to my medical alert button.

2. I am putting my TV satellite on pause for a couple of months. That will save me 52.00 a month. I would cancel it but I live in a rural area, do not get out much and it really is my only form of entertainment. I do have a small TV in my bedroom that I can still receive local TV stations on with a air antennae.

3. My goal is to use what food I currently have and supplement foods bought only with money eared by doing surveys.. I have done this in the past but not for a whole year

4. I am not going to use my fireplace since this time of year the warm air is sucked out of the house through the chimney. I have put window shrink plastic over the fireplace opening. It is amazing to see the plastic go in and out depending on which way the wind is blowing. You do not realize that until you close it off.

5.I unplug things that have phantom power ie TV, microwave, toaster oven, washing machine. Was doing dryer but it is too hard to do.

Janet, you have given me a good idea, thank you! I cannot bathe my dogs at home - they are both too difficult. BUT...instead of taking them to the groomer every-other month for their bath and nail trim, I am going to see how much it would be for the nail trim ONLY, every-other time. It is $30 for both of them for the bath and nails - maybe I can save a few bucks by skipping some of the baths.

I do brush them regularly at home - they like that - and don't mind if I wipe them down with a damp cloth - but forget putting them into the tub!

6. .When I do use the dryer only use for 10 min to sort of soften things before hanging them on drying racks or on hangers. Clothing is put on hangers and allowed to finish drying hanging on shower rods. In warmer weather I have 2 clothes line in the garage.

7. instead of taking doggie nephew to groomers have priced out shampoo for him and will bath him at home more often. He will need to go for fur trim later on. Have toe nails clippers here at home.

These are a few of things I am planning on doing in 2018 and some things I have already been doing.

Janet Alliesmama
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MackerelCat
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Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 9:44 pm

Re: No Spending for a Year?

Post by MackerelCat »

One thing that seems to be lowering our grocery bill is that I'm no longer cooking supper. DH eats lunch out almost every day and I pack a substantial lunch to work. Now that we're right up on 60, we just don't eat as much as we used to and are happy with a piece of fruit and toast with nut butter in the evening.

DS still lives with us, but basically eats two meals a day, so he's not depending on me to cook for him. If he wants something, he bakes a frozen pizza or makes a sandwich.

I do sometimes make chili or soup on the weekends because I take leftovers for lunch during the week.
Mackie
littlemiss63
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Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:11 pm
Location: Middle Tennessee

Re: No Spending for a Year?

Post by littlemiss63 »

This sounds like a fun thread and I will be watching it closely to pick up any new ideas to save or share anything that I learn about that we aren't already doing. I travel a lot so I can't not spend and I do budget for it. Thank goodness my budget allows me to do this. I use my RMD from my IRA's as my travel money and last year I stayed under budget and will use that income for the same thing this year.

I am going to see how little I can spend for clothes and makeup this year. I have so many clothes until I've promised myself if anything new comes in an item goes to Goodwill. I have inventoried my make-up and I should not need anything but maybe mascara, I replace that every 6 months.

I have been home so little so far this year that I've made headway in my freezer and pantry. I haven't been to the grocery store since before Christmas. This is soup time of year and with what I had and ingredients to make several batches I am good to go. I get my meat and vegetables in them and I never tire of eating it.

I am going to just post if I stayed in budget or went over.
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