200,000 Miles

Every once in a while I get "new car-itis" and want that new-car smell, clean carpets, non-sticky seats and shiny outside.  But then I add up the cost:  taxes and fees, higher insurance premiums and let's not forget the price of the car.  So I settle down and tell myself I am grateful for our old jalopies.  Old banana peel smell and all.

So of course, I decided on new goal.  I want to keep driving both of our cars until they have 200,000 miles on them and we have saved enough cash to replace both.  They are currently 8 and 10 years old and both have 130,000 miles.  I figure this will give me about three years and since Braden will also be driving our cars as a new driver, I'd rather he was driving something old :)

I'm all about goals and since my "paying off the house in 5 years" has had a few twists and turns and is on the back burner, this is giving me new motivation to be frugal.  Don't worry though - we'll get back to mortgage payoff intensity this fall when we move into our new house.

slacker...

Things have been a bit hectic here... and I just realized that I didn't post my March frugal challenge.  It's May already for heavens sake!  Thanks to Tammy for reminding me and keeping me on track!

The Numbers

Grocery Budget:
March - $306
April - $389  I'll put the blame on Kayla coming home and my mom visiting for two weeks.  It certainly couldn't have been because I was a slacker and just bought what I wanted.  Nope.

Mortgage:
March - paid down 1.25%
April - paid down 1.45% for a total of 89.7% to go.  The good news is that I broke through the first 10%!!!  the bad news is that I'm a bit behind schedule.  Maybe I should stop feeding the dogs.  Or buying plants.  I'll let you know which I choose next month.

Frugal Challenge - February 2010

I never had an actual "piggy" bank.
What kind of childhood was that!!!
I think I need therapy.

February seemed to last quite a while... probably because I was laid up for much of it :) But Spring is coming and life is good!!

THE NUMBERS

Grocery budget: $297.10 The fun part of raising my budget from $200 (how on earth did I do that for 7 months???) up to $300 is that I usually have a good bit left the last week and can stock up or splurge a little.

Mortgage: paid down 1.25% for a total of 92.35% to go. I wonder when this number will stop depressing me. Wish I had started years ago on this one!!!

Down, but not out!

I'm not supposed to drive for another week... but was getting a bit stir-crazy so Andrew graciously agreed to take me to Target and CVS. I definitely felt like a nerd sitting in the motorized car and only ran into things a few times :) But it was worth it!!!!

I was able to buy $86 in groceries, cat food and health and beauty things for a whopping $6. I think that's a record even for me! And to think I used to consider couponing a waste of time. Crazy!

3 Iams cat food - $13.17
3 Oil of Olay body wash - $16.50
3 Keebler cookies - $5.29
3 ladies Razors - $20.97
1 men's razors - $8.99
2 Crest pro-health - $7
2 Aussie shampoo - 5.98
2 PopTarts - $5.00
1 pkg Hoagie rolls - $2.39
1 pkg Valentines Hearts - $1.29 (for andrew :)

January Frugal Challenge

Another month.... and it feels like time is flying! (Kayla will be home in April!!!!) I haven't taken many pictures lately and now my camera is in the hospital. Again. I have an older one I can use, but I miss my baby.

I remember a friend of mine asking if I thought I would keep up with my frugal-ness after my trip to AK. I told her I wasn't sure, but hoped I would. I think all it takes is for me to have a BHAG and then being frugal is EASY.

My current Big Hairy Audacious Goal is to pay our house off by 10/2014 (five years from when I started). I'm motivated and I really don't miss all that shopping I used to do. The challenge to live on less is great!

On to my numbers for January...

Food: I spent $285.60 (goal is $300)
Mortgage: paid it down .85% and 93.6% away from my goal. OK - so that one's not great, but hopefully the momentum will start building soon.

I have been craving Ceviche again, so hopefully I have some room in the February budget for this. Yum!

Frugal challenge - December 2010

The most expensive month of the year is over!! I've been working on our financial goals for 2010 and hope it isn't as difficult as it looks right now. I tend to aim VERY high, but would much rather slightly miss a high goal than easily meet a low goal.

#1 Grocery - $3o5. Not bad for December! We ate most of our freezer so now I am in stock-up mode. Hopefully there will be some great sales this month.

#2 House - paid down 2.14% of our house putting us at 94.45% to be debt free. Still seems like a loooong ways to go. Wish I had started few years ago instead of a few months ago :)

Frugal Challenge - November

This is my accountability post. Keeping me honest. and motivated. and focused. It works amazingly well.

#1: Grocery: $305. Even with Thanksgiving I stayed pretty close to my $300 food budget!! December might be tight since I've already spent $90 and it's only Dec 2. But since we'll be with friends the last week of the month, I'll just mooch off Tammy's food storage. Good thing she has lots!

#2: House: 2.01%. Putting us 96.59% away from being DEBT FREE. Hmmmm - that seems like a looooooong ways to go.

Frugal Challenge

This has been a fun month.... I am taking my frugal challenge to the next level.

Because I am crazy.
But a good crazy.
A nice crazy. Lentil burgers for dinner. Robert is SO lucky.

I'm sticking with my $300/month food budget and ended up at $299.21 for October. Got some great deals on cheese and chicken so my freezer is getting stocked up. I also had my inlaws here all month and fed the missionaries a few times. Andrew isn't living at home... but still raids the pantry. So I feel it's working out well and hope to keep to my budget even with all the Holiday baking/cooking.

So now to my NEW frugal challenge. I want to pay my house off. Yes.... we can blame it on Tammy, but really I have done so much reading about the market and being financially independent that this just makes sense. The difficulty is that I want to do it in 60 months and we still have to:

Live
Eat
Save for missions, college, weddings
Vacation (that is VERY important to me!)

Our current income/expenses don't fit into this goal, but I firmly believe in the power of goal setting and working hard to achieve something difficult.... it wouldn't be a challenge otherwise!

So... each month I will put the percentage I have paid down our mortgage and how much is left to reach our goal. I need to average 1.67% each month. A very lofty goal as I already know there will be some months I can't meet this. Luckily I have a flexible income. I just need to flex it to become higher :)

October house goal: paid off 1.40%. 98.60% left.

September Frugal Challange

Love this challenge!

Going from $200 (what I did before our trip to AK) to $300 a month for food was a breeze! I even had a bit left this week to stock up on things that don't normally come on sale. I ended up right at $300.

My goal for October is to stock my freezer and start making more things with my wheat/oat/bean food storage. Nothing like putting it in writing!

i hate my best friend.

I know... we look happy in this picture. I know.... she came all the way to Alaska to be with me. I know, I know... she has to finish raising my kids if Robert and I die. (don't go feeling too bad for her, there's plenty of life insurance for a house cleaner, therapy and lots of ice cream)

Why the sudden animosity, you ask?
She is paying her house off!!
Now. Not in years (like me and most of my REAL friends) but in actual DAYS it will be completely free of debt. I realize that I should be happy for her. Even celebrate with her... she is the one that got me into the whole "coupon-frugal" craziness that made my trip to AK a reality and will eventually help me pay off my house. But no. I can't get past the jealousy. I'm shallow and self-centered.

Being frugal again!

I starting shopping for deals again... hopefully I can stay as motivated as I was earlier this year to pay for our trip. My new goal isn't quite as exciting. 3 college educations, a couple of weddings, missions and paying off the house.

Hmmm, on second thought, I may have to reward myself with chocolate to stay motivated:)

But today I did great - so I had my neighbor, Corrie come and take a photo. $111 in groceries (that was the sale prices, but before coupons, etc.) I only paid $14!!! Pasta, little cereals, trial shampoo, laundry stuff, candles and Reeses all for free. Caramel corn, mentos, lunch meat and protein bars for cheap.

Starting in September, I will give myself a budget of $300 a month, but I also want to work on stocking up. We'll see how that goes :)

My friend Tammy is also doing it... anyone else want to join our frugal challenge? You decide how much your budget is and we just cheer each other on! It'll be fun!

Frugal Challenge - Month #5

Another month gone.... time is flying!

It's been a bit crazy, but I've stuck to my budget...

$203.26 for May

Once we get back from out trip - I'll have to get back to work on stocking up since I'm using up most of my freezer and quite a bit of my pantry. But it's worth it!!

We are all getting very excited!

My friend Tammy just made plans to come up for a week....

YAY!

Only 16 more days.

My to-do list is getting very loooooong.

But getting to see a sunset like this is priceless~!

Frugal Challenge - Month #4

Another month down...

$202.70

Not as many good deals this month.

But we still ate great.

and I'm still having fun!

I have a few friends doing their own

version of a frugal challenge and it's

fun to keep each other motivated!

I have taken our average food budget from over $500

a month to (almost) $200 for the last 4 months.

All so I can take my kids...

Beachcombing early in the morning

Sunset gazing in the evening

Exploring Totem Bight State Park

ONLY 6 MORE WEEKS
UNTIL WE LEAVE!!!

(imagine me doing the happy dance here...)

Frugal Challenge - Month #3

$231.10

I know, I know... that's $31.10 OVER my budget.

But technically, it isn't my fault.

It's Russ Wallace's fault.

If he hadn't FORCED me to eat

some of his Shrimp Ceviche,

I wouldn't have been dreaming about it.

craving it.

needing it.

I have no self control. At least when it comes to yummy food!!

So... a quick run to United this morning to get all

the ingredients (plus some hamburger on sale)

The result:

Here's the recipe for all of you

now craving it too!!

Shrimp Ceviche

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

juice from 4 limes

1 cup finely chopped red onion

2 jalapenos, finely chopped

1 cup chopped cilantro

1 jicama or cucumber cut into 1/2 inch chunks (I LOVE jicama!!)

2 avocado, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 tsp Valantina's Mexican Hot Sauce (optional)

Mix shrimp and lime juice and refrigerate 30 minutes

Mix in onion and jalapenos. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Add cilantro, jicama and avocado. Serve with chips.

OK... so back to my frugal challenge. It was a good month! I got 40 bags of Iams dog food for FREE. Donated some, gave some away and stored the rest for our 2 canines. Not as many deals as February, but we are still eating great and keeping the cupboards full.

All so I can...

see a whale

catch a fish

gaze at eagles.

Frugal Challenge - Month #2

I would have been right at $200 (see original posts here & here)

but I was able to pick up 20 1lb

packages of pasta today for .20 a box!!

So my total for February is:

$205.33!!

~free mentos and cheap pasta~

This was a great shopping day earlier in the month.

Lotsa lotsa food for only $39.48!

Here are some of the things I got for FREE this month:

Razors, Excedrine, Wheat Thins, Ritz, cashews, canned tomatoes, cleaning supplies, deoderant, Ocean Spray juice, dog & cat treats, shampoo, makeup, first aid stuff, aluminum foil. And then lots more for much, much less than regular price. My cupboards are filling up and I have been able to share stuff. I did add back in $60 for opening new bank accounts and $10 from a rebate.

All so we can walk on this street...

Creek Street in Ketchikan, AK

Doesn't that look fun??

I'm definitely taking my kids on the tour of this old

"red light" district. Isn't that what all good mom's do?

We will be taking the AK Marine Ferry to and from Ketchikan.
Only way to get our vehicle there!
6 hours up. 36 hours back.
Fun. Fun. Fun.
I've already got dramamine for the kids.

Frugal Challenge - Month #1

This is fun! Here is my Frugal Challenge report for January:
(I know there are 2 days left.. but I am NOT going shopping!)
Total out of pocket: $193.76

The coolest part is this...

This closet had NO food in it prior to January 1.
Really.

And that's not all...

This cupboard had old sheets in it.
Yep... that's right,
for many months to come, we aren't going to stink,
or have cavities AND
we will have clean, tangle-free hair.

But wait! There's more....

Part of how I was able to do this was by adding
money I made from opening a total of 4 new bank accounts.
3 at ING ($25 each) and 1 at a local bank.
This is where I got the above dishes.
That's right - they gave me $50 AND bowls.
How cool is that!

These pictures do not (of course) take into account all the food we CONSUMED or that is in my upright freezer (fairly full - after being mostly empty Jan. 1) and my regular kitchen cupboards that hold ALL the other food. Andrew is also living at home and packing a lunch and my in-laws have been here for 2 weeks. It definitely helps to have a BHAG. (big-hairy-audacious-goal) Which is:

Canon Rebel

so I can take pictures of...

Ketchikan, Ak

Where we'll spend the summer...
Well, a month on the road and a month in AK.
Not a cheap trip.
But who'd a thunk saving money would be this much fun??

p.s. Braden told me I shouldn't put the pictures of our food on the internet because someone would want to rob us. He thinks we can eat forever on this stuff. Sure, if you like Ragu and Peanut Butter for every meal. With a little soda and cat food mixed in.

My Frugal Challenge

I am sharing my New Years Resolution on our blog - you know what they say "A goal not written down is just a wish." Plus, I figure this now means I am accountable to my friends and family. I'll report at the end of each month on my progress. This should definitely keep me motivated!

Here's the goal:

I will spend less than $200 each month on food.

Here's why:

Alaska for 1 month and I REALLY need a

Canon Rebel w/ telephoto lens

I don't want to take money out of savings for the trip or camera. We've cut many of our other expenses to work towards this goal.

Sounds crazy - especially since I regularly spend well over $500. But here's how I'm going to do it. (of course I have a plan... remember, I am very Type A)

1. I have lots of basic food storage I AM GOING TO USE. Yes, that means beans and rice and pasta. Grinding wheat for bread. Powdered milk in baking. Etc. Etc. Etc.
2. I use a website called refundcents to find great deals with coupons, refunding and rebates. I already have $70 in refunds/giftcards with Walgreens.
3. My family is on board with this. Shea and Braden are very excited to spend the summer in Alaska (and understand that we have to find the money somewhere). Robert is ALWAYS supportive of my wild schemes.
4. We will RARELY eat out. This is probably the hardest for me. Eating out is one of my favorite things to do!
5. I am a very competitive person... especially with myself and I love a challenge.
6. I've wanted to spend a month in AK for years.... and especially want Shea and Braden to experience it before they are too old to like being with me :)
7. I have an addictive personality and right now I am addicted to finding good deals! With the internet - it's pretty easy.
8. I'm slightly crazy.