What's Worked

Be A Circle Maker

"God Honors Bold Prayers because
Bold Prayers Honor God" Pastor Mark Batterson

While reading chapter one, the Lord brought a sweet song to mind that I loved the moment I heard it many years ago.  I don't know who sings it, so sorry I can't credit them.

"I come boldly, trusting only, redeeming love.

Flowing freely, to your side now, your atoning blood.

Like a river, like a fountain, like a cleansing flood.

I pour out my worship to you, For your redeeming love."

My dear friend Lara mailed this to me. 
My first piece of mail!

My mom mailed my Valentine card to me. 
She's so talented.

 

Organization & Prep

 

My apartment is still in limbo with the management office as far as letting me know what my compensation will be.  I was unable to live there for a week starting the 1st due to their lack of cleaning, painting, and shampooing.  It's been over a month and I still don't know how much I'm supposed to pay.

To say the least, I've been organizing my clothes by day/season and prep cooking after purchasing fruits and vegetables.  By doing this I'm saving money, recycling and reusing more, and eating healthier.

 

Tightwad

I find it fascinating when families live on $30,000 and are able to save more than the salary in a few years to pay off debt, get ahead, or give it away.  Those with financial knowledge or experience are not all tightwads.  As Dacyczyn says on page 7, "Tightwaddery is not for everyone."  To me it's about being a good steward and making wise financial decisions based on the resources God gives us.  That's why I'm taking her challenge, "Choose one new idea a week.  One new skill a month" (pg. 7).  The plan is to reach your goal.  For me, I use a combination of Crown Financial Ministries and Financial Peace while incorporating saving skills/ideas from Ellie Kay, The Complete Tightwad Gazette (Gazette), and others for today's times.

One thing all four sources say is to write down everything you spend.  Some say one month, while others recommend three.  The importance is to know where you spend your money in order to create a budget based on needs versus wants.

Based on page 10 of the Gazette, here's 9 of the "10 Painless Ways To Save $100 This Year":

1. "Purchase 10 articles of clothing at thrift shops and yard sales this year instead of paying department store prices."
2. "Hang four loads of laundry per week instead of using your dryer."
3. "Once a month make a pizza from scratch instead of having one delivered."
4. "Write a good letter instead of making a monthly long distance phone call."
5. "Reduce your soda consumption by four cans per week."
6. "Bake one batch of bread (two loaves per week)."
7. "Save $50 each on two children's birthday parties by making homemade decorations, cake, wrapping paper, and one present."
8. "Reduce your whole milk consumption by gallons per week, substituting dry milk in cooking, homemade cocoa mix, and half-and-half for drinking."
9. "Pack four inexpensive lunches per week."

 

Cucumber
Stir Fry
Last time I mentioned researching what to do with cucumbers.  I bought a pack of small ones at Aldi and chopped them up to add to a salad, etc.  They were not the best, so I decided to take the advice read online to use similar to zucchini.  They cooked like zucchini in a vegetable stir fry to add on top of eggs for breakfast.  The cucumbers tasted much better and this was a better solution than throwing them away!

 

Refrigerator Pickles
Five years ago I read a Tightwad Gazette book with the idea of putting cucumbers in the jar of  left over pickle juice for four days.  I decided to try this using the skins of a bigger cucumber to not waste it.  Surprisingly, they tasted just like pickles.  I would do this again.  I added the rest of the baby cucumbers listed above to the juice, but haven't tried them yet.

Can you tell the skins from the store bought pickles?
Not by taste!

Financial Update

January

Additional Income: $195 house-sitting,$7 oil change rebate, $10.68 Target return
Taxes: saved $8.76
Housing: New apartment expenses for down payment and application fee -$385
Debt: Paid off private student loan.  Didn't buy any wants or extra for a year, lived with my parents, and house-sat. $4001.68
Entertainment/Rec.: Saved $16.55

• Y saved $20 went 12+ times this month
• Archiver's scrapbook night friend paid back with $10 dinner, saved $1 with a coupon for stickers

Savings: Saved $6.60 in coins (from cash spent)
Medical/Dental: overspent by $315 (flex, medicine, filling)
Miscellaneous: Overspent due to work related expenses needing reimbursement from the Autism Shop.

• Aveda school (cut, color, product)- 20% off discount for services for being a student
• $16.48, $11.94, $11.94 Amazon books splurge (The G-Free Diet, Complete Tightwad Gazette, Millionaire Next Door)

Food: Over spent $2 to eat with friends haven't seen in awhile, free donut and cappuccino at Kwik trip
Transportation: Saved $5- Kwik Trip coupons for gas can be used at Holiday next to my house, elite car wash coupon
Insurance: Car- need to research cheaper insurance for 10 year old car- pay about $800-$900 a year!

 

February

Not a good month!!!!  Savings from living at home I spent on a dream and necessity, rather than applying to debt.  I was able to pay what I have budgeted for debt, but nothing extra.
Additional Income: $2.96 Lakeshore Learning Store return
Taxes: over spent  by $97.22
Housing: over spent by $320 because gave parents extra money for living at home
Food: over spent by $123.98 for lunch and breakfast for those helping me move and getting my first couple trips of groceries (Whole foods and Aldi), and dinner for my parents
Transportation: $292 left over!  Saved $5- Kwik Trip coupons for gas used at Holiday, elite car wash coupon, additional cost was $2.32 for windshield wipers at Napa
Debt: $100 for principal/interest (in deferment until 2017), $100 in savings account for debt
Entertainment/Rec.: over spent by $14.50 to go to the movies and a down payment for scrapbook weekend, saved $20 by going to the Y 12+ times
Medical/Dental: over spent by $30 with a co-pay for non-office visit (will be part of flex)
Miscellaneous: over spent by $1486.79 mostly on my first Apple computer which will be used for school (taxes), then I went across the mall to Godiva for my free truffle for the month, also spent $5 for a transcript for a lane change at work (finished classes), and also Walgreens for my mom (sick)/food with coupons/$.99 for Dawn dish soap (limit 3)
School: over spent by $24.33 for textbooks (saved the money though in separate account, parking downtown, and study guide for special education license test