We are doing Uber Frugal Month in January with Frugalwoods.
We have made a menu of 49 (no day specified) meals we know we have in the house that does not need much to be added. I even noted how much milk something takes as that is all that I hope to buy during the month of January.
We are focused on a NO buy month except necessities.
We are using the oil lamp for our light in the morning and at supper. Even though all the lights in the house are LED. Hubby gets the lamp oil for free because he hauls the barrels for the Amish. It's a bonus or the tip depending on how you look at it.
We moved dinner up so I don't have to turn on the light over the stove to cook.
Hubby has a digital thermometer in the pump house so he does not have to worry about having the gas heater too high out there (or too low) when keeping the pump and pipes at the well from freezing. He tries to keep it between 34 and 40 degrees.
I turn burners off (we use propane to cook and heat) and the oven off before the food is done. Food continues to cook but I am saving a few pennies on the propane.
We have been staying home. Hubby is in the slow period of his work so he's mostly at home.
We have started recycling. We are using an old trash can for the plastic and glass. We burn paper for ashes for the gardens. We compost, not very well but enough that we spread it on the area we don't plant as the soil is very poor.
I use my unlimited Kindle nightly. We check to make sure we save enough on shipping to continue the prime at Amazon. Hubby watches the shows as we don't have cable or satellite (over $100 a month around here).
Our goal is to pay off the mortgage in 5 yrs but will settle for 8 yrs if needed. Our mortgage original payoff date is April 1st 2048. Right now if we paid no more extra we would be paid off in April 1st 2038.
How are you looking at the new year?
Blessed be
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We are doing what we have always done here. No need to do a no spend January here. We have to buy fresh food and salad greens for most everyday for our health. Today we are working through putting away the leftovers from Christmas so as to have them later from the freezer and not waste anything. Our new heat pump and ductwork that was our big expenditure this year saved 28% on the utility bill this month over the same month last year so that is good although we do not know How the weather was last year. It was a nice surprise to have such a low bill in a crazy cold month with heat used every day. Our small SS raise will be added to our savings each month since we do not need it anywhere else. I am sure Amazon pays for itself here since we ship gifts straight from them to all the kids and grandkids through out the year besides our use. We watch documentaries every day over lunch for a break and to learn something and then 1-2 movies a week. We do not pay for any other streaming service.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for no spending. We went into the city today as Farmer was pricing a Side-by-Side ATV to use for fencing and cattle checking. After getting the price, all the details on the model he likes and us talking it over, we decided to concentrate on paying off one or two of the other ag loans this year and then rethink the purchase. We have an ATV and pickup so it's not like he absolutely needs this. I also requested that I put an extra payment each month on the pickup loan so to pay that off earlier. It's on an annual payment schedule. I used to add extra to my car payments and found I usually paid it off a year early (on a 5 year loan.) I hope to carve off at least that much on the pickup. I also want to put way at least $100 per month for Christmas next year. We spent a bit more than I wanted this year. And I didn't get to give to everyone I wanted to, like the barber/stylist, mailman, chirpractor, etc. I like to give at least a plate of goodies to them.
ReplyDeleteWhile in town, we picked up a very few groceries. There is a winter storm forecast for Tuesday. I wanted a cabbage to make Runzas and we needed nut milk for him, 1/2n1/2 for me (because there is no life without coffee), cheddar cheese and turkey meatballs for the grandkids (on sale.) We did not go into any other stores as I don't need wrapping paper or had anything to return.
We will not be buying any groceries except possibly produce and 1/2n1/2. My freezers and fridge and pantry are all packed. The weather is supposed to get bad so we won't be going out much. We'll snuggle in and enjoy the quiet winter evenings.
We paid cash for house and most recent cars. Of course we don't have an entire village under cultivation the way you do. :D Just a two bedroom retirement house that works for us. However, the kids and now the grandkids keep hitting bumps in the road and we are certainly prepared to help them. I was desperate for help when I was very young and there was nothing there.
ReplyDeleteOur son is going for his general contractor's license which is pretty pricey so we will foot half of that when he's ready. Our oldest grandson is in college part time and is unemployed right now, so we helped with a speeding ticket. :( Other son is living on disability and has been driving a truck for about 20 years that we know will die at some point, so he'll need help. Youngest grandson just got his first car purchased for him by his other grandparents, so we dodged the bullet on that one. We were notified our social security will be going up a total of $25 between us, so that will be added to our monthly charitable contributions. Not sure which one yet. Probably another animal shelter.
I’m a bit nervous about 2021 after all that happened in 2020.
ReplyDeleteI’m planning a frugal January too
Good work on paying off the mortgage early! We set a five year goal and needed an extra $10000 a year to arrive in order to make it happen. And amazingly, it did! So you will be astonished how focus on the goal will make money arrive from unexpected places!
ReplyDeleteI am looking at 2021 askance! I don't believe we will be free to move about as we did the first of 2020. It will take a few years to be safe again. I cook most meals from scratch or close to it...lol. We eat all leftovers. Since the refrigerator is cleaned out and the crispers put in place and the extra shelf is back in the refrigerator, we can find food instead of just having stacks of food that rots because I cannot get it out--too far to lean. I do all I can, just not as much as you can.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking of doing a no spend January, but every time I plan one of these something breaks down.
ReplyDeleterepairs is a necessity... but if it is something you could put off buying until Feb (research always takes me at least a week) then you put it off. No spend means you don't buy anything that is not necessity.
DeleteWe were able to keep our grocery budget in check in December, and actually have some of it left over. I'm saving it for purchasing in bulk later on. In January, we always feel like budgeting, dieting....all that, so I'm "giving in" to my ideas. In truth, we don't spend a lot anyway except for necessities. After all, if I save some extra, or lose some weight, that's always a plus. We've had a costly repair to our van, so there's always somewhere to put extra money:(. But, like you said...repairs are necessary. Without that workhorse of a van, we cannot pull our camper to go camping, haul wood, etc. Rob uses it like a work truck these days. So, no choice.
ReplyDelete