New year - new goals - new ideas - new chances - new beginnings.
I like to look at each new year as a way to begin again. So many gave it a valiant try and then fell off the frugal wagon last year.
Each day, each month, each year is a new one and you have a chance to start again. You only fail - IF YOU DON'T TRY!
We need to challenge ourselves. Try harder. Give each other more ideas. Work together. There truly are no limits to what we can accomplish - if we just try!
Every job - goal - resolution - has one thing in common! It needs to be done - and if you are going to do it - do it well!
I look forward to sharing things I have learned and I look forward from learning from all of you. There are so many ways of doing things and limitless ideas to save and be thrifty.
Life is about absorbing all we can and experiencing and sharing.
I am very excited about the possibilities in 2019!
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
This month my big goal is to stay out of the grocery store! I have plenty of food here - both freezer and pantry. I want to use what I have. I want to get creative. I want to challenge myself to not spend and save a few dollars.
IF by some chance I do need something (I shouldn't) - I do have a couple gift cards that I can use and not actually spend cash from my wallet.
I have plenty of milk, eggs, butter, cheese, and meat. Pantry is more than full. I have canned fruit if needed.
Perhaps the only thing I might want is fresh veggies for salads - but I can get creative with salads and I have slaw canned. I can use salsa instead of tomatoes. I can make bean salads and pasta salads. I can use canned veggies in new ways.
So folks, let's get this rodeo started!!!! Let us challenge ourselves and each other.
Let us make this a GREAT year!
Cheryl, I love your enthusiasm in this post. A brand new beginning for all of us. We can't beat that. I'm looking forward to learning as much as I can from others.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Me too! I am looking forward to a fun and creative year!
DeleteHappy New Year to you too.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading your blog and the other frugal blogs - reading about the many small ways to save money and the reminders that even the small things really do add up over time
Thanks for writing your blog.
Debra
Debra - thank you for being here.
DeleteBaby steps can make great strides! Pennies make dollars! Things my daddy used to say!!! LOL
I look forward to going through this year together!
I'm right there with you except I know I will be needing fruit and vegetables bread etc. So I did allow for that. January is a great month to start over like you said.
ReplyDeleteIt sure is. We can try and start new habits and hopefully they will last!
DeleteGood luck!
We will stay out of the grocery store together.
ReplyDeleteYes mam - we just have to encourage each other!
DeleteMy goal is also to stay out of the grocery stores. We have more than enough food, I just need to convince DH that just because we run out of something doesn't mean we need to replace it. There are plenty of other 'somethings' to eat - lol.
ReplyDeleteExactly. Substitute ingredients or find new treats. My hubs always says 'we have nothing to eat' because there may not be chips or something. It may also need to be cooked! Sigh!!!
DeleteGood luck - tell him to start a list for another day.
Cheryl my goal is to make sure that we use up all the fruit and veg that we have. It is so hot and humid that the bananas are going black overnight, the mangoes are all ripening at the same time and the tomatoes are going soft as soon as we look at them. So it is a time of baking in the hooded barbeque making boiled mango fruitcake, banana cake and trying to use up tomatoes by cooking them. The bread has to be sliced and kept in the freezer as it goes mouldy overnight. My goal is to make sure Jan is a no waste month.
ReplyDeleteNo waste - that is great.
DeleteWOW we get plenty hot in the summer but not that bad. Of course we have AC too. I can't imagine it being that hot - you poor things.
Good job on finding ways to use those lovely fruits and veggies.
I'm glad you brought up the grocery challenge for January. I'm in. I noticed today that we really have a lot of stuff! I had some whipping cream leftover and decided to start there. Used up the last of the celery, too. I made a creamy chicken and rice soup for dinner and cut up a finally-ripe pineapple I got for .99 last week. Delicious dinner. Now, I'm counting on you all to keep me going!!
ReplyDeleteThose al sound so yummy. I am thinking of making turkey/rice/veggie soup with all the things n freezer and frig.
DeleteIf we just use what we have and get a little creative - it saves so much. Not just money, but food as well. Too many hungry people in this world, to just throw food away.
Hopefully we can add some ideas along the way!
WTG!
Good luck! With your positive attitude and creative mind you will do great this year! Nancy
ReplyDeleteAahhhh what a nice thing to say! I sure hope this is a great year.
DeleteEvery day we are here is a good day!!!!
Good luck. I have trouble staying out of grocery store. I just love grocery shopping. It can be a problem. I rarely go clothes shopping though.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I actually love grocery shopping - shopping for other stuff NO.
DeleteIt is always a temptation! I'll do my best
I too need to do this challenge, I have been cooking from scratch for over 44 years. I go through more regular items, sugar, flour, seasonings and they hit the budget. Veggies are a problem for me. So I'm watching our budget also. Great post. I didn't know you could can slaw?
ReplyDeleteIt is tough when you cook from scratch to keep everything on hand. I only bake a lot at the holidays, so I have no problems with sugar and flour and such.
DeleteIt seems we always need to keep an eye on the budget.
Canned slaw is yummy. I will give directions at some point.
Have a good day
I just took a look at my meager budget and figured out that I can shave/save another $20 weekly without being forced to resort to food pantries for any help, that includes a little "fun money" per week for me. I am also going to try some recipes from the depression era and see if I like them, and if so, add them in my recipe rotation. I also want to go back to better meal planning, some meatless meals, and maybe do it seasonally. Tonight will be designated "egg night" because eggs are quick to make, inexpensive, nutritious and just the right meal for ending a week (even though I work on Saturdays). I also think I want to do Monday Spaghetti Nights again. I can substitute zoodles for noodles in that one every so often. But, I also want to make sure that I am getting the "best" for my money, even if that means saving up for a piece of parmesan cheese and grating it myself, things like that. Local honey, not just processed honey, etc. And I think I want to go back to cooking larger pieces of meat (whole chickens, whole roasts), on a regular basis, and slicing it for sandwiches, rather than buying high-in-salt lunch meats too. It is just too easy to pick up a package of that, taste it, and realize - too much salt, way too processed, not for me. And I definitely want to get back to peanut butter, something I have left behind a little this year. It might go from peanut butter and crackers for breakfast to one night a week as a sandwich with some carrot sticks or an apple for dinner. Again, it is tasty, inexpensive, nutritious, why not? I don't see anything really expensive coming my way this year as far as bills, so I should be good with savings at the end of the year too. I will be diligent in sending a portion of my pay to savings too.
ReplyDeleteNorma I love this. You get it that meals don't have to be fancy to be nutritious and yummy. If I were alone - I would probably get real basic. I am easy to please.
Deletegreat idea on making larger size pieces of meat and slicing yourself. Love me some peanut butter and apples. breakfast at dinner is common here.
You have some great ideas and can tighten the budget. WIN - WIN!
How did we celebrate new Year's Day??? We broke out a new jar of our canned Tomato Juice!!!! No, we didn't put anything in it!
ReplyDeleteYUM that sounds so good. I got 2 quarts of home made tomato juice from my brother as part of my Christmas.
DeleteSounds like a great way to start the year to me!