I didn't go over budget for Christmas this year. I didn't have to buy pricey foodstuffs because John requested only things I already happened to have on hand. My sole purchases for our Christmas dinner were a can of whole cranberry sauce, a bag of Gold potatoes for potato salad and a package of Hawaiian rolls.
No, I didn't go over budget there last month and for that I am grateful. My grocery bill was slightly lower only because I didn't take the time to shop and with good sales on baking items pretty much non-existent here in my area, there was no real stocking up. It made sticking to the grocery budget easy enough.
So why am I doing a pantry challenge for January if things are in decent shape?
We spent a big chunk of money on the house this month. Emptied out the funds we'd set aside for that purpose and spent just a wee bit more. Not enough to be scary but enough to make me want to make savings a priority. The year ahead will be slimmer, with less income and more outgo.
We had planned to have our oldest son and children visit us New Year's Eve weekend. Instead, we found we needed to go to his house and that meant a hotel bill, gas for travel, food for the stay (he doesn't cook, we like to eat). That was an unplanned additional expense and while a kind gift will make that less of a drain, we will need to recover the rest of our costs.
John wants to clean the carpets and every single time he mentions doing that he insists that he will NOT rent a carpet cleaner but buy one. I am totally against this, but he insists. I told him if we must buy one, then he shall have to wait until I can save that money. We will also need to re-stretch the living room carpet, which has developed a decided hump over the past year. I figure if the carpet is to be refit, we might as well get it cleaned first. I'm not sure how much the refitting will cost but I've already told John that will be a purchase coming from our savings account.
There are minor things we need, and which I'd like to get as soon as possible: I don't need new towels, but I have the worst assortment of washcloths you've ever seen. One of my bathroom rugs was left outdoors in direct sun and is faded a nasty brownish color that simply does not work with the other two rugs. We need towels bar for the new bathroom and while I've lobbied hard to use one we'd had in the kitchen, we still need a second one.
My trash can in the bathroom busted. The one in the kitchen has been fine tucked away in a cupboard for the past 30 years but it's an eyesore sitting out in the room as it does now. John wants a covered one and I'm agreed. I think there is nothing nastier looking in a kitchen than an open trash can. And oh, how tempting it is to those little hands!
We need new curtain rods in the kitchen and a new rod for the bathroom and we've decided to upgrade. Neither of those things is on the immediate list but like the carpet cleaner it's on the list of near future purchases...and upgrades are always more expensive. But I'm pretty sure that I can manage all these things and sooner than I'd hoped if I really try.
All that to say, as always when it comes to generating savings in our home, one of the first places I start is with my grocery budget. The pantry/freezer challenge seems like a really good place to start. And so, I am going to do a pantry/freezer challenge. At present we have fresh fruit and vegetables on hand, I am well stocked with the flour Katie picked up for me in November at Walmart, I have some shelf stable milk on hand that must be used as it is expiring, and there is a load of food in the freezer and pantry.
My rules for my challenge are simple: Try to stay OUT of the grocery store for at least the first two weeks of this New Year. And after that two weeks to only purchase necessary dairy or produce. I will go over my Amazon Sub and Save for this month and be sure we have nothing unnecessary or that can possibly wait on that list. Those items usually arrive around the 21st of the month. I'll be sure not to waste any foods and to try to balance more costly main dishes with less expensive sides and have a soup or breakfast meal at least once a week for our main meals. I'll balance out the fresh fruit with canned and try to keep a fresh salad in our menu every day but not necessarily a salad made up primarily of lettuce and only lettuce. Prices on lettuce are a bit rich at the moment anyway.
Would you like to join in? You decide your own rules. Let me know in the comments that you're joining and share what you plan to do with the money you save.
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10 comments:
I am on my 3rd year of joining three rivers homesteads pantry challenge. It helps me use up pantry and freezer items I usually pass up. It also helps me try new recipes and cook more things from scratch.
I'm with John on the carpet cleaner. Using one that has been used who knows where or to clean any kind of nasty is just not happening here.
A few years back, because we have indoor dogs, we also bought our own carpet cleaner. I did a lot of research on it and I really like the one we bought, that was also recommended by another dear friend. We have the Bissell TurboClean PowerBrush Pet Carpet Cleaner.
I never done a pantry challenge but would love to try. I have plenty of food to use up.
I have had terrible luck with both Hoover and Bissell carpet cleaners. I think I have had four! (I do like my Little Green Pet Machine for spot cleaning). The last one broke after two cleanings, I spent too much buying plastic parts, and then it broke again after the first cleaning. This worked out to about $50 plus supplies per cleaning I finally decided it was cheaper (and certainly easier) just to have my carpets professionally cleaned. Good decision.
--mikemax, aka Maxine
Years ago I bought my own carpet cleaner. Best investment. House all carpets except for kitchen and bath. I would have to look up my recipe but make my own cleaner and never had a problem. If I have a traffic pattern and the rest of the rug is clean I can just clean what is needed and I can use it anytime I want. I can pull furniture out, do part of a rug, and let it dry before furniture is put back over a damp spot. I hired rug cleaners once, and the rug stayed wet several days. With a cat and if people sit on floor, I know they are not getting chemicals from a professional cleaner. What you would pay for having carpets cleaned will go a long way to help pay for a new one. And you dont have to buy the fanciest. Mine is a name brand from Walmart.
I am definitely doing a grocery challenge. When my husband was alive I stocked up on his favorites and filled my freezer anc cupboards in case I could not leave him alone. Now, it seems like things last forever, no complaining. I plan to use up my storage, save my grocery money and then refill. The same for under the sink home care, personal care items.
Now I just to remember to shop only with a well thought out list and buy only fresh produce. I freeze baked goods and milk in small quantities already. All the budget amount will be put away for a well planned stockup. No falling for sales! Gramma D
I won a carpet cleaner a few years ago and my husband used it for the first time recently. Seemed to work okay.
I have done a no-spend January almost every year for over a decade. It's a good way to save some money after the holidays, use up some excess food/supplies, and get spending habits back under control.
we always had our own carpet cleaner for decades until we moved here. All wood floors. As for cleaning before refitting the carpet.... call the person who is doing the refitting. Some prefer it to be not cleaned. Takes all kinds/
Yes, ma'am, I'm doing the pantry challenge.
Had my first challenge this morning, in fact.
My brother and his family from Sioux City were on the way back from vacation and spent the night at my other brother's. Early yesterday afternoon I was asked to host brunch for everyone (15 people) this morning. While a bit of short notice, we still were able to put out a crockpot of sausage gravy, biscuits from the freezer, an egg/cheese casserole, bagels, banana bread, yogurt, and a small cheese/fruit/crackers board. We only had enough egg casserole for everyone to have one small piece each, but no one went hungry. Juice and more fruit was provided by our guests, and I had another crockpot with hot cocoa. I was told that I even made a decent pot of coffee (I do not usually make very good coffee - don't drink it, don't know how to make it...).
The milk for the cocoa and gravy was reconstituted dry that I mixed up last night and tucked in the frig. We did use up all of the eggs I had, but I found out this morning that I can get fresh farm eggs for freewill offering.
As for the money save by doing the challenge, we just had to put all four new tires on the car unexpectedly on December 23, so grocery savings will go to the savings account to make up for that expense.
HHH, That's my aim: use what I keep passing by and perhaps pull a few new recipes out of the mix. I've learned so much from Jessica at Three Rivers Homestead.
Lana, that's a point I hadn't considered...
Karla, Our current vacuum is one meant for a home with pets. It's a wonder at grabbing up all those small particles of sand we get tracked into the house.
Max, I hadn't even considered pro cleaning.
Grammy D, Good point on the use of chemicals. John has the knack of going on a binge of eating certain items and then just as I decide it's going to stick and I've stocked up, he says, "Nah...I don't want that anymore..." He does the same with supplements. I've decided that where he's concerned it's cheaper to buy it one or two at a time at best.
Deanna, Our carpet installers actually said we should vacuum routinely and skip cleanings as much as possible because it stretches carpets. That was one reason we opted for a commercial grade carpet in the house. We've done spot cleaning with good luck but after six years of babies...Time to clean it!
Juls, good point.
Tammy, you did it! And you did well. I'll bet your family was pleased too.
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