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Archive for December, 2015

52 Week Challenge for 2016

December 31st, 2015 at 07:29 pm

Hi, everyone.

It looks like everyone who participated in the 52 Week Challenge in 2015 had tremendous progress on their goals. I, for one, have really enjoyed the 52 Week Challenge this year and also the support from all of you on my goals. My goals listed below for 2016 are primarily concentrated on debt payoff again, but I will also be saving money too.

1) Increase my retirement contribution by 0.15% in January.

2) Continuing contributing to savings as normal.

3) Continue making cc #1 payments of $100.00 per payday and also $67.48 out of my husband's monthly check.

4) Contribute any survey money, rebates, etc. towards cc #1 payoff.

5) Grow as much of my own food as I can and buy as much other food organic as possible through local or other sources. This will help me to eat as clean as I possibly can for my own health. I also intend to save some produce as I possibly can with a Foodsaver. I know I can do carrots this way.

6) I will continue using the fountain card as a way to challenge myself to spend as little as possible on beverages while I am at work. I will funnel my savings to cc #1.

7) For awhile, I have been using my pocket change as a way to pay part of my grocery store bill. I will continue this.


Here is the link to the chart you can use. I did not use the chart, as I needed to contribute specific amounts to accomplish my goals of debt payoff.

Text is http://www.savingadvice.com/articles/2013/01/23/1013883_52-week-savings-challenge.html and Link is
http://www.savingadvice.com/articles/2013/01/23/1013883_52-w...

Who would like to participate in 2016?

Payday and 52 Week Challenge Progress

December 30th, 2015 at 09:11 pm

Hi, everyone.

My payday is tomorrow, because Friday is a holiday. More money is going to debt, savings, and retirement. Here are my numbers. I have already paid the trash bill, water/sewer bill, and allocated for 1/3 of the mortgage.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5863.18

$40.00 Regular Savings Deposit
$60.00 Car, House, Car Lic/AAA, and HVAC Savings Deposit
$100.00 cc #1 payment
$3.00 Pinecone payment to cc #1
$20.00 slush deposit
$66.70 DH's payment to cc #1

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $6152.88

52 Week Challenge Progress

December 30th, 2015 at 02:21 pm

Hi, everybody.

I got another Pinecone deposit. I am forwarding it directly to cc #1 as we speak.

Tomorrow I and my husband both get paid and will be paid and I will send $100 and $66.70 to cc #1 also. I have to go out of town for a bit today and will spend a little bit, but whatever is leftover I am sending to cc #1 also. By the time I pay that and account for my savings deposits, I will be breaking $6K on my 52 Week Challenge this year! Woo-Hoo.

I am so happy I made it these past two weeks without having to break out the credit card for an "emergency" as a result of my doctor's visits.

See you tomorrow for updates!

52 Week Challenge Progress

December 23rd, 2015 at 01:59 pm

Hi, everybody.

I got another Pineccone deposit of $5.00, so it went right to cc #1 before I had a chance to spend it on baubles and shinies.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5858.18

$5.00 pinecone payment

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5863.18

2016 Goals

December 22nd, 2015 at 01:10 am

My resolutions, financial and otherwise, will be:

1) Increase my retirement contribution by 0.15% in January.

2) Continuing contributing to savings as normal.

3) Continue making cc #1 payments of $100.00 per payday and also $67.48 out of my husband's monthly check.

4) Contribute any survey money, rebates, etc. towards cc #1 payoff.

5) Grow as much of my own food as I can and buy as much other food organic as possible through local or other sources. This will help me to eat as clean as I possibly can for my own health. I also intend to save some produce as I possibly can with a Foodsaver. I know I can do carrots this way.

6) I will continue using the fountain card as a way to challenge myself to spend as little as possible on beverages while I am at work. I will funnel my savings to cc #1.

7) For awhile, I have been using my pocket change as a way to pay part of my grocery store bill. I will continue this.

Food Challenge for the Next 2 Weeks

December 19th, 2015 at 10:15 pm

Hi, everyone. Here is my food plan for the next 2 weeks. I will need to buy more fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, and almond milk in order to have enough food.

1) Eggs/Smoothies/Meat
14 breakfasts for me and my husband

2) Leftover Lunches Already Made Up (just have to be thawed out)
2 lunches for my husband

3) Salads with Beans or Tuna
14 lunches for me

4) Beef Stew
5 lunches for my husband

5) Meatloaf with side of veggies
2 suppers for me and my husband

6) Burgers with side of veggies
2 suppers for me and my husband

7) Chicken Soup
4 suppers for me and my husband

8) Baked Fish with side of veggies
2 suppers for me and my husband

9) Tuna Salad
2 suppers for me and my husband

10) Bean Soup
4 lunches for me

11) Lunches for my husband
7 more lunches for my husband (nothing specific in mind yet)

Payday and 52 Week Challenge Progress

December 19th, 2015 at 06:53 pm

Hi, everyone.

It was payday yesterday for me, so I have already allocated for 1/3 of the mortgage (in a 3 payday month), allocated for car insurance, and paid the electric bill. I also found a penny on the ground outside a store today. I used $0.69 I had in pocket change to pay for part of my grocery bill.

I got my latest mortgage statement and I paid $155.36 in principal last month. Woo-hoo!

So, here are my update 52 Week Challenge numbers.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5592.82

$20.00 slush deposit
$40.00 regular savings deposit
$50.00 cc #1 payment
$155.36 principal paid on mortgage

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5858.18

I will delay making more cc #1 payments until the end of the coming week because of some other expenses.

I will not be going anywhere for the holidays or having company. My challenge for the next two weeks will be to make as many meals as possible from the food I already have. I will have about $135.00 unexpected expenses at a chiropractor in the next two weeks and want to make sure that does not impact the food budget or other areas unnecessarily.

As part of my recent exercises in gratitude, I have come to realize that whatever my problems, I am incredibly blessed. I have a husband who loves me, friends, a job, a car to get around, money to buy what I need and some of what I want, and the ability to grow food. In the past six months, I have donated food, pet supplies, household goods, clothing, and other items to 1) my college campus's food pantry that serves students in financial need, 2) a local domestic crisis center, 3) the local humane society, and 4) my college campus's office that serves international students.

52 Week Challenge Progress and a New Chair

December 17th, 2015 at 06:08 pm

Hi, everyone. I got my Pinecone deposit and sent it right away to cc #1.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5587.82

$5.00 pinecone payment

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5592.82


Also, I took the day off today and after a morning appointment which ended earlier than anticipated, we went to a local furniture store and bought the new chair. With tax, it was $435. Free delivery. I put it on cc #1, but plan to have it paid off quickly with the following: 1) I had $20.00 in my slush account, 2) $315.00 from regular savings, and 3) $100 from my paycheck on Friday. I don't like taking so much from savings, but that's what it's there for, right?

And even better, my husband asked if they could deliver it to today and they did about 30 minutes after we returned home. We were very happy.

Pinecone Surveys Rewards Update and Other News

December 16th, 2015 at 02:38 pm

This is for those who do Pinecone surveys. I just logged in to see my balance and saw I have enough to redeem. I noticed under "cash option" that they have brought back the $3.00 option. I know they did not have that for awhile.

As soon as I get my $5.00, I will send it right to cc #1.

I had to stop at a store on the way to work and found a nickel on the ground. Woo-Hoo!

And now for the not-so-pleasant news. On Saturday, DH and I have to go out shopping for a living room chair like a La-z-Boy or something like it. The spring in the current Queen Ann wing back chair is actually poking out the back side. However, it is in considerably better shape than the chair I am using. Its springs on the bottom are completely shot. So, we are performing a chair switch e roo where I get the Queen Ann chair and my DH gets a new chair. I will probably take the cost out of the regular savings account. Ugh. And I just built it up to $1000 about a month ago.

52 Week Challenge Progress

December 12th, 2015 at 07:01 pm

Hi, everyone.

I sent an extra $5.00 payment to cc #1 "just because I can do it." I also used pocket change of $2.14 to pay part of my grocery bill, lessening the amount coming out of checking.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5580.68

$5.00 extra payment to cc #1
$2.14 pocket change for grocery bill


New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5587.82

52 Week Challenge Progress

December 11th, 2015 at 02:59 am

Hi, everyone.

I got $5.00 from Epoll surveys today, so I sent it right to cc #1. I also sent another $2.00 to cc #1 because I have been doing really well with the fountain card.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5573.68

$5.00 epoll surveys
$2.00 fountain card challenge

New 52 Week Challenge Balance $5580.68

52 Week Challenge Progress

December 8th, 2015 at 07:51 pm

I am doing really well this week with the fountain card, so I am sending an extra $2.00 to cc #1. I will probably be able to send at least one more payment to cc #1 before next payday.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5571.68

$2.00 extra payment to cc #1

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5573.68

52 Week Challenge Progress and Other Stuff

December 6th, 2015 at 12:48 am

Hi, everyone.

After creating my budget for my 3 paycheck month, I decided to make a $100.00 payment to cc #1. Woo-hoo!

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5471.68

$100.00 payment to cc #1

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5571.68

Today, I also used some leftover pocket change to pay for part of my grocery bill. It was a small amount and I can't even remember how much, but I try to do this every time as it lessens the amount coming out of the checking account for the purchase and empties my purse of excess change. Woo-Hoo!

I also plan to start my own seeds for a vegetable garden. I need to check on the exact time I need to start that, but I plan to plant the seeds in old egg cartons and put the cartons under a plastic container to make a mini greenhouse so they stay warm. Starting my own seeds will save me some money in the long run and also result in an increased harvest due to planting them earlier. Big Grin I have not done this before, so I need to read up on it. This is a frugal activity, but requires some work on my part. Wish me luck.

Another Payday and 52 Week Challenge Progress

December 4th, 2015 at 02:19 am

Hi, everyone.

I get paid again tomorrow, so more money is going to debt, savings, and retirement. I have already written checks for the gas bill, savings deposit, internet/phone bill, and allocated for slush deposit and 1/3 of the mortgage. I get paid 3 times this month, so I am dividing the mortgage up into 3 parts.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5371.68

$20.00 Slush Deposit
$40.00 Regular Savings Deposit
$20.00 House Savings Deposit
$20.00 AAA/Car Tax Savings Deposit

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5471.68

I will also make a larger than normal payment to cc #1, but I have not decided on the amount yet.