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- #25
Friday
VIP Member
Have you seen Llamas With Hats?
“My stomach was making the rumblies… that only hands would satisfy.”
No Money Challenge - Would love to hear if others have similar accomplishments!
- Post starter RainbowSearchParty
- Start date
“My stomach was making the rumblies… that only hands would satisfy.”
- Post starter
- #26
RainbowSearchParty
Gold Member
Went through my bank account statements today and calculated my per-month grocery spending and almost had a HEART ATTACK because I spend about a third more than I thought I did.
But then went through my cupboards nad found a few things that I can probably swap for better deals in the future. And I'm boiling soaked chickpeas now, which I will roast, and they make an easy, super portable snack, being super cheap and healthy to boot.
Feeling overwhelmed and frustrated by this new project to reduce my grocery bill. Every change is so minimal, but I know that they all add up. But in the moment, it just feels like so much effort for so little return.
But then went through my cupboards nad found a few things that I can probably swap for better deals in the future. And I'm boiling soaked chickpeas now, which I will roast, and they make an easy, super portable snack, being super cheap and healthy to boot.
Feeling overwhelmed and frustrated by this new project to reduce my grocery bill. Every change is so minimal, but I know that they all add up. But in the moment, it just feels like so much effort for so little return.
- Post starter
- #27
RainbowSearchParty
Gold Member
oh and @Rose White I did the ponytail haircut again today! haircut for free! But it reminded me to remind you that it's always shorter than you think, so if you want to trim and inch, try to cut just a quarter inch. I thought I was cutting about an inch and it's nearly three inches shorter now. No big deal, but just something to be aware of.
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- #28
RainbowSearchParty
Gold Member
My world (accidentally) got really crazy these last few weeks, and I've been paying less attention than I want to this. It's just so hard to nickle and dime everything at the grocery store when it feels like the world is collapsing -- my brain just can't handle the extra time to look at the priceper unit/volume/etc and then do necessary conversions to make sure I'm saving 10 cents here and there. Which all add up in a serious way, I have to remember, but it's so hard in the moment.
But things are a bit calmer and I'm back on track. I think one of the things I waste money on is processed snack-type foods. So I've been trying to stop that. Learned how to make roasted split peas: they are an excellent salty and nutritious snack, and super easy to make, and crazy cheap, too. Here is the recipe I used: Crunchy Split Pea Snack (Whole30) | Every Last Bite. Definitley interested if anyone knows any other easy recipes for snacky-type foods!
Going to try to do more stuff like this this week. I feel like my grocery bill is getting more manageable but I won't know how much progress I made until the end of the month when I can tally this month against last.
But things are a bit calmer and I'm back on track. I think one of the things I waste money on is processed snack-type foods. So I've been trying to stop that. Learned how to make roasted split peas: they are an excellent salty and nutritious snack, and super easy to make, and crazy cheap, too. Here is the recipe I used: Crunchy Split Pea Snack (Whole30) | Every Last Bite. Definitley interested if anyone knows any other easy recipes for snacky-type foods!
Going to try to do more stuff like this this week. I feel like my grocery bill is getting more manageable but I won't know how much progress I made until the end of the month when I can tally this month against last.
Rose White
VIP Member
good idea @RainbowSearchParty and sounds yummy—I bookmarked it!
- Post starter
- #30
RainbowSearchParty
Gold Member
Made a double batch of the split pea snacks today -- two different flavors. I put the peas in to soak yesterday, but couldn't handle making them in the evening, so they ended up soaking in the fridge for almost 24 hours. Good to know that the recipe doesn't seem to change at all with the extra soaking time.
Feeling really overwhelmed with this whole process. I need to somehow reduce my expenditures by 25% total. I'm not there. Not even close. Maybe at the point where I've managed to reduce them by 2 or 3%? I know that it is just time and sustained effort (and somethings will snowball, like the more I pay off on my credit cards, the less I will have to pay. And the more in my savings account, the more interest I will earn). But right now it just sometimes feels futile, like when I go to the grocery store and spend what feels like forever comparing price-per-unit to save something like $5 or $6 total off my bill.
I also still haven't gotten the vacuum sealed food container I want so I can start taking soups with me for lunch when I go to work. I think that will help me with my food budget, as soup is so less expensive to make than something traditionally "lunchy" like a sandwich. The cheapest one I can find (and I'm a little skeezed out to buy one used) is at Ikea, which is about 2 hours round trip on public transit, which is super doable but also time consuming. I think I can go next week and I'm trying to be patient but I'm feeling really overwhelmed by it. I'm so good at identifying solutions, but implementing them is always so much harder.
Trying to stay positive ....
Feeling really overwhelmed with this whole process. I need to somehow reduce my expenditures by 25% total. I'm not there. Not even close. Maybe at the point where I've managed to reduce them by 2 or 3%? I know that it is just time and sustained effort (and somethings will snowball, like the more I pay off on my credit cards, the less I will have to pay. And the more in my savings account, the more interest I will earn). But right now it just sometimes feels futile, like when I go to the grocery store and spend what feels like forever comparing price-per-unit to save something like $5 or $6 total off my bill.
I also still haven't gotten the vacuum sealed food container I want so I can start taking soups with me for lunch when I go to work. I think that will help me with my food budget, as soup is so less expensive to make than something traditionally "lunchy" like a sandwich. The cheapest one I can find (and I'm a little skeezed out to buy one used) is at Ikea, which is about 2 hours round trip on public transit, which is super doable but also time consuming. I think I can go next week and I'm trying to be patient but I'm feeling really overwhelmed by it. I'm so good at identifying solutions, but implementing them is always so much harder.
Trying to stay positive ....
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- #31
RainbowSearchParty
Gold Member
August is done. I calculated out the difference between my July grocery bills (buy whatever I want) and August (money-saving attitude) and the difference was astounding. I saved almost 30% off my July bill. I'd still like to lower it, but this is moving in the right direction in a serious way that makes me feel really relieved.
Takeaways: avoiding processed foods is the key. But if I don't buy anything that is "ready-made" then I have to do meal prep because cooking three meals a day from scratch seven days a week just isn't feasible. I did meal prep successfully maybe two of the weeks of August? It made a big difference. But if I'm cooking everything I also need to find some new and good recipes that are cheap and healthy. Working on that one.
Trying to remember that progress is slow and never linear, but what matters is that I'm moving in the right direction.
Takeaways: avoiding processed foods is the key. But if I don't buy anything that is "ready-made" then I have to do meal prep because cooking three meals a day from scratch seven days a week just isn't feasible. I did meal prep successfully maybe two of the weeks of August? It made a big difference. But if I'm cooking everything I also need to find some new and good recipes that are cheap and healthy. Working on that one.
Trying to remember that progress is slow and never linear, but what matters is that I'm moving in the right direction.
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- #32
Friday
VIP Member
When I was in school in Italy… this was a monthly thing… flip your head upside down, make a pony tail, and trim. As in we did it IN school. I cannot remember which auspice, at the moment. It was just a thing. (Like the biannual worming & vaccinations & dental & hearing/vision in DOD schools.) Anyone with long hair, male/female. Stand in line, flip your head upside down, ponytail, and snip. Creates the same look as “cursive cut” that’s $300 in salons. Short haired peeps used the loo, with mirrors and buzzers. We were outside with hoses. Hilarity DEFINETLY ensued!!! (With the hoses). And your hair was always shorter than you thought it was going to be. But? Gorgeous.
Defaultxlove
VIP Member
arfie
Diamond Member
a steak knife will cut radiator hoses and what not. i carry one in my glove box.
