Fresh Start 2013: Spring Cleaning Plan

I’ve spent the past couple days thinking about my cleaning/deluttering/reorganizing plans and I finally felt ready to sit down and write out my plans, room by room.  I am planning on keeping it all together in a little booklet so I can follow the plan when I do my twice a year overhauls.  I like [...]

Fresh Start 2013: Early Spring Cleaning in Phoenix

Okay, so usually the term “spring cleaning” conjures up images of April showers, May flowers, the Easter bunny, etc.  Here in The Valley of the Sun, February brings a mix of cooler weather and what I like to call warmer spring ‘preview’ days.  By April or May, it’s usually too hot to, say, enjoy outdoor [...]

A Year of Less: February Plans and Progress

So with January’s No-Spend turned Low-Spend experiment behind us, I’ve been decompressing a bit so far in February.  I honestly cannot believe we’re practically halfway through this month! I’m still definitely working on our Year of Less.  I am working hard to be mindful about each and every penny I spend.  instead of the old “see it, want [...]

***FREE*** Monthly Bill Payment Record

I created this chart in Microsoft Publisher but for those you don’t have Publisher, I’ve included a PDF copy.  You can simply fill it in by hand monthly, edit it in Publisher or fill in the names of your bills and due dates and then scan or copy it to make additional copies.  :) I keep [...]

Low-Spend January Recap and Thoughts

Um, where to begin?  I have so many thoughts about this past month’s “low-spend” experiment. I honestly went into this month believing that it’d be a great month that would allow me to “catch up” a bit and sock away some spending money.  Surely if I spent more cautiously (and didn’t have any major holidays [...]

Low-Spend January: Day 31

Two year car registration renewal for hubby…$115.  :) Smog check…$27

Low-Spend January: Day 30

Target – $200ish We really needed hampers!  $80 of it (plus tax) was hampers. And then some milk and produce and snacks. Most of the hampers were on sale online for $5.25 but rang up for $15 in store.  I bought four of those and they are now price-matching their site, so I’m going to try to [...]

Low-Spend January: Day 29

I spent about $40 on books and some marketing templates…notably got Nourishing Traditions…which I’m loving!

Low-Spend January: Day 28

Groceries: $200 I guess we gotta eat!  It’s more expensive sticking with primarily organic, grass-fed, pastured, etc.  Next month I’m getting some things from Azure Standard since we now have a nearby drop-point.  The organic, pastured, cultured butter is $3.50 a pound while I’m paying $2.50 a pound for conventional.  There are some really great [...]

Low-Spend January: Day 27

Zilch!  Yay!

Low-Spend January: Day 26

Ha!  Nothing!

Low-Spend January: Day 25

Car Wash – $10 Prescriptions – $9.58 (metformin and my precious…xanax…which I hoard in case of times of extreme anxiety!  ;) )

Low-Spend January: Day 24

Taco Bell – $11 Petsmart (dog toy, calendar, magnet) – $24 Target – groceries and household – 104

Low-Spend January: Day 23

Home Depot – $68 (paint, supplies)

Low-Spend January: Day 21

Today is Katie’s birthday….we went out to lunch.  And dinner.  And we bought a cake and new earrings and presents and party supplies.  So I declare toady exempt! :)  Most of her gifts were, however, purchased in December.

Low-Spend January: Day 22

Low-key day, nothing spent. :)

Low-Spend January: Day 20

Walmart…two sheet sets (hubby wanted flat sheets for an air tent and I wanted new fitted sheets+pillowcases for our bed, so win-win), party supplies for Katie’s b-day, wrapping paper – $100

Low-Spend January: Day 19

Grocery & toiletry shopping…$180 Star Wars 3-disc bluray set (not my idea LOL) – $35 Gift for Katie – $35 Date night – $20

Low-Spend January: Day 18

I ordered my almond flour today…so that was around $50 after discounts for two 5# bags (one blanched, one unblanched). I think that’s it…

Low-Spend January: Day 17

Nothing so far, although I do need to order almond flour really soon…I won’t do it today! :)

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