1. Pay Down the Mortgage
We were able to make 7 additional principal payments towards the mortage for November!
2. Buy Nothing New for 1 Year.
The Girl. I tell ya, getting that kid to spend $2 on ANYTHING let alone a crochet hook when she can make it herself is just not going to happen. Her frugality is a continuous source of amazement/amusement to me. She is planning on making me a hat I saw on Instagram for Christmas and I know I’m going to love it to bits because of all the effort going into it. Handmade rules!
3. Track Spending and Figure Out New Ways to Cut Spending Even More.
I finally got around to signing up for iBotta and I am loving it!! I’m up to $11.75 so far. Basically Ibotta is way to earn cash every time you shop. All you do is check the Ibotta app before you shop for product offers, bonuses, new store coupons. Then, simply upload a picture of the UPC code and your receipt and get paid {via paypal or gift cards} once your balance hits $20. Join Ibotta with this link {my referral code} and get $10! Trust me, it’s easy. Fred Meyer has the 5 pound bags of Bob’s flour on sale for $1.99 this week and there is a $1.00 iBotta rebate available. WAhooo! Sign up for iBotta HERE.
4. Try 52 New Recipes.
I tried a new biscotti recipe. The verdict? Freakin’ delicious! Recipe coming soon.
5. Keep My Grocery Budget Under $100 a Month.
Actually, I’m doing pretty well this month.
6. Go on 52 Dates with the Handsome Husband
We didn’t go on any “dates” this past week but so far this year we’ve gone on 30 dates and spent $501.22 out of pocket for our dates. This is a HUGE improvement over year past and so I’m pretty happy with the numbers. 😉
7. Turn My Wool Stash into $5,000.
I’m back on Etsy and Ebay and this past week I sold $164.80 worth of my hooked rugs. So far this year I have sold $6752.61 worth of arts & crafts. I still have a few items listed on ebay and etsy and I think it would be pretty cool if I could hit the $7,000 mark. We’ll see.
So far in November I’ve sold $489.71
In October I sold $1203.92
In September I sold $1259.27
In August I sold $329
In April I sold $29.99
In March I sold $799.53
In February I sold $1077.27
In January I sold $1563.92
8. Get Rid of 1,000 Things.
So far this year I’ve gotten rid of 1172+ things.
9. Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks.
I finished up reading Simple Matters {I loved it!} and we’ll be stopping by the library today to pick up a new stack of books I requested.
10. Track Hours Spent Working on My Vegetable Garden and do a Cost Analysis at the End of the Year.
This past week I spent ZERO time in the garden. To everything there is a season.
So far this year I have harvested 143 pounds 8 ounces of fresh veggies from our backyards. I spent $19.40 at the greenhouse, $10.40 at Wilco and about $16 on mulch.
Time spent working on Vegetable Garden in 2016: 21 hours 40 minutes.
11. 52 House Projects in 52 Weeks.
The HH fixed the kitchen faucet, I raked the leaves off half of the lawn {I must of got distracted or something} and I also cleaned the tile in Monkey Boy’s bathroom. {Because HELLO, my version of clean is just a wee bit different than his}.
12. Make all Birthday and Christmas Gifts This Year or Acquire Them for Free.
I don’t know about you but I am LOVING all the Fred Meyer Freebies this year! I snagged this free Twix Santa to tuck into my parents Christmas gift basket. My dad LOVES twix bars!!! 🙂 Also, THE Girl used her $10 Nordstrom promo code to score a scarf for $0.22 cents for her cousin. I’ll share a picture as soon as it arrives.
Have a great Sunday everyone! Keep calm and save on!
~Mavis
Read About My 2016 Goals HERE.
tia in boise says
1. i love you all the more when i hear that you have held out on ibotta for so long! i am such a luddite–it took me forever to get on board with Rite Aid’s old system! i think you have inspired me to finally sign up for ibotta (maybe cartwheel will come next.)
2. i haven’t seen you mention Kroger’s Merry 25 day deal–freebies every couple days and coupons/gift card deals every day.
3. WHAT is that magnet looking can contraption???
4. i think something is funky with this comment box (or my computer?) because it’s taken me 10 minutes to type this–every couple keystrokes i get kicked out.
Gaye says
Same here.
Mavis says
With the yellow tomato cans? It’s suppose to be an advent calendar.
tia in boise says
ahhhhhhh, of course! cute.
*commenting still acting up
Sharon@MLT says
Fred Meyer Merry Days has been awesome. Freebies and high value coupons. Got a Lifesavers Sweet Storybook free and Dove chocolates for $1.75.
This was hard to find thru the website so I just searched under Fred Meyer Merry Days and it came right up. Pretty sure this is all Kroger and affiliates so everybody can get the deals.
Gaye says
Mavis, you are so awesome and such an inspiration! Thanks! Great job with your goals.
Marcia says
Have to say your goals make me feel inadequate, but it did spur me to do more crocheting and crafts. In the Last month have finished an Afghan I started in March, two quilts I started 5-8 years ago, a fabric shopping bag with pockets, and a bunch of crocheted ornaments and snowflakes.
Which turns out, crocheted snowflakes were way easier before my close up vision went to pot.
Jennifer Meyer says
Have you heard of Shopmium? It is another free rebate couponing app. This one sends all money directly to your paypal, no need to reach a minimum cash out amount first. Plus when you sign up you automatically get a free lindt chocolate bar and I also got a free thing of tic tacs! If you are interested my referral code is HKMHEHWZ. I also really like Checkout51 and Savingstar, but they do not have referrals. Checkout 51 has the $20 minimum cashout and only sends checks in the mail. Savingstar has a $5 minimum to cashout. They do a 20% off a specific produce item each Tuesday and occasionally do a free item over the weekend.
Susan says
Signed up for Ibotta and buying the flour. Would love it if you would keep us informed about Ibotta deals like this.
Mavis Butterfield says
I’ll do my best!
Lena says
There is also a .50 off e-coupon that you can load onto your Fred Meyer card for the bobs red mill flour. Total steal! .49 for 5lbs of good flour. I love all your tips!
Lena says
Including the Ibotta rebate of course.
Sandy says
I have been making Christmas gifts since I was in my 20s – just graduated from college, husband still in college, and a child. We couldn’t afford much. It became the custom and for my husband’s family it became a “contest.” I still make gifts to this day – 50 years later. The gifts have changed – this year it will be handmade quilts and home canned goods. My friends get homemade jams and breads. it’s not about the money any more, it’s about the satisfaction on both ends for both the giver and the receiver.
Sharon says
Testing comments via iPhone 🙂
Gigi says
I just finished up Simple Matters also (per your reading list). It was good. I’m about to get rid of 8+ blankets. I would have loved to see a floor plan with dimesions to see what she has to work with. There are some nice ideas, but not always practical unless you live in a big city with lots of resources. Honestly, I like the less-is-more decorating ideas because it’s easier to clean when you only need to lift one thing off a table/counter rather than 5.
Em says
I spy the puggle princess’ pink egg!
I’m so glad y’all adopted her!