I got together with Mrs. HB for the fourth week in a row and not only did we do some grocery shopping but we also prepared a bunch of meals for the upcoming week while Mr. HB taught us duck calls. Those are the pictures you’ll see when you scroll through this post as well a few Mrs. HB sent that she took during the week.
So here we go… week 4 in her own words:
I mentioned once before that I had a dream about curtailing my spending but it has gone to a different level this week. So many comments on the razors and I must subconsciously be tortured by it on so many levels. I remember vividly gouging myself while trying to shave with cheap disposables growing up. I have a deep scar on my ankle and still to this day hate that feeling when I do cut myself. The strip of skin left in the blade. The uncontrollable bleeding. The sting when water hits it! It is torture for sure.
I actually had a vivid painful dream about this exact event this week. Strange THE NEW DISPOSABLES ARE MUCH MUCH BETTER and has the price to go along with the innovation. So I took your advice and looked into the Merkur razor but have a few questions and concerns. One is the round handle. I have used a round handle before on a disposable and I couldn’t get the best grip on it. I also worry about the heft and how that would affect the shaving experience. Would love input for those who have used them. Thanks 🙂
Spending this week? Let’s see, I wanted to focus on the positive and how I have avoided all retail stores such as Target, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Nordstrom etc and have not used my credit cards except one time for an online purchase for my Hillbilly boys winter camp because it was the only way to pay.
And I am under budget! So I am feeling really empowered.
Before I would spend on these cards as you know on random stuff plus use my check card for other stuff like groceries, lunch, this and that but strangely not really acknowledge the credit card expenses. It’s hard to explain but I would end up with card debt that at some point had to be paid and thus created this roller coaster (not a fun one) of juggling money. I felt so much anxiety and just plain horrible.
Now that I am credit card debt free and not using them I know exactly how much money I have. And surprisingly have had a surplus. But I have to say if I didn’t have Ms Mavis watching me I don’t know if I would have had this success because you don’t know how many times I have really tried to make a “budget” and for so many years have failed.
Besides the fact that going cash is the biggest thing you can do for success I would have to say to fess up and be held accountable. Its embarrassing and humiliating but if you truly want to take control I think these two things are imperative.
Now that I have focused on my feel goods I do need to point out that I went out to lunch twice with the HB kids. It was exam week and half days so I took them out to eat. And I have to tell this story…. HB boy found 4 long hairs in his burger.. yuck right? But we got free sweet potato fries and of course another hamburger because of it. I should have asked for the burger to be taken off the bill but the waitress was soooo nice, as was the manager, I just couldn’t. One more thing, I bought a dutch oven at a friend’s Pampered Chef party, with cash of course. 🙂
Also, I took out the dead flowers from my front planters from Christmas a couple of weeks ago and needed to get some new ones. Ms Mavis came over on the fly and I asked her where I should go. She gave me a “look” but informed me where the best prices would be for what I wanted. However strange, after she left I started to think… I figure it was just her presence that started me thinking about how could I do this without spending money.
I had been working in the garden all day yesterday and today I wanted to clean up my potting area. Well I noticed several ferns had popped up, an old tulip was blooming as well several little flowers that had survived the little snow we had last month. I also had some curly sticks left over from many years ago. So I cleaned up and salvaged the plants and sticks, replanted and watered with miracle grow. It may not look like much now but it will be interesting to see how they do. I will update in a couple of weeks.
Well, that’s all for now.
~Mrs. HB
Helen in Meridian says
You did so great. Martha Stewart stores her razors in a small container with clean cooking oil just covering the blade. She says razor blades RUST and that causes the dull feel. Free, so try it. I know you probably spend lots on love gifts on Valentine’s Day. Why not make homemade sugar cookies with lots of cinnamon oil frosting and maybe some of the WINCO bulk valentine’s candy. Also start now and have your HB kids make their valentine’s for their friends or make cookies for their friends. Then the best gift you can give them in a lovely hand written note to each describing what they mean to you and how they are special. If you spend any money buy each one of those special paper boxes like TJ has down the stationary aisle, to keep you letter each year to them. They will save them forever.
Helen in Meridian says
I forgot to say I blew it this week too. DS came home from Vancouver and we left the trees and everything up and celebrated Xmas with him. At Costco I bought 2 kinds of wine, 2 cheeses, salami and Costco wonderful chocolate cake for 2 parties. SIL’s birthday this week and National Chocolate Cake Day, so it served 2 parties. We hadn’t had The Boy home for 18 months, so it was special.
Em says
Great job Mrs HB!
I like your arrangement!
Sara says
I love the arrangement. I say keep it simple……Looks like a greenhouse did it.
Suzanne says
I’m with you on the bad razor experiences! I use Intuition razors even though they are terribly expensive. I usually wait ’till they go on sale at Costco and then buy a years supply. Great work! I love reading about your progress!
Tamara Reid says
So love this series of posts on keeping Ms. HB on budget with her groceries! I too have struggled for years in this dept. so I am following these posts with avid interest. And after making a budget this month, I am vowing to move to the cash system starting with our paycheck tomorrow! Thanks for all the tips Mavis and thank you Ms. HB for sharing your story with us!
Mrs HB says
I will be thinking of you and cheering you on!!
Carrie says
I also want to know more about using a safety razor. Do you throw out or sharpen the blade? It seems really unsafe to throw out a razor blade but I guess I throw out the cartridges from my reusable razor. Do stores sell the blades or do I have to order online? I press down pretty hard with my current razor and haven’t cut myself in a very long time.
I use conditioner (for hair) to shave instead of buying shaving cream. I find it works better than bar soap and I always have extra conditioner left over while the shampoo gets used more quickly. HH also uses conditioner to shave his face.
Deb K says
Great idea about conditioner to shave. I would never have thought of that!
deb k
Lynda says
Mrs. HB, you are truly an inspiration.
Amber says
Way to go!!! I love the challenge of the hunt..to save my hard earned money! Its fun to see your paradigm shift. I am a doctor with 4 kids and you should see the people in line at Walmart when i pull out my phone to do price compare and then whip out a handful of coupons…sometimes they are really irritated! But it’s my money, not theirs! And my kids might not be doctors or have seasons where they are really short on cash, so I think it’s really important to teach them to be frugal as well. My three year old already knows…if she sees something she really likes, the first thing she asks me is “is this on sale?”! B/c if the answer is no, she wont even ask for it…she knows what I will say!!!
Ramona says
I have always checked sales adds and used coupons. When my child was a youngster I was asked in a rather annoying voice ” can you for once buy something that isn’t on sale”!! Now guess who is always looking for a bargain when making his own purchases.
Lauralli says
I gave up the hours spent trying to price compare when Walmart rolled out their savings app. I just scan in my receipts after every trip and they price compare for me. They put the difference in an account for me that I then can use at WM in the form of a gift card. It might not be perfect but saved me about $32 last year, so I was happy. And, oh the time it has saved!!
Jennifer says
I am loving these posts. Even though I consider myself a very frugal person, I still learn so much when I read things from the perspective of someone new to the lifestyle. I love how honest Mrs. HB is about everything and thrilled that she is finding little nuggets of success – that will ensure longevity.
Laura T. says
Interesting how the brain can relearn how it thinks! Good work! I came in under budget this month!
Woo hoo! In the future you can think about Mavis looking over your shoulder when you’re tempted to spend and now you can picture all of us there too!!! :0)
I really like how the planter looks!
Sue says
I’m loving all the points on saving and Mrs H B. War Eagle to who has own the Auburn shirt. I live in War Eagle country! Go Tigers!!!!! Keep the good stuff coming!
Carole says
We are all behind you Mrs. HB!! Keep it up, love the stories. If I told you and Mavis what I spend at costco you would both curl up. I only go once every two months so it can run up the bill but I stick to my list unless there is something really marked down that I always use, then I stock up. Once when the kids were small and we used coupons for everything, my daughter gave me the look when I put something in the cart. “Is this a wise purchase? You do not have a coupon for it!” They learn early and it sticks, she still does this today.
Tracy says
I totally understand buying everything with cash to teach oneself how to budget and stick to it. However…you’re passing up a lot of free money by doing so. I put just about 100% of my purchases on a single credit card, which offers cash back, and which I pay off every month. I never, ever have a rolling balance or pay finance charges. By doing so, I get about $2000 -$3000 per year on cash back, which I simply have deposited into my checking account with the same bank.
I also track everything I buy, bill I pay, even interest I earn, and note it as I go on a blank monthly chart, divided by major category columns. That way, I total my expenses each month, know exactly what I’m spending on what, how much I must have every month to live, and what I can flex with. Knowledge is power, but obsessing about every nickel is just….well, obsessing and enabling anxiety to flourish. Common sense, folks, common sense!
Lisa says
I’m with you on the cash purchases, Mrs. HB! Our credit card offers cash back as well but when I figure out how much I have to spend to get cash back it isn’t worth it. Paying cash and spending less is more cash in my pocket than cash back on purchases using a credit card!
Keep up the good work!
Carrie says
I use my credit card on gas (3% cash back) and online purchases only (1%). I only get about $100-$150 back per year. When I used it on food I never stayed in budget. Using cards doesn’t work for everyone. We don’t all have self control when it comes to spending – that’s why cash works for some of us. I’ve only seen cards offering 1-3% cash back. You must have a much larger percentage than I to be getting $2000-$3000 back. My utility companies won’t allow use of credit cards to pay bills and natural gas, electric, sewage and water take a huge amount of my money. I would love to have cash back on those bills!
Deborah says
I’m sure enjoying reading about your progress! Mavis has lots of good ideas for budgeting.
About the razors though…I have some of same issues as you, cut myself too many times as a teenager, I have ugly scars on my legs!
I started doing some couponing, and figured out that I could get some of those nicer ones for my girls at a reasonable price . I kept using the cheap ones myself, Then one day I tried theirs, and I was hooked on the ones with the moisturizing strips, I’ll never go back again! I don’t use a bunch of beauty products, but I stick with the ones that work for me.
DLM4 says
War Eagle! I’m married to an Auburn Tiger and he has trained me to keep my eyes peeled for Auburn folks. Keep up the great work! Thanks for letting us come along and watch your adventure!
Debbie N says
My husband needs the razors with 4 or 5 blades, anything else he cuts himself. I try not to be brand picky and buy what ever goes on sale and/or I have a coupon for. If there is a super good deal I Stock up. The best advice is to just think ahead, if you wait till you need the razors then you probably won’t get a good deal.
Melissa says
I get the CVS brand of the 4 blade razors when they go on sale and they’re pretty decent. If you use the right soap on them they last a long time. I’m usually not too spendy but this is one area I don’t mind spending a little extra because there is a significant difference for me.
Lisa Millar says
Mrs HB, I am really loving these stories!
Breaking spending habits are so hard – I don’t spend but my husband – yipes!
Soon having more money in your pocket for the really fun stuff (like travelling or other goals) becomes such a motivating factor!
Love your arrangement and well done you for not dashing out to spend money on it! Thats awesome!
Have fun, look forward to the next installment of the saga!! 🙂
Teckla says
Way to go, Mrs. HB. You are doing great! I was going to comment earlier about the razors but got sidetracked. A person’s skin type, i.e., thin, dry, oily, etc. makes a lot of difference when shaving. I have very thin, delicate skin (redhead) and always had a lot of trouble shaving. Just can’t use a safety razor or cheap disposables without cutting myself. As you and others pointed out that isn’t fun and can leave scars. After experimenting for a while, I found that a triple blade worked best for me. However, I still look for the best bargains/sales I can find. I also found that using inexpensive hand/body lotion when shaving gave me the best results. However, to be truthful, now that I am a widow and will be 70 this year, I am not particular about shaving. That’s another perk of being a redhead. My hair is thin, fine and very light so it’s not noticeable. Since I wear long pants almost exclusively, it’s not a problem. That gives me the best savings, of course! lol Keep up the good work; be open to trying new ideas, but do what works best for you and your family without apology. Everyone’s situation is slightly different, and that’s ok.
Brianna says
I don’t personally use a safety razor, but my father has my whole life. It works great for him and I’m not sure he get too many nicks if any. He does have trouble finding replacement blades for it and has had trouble taking it in his carry on when flying. I know he likes it because of the precision and symmetry he can get (he has always had a perfectly manicured full beard). I actually us a man’s Gillette razor because I get skin allergies from the the softners, conditioners, and nonsense they put on female razors.
Your grocery shopping and spending is such an improvement from week 1. Keep up the good work. Congrats on getting rid of the credit card noose and owning your thoughtful financial decisions. That is an amazing accomplishment and weight off of your shoulders and you aren’t working you job a few hours every month as a slave to your credit card payment. That money can go to you now, not the credit card. Freedom!
Lauren says
I have recently switched to the Merkur safety razor and love it! The handle is long and easy to hang on to and the shave is very close. I will never go back to disposables.
Gina says
Thank you for sharing your journey with us, Mrs. HB. You are an inspiration! You had a great week. Congratulations!
Mrs HB says
Thank you ! And I have to say yours and everyone’s comments inspire me to give it my all! I don’t think I would be doing as well as I am without all the encouragement . Plus hearing about everyone else’s struggles . It really reminds me I am not in this alone !
KAYTHEGARDENER says
It typically takes 2-3 months to get a new habit going & even longer to make it subconsciously part of your life…To the point where you could do it in your sleep or while distracted…
Reinforce your good choices by patting yourself on the back often, especially when you first get back home!!
KMC
Nikki says
Great job Mrs. HB! I’m loving this series and have been looking forward to all your posts. Please keep them coming!
Stacey says
You’re doing great, Mrs. HB! And whatever is in your Crockpot looks delicious!
Stacie says
You’re doing great!! Also, props to you on your creativity with your new flower arrangement; I have trouble thinking outside of the box sometimes and would never have thought about digging up something and moving it to my planters. Such a good idea, thank you for sharing your journey with us!!!
Rhonda says
I love this series! I have always tried to be frugal, but am learning so much from Mavis, Mrs. HB, and the comments. It’s so heart warming to see your progress, Mrs. HB. That would be so hard to go public with your choices. Keep up the great work!
Tammy says
I am loving this “series”! I kept checking back yesterday to see when this post would be published.
I am sure that we all have something in our lives that would be embarrassing to share on such a large platform, so I truly applaud you, Mrs. HB for opening up this part of your life like this! And by doing so, it sounds like you are encouraging and inspiring a lot others!!!
Cash only is great! When the cash is gone it’s hard to spend! 🙂
I’m trying to get better at meal planning! I have been going to the grocery store without a plan in place, and I know I spend more money doing it this way. So this week I made a menu plan! I tried to keep it more realistic too! That’s my downfall, making grand plans and then not following through! (Which is just about as bad as NO plan!)
Jill says
Your doing great! We recently cut back on eating out because I’m trying to drop a few lbs and I was surprised at how much less we pent over the course of a month. Motivation for sure! Plus I dropped the 5 pound holiday gain. 🙂
As far as razors go, I have very little hair and just tweeze my legs. I literally have about 20 per leg. lol
Suzanne says
I’m with you on the razors. Before the fancier ones became common at the grocery stores I was always cutting myself. I cut my ankle so bad in college one time I was sure I was going to pass out and die in the shower. Ever since I started using Venus razors I almost never cut myself. I do cringe every time I buy them, but that is one area where I am not willing to skimp on quality for cost.
Lauralli says
Love all the saving that you’re doing and the whole mind shift. I’ve learned to be frugal over time due to necessity. Wish I had had someone to guide me in the process. This blog is still teaching me new things though!
But, you can’t show all this great food and not have recipe links……please share! And, why do I think the muffins in the fancy brown “tulip” paper cups are probably much tastier than the others? Talk about a mind thing!!
Karin says
I’m really enjoying the posts on your progress Mrs HB. You have lots of people cheering you on!
Shell says
Is this just a family of four. That’s an enormous amount of food in those skillets. I guess she is freezing part of it for later.