I need to update since it is now November 1. We have done really well with our spending. We had a number of days that we did not spend anything and just made do with what we had in the house. We did go to Sam's Club and Aldi after our church yard sale and we had to get diapers, and a few things like that. Nothing major, but it did add up. Overall, we have not scrounged for food in dumpsters, or had to ask for free food somewhere. Although we ate out 3 times, but one was a DATE!!!
It has been a lesson to me in that while I am normally very frugal, there is so much that I could do without and still lead a fairly productive life. Do I really need disposable diapers, paper towels, paper plates, Clorox Wipes? Not really. Do I like and use them. Yes. Am I really frugal if I use them? These are questions that I mull on my way back and forth to work. I have come to the conclusion that if I needed to I could cut our budget even further by knocking out all paper products except toilet paper. I love the idea of green homesteading in theory, but in reality, I have a finite amount of time, and personally, I would rather not spend it doing laundry and cleaning house. I like to expedite those tasks as much as possible and see no reason to make it take longer than normal.
We still have food in the freezer, probably another months worth. What can I cut in the future? Well, while I love to stockpile, without a menu ready, grocery shopping is somewhat of a free-for-all and I would rather approach grocery shopping purposefully. I am cutting back in the stockpiling area, especially for frozen foods, so that I have room for my freezer meals for the month and for bread, etc. I am cutting back on the canned foods, since they contain too much sodium and sugar generally and I hardly use them. I am finding that I'm saving more money on groceries by cooking ahead and having fresh milk, veggies and fruits available to use.
I have been debating using coupons. Quite frankly, I don't seem to find the great deals down here that some people are finding and I really don't want to go to all the different stores and do all the little rebates. I get the extra bucks at CVS, but I really do not have anything to spend them on and then they are wasted. I don't have the time that a stay at home mom does to organize them, and go to different stores. I want my evenings mainly free from shopping. I would rather spend time with my child and husband.
So yes, I have learned alot this past month. I learned that I don't like being accountable to my blog for what I spend. I learned where I can cut back and I have learned how to be content. With what I saved on not shopping, I was able to put all of that money towards car insurance and that is paid for the next six months. That is one more thing I will not have to worry about paying this winter when the heating bills are higher.
