Dear friends,
We’re fifty percent in on the January Money Diet as of this weekend. Congratulations! For the next 16 days, we’ll stick together and encourage each other to finish the challenge STRONG.
We can accomplish such good things with our money this month, if we all hang in there and persevere.
Win a Starbucks Gift Card
Have you especially enjoyed any of the challenges?
If you to do a mid-month “weigh in” and share what you’ve been doing to save this month, you’ll be automatically entered to win a $25 USD Starbucks gift card.
To be automatically entered, leave a progress report in the Comments section of this post or the Money Diet Community Facebook Group with your results so far in the January Money Diet.
Be sure to post your comment by Monday 1/17/22 at midnight MST. I’ll do a random drawing next Tuesday, Jan. 18, and choose a lucky winner for the gift card.
Okay, I’ll go first. Here’s my mid-month check-in:
Our Family’s Progress
We’ve done well with sticking to the diet. My son enjoys helping me with meal planning and likes knowing what dinner will be each night.
Decluttering the pantry helped me find a bunch of ingredients so that I could make meals with what we already had on hand.
I’ve collected 20 items so far to give away, so I need 11 more!
I calculated our net worth on January 1 (I do this every month now), and despite the weird year we exceeded our net worth goal for last year. I set a new goal for this year, and specifically plan to save more in my Roth IRA this year.
We’ve been fairly obsessive about saving energy, turning off lights, keeping unused appliances and electronics unplugged, and turning the heat down a couple extra degrees at night.
I made homemade chicken stock this week with leftover chicken and veggies. To earn extra cash, I plan to sell a few things on NextDoor.com this month.
How About You?
Congratulations on reaching the halfway mark! Check in by leaving a comment in the Comments section of this post or the Money Diet Community Facebook Group and let us know how you’re doing so far on the January Money Diet.
Best always,
Enjoying the money diet, always trying to do better though! Decluttered the prime living space and feels so much better! More to go!
The primary thing I have stuck with this month is not buying anything other than necessities. It has been relatively easy, but I have definitely had to remind myself of it.
I know even if I think I live small can I can do better. So far this month is teaching me to live out of my pantry more and write down things that I think I need. If at the end of the month I still think I need them maybe I will buy them maybe. I want land so much and I have to pay for it not mortgage it, I don’t want to be a slave to the bank monthly for it so I am doing without to save more. I need to find a way to make some money towards that purpose, I know it will happen but I must work hard and do without if I want it to happen,God bless
Decluttered half my bedroom. Working on the other half to create the peaceful haven that it ought to be. Doing this by shopping the rest of the house and NOT making any new purchases.
Working on hotspots – kitchen table, countertops, living room coffee table. Didn’t spend any money other than groceries with one exception – my foster dog! Decided to adopt him (why, Lord, why???) and took him for his first vet checkup – $424 later and a promise of future problems with the male of the species, especially the older male (why do some people not neuter their animals???)
We have been saving and investing in dividend stocks or high interest accounts. We always look for sales and only buy items that we need! So far, so good!
Working on my garden design now. I got seeds for Christmas. It was all I needed. I am trying to see where I am going to put the new raised bed ( already have what I need for it ) I am hoping this will be a better garden season. Groundhog destroyed my garden last year. Live in a city so not allowed electric fences that would help. Thank God he provided tomatoes the year before but I had no broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and most of my cabbages. This will be a better year.
Decluttered a few spaces, most noticeably the laundry room. So much randomness in there! Donated 3 giant bags of clothes, decor, Christmas stuff, shoes and kitchenware. Felt really good to see it go! For the nesting project, we rearranged our gym room to include a couch and tv for the older kids to play video games when we have visitors. A much better use of the space and a win-win for everyone! Also have been “shopping” at home and getting creative with ingredients to use up everything we’ve accumulated. Did have to toss a few freezer burnt items but better safe than sorry! Using the Every Dollar app helps us to stay in budget and we have new, big goals for 2020 that are going to require discipline! Also, taught my 10 year old about a RothIRA and now we are opening one for her with her pet sitting income. Changing our family tree! Well wishes to everyone for a successful January Diet!
another day and working on the pantry. Besides cleaning and organizing it I am listing what I have in there. I really hate waste and haven’t had any in 3 month since I started the two day on in the fridge then freeze. I had things on the shelves that are way to old and I bet I am not the only one. Check your shelves folks. Use by date can go a little over but not by years. Hoping everyone is learning something this month. Saving is done many ways.
Saving is done many ways. I am trying now to go thru item I own and sell what I can. Why keep it if it is just collecting dust monsters.
What a year already! Working on decluttering, donating boxes to our local Salvation Army. Working as much extra as possible, keeps me on track with no spending and plugging away at lowering payments. Thank you for all the great tips so far! We can do this!!
Mid month check-in:
Meal planning and eating out of our pantry and freezer. Making meals I haven’t in awhile like beef stew and pasta with olive oil, tomato, and white wine sauce. Trying to watch how much I put on my plate. Not let food go to waste. The fresh garlic I used for the stew, I also used some in the sauce and then made some guacamole and put garlic in that. Having lovely leftovers for lunch!
Cleaning out closets and donating things not used. Also, sold some things.
Spending time with my kids home from college. Baking cookies, going on walks, playing board games.
Having some time to self. Taking baths with homemade bath salts, going on walks, and reading some library books with a hot cup of tea. I’ve also started to write in a gratitude journal that my daughter gave me for Christmas. Feel very blessed!