Weekly Savings & Super Savings Mode

Now that we have started construction on our new home, W and I have agreed to go into super savings mode.   We are getting a very modest amount of fun money which we will use for any personal wants.  Any other purchases much be a need.  If we can make do without buying something, we will.  The less money we have to borrow to finish the house, the better.

Monday we ran errands but decided to eat at home.  We stretched our Monday evening meal into lunch on Tuesday.

I have started paying for things with cash when possible.  I am keeping the change from cash purchases and putting that into a jar.  This extra money will go straight toward the new house.  I added the nickel that came in a junk mail envelope to the change jar.  If every penny counts, the a nickel counts even more.

I started a grocery list but then trashed it.  My mom was going to the store so I just asked her to pick up a bag of salad mix (on sale plus I had a coupon).  She had no trouble sticking to my one item list.

W requested sandwiches as light lunch meals this week.  I was tempted by the on sale deli meat from the grocery store.  Instead I baked a turkey breast from the freezer.  We ate sandwiches for several meals.  I made turkey and cheese pocket sandwiches for the freezer with the remainder of the turkey.

The sub-contractor used a roll of twine left from another job.  I put up the roll of twine that we had purchased.  If it does not get used this week, I will return it to the store for a credit.

The weather has been cool enough that we have not needed the air conditioner.  I have opened the windows to let in some fresh air.  This will add up to a savings on our electric bill.

I scaled back our Christmas card list.  I am making all of our cards with basic materials and will hand deliver any local cards to save on postage.  I will be mailing cards mainly to people I write letters to anyway.

I froze some bananas that were mushy.  Next week I plan to use those and some frozen blueberries to make banana blueberry muffins.  W will not eat them, but this will be an easy breakfast or snack for me.

Looking at the construction in the side yard makes it very easy to say no to any extra purchases.