So far this month has been the most frugal month I had since September. I spent 56% of the monthly income, and my monthly expense target is 60-65%. These are the frugal things I did in December to save money and time.
1) Cooked almost every meal at home, except one restaurant lunch with a friend.
2) Cooked extra for multiple meals.
3) All greens and fresh herbs for meals came from the backyard.
4) Baked three loaves of gluten free bread.
5) Used the electric pressure cooker more to save both time and money. I just learned that you can use frozen chicken directly in the pressure cooker, without thawing.
6) Cooked dried chickpeas without buying canned ones. Used the pressure cooker.
7) Made a small batch of curry powder from scratch. I made this to test the recipe and will make a larger batch later.
8) Made a pot of soup from soft and wilted vegetables and cleaned out the fridge.
9) Received a cabbage from a colleague and gave him homegrown mustard greens.
10) Used homemade laundry liquid.
11) Air dried almost all clothes. I did use the dryer for a pair of jeans and bed sheets.
12) Cleaned the electric tea kettle with vinegar.
13) Used vinegar as a hair conditioner.
14) Gave homemade soap, bunches of homegrown greens and potted plants as hostess gifts.
15) Bought yarn from a thrift store for a future knitting project.
16) Bought two sweaters (one Cashmere) from a thrift store, $4/each.
17) Winter break and therefore less driving helped saving gas.
18) Used less central heating by wearing layers of clothes and using a small space heater in the bedroom.
19) Composted vegetable scraps, used tea leaves and coffee grounds, and weeds from the garden.
20) Used water saved from washing vegetables to water indoor plants.
21) Replaced the 8 year old slow phone with a new one, and saved $50 by using a warehouse discount. Also applied for another $50 mail in rebate.
22) Applied extra $250 towards the mortgage.
23) Called the internet provider and asked for a better rate. Received a lower rate, saving $15/month for one year.
24) Sold a book on Amazon.
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| Homemade curry powder. |
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| Mustard greens. |
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| Chicken made in the pressure cooker. |
XX
Nil
Nicely done Nil. In speaking of electric, I was once asked if all the little things really mattered. (Well of course they do.) Your list above shows that even though there might not be one giant thing you did to reduce spending, all the small things add up. 56%! You rock!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lady Locust. :)
DeleteYes, I too believe every little thing helps when it comes to saving money.
What an impressive list, you really are frugal, I am just the same.
ReplyDeleteYou are one of the most frugal people I know Marlene. I wish I could find deals like you do. :)
DeleteWow, you did great! Definitely, all those little things you did added up to big savings! Hm, I had a fairly expensive month, but, everything was budgeted for, so, I think it was OK. I, too, bought dried chickpeas to cook, and I made some of the Christmas gifts I gave at home and took advantage of holiday sales for others. I anticipate January to be a fairly frugal month for me.
ReplyDeleteI too bought several of Christmas gifts in addition to homemade ones, Bless. I think it's fine as long as we budget for them. :)
DeleteCongratulations on your frugal December. Mine was neither frugal nor extravagant. It was a neutral month, spending what I normally do during the holidays with the exception of entertaining. We had 2 sons get married in November, so it was our killer and insanely busy month. We claimed this Christmas as a holiday for relaxing and recuperating .
ReplyDeleteThanks Anne.
DeleteWow, having 2 weddings in one month makes it both very busy and expensive. I'm glad you had a relaxing Christmas. :)
And congratulations to your sons!
I love to hear about your frugal ways and savings Nil. I sort of nod along saying 'oh yes, did that, that too ' etc. I've been using veg from the garden a lot.......greens, beans, cucumbers and tomatoes, I made most of my Christmas gifts, and am making a quilt from op shop shirts.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to read about your op shop shirt quilt, Nanette.
DeleteI'm still cutting shirts to make mine. At this rate I think it will take about 10 years to complete it. :)
Wow, your frugal list is impressive! 56 percent is awesome! Of the five books I read this month, four were free (promos or library), and the fifth one was on sale for ninety-nine cents. That's what I did to be frugal this month.
ReplyDeleteLibrary books are the best!
DeleteI hope your book is coming along well, Priscilla. :)
Wow, you had a great list of frugal things for December, Nil. I love that you're getting greens from your back yard at this time of year. Thanks for the reminder about the tea kettle & vinegar. I need to do that too.
ReplyDeleteYes Belinda, homegrown greens save me quite a bit of money. :)
DeleteI do most of the same things you do, Nil. I have been turning on the heat in the morning, but I also wear layers of flannel, wool, and alpaca. You got an excellent deal on that cashmere sweater! They are gold. I have a few that I bought on clearance at TJMaxx. They are twenty years old, but I still wear them. I have mended the tiny holes.
ReplyDeleteI've been checking TJMaxx for Cashmere sweaters, Stephenie. I rarely see them and most of the time either the size is not right, or I don't like the style or the color. You were lucky to find Cashmere sweaters on clearance. :)
DeleteAll great savings, Nil and every little helps. It all adds up. X
ReplyDeleteThanks Jules. :)
DeleteYou have done some impressive cost savings, Nil, and procided us with many good ways to do the same. I agree with the savings available at thrift stores for not only clothes but other items and I have found great book bargains there. We live in an apt now so drying clothes outdoors and growing veggies isn’t possible now, but as former homeowners we did the same as you. We do keep the heat setting low and sometimes do not have it on at all, but wear layers as you stated too. Calling service providers and asking for a better rate is always a good thing as we recently did the same with our auto insurance and cell phone service. Thanks for your comments on our blog this year. Looking forward to a Happy New Year for all and hope yours will continue to be productive and frugal.
ReplyDeleteThank you Beatrice.
DeleteI wish you and Grenville a happy 2019!
What a wonderful frugal list you had for December, Nil.
ReplyDeleteYou should feel good when you look back over the month and see the small and big ways you managed to save money by living exactly the life you want.
A writer of another blog once used the term "small economies" for all the little things we all do that add up to larger savings.
I also think they build a psychological foundation that add to a feeling of a safe and secure existence.
Debra
You are so right, Debra. I'm very debt averse. So it's very important to me to save money before buying anything. Every little thing helps.
DeleteWhat an inspiring list, Nil! Your mustard greens look really healthy. There's not much coming out of my Summer garden, anything that gets near picking gets gobbled up by other hungry creatures. Sigh! I am busy getting ready to return to teaching part-time so I have found it a less than frugal time as far as work expenses go - I am teaching an age range that is new for me - and I have had to buy some resources. We did have a frugal Xmas though with homemade food and many little handmade gifts to give. Great bargain on your cashmere sweater, I am going op-shopping next week and hope to find a few bargains for work clothes. Meg Xx
ReplyDeleteI hope you will find good bargains Meg.
DeleteAll the best with your new job. :)
Wisps of Words was here....
ReplyDeleteHi Wisps of Words!
DeleteA very impressive list and savings. The little things can add up to significant savings. We haven't turned the heat on in almost 20 years. Luckily this is a very temperate area! It is pretty chilly in the house most of the day, but we have plenty of afghans to wrap up in when sitting down. And we wear lots of layers. Afternoons in the sunshine are so much more enjoyable as you thaw out from being in the house! Our December was neutral-met the budget.
ReplyDeleteWow, not using heat for 20 years is very impressive Anita. I am used to warmer weather, so I feel cold very quickly. :)
DeleteVery good list! The chicken looks delicious. Happy New Year! Andrea
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Andrea!
DeleteThat's an impressive saving Nil. I have not been frugal at all this month but not extravagant either, unless I am counting Christmas gifts for a few loved ones. I used to have an excel spreadsheet for all our expenses and I have wondered if giving this up was a wise idea. Probably not, we earn more than ever but seem to have less at the end of the month, sigh. Happy New Year to you and your loved ones xx
ReplyDeleteI have been tracking expenses for a long time now, Christina. At first I used a little book, and now I use an Excel spreadsheet. Seeing the total number can make a difference. When I have an expensive month, it makes me want to cut down expenses next month.
DeleteHappy New Year to you and your family!