Search Results for: no spend april

My goals for 2017

Get 7- 8 Hours of Sleep Each Night

For 6 days in a row I did a horrible job of getting 7-8 hours of sleep. But then on Saturday, Lucy and I slept in until 8 am and it was wonderful. That dog, she is the BEST snuggle buddy on the planet.

Make Saving a Priority, Not an Idea

When we paid our mortgage payment for September we made an additional 5 principal payments towards our mortgage. Also, the HH cut his own hair this week and the HH and Monkey Boy watched some sort of race on Monkey Boy’s phone.

Also, I’ve decided that I am going to buy Monkey Boy a Wahl Hair Trimming Kit for Christmas. I figure he’s one you tube video away from saving some serious money.

Live a little

In addition to going to afternoon tea on Thursday, I picked up a new {to me} tv stand at the St. Vincent DePaul store in Port Orchard, Washington for $18. {I also ran into OHAM reader Michelle. Hi Michelle!!} I HAVE to do a post on that store. You won’t believe the prices.

Anywho, I don’t actually need a tv stand but I wanted one for staging purposes for the front room {where Lucy’s brown I can see everything that is going on outside because I am Gladys Kravitz couch is}. I was looking for exactly this type of tv stand. We don’t actually use that room, but a normal family probably would and so I need to make it look “inviting” so someone else can imagine themselves using that room. How is that for the absurdity of living in suburbia? Whateva.

Now all I need to do is paint it to match the coffee table in the room and that room is good to go.

Also, I spent $2 on candy at the dollar store. Seriously, have you tried Mary Jane candies? If you like peanut butter, they are freakin’ awesome. You need to find yourself some. I’d pass on that particular brand of black licorice though. It kind of tasted waxy to me.

Visit 52 REAL Bakeries

So. The Girl and I are EXTREMELY excited about the “bakery” we are going to visit this week. Basically getting there and back will be an all day affair and I really hope it lives up the all the hype. Or at least what I imagine it will be in my mind. Stay tuned!

Have 1 “no spend” week each month

Fred Meyer has the 2 pound blocks of Tillamook cheese on sale this week for $4.99 {and I can’t imagine the price going any lower this year} so I’m going to save my “no spend week” for the end of the month. Tillamook, Beacher’s and Dubliner are my favorite brands of cheese and I always try and stock up when I can.

Start a Line of Rug Hooking Patterns

I have 8 rug hooking patterns listed in my Etsy shop, 5 more completed rugs that I need to get patterns printed up for so I can get them listed, and 3 more drawn out but not completed. I’ll get them done, sooner or later.

Turn My Wool Stash into $2,500.

It was another great week and I ended up selling $516.89 worth of goodness in my Etsy shop and Ebay store which brings my total to $7957.01 for the year. Last year I ended up selling $6912.41 worth of my hooked rugs in my Etsy and Ebay stores so I am really pleased with how well I’ve done so far this year. I plan on making at least one more table runner and a couple more pumpkin heads this month.

Purge 250 Items Including Selling Larger Items We No Longer Feel We Need Mission Accomplished

So far this year we’ve purged 264 items. I tried to donate my son’s boots to the thrift store but they threw them in the trash. So now I am going to put some laces in them and see if the men’s shelter in Tacoma wants them.

Learn to Crochet Mission Accomplished

Dote on My Husband Even More Than I Do Now.

So, this is kind of funny. The HH wants to cook AGAIN for the third Sunday in a row. Can you believe that? What’s going on? Honestly, I have no idea. Maybe this year will end with him doting on me! 😉

Lose the Muffin Top. {again} Mission Accomplished

Wear out {most of} the clothing I already own.

Although I am working hard at wearing out the clothing I already own, I am trying to pick up classic things I know I’ll be able to wear over the next few years when I come across them at yard sales of thrift stores. Fashion is not my thing, but I know what I like {which is almost always a solid color}. But when it comes to shoes, I get stuck.

What shoes would you wear with this Black Prana Sweater Dress {that I bought for $5!}. I want to wear it with tights. I have a feeling tights are going to be my new thing. Right now, all I have is a pair of grey tights, but I’m on the lookout for a black pair and some funky patterned ones {anyone know of some good tight brands?}

Anywho… Would you wear this dress with Mary Jane’s or brown boots? I’m kind of thinking the Mary Jane’s. What do YOU think?

Try 52 New Recipes

This past week the HH tried out a Fried Cabbage and Bacon recipe, Mrs. HB and I made some insanely delicious savory scones {I’ll post the recipe on Tuesday and my husband, get this, is going to make YET ANOTHER new dish today. Beef and Broccoli if I’m remembering correctly.

Read 52 Books

Next up on my list is a Debbie Macomber book. Hoopla Digital {free through my library} has 19 of them available. I had never heard of her until we went to her tea house last week. If you are a fan of hers, which one should I read {or rather listen to} first?

Give Back to 12 Different Organizations in My Community

The Boy Scouts were out in full force at the grocery store this weekend selling popcorn. I don’t know about you, but I cannot turn down a Boy or Girl scout selling something. FYI the smallest tin of caramel corn will cost you $10. 😉

January – Donated to Quilts from the Heart in Memory of my brother.
February – Donated to Empty Bowls Fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club.
March – Donated to my daughter’s mentor who was in a horrible car accident.
April – Donated again to my daughter’s mentor who was in a horrible car accident.
May – $100 Tip to a waitress on Mother’s day.
June – Started collecting men’s shirts to donate this winter.
July – Donated to the Chew Dog Rescue
August – Donated to the Houston Flood Relief Fund
September – $100 Tip to our amazing server at The Grey House and bought a tin of caramel corn from a Boy Scout

And then, there’s those top secret goals we’re not talking about yet.

• Secret Goal #1 Sell East Coast House Mission Accomplished
• Secret Goal #2 Chickens! Mission Accomplished
• Secret Goal #3
• Secret Goal #4

How about YOU? Did you set any goals for 2017? How are they coming along?

~Mavis

Read About My 2017 Goals HERE.

My goals for 2017

Get 7- 8 Hours of Sleep Each Night

As I type this it is 3:17 am and I have not been to bed yet. I didn’t mean to stay up all night and well into the wee morning hours it just kind of happened. I blame Pinterest, Wikipedia, Instagram and the news. Gaaa. All nighters are fun until that wave of tiredness hits you and you just want to roll off your chair and sleep on the floor.

But then you remember that you’ve seen 2 giant spiders on the floor this past week and you are afraid to actually sleep on the floor let alone walk barefoot in the house. If there are typos in this post this is me apologizing in advance. 🙂

Make Saving a Priority, Not an Idea

We paid our mortgage payment for September and when we did we were able to make an additional 5 principal payments towards or mortgage. We have lived in this house just under three years and in that time we have paid down an additional 15 years off of our mortgage. How crazy is that? I’d like to see it get to 10 years by the end of the year but that would mean an additional 7 principal payments each month for the next three months and I just don’t think we could swing that. But hey, even if we get close, I’d be thrilled.

Do you listen to Dave Ramsey? I love listening to his podcasts while we are driving and well, one of the things he has says is that when people really get serious and about paying down their mortgage, “It takes the average family five to seven years to pay their home off early. This journey to debt freedom is a marathon. Stay focused and intense, and keep a steady pace.”

I would have never believed that unless we started this crazy goal after we finished all the remodel projects on this house. But you know what? It’s totally true. If we continued at this pace, we’d have our home paid off in about 2 years. I won’t last that long here, but in theory, I’d say the 5-7 year rule is spot on.

Seriously. What are you waiting for? Every little bit counts.

Live a little

I went Costco shopping with Mrs. HB… during sample time. I didn’t buy anything worth mentioning, but still, I got out of the neighborhood for the first time on 10 days, so that was exciting. Also, I’m thinking about getting some new gardening threads for when I work in the front yard. What do you think… THIS OUTFIT or this one?

Visit 52 REAL Bakeries

The Girl and I were thinking about going to Crater Lake in Oregon but so many of you mentioned the forest fires that now we are going to hold off. Luckily, I have a vacation planned in the near future and some new bakeries to try out so I’ll be able to add a few more bakeries to my list.

Have 1 “no spend” week each month

Well it won’t be this week or next week so maybe the 3rd or 4th week in September?

Start a Line of Rug Hooking Patterns

I have 8 rug hooking patterns listed in my Etsy shop, 5 more completed rugs that I need to get patterns printed up for so I can get them listed, and 3 more drawn out but not completed. I’ll get them done, sooner or later.

Turn My Wool Stash into $2500 Mission Accomplished

It was a crazy good week and I ended up selling $875.32 worth of goodness in my Etsy shop and Ebay store which brings my total to $7440.12 for the year. Hot dog! Last year I ended up selling $6912.41 worth of my hooked rugs in my Etsy and Ebay stores so I am really pleased with how well I’ve done so far this year.  Maybe I’ll be able to hit $8,000 by the end of the year!? Who knows.

Purge 250 Items Including Selling Larger Items We No Longer Feel We Need Mission Accomplished 

So far this year we’ve purged 262 items. And you know what? I don’t think we have anything left to get rid of. How weird is that?

Learn to Crochet Mission Accomplished

Dote on My Husband Even More Than I Do Now.

Working on it.

Lose the Muffin Top. {again}

I seriously don’t understand people who pay good money to get in their car, buy special clothes and PAY to workout at a gym. Gardening, I’m telling you, it’s the best exercise on the planet. And you know what? It’s free!

Speaking of gardening, my lawn smells like a cow pasture. The Girl and I spread about 2 yards of Tagro on the front lawn yesterday and today we are going to try and get the other 3 yards safely in the back. We were laughing so hard yesterday {because of the smell} I had tears in my eyes. Seriously, it’s so bad right now it’s beyond funny. It’s like gasping for air, making weird noises and falling on the floor funny. Well, at least to us it is anyway.

When the HH came home from work he was FLIPPING OUT and told me NEVER to order that stuff again. I almost peed my pants. And then he went out to the garage to take off his shoes and like 10 seconds later I heard the sprinklers going. And then I was like YOU KNOW, water is just going to make it WORSE!!!! And then he said a bunch of words that have four letters in them and said he can’t even go outside this weekend because he’s so embarrassed. And I was like, OH PLEASE. You don’t even go outside as it is now.

Whateva.

Wear out {most of} the clothing I already own.

I’m working hard on wearing out the shirts I already own so next year I can start on this stack of 8 black tees and 3 grey ones I set aside at the beginning of this year {they were all practically like new}.

Try 52 New Recipes

Mrs. HB and I got together and tried out a new chili recipe. I’ll get it posted soon.

Read 52 Books

I went to go download Working Stiff on audiobook but my library’s daily limit was reached yesterday by around 1pm. Luckily I was able to request it this morning because apparently no one is reserving books online at 3am.

Give Back to 12 Different Organizations in My Community

January – Donated to Quilts from the Heart in Memory of my brother.
February – Donated to Empty Bowls Fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club.
March – Donated to my daughter’s mentor who was in a horrible car accident.
April – Donated again to my daughter’s mentor who was in a horrible car accident.
May – $100 Tip to a waitress on Mother’s day.
June – Started collecting men’s shirts to donate this winter.
July – Chew Dog Rescue
August – Donated to the Houston Flood Relief Fund

And then, there’s those top secret goals we’re not talking about yet.

• Secret Goal #1 Sell East Coast House Mission Accomplished
• Secret Goal #2 Chickens! Mission Accomplished
• Secret Goal #3
• Secret Goal #4

How about YOU? Did you set any goals for 2017? How are they coming along?

~Mavis

Read About My 2017 Goals HERE.

My goals for 2017

Get 7- 8 Hours of Sleep Each Night

Lucy and I snuggled yesterday morning until 8:30 am and then spent the rest of the day playing in the yard and cleaning out the garage with The Girl. Sleep is cool. Especially when you know you can sleep in and not have to go anywhere the next day.

Make Saving a Priority, Not an Idea

So this is kind of funny. Apparently last night there was a big fight on tv and people were paying $100 to watch it on cable. The HH was invited over to a co-workers house to watch it but didn’t go. Since we don’t have cable {and HELLO, would have no interest in paying $100 to watch a fight on tv} he popped on youtube to “watch” it for free. Well, kind of.

Apparently there was a you tube channel with a bunch of guys watching the fight on tv and doing a live stream of them watching the fight and giving commentary {think old school and having to listen to the radio type of thing}. Anywho, about halfway through that someone streamed themselves watching the fight on their tv {so the fight was actually live on you tube} but it got shut down after a few minutes. Whateva. After it was over I asked the HH if he was glad he didn’t spend $100 to watch the fight and he said yes. 😉

So see, cable…. who needs it?

Other things I’ve done this month to save money:

• Reduced our energy bill over last years by 20% thanks in part to not turning on the A/C
• Booked airline tickets for the kids using a Buy 1 Get 1 for $99 Companion fare ticket on Alaska Airlines
• We decided to stay in and make dinner instead of going out for our anniversary
• Re-stained patio furniture to make it last longer.
• The HH and I gave each other haircuts
• I used gift cards to buy groceries
• Paid an extra 4 {really, closer to 5} principal payments on the mortgage for August
• I called Comcast out on overcharging me on my internet bill and ended up getting my bill reduced by $15 a month.
• Ate yummy stuff out of the garden instead of buying produce at the grocery store.
• I redeemed 2200 Swagbucks for a $25 gift card to Amazon.
• Listened to audiobooks via the HooplaDigital app {free through my local library}
• I’ve been staying home more {lot’s more actually} and in turn have reduced the amount of money I spend on every day stuff, as well as gasoline and wear and tear on my good clothes and shoes.

Live a little

I bought 2 new bras. Yee- Haw! If that’s not living, I don’t know what is.

Visit 52 REAL Bakeries

The Girl and I are thinking about driving down to Crater Lake. Anyone know of any good bakeries between Olympia, Wa and Crater Lake National Park in Oregon?

Have 1 “no spend” week each month

My no spend week for August was the second week of the month when I used all those gift cards.

Start a Line of Rug Hooking Patterns

I have 8 rug hooking patterns listed in my Etsy shop, 5 more completed rugs that I need to get patterns printed up for so I can get them listed, and 3 more drawn out but not completed. I’ll get them done, sooner or later.

Turn My Wool Stash into $2,500.

It was another fruitful week and I ended up I selling $184.48 worth of goodness in my Etsy shop and Ebay store which brings my total to $6564.80 for the year. I’ve been crazy busy around here with other projects so I haven’t been able to devote as much time as I would have liked to rug hooking this summer. But hey, I’m over my goal for the year and seriously, $6500 isn’t too shabby.

Purge 250 Items Including Selling Larger Items We No Longer Feel We Need Mission Accomplished

Finally!!! I was able to knock this goal off my list this past week. Yesterday The Girl and I cleaned out the garage and found a few more things to donate. Those items brought our total to 262 items purged this year and let me tell you Bob, it feels good to be done. I’m telling you, LESS is MORE. It feels good to be down to just the necessities.

Learn to Crochet Mission Accomplished

Dote on My Husband Even More Than I Do Now.

23 years ago the HH and I were married on this very day! If you tack on the two years we dated that means we’ve spent more than half of our lives together. How crazy is that? 8 moves, 2 kids, 25+ chickens and 1 dog later we’re still here. Seriously, I think it’s crazy cool. Marriage is hard people, so much give and take, but I can’t imagine doing this with anyone else. We’re a good team, the HH and I, and I’m sooooo looking forward to the next chapter of our story together. SO. LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. 😉

Lose the Muffin Top. {again} Mission Accomplished

See ya later… Sista.

Wear out {most of} the clothing I already own.

I only left the neighborhood once this week {to go grocery shopping} so it was pretty much old painting clothes and running shorts this past week.

Try 52 New Recipes

I posted a recipe for Naan Bread earlier this week and today we are going to try and make flat bread. I spied a recipe in the latest issue of Martha Stewart Living and it looked pretty tasty so I’m going to give it a try. I like the idea of the smaller portion size and the flatbread having less cheese than a pizza. Have you made flatbread before? Any tips?

Read 52 Books Mission Accomplished

Last night I started Full Steam Ahead: How The Railways Made Britain by Peter Ginn and Ruth Goodman. I liked Ruth’s book  How To Be a Tudor: A Dawn-to-Dusk Guide to Tudor Life and am now on a all things British kick.

Give Back to 12 Different Organizations in My Community

January – Donated to Quilts from the Heart in Memory of my brother.
February – Donated to Empty Bowls Fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club.
March – Donated to my daughter’s mentor who was in a horrible car accident.
April – Donated again to my daughter’s mentor who was in a horrible car accident.
May – $100 Tip to a waitress on Mother’s day.
June – Started collecting men’s shirts to donate this winter.
July – Chew Dog Rescue

And then, there’s those top secret goals we’re not talking about yet.

• Secret Goal #1 Sell East Coast House Mission Accomplished
• Secret Goal #2 Chickens! Mission Accomplished
• Secret Goal #3
• Secret Goal #4

How about YOU? Did you set any goals for 2017? How are they coming along?

~Mavis

Read About My 2017 Goals HERE.