DAY 18

Lizzy - Just about messed it up today. I was at Sams Club getting some baby food and Gracie was really thirsty. I walked right past a large box of those Capri sun drinks and put one in the cart. It wasn't until we got up to the check stand that I realized that was a complete impulse buy. 

We have 2 frozen juice cans in the freezer at home and realized I didn't need to buy it. She could just wait till we got home. She was whining then asked for one of those cups for the snack bar that is right at the check out. I felt bad she was so thirsty so we looked for a fountain but could not see one. The whining just got under my skin but I wasn't going to ruin this so we got in the car and I drove home as fast as I could ignoring the tantrum she was throwing and the minute I pulled in I raced to the fridge and got her cup of milk (I still have to wait for the juice to thaw). But right there I saved myself the 7.99 large pack of drinks and bypassed the fountain drinks at the checkout. Which I think were only $0.89. Very frustrating moment but its over and shes forgotten about it and I have that much more back in my wallet.!!

Ryan - I forgot my lunch for week (pasta). At first I thought, "great, I'm going to starve today" and my mind started scattering for ideas and then I remembered I still had lunch meat and bread left over from last week. Saved!!!!


TIP: Make sure to pack your car with bottled water and some kind of snack/food item that will last. Having those on hand are good not only if you get into a huge emergency and need those but also for the little outings during the day and someone needs to eat or drink. It will save you time and money to grab something out of your trunk than to drive through someplace or run into the store. 






$ IN POCKET: 
Item wanted: Case of Drinks

COST: $7.99

YTD TOTAL: $263.06

DAY 17

Lizzy - Last night was a blast. Our friend Jodi graduated from the University (wahoo!! way to go girl!!)  They had us all over for the party. So free dinner even though I feel bad we didn't bring anything:( But there was plenty. The band was fantastic. I've never actually heard Mitch play in all these years and they were great! I even got Ryan up dancing. Its a good thing I never met him in a club (lol...j/k ry....kind of ).  IT was a late night but fun. Heber our nephew had his Mission Homecoming today. So we spent the afternoon visiting with family and friends and had an amazing lunch! The cook at Ruby's Diner up the canyon lives down the street and is always cooking up some ribs and pulled pork. We also drove out to Toole to take some family

pictures. There are actually some really pretty spots. We would have gone out to the lake but it smelled SO bad so we stuck with the county look. Ginny made a wonderful dinner and we just visited. So a very full day but still no spending:)




Ryan - I hope everyone appreciates my music I added to the player. It's nice to add some cult classics to the our list. Last night was fun. I did feel bad we didn't bring food or desert. This is where it's tough, because you don't want to come across as a freeloader, but you don't want to exclude yourself from all the fun stuff going on. Jodi & Mitch are great. In retrospect, we could have come up with some creative dish  from what we had around the house. And actually, I don't know if we would have broken any of our guidelines/rules by spending money for this party, because we were provided food there at no cost, and ours would have contributed to the meal for the night. So when you look at it, there would have been not extra cost, because we didn't consume our food at home as well. I don't know. I don't want to complicate things either. Your thoughts Lizzy?

DAY 16

Lizzy - Saved a TON on money for groceries this week. Because of smiths $5 off anything coupon plus other mailer coupons and Wincos awesome deals my $100 budget we have every week for food only cost me $62 on top of that my mother was sweet enough to give me $20 because I took her shopping. So not a normal day and yes I DID try to reject the money for those of you thinking I'm now a moocher. And I DO send food over during the week for her so I wasn't going to fight it tooth and nail. But it was very appreciated. So there is  $25 I would have spent today for our grocery shopping.

Ryan - Well I spent $0.50 today for air. It was needed though. I forgot to bring my wheel barrel over to my dad's to fill up the tires for a concrete job. I was tempted to go back to his house, but we needed to beat the weather.  The forecast indicated that rain was expected around noon and I had 4 hours to get the concrete and pour it. I did have my dad go in on the cost for the air ($1.00!!!!!!!!!). I can't believe Chevron charges so much. I makes me want to purchase an adapter for my compressor. I think they are only $5. I'll resist for a year. We have our car tires fixed and so I don't expect to need air for awhile.

$ IN POCKET:

COST: $25

YTD TOTAL: $255.07

DAY 15

Lizzy- Today was another working day and not much else. Ryan did have the truck worked on and although it wasn't fun spending money it had to be fixed for inspections.  What we thought would be an easy deal turned out to be $500+ we have had to put into it. New windshield, new brakes, new tires, etc. YIKES! One good thing is that I was able to fix my flat tire on the car for free thanks to Discount Tire. I love those guys. Every time I go in they are willing to help and get us all drinks and because of the warranty we have things done at no charge. I also was able to get some free protein shakes from a friend. Its money I wanted to spend but never did and when she said she was going to get rid of hers she offered them. So for me it has been a day of free things but for Ryan...he seems to be the one costing me money:)

Ryan - Melissa forgets that she originally bought the truck :). It's been a good truck overall. It needed new brakes. I was bummed that the rear brakes were drums and not pads. I can change pads, but I've never done pads and I don't have the time to figure them out. I'm glad we have all these side jobs coming in.
I spoke with our medical insurance agent and she said we could forgo insurance for 2-month with and still be eligible for continuous coverage. I just have to make sure I get the application in by mid September. So that is a savings of $700+. That should cover the truck. 

DAY 14

Lizzy- Today the kids and I went up to Ryan's work to drop off the truck for inspections. So we had to wait for over and hour and decided to go back to his office. The temptation was this; it was hot, we had no lunch or cold water, we were surrounded by food joints and we had time to waste. OH MAN did we want to just go out to eat or at least get some drinks or ice cream.

Instead we grabbed our water bottles that were sitting in the car nice and warm and snacked on Ryan's chips and lunch meat that he brings to work. So right there I'm sure at least $15 would have been spent today. Its rare that we are together in the afternoon and whenever I have take the whole family up to his work it always results in our going out somewhere. So I think today with the heat and my grumpy kids and my lack of energy it was hard to be positive when I was driving home. My motivation and excitement failed me today:):) But at least we did not give in. And to some it may seem crazy that we spend this much on eating out and drinks but looking back on our tracking sheets over the last two years that was really what we did!! Every time it was always $20 or less so at the time it was just pocket change being spent but it all adds up and quickly.

Ryan - It was a blessing to have my lunch at work. Thank goodness I didn't eat on Monday or else I we wouldn't have had enough for the family. The kids enjoyed playing in the office. Jack was all over the place. And of course he kept going for the blinds. It was fun seeing my family in the middle of the day. Doesn't happen much.  Started a new side job today. Got light-head from the floor stripping solvent.
Lizzy discovered great new side dish (new to us that is) baked veggies mixed with some sauce and sea salt. Very tasty. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes. That's right. Any veggie you want! Incredible! And cheap.

$ IN POCKET:

TODAY'S WANTED ITEM: FOOD/COLD DRINKS

COST: $15 (at least)

YTD TOTAL: $245.07

DAY 13

Lizzy - GREAT NEWS!!! I have looked over our expense sheet for the last year and found that I was filling up on gas for the car every week. There wasn't a week that went by where I didn't fill up even a little. The average came to $32.00 over this year. I have since looked at this months fuel cost and noticed we have made it now over 2.5 weeks without filling up and I still have a 1/4 tank left. So for 2 weeks by cutting back our outings, combining our trips and walking most places we normally drive I have saved myself the average $32 bucks on gas!!! I had the temptation to drive to work only because I am very sore from yesterdays workout and the weather jumped back up to the 90's again. But again....I resisted!:):) Its these small accomplishments that help us keep pushing through. Once you overcome all the little things the bigger things seem easier. 

Ryan -  Talk to a friend and he mentioned our blog in your conversation. He said he's trying to be more cautious with is money now. That was great to hear that our blog has motivated him to change his spending. Today Lizzy and I ran again, this time around my parents block. I ran my mile in 7:28. We are now going to run every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday (if we feel like it). It's been two week now and we are still determined and faithful to our goal. 50 weeks to go.

$ IN POCKET:

TODAY'S WANTED ITEM: Fuel

COST: $32

YTD TOTAL: $230.07

DAY 12

Lizzy - Well never mind a paper shredder. Every time I turn around from the computer Jack has gotten into something and lately its all the receipts I was going through that fell down and he has managed to eat most of them. Oh well I guess thats one good way of fraud protection!!
So we had to fork out some money for a new windshield and then also get the truck inspected and registered. Always a fun month when that comes around. So even though it was spending it was for sure NOT a want but a need.
For savings today I went online to Rocky Mountain Power and signed p for their Cool Keeper program. Its all free including installation. And we get $25 credit towards our bill in the fall not to mention a lower power bill every month. I HIGHLY encourage everyone to go online and read about it and set it up. Its great. So there is $25 we would have spent this year and now saved:)

 Ryan - Well I know whoever is reading this on a regular basis is waiting to find out if I brought my lunch today. Well let's not postpone the suspense. I did!!!!!!! I do need to figure out a different meal next week. I'm getting sick of turkey pastrami and provolone. With bread ($1.50), meat ($4.50), cheese ($4.50), and chips ($2.50), that equals $13.00 for lunch for the business week. I want to try to get that down below $10.00.  I think pasta will take care of the. We'll find out next week how much we spend for my lunches (cliff hanger!)

TIPS:

Check out the Cool Keeper Program with Rocky Mountain Power.

$ IN POCKET:

TODAY'S WANTED ITEM:Cool Keeper program

COST:$0 / ($25 credit to us)

YTD TOTAL: $204.57

DAY 11

Lizzy - Monday's are always a good day to regroup for the week. I had my house somewhat clean and spent the day at work and with the family this evening. Ryan and I walked over the to track and jogged a few laps. It was perfect weather and good quality time. I have to leave for NY in October for a family funeral so its my goal to get in my jogging every day until then! Oh...and No money spent today:)!!

Ryan - I'm excited that I've gone this long without spending needlessly. The fact that Lizzy and I are doing this together, makes it possible to do. We went to the library to get our week of entertainment. Gracie really likes see all the books. It's nice to do something she likes and hopefully it will create a great habit with her as well. I forgot my lunch for so I basically starved until I got home, so another savings of $6.50 for not eating out in that situation.

$ IN POCKET:

TODAY'S WANTED ITEM: lunch

COST: $6.50

YTD TOTAL: $179.57

DAY 10

Lizzy - Enjoyed little Lucy's beautiful baby blessing down in Provo today. What a sweet baby. Then went to visit the in-laws and now just watching movies and resting. Easy low key day and very much needed!

Ryan -  Looks like our hike with Alane is off. I have some "free time" off from work and I've tried to use it to go water skiing (too windy) and now the hike (not available) and each time they fall through. Oh well. I'll just use it for Gracie's pre-school orientation on Aug. 31st. The reason I mention this is that since I'm getting this time off without it affecting my vacation time, I wonder how this incorporates as either income or savings. I would think that I could take my hourly rate and multiply it by 4 hours. Not sure. Any input on how to treat this?

DAY 9

Long day/night! Jack has was awake since 2am screaming and fussy which has been the case for a while now. I know he has been sick lately so we decided to break down and take him to a kids care. At first I thought we would get out of there with just the co-pay and RX but oh no....they wanted an x-ray. At first all I heard was $$$$$$$ but then quickly realized that's not what this was about. And I'm glad I didn't fight it because it wasn't just a little ear infection, they found a spot in his lungs and diagnosed him with pneumonia. Great! So I am glad to have the RX and hopefully he gets better. But now that we are on our own health insurance plan its going to kick us in the bum for hospital visits. It's enough to make me want to stay inside all winter and avoid any illness. So after being up all night we had a yard sale with my family and some neighbors. I made a whopping $6 oh yeah! I only had 3 items to sell anyway so it wasn't too bad:). And of course any day we do our yard sales someone always makes a Slurpee run. And I really wanted to give in to that one today. It got very hot and everyone was thirsty. So instead just got a cup of water. Not as fun of course but it still quenched the thirst. Then another successful grocery shopping day  using coupons and took the family down to Sams Club (where we already had a membership prior). I am going to rave about them only because I find the product and pricing VERY much the same as Costco yet there are NO crowds.  And sample day is incredible. They give you full slices of pizza and ice cream cones all free of course. They just pile you up with food and are happy to do it compared to Costco where your fighting the crowds just to get a little cup. So free lunch for us on Sat's... score!!
Well the house is clean and the yard is getting cleaned up this moment and the evening is ours to relax or walk down to the park. I found some good tips on cleaning my floors. As soon as my swiffer sweeper solution runs out I will have to start using other methods. It really does cost a lot to pay for those pads and solution especially when I read up on the basic methods.

Ryan -  I realized I don't really think much about our finances now that Lizzy is managing the bills.So I struggle with my entries. I have no money to spend (other than fuel for my truck). I do need to schedule my refueling, so that Lizzy can fuel up the truck at Sam's Club. It's a lot cheaper.


TIPS:  
Here are a couple of solutions for your laminate floors: Add two tablespoons of baby shampoo to a gallon of warm water. Use this to mop your floors, rinse with clear water and then dry the floors as quickly as possible. You do not want to leave water standing on laminate flooring as it will seep into the product.

Another solution is one cup of white vinegar mixed with a gallon of warm water. Mop as you would with any other cleaner. No need to rinse.

$ IN POCKET:

TODAY'S WANTED ITEM: (Garage Sale : Golf clubs, dvd's, skate board), Slurpee

COST: $20.00 / $0.50 / $5.00 / $1.25

YTD TOTAL: $173.07
 

Day 8

Ryan - Yep. I beat Lizzy to this day's blog. Finished up my food for lunch at work. Brought some chips that I stole from my parents home. It came in handy since I had to go straight to Kay's house to work. So I saved money by not eating dinner. I'm really proud of Lizzy. She is very determined to save money. I've noticed the lights aren't on as much in rooms she's not in. So that will help us save on electricity. She's always been good about running the central air efficiently.

Lizzy-  This is no competition between us Ryan... you goof. Although now that you mention it I HAVE been first on the posts now for 7 days which means its 7/1 my lead. Try and beat me:) So at work I was DYING for a drink. I did not bring any bottles to fill up on water and the drinking fountains are absolutely gross at my work. There is only one good one and it requires me to keep leaving the room to get a few gulps in. So this would have been a day to just plop a few quarters in the machine and grab a cold water or vitamin water (I still like those even though all the reports say there's no vitamins. But I purposely don't take money with me to work anymore for this reason. So there was my money saved. I was also invited to go to classic skating this week by a friend. I had purchased their summer pass a couple months ago which meant that anytime I took Gracie in we would only have to spend $1 for each activity. We have not used it much since and have been trying to take our kids many times. I of course had the time so I would have easily accepted the invitation. There is the bounce zone and the jungle gym which we have done in the past and most likely would have kept that same routine. I  doubt I would have spent any more than the $2. I don't ever buy drinks or food at the place. Its never interested me. I really wish that pass covered each visit like most season passes do. I am a bit sad that we can't take advantage of these pre-paid passes now. However it just means more money out of the pocket. I think having to pay every time you go regardless is quite clever on the business side but not worth  it as the consumer.

$ IN POCKET:

TODAY'S WANTED ITEM: drink, classic skating

COST: $1.25 , $2.00

YTD TOTAL: $146.32  

DAY 7

Lizzy - OH YEAH....one week already and not a PENNY spent on anything but the minimum groceries and gas. Way cool. Like Ryan said I am already becoming used to not thinking of things to go buy. I'm sure our $ saved wont be accurate and not because we are just thinking of things to buy but because we are NOT thinking of things to buy. So I have no idea what I would have gone and done already but I know for sure dollars would have been spent on something! So tomorrow begins another week and we are totally excited about it. When I write the word excited it reminds me of Saturday night live with Chris Farley in the "hairspray" edition. Its all "SO EXCITING!!!" lol.
Well today was a little funny. Get out the stroller and walk to work again. Loving the fact that its cooler than yesterday and clouds are present. But it wasn't until the exact moment I clocked out of work that I heard the thunder and saw the downpour.

YIKES I already passed up a ride from my co-workers and then tried calling a few people including my mother (who I know is ignoring my phone calls:):) So no luck until  one lovely saint in my ward/neighborhood walked right by who I have never seen there before and was able to take me home. Thank you Linda!! Poor Jack has never been in rain like that unprotected. We both got soaked.



Tonight Ryan and I are attending a meeting about emergency preparedness so no big plans or urge to go out tonight.

Ryan -  This week has been really busy at work and at home. I think that helps me not spend money unnecessarily.
Just before Lizzy and I left for our EP meeting tonight Gracie and  I had an ice cream cone. It's over halfway  empty and we still have one week to go before we can get more. This will be my first big challenge :). Serious. I love ice cream, but I can't give in (maybe I'll just hide it so no one else can eat it :).

TIPS:

For anyone logging into their Yahoo account today would have come across this little highlight in their news section. Thought it was very much related to our goal!

THINGS YOU SHOULDN'T BE PAYING FOR
Checking Account -- Isn't it nice when a bank takes your money, lends it out to earn money, and then has the audacity to charge you for the service? What a joke. Checking should be free. If yours isn't free then move to one of the many banks that offers a checking account for free. And the same can be said for ATM fees, teller fees, and checks.
DVD Rentals -- Did you know that you can rent DVDs from RedBox locations for $1 a night? And better yet, if you use one of the coupon codes from www.insideredbox.com you can avoid the $1 charge. Free DVD rentals! Most libraries now have free DVD rental as well.
Exercise -- Skip the expensive gym memberships. Visit your local park for a walk or run. Do basic push-up and sit-up programs in your living room. Rent a workout DVD from the library. There are many free workout programs you can download online as well.
Basic Computer Software -- Thinking of purchasing a new computer? Think twice before you fork over the funds for a bunch of extra software. There are some great alternatives to the name brand software programs. The most notable is OpenOffice, the open-source alternative to those other guys. It's completely free and files can be exported in compatible formats.
Your Credit Report -- You don't have to pay for your credit report. You could sign up for one of the free credit monitoring services online to get a quick look at your credit report. You just have to remember to cancel the service before the end of the free trial. Or you could do one better and visit www.annualcreditreport.com, the only truly free place to see all three of your credit reports for free once a year.
Cell Phone -- The service plan may be expensive, but the phone itself doesn't have to cost a thing. Most major carriers will give you a free phone, even a free smart phone, with a two-year contract.
Books -- There's a cool place in your town that's renting out books for free: the library. Remember that place? Stop by and put your favorite book on reserve. And if you don't feel like getting out, visit www.paperbackswap.com and find your books there (small shipping fees apply).
Water -- Besides the monthly utility bill, there's no reason to shell out $1 for every bottle of water you drink. Bottled water is so last decade anyway. We're over it, and into tap, filters, and reusable water bottles. It's cheaper for you and better for the environment.
Credit Card -- With as many credit cards as there are available on the market today, it's easy to avoid a credit card with an annual fee. Unless you're dead set on a particular perk that a fee card brings, skip the annual fee card and pocket that money yourself.
Debt Reduction Help -- Speaking of credit cards, if you're in over your head with credit card help, there are many free sources you can turn to for help with your debt. No one is going to be able to magically wipe away your debts, but there is help out there that will set you up on a debt reduction plan you can handle. Start with a visit to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.
Basic Tax Preparation -- If your tax situation isn't that complicated, then you should probably be preparing your own tax return using one of the many free online services. It's now common for e-filing to be free as well with many services. You won't even need a stamp.
The News -- Leave it to a blogger to try and kill off traditional print. I'm not anti-newspaper. I just don't find them practical anymore. Skip the daily .50 cents and get your news online. And for you dedicated coupon clippers, you can get most of your Sunday coupons online now too.
Budgeting Tools -- There are many budgeting tools (both online and desktop) that offer up the service for free. Don't ask me how they do this, but who cares. If you're looking to reign in some of your spending, the good news is you can do it for free.
Pets -- This is a controversial one, I know. But there are likely many pets down at your local animal shelter that could use just as much love as the pure-bred types. There may be a small fee due to the shelter for shots and basic care, but you'll have your pet home without paying a mini-fortune.
Shipping -- If you like to buy online, you probably use coupons to get a percentage off of your purchase. Take your skills to the next level and look for coupons or promotion codes that offer free shipping. If in doubt, visit a site like www.freeshipping.org.

$ IN POCKET:

TODAY'S WANTED ITEM: babysitter (parents watched Gracie)

COST: $10

YTD TOTAL: $143.07  

DAY 6

Lizzy - Another day of walking to work and no money spent. We were able to enjoy pizza, drinks and ice cream courtesy of my sister and her in-laws. It was MOVING DAY for them into their new home. Congratulations you two!! So its nice to still realize there are opportunities to eat out without spending our own $. Not as often as we are going to want but it makes things taste that much better when they come around. It was nice to hang out with everyone too. Ian and Marco and their two lovely girlfriends are SO awesome to come help. We wish you guys luck out there!!  Only 360 days to go!

Ryan -  Pretty uneventful day. I calculated the remaining bread, meat, and cheese I have here at work and It's going to work out perfectly for Friday, which means I don't have to improvise with something from home (i.e. PB &J). Kay gave $300 for material and stuff. I'm doing a side job for her.
I got my paystub and it has more money than we expected. So that's exciting.

DAY 5

Lizzy- Today I stayed home and had no spending temptations. I did have a lot of time to think about this today and realized how difficult this could be. Maybe not right now because its still new and we are not running out of supplies just yet. One of the hardest challenges for me will be not buying make-up or getting my hair done. There could be a big debate on whether those are necessary's in life or just wants. In the world we live in today I don't know how kind it would be to those women who don't wear make-up. And I agree it doesn't need to be worn all the time but there are certain places we go and appearances we make where its best to pull yourself together and that "requires" a little extra grooming and make-up.
Now....I am in NO way going to let myself go cave woman here because those of you who really know me know its not possible. So I have taken inventory on my make-up supplies and I THINK if I plan it out carefully I can get away without having to buy anything. When I take a look at my schedules and demands I first look at the workplace. I work in a daycare with children under 9 years old. I HIGHLY DOUBT they even know what make-up is let alone care if I have any on. And the ladies I work with know me and have seen me with and without and I am sure at the end of the day don't really care. (Do you Katie??:) So that plus the fact that I am home really most of the time. I do go out during the week but no where special enough for dressing up. So I will use it on Sunday's I am sure and on certain occasions where needed. And then save it for days where I am feeling completely  down. Ryan luckily says he loves the fact that I never needed to wear make-up....so I guess already being married makes this decision a bit easier lol. Now for my hair....YIKES ...I don't know how this will work. I may be asking for my Christmas and birthday presents from my family to be to one salon. Unless I can find anyone who would be willing to do it for some trade work. Any takers?? I don't think I will need a cut but I should have planned it better not to have highlights that will be growing out soon.
Okay so those were my thoughts. Yes all superficial. I think lots of money is spent on appearance and for good reason. But this will for sure be the test of confidence in myself!

Ryan - Well, let me comment on Lizzy's remarks about make-up. She's still beautiful without it, which is one reason I was attracted to her, but I understand girls need their make up. Besides her long hair she can go "granola" except for the the "not taking a bath" thing.
When I left for work, I didn't consider not coming home for dinner. I went straight to do a side job and so I downed an extra banana. Unfortunately, I had to do some jack hammering and that kicks your butt. So hunger set in about 6 pm, but I wasn't going to break. I've done it before so it's no big deal, plus I wrestled in high school and so I knew mentally I'd be strong. About 7 pm, Kay  asked me to take a break and eat the dinner she had prepared for me. What a pleasant surprise!
It funny. It's almost been a week that we have been doing this and I don't really think of things I want. I sure that will change when work slows down and I'm left to ponder about things.

TIPS:

Something I never really thought about was buying the generic brand of medicine. Did you know that when you get a RX from your doctor you could ask for the generic brand? Maybe you did but I knew about over the counter generic but never thought my written RX's could be as well. In any case by LAW they are required to have the same ingredients so... when we were at the store the other day I took a little time to look at the ingredients on the back and they were right. Every ingredient is the same! Same names, same amounts, same everything. So its a no brainer from here on out. No more Tylenol instead we will use the generic. As well as Vaseline. Its not just a few cents here and there its literally $2-$5 difference or more with these products.

$ IN POCKET:

TODAY'S WANTED ITEM:Take out for Dinner

COST: $6.50

YTD TOTAL: $133.07     

DAY 4

LIZZY- Today I spend all day cleaning out the garage. I was done spending forever searching for things. So now I feel like there is structure.....except by spending all day with that it left my house in shambles. Luckily I have the most awesome husband (that's for you ry) who came home and didn't even say anything but went straight to cleaning it all up. I LOVE YOU!!!:):) So to answer your question Ryan I DID look up energy savings. One site had said the $ amounts ranged from $1 to $9 a month. I found reliable sources proving that it does save....hundreds? No but at least something! You know whats funny is that this blog is actually a cool way for us to talk to each other especially when we go days without really seeing each other with schedules and stuff. I think its cool Anyways......SO today's big temptation was to stop at Frogurts for FHE tonight.. Its been a weekly thing for a while and it seemed like a perfect time. We went to the library and did not indulge ourselves in their delicious frozen yogurt that you can put ANY topping you want. YUM!! So instead we came home and made our own ice cream cones and sat on the porch with Gracie. She was pretending the ice cream cones were friends and kept acting as if she was a giant eating their "hair". It made me laugh!

Ryan - Well, I remembered to bring my lunch to work, which will save us a significant amount of money. Work has been so busy lately, but that has contributed in not thinking about spending money. To be quite honest, I'm not worrying about not spending money. It's something that feels right and can only do good for us. Lizzy and I spoke about not falling into the same spending habits after this is all over with. It's seems it would be easy to splurge after going so long with out any frivolous spending, but I pray that doesn't occur. I will feel this would be all for naught if we do not learn our lesson. I do hope that Frogurts is still open in a year. I love putting all those toppings on my blueberry yogurt. The ice cream is a sufficient substitute though.

One challenge is calling friends like Chad. When I think of calling him, I think what am I going to do with him that won't cost money. Still need to figure out that answer.

TIPS:  Items still plugged into your outlets are still using energy even when they are turned off. So its wise if you can to just unplug something when not using it. That includes TV's and computers, toasters,microwave,chargers etc. I agree its probably annoying to plug it in every time but every penny counts!

$ IN POCKET:

TODAY'S WANTED ITEM: Frogurt

COST: typically $10 for all 3 of us sometimes more or less.

YTD TOTAL: $126.57

DAY 3

Lizzy - Today is Sunday. Theses not going to be much to say on these days obviously. No money spent. But for the fact that this is the only "journal" we are keeping at the moment I still want to write about our day. Its not really for anyone's sake but our own. I can see where if you don't write in a journal a blog is the most convenient thing. Im just not sure if these are printable? So today the kids were sick. We spent most of the day at home playing games and reading. Then later this evening went to Ryan's parents house and made them some dinner. Gracie loves jumping on their trampoline and Jack loves getting into everything. I hate when the kids are sick but one nice benefit is that everyone is asleep and its only 8pm..aahhhh...its wonderful!

Ryan - I thought Sunday would be a day of not worrying about spending money. And I didn't, but I thought about what it would take to fulfill this goal. Today at church, the speaker talked about patience and that was it. Patience is putting aside what you want to gain self control or your emotions and desires. We told my parents of our goal and my dad said it was doable. Lizzy and I are debating on whether unplugging your electrical outlets actually saves a substantial amount of money (substanitial as in a dollar. I'm being sarcastic).

DAY 2

Lizzy-Today was our grocery shopping day. And we of course made our list and for I think the first time EVER did not put one thing extra into the cart that we didn't plan on. So there was no temptation $ saved. It was pretty easy but of course we are still right at the start and fully motivated. However...the big kicker today was canceling...

 My subscription was about to charge for this month on the 16th so I caught it just in time. That was a hard one only because we said any preexisting conditions didn't count. We have a pass to the aquarium that was purchased months ago which we can still use. And preschool for Gracie has already been prepaid assigned and registered. So we are not kicking ourselves for those items, but Netflix of course is a want and not a need and for sure is not prepaid so it had to go. Good news to that is that it saved us a chunk of $ for this year. And we are more than happy to watch the 100+ movies we have sitting on the shelf:) Before I didn't  understand why people still buy movies with technology the way  it is. You can get any movie you want and more for less than the cost of a DVD from the store. But today its proven its point. All the movies we have collected will be used multiple times throughout this year. Library and friends come in handy too when we need a new selection.



Ryan - Lizzy forgot to mention we went to the Temple Quarry.

 Gracie wanted to go see the billy goats. It was too soon in the season for the billy goats, but it was nice to spend time with the family. I hope that along with saving money, we can learn to be more creative with our time as a family and grow closer. I'm proud of Lizzy and I for dumping the Netflix.

TIPS:

maybe start watching all the movies you have in your house instead of running to red-box. There must have been a reason you bought them in the first place right?

$ IN POCKET:

TODAY'S WANTED ITEM: Netflix

COST: $9.61/month = $115.32 for the year

YTD TOTAL: $116.57

DAY 1

Lizzy- So to start the day I walked to work. I should be doing that normally since I live up the street lol. I've actually seen people in my neighborhood walk over there and by the time I get the kids in the car and drive over, find a space and unload the car, we basically make it to the door at the same time. I guess its just the thought of exerting energy. But really I could use the exercise so its a win win to start walking. Only in extreme weather will I drive so that the kids don't over heat or freeze. As we said in our basic rules fuel is allowed and not counted in this process. If it gets us somewhere we need to be or want to go its not an added expense. But if we find that we can walk or use other transportation that saves more $ then we will note it.  Ryan and I thought we would always put in our daily blog what things we were tempted to buy on the spot and their price. And not just wanting but REALLY tempted and struggled with so that we keep it as realistic as possible. It will be fun to see in a year what the total would be had we gone ahead and spent that money. Also we will create a section where we input all the ideas we use or hear from others that will help keep us on track. I need to come up with a name so until I think of it or someone suggests something I guess I will call it TIPS for now.

Ryan- Dear Diary...just kidding. This is my first blog post (if that's what you call it). I'm sure Ned and Brooklyn will laugh at me if or when they read this blog. (Love you guys and I love the color of your living room :)!)

I'm excited about this goal. If all goes according to plan, we'll have a lot of learning experiences and I'll be paying alimony and child support (how ironic, j/k). Anyways, time to get serious.

So far it's been relatively easy, I forgot my wallet, when I left for work. I was tempted to use my change jar at work to get a drink, 

but resisted that temptation.

I've received lot's of Facebook e-mail notifications (I rarely look at my account there, but I receive e-mails that someone has posted a comment there) from friends and family. All of them stating their support. I don't begrudge them if they think this is an impossible task, I would think the same thing too. I was talking to Steve  and I mentioned to him that I didn't want to us to beat ourselves up if we faltered even on one purchase, but it was more important to not fall off the wagon completely because of it. Of course our goal is to not allow that to happen.

I was thinking that to help us not fall into the rationalization trap, Lizzy and I should set a rule to make it a requirement that we both have to approve purchases that go beyond what she has already mentioned. This would provide an extra viewpoint, support, or protection on a questionable purchase.

Lastly, I may not be as detailed in my reports as Lizzy, but I will make sure to post each day and try  to provide insight I can learn from when I look back on this experience.

TIPS:

1. using Cetaphil  cleanser to remove my eye makeup has proven a success. I have yet to find one  that doesn't burn besides my Mary Kay product which I have loved and stuck with. So for this year that's one change to the wallet. I can buy 40oz for only $16 at Sams Club.

2. Just found out today that you can "check-out" a  pass to any national and state parks in Utah by going to your local library. WAY COOL. I didn't know this. Here is more info on it.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/utah-state-parks-and-recreation/check-it-out-state-park-passes-available-at-77-utah-libraries/413591658512

3. I watched an episode on TV where a family was conscious about turning off lights and un-plugging things in their home. Over years they had a running total and it was incredible the amount they saved. I  want to see how this effects things as well this year. When not in use we have unplugged the microwave, toaster, TV and computer. I will keep track myself on the utilities and see what the differences are each month.

$ IN POCKET:

WANTED ITEM: drink

COST: $1.25

YTD TOTAL: $1.25

OUR MISSION

We wanted to create this blog and this challenge for ourselves. After sitting down and going over our finances we realized how much we were spending over the Summer on "extra" things. And that included everything that is beyond the basic needs to survive. It really inspired us to try for one year to see how possible it would be to literally not spend one penny more than what is needed. And that meant no eating out. No activities involving money, no buying gifts, no toys or appointments at the salon, no items for the house or vacations, no putting things in the cart at the store that were not a life or death need at the moment. Could we really not give in to all the marketing temptations? Maybe. Would this put a damper on our social life? Probably. Could this cause some contention along the way? We think so. But is is possible? We feel that it IS. No its not going to be easy. And we have set some ground rules. Basic needs such as groceries, gas, Dr appointments, car repairs,preschool and internet are allowed. Internet only because we have bills that we pay online and because we wanted to have this blog as our guide. We also are taking out two trips that have already been planned and paid for. Our main rule is this. That from 8/13/2010 until 8/13/2011 we cannot and will not spend any extra money beyond the basic needs of each family member. Preexisting items are not included. There is the motto which we are using. "Use it up...wear it out...make it do...or do without." We wanted to challenge ourselves to find ways of getting by without spending the extra dough. Could we still live happy fulfilling lives for one year without the "extras?" It may be more possible because the kids are so little still. With Jack still 8 months and Gracie just 3 the difficulty wont be from their resistance as much as it will be from everyone else and ourselves. The exciting part at the end of this will be not only how much money we saved but to see how strong we are as a family to make do in this world without giving in to all the marketing temptations. I'm sure movies will still be around in one year from now. I bet our favorite frozen yogurt will be in business. Home improvements can wait. Except I will be sad not to plan flowers but again...its flowers...not food. One year without flowers will not break the circle of life. We can only hope our friends will still be around but this will for sure make it more difficult and we are fully aware of that. We are excited to see how this will work. One year of really extending our creativity as a family and on a personal level and seeing just how much we can do to take care of our home and ourselves with as much self reliance as possible. So to get things started we created this blog. We are hoping to write each day of our experiences. What challenges we face for that day or documenting our achievements and new ideas.  We wanted to make this public to also get support and feedback. We are hoping you share with us your own ideas. When things need repairing, instead of throwing cash out frivolously maybe you could tell us your remedy. Or when we get into funk you may have some creative activities to share or some good grocery saving ideas. We are of course aware many friends and family members may find it hard when we decline spending any money with you on things but I hope you know its only for 365 days and if anything we will be more in tune with coming up with new things to do and places to go. We will be searching out lots of events around town that we may not have looked into before. So hanging out with us may be a little different than usual but that doesn't mean we are closing our doors...just improvising. We just hope the support is there and we thought it would be fun if anyone wanted to join us. Doing something like this is kind of fun. Just to prove to society that its possible to not spend that extra $5 here or $20 here just because its something you THINK you need. Self control and patience is probably the worst its ever been in the world today. This challenge is going to be hard but we are ready to do something different and challenge ourselves. So with that, we begin tomorrow.  Wish us luck!
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