July Goals Updated
Financial
- Put 15% into retirement. Thanks to our 401K plans this is easy.
- Put $1500 into the project fund (we are saving to get our driveway redone). We put $1539!
- Grocery Budget of $400 average for the year. I'm averaging $371.
- List 25 new items on eBay and Craigslist. I'm at 38 items for the month. I sold 3 mini fridges, a hat, a Red Socks Jersey, 9 CDs, 4 DVDs, a video game and 2 books.
- Work extra shifts when available. I have worked 6 extra shifts and stayed extra on 3 days.
- Pay homeowners insurance. Did it online.
Health
Health
- Go for a walk 3 times a week. I did go for lots of walks. I didn't keep track of how many a week. I did walk 4 miles on a campus tour while climbing lots of stairs, so I was proud of that. YD told me after that she had tracked it on her phone.
- Workout for 15 minutes 3 times a week. Nope
- Lose 5 pounds. I lost 3 pounds and I will take it.
Garden
- Weed at least 4 times a week. I have been a weeding maniac. The gardens look great.
- Plant more lettuce seeds as I pick lettuce Did it. I have lots of baby lettuce poking through.
- Plant seeds where first plantings didn't grow I planted more yellow squash, cucumbers, lettuce and pole beans. They are all coming through.
- Plant more lettuce seeds as I pick lettuce Did it. I have lots of baby lettuce poking through.
- Plant seeds where first plantings didn't grow I planted more yellow squash, cucumbers, lettuce and pole beans. They are all coming through.
Family
- Go on a date with Hubby We had several. We walked around a nearby town and looked at some stores. Hubby treated me to a chocolate malt. We went to a farmers market. We went to a craft fair. We got lunch at Hubby's favorite burger place. Plus several nights of movies at home. We took full advantage of the kids away.
- Visit a college with YD We visited 2, Towson (she LOVED) and Rutgers (off the list).
- Visit OD We went for 3 nights and stayed with her. She came to look at one of the colleges with us since it was near by.
Personal
Personal
- Facetime with OD every week. We did every weekend except when we were with her.
- Read 2 books I read Niki Jabbour's Veggie Garden Remix and Bushel Full of Murder, a Farmers' Market Mystery by Paige Shelton.
- Make someone a meal that needs it. Hubby brought his boss chicken noodle soup because he was too busy to get lunch. A coworker texted me if she could eat something from my snack stash since she didn't eat breakfast. I brought her a bagel and coffee when I went in. I used a GC that I got for my birthday. I brought bagels to work on the last day for a co-worker that is moving. I shared my lunch with a coworker who didn't bring anything and didn't have time to go get something to eat.
- Write 2 cards or letters. I sent a card to my Aunt.
Cleaning
- Clean out and defrost chest freezer NOPE
- Clean out kitchen freezer NOPE
- Shampoo carpets. We were going to rent a carpet cleaner again but Hubby saw a great sale on Amazon. I had a gift card to Best Buy and they price match so we bought one there. Oreo is getting older and is having more accidents so we will use it a lot more if we own it then we would if we had to rent it every time. If I use it 5 times it will be paid for. Food
- Do one meatless meal a day. Did it. I have been making breakfast most days without meat. I will occasionally do meat. If I have it for breakfast I make sure I don't have it for lunch.
- Do one day a week with no meat at all. I did it 3 times.
- Try 2 new recipes. Brandied cherries and non dairy Tzatziki sauce
- Get another pantry item to 6 months. I got canned black beans with coupons for a great price. More then 6 months worth
- No food waste. I lost 4 bagels and a whole pack of hamburger buns to mold(thanks stupid humidity), half of a tomato, an apple and something I'm not sure what it was.
- Use garden produce We have been eating lots of salads to use the lettuce up. I have been snacking on peas and Hubby loves snacking on cucumbers.
- Process garden produce that we don't eat We have been eating everything. Haven't gotten an overabundance of anything yet except for lettuce which I have been giving away.
Auto
- Take YD driving at least 4 times a week (when she is home) We have been taking her driving lots. Some just to practice parking (Hubby). Other times she just drives me where I need to go anyway. She is doing great.
Overall I think we did great. The kids had a great time in Italy. Hubby and I got to spend some quality time together. We always love seeing OD. We managed to hit all of our financial goals. We added more to our pantry thanks to great sales and coupons. The garden is doing great. How did you do on your July goals?
Good luck to YD on the road test!!
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteI was wondering if you could do an indepth post on selling items on Ebay. I would love to get started bit am unsure of how to do so.
ReplyDeleteBTW- I really enjoy your blog.
I found this YouTube video that I thought was good. Hope it helps.
DeleteHi Mcoia you did so well to put extra income into your project fund, get one pantry item up to over 6 months supply, use up items that needed using in your pantry and saving for superannuation too :).
ReplyDeleteHere is my goals for July and how I went -
Financial -
- Bank more money from my pay bonus to make our bank emergency up to $2000. Not done but did bank my bonus into our home deposit savings account instead.
- Save as much as we can for our home and land deposit by being frugal. Done.
- Deposit more money into our home emergency kitty fund. Done.
- Put in tax returns when our group certificates turn up in the mail. Booked in for next Wednesday.
- Keep putting grocery and pantry stocking funds away in our high interest bearing bank account to earn interest until the e-vouchers come out to purchase 20% off face value vouchers on eBay for our supermarket. Done.
- Keep listing more items that are unlisted in the craft room for sale on eBay as I see free listing promotions come up. Done.
Food and groceries -
- Have some meatless meals. Done.
- Rotate and use what is close to it's use by dates in the pantries, freezer and fridge in meals.
- Keep stocking up on some needed groceries to reach a 12 month stocking level. Not done but will when our discount supermarket e-vouchers come online.
- Find time to label food storage containers with chalk board stickers gradually. Not done.
In the gardens -
- Weed when necessary gradually throughout the month and mulch remaining vegetable garden beds. Done and also mulched 2 garden beds.
- Pick ripe vegetables and either blanch and freeze for future food or use fresh. Done and harvested tomatoes and dried lots of herbs.
- Harvest any ripe lavender and herbs and dry them, separate them and list them for sale and top up herb containers in the kitchen.Done.
- Plant more pea and turnip seeds. Not done.
- Take pumpkins off the shed roof now they are seasoned and put them on the veranda for storage. Done apart from 1 found recently.
- Keep using saved bath warm up water and clean dish rinsing water to water seedlings or fruit trees on the back veranda. Done.
- Continue watering the lawns with saved grey water from our showers and washing machine. Done.
General jobs -
- Beat nails into submission (or back in :) ) on the wooden verandas and sweep them. Done.
- Go through the 3 bay garage and throw out excess papers, old reno items, cut and fold boxes neatly for storage and sweep the remainder in there. Not done.
- Deep clean a room each week leading up to our next rental inspection. Not done.
- Deep clean the refrigerator and wash the shelves and baskets out. Not done.
Personal -
- Keep studying and reading both the BOM and Bible and do scripture study, reading and chatting with a dear old friend in an aged care facility. Done.
- Take some time out to relax more. Done
- Spend quality time with DH. - Done
Health -
- Continue to be active in the gardens and by walking - Did go collecting firewood and did a lot of work in the gardens on weeding, harvesting, mulching and planting.
We will catch up with house deep cleaning next week though as we have a rental inspection coming up.
Sewingcreations15.