September Earn More Goals

Even though September is a very busy month for me, I going to make several goals for the Earn More Challenge. I plan to learn from the other participants and hopefully add some $$ to September's budget. I'm going to keep my goals modest and practical:

• Collect snowflakes--reimbursement from school and medical savings account


• Post on Craig's list--2 window air conditioners


• Inquire about teaching another class next semester and about summer job

I think that's all for right now. These seem doable and not overwhelming!

Thank you, Money Funk, for the great challenge for September! It should be fun!

Emergency Fund Depleted

It's more of an unexpected expense than an emergency, but I raided my emergency fund today. My house has a pellet stove, and pellets are less expensive if I order them now, before winter hits. Next year, I will plan ahead and save for the pellets all summer.
Using the pellet stove should decrease my heating bill overall this winter. Since this will be my first full winter in the house, I should be able to track my heating expenses by keeping good records in YNaB.
With the September 15th pay, I'll start rebuilding the emergency fund. It's a good thing that September's Challenge is to earn more. It looks like I'm going to need a little income boost!

Results of the Spend Less Challenge

I closed out my "Spend-less" month on August 30, because I began on July 30.


The results are mixed: I did spend less on house projects and gifts, but I went way over in the other categories.


I budgeted $480 total for everything: food, gas, gifts, eating out, school expenses, and house projects. I spent $740--$260 over budget! I had purposely set my limits very low, with the hope that I could raise them if my summer job money came in. Due to paperwork glitches, I won't be getting that money until Sept. 20. I, also will get reimbursed for $100 of school expenses.


One thing that I have learned from this experience is that I need to increase my budget categories for groceries and gasoline to be more realistic. I really was as frugal as I could be for food and travel this month and I still went over quite a bit.



My overall grade: C- Even though I went over in several categories, I did spend less than I would have without the challenge. I also got back into the habit of planning my menus weekly, which helps reduce stress and grocery costs.

I'm looking forward to the September Earn More Challenge! I think I'll learn a lot.

Menu Plan

Menu planning really does help me get through these busy weeks. Even though this past week was super busy with school starting, we enjoyed eating dinner together each night.
Next week DS will eat out with the cross country team two times. I will eat left-overs on those days.

1. Spaghetti Estivi (Summer spaghetti)
2. Mjeddrah
3. Cheeseburgers, oven fries
4. Soft tacos, salad
5. Spaghetti
6. DS eat out (CC meet)
7. pizza

I'll post recipes tomorrow!

Menu Plan Week 4

This will be a busy week with school starting, the menu plan is simple and easy--I hope.



1. Steak hoagies


2. Crock pot Salsa Chicken, rice

3. Soft tacos

4. Cheeseburgers, oven fries, edamame

5. $5 pizza (Thursday)

6. Chicken wings, mac /n cheese


I'm only listing 6 dinners, because I'm providing the drinks and salad for the cross-country team dinner Friday night.

Week 3 Results

Even though spending was minimal this week, my monthly totals are looking pretty sick. I think that almost all of my categories will be in the red by the end of the month (3 of them are there already!) What I spent:

Groceries $50
Restaurants $5 ($5 pizza!)
Miscellaneous $19.50 (dry cleaning)
Gasoline $26

I definitely will increase my budgeted amounts next month to reflect how much I really spend.

September Challenge: Earn More

Saving Savy Pinkie made the suggestion that the September Challenge be an earn more challenge--above our regular salaries. Sharon and Christine are already in. I was intimidated at first, because September is a busy month for me, with school starting, cross country going strong every Saturday, and teaching a class at the community college.



This morning, I decided to try the challenge. The Spend Less Challenge this month has been fun because we were doing it together, so I'm going to join the group for September. I just remembered that I have 3 window air conditioners sitting in a closet--I can put them on Craig's list. It's a start!