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| Beach at Goose Spit low tide, Comox Valley |
This month I discovered making smoothies at home after an intense craving for an expensive $7 smoothie was filled by finding some frozen fruit (purchased for my stepdaughter many months ago) in the freezer and some older yogurt that needed using up. Now I am hooked so I ended up buying a $12 very large bag of frozen mangoes for future cravings.
Funds for Christmas 2015 are looking very good as we still have 8 months to save up towards the goal of $1000 worth of points and cash:
Cash $450
$77.46 Blog Ad Income (have since removed advertising)
$9.95 Grocery Rebate
$362.59 Cash Saved
$120.68 Gift Certificates/Points Saved
$20.00 Superstore PC Plus points
$30.00 Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum Points
$45.68 Amazon Gift Certificates (from Swagbucks - click if you wish join - referral link)
$25 Walmartphotocentre.ca credit from late order December 2014
Grand total towards Christmas 2015 = $570.68
We are experiencing a nice sunny weekend here although the temperatures are not that hot. Yesterday we took Buddy the puppy on a 2.5 km hike and he thoroughly enjoyed it. Even with that hike I ended the day at 6000 steps. I am still nowhere near 10,000 steps a day (see last blog) so intend to use the treadmill for at least 1/2 hr per day starting today to see if I can get any closer. What counting steps doesn't take into account is the fact that most of our 2.5 km hike was descending and climbing a huge hill. At least I got some cardio in.
I am starting to get excited about our upcoming trip in June to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. It is so close I feel like starting the countdown - but we are still 40 days away so maybe I will wait just a tad longer.
How did your May shake out?
I guess instead of singing "all about the bass", I need to start singing "all about the steps"
ReplyDeleteSo true :)
DeleteI have a few more weeks to see how my budget will play out but I'm hopeful. How many people do you feed on your budget? I'm trying to eat out of my freezers as much as possible this month since it's a 5 week pay period.
ReplyDeleteThat is two adults and includes all nonfood groceries like cleaning supplies and over the counter meds. We both have diseases we control with over the counter meds so that portion is quite high and costs in Canada are 40-50% higher than in the USA unfortunately.
DeleteYou are doing great!!!
DeleteI added up my restaurant meals and grocery purchases and feel I can use a bit more restraint. I think eating at home is so much better anyway. I'm now going to make a smoothie!
ReplyDeleteI often disappointed by restaurant food - so it does make it easier to eat at home as a result. I haven't used my 20 year old blender more than 3 times in the last 20 years and this week I have used it 4 times lol.
DeleteHang in there! You'll make those 10,000 in no time!
ReplyDeleteI am wondering if the lenght of your steps was correctly calculated...Most days I walk more than 10,000 steps and Saturday I did 12,000 (I was super tired). Do you calculate your steps in the house as well?
It includes part of my in home steps but I usually miss about 1000 a day due to leaving my phone plugged in or not picking it up. I usually keep it in my pocket except when charging though.
DeleteOh Lord I can't even BEGIN to think about Christmas and putting $ away for that yet! lolz
ReplyDeleteGood for you.....
I've got a ton of pts. on the credit card I can cash out for stuff and/or gift cards, especially after paying for our new to-us car on the c/c before paying it off. ;-)
I've got kids who will be 24, 23 and almost 20 by Christmas time this year. I am having a hard time deciding how much/what to gift them now that at least 2 of them are adult we don't support. WWYD?
We give cash to the kids now - same amount per kid no matter what since there is 4 plus some chocolate because even adult kids like that.
DeleteLast year during my trip to the UK I purchased everyone's Christmas presents. Think i'll do the same this year. Kazi has already requested a Manchester United shirt since I'll be flying in and out of there and there's a sports store on the concourse. I love easy shopping!
ReplyDeleteThat is a very smart idea - and it certainly spreads out the money to seasons other than Christmas. We tend to give cash to the kids and I will use the GCs on us and our Moms.
DeleteWe had a "spendy" May but that was due to restraint showed many months prior. It's been nice to have some extra money to spend!
ReplyDeleteWe are totally hooked on smoothies too. Don't forget that veggies are good as well -- add carrots and don't forget that cheap frozen spinach in a bag can easily be added each day too. I make us a smoothie most morning and we drink it first thing. I then fill two jars and we each bring one to work. Talk about a great way to fit in your daily allotment of fruit/veggies/fiber!
I am mostly a fruit smoothie person - can't seem to get myself to try green stuff in them. Maybe carrots though.
DeleteI can't wait to start putting away money this month (finally!) been busting it at sales and more to get ahead again. Your posts inspire me, as always, to track every cent spent again :)
ReplyDeleteIf I don't track where our money goes - it just flies out the window somehow. Thanks!
DeleteHow do you track your money?
DeleteI used to just record it in a little notebook but this year I made a spreadsheet using excel and every time I go to the grocery store I record the receipts. Easy Peasy!
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