PauletteG's 52 Week Savings Challenge Thread

[PauletteGoddard]

Deposited $20 today, Saturday January 4, into individual credit union chequing account, the one registered to my TD Ameritrade Save Yourself Account.

I feel great. I keep track also on a page accessed through a sidebar link on my blog.

[jeffrey]

Way to go double digit on your first deposit. Looking forward to reading more in the weeks to come.

[deedee421]

Great job on your deposit! I like reading your blog as well, so I'm looking forward to all the challenges that are being posted by everyone.

[PauletteGoddard]

Week 2: Savings Challenge Boogaloo

Deposited $10 into Specially Marked credit union account for my 2nd week challenge. Intended $11, but it's so wet and windy here, and I was running late for a meeting, that I finished up a cheque already made out in the sum of ten dollars and visited the credit union in person to save time.

Some mindset changes already happening: cooking beans that I can freeze later for use in vegetarian meals like black bean&corn salad and huevos rancheros; buying only enough vegetables to stay fresh and be completely eaten in three-four days per trip. I'm looking forward to including more potassium iodide that sea vegetables have in my veg meals.

Adjusted our pantry and freezer inventories, estimating twelve to fourteen more days of food, barring fresh vegetables, before we need to replenish.

[PauletteGoddard]

Week 3! Woo-hoo!

I've learned to pay attention to flyers and weekly ads.
Plus, it's not a bad idea to reserve a small percentage of the monthly food budget to buy in bulk on sweet deals.
Tomorrow's deposit will be $52 thanks to deeply discounted microfleece sleepwear, a rare sale on my favourite toothpaste, a certificate for alterations on a jacket and other clothing, and some software sales.

[Riverbendgirl]

Great job! I also need to pay more attention to sales.

[deedee421]

I haven't done well in keeping up with advertised sales, so this is definitely an area where I can improve. My food budget is where I cut back when I need extra money in other areas, so keeping up with the sale items will help.

[annac113]

great job! and nice blog!

[PauletteGoddard]

I have 52-week Challenge questions.

Thank you annac113 for your sweet words!
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Questions

Our income is biweekly; our spending is monthly. How are some ways to apply "52-Week Savings Challenge" to the second week of the payperiod? Maybe some (X, X-26) split, if possible?

Also, since 2012 once a month my CD receives an automatic $25 transfer from chequing (checking). I could transfer this $25 to the 52-week challenge plus any other savings up to $26 eleven times this year: can that count?

[mppaul271]

Starting 52 Wk Mega Savings Challenge

I just started the Mega Savings Challenge today.

Beginning balance $75
Re activated a dormant credit union savings account.


mppaul271

[jeffrey]

I just started the Mega Savings Challenge today.

Beginning balance $75
Re activated a dormant credit union savings account.


mppaul271

Great job! Looking forward to hearing more about your challenge.

[deedee421]

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Questions

Our income is biweekly; our spending is monthly. How are some ways to apply "52-Week Savings Challenge" to the second week of the payperiod? Maybe some (X, X-26) split, if possible?

Jeffrey posted a 26 Bi-Weekly Money Challenge sheet in his 1-3-14 blog, so that might help.

Also, since 2012 once a month my CD receives an automatic $25 transfer from chequing (checking). I could transfer this $25 to the 52-week challenge plus any other savings up to $26 eleven times this year: can that count?[/QUOTE]

If I had a similar situation I would count it since the funds would be sent to your challenge fund.

[PauletteGoddard]

Week 4! With a Few Dollars More

I fell into the Overthinking Pit this week, as I had a paucity of new savings opportunities, and a few "whoa! did NOT see that coming!" budget moments. But I got out of it and this way:
I divided $1378 into 52, subtracted needless expenditures, added savings, and rounded to the nearest dollar.

1. I should've renegotiated the insurance, but I didn't.
2. The heating bill was $60 less than expected (I can hear the hissing from here).
3. Free 12 oz coffee
4. Free 12 oz tea
5. Mixed Vegetables discount
6. Desserts after concert

$25

Next week, the end of the month, will be interesting.

[deedee421]

I fell into the Overthinking Pit this week, as I had a paucity of new savings opportunities, and a few "whoa! did NOT see that coming!" budget moments. But I got out of it and this way:
I divided $1378 into 52, subtracted needless expenditures, added savings, and rounded to the nearest dollar.

1. I should've renegotiated the insurance, but I didn't.
2. The heating bill was $60 less than expected (I can hear the hissing from here).
3. Free 12 oz coffee
4. Free 12 oz tea
5. Mixed Vegetables discount
6. Desserts after concert

$25

Next week, the end of the month, will be interesting.

This was so funny to me because I had a few "whoa! did NOT see that coming" moments myself this week. I'm so glad to reach the end of the month so I can see what my final numbers look like and get a new budget in place. You're doing great!

[PauletteGoddard]

Week 5: 52-Week Savings Challenge

$11

They can't all be meaty, beaty, big and bouncy.

Didn't do much to save money this week, but was under budget overall for the month. I think I lost it with the recent "poverty chow" regimen and sent the men on a hunt for cured meats, veal shoulder and parmigiano-reggiano cheese while I was at an appointment downtown.

Big savings: coconut milk for Asian supermarket Chinese New Year special; Pop-Tarts at $1.49/package of 8, and two free coffees.

Jovian exhalation as my insurance payment, car loan debit, mortgage cheque, water/sewer/recycling/yardwaste utility bill, heating bill all cleared in the past few days.