January Spending Freeze

    

This post includes affiliate links, which means if you click on the link I get a portion of any sales at NO COST to you.  See my disclosure page for more details. 

    January calls for a spending freeze in our house. What's a spending freeze you ask?  Well you really can make it work how you want, but the basic idea is it helps you to spend less in the month of January, and even February or as long as you choose to follow it. In our house my goal is Jan-Feb., after that I'm usually ready to stop, but that's just my preference.  However; let me explain to you what all a spending freeze is plus ways you can incorporate it and then you can decide how you want to go about it. Let's get started!

First of all, as I stated above a spending freeze is a way to save.  Basically, it's giving you permission to not spend. Sometimes we need that don't we?  Even though we know we shouldn't spend, it's nice to have a way to say, "sorry I can't".  So that's what a spending freeze in short is. 

Secondly, there are many ways to have a spending freeze. Here are the questions to ask when starting your spending freeze. 

1. What do I WANT to spend my money on this month? 

    For example, we usually say only the basics:  Groceries, gas, house payment, heat, phones, giving etc. 

2. What do I NOT WANT to spend my money on this month? 

    For example, eating out, getting coffee, buying those small items that don't feel they add up, but they do, EVEN IF it's a good sale.  Really, this is where you can make your list big or small.  Do you participate in a get together each month and go for coffee, would you want to keep that or not, you're choice. This is the part where you can make your list big or small depending on what you want to cut out. 

    Some things we include for this; extra snacks, clearance rack, eating out, coffee dates etc. 

3. How long do you want to try this? 

    Like I said we aim for 2 months. You could decide you want to for one month and take it month by month.  Again, that's the easiest part you get to pick. 

    That is the basis of a spending freeze in our household.  Now, this idea is not new, there are many other ways to do this.  You can google spending freeze and have lots of blog posts pop up.  So feel free to take this as a start and research other options.  

Also, let me share with you some other ideas that I've heard of as I was planning out this post: 

1. Don't spend your $5.

    This one is based off the idea that you use cash.  You could switch some of your purchases to cash if you wanted for this purpose.  But the plan is you get your cash in $10 & $20 (think Charlie Brown Christmas) anyways, and then don't spend your $5.  For example, say you go shopping for some clothes and you spend $15, you hand the cashier your $20 and get $5 back.  That $5 goes into an envelope or jar somewhere instead of getting to spend it.  So essentially you "spent" $20 on those clothes at that moment.  At the end of the month you see what you've saved.  Add it to your account or use it for something you are saving for.  

2. Save your change, round up 

    This one is similar to the "don't spend your $5" idea. But instead you just save all your change.  When you go to the coffee shop and spend $5.76, you put the 24 cents into a jar or box.  At the end of the month or year, count to see where you are.  Again deposit into your account or use for something you are saving for. 

3. Shop from your freezer and pantry this month: 

    This is a great time to take stock of what you have.  Jordan Page's Shelftember Challenge is a great way to get started with that.   

4. Use up what you have before you try something new: 

    We've all been there. That new lotion comes out and you want to try it.  But then your old lotion sits on your shelf not being used.  Just like throwing out money.  So, as you are done taking stock of your pantry above, do the same with your toiletries and such.  Don't plan to buy something new until you have used up what you have.  

5. Cross legacy's ways to save on produce: 

    Another great blog to follow is Amy Cross's A Cross Legacy.  She has so many tips on ways to save on groceries throughout the year.  But, she has some great tips on how to use up what you already have too.  PLUS with her process you don't have to go shopping as often which means spending less because we all know we spend more when we go more! 

Plus check out a few different books linked at the bottom that I have found helpful as well. 

But remember, just like all New Year's resolutions, give yourself grace.  This is not as easy as it sounds. especially when you are in the grocery store with your kiddo who just really want that snack that you said you weren't going to get his month. Really, give yourself grace if you spend when you really had planned not to.  It's a process, just a destination.  Every little bit is going to help.  

One dress = 2 holidays!

Guys! My friend recently shared a genius idea of hers and gave me permission to share!  At Christmas she buys red dresses for her girls and then re-uses them for Valentines! 

She told me she uses black tights and shoes for Christmas, and then switches to white tights and shoes for Valentines! It's that simple! 

        

So this Valentines, as you are browsing dresses for your little girls, keep in mind the option of reusing it for the following Christmas! Or at Christmas when you are purchasing a dress keep it red, then you can use it again at Valentine's! Not only are you saving money, but you are also re-using and therefore helping our planet too! Instead of multiple dresses, you are just getting one.  One less and helping there be less! 

Hope you have a Great Valentine's! 

Advent

 Looking to make an Advent calendar, but don't want to spend a lot.  

Check out this easy to use Advent calendar we re-use each year! I got tired of having to re-create the Advent calendar on top of scheduling the activities every year.  As my girls get older we are more involved in activities and therefore, just making the schedule is a lot of work.  

So, I created this simple Advent set I can re-use again and again.  I just printed it on card-stock since it holds up better than paper. Then each year I just erase and fill in the new dates and activities.  

Super easy and simple! 

If you want to use the image above: 

• click on the image
• Right click to save as a download
• Then you can print! 

Birthday Ideas

Little Miss is turning 5 this month! It's crazy, my baby is 5! When I started this blog, my 2nd was the baby.  It's amazing how fast the years go by!  With her turning 5, I was thinking about her birthday.  Birthdays can add up fast, even when you are trying to keep them to a budget. Here are 5 tips for keeping that budget in check and ways you can do so! 

This post includes affiliate links, which means if you click on the link I get a portion of any sales at NO COST to you.  See my disclosure page for more details. 

1. Make the cake vs. a box mix: 

While box mixes aren't that expensive, if you break down all the ingredients and how much you actually use for the cake it is cheaper to make the cake homemade than to buy the cake mix. A favorite in our house is chocolate, I've used this recipe from Creations by Kara for the last few chocolate cakes I've made. Last year my youngest wanted a 4 tier cake, because she was 4, lol of course right!  I stumbled through it. 

Help from Kara's recipe

Newbie without help

Then later, my oldest wanted a double layered cake for her 9th birthday   I knew I needed to find something to help.  I searched double layered chocolate cake and found Kara's post.  Kara not only has a great recipe for a two tier cake, she also has great tips on how to keep the cake to help frost.  Check out the photos above! What a difference! 

This year, we needed to make a gluten-free cake, turns out this same recipe works great gluten-free! Check out this cake and all the other options she has to help make your birthday budget a little more friendly this year! 

2. Make the frosting:

Homemade frosting is pretty easy to make and more affordable too.  The above site has a great homemade frosting recipe too! 

3. Use and re-use the number candles: 

This is something that my husband's family grew up doing.  After so many years it was fun to see the #1 from the first birthday re-used in years 13, 14, 15 etc.  There's a nostalgia to re-using the old candles too.  Now, with three girls it's been easier to re-use the candles as their color choice was pretty similar.  We have bought a few here and there for special occasions like the golden birthday, but for the most part we have re-used candles. 

You can also reuse the skinny individual candles too! Just wipe off the bottom and stick in a bag.  Eventually they get small enough you can't use them anymore, but hey you did your part and used it up to it's full lifespan.  

4. Presents: 

Now a days, presents have gotten a little much.  We were recently reading the Little House on the Prairie Series, and the girls were shocked to hear what they got for their birthdays back then.  

We go by a simple rule; something fun & something you need. That's it.  Anything else is just too much, especially when our kiddos get gifts from other family members too.  Which we love, but we don't need to add a lot more. So I guess my suggestion is to take it easy, or make a limit. 

5. Decor: 

Decor can be simple and yet pretty.  If you have room you can store decorations to reuse again.  Growing up my husband's family had a tradition of reusing the birthday banner.  It was a basic birthday banner.  When our oldest turned 2, my sister-in-law gave us a princess birthday banner. Flash forward 7 years and three girls later, we are still using that banner.  It is a fun tradition that my girls look forward to seeing each birthday. They even like to put it up for Daddy's birthday as a joke.  It worked out for us that we had 3 girls with the princess banner, but you can get any basic one or something that works for your family. 

Another tradition is wearing a birthday crown.  We've used a few over the years, but this one has been a staple for the last couple years. I was so excited to find one that would work for many years. 

Another way to save on decorations is to buy birthday plates, cups etc on clearance.  We stick with basic colors, then I just stock up on their favorite color when I see it on sale. Or if there's a fun theme I know they like.  

Finally, plastic table cloths draped over twine work great as a backdrop.  Pick your theme's colors and use 5-7 depending on how wide your back drop is.  These also can be rolled up and saved to use again!  

Hope this helps with any birthday planning you have in the future.