topic Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less in Beauty

SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

DrKelli — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 16:23:15 GMT

Good morning all, I wanted to get this thread started early because I have kind of a busy week.

One of the churches had this on their marquee this week:

"Choose to live simply so others may simply live"

I think this is a great statement. I took 6 bags of clothing and shoes to the local consignment shop on Saturday. The clothing is already appearing on their FB page. They don't offer payment, but they offer store credit that you can pay forward by donating it back and they will give it to someone who truly needs it. They did that but also gave me $60 in store credit too. I wish they wouldn't have because I want stuff OUT not in!! But I accepted graciously.

I just scheduled the pickup for the 3 boxes of books and additional 3 bags of clothing that I didn't feel like sorting through.

I did make one purchase this weekend--I needed a pair of size 50 knitting needles, so I ordered through Amazon.

I didn't get through my mini-project this weekend simply because I wanted a week off. Next weekend, I have a bunch of things to do--massage, hair and a race on Sunday. I hope our weather holds because the course can be very slick if we get snow.

I hope you all have a great week ahead!

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

alicedee — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 17:31:55 GMT

Quiet day yesterday, but this week I plan to start going through books. Will start a box out in the garage for ones I know I won't be keeping. That's something I can "putz" at all week...whenever I pass the shelves take a look, pull out a few, drop them in the out box.

I spent just under $10 yesterday on Amazon. My Sunday routine for years has been stop on the way home from church and pick up the local Sunday newspaper. It's an opinionated rag that I don't enjoy reading the articles, but I got it for the grocery ad for the store I shop at and I do the New York Times crossword puzzle in it each week. That's my Sunday afternoon....plan my grocery list and work on the crossword! Yesterday on Amazon I found a book of 500 NY Times crossword puzzles! Got it in the "used" (but it hasn't been written in) section and it was under $10, including shipping. At one per week, it will last me 10 years and save me $1,000 (the paper just went up to $2.00 on Sundays).

The grocery store has their ad online, so I did my grocery list that way. Also have online coupon sites, so I don't need the paper for those.

Feel good about saving that $....and not supporting the paper I really don't like anymore!!!

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

jackthebear — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 17:37:20 GMT

On 1/26/2015 alicedee said:
Quiet day yesterday, but this week I plan to start going through books. Will start a box out in the garage for ones I know I won't be keeping. That's something I can "putz" at all week...whenever I pass the shelves take a look, pull out a few, drop them in the out box.

I spent just under $10 yesterday on Amazon. My Sunday routine for years has been stop on the way home from church and pick up the local Sunday newspaper. It's an opinionated rag that I don't enjoy reading the articles, but I got it for the grocery ad for the store I shop at and I do the New York Times crossword puzzle in it each week. That's my Sunday afternoon....plan my grocery list and work on the crossword! Yesterday on Amazon I found a book of 500 NY Times crossword puzzles! Got it in the "used" (but it hasn't been written in) section and it was under $10, including shipping. At one per week, it will last me 10 years and save me $1,000 (the paper just went up to $2.00 on Sundays).

The grocery store has their ad online, so I did my grocery list that way. Also have online coupon sites, so I don't need the paper for those.

Feel good about saving that $....and not supporting the paper I really don't like anymore!!!

would love for spouse to stop getting our paper, but he likes it so not going to pick that battle, but it would cut down on paper to recycle.

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

alicedee — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 18:20:16 GMT

Any chance your spouse would do an online version of the newspaper (if your paper offers it)?

You are wise...you have to pick your battles! And can't expect everyone in your household to be on the same page as you....each will have their own things that are important to them.

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

DrKelli — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 18:23:07 GMT

I've read the paper since I was a kid and probably won't give it up. I can't believe they are still delivering it. I know they don't deliver many in my neighborhood. I remember when that was touted as a secondary income.

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

jackthebear — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 18:42:14 GMT

On 1/26/2015 alicedee said:
Any chance your spouse would do an online version of the newspaper (if your paper offers it)?

You are wise...you have to pick your battles! And can't expect everyone in your household to be on the same page as you....each will have their own things that are important to them.

not really, there is one but not very readable.

Sometimes the paper version are easier to read than the online version. NYTimes might be an exception but I'm too cheap to pay for it

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

alicedee — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 18:50:52 GMT

On 1/26/2015 jackthebear said:
On 1/26/2015 alicedee said:
Any chance your spouse would do an online version of the newspaper (if your paper offers it)?

You are wise...you have to pick your battles! And can't expect everyone in your household to be on the same page as you....each will have their own things that are important to them.

not really, there is one but not very readable.

Sometimes the paper version are easier to read than the online version. NYTimes might be an exception but I'm too cheap to pay for it

Our local paper (not the NY Times...they just include that crossword puzzle in their issues!) has an online version but it is not worth the money, in my opinion. Everyone has to find their own areas where they can make cuts/adjustments. It will be different for everyone. I am certainly enjoying reading everyone's posts and ideas!!!

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

AnotherView2 — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 19:22:48 GMT

It took me many years to realize that I was a "shopper of opportunity". I only came to realize this recently. My opportunistic shopping was done typically when I went someplace to do something that I had to do anyway. I rarely made trips to simply browse and buy.

Prime examples were: 1) buying random beauty stuff at Walgreens or CVS while in there to pick up a prescription or 2) there was a TJ Maxx in the same shopping plaza as the grocery store I visited at least once a week. I would go into TJ's just "to see what was new" before getting the groceries yet couldn't get away (EVER!) from TJ's without getting at least something or 3) would drop stuff at Goodwill and shop there, bringing home almost as much as what went out.

Half the time I would wonder why I bought the things I came home with and would try to avoid returning (at the retail places) by gifting the item later on. In a few cases, I even gave the stuff away to Goodwill that was new from TJ's...

TJ's moved locations. I also moved all our scrips to Walgreens since I am less tempted there because my Walgreen's is a little one that had less goodies than CVS. I also have made sure to do all errands on one day per week, cutting down on the running around so I am less tempted to stop somewhere and browse as entertainment. I also have my husband bringing stuff to Goodwill and I stay home so nothing new gets purchased there, at least for now.

I need to save money now since I am not working for the first time in many years. I am having a new dental issue as well as a recurring shoulder injury medically treated now and I don't need the extra expense of shopping or having to purge the stuff 6 months from now because it went unused.

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

rnmom — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 22:39:44 GMT

It's still so nice hearing everyone's ideas for cutting back and simplifying. I am still slowly working on the decluttering here, just a little bit here and there. I tried to get my boys to part with some preschool type games that they haven't played in ages, but I was only able to pry one Memory game away from them, and one puzzle. Maybe on the next go round. They're 6 and 9, I don't think we'll be playing Candyland anytime soon, but if one boy wanted to get rid of something, the other wanted to keep it, and vice versa, so we didn't get very far. I didn't push it because they parted with a lot of items last summer. And I found a few more small household items to donate. So some very small progress here.

I don't feel like we're doing much saving this month though. I spent about $90 on SKINN items, that's a lot for me, and I ordered about $60 of stuff from Walmart. Some of the Walmart stuff needs to go back, hopefully tomorrow. But the microwave broke and we had to order a new one and hubby has been shopping the sales at the grocery store so anything I save, he makes up for by making another trip. I guess I'll have to see where we're at by the end of the month but it's not looking too promising. Hopefully next month will be better on that front.

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

wismiss — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 23:06:38 GMT

I decided that I was going to spend less and save more. I am physically handicapped and do most of my shopping online. If I do go shopping, I go to just one store and that is all I can manage---maybe two stops. So, shopping online has been my major purchase venue. I have found myself not looking on line as much at certain sites to just see what is available and if anything is on sale. In fact, this weekend, I went to an often used site and looked at a couple of items I REALLY wanted, not needed. And, a wonderful sale--$50 off a $100 purchase. But, I resisted and did not order anything.

I have compared this month's spending to last month's. I have spent almost $600 less this month. I just don't look, if I do look, I don't buy. This is going to give me the encouragement to continue to cut back on my spending.

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

BrerRabbit — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 23:21:33 GMT

On 1/26/2015 wismiss said:
I just don't look, if I don't look, I don't buy.

I agree! It's so silly.. but I bought a Clarisonic about 3 years ago.. hated it and sent it back. Well I saw a Clarisonic TSV presentation about a year ago - and yup, I bought it AGAIN! stupid. Selling it on Craigslist, someone should be picking it up tonight.

Also blocked QVC from my TV, and don't miss it at all. My shopping energies are redirected to organizing my house and eating healthier.

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

vicki is ok — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 23:34:18 GMT

On 1/26/2015 wismiss said:
I decided that I was going to spend less and save more. I am physically handicapped and do most of my shopping online. If I do go shopping, I go to just one store and that is all I can manage---maybe two stops. So, shopping online has been my major purchase venue. I have found myself not looking on line as much at certain sites to just see what is available and if anything is on sale. In fact, this weekend, I went to an often used site and looked at a couple of items I REALLY wanted, not needed. And, a wonderful sale--$50 off a $100 purchase. But, I resisted and did not order anything.

I have compared this month's spending to last month's. I have spent almost $600 less this month. I just don't look, if I do look, I don't buy. This is going to give me the encouragement to continue to cut back on my spending.

Great accomplishment Wismiss. It's eye opening when you actually see the dollar amounts of what you were spending and how much you've saved.

Last January I spent over $2000 here on QVC I am ashamed to say.I had done a total through the 20th of Jan. 2014 but this new total is for the whole month. One of the purchases was large (Bose sound system), but everything else was clothes, handbags and shoes/boots. I was in shock when I saw that figure!!!! This year so far In January I have spent NOTHING and plan not to. It's one thing to buy things you need, but for me I was just impulse buying. I have not been once to QVC homepage. I no longer have their app on my phone or tablet and the only shortcut I have now on my puter is to get here to the forum without seeing anything else. It really feels so good to know I am doing this. Of course there will be times when I do buy, but they will only be for those items I need and that are a better value on the Q than anywhere else. As far as handbags and shoes, I think I'm good for quite a while, lol.

Best Wishes All

Vicki

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

3redheads — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 03:02:31 GMT

I'm still here!

The only impulse purchase I've made since the first of the year went back last week. It was from bobbi Brown's site. A blush I had been waiting for. Got it and didn't love it, so back it went.

36 days since I purchased from QVC!

Hang in there, ladies! Great to see so much progress.

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

Irish1210 — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 03:50:35 GMT

So far I am happy with my progress, but still have a way to go! I've made a dent in every closet and drawer, but am well aware that I suffer from "not quite ready to let go" syndrome. So I will slowly make my way through all clothing items again.

It pleases me to know I have spent much less $$ at the grocery store and made no unnecessary/impulse purchases either out at a store or at the Q ~ have to avoid LOGO shows!

I do need to get into the attic, but that will have to wait until spring ~

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

Anniecamp — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 04:22:51 GMT

Still working on paper. Also eating out of the pantry and freezer. Less volume on both!

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

queendiva — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 05:07:54 GMT

Today, of necessity, DS and I did a quick cleanup of the garage so we could park 2 of 3 cars inside in advance of the coming snowstorm. Two bags of trash and more than that amount of boxes/ recyclables. Tomorrow will be the freezer. I am probably the only person I know who did not hit the grocery store prior to the storm. Running low on OJ, but the pantry is well stocked for winter, and the fridge had it's share of leftovers. Money saved on food.

Just a few days left in the month. Anxious to see how I did with saving $. I already know I have some pretty big expenses coming for February.

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

KonaKat — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 14:30:34 GMT

Nothing exciting here! I'm still doing the 15 minutes at a time approach. I do have a big box ready to go to Good Will when I go to the city 65 miles away. I'll be doing that when I have a specialist's appointment on February 3. I'm not making a special trip because of the mileage involved.

I was awakened at 4:30am with a call and then a text announcing a two-hour delay. When that happens, I'm up for the day. I spent 30 minutes looking into the dark recesses of my kitchen cabinets to see if there was anything that could go. I'm basically good there right now, but did organize cans of food items based upon expiration dates.

I got a zero percent offer until November 2016 with a super low special transfer rate so I'm using that to pay off the cost of the HVAC I had to install. A little money spent for the small fee will save me money over the payment plan for the HVAC.

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

vicki is ok — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 17:22:23 GMT

On 1/26/2015 Irish1210 said:
So far I am happy with my progress, but still have a way to go! I've made a dent in every closet and drawer, but am well aware that I suffer from "not quite ready to let go" syndrome. So I will slowly make my way through all clothing items again.

It pleases me to know I have spent much less $$ at the grocery store and made no unnecessary/impulse purchases either out at a store or at the Q ~ have to avoid LOGO shows!

I do need to get into the attic, but that will have to wait until spring ~

Irish I know sometimes it is hard to "let go" of things, but each day maybe you can say to yourself "today I am going to put 5 things out of this closet to either donate or trash". You choose whatever number is good for you, I just used 5 as an example. My sister who was on the verge of hoarding did this and was able to get her whole home organized and clutter free. She has kept it that way for the last 6 years!!!

I am right there with you on the LOGO shows. I have no idea when they are on and don't want to know, lol. I have a closet full of her designs and will have to say I DO wear them and love them. Just don't need anymore!!

I love reading everyone's new posts each day and am always able to take away something to help me.

Best Wishes All

Vicki

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

alicedee — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 21:02:14 GMT

Well pooh, I'm not going to get much done today. Woke up with a bad migraine. Pain meds finally kicked in, but I'm definitely foggy. Showered and put pj's back on!

One thing I did think of that we do that's a $ saver for us....the credit card we have gives us back a percentage of what we charge. We charge pretty much everything on it....gas, groceries, meds, clothes, etc. And we are very disciplined about paying off the entire amount every month. So we don't have any interest charges, and we get money back each month for using the card. We let it build up for awhile and then have the option of getting a check or a credit on the card. We had over $400 at Christmas time, and applied it to our December balance. It's a way to make some money IF you use the card only for needs and pay the balance off entirely every month.

If I already told this tale in an earlier post....please forgive me, I'm medicated today

Re: SIMPLIFY 2015, WEEK 5--All can join! Support for those who want to spend less

vac — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 21:09:06 GMT

On 1/27/2015 alicedee said:
Well pooh, I'm not going to get much done today. Woke up with a bad migraine. Pain meds finally kicked in, but I'm definitely foggy. Showered and put pj's back on!

One thing I did think of that we do that's a $ saver for us....the credit card we have gives us back a percentage of what we charge. We charge pretty much everything on it....gas, groceries, meds, clothes, etc. And we are very disciplined about paying off the entire amount every month. So we don't have any interest charges, and we get money back each month for using the card. We let it build up for awhile and then have the option of getting a check or a credit on the card. We had over $400 at Christmas time, and applied it to our December balance. It's a way to make some money IF you use the card only for needs and pay the balance off entirely every month.

If I already told this tale in an earlier post....please forgive me, I'm medicated today

Hope you feel better soon! I have a good friend who suffers terribly from migraines, and I always feel so bad for her.