Ban Wagon -2011 Edition

[wdwmickey]

Yep! Dining out is our biggest "extra" expense. I'm determind to cut way, way back! My older DD was joking today the the pizza delivery place knows our order & they get "worried" if we don't call every week and the owner of our favorite chinese place doesn't even take our order anymore, she just brings our food to the table

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

LOL I'm like that at Starbucks. Before they closed the one we used to go to religiously, they would have my order started before I got all the kids out of the car.
The Baristas are scattered all over CT now but I try to hit the store where my favorite Barista works. When he's not there I tell the crew to tell him Disney mom says hi! LOL We always talk Disney, and the manager of the closed store runs the marathon every January.

With 6 of us our dining bill is never cheap but with DH gone all the time the last thing I want to do is cook on the weekends so we eat out 3 times a week at least.

 

[ddavis860]

You are giving me some really good ideas...

 

[MazdaUK]

I'm in!

No new clothes I don't need until I can get into a US size 10. (Currently a 12 and that's bigger than I like)
If someone brings cake to work I have to forego one of my snacks I've brought from home - I can't have both!
No new scrapbooks supplies other than adhesive, pages and photos. I will only get an album if one is full, not just because I have a new idea!
I will use my scraps!!! I found a zip folder PACKED when I was moving scrap stuff so ther was room for guests to sit and eat Some of those bits have been in there a couple of years
Be ruthless - if I know I'm not going to use paper (because I don't like it any more) give it to the Brownies or Guides to make cards with. This includes sorting through my CM stuff - all those photoboxes half used!

 

[PinballFamily]

I'm in too! I feel like Hope, NEE, and others have taken over my keyboard - you guys are saying what I'm feeling too!

It feels SO good to finally, finally, finally, be doing my own scrapping layouts! So, I'm in the no swaps, no card making marathons, etc. camp too.

The envelope system did sorta kinda work for me last year, but there were some "creative" accounting methods used at times...

So, that doesn't seem to be as helpful now, so I love the idea of only buying the couple of things that are needed for an immediate project. I'm working from stashes of everything and can for...ahem...quite a while, but forsee some special embellishment needs for some layouts. Erin - I hear you on the Hoarders thing! Since we got hooked on that show a few days ago, more than one family member has mentioned our scrap area and pointedly looked at me...hmmmmph, their nerve!

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Yeah...it's pretty bad...but I can at least admit I have the problem...I'm jus not ready to seek help yet!!

On another note...it is a great show, right? Like a car accident...you can't take your eyes off!!!!

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I tell my kids the house feels like an episode of Hoarders sometimes. Granted it's small and there are 6 of us living here but we could use the space more wisely. There is just so much crap!

 

[PrincessNancy96]

Not only do we watch hoarders, I've been watching clean house... My kids laugh at me because I'm so organized that I could just throttle them through the screen..

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I love Clean house but nothing lights a fire under your butt like Hoarders!!

I'll watch at like 2 am and then power clean the kitchen til 4. LOL

 

[bigsis1970]

Wow this is great post --- I'll add mine if you don't mind..

Scrapping --
I will work on my wedding album (our photog took over 800 pic) for 1 hr a week till finished.
I will keep my stuff organized so I know what I have and what I need before getting to the store.
My swap stash is pretty depleted so I will join a few doing only a few things to keep it all under control.

Other areas of Life --
I will NOT nag soo much, only on the BIG issues..
I will do my best to keep on budget (I have a 12 month plan) if not it will cut into my Disney trip $$ and I can't have that.
Will keep to my weekly (monthly) menu and will not grocery shop hungry to avoid un nessaary purchases and I will deplete my Pantry & freezer stock. (of course if meats are on an awesome sale will allow for that)
Will only eat out if it's planned in advance and in our allotted budget.. this includes ordering out at work or just being lazy!
I hope to move out of my sister's house in 2011

That good for now Michelle

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

I tell my kids the house feels like an episode of Hoarders sometimes. Granted it's small and there are 6 of us living here but we could use the space more wisely. There is just so much crap!

I hear ya!!! We outgrew our house the day we moved in. We wanted something with four bedrooms so everyone had their own space and two bathrooms so there wasn't a fight. Well, we got that but the rooms are small and there is no spare storage space. So, we have some overflow!! But, it's so hard to sell and get anything out of your house right now that we are stuck for the time being!!

Not only do we watch hoarders, I've been watching clean house... My kids laugh at me because I'm so organized that I could just throttle them through the screen..

Nan - you want to come to PA and do a depp-cleaning for me??? I could use it and you seem to be a pro!! I have all the good intentions, just think Ineed to allow myself to let go of some things and what I keep, I need to learn to properly organize so I can find it easily.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

broke my own rule yesterday. My LSS had bazzill 100 sheets for $39.99 and I couldn't resist. I did only purchase colors I was out of though, and ones I use a lot. I should be set for paper for about 4- 6 months.

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Hurry up and get back on here!!!

I went to ACM yesterday and spent only $15...and it was on adheasive...so I still have my whole budget for the month to go!!! I'm excited...think I will get one of the new Disney carts!!!

 

[PrincessNancy96]

I spent 29 cents on the holiday swap.. I was 1/3rd of a sheet short of the NYE pattern paper. I could not find any in my stash not even scraps... but my total cost for the whole swap was 29cents; I did everything else from my stash..

I took a list in and didn't buy anything that wasn't on my list.. my other items were adhesive but that's an approved expense...



Ok, now back to organizing my sketches and labeling those pages so when I work on choosing prints/I can tag a sketch to the pages and order the appropriate sizes therefore saving even more money instead of ordering photos that I don't use because they won't fit the LO.

I need to have 99 prints ordered by Thursday to get the snapfish deal...

 

[wdwmickey]

I need to know if I can make a new laptop (used for photo storage, SCAL, CDS, fonts, etc) a justifiable expense. My laptop needs a new motherboard (and that costs as much as a new laptop) so DH said to get a new one. I don't want to fall off the wagon so soon!

I've been pricing this afternoon. I know I should be excited but, I'm not really. I love my pink laptop

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Off-topic...Cheryl...are you feeling better?


On-topic...I need a sponsor!!! I want to buy both Disney carts and Life's a Party...NOW!!!!!!!! My limit for the month was $50. I have a partial g.c. left...which means I could get two of the three for only $53...so going only $3 over my limit. But, I'd love to just get them all now and on sale. HELP ME!!! Can I do it and take it out of next month's spending?

 

[rlovew]

Off-topic...Cheryl...are you feeling better?


On-topic...I need a sponsor!!! I want to buy both Disney carts and Life's a Party...NOW!!!!!!!! My limit for the month was $50. I have a partial g.c. left...which means I could get two of the three for only $53...so going only $3 over my limit. But, I'd love to just get them all now and on sale. HELP ME!!! Can I do it and take it out of next month's spending?

Which ones would help you with pages you are working on right now! If they are for pages you want to do but aren't slated for this month then you can wait until next month. Make a list of at least 5 cuts off each of the carts you want that you would be using this month. If you can't do that then wait until you can before buying them. You don't need them yet if you aren't using them. They only drop in price as time goes on.

Rebecca

 

[wdwmickey]

Erin--The doctor gave me antibiotics--she thinks it's a sinus infection that I got from the girls, apparently I should have gotten meds when they did

On to the topic at hand--I ordered both new Disney carts with Christmas money from my mother-in-law. I would be happy to make you whatever you need. That way you can stay on the wagon, while I'm running behind it

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Rebecca - you are so right!!! Thanks for talking me off the edge! I am determined to get my 2010 Disney trip 1/2 done this month, so the Classics one especially will help and maybe the Pixar. I guess I will be waiting on the other.

Cheryl - hope you start to feel better!!!! Thanks for the offer to cut...I don't really NEEEEEEED anything. If I think of something I can't wait for, I'll let you know. But, for now, it can wait. It's more of an obsession than a need! LOL

 

[wdwmickey]

Good for you Back to laptop shopping.