December 2011 Living off Your Stockpile Challenge~ getting close to a new yr!

[to1drland]

Is anyone up for the DECEMBER challenge to live off of your stockpile & spend as little out of pocket as you can?

These are the guidelines:
*** We are going to do a one month challenge by living off your stockpile – only buying the bare necessities each week.
*** Post your results here.
*** you can chime in with your family's "living off stockpile" issues/results/recipes/receipts.

Exceptions:
1. Rolling RR, Catalinas, ECBs, existing gift cards
2. Rebate funds or proceeds from selling your existing stockpile that come in during the month.
3. Finding Items for FREE!!!


Can you do it?


what is included:

All food, alcohol and cigarettes. groceries, pops at the convenient stores cravings, fast food stops, Sam's club, one time a year co-op purchases, etc.
HBA/toiletries/cleaning products. hopefully we can all get the coupons we need and match them to the sales and rewards that go along with toothpastes, shampoos, cleaning supplies, diapers/wipes/formula etc.
pet food/care. For the most part, this is included in folks' budgets.
entertainment. Unless you specifically set aside money for entertainment, I consider it out of pocket, and then should be included.
couponing expenses. newspapers, magazines, stamps, coupons, envelopes, stickers, paper, printer ink, etc., all should be included in your oop.

what is not included: regular bills/loan payments such as mortgages, car payments, car repairs, gasoline, utilities: heating/cooling, gas, electric, water, cable/direct tv, phone/wireless, internet. Medical expenses.

*****Generally speaking....I know many of you are continuously adding to your stockpile....give yourself that extra bit of cash every month to do so. Or for those of you who hit the drug stores hard & live in double Q areas...work it!

Q&A's:
Q. What about fresh fruit, veggies, milk, eggs and bread?
A. Yes, these items would count in your out of pocket expenses. Buy all your necessities each week to go with what you already have in your pantry/freezer.

This is all about cleaning out your stockpile.

Q. Can we roll ECBs, RR, and Catalinas?
A. Of course! Only the out of pocket expenses count as what you have spent for the week.

Q. What about gift money? Or Rebate checks that come in during the month?
A. Simply speaking, my goal is to not spend money out of pocket, which IMO does not include Gift money or rebate money.

Of course we all have "standard" expenses, such as mortgage/rent, car payments, insurance, utilities, medications, etc. All 'other' money's: including groceries, fast food, hba, household items, entertainment, et al, that would make up your out of pocket expenses.

Q. My state taxes food. Does tax count into our oop?
A. Yes. Tax is part of our oop (unfortunately, for some of us )

Q. Do perscriptions count?
A. GOSH NO!!! PLEASE don't forego ANY medications or those for your loved one's. No. Perscriptions/meds do not count towards your oop balance.

Simply add your name & your goal amount to the wiki below to join in!


A "special surprise" goes to a random drawn participant that doesn't go "purple".

..........can you stay w/in your goal???

[cody82414]

need to get back into this

[jenrose]

I need to find my thrifty side again. It seems to have been replaced by my spendy side lately LOL.

[cdarrow26]

I'm gonna sit out December, but I'll be around to chat. I leave for Florida next Saturday to visit mom for a few days, then she's flying back with me for a week, so, my December will be pretty busy and probably not very frugal!

[jkeating]

I'm in and going to keep my $600 for the month since I'm going to my daughter's house from the last 2 weeks in December. Since I stocked her up since I was there in September I will probably only buy meat while I'm there. She told me she buys very little (only milk, bread and meat) since I was there last. She's bee getting meat on sale but her husband is a meat/potato kind of guy so there needs to be meat every night.

Next month I'm going to re-calculate and try to drop my budget a bit.

[to1drland]

need to get back into this

I knew you missed us! Welcome back!

[cody82414]

I knew you missed us! Welcome back!

I do

[actvmom]

I'll be around to chat. But we are going to Disney the last week of December, so there will be LOTS of expenses.

[belinda2]

I'm in but will probably try and drop budget next month. I'm running out of room and stuff to buy. Didn't cook a big dinner this year and am running under budget which was already cut from when I first started stockpiling. back in April.

[KmmCo]

I dropped my budget by $50 this month. I want a little extra for gas so we can hit the ski slopes over the Christmas break - so I am shifting that bit of money over there.

I am paying for my January trip next payday too so I really gotta be careful this month. I stocked up on some meat today (from Nov budget) that is going in the freezer for use in December, so I should do alright. I went through the chest frezzer today and straightened it out and took note of what I have: 5 plain pork roasts, 3 teryaki roasts, 4 whole chickens, 4 gallon ziplocks of boneless chicken (I wrap them individually so I can get out what I need for a meal), a half dozen beef roasts, 4 pkgs bacon. Some misc. steaks, pork chops, and sausages round out the meat supply. I think there are about a dozen family entrees in there too to use up. That should be enough for the meat lovers in the family.


I will need cheese this month. I have not found any good sales so I have just been getting what I need and not any extra to put in the freezer. I am also out of yogurt and will have to watch for more butter on sale.