The January 2012 Living off Your Stockpile Challenge~ WINNER ANNOUNCED!!!

[to1drland]

Is anyone up for the JANUARY 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???

[jenrose]

I'm still here. Hopefully this year will be more budget friendly then last LOL

[mommas2moody]

I'm still here. Hopefully this year will be more budget friendly then last LOL

Fingers Crossed!!!!

I'm actually going to be in this mouth! $800 so I have some wiggle room for stockpiling. I was doing pretty well while we had Fall weather but now that we are getting winter weather, my stockpile is disappearing very quickly.

I will also be working more so this will probably mean more nights of picking up take out. I also will have all the girls home until the 9th.

I have come up with a way I *think* will help give me a push to get my act together with my coupons. For every $1 in q's I use I will add a dime to my cash stash.

My goals for this year are......
1) get another freezer!
2) build a stockpile of a years worth of the things we use the most (first I need to calculate these things)
3) keep q's organized!
4) lower my monthly spending to $500 max. (which is what I spent before having DD4 & worked away from the home)

What are some of your goals?

[jkeating]

I'm in again and keeping my same $600 for the month.

Both Peter and I need to drop some weight and I'm not sure how much chicken I have in the freezer. We have tons of frozen veggies so we're good there. Also want to try having a small salad each night with dinner. So I'll have to buy some salad makings. Have a lot of dressing so we're good there.

[SouthernBelle5]

This is always my most lean month because I get paid December 23 and that has to last until January 31st. So I'm in for $87.

[saving-n-va]

2012 ----- time for a new start! I'm in!

Because prices have gone up and deals are harder to find, and because we are trying to eat healthier...hubby has raised the budget to $300 per month. Now my goal is to stay at the old budget of $250, but I will put our actual budgeted amount as my goal. This year rebates will not be put back into the grocery account unless we run low on the budget. I'm not sure how we will handle any leftover grocery money for the month. (its been so long since there was a surplus...lol).

[VivaciousJewelz]

I'm in! I think $200 again.

[cdarrow26]

I'm definitely in for January. I'm setting my budget for $100.

[a_tyson8]

I'm in for $100.

[couponsmakecents]

I am back after a year of life issues. There is now only one of me and two dogs so going to go for $100.00 as I am trying to eat more fruits and veggies. I have lots of frozen chicken and veggies so that will help.

Good luck to all of us trying to bring it in under budget.

cvs gift card $19.34, Walgreens gift card 1.93, and Rite Aid gift card 23.43