January Challenge

The stockings were hung at the chimney with care, in hopes that nobody got close enough to stare
Masons stocking belonged to our first dog Buster Brown, I embroidered Masons name on a piece of flannel then basted it over Busters name. By next year Mason will have his very own stocking (I think)

Kara and Karsyn's stockings are finished except for the sequins work, just no time to finish before Christmas, they are now setting in my hand work basket to finish over the winter.

Scored big at the grocery store and CVS on a ton of hot chocolate mix,
candy, and a tin of cookies. Hot chocolate was marked down to $.25 @, saved $.75 on each one, everything else was 75% off.

I ran out this AM to pick up quilt batting that was on sale 50% off, I now have enough for 3 "Quilt of Valor" quilts and 6 "Linus Project" quilts. The sale runs until Sunday so I am contemplating picking up 3 more full size for "Quilt of Valor" quilts, that would get me through 6 months of charity quilting. Need to take a peek in the checking account to help make the decision! While I was out and about I ran by CVS looking for a few little things that might be on clearance for my Senior Pal. The tin of cookies along with a box of Werthers caramel and chocolate will work great, also picked up a pair of snuggly socks with the little rubber grips on the bottom. I was on the lookout for some instant hot chocolate mix but they were sold out so on to the grocery store. I hit the Mother lobe at the grocery on Hot cocoa mix, regular price $.97, sale price $.25. I have enough to make up lots of cute little feel better gifts for the winter and next Christmas as well (no expiration date!) Of course I couldn't pass up the M&M's that were 50% off, hubby and Tyler's favorite cookie is M&M's, they could care less what color the candy is.

We finished getting all the Christmas decorations down and packed away for next year, even got 3 rooms cleaned from top to bottom, our house looks so bare :(. Hope to knock out a few more rooms tomorrow then the big clean out of the kitchen, pantry and freezers next week when hubby goes back to work (please don't let me kill him before then) As much as I wanted to get busy on the last quilt I need to get in the mail having the house back in order took priority for today. Now on to next months challenge.

I have joined in with Clara and a large group of other bloggers for a No Spend in January challenge, check it out here
http://halfdozendaily.blog.com/2011/12/28/anyone-else-care-to-join-my-no-low-spend-challenge/. Many of us are making our own rules for the challenge, it should be fun to join in or follow along. Here is what I have come up with for our goals

No spending for anything not necessary;

Gas, groceries and prescription meds are excluded however...

Gas - I don't have Daughter #1 children until March 1st when she returns to work, I should be able to save on gas for my car this month since I won't be picking up and dropping off her little ones. I am going to do my best to stay the heck off the roads to save even more gas $$, I have plenty to do at home, no need to do much running around. Hubby has a crazy commute into the city each day, his gas $$ won't be changing
Groceries - Until I get the kitchen, pantry, refrigerator and freezers back in order I'm not sure where we stand on food other than I know we have enough to last us a good long time. I am thinking our grocery bill will be super low.

Prescription Meds - We can't do without!!

We have no Birthday's in January, the only gift giving we will be doing are the quilts I need to mail for some sweet little girls. I also have what I need to send my Senior buddy her January gift other than postage, need to get that gift prepared!!

I have the $$ put back to take a quilting class 2 times a month for 3 month's that I am thinking of taking, need to sleep on it for an additional night. I always pick up so many tricks and tips in class that I hate not joining in on this one, however it would require I buy fabric for the class in January :(

We will stay entertained in the evenings with the volumes of DVD's that haven't been opened hubby has received for the past year (maybe longer) I never have a problem entertaining myself, cooking, sewing, scrapbooking and working on taxes will keep me busier than I want to be!
We have never been into New Years resulutions but having goals for 2012 is a diffrent story, I am hoping that starting the year with a no/low spend month will kick the New Year off with a bang to our savings account!!