Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Aye, Aye, Aye It's August Already!

Why do the pages on the calendar keep turning so fast? Wasn't it just June last week, and today the calendar is telling me August has started. DD2 starts school five weeks from tomorrow, always getting that one extra day off as the school starts freshmen and new students the day after labor day, but others get one more day of summer. I'll do a budget wrap up, but July was not very friendly in the savings area-not negatives, but nothing to add to the accounts. I have to send more documentation for a large medical reimbursement so a delay. Still, I know there are some families, fellow bloggers, going through financial uncertainty, and I am beyond blessed with resources. I'll use the desire to not only save this month for my own family's goals, but also to increase some contributions to our local needs in my own community. My self imposed grocery challenge budgets are frivolous in comparison with what other's are regularly making due with, and I am humbly learning to maximize my spending power. 

Life does have some needs and wants this month. DD2 will need school supplies. We'll go through though our stock and make sure we are not buying duplicates of what is already in the house. Particularly, I'm looking at three ring binder recycling. They are terribly expensive and if she can just take out old papers, and reuse, that will save at least $10-$15. She'll need to keep some old ones as reference, such as Spanish and biology, but for classes that are not progressive learning, she can stick the old stuff in paper folders until she no longer needs at all. She also needs some new clothes. While still a peanut, she is a bit more curvy than when she last bought jeans. She has a few wants to freshen her wardrobe. Fortunately, she has now become a fan of thrift store buying and is already planning to hit a few with her friends.

We're loaded with birthdays this month-six gift buying birthdays, so am on the look out for suitable items that won't break the bank. Of course, I want to plan a little fun, like a meet up with fellow blogger Sluggy as she and her hubs work their way back east from their road trip with a stop in Minnesota. We'll hopefully get to wine club this Friday, an inexpensive night out because we already budget for the  monthly membership. We usually just have a flat bread or fondue to share with the complimentary nibbles served with the wine tasting. August is a month we tend to get to the lake more often, so other than gas for the pontoon, no added expenses to that fun. Basically, the motto for August will be shop wisely, eat simply, and enjoy life. As you wind down summer, or winter for my southern hemisphere readers, what's keeping your plate full, literally and figuratively?

8 comments:

  1. July seems to go fast but August whips by at breakneck speed. I have given DS some money to buy me school supplies when he goes back to the US. Supplies are SO much cheaper down there during Back to School Sales. By the time we get there for family weekend at college, a bit less so. He's not thrilled at buying a ton of pencil crayons (coloured pencils), erasers, pencils etc for me, but will. We are driving down so there will be plenty of room to bring those back to my classroom.

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    1. I am dumbfounded on how supplies this time of year can be relatively cheap and then go up 10X by October. Though, this fall and next, I'll start buying dorm sheets, and other college stuff for my daughter once it starts the major clearance. The college dorm stuff is not low cost in August.

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  2. August is filled with guests and events here. September will be my relaxing month hopefully.

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    1. That sounds tiring, but fun. Enjoy your company.

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  3. I don't feel the flipping of calendar pages quite as much anymore now that I'm retired. I still gloat a little about that :) Bad Jane! I have made a BIG change by going car-free recently!!! so I will be paying a lot more attention to the weather as I'll be mostly walking and biking. I've dreamed of this for a long time and am excited about the benefits and challenges. Hoping for a bit more $$$ saved from my monthly budget...we'll see how it goes...

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    1. Gloat away! Young retirees living a life of fun and adventure keep me focused on my own goals. I need to read about your car free transition-perhaps someday if we move more urban.

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  4. July was a crazy month with LOTS of trips & house guests. It was fabulous, but I'm looking forward to a much quieter August. I have my family relay, as well as my parents staying with us next week (watching the kids), & then the kids go back to school! We also will be inventorying the supplies & determining what we really need vs can reuse. Hopefully a lot can be reused!

    I'm trying to be frugal & make room in the freezer for some baking, ahead of the frantic school year fun.

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    1. they must have an ealry start. We have until after labor day for school, but still, coming soon. August is usually pretty busy, but busy with our own designed schedule.

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