I chose the backpacking picture above because in my efforts to simplify, create less waste, spend less on stuff and more on adventures and memory creating I have thought a lot about our backpacking, biking and canoeing trips. Those are so good for learning what things are really essential and what isn't.
I had quite a few different goals that I blogged about but this post will be focused on reporting on these particular goals:
- Creating as little waste as possible.
- Not spending money. Exceptions would be giving, traveling, paying for experiences, paying our mortgage, insurance, utilities and anything else of that nature, buying gas (though I hope to drive less and bike more) and purchasing necessary food and consumables like toilet paper and soap. I can barter for other items or use money earned at a consignment shop to get other items there. I will try to grow or forage just as much of our food as possible and we will work as hard to use up food that we have rather than buying. Also - things will come up -such as a wedding. I will be doing my best on this one (in trying not to make a lot of needless purchases or create trash) but will try to use common sense and not be overly fanatical when it comes to this event.
- Eating local low or unpackaged food just as much as possible.
- Continue to get rid of 25 items each week and sort through 5 spaces each week. I am happy to report that I did accomplish getting rid of 25 items a week last year plus way more. I almost cleaned our 5 spaces a week but was 7 spaces shy for the year.
First, a financial report:
These are the areas that I have spent money on. This is from my receipts and checkbook. I didn't monitor Ken's spending though I may report on a few things that he spent money on. I am the primary grocery shopper in our family. He did go once during this time to get a few things that he wanted that I didn't have on hand. Just to let you know - it was my goal to spend less but I don't think I accomplished it all that well so far. I'll keep trying.
These are the areas that I have spent money on. This is from my receipts and checkbook. I didn't monitor Ken's spending though I may report on a few things that he spent money on. I am the primary grocery shopper in our family. He did go once during this time to get a few things that he wanted that I didn't have on hand. Just to let you know - it was my goal to spend less but I don't think I accomplished it all that well so far. I'll keep trying.
Groceries
January Total: $174.04
February Total: $292.62
March Total: $450.99 (There was a nice little chunk of this that was food that I stocked up for Mara's wedding reception in May)
Gas
January Total: $28.37 (I am guessing that Ken filled up the van sometime during this month - normally I fill up the van because I drive it the most - but this total seems pretty low)
February Total: $102.78
March Total: $155.62
We have done a lot of running around this year. It has largely been because the kids are in Theater. That will be over this weekend so hopefully our gas spending will go down.
Medical
I failed to mention earlier on that this would be an expense that we would also be dealing with. Mara, like I told you earlier, has been experiencing a lot of health problems so we are doing what we can to figure out her problems and resolve them. Our insurance is also high deductible so most costs are being paid out of pocket.
Quarterly membership for Mara at TrueNorth Healthcare $225 (this pays for all her doctor visits there)
Glasses for Mara: $64
Lab work $40
Various Shields that are supposed to protect us from EMFs $250 (this is something I bought that came in plastic and is not consumable - so it didn't follow my plan for buying this year but I decided it was worth it).
Chiropractor visit for me $45 (I did a silly fall when skiing this year and hurt my tail bone which threw my back off. I fell at the top of the hill when we had stopped to visit.)
Supplements (mostly for Mara) $110.58 This is another area where I broke my zero waste rule and most of these came packaged in plastic in some way.
Entertainment/Eating Out/Experiences
We did go skiing as a family twice (minus Mara who doesn't enjoy it so much and was off on a trip to Kansas). We also went out to eat once both times we went. The first time skiing cost $94 for lift tickets for the 5 of us and rental for one. The second time I think we paid closer to $250 for the day of skiing (at a bigger place.
I also took Megan and Aaron with their 4-H group and paid $16 for Aaron to ski and Megan to tube.
Shooting sports with 4-H for Aaron was $40 (to help pay for all the ammo he uses)
After opening night at Theater we went with a group to Perkins and spent $18.53
This evening Mara, Jonathan and I went to the Theater with some extended family and watched "Unplanned" - a moving film that I recommend. It was $5 per person today so total was $15.
Miscellaneous
500 lbs of Chicken Feed: $113.30
Flowers for gifts for my actresses on opening night: $9.71
Piano Tuning: $40
A new Iron that was needed as we work on dresses for the wedding (the old one was leaking, not working well and staining) $17.96 - not in my plan for buying this year but since we needed it for the wedding I did.
This post does not go into the money we spent on our trip to the Virgin Islands. I have another post devoted completely to that here.
Decluttering is going well. There is still a lot of room for improvement but I have cleared out at least 25 items each week. I can see progress being made and it is exciting!
Trying to live zero waste is going okay. I still have room for improvement but I have made a lot of steps towards creating less waste. I guess I will have to report more on this in the future as it is getting late and my trash picture is not uploading. :-)
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