Coupons

I clipped coupons and put them away immediately in their new little, very organized home! Now I might actually be able to use them this week... instead of frantically searching for that one coupon I thought I had and could have used but could not find for the life of me.

I'm plodding along with this "Financial Business" challenge.

The 29 Day Challenge: Day #21

There is a big pile of stuff in the garage that needs to go to Goodwill. I'm loading up my car and getting these items ready to go. First thing in the morning, I am dropping them off at the local donation center. They are all crying out for good homes. And I cannot wait until the space they are currently occupying in the garage is filled with, well, nothing. I am learning to love clear areas filled with nothing more than space.

I have also decided that the last eight "days" of this challenge are going to be devoted to giving away non-tangible things. I am going to work on giving away my time.

Another Update on the "Taking Care of Financial Business" Challenge

Here's my update - I've done NOTHING to work towards completing this challenge. For some reason, there is so much about financial literacy, financial obligations, and financial planning that I just find so daunting. Therefore, my tendency is to procrastinate on these tasks to no end. I am getting out my coupons right now and am going to finish organizing them before I do anything else. It is hard to take advantage of weekly deals and to have my shopping lists together if I can't even find the coupons I need when I need them. Actually, I am going to do a little web search right now on coupon organization to see if there is anything that really speaks to me. I think I need a little help.

"Take Care of Financial Business Challenge" Update

Here's a quick update on my slowly-moving process.

1. I took care of all outstanding bills. This task was not as daunting or scary as I had made it out to be. I am only left wondering why I didn't do this sooner.

2. I inquired about health insurance through my new part-time employer. I received a response and now just have to figure out the details and see whether or not it will be in my best interest to switch plans.

3. I've THOUGHT about updating my monthly expenditures, but have yet to deal with all the lingering receipts in my purse and on my table. Now that I think about it, I am going to go deal with the receipts in my purse... right now.

My "Take Care of Financial Business" Challenge

Katy over at The NonConsumer Advocate has issued a "Take Care of Financial Business" Challenge. I feel like reading her post has finally given me the push I needed to take care of some financial business. Frugality is a big part of my quest to live a life of greater simplicity, and in the spirit of living a simpler, more fulfilling life, I am challenging myself to take care of the following items in the next week:

1. Take care of all outstanding bills.

2. Organize my coupons.

3. Open up a high-yield savings account.

4. Explore the option of cheaper health insurance.

5. Take advantage of two discounts through the employee discount program I'm now eligible for.

6. Re-read Your Money or Your Life.

7. Update my July-August expense charts.

8. Set up a Financial Wall Chart according to the guidelines outlined in Your Money or Your Life.

9. Locate all my gift cards and spend them!

So, this is a start. I will come back and update this list as the week goes on. I will also be posting daily on both my progress and what I've learned through the process.

The 29 Day Challenge: Day #20

Who knew that it would take me MONTHS to complete a 29 day challenge? The bad news is I don't think those who designed the challenge intended for it to take months to complete (thus the obvious reference to "days" in the title of the challenge). The good news is that I have made the challenge my own, I think about it often, and I will complete it - on my own time frame and my own terms. The best thing that the challenge has done for me has been to make the process of simplifying a conscious very one. I now think more about what I have, why I have it, and who might be able to use what I have more than I can use it.

Today, the following items are going into a donation bag to be dropped off at a local donation center:

1. Some socks - now, I normally wouldn't donate used socks, as I don't think this is generally a hot item at the Goodwill, but I have A LOT of socks that are almost like new that I just never wear. I am passing them along to a better home.

2. A couple of exercise tops that are also in very good shape. They are those tops that I think I might wear someday, maybe... I bet that someone else could definitely wear them soon.

3. Three or four pairs of inexpensive flip flops that I've NEVER worn. I invested in a pair of Chacos and my feet love them so much I don't think I'll ever wear another pair of flip flops again...

I read somewhere recently that we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. I am attacking my closet today with that knowledge. If I have a summer item that I haven't worn this summer, it is going to find a new home. Period.

The 29 Day Challenge: Day #19

So, I did make it over to the local Goodwill today to drop off some big items. I hope they all find good homes. Tonight I'm doing another round of cleaning out the closet. My goal is to find at least three pairs of good shoes to donate, as well as another bag of clothes.

I really do believe that the more you give away, the more space you open up in your life for whatever may come you way...

In other news, I pretty much have our recycling system set up in the garage. I went by the county recycling center, but I want to search to see if there is a closer drop-off point. It sort of seems counter-productive to have to drive 15 miles to drop off some recycling. My goal is to find a drop-off center within 5 miles of the house or at least on the way to another location that I drive to on a weekly basis.