Comments on: Make Do Month

By: Lauren D

Lauren D — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:33:21 +0000

January is always a tough month for me. I never go in the red for christmas, I learned when I was a lot worse off that if you don’t have it you definately shouldn’t spend it. But my son’s birthday is in January, followed by my boyfriends. Me and my boyfriend are even though as my birthday and our anniversary both fall in September so that’s his tough month

By: Improve Gas Mileage Guide

Improve Gas Mileage Guide — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:27:38 +0000

Drive less, walk more, schedule driving trips so I can do a bunch of errands at once, change my driving habits, and maintain and modify my truck to save money on gas. I’ve managed to get my gas expenses down from about a hundred dollars a week to just over hundred dollars a month.

By: sylvie

sylvie — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:37:34 +0000

One thing i found in getting to the make due month, is that there are small things we can do to stretch our grocery that are in our age unexpected. think war time ration. I started using pickle juice that i use to throw away in my salad as flavoring instead of lemon juice, i save the bacon fat to make my sunday morning breakfast potatoes (really, it is delicious) instead of butter, making breakcrumbs with stale bread… honestly, these will not make my grocery bill go down halfway but they are stretching it just this much so that i can spend a little less every week. for wartime recipes, and they are actually good, look up the blog : the 1940’s experiment.

By: Bargain Junkie

Bargain Junkie — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:11:16 +0000

I have found that bartering is a great way to save money. I gave my neighbor some public speaking clessons, and she delivered a 5-course chicken dinner that lasted the whole weekend.

No money changed hands, but we each felt we got a good deal!

By: Leah

Leah — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:57:13 +0000

My ‘make-do’ preparation started in December. It’s the first year I didn’t buy Christmas presents without using cash (no credit cards whatsoever)! And I tucked away a bit of my Christmas bonus as a comfortable backup. This month I’ve already neglected the mall three times (my weakness). Instead of buying a new book to learn a program I was interested in, I looked up tutorials online! I’ve been really watching my lunch expenses. Not necessarily brown-bagging it, but choose cheaper, healthier options than I normally would. And I’ve been looking for things to keep me busy and entertained at home instead of going out and spending more money.

This is the year the debts get paid off!!!

By: Double your contribution to Haiti relief efforts! @ Saver Queen

Double your contribution to Haiti relief efforts! @ Saver Queen — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:48:22 +0000

[...] and drink a home brew for 30 days? Gail has some good suggestions on her recent post, “make do month,” on how to have fun by living more simply and frugally this January. Get your friends or [...]

By: Tara

Tara — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:41:28 +0000

Went over budget on the holidays, but made up for it by reducing 1st paycheque retirement savings, so I’m back on track – I upped retirement saving percentage for the rest of year to balance it out. My budget is lean and mean and I’m on track for 2010. I have too much stuff already and really don’t want anything more. We’re also busy cleaning out the overstocked pantry. If all goes well I will be debt-free by Dec. 2010!

By: Darren

Darren — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:01:13 +0000

My brother turned 40 on January 2nd and I made him a cheesecake (with Toberlone bar topping, his favourite – kraft.ca recipe) and gave him two hockey Jerseys that I never used that were in mint condition. I’m a believer in regifting. It’s ironic that this was posted, as some friend of mine have committed to having a game night at least once a month.
Christmas shopping season was a bit tight, so I have increased my Christmas/gift fund to $40 every two weeks instead of $25.
Happy January everyone! I love it now that I know the days are starting to get longer.

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 22:28:28 +0000

Hi Gail. This weeks’ poll is not valid. I am not over 65 but do not work because I am on disability. Its not that I don’t want to work but I can’t. I wish I could. There are also people who retire before 65 and do not work too, but there is no input for them. You also do not have an input for stay at home mothers who work many hours at home and at times it is cost effective for them to stay home rather than work. You should have expanded your poll inputs, so far it will not correctly reflect reality.

Your blogs are fantastic and eye openers, however you need to work on your polls.

By: Tweets that mention Make Do Month ? gailvazoxlade.com -- Topsy.com

Tweets that mention Make Do Month ? gailvazoxlade.com -- Topsy.com — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:15:38 +0000

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By: inge

inge — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 23:48:35 +0000

January is an expensive month: Taxes and insurance for the car and the motorbike, membership fees, magazine subscriptions, and the credit card bill for holiday online shopping and train tickets. No food in the house after the holidays, so one big grocery shopping trip in the first week to re-fill the pantry. And this year the weather’s horrible, so, a month’s ticket for the bus. All in all, 1,000 Euro more than a “normal” month. No way to just stretch the money enough to get by. I put my Christmas bonus aside to pay the January bills, which have, at least, one thing going for them: They are very predictable.

By: AnnieA

AnnieA — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 23:19:55 +0000

Oddly, December is not a very expensive month — January is when I buy Christmas cards and presents, as well as winter clothes. Guess February should be my Make Do month then…

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:40:05 +0000

Manisha – I would like to add $50 a month because it is hard. We look for sales and really stick to lists. It incl. tp etc… but again if you find the deals it’s not bad.

By: Jodi

Jodi — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:14:13 +0000

I’m trying to use up whats in the freezer as well. The only problem I have is passing up the sales on meat. My freezer is so full I can’t fit another thing in there.

For us January is like any other month. The budget is the same every month.

By: KL

KL — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:12:41 +0000

I am bringing my lunch to work, which I didn’t do and cooking more. More to get more serious about debt repayment.