I’ve finally crunched My Challenge numbers. I spent an average of $977.74 on living expenses, after savings and taxes.

Here’s a recap of my income.


Here’s a concise summary of my spending.



Here’s the detail.


For some reason, all my current and prior images show as boxes wiht a little x, although if I click on them I see the image. A quick review of the forums hasn't helped me figure it out. If anyone has hints, let me know. Current and prior images are jpegs from my hard drive.

I spent $1592 a month in 2005. (I have already been saving a large portion of my income.) I wasn’t on any Challenge in 2005, and the trips I went to Oaxaca, Poland and Belgium are included in the $1592 a month average.

I spent $978 a month on the Challenge. If I take off, as I should, the amount I spent on my trip to Europe (Croatia and Bosnia, Sept. 2006, $1810) I saved an additional $5558 for the year, for an average increase in savings per month of $463.

During My Challenge, I lived on less than half of my net income. That's just the numbers. Later, I'll post on what the Challenge really meant for me, as far as my lifestyle.

Some delayed totals, eh? Well, think of it this way; your next recap is close and it will be the final for the year!

Standard Recap Info:
I spent $1592 a month in 2005. My Challenge savings are the difference, $1592-$1026 (see below) = $566 times 11 months = $6,226.

Add to that $303 in “savings” and $30.61 in my emergency fund, I’ve saved an additional $6,559.61 over what I had saved before. If I take out what I spent in Europe, $1809.64, which is not part of my Challenge, I’ve saved $4,749.97 living on CA Minimum Wage for 11 months.

*$703.82 is the amount I have banked and unspent for non-monthly expenses, saved from March 1st through January 31st. This does NOT include my savings and emergency funds. I really needed my banked money this month; but I guess I bank it for a reason.

** My income is calculated as follows: CA minimum wage of $6.75 for 40 hours a week, at 4.33 weeks in a month, $1178 total. I’ve taken FICA and SDI (CA State Disability Insurance) out for a total of $1073. I had $10.13 in extra income from recycling this month, $1 from a GoZing survey, and $17 from SurveySpot for the last year’s surveys. This brought my income to a mighty high of $1101.13.

*** When I originally began the Challenge March 2006 I assumed no federal or state tax liability, but I’d actually owe $47 a month, so I have to budget $95 a month (for the last 6 months of the Challenge) to catch up. So my actual spendable income averaged over each month is my original calculation of $1073 less $47 for $1026.

***** I spent a lot in January, for mainly two reasons. My semi-annual car insurance was due; thank goodness I had prepared and been putting a little away every month. My annual car registration also came due. My Guy had a birthday, and my other big expenses were for his present and taking him out to eat.

***** This money I carry over into the beginning of February.

I’ve written about how I overall keep laundry costs low and household costs low. Prepare to be wowed, or lulled to sleep, or both, by how I keep personal item spending in check. Since February 1st,2006, I have spent $136.88 on toiletries (including haircuts, bathing items, and female hygiene supplies). I have spent $54.35 on clothes in the last 11 months (although I did exchange some clothes I had bought earlier, so I think I got maybe $80 worth total).

Overall look:
I think I have a plain face, but I think I have a very friendly face, so I’m overall not too worried about how I appear. I’m overweight, but not too much so-I can still wear Misses size clothes instead of Woman’s Worlds (Misses is "regular"; Woman’s World is larger sizes). My one real vanity is that I want to look smart; I don't even know how that’s possible so it’s a pretty dorky vanity, eh?

Bathing:
I am a very simple bather. Sometimes I think I am a little bit of a boy; I just don’t get into the beauty routine. I prefer baths to showers; it’s my one real day to day luxury. I take a lot of bubble baths. I find it comical when people talk about bath stuff as gifts they’ll never use-I got bath supplies from three sources this Christmas and I’m using it all. I work in an office, so I don’t get too grubby; if I’m really dirty, I rinse off in the shower before my bath. I like bath salts and bubbles baths, and bath oils on the weekend (greasier hair). My soap is in a liquid soap bottle-My Guy uses bars of soap, I put the ends in the liquid soap bottle, the bottle has been going for years. Soap, shampoo, and conditioner: that’s it.

I do shave legs and underarms, but not as frequently as some. I very rarely wear skirts, for one. I use my liquid soap, and I do use refillable blades.

I have gotten enough deodorant and anti-perspirant for months in free samples; it’s weird how that one product is so available. I am not brand loyal. I normally don’t pay more than $1.49 for my anti-perspirant.

Hair:
I use the cheapest shampoo and conditioner I can find. I prefer to pay no more than $1 for 16 ounces for shampoo and conditioner, but sometimes I do pay more (or less!).
I am pretty lucky in that I have decent hair; it’s in good condition and wavy and healthy, and cheap shampoo works fine. I have a big pump bottle that I got as a gift; I keep refilling that bottle; often I am using a mix. I use conditioner maybe half the time; the more recent my last haircut is, the less I need it. I also use a pump bottle, and it’s refilled periodically, so again, a blend of cheap stuff.

I sometimes get free samples, but usually I give them away at work for “Clean Kits”: grooming supplies for the homeless and down and out.

I’ve never dyed or permed my hair. It used to be a very nice blonde and now it’s a light brown; however I am too lazy and/or low maintenance to get better color. With no dying I don’t have to worry about roots (I have a laser eye to spot them on people out there) and I don’t have to worry about maintaining my hair's condition. A couple people I know who dye their hair have crispy flaky hair that is kinda awkward looking. Plus I never blow dry my hair. I bathe at night and sleep with it wet. Some folks I know who blow-dry have damaged looking hair. I know others who blow-dry and dye and look fabulous, but I am sure they have to pay attention. The less I do to my hair, the less I have to protect it. I’ve already admitted I’m lazy; it’s no secret.

I don’t get my hair cut enough. I got it cut in April, and again in September, and I’m scheduled for 2/27. I don’t like letting my ends to get dry or split; when I get my hair cut I let them take off plenty. I want healthy and I’ll get rid of length to get it. I do spend $35 including tip on my hair cuts; I’m about to jump higher for a woman who’s very good. I’d like to get my hair cut at least four times a year.

Grooming:
I use little makeup. I am just now trying to remember to use lotion on my face every night and morning. I do like Clinique makeup; I think it’s a childhood thing; my mother always got the Clinique special kits at “Bonus Time” and I would get her left-overs. I still spend $25 every couple of years and get the Bonus extras, which tend to last me. (Almost half of my spending for the year is from one Clinique Bonus.) I sometimes use foundation, sometimes eye pencil, rarely shadow, and frequently mascara and lipstick. I have actually been trying to wear more; girding myself, as it were, for certain meetings at work. It’s a form of armor, I’ve discovered. Even when I wear what I think is a fair amount, sometimes other folks can’t tell; I’m so used to little or none that I am naturally a light hand.

Clothing:
I wish I was a better dresser. It’s not a spending thing, it’s a lack of interest and a lack of innate fashion sense. Left to my own devices I dress like a young boy. I like men’s pants-I know a pair of 34x30’s will fit me, whereas with women’s clothes the sizes are all over the place. I worked for a few years at Ross Dress for less, and I bought more clothes than ever-7 years later I still have clothes I bought back then.

I like hand-me-downs and thrift store and garage sale clothes. I have access to so many of these low or no cost clothes that I can afford to be choosy: I only wear them if they fit right, and look good. I don’t have great clothes sense, but I am lucky enough to be recently getting hand-me-downs from people who are well-dressed, which helps me out.

I clean out my closet a lot. I hang things like I used to when working at Ross; short sleeve knits, long sleeved knits, short sleeve wovens, and long sleeve wovens. Woven=blouse and knit=stretchy, for the most part. I try to purge anything that is wearing out or isn’t too flattering as often as possible. I have zero dry cleaning only clothes.

I do buy my own underclothes. I also will buy regular clothes; I’m not anti-new clothes, I just usually don’t need to buy new clothes that often.

Even if I was a better dressed person, more put together, I think I could do it low cost. Two of the best dressed women at work are avid thrift store shoppers; S. always looks fabulous-she is a choosy and frequent thrift store shopper, and her being slimmer helps-she has a lot of good choices available.

Jewelry:
I love silver and semi-precious stone jewelry, I admit it. The benefit of preferring semi-precious stone and silver is that it’s usually cheaper; I can get pieces from $8 to $25; $50 for super pieces. I don’t have a digital camera right now; otherwise I’d love to show off some of my jewelry. When I travel I always pick up pieces; jewelry is my favorite souvenir. It never gets dusty, it takes very little room, and I wear it all the time. It also lasts and lasts and lasts. This is an area I let myself spend in; I am not interested in spending no money as a goal in itself, I like to spend less in areas where I don’t need to spend, to have money to spend in other areas.

So there you have it, how I spent less than $200 in 11 months to bathe, groom, and dress myself. I checked my 2005 records, and I spent $300 on bathing/grooming, $300 on clothes, $200 on shoes, and $300 on jewelry, so it looks like I was relatively low cost prior to the Challenge, too.

I got a check for $17 in the mail, a check I can actually count as income on My Challenge, and it is huge in Challenge terms! Seventeen dollars is a lot of money when “regular” income is $1026.

(The money was from SurveySpot, for a variety of surveys over the year that I cashed out. If I get extra money from something I could get if I was on Minimum Wage, I count it-online surveys are okay, because I budget for the Internet.)

I’m feeling a bit of pressure. Why? I just read the SavingAdvice.com newsletter, which listed a link to my page on it, and I’m just a tad nervous about new people peeking in. I hadn’t realized theat my 2006 $20 Challenge win might lead to some extra visits. It’s hard to reconcile the desire to have exciting posts all about how wondrous frugality is, when some times it just comes down to: I make do and don’t buy.

I get up, pack my lunch, put on my thrift store or hand me down clothes, do some pretty simple hair and face care that is probably not as close to primping as it should be, and maybe walk to work, maybe drive in my car. Work and eat my little packed lunch, perhaps while playing Boggle (scored at a garage sale for $2 a few years ago). Then I walk or drive home…straight home. No errands usually, no shopping, no picking up something. I never shop recreationally (except for garage sales). I try to limit grocery and household shopping trip to one big one a month, though we do a couple fill ins for produce, or a can’t miss deal, or a special ingredient for guests or a potluck. (I never run to the store for something we are out of-if I don’t have it, it can wait.)

I get home, and enjoy being at home. I read a lot, usually used books from the bookstore (sometimes I get trade credit), garage sales, thrift stores, buck-a-bag book sales at the library, and swapping with friends. Perhaps I’ll hang out with friends; fabulously free. I listen to music; my CD collection has enough of my favorites that I now only buy one or two a year. I watch limited cable channels 2-13; it costs us $10.25 a month, and man, I waste a lot of time watching the limited channels I have-I’d go nuts with regular cable. I like being on the computer; I do splurge for cable internet.

I can go days and days without spending anything. This week I filled up with gas, other than that nothing. It’s a little boring to talk about, but it’s not boring to live, and it’s very restful.

Most of you who drop by and peek at My Challenge are probably regular Saving Advice .com Members. For those that aren’t, Well, Saving Advice has a $20 Challenge, and My Minimum Wage Challenge is my 2006 $20 Challenge. (I spent the $20 on the YouNeedABudget spreadsheet to track My Challenge.) You can read more about the 2006 Challenge

here, the 2007 Challenge here, and the voting here. I was nominated for Top 2006 $20 Challenge along with 9 others, and I won!

I am very grateful to all of you who voted. The nominees were very worthy, and I’m surprised as well as pleased. I actually get $100, which is kind of a shocker. I won’t touch it until March, I promise!

Oooh, a bad, bad title. It’s chilly here on the North Coast, more than I’m used to. Being on the coast, we rarely freeze; even a half hour inland gets much colder. But when I passed my car walking to work today, I was sure glad I wouldn’t have to spend a lot of time defrosting the windshield. Anything to reinforce walking to work works for me!

Sometimes I get the “put your head down and keep going” mentality. It’s not a sad or unhappy place to be, but it’s a very determined place. And right now I feel committed to develop some new habits, and in awhile these tasks-walk to work, eat smaller portions, get my workday organized first thing in the morning, etc.-won’t be hard at all, because they’ll just be what I do-my routine.

Until it’s a routine, I almost wish I could turn my thinking button off. I can muse for days; pros, cons, ifs, thens. Not necessarily so helpful. I want no distractions, even good distractions. Thankfully blogging is a way for me to stay focused; angst or flightiness can be funneled.

On the financial front, I’ve got 48 days left on My Challenge. All systems seem to be go. Last night’s sushi for My Guy’s birthday was not heap but it was anticipated, so I’m good there. Car insurance comes due, but I’ve been budgeting for it, and a bonus is that next month, the last month of My Challenge, I won’t have to budget for it! It almost compensates for the fact that I had to pay the July segment only five months in to my Challenge.

I haven’t had to spend car repair money recently, though I did spend $4.50 this month for self-serve car wash and vacuuming. If my car stays true, I will also be able to pout all my banked car repair money into other categories in February. The whole idea that any banked money come 2/28 is available for addition savings as far as Challenge numbers is pretty exciting. I’m very curious to see what my average spending per month ends up being.

My Guy hasn’t tried to subvert my Challenge, but he isn’t into it. He’s naturally very frugal; frugal enough to be able to work part time by choice. But he does kind of see My Challenge as a bit dorky.

Tomorrow is his birthday. I told him I’d take him out to dinner anywhere he wanted to go, and he picked sushi (which I expected). It was surprising to hear him say today, after getting a (very sweet) gift of cash from his step-dad, that he could use the money for dinner tomorrow. I replied, “Nope, you get to treat yourself with that money. I’m taking you out to dinner tomorrow.” His response: “What about the Challenge?” Jaw dropping.

I explained, “No, no, I’m taking you out. I’ve made room in my budget.” We always take each other out to dinner on our birthdays. And we pretty much always choose sushi, because we love it. Sushi is not the cheapest. But I have organized my budget so that I can fit it in.

Oddly enough, I think what got him thinking positively about My Challenge, in Month Eleven, is how nice his Christmas and (early) birthday presents were. On the frugal side, I got him many, many books using trade credit at the bookstore. I got him a Ché Guevara shirt in Croatia; he has a thing for them. I got an oval shaped desk tray thing, so that he could use the laptop in bed, and that was $1.99 at the thrift store and has been a big hit. I also gave him a 1 gig jump drive, using part money and part gift cards I cashed in survey points for. And I got him a gift certificate at The Gap, also by cashing out survey site points. For the birthday, I got him an MP3 player, an iRiver Clix, which is nicer than he expected. I explained that My Challenge didn’t mean no spending, it meant conscious spending, and that I felt the mp3 player was a good value for a great reason and I fit it in my budget.

So I think he is looking upon My Challenge with a new respect, perhaps. In the past months I've sometimes declined to go out to eat or get fast food or take out, and I think that mildly irritated him. Now he might realize more that I wasn’t enjoying getting fast food almost alway. I have migraines, I’m chubby, I have issues with large chains; it was easy for me to want to cut out fast food or going out to eat from laziness as opposed to true desire. So he did experience a small amount of deprivation, I suppose, because I wouldn’t join in some meals. So the true beauty of My Challenge was unable to shine through and impress him with the fantastic geekness of it all. But the mp3 player has spoken.

(I still say heck, he should go out to eat with the guys, or his sister, or himself if he wants it-I’m not preventing him! Come March 1st I am not going to be interested in a lot of eating out. I’m trying to eat right and work out, and I have to do that way past February! Thank goodness splurging on sushi is relatively healthy.)

The morals of the story: Remain generous while being frugal, and, be patient with men.

There may be more morals here. Feel free to be my Aesop.

In other news, I got a couple pairs of pants as hand-me-downs today. I would almost totally love them, except they are from a person who used to be a few sizes larger than me, and these are now too big for her. Great for her, and a reminder to me to keep focused on getting healthier. I’ve walked to work once and used my exercise bike 3 times this week, starting Sunday. I’ve eaten breakfast everyday, and packed good lunches, and for the most part eaten right for dinner. Working on developing healthy habits just as I’ve developed good frugal habits.

But...but...but...it’s not over!

I’ve had a couple of folks ask me if I’m done with the Challenge. Well, if I had been bright enough to start it January 1 2006, I’d be done. But no, I started March 2006, so I have two more months to go. This is day three of month eleven; fifty six more days to be Wantonly Frugal.

Now, as I wonder how I will react come March, I realize how adjusted I am to not spending. I was telling a buddy I went on a shopping spree, because I had money in my Household account and wanted to treat the house for the New Year. My splurge? Four pillows, which I can kind of see, but also new sponges. Now that’s just nutty. I am currently spending 27% of my gross income, and I was really excited to have new sponges and pillows!

Now, I know I’ve lost some of you, but let me explain why I don’t think it’s really sad.

I’m not consuming on autopilot.

I’ll grant you this: I probably should have bought new sponges earlier. I wash what I have in the washer, and periodically nuke them, so they aren’t infested. But they are worn. But the flip side would be worse to me: blithely tossing sponges, cleaners, paper towels, Lysol/bleach wipes, etc. into my cart every week. I am fine using small amounts of simple items - and that means I will be able to go to Europe again this year, and maybe China or South America or someplace exciting (suggestions accepted). (Now if you love cleaning items, this is not an assault on your lifestyle: If your Swiffer gives you joy, I support your Swiffering.)

I get to spend on what I want to spend money on. I get to spend consciously, getting value for what I buy, choosing what I buy. I know that if I’m bringing something home, it’s something I wanted or needed. I bought My Guy a pricier birthday gift for January 10, coming up. Here’s the deal: I spent $160, and I had to pull a lot of money from other categories, and I don’t regret it. I very consciously decided what to buy, found the best type and price (thanks, forum posters), and committed, and within my limited virtual means met my needs and my wants.

I just really love not needing to regret purchases. And I’ll loosen up and buy more sponges come March, and replace the pillows more often (how does that happen-you know what I mean-our heads should NOT make pillows look like that), and maybe even splurge on a real splurge-and I wont have to regret it!

Standard Recap Info:
I spent $1592 a month last year. My Challenge savings are the difference, $1592-$1026 (see below) = $566 times 10 months = $5,660.

Add to that $263 in “savings” and $24.48 in my emergency fund, I’ve saved $5,947.48. If I take out what I spend in Europe, $1809.64, which is not part of my Challenge, I’ve saved $4,137.84 living on CA Minimum Wage for 10 months.

* My income is calculated as follows: CA minimum wage of $6.75 for 40 hours a week, at 4.33 weeks in a month, $1178 total. I’ve taken FICA and SDI (CA State Disability Insurance) out for a total of $1073. I had $9.27 in extra income from recycling this month.
** When I originally began the Challenge March 2006 I assumed no federal or state tax liability, but I’d actually owe $47 a month, so I have to budget $95 a month (for the last 6 months of the Challenge) to catch up. So my actual spendable income averaged over each month is my original calculation of $1073 less $47 for $1026.
***$703.82 is the amount I have banked and unspent for non-monthly expenses; this does NOT include my savings and emergency funds. It is obviously not what was budgeted less what was spent. Each month I budget for non-monthly purchases; for example, I budget $55 for auto insurance every month, but only spend it twice a year.

I’m spending an average of $979 a month! Whoo hoo!

$3,541.57 for my $20 Challenge-see below!

November figures are here, and I’m alive. You can see why I haven’t posted in a week...deep shame at my entertainment spending in November. $36.76! What was I thinking! Well, I kid, it’s not why I was gone a week and it’s not that bad a total. What is upsetting is not that I spent on entertainment, but that I spent a lot of it on takeout that did not give me pleasure. If I’d spent that money on seeing a show or something, I’d be perfectly happy to reduce spending in other areas to give myself pleasure.

Other areas did happen to be low. I spent so much on groceries in October that I needed little this month; the total even includes $25 in treats from Trader Joe’s (fancy soda, veggie booty, etc.) Health co-pays were much lower too-I get a lot of prescriptions by mail for three months at a time, so my expenses fluctuate.

The miscellaneous is postage. Long story. Well, no, just an uninteresting story.

I expect electric to jump in December; it has been cold enough in the house to see our breaths with ease, so we are doing some heater usage.

I don’t expect gifts to be too high in December; I have $26.25 going in, and I bumped my December gift budget to $40, so I have $66.25 to finish Christmas shopping. I am mostly done but I do have a couple big people left. We’ll see how it goes.



I spent $1592 a month last year. My savings are the difference, $1592-$1026 (see below) = $566 times 9 months = $5,094.

Add to that $233 in “savings” and $24.21 in my emergency fund, I’ve saved $5,351.21. If I take out what I spend in Europe, $1809.64, which is not part of my Challenge, I’ve saved $3,541.57 living on CA Minimum Wage for 9 months.

* My income is calculated as follows: CA minimum wage of $6.75 for 40 hours a week, at 4.33 weeks in a month, $1178 total. I’ve taken FICA and SDI (CA State Disability Insurance) out for a total of $1073. I had no extra income this month (no recycling) and no overspent categories from last month.
** When I originally began the Challenge March 2006 I assumed no federal or state tax liability. Wrong! I’d actually owe $47 a month, so I have to budget $95 a month to catch up. So my actual spendable income averaged over each month is my original calculation of $1073 less $47 for $1026.

***$757.87 is the sum of the positive numbers; that’s the amount I have banked and unspent for non-monthly expenses; this does NOT include my savings and emergency funds. It is obviously not what was budgeted less what was spent. Each month I budget for non-monthly purchases; for example, I budget $13 for AAA and car registration every month, but have yet to spend it because it has yet to be due. That’s why the balance is up to $117. I pay registration in December-so I’ve been preparing for my once a year $79 expense all year long.

I'm two-thirds through the Minimum Wage Challenge.

I spent $1592 a month last year. My savings are the difference, $1592-$1026 (see below) = $566 times 8 months = $4,528.

Add to that $190 in “savings” and $14.21 in my emergency fund, I’ve saved $4,732.21. If I take out what I spend in Europe, $1809.64, which is not part of my Challenge, I’ve saved $2,922.57 living on CA Minimum Wage for 8 months.

* My income is calculated as follows: CA minimum wage of $6.75 for 40 hours a week, at 4.33 weeks in a month, $1178 total. I’ve taken FICA and SDI (CA State Disability Insurance) out for a total of $1073. I made $4.74 in recycling this month. That gives me $1077.74 in income; however I “overspent” $15.14 last month (in the gifts category) and under the “YouNeedaBudget” system (an Excel-based budget I’m using to track my Challenge Budget) if a category is overspent the money is taken straight out of the next month. Therefore I had $1062.70 to spend.

** When I originally began the Challenge March 2006 I assumed no federal or state tax liability. Wrong! I’d actually owe $47 a month, so I have to budget $95 a month to catch up. So my actual spendable income averaged over each month is my original calculation of $1073 less $47 for $1026.

***$584.64 is the sum of the positive numbers; that’s the amount I have banked and unspent for non-monthly expenses. It is obviously not what was budgeted less what was spent. Each month I budget for non-monthly purchases; for example, I budget $13 for AAA and car registration every month, but have yet to spend it because it has yet to be due. That’s why the balance is up to $104.

I spent $1592 a month last year. My savings are the difference, $1592-$1026= $566 times 7 months, $3962. Add to that my $150 in “savings” and my whopping $9.51 in my emergency fund, I’ve saved $4121.51. If I take out what I spend on my vacation in Croatia and Bosnia, which is not part of my Challenge but is certainly spent money, it’s $4121.51 less $1,809.64 for a total of $2,311.87. Saving an additional twenty-three hundred dollars in seven months while also taking a two week trip to Europe is pretty exciting.

* My income is calculated as follows: CA minimum wage of $6.75 for 40 hours a week, at 4.33 weeks in a month, $1178 total. I’ve taken FICA and SDI (CA State Disability Insurance) out for a total of $1073. This month I had two survey checks, one for $ and one for $10 (!!) and I also did 97 cents worth of recycling. $1073+$11+.97=1084.97.

** I originally assumed no federal or state tax liability; I’d actually owe $47 a month, so I have to budget $95 a month to catch up. So my actual spendable income averaged over each month is my original calculation of $1073 less $47 for $1026.

***484.59 is the sum of the positive numbers; that’s the amount I have banked and unspent for non-monthly expenses. It is obviously not what was budgeted less what was spent. Each month I budget for non-monthly purchases; for example, I budget $13 for AAA and car registration every month, but have yet to spend it because it has yet to be due. That’s why the balance is up to $91.

**** I have $9.51 set aside in by Emergency/Big Purchase Fund, and $150.00 set aside in “Savings.”

I did re-arrange a few categories this month. I had $40 in my work out budget “envelope”' I pulled some out and put back into the mix. I pulled some from almost every category to add to the gift category for this month; I certainly do not budget $75 a month for gifts, I just happened to find a lot of great ones in Croatia and Bosnia.

Note to anyone new: yes, a person on minimum wage generally couldn’t travel to Europe for two weeks. One thing I said at the very beginning of my Challenge is that the one thing I would not give up is an opportunity to travel. So before I even planned this trip it was a “cheat” I allowed myself. And I have to remember sometimes, that as much as I want to hold myself strictly to the rules, the reality is that I’m the one writing the rules for this Challenge!

I went to Target with my $10 worth of gift cards (Harris Poll Online Surveys) and shopped for an hour and a half and spent $9.37. I just don’t have much of a shopping streak. I had originally been worried that I would spend too much splurging for my vacation, but I guess I was wrong.

I am not always sure how to count gift card purchases. I don’t want to count them as income, because obviously I couldn’t put it towards rent or utilities. However it seems as if that way I could “spend” $10 on clothes or something and not have it show against my clothes budget. Then next year, my clothing total would be falsely low by $10. Well, since it’s $10 I’m not gonna worry about it. If it was $25 or $100, I might need to look at a different method (not just for The Challenge, but for me on an ongoing basis. I’m into tracking my expenses).

I did end up getting Nair (will be on the beach), a journal (a must for travel memories), a tiny spray bottle (for Fabreeze) and a pack of disposable razors (vacation and getting pills of my sweaters). This was after looking at many items, and trying on eight bras. I have room left in my toiletries and clothes budgets, so I didn’t need to be so restrained, but nothing seemed right. I almost got two pairs of shoes, but the more I looked at them, the more they seemed cheap. I just don’t want to buy disposable clothing.

My reluctance to spend $10 on an item probably was enhanced by being at garage sales, where things are such great deals. My haul today totaled $4:

Two gifts - $1

Two wet/dry women’s battery powered razors, with batteries: $1

Necklace, I think it’s a silver plated chain, $1.25

shorts, needed for vacation, seventy-five cents

Brush/mirror travel combo-free

Plastic hanger-free

With the shavers, I’m planning on being decadent and putting one in the bathroom and one in my travel bag. On the chain, it is heavier than non-silver, but isn’t marked 925. I did a Google check and didn’t find any good tip to tell if it’s real silver. That’s okay; I needed a longer chain for pendants and I couldn’t return it anyway. It’s not like $1.25 for a chain is outlandish!

I did get my hair cut, though I didn’t get it washed and wet in freshly showered instead. I brought in pictures of my hair for the hair stylist; dorky but it helped her. It was $18; no Challenge would ever get me to be a bad tipper, and I tipped $6, although $4 of $5 would probably have been just fine.

And the last bit of money news: a whopping ninety seven cents extra income from recycling. (I had a lot of non-money stuff to take in, so it was a full trip, just not the good stuff.)

I’ve been assuming that on Minimum Wage I’d have no Federal or State Income tax liability. Wrong. I should have verified much earlier; I checked an online calculator and I believe that my Federal income tax liability would be $569 for a year. I think I won’t owe for State, if include the renters credit which I’ve always gotten, but that doesn’t help me much.

At $569 it would be a tad over $47 a month. However, since I delayed verifying this until I was freakin’ halfway into the Challenge, I have to make up that amount in half the time, so to catch up I need to budget $95 a month.

It should not come as surprise that at $1073 a month, that $95 is going to make a big dent. I’m gonna do my best, and go forward. That sad thing is that this may challenge my Challenge, but real folks working full time in California, where the cost of living is high, would get $1026 a month if they never missed a day of work.

(For those that think public assistance would be available to help, I idly checked and the gross income of $1178 would make the single person earner ineligible for food stamps, as it’s over 130% of the Federal Poverty Level for one of $817. Medical benefits would have a $488 share of cost, meaning that all medical expenses up to $488 every month would have to be paid for by the minimum wage earner. Not real helpful with doctors visits and prescriptions.)

But enough on that digression. As I have stated before that this Challenge is not meant to be a political statement about the Minimum Wage, it’s to exercise my thrift skills and become more grateful. My succinctly stated opinion is that people need to be paid a fair wage and have affordable health care, and that people need to make better spending choices.

Boy, that additional $95 a month is going to be tough. And it’s my fault for not checking. Blech.

My Half a Year totals are ready. On my Minimum Wage Challenge I have spent $5,947.13 in six months. I have $405.96 banked/budgeted for planned purchases. I have $5.54 set aside in by Emergency/Big Purchase Fund, and $117.00 set aside in “Savings.”

My income is as follows: CA minimum wage of $6.75 for 40 hours a week, at 4.33 weeks in a month, $1178 total. I’ve taken FICA and SDI (CA State Disability Insurance) out for a total of $1073. I’ve assumed no federal or state tax liability, which I will have to revisit. Edited to Add: I have had an additional $37.63 in income over the last six months; an average of $6.27 from a couple of half.com book sales, some recycling, and a couple one dollar GoZing surveys.

On the Challenge I have been able to buy a freezer (that’s why my “savings” and emergency/big purchase funs are so low). I have been able to cover all my needs as well as quite a few wants. I’m getting birthday and Christmas gifts, and have an entertainment budget. I’ve counted every penny of expense since 1998 so it has not been hard to track to the penny how much I have spent. Every dollar counts against the Challenge; the day I picked up the freezer I felt very lucky and “rich” and gave $2 in cash to a person begging on the corner. (She looked very hungry, and here I was getting extra room to put all my food in.) That $2 went into the charity column; I don’t let myself cheat.

As far as my $20 Challenge goes, last year I averaged $1592 a month in spending. At 6 months on the Challenge, that’s $519 less spent x 6, plus $122.54 in saved money, equals $3236.54 in extra savings due to My Minimum Wage Challenge.

Any questions on details in any category gladly answered.

What are the odds that people recognized the reggae lyric in the title?

We made three batches of jam today, one plum and two blackberry. I also prepared a batch of plum puree for the next time we jam. Yesterday we went picking again; My Guy pointed out that while there is fruit to harvest, it makes more sense to harvest than can.

My dad wondered if canning jam was really a money saver. I know if I bought all new jars, and bought fruit, and paid full price for the lids and bands and pectin, it would definitely not be cost effective. Even with free fruit and low to no cost jars and bands and lids, it’s possible that the cost doesn’t beat out the cheapest grape jelly. I’m sure it’s competitive though, and you can’t really tie a ribbon around a jar of supermarket jelly as a little gift the same way you can with homemade.

For lunch we had a bread thrift store bake your own loaf, with some cheese left over from the camping weekend, and fresh jam. Delicious.

I am rolling in books. A Freecycle guy posted for “Wanted: Mystery Books.” I replied back that I had a few for him, and let him know about the buck a bag sale. He wasn’t able to make the sale, but he let me know of some authors he was interested in, and I kept an eye out for them, and we did a swap today. I have got a bunch of books to read.

I also have some books that might well be gifts. I’m not fond of hardbacks. I now it’s an oddity; at least it happens to be a cost effective quirk. I will put this nice stack of hardbacks by the gift pile. I like how Freecycle Guy and I are both ahead.

I did prepare a gift for a work friend. A very nice flannel nightgown that I have been assured is a "known" brand (garage sale); a good book (garage sale); and a batch of homemade cocoa, made with Splenda because she's doing Weight Watchers right now. The theme is a little bit of "Welcome Winter": here on the North Coast it's getting chilly and foggy.

I’m not sure why I haven’t closed out the August/Half Year books yet; I suppose I just haven’t been in the mood. The fascinating dollars and cents will have to come later.

Today was a fair garage sale today. I am so spoiled by super prices that regular good deals don’t get me excited like they should.

I spent $8.75 total.

For the house I spent $3.25, for assorted canning supplies, frames for my hanging files, and some gift bags. For gifts, $5, I got a lot of unopened bath stuff; some I have assigned to people (their favorite scent or brand), some for miscellaneous. A quarter on bath stuff for me and My Guy. A quarter on earrings.

I’m officially in the second half of my Minimum Wage Challenge. A voluntary belt tightening to live on less than half my net income; California minimum wage less taxes, for a total of $1073 a month. This is a three paycheck month for me in my real life, and in October I get another raise, so I could be living large. But I’ll be working at getting my Challenge Savings and Challenge Emergency fund back up there by trying to spend less than $25 a month in entertainment!

Someone asked me today why I’m doing this. I only had a second to respond, I couldn’t go into the whole “it’s increased my gratitude” spiel that I wrote about in April. I simply replied “it’s an extraordinarily cost effective hobby.”

Hullo to my folks out there in Nicaragua! May your internet cafes be excellent! As goofy as it is, my folks read my blog and I think it’s very sweet. Even though the focus is primarily on frugality, for me frugality is a way of life that increases independence, gratitude, skills, and attitude, so my financial journaling can be personal in some ways and a fair enough way to keep up with a daughter that lives 2700 miles away. Feeling that life is abundant is really about more than knowing that I have food in the cupboard and money in my account. Many families in central and south America would see my life as very rich; endless water, hot and cold; many different outfits; seven rooms for 2 people; groceries stores filled to the brim.

Tomorrow may be the first canning of the season. Since we are eating store bought jam I can’t wait to get some of the good stuff put up.

One of the buddies I got some books for wanted to pay me. The reality is that she would have been uncomfortable if she didn’t pay me, and I didn’t want to push it. So, she gave me a dollar. Sounded really small to her, I’m sure, especially since one of the eight or so books was signed by the author (Zilpha Keatley Snyder! The Velvet Room! A freakin’ classic!). However, it puts me in the position of making a profit on being “neighborly.” Not only being neighborly, but introducing a young girl to a fabulous author in the incredible world of books. Such is life; I accepted the dollar gracefully.

That dollar gets added back into my gift fund. Add that to a dime I found on the ground, the gas-less walk I took to work, the plums I picked off my tree, and the great meal My Guy cooked, and it’s a positively abundant day.

My freezer is plugged in and humming. I bought a lot of bread that is ready to go in it. It is “The time of Many Plums” so those will be going in there. It’s filling up, and it makes me happy. I went to the Buck a Bag book sale after picking up my freezer and got 107 books for 3 dollars, so that’s less then three cents apiece. Ninety-three cents for buddies, and $2.07 for me.

All my categories that are discretional are up this month. No one single thing I did was bad, but gasoline, household, clothing, and gifts are larger than they could be, and it’s only the 24th. I’m still well within The Challenge, but it’s a reminder than when you are doing well overall, a little extra here and there can sneak up on you. A mango and other large quantities of fresh fruit, in the same month as a Deseret Industries run, in the same month I drive an extra four hours, in the month I do a Clinique bonus, in the month I go to lunch twice? Well it adds up.

Maybe it’s comical that I am spending so much less than I could, but am still so very aware of every dollar. I was glad I had extra recycling money, to add to my gasoline budget! This, in the same month I found out that in “real life” I am getting a raise. However, it’s only awareness of spending, not discomfort. Not regret. Just an increased mindfulness.

I came in to work today, and found a huge bag of aluminum cans right by my desk. It was so sweet! There was a picnic event, an Appreciation Luncheon that some supervisors put on for Staff, and they brought me the recycling! How sweet is that? Maybe weird, maybe unusual, but sweet! I did recycling today, and I’m donating back to the annual Luncheon Fund half of what I got for their contribution. So I made an additional $4.14 in recycling.

I bought the freezer. I'm using $60 from my Emergency/Big purchase fund, and $120 from my "savings" from March through July. This almost empties my emergency fund, leaving less than $5 in it. It leaves $76 in "savings. (Edited: later, I realized that including August "savings" I actually have $117!) I'll try to build those back, of course. It is satisfying to be able to make a purchase like this while on My Challenge!

I pick it up at Sear's in 3-5 days. I've got big plans, including the march of the plums, a Ray recipe I'm doing (pork, crock pot, chiles...I've gotta do a search), some frozen lasagna and stew for treat food, bread. Exciting.

Well, California's minimum wage is going up to $7.50 in January (and later it will be bumped to $8). I just don't know how to handle it. If I stay on The Challenge a year I'll be doing it in January and February only, since I started in March 2006. My inclination is to stay at $6.75 for my Challenge. In the "real world" I wouldn't see the money right away-if it took place the first, depending on how I got paid, I might not see an increase in my check for up to 3 weeks. So my excitement is short lived.

In my Real World, I'm getting a pay raise in October. I was amused that it is the second raise I've had since March 2006 and I won't be able to spend a dime of it.

I came back to town from the camping trip today, flush with food. I felt like a bit of an oddball, but if two pancakes or a near empty jar of jam are going in that garbage, it’s my natural instinct to rescue them. Other foods that I help rescue include some garden squash, a hot dog, a bit of left over steak, hamburger and chicken; some provolone cheese, and some sautéed mushrooms. I also brought back a bunch of the chopped veggies and some of the potato salad I brought.

I did put in $5 towards a gift for the hostess at the cabin, but that and the extra gas was worth it. I did end up feeling mildly punk, but not miserable. Did nap on Saturday in the tent. I would really like to be headache free for a while but I guess I’ll take mild or medium headaches over doozies.

I’m getting close to needing a freezer. The plums are really coming in, and berries will be coming. I’m looking at a Kenmore 5 cubic foot chest freezer for $169.99 from Sears. Maybe I’ll do it next weekend. A lot of thrifty chores coming up: my favorite thrift store tomorrow in Sacramento, the “buck a bag” book sale at the library next Friday night, and freezer. The “buck a bag” sale is pretty great; I love stocking up on mysteries. If you pack the bags right, the books are around three cents apiece. Most of the gift worthy books sold at the regular sale, for 50 cents or a dollar, but sometimes there are great finds.

Another 17 hour day tomorrow, leave the house at 5 am and get back at 10 pm.

Today I spent on non-necessities. I even had sort of a spree. What did my crazed self end up spending? $36.21. I love how a binge for me is still little.

My first splurge was getting a $24.67 Clinique item to get the Bonus bag of make-up. I justified it to myself just fine; I tend to get the Bonus once every two years and that meets 95% of my makeup needs. So I got lipstick, mascara, lotion, and three other items. I love Clinique lipstick.

Then I got some bubble bath and two bath pillows at the dollar store. $3.22 on pure luxury. One pillow will replace the kinda broken one in the bath (which will go in my travel bag), and one will be back up for later, so I don’t spend more than I want when I need the bath pillow.

I continued to go nuts, and bought fresh fish at the store. My Guy likes catfish, and it was reduced for quick sale, so an $8 something package became $4 something. We’ll have oven fried catfish tonight, one of our favorite dishes, and one that we rarely have fresh fish for. And it doesn’t end there….I got a small bag of fresh cherries! Reduced price, but still, cherries! I only went to the market to get the $3.79 2 pound block of cheese with a dozen eggs free, and I buy fresh fish and cherries.

I’ll have a good dinner tonight, and a lovely bath, and the satisfaction of having nice makeup for a long time. And I’ll have the extra satisfaction of knowing that when I spend like a mad woman, it costs me less than $40 bucks. Whew.

Today was a curl up in bed with a book day. I think I was more worn out than I realized (I’d gotten over being sick and having migraines and worked a tough week). I am grateful that the simplicity of my needs and wants gives me the gift of time.

I’ve posted about being lazy. Some people claim I’m more efficient than lazy. But either way, having a low maintenance life style and a clutter free house lets me take a full weekend day to myself. I ate a lot of plums, and some “slugs” from the bagel shop. (Long bagelish sticks covered in seeds and garlic and other lovely stuff). I had some “new” garage sale books. And I made medicinal type tea: two bags strong, with lots of lemon and a lot of sweetener (some Splenda, some sugar).

I thank all of you who have posted words of encouragement. I am not unhappy with my Challenge; I had just been in a bad mood-perhaps due to being worn out? –and took it out on the Challenge. I am proud of being able to choose not to spend half of my net income. When I deny myself something, it could really be looked at as denial, because I would have the money to spend on it. But the real thrill is that I am meeting not just needs on the Challenge, but wants, too. My soul is as fed as my belly. And it will be very hard for me to take material goods for granted again. Quitting drinking has already given me the gift of never taking sanity and peace for granted. A day without drama and a day with plums and “slugs” and a book is a very, very fine day.

Big bucks today, but some good stuff. $28.50, with $25 being for 2 items.

Two drawer metal filing cabinet in great shape, along with

A beautiful small oak table, both for $25.

A 25 cent pair of earrings for me

5 little gifts at an average of 20 cents each (including nice garnet earrings)

Wrapping paper, 8 unopened rolls

A basket

Glass Canister (that exactly matches another two I have, and was 15 cents)

Ziploc lunch box

Books, three

The small table is almost like a miniaturized version of our dining room table; same oak cooler, same design. I polished it with mayonnaise; crazy tip, but it works wonders on wood. No it doesn’t stink. Let soak, then wipe up all excess, and buff buff buff. I was skeptical, too. I certainly wouldn’t call either the cabinet or table a steal, but I feel like I got good value.

And I went with a friend, which makes the whole process more fun. I have another social activity tonight, which is good because I don’t get out enough. Our community has an Arts Alive event the first Saturday of every month; businesses and galleries in our “Old Town” district showcase local artists and crafts people, and sometimes have some food. It’s nice to wander our locally owned stores and businesses, enjoying the summer and the sense of community.

In yesterday’s post there’s a bit of the “poor me” syndrome going on. Not my favorite trait. I’ve shaken that off. How? Well, partially from the very kind comments. But partially because of a talk I had with some co-workers.

We were walking around the block, and laughing because I was tossing grapefruit peel, and admitting that at home I’d be saving it to scrape pith off, slice, and freeze to make candied peel. So the idea that my snack’s peelings could have been my buddies Christmas presents just cracked us up and in particular cracked me up.

Here’s the deal. If I’m in a funky mood I think, well, it's a gratuitous thing, an indulgent thing, to do this out of choice when so many are forced to by circumstance. But then, later, I think, the wonderful thing is that I’m doing this by choice. It is not disrespectful to the working poor to have this as a Challenge, it is respectful to myself and the earth and my fellow citizens. By not talking what I have for granted, I’m not taking what others have for granted either. I can very clearly see the value of a dollar, any dollar: whether it’s interest off an investment or from a tiny paycheck, it’s still a flannel pair of jammie bottoms from the thrift store.

It’s Day Two of Month Six of my Minimum Wage Challenge. And my inner voice keeps whispering, “who cares….who cares….time wasted…..” What will I have if I succeed in my year? I know, I know, I’ll have a full appreciation, a lot of gratitude, a healthy savings account. But I’m in the mode where I’m thinking that it’s just pretty silly.

It’s not that I’m wanting to spend and can’t. Really. It’s just the little kid in me feeling bumptious. I’ll get over this feeling, and go back to feeling brave and wise and grateful and complete. Knowing that Enough is Enough, and Money is a Tool not a Goal.

July was an easy month, which I am very grateful for considering I had car insurance due. Budgeting for it each month paid off in the end. I’ve really gotten used to spending so little on a consistent basis.

*“Banked” Total only includes positive numbers: unspent money in each category in prior months.

** Budget includes $1073 income less $89.36 “overspent” in categories in June

*** August's budget is $1073 income less the $38 overspent (auto insurance) in July

I had no extra income this month: I’m overdue on a recycling trip. My only Challenge income was $1073 (CA Minimum Wage less FICA and SDI). If you’re a new visitor looking for further details on how I arrived at the $1073, and what budgeting methods I use, see prior month summaries.

Eagle eyes will notice I’ve boosted savings to $40 from $39, and also added significantly to my big purchase/emergency fund. I’m expecting a freezer to eat a lot of this money in August or September; it will be nice to make a needed big purchase on The Challenge but I will need to really ramp up my savings to compensate.

My spent of $1073 is $519 less than my average per month last year. (I know have some banked, but it will be spent on non-monthly budgeted purchases.) Adding back in the $40 I put into "savings" under the challenge, I saved an additional $559 for the $20 challenge. This makes for $2791 in savings in five months for my $20 Challenge.