No Spend/Low Spend/Fiscal Fast

"A penny saved, is a penny earned."

Those of you who are out there in the frugal blog world are probably very familiar with these terms and have maybe participated in them at one time or another. And for those of you who aren't hanging out in the frugal blog world, these terms mean just what they sound like--ways to take short term or long term breaks from spending money to further savings goals.

This month I'm going to participate with Carla at 1/2 Dozen Daily in her month long No-Low Spend Challenge in January. During this time, Carla challenges you to figure out your necessities (such as rent, utilities, and basic food) and not to buy anything else. I'm looking forward to seeing where this challenge leads my family. Even though we look at the numbers and were doing OK, I'm still uncomfortable with some of our spending. Any extra money we realize in the end from this challenge will go to an elderly charity I'm fond of.

First my goals and personal rules for the challenge. We hope to cut out any extra spending of non essentials. For us, this will mostly mean watching our food budget and entertainment. It might also mean something like I've been needing some new jeans for a while, but I won't buy them this month. However, I will make an exception if I see a really good price on something that we have been thinking about buying for a while. Also, as deference to my family, I will not be posting many actual budget numbers. However, for those of you who do this, I find the details very interesting and often inspiring.

So how are we doing out-of-the gate on this challenge? My husband is on-board and my son who is away at college wants to participate also. However, I keep getting new ideas of how we should implement the plan, and I need to learn to control this. Every time I come up with a new rule, they say it's stricter than before and that's not what they agreed to. I sometimes tend to get carried away with things. :)

What about our actual spending? Have we been able to keep our goals for the first three days? Well not exactly, but we all know that flexibility is required in some circumstances. It's a long story, but the last couple of days, we have had to be out of the house for long hours without a lot of prep. This has resulted in a drive through meal, that under normal circumstances, wouldn't be allowed. In the meantime, if you want to join-in in your own no-spend month, we'd be glad to have you.

A New Year

Happy New Year!

“Again time elapsed.”
― Carolyn Keene, The Secret of the Old Clock

It all seems too soon—to have a new year start when I haven't finished everything that I had planned for last year or even last week. Or maybe it didn't come soon enough -- I am tired of everything from last year and really ready to move on. Do you ever feel conflicted like that?

We just returned from holiday travel and things are in more of a disarray than I like. We went from construction chaos, to holiday preparations, to holiday celebrations with not much breathing time in between. Some people thrive on excitement and change. Not me. While I like some variety to my life, I thrive on order.

So, I am going to do the only thing I can. I am welcoming the new year and the hope it brings of good things to come. Then I'm going to try to put some order to my house.

I Was Wondering...Spigot vs. Faucet

What is the difference between a spigot and a faucet?

In my last Thankful Sunday post, I said I was thankful for the cold water that came out of the faucet at the house I was visiting. Well, that's what I said, but not the first time I wrote it. The first time, I said that I was thankful for the cold water that came out of the spigot. I wasn't sure what to say, but I was tired and just chose one. Now that I have a little time, I thought I would figure out what was what.

And once again, I'm confused because they are synonyms of each other. Both spigot and faucet refer to a tap (another synonym) or a valve that controls the flow of liquid into something. You can have a tap in anything from a cask to a water pipe. I never thought about it, but that is where the phrase "tap water" comes from that refers to water coming straight from the faucet/spigot/tap.

However, there are some US regional variations in usage. In the south, spigot is more commonly used while faucet is more commonly used in the north. Also, some use spigot to mean a tap outside and one that is more utilitarian while faucet is used for a tap inside that is fancier.

So there you have it. Use either one you want and you will be okay. After all of this talk about water, I'm thirsty. I'm going to have a drink of tap water from the faucet after I wash my hands from the spigot in the bathroom. :)

What word do you use, and do you use different words for a tap in different situations?

Want to know more?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tap_%28valve%29
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/faucet

Thankful Sunday--December 29, 2013

I am thankful for a cold glass of water.

Even in the winter, I like most of my drinks cold. I am visiting relatives now that have cold water flowing from their faucet. No ice needed--just a little turn of a handle. This is not something that I get to enjoy at home where our water pipes run through our heated basement. Here, the water flows through pipes that are in the crawl space under the house. A nice cool drink every time. 

Miracles

Forty five years ago on Christmas Eve, astronauts orbiting the moon saw the Earth rise for the first time over the moon. This is one of the many miracles that happen this time of year, the first being the birth of a tiny baby.
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BTW, if you look really close, I think you can see a sleigh with eight tiny reindeer on the Earth. :)

Picture from NASA public domain.