Friday, January 23, 2015

First 2015 Stitch from Stash - Craft Budgeting

Welcome to my first Stitch from Stash report of 2015.

Month: January
Spent: $0.00

Earned: $2.00 for the 1500 stitches on Bridge.

This month I worked on Elegance of the Orient and Bridge of Wings. I did not make any new starts from stash.

HAED - Bridge of Wings
Dimensions Gold - Elegance of the Orient

My budget plans for this year are to make as few unnecessary purchases as possible and see how much I can save. Rather than getting bogged down with a year goal I am just going to try for week by week. The idea is that at the beginning of each week I make the decision to not make any unnecessary purchases. This includes craft supplies, books, games, bath products etc. and is just for that current week. I will probably build a reward system in there for when I am successful maybe by putting aside a small amount of money for an end of year splash out on something I have wanted for a while but was too expensive.

The idea behind this is that over the last number of years I have accumulated a very large amount of entertainment items, either books, craft stuff etc. now I want to actually start using these items rather just purchasing more to be added to the pile. I am allowing myself to purchase any supplies that I absolutely need for a particular project but it has to be for something I already have such as a pattern.

I am delighted to have started off the year with a zero cross stitching spend and am hoping to have the same next month. I might even have added on some more earned funds to my budget.

Next up will be a Homemade Goodies Foodie post.
 

19 comments:

  1. I love how Elegance is coming along. Good luck on your stash use! I am trying to curb my book buying. So can only buy a new one when I have read 10. Let's see how that pans out.

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  2. Great progress on both pieces. Well done! I didn't join SFS this year but am also trying not to buy unnecessary items and use what I have instead. Good luck with your goals!

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  3. Well done on your progress! You've made a great start to the SFS challenge and I love your way of thinking. I'm trying not to spend too much on stuff I don't need, but my willpower has gone wandering....again!

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  4. You have devised an excellent plan!

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  5. I like your plan - it is excellent!

    And your pieces are coming along beautifully!

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  6. Elegance looks lovely and well done on a zero spend :-)

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  7. Well done
    Your stitching is looking so lovely xx

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  8. Great job on not spending in January! I love your idea of a reward system. I may need to borrow that. Lol
    the stitching looks great! I'm really enjoying watching these pieces grow. :-)

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  9. Good for you! I hope you reach your goal and I am going to try to do the same!! Laura

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  10. Congrats on no spending. I spent enough for everybody. Love the projects your working on. All that floss hanging on Bridge of Wings would scare the heck out of me but it sure is gorgeous.

    Linda

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  11. Love your week by week plan! I often get off track because I simply forget. Maybe I will start with a day by day one... : )

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  12. Brilliant -- I bet the weekly affirmation will be successful. I'm darned proud of you for spending zippo thus far. I have not been such an admirable stitcher this month *hangs head in shame*

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  13. Congrats on sticking to no spending! Definitely rewarding yourself for your success at the end of the year sounds a perfect idea.

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  14. Great progress =) I love bridge of wings!
    I plan on buying less books and reading more books I already have, let's see how that goes :D

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  15. Your progress is wonderful and congrats on a great SFS start. I wasn't so fortunate.

    CJ

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  16. Congrats on not spending and I must've missed how one could earn stitching; that's pretty awesome encouragement! Books are a hard one for me but I've encouraged myself to only buy a book once I've read it (through the library).

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  17. Well done on spending nothing! I am the same this year. I actually want to get some things in my stash finished!

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  18. Good luck on our budget goal. I made a goal to write down all that I spent each day. Love your progress!!!!

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  19. Congratulations on both your progress pics, they're looking lovely.
    And even more congratulations on the budgetting, I'm very impressed!

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Would love to read any comments you would like to leave. Thanks for brightening my day :)