DAY ONE: Learning To Live With Less

Ok - so considering the computer isn't supposed to be turned on except for homework, I'm considering this homework. Especially since I'm not in middle school anymore, and hey, it's summer! Who gets homework in the summer!?! That's just cruel! Today is DAY UNO of "The

Challenge" - da, da, da (scary music inserted here) and I think we did pretty darn well:

NO MORE EATING OUT / EATING LEFTOVERS:
We both brought our lunch to work and for dinner I ate my leftovers from going out for Father's Day and Chris ate leftover pizza from the weekend. Yea! No cooking for me tonight!

BOTTLED WATER HABIT:

I think this isn't really a challenge for me, but Chris does get free bottled water from work. I don't think that should count really, right? I bring a bottle to work and just refill. While we're at home, we use glasses and fill at the refrigerator. This shouldn't be of a challenge for us.

NO MORE DISPOSABLE PLATES, CUPS, NAPKINS, ETC:

We are guilty of using paper towels but not a lot. We do use all of our normal plates, cups, flatware etc, so it's really just the paper towels. I think I caught myself almost using one today on Ethan, but then stopped. That's how much of a habit it has become.

ENTERTAINMENT:

This will be a bit of a challenge, but should help us to spend a little more couple time together. We actually do a lot together and even if we aren't doing the same thing, we are in the same room together. He may watch TV and I'll read. I guess that's the purpose - to actually talk more. Tonight I'm going to scrap a bit while Chris is shooting some pics outside. Then we're going to look at vacation brochures for our upcoming trip to Wilmington in September and plan out some activities. The good thing about losing TV time is that it's summer - all reruns!

THERMOSTAT:

Set at 74 - no prob Bob!

GIVING THE OL' WASHING MACHINE A BREAK:
I wash all of our clothes once a week so I don't see how this is a problem. I can see families that have older kids who play sports - that's a lot of washing! This shouldn't be a problem either.

TURNING OFF LIGHTS/FANS WHEN NOT IN THE ROOM:
This one is a work in progress. The fans in our house run CONSTANTLY! Since I've ready Oprah's challenge last week, I have been keeping all the fans and lights off if we're not in the room. Needless to say, it's a dark house at the end of the day. It looks like no one's home!

TURNING OFF APPLIANCES, COMPUTER, ETC WHEN NOT IN USE:

Again, same thing as above. I have been shutting down the computer at night and unplugging the coffeemaker and toaster when I'm not using it. That is hard to remember though!

SHORT SHOWERS:

I think we're doing rather well, especially Chris. I'm a short shower kinda person, but he needs a long shower in the morning to wake up. I have noticed just in the past week that he has really cut back on those. I've been surprised at how quick his showers are now. Go Chris!

NO SHOPPING, EXCEPT FOR FOOD:
Like I mentioned before, this will be the biggest challenge for me just because of my love for finding deals and steals. It's towards the end of the month and I'm down to the last $60 for groceries/household items and we really don't NEED anything else until we get paid again, so this week I may be ok. UNLESS, some awesome crazy deal comes up later this week while Bloom and HT are having their big double and triple sales! We'll just have to see how I do come middle of the week! :)

Ok - gotta run - I'm approaching my time limit for the computer and my hubby is calling!