My Financial Goal Update

As many of you know, I have a personal financial goal for the year. I am trying to see if I can make more personal income doing what I do (focus groups, mystery shopping, prescriptions, sweepstakes) than I spend on household goods (groceries, toiletries, diapers).

I try very hard not to look at this number, because the whole point is that I do not want to try. I am a busy stay-at-home mother of two, and I want to see if this goal is attainable by just earning when and where I can. If I looked at the number, I’d be more likely to want to find more ways to make a little extra. I am human, after all!

Here’s where things stand:

Toiletries/Diapers (CVS, Target, Kmart, Walgreens): I have purchased $4,781 in toiletries for $427. This is a savings of 91%. My purchase amount has gone up some because I’ve spent extra out-of-pocket at Walgreens in order to make money for Jewel.

Groceries (Jewel, Dominick’s, Butera): I have purchased $6,001 in groceries for $1,994. That is a savings of 67%. I have only spent $100 out of pocket for groceries in the last month and a half because of all the Wags moneymakers and CAT’s that I’ve been able to use.

Total Spending: $2,421 (for 10,782 in products/groceries)

I have earned $2,192 so far this year, so I’m not all that far off. I have also won a bunch of sweepstakes prizes, including some gift cards that I am planning on selling on eBay (I can’t really use them – NFL.com is cool, but not really for me!) and $15 in Honey Nut Cheerios winnings. I did not count these amounts, as they aren’t in my pocket yet. Plus, I am doing two focus groups in the next two weeks for another $205 and waiting for several rebates and mystery shopping payments. So, we’ll see what happens. It’s going to be close!

My point of this whole thing is to prove to myself and anyone who is interested that this can be done. Or that you can come VERY close. You just have to take advantage of the little offers as often as you can. They do add up!