My Year of Less – 2025 Budget series

video: My Year of Less 💰March 2025 & Q1 Budget Review + Low Buy Rules Update

Join me for a March budget recap… and the time has come for the Q1 low buy update! 💰

Join me for a March budget recap… and the time has come for the Q1 low buy update!

🙌🏻 Wins

March savings $503
Q1 savings $1239

😓 Challenges

too many date nights = fewer meals at home (falling on bad habits)
books are getting expensive, but I suddenly want them all

TLDR: Decent savings overall, but not feeling great about dining out as much in March and I’m rethinking some of my lowbuy rules.

💜

For more, subscribe to the blog.

You can follow my “quiet days” on YouTube or follow for writing updates on Substack.

Visit my linktr.ee or learn more about my writing at emiliagracewrites.com.

Note to longtime readers: In case you missed the last year’s update, I changed my name to Emilia Grace on most of my socials to align with my penname.

video: My year of less 💵 February Low/No Buy Budget Review & Check In

reviewing my February spending habits and reconsidering some of my low/no buy rules

Join me for a sit-down as I reflect on February spending, challenges, struggles, and worries about the future of my finances.

In this update:

💰$163 saved (in addition to my usual savings)
Dining out is still a trouble area, but improving.
Groceries are on point.
Dentistry struck with a vengeance.
Rethinking book purchasing and the value of having physical libraries (at 07:53)
Rethinking my 15 non-essential items list (at 08:29)

💜

For more, subscribe to the blog.

You can follow my “quiet days” on YouTube or follow for writing updates on Substack.

Visit my linktr.ee or learn more about my writing at emiliagracewrites.com.

Note to longtime readers: In case you missed the last year’s update, I changed my name to Emilia Grace on most of my socials to align with my penname.

video: My Year of Less🍊A Small February Grocery Haul from the Fresh Market

A small, slightly spendy grocery haul from the Fresh Market… #vlog #lowbuyyear

A small, slightly spendy grocery haul from the Fresh Market… filling in the gaps before the big shop and trying to make the most of what’s in my pantry and fridge before spending on more groceries.

video: My Year of Less 💵 January 2025 Low/No Buy Budget Review & Check In

It’s time for the first budget review of my 2025 low/no buy… it’s been a good one.

It’s time for the first budget review of my 2025 low/no buy… it’s been a good one. 😁

Some small wins:

📱switched my phone plan to mint at 50% for the first year for $180 – I was paying $90 for 1080 a year

🍲 stuck to the dining out budget and fast food plan 🙌🏻

Total saved: $573 (after much recalculating) – a big win!

Playlists

💵 My “Year of Less” Playlist

🎥Quiet Days in 2025 vlog playlist

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video: One nice date in January ✨🍲 My Year of Less (spending on dining out!)

Come along for a Hot Pot dinner for two with appetizers and a boba for him 😊 As part of my “Year of Less” project, I am trying to stick to two planned dates per month as a way to enjoy dining out, and keep the cost within reason, while making it feel special.

Total cost for this date (including tip): $59.59

What’s your favorite cheap date?

video: My Year Of Less 🛒 Two Low Spend Grocery Hauls (January 2025)

In an effort to spend less and be better prepared for migraine days, I’m back to my old ways and shopping with the intent to meal plan/prep. Join me for two, low spend, intentional grocery hauls as I re-evaluate my relationship with food spending. Plus, a few examples of the meals I prepped 😄

The big haul should last most of the month, allowing me to fill in the gaps with less.

🛒 January 3rd

BJs Wholesale haul

Buying in bulk at BJs to get meal prep essentials, replacements, and a small splurge.

Total: $162.29

🛒 January 13th

Wal-Mart haul

Filling in the gaps, buying ingredients for soup making, essentials, and cat food 🐈🐈.

Total: $131.03