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November No-Spend Challenge ~ Come check in, it's time to get started saving money!

23K views 1K replies 96 participants last post by  vivalamama 
#1 ·
This thread is a support thread to help you ~not spend your money~. Everyone is welcome to join (we would love to have you) and you are welcome to start at any time. It doesn't have to be November 1st.

The plan is simple (although very tough to execute):

1. Vow not to spend any money on unnecessary purchases.

2. Come on here everyday and record your spending.

3. If you think that you absolutely MUST buy something, come on here and tell us about it first. Sometimes taking the time to come on here and post before you buy something will help you not buy it.

4. Provide encouragement for your fellow non-spenders and try to talk THEM out of buying things.

Good luck Ladies!!
Let's have a strong November!!! Keep that money in your wallet.

ETA: Our no-spend threads tend to get very long...if you are new and considering joining us you don't need to read the entire thread (unless you want to). Just read the first three entries and jump right in. Start your no-spending today!
 
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#706 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by anniej View Post
Well already, $18 on coffee and a cd that DIDN'T come out of SB fund.

It's a sucky day, and what do I do on sucky days? Buy stuff.

I'm being accountable to you ladies right now - no more buying anything today, no matter how bad I feel.

Now please make me stick to this.
You can do this!! I am the same way, when I am sad, I buy stuff. But think about all of the things you could do with saved money, whether it be paying bills or investing it in your future, etc.
 
#708 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by anniej View Post
It's a sucky day, and what do I do on sucky days? Buy stuff.
anniej, I do that, too, and I figured out that it wasn't spending the money that was compelling, it was having something new, and that it didn't really have to be new, just new to me, and that after that newness wore off, I didn't much care, so I started checking out things from the library and it's SO MUCH BETTER now.

The end!
 
#709 ·
Nov 1st -
: 27.00 at Walmart On halloween snack items now my two older kids have fast school lunch items when I am busy with the new baby .
Nov 2nd-
Returned 8.00 from walmart trip (they over charged me for some items ) Paid Household bills No Spend Day
Nov 3rd -
budgeted money spent 5.00 for a church event
Nov 4th -
e found out when we got to Church that our Son had to be back there 2 hours after church let out and we live 45 mins from the church so we took the kids to get tacos at a mom and pops place . 17.00 Also spent 10.00 on gas .
Nov 5th -
No Spend day Dh spent 10.00 on gas for his car Budgeted
Nov 6th -
No Spend day Paid one bill online today
Nov7th -
No spend day Paid Mortgage , car insurence online today and DH put 20.00 of gas in his car
Nov 8th -
2.00 for 2 itemd for DD class at school
Nov 9th -
: This will not be a no Spend day but in the long run it will help our budget . We are canceling our cell phones and buying prepaid phones . This will be comming out of our emergency fund but we want to cancel these cell phones so bad ! **** Did make 200.00 to pay off a Doctors bill **** 42.78 for both phones and it includes 20.00 dallors worth of minutes on both phones plus 7.00 on food items .
Nov 10th -
Got vans belts fixed and oil changed Budgeted money and Dh got gas in the van .
nov 11th -
tithe paid today budget money , dog food used a coupon 2.00 , operation Christmas Child boxes (2) 16.00 all budget money
Nov 12th -
went to 6 week appt , came home cleaned and heading to Bible study next *** Canceled Cell phones !!!!***
Nov13th -
moms club this morning , home now and will pick up kids and come home agian . Saved .75 in library fees that were not really our
Also Dh is canceling a subscription he has so another 7.00 saved a month !!!!

Goals :
8/20 - No Spend Days
1/0 - After Halloween /thanksgiving Shopping days
60/185 - Gas for the month
1/0 - No eating out days
29.60/100 - Extra towards the credit card

Guide :
no spend days (can spend budgeted gas money and pay household bills )
money spent inside budget but still money spent that I did not think of befor I started the month
ver budget / eating out
 
#710 ·
Thanks MrsKennedy!
I'm hoping to continue doing well as the month goes on and my numbers get closer and closer to our max budgeted.


We are going out this afternoon but I'm not bringing cash so hopefully I won't spend anything.
: I updated already because I may not get back on here today.

ETA: I forgot to add gas to our grocery budget. Might seem a bit odd to put them together but we have a cc with a $500 limit that we pay off every month, and we use it only to buy groceries and gas.

November
1:
$190 Diapers, $9.74 Shipping for baby purchase made in Oct, $38.50 Gas
2:

3:
$121.60 Costco, $6 Dollar Store spices, $33 Grocery Store, $25 Filing Cabinet from Craig's List so we can get organized in our home office finally!
4:
$2.00 Movie rental
5:
$10.60 Breast Pads
6:

7:
$6.94 hot chocolate and a tart at a cafe meeting another MDC Mom
8:
$12 for movie rental, $10.55 Domain purchase for possible home business
9:

10:
$10.99 ornament for DD from craft fair, $17.97 groceries
11:

12:

13:


Goals:
$10.99/$300 Christmas
$217.07/$500 Groceries & Gas
2/4 Grocery Shopping Trips
$9.04/$50 Take out/Ordering in
$60.15/$100 Misc
$199.74/$200 Baby Items
1/2 Gas Fill Ups
$250/$500 put towards debt
13/30 Stick to meal plan
 
#711 ·
Broke again!

How does that happen?

Perhaps I should look at my $306 unbudgeted snowshoe purchase...Hmmm...


01..
,

02..

03..

04..

05..

06..

07.. $45 ECHO Museum Pass
08..
,

09.. $2.46 Apple Scone at Martone's
10.. $306 Snowshoes
11..

12.. $6.50 McDonald's
12..


Goals:
9/20 No Spend Days

2/15 Let the Car Rest Days
 
#712 ·
11/1:
No Spend!!
11/2:
No Spend!!
11/3:
: 5.39 at Taco Bell... oops!
11/4:
No un-budgeted spending...
11/5:
No Spend!!
11/6:
: spent WAY too much.... 113 @ Gamestop and 41 at Target... technically some of the Gamestop money was part of DF's xmas gift that we forgot Sunday... and I needed bras and some toiletries.. but STILL!! I think about 70 of what we spent was necessary/budgeted....
11/7:
No un-budgeted spending... I bought a pair of jeans (my pre-preg ones will NOT button anymore), a white long sleeve (I got a bunch of short sleeve/no sleeve maternity shirts for free and with the shirt I can layer and still wear them during the winter) and a pair of pajama pants for my mom whose birthday is today

11/8:
I did spend 50 dollars on maternity clothes but that got me a pair of black pants, a pair of khakis, a pair of jeans and 15 shirts that I can wear to work!!!
11/9:
No spend! I technically spent money but my mom is reimbursing me so I don't count it!
11/10:
I spent some of my "fun money" but nothing else!
11/11:
: 10.81 at Taco Bell... I was trying to avoid it but we were out running errands and I felt like I was going to pass out so DF made me get some food..
11/12:

11/13:


Goals:
Keep DF at under 200 cash a week: 1/4
Eat at home: 11/25
No online shopping: 13/30
No spend days: 10/25[/QUOTE]
 
#714 ·
Wow November is a very hard month for no-spending
: I bought dd's Christmas outfit today..Very pleased with it, but it turned my no-spend day into a spend day..and made us broke for the rest of the week. we are on such a tight budget.
:
11/1

11/2
: BUDGETED spend--38.40 Christmas gifts (@ Jewelry party)
11/3

11/4

11/5

11/6

11/7

11/8

11/9

11/10

11/11
$31.05 Lake Tahoe trip
11/12
: BUDGETED spend $32--Christmas gift for ds
11/13
$29 Dd Christmas outfit

Goals:
No spend days: 11/23
No DS, Etsy, DT: 12/27
Non-essential spending 98.45/$200
Save, Save, Save!
 
#715 ·
Well, the good news is I bought nothing at thrift stores over lunch--we're going to make do with what we have at home for Illy's birth. But the bad news? Lunch at McD's...

Nov 13: $6 McDonald's, cash.
Nov 12: $8 on coffee and pastry, reward for myself, from cash. $153 at the vet finding out Illly is pregnant, from joint. $445 to Amex to pay off card, from checking. $445 on Visa for Christmas dog sitting (will be reimbursed).
Nov 11: Today is going to be an actual no-spend, I swear. Later: so much for no spending. $92 at Target on housewares, groceries, and stuff to make my mom a care package (she's having surgery next week). Unplanned, from joint.
Nov 10: paid some monthly bills: $400 car payment, about $100 gas, $108.76cable, $56 internet, all from joint. Decided to only pay min. on CC this month due to extra holiday expenses, so $142 from checking to CC. Spent $12 at the GW on Christmas stuff, from checking.
Nov 9: $8 at pharmacy for Mark's drugs (he's sick); $10 on kolaches, joint; $33 groceries, joint; $23 Etsy, from money in Paypal.
Nov 8: $33 co-op, groceries, from joint.
Nov 7: $35 on a book for myself online, from checking, not budgeted; $5 on a flu shot and $5 on coffee, cash.
Nov 6: Today is going to sound really bad, but it's not that terrible. I spent $850 on Visa to make Thanksgiving reservations, but that will be reimbursed. I also spent $11 joint on some dishes at the Goodwill and $6 on lunch. And $20 on sterling silver chains, partially for me and partially for a Christmas present, from checking.
Nov 5: Gah! It was almost a no-spend, but then I had to get gas. $36, on gas card (gets paid by joint acct. each month). In budget.
Nov 4: $55 dog food, $33 groceries, both joint.
Nov 3: $8 McDonalds, cash; $13 Goodwill, checking; $168 art show, joint; $25 pizza, cash; $20 dog fee, cash (will be reimbursed). Art show clearly not budgeted...
Nov 2: $35 Xmas gift for my partner, from checking, w/in budget; $2 Goodwill, cash. All w/in buget.
Nov 1: $30 charitable giving, from checking; $11 Savers gifts, from checking; $2 Pepsi, from cash; $15 co-op groceries, from joint; $4 library fines, from cash. All w/in budget.

November budget update:

To joint account: $2,000/$2,000.00
To student loan: $0/$257.60
To savings: $100/$100.00
To charity: $30/$50.00
To Visa: $212.26/$184.20
To Discover: $142/$500.00
To Amex: $445/$0
Cash: $89/$100.00
Christmas presents: $91/$100.00
Unbudgeted spending: $35/$0

November goals:

1. STICK TO BUDGET!!
2. No new credit card purchases, aside from Christmas plane tickets.
3. Finish closing out all old CC accounts (I think I may have a big enough credit to buy said plane tix, but I'm not sure).
4. Continue excellent trend of not buying coffee or lunch at work. Aim for no more than 1 coffee/week and 1 lunch/week.
5. Thrift for Christmas presents.
 
#716 ·
Grace, you're recording everything, that's a first step. How can you change how you spend your money if you don't know where it's going?

That stupid CD was such an impulse purchase, I don't even like it. Grrr...

We're staying in for dinner and I'm working until at least 5, so I don't think there's going to be much chance for spending the rest of the day.
 
#717 ·
Okay, I'm a newbie here so be nice....

I have derailed! We ordered Domino's for lunch yesterday and had Wendy's for lunch today!

We are having a hard time adjusting to ministry pay. My dh makes about 60% what he used to make, though he was laid off for awhile which makes the ministry pay a huge blessing!

Currently, I am on bedrest/house arrest for a partially prolapsed ute after the birth of my fifth child in October. That makes it doubly hard to eat cheap but easier to stay out of the stores.

I'm reading this thread w/great interest. I think I'll start tomorrow...
 
#718 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom View Post
Broke again!

How does that happen?

Perhaps I should look at my $306 unbudgeted snowshoe purchase...Hmmm...


If I get my house sold and find a teaching job in Vermont I am totally going to spend $306 on snowshoes... so don't feel too bad. Just make sure you use them. BTW, I would be really tempted to buy a new mountain bike too.
:
 
#719 ·
I am just joining..

I am Andrea..SAHM to 2 boys.

I want to use this thread to check into everyday.

Today..Awesome..

walked to the park...
used up odds and ends for lunch
will eat at MIL's

No money spent


ETA: My goal is to save enough money to buy Adrock a new carseat. $260...I am at $0 right now.
 
#720 ·
So so busy with work, but wanted to check in. Thanks to all for the hugs, I needed them. Also, thanks for the pms from this post and others. it's been a rough couple of weeks (ok, months actually). Anyway, good days and bad, kwim?

I went to the dentist today and he was able to rebond my tooth, no crown or cap. that would have been a huge expense. now this just has to hold.

spent $9 on bkfst/lunch (at 3:30. stupid novocaine) and coffee. i have to work late again and last night i fell asleep at the computer!

finally got paid on my first sale to secondspin.com and cash4books.net. total was $140. Waiting for them to clear on paypal. It will be nice when they do.
 
#721 ·
I'm joining in. I spend almost compulsively. I'm starting to fear that it is a disorder. NAK! I'm going to start coming here to report progress and will also record things in a notebook. I almost get edgy if I don't make it out to "gather" (either going grocery shopping or hitting the sales bins). I'm ashamed to admit this, but today I ran up a big bill just at Target, and started seeking support online finally. I am so happy that MDC has a group. I love MDC and have been on and off as a member for years. I guess my first no-spend day will have to be tomorrow
Nice to meet you all.
 
#722 ·
Why did I have to go to the swaps forum?
: Now I have to budget in shipping for that and HH stuff... But at least it isn't really frivolous. I swear... Next month I'm not spending money on anything besides bills and shipping, if it's not all done by then.

I'm def. not doing very well this month...


Totals:
01 $596.78 rent/water, $407 heating oil, $3.22 winter clothes for DS. made $23.40 writing and GPT, $64 from Mom
02
, saved $6.73 cell bill adjustment
03

04

05

06 $367.50 tuition, $30 rug for DS's room, $25 groceries
07

08 $6.39 gas bill, $11.49 groceries, $16.21 DS winter clothes, $5 present. Saved $23.61 on gas, found $200!
09

10 $25.64 presents
11

12 $54.06 presents, $42.50 unbudgeted but necessary bill
13
, made $16 on TP

Totals:
No spend: 8/30
Budgeted spending: 5/30
$36.49/240 groceries (tracking to create accurate grocery budget)
Unbudgeted, necessary spending: 1/30 $42.50 unexpected bill
Unbudgeted, unnecessary spending: 1/30 $9.70 bday/Christmas presents
Made/saved $: 4/30

Budgeted extras:
$20: DS Christmas pics and frames
$84.70/75 presents: BIL left
$0/30 HH/swap shipping (not really budgeted... Added last minute. Calling it necessary b/c I committed to it.)
 
#725 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Usually Curious View Post
Okay, I'm a newbie here so be nice....

I have derailed! We ordered Domino's for lunch yesterday and had Wendy's for lunch today!

We are having a hard time adjusting to ministry pay. My dh makes about 60% what he used to make, though he was laid off for awhile which makes the ministry pay a huge blessing!

Currently, I am on bedrest/house arrest for a partially prolapsed ute after the birth of my fifth child in October. That makes it doubly hard to eat cheap but easier to stay out of the stores.

I'm reading this thread w/great interest. I think I'll start tomorrow...
welcome! I know you from other forums... HI!

We're all nice here... EXCEPT ME!!!
 
#726 ·
Today was a pretty good day, spending-wise. I did spend almost $200 but a lot of it was necessary or at least planned. I spent over $11 at the post office, but it was to mail out things I'm selling, so I consider that to be a non-expense, really. Then I spent almost $46 at the hardware store. We needed a rake, since ours broke and we keep borrowing the neighbors'. I was hoping we could wait until next year, but there are still leaves on the trees, and it's kind of ridiculous that we don't just have rakes of our own. I also got a dowel so I can fix our bird feeder and finally put it up, some insulating foam to seal a leak in a basement window and one more retractable clothesline to use in the basement in the winter (I've been line-drying our clothes and it's going great!).

At the grocery store I bought a lot of necessities, but also some things like a candy bar. And a cookie. And a cookie mix. And chips for DH. And some Silk nog. And a way-too-expensive Amy's pizza for lunch. I always used to do this, but I never added it all up until now. It was almost $30 for what are essentially treats! I need to do better than that. At least it will get eaten, so it's better than a splurge on, say, a knicknack we don't need, but still.

Tomorrow a friend is coming over with her baby and we're walking up to Starbucks, so I'll be spending (but hopefully not driving). This is planned, though, and I do have some of my own spending money to use.

10/1:
$12.60 flowers for my mom's birthday
10/2:
$23.23 gas for the car +
$62.17 actual groceries at the farm ($25 raw milk, $8.38 ham slices & $28.79 raw cheese) +
$10.58 treats at the farm ($2.73 chocolate bar, $3.90 granola bars & $3.95 egg nog)
10/3:
$14.50 entrance to the zoo +
$2.65 for candy
10/4:

10/5:

10/6:
$36.67
10/7:
$8.86 groceries
10/8:
$5 Drano for our plugged kitchen sink
10/9:

10/10:

10/11:

10/12:

10/13:
$11.37 post office to mail things I'm selling +
$45.88 hardware store for rakes, a dowel, a retractable laundry line and insulating foam +
$129.95 necessary groceries +
$29.02 non-necessary groceries

KEY:
True no spend
Spending within budget
Spending outside budget
 
#727 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by frog View Post
anniej, I do that, too, and I figured out that it wasn't spending the money that was compelling, it was having something new, and that it didn't really have to be new, just new to me, and that after that newness wore off, I didn't much care, so I started checking out things from the library and it's SO MUCH BETTER now.

The end!

:!!! I have that same attraction to the newness feeling!!!
 
#729 ·
1 -
, drove
2 - 289.42 groceries & dog food, drove
3 -
, no driving
4 -
, no driving
5 - 98.64 clothing (needed), no driving
6 -
, no driving
7 - 105.28 Target, only 2.50 was unplanned, drove
8 -
, drove
9 -
, drove
10 - 3.99 grocery, no driving
11 -
, no driving
12 -
, no driving
13 -
, drove

frugal plan:

groceries/pets 293.41/600
no drive days 7/10
work on homemade x-mas presents
go to ap/crunchy/homeschool playgroups within 30 minutes of our house
continue hang/rack drying clothes
stick to grocery list and use cash!
finally make some family cloth (this has been on the list since july)
eat less
donate or sell extra stuff
do better than last month!

sarah
 
#730 ·
11/01:
$27 on WAY over-due library fines and a book that DD ripped
:. $17.50 on costume stuff from Target's Halloween clearance. $4 on a cup for DD from Starbucks.
11/02:
no spend!
11/03:
no spend!
11/04:
no spend!
11/05:
no spend!
11/06:
no spend!
11/07:
no spend!
11/08:
$2 on hot chocolate for DD and $5 on a sandwich for me
11/09:
$50 on dinner and ice cream. We ate out on the road and spent over what we typically spend on going out to eat (like, double). We also stopped at Dairy Queen.
11/10:
no spend!
11/11:
no spend!
11/12:
no spend!
11/13:
$15 on aquarium admission

1. 9/20 no-spend days.
2. $397/$300 on groceries and household items for Nov 9-Nov 22
3. $26.50/$0 spent on my DDs (who are in need of NOTHING!)
4. $0/$0 on the credit card
5. $103/$315 personal spending on anything I wish

KEY:
=true no-spend
=spending within the budget
=out of budget spending

Not too much to report today. We met some out-of-town friends at the aquarium, which was fun, I just can't believe it costs so freakin' much to get in! They recently jacked up the price, likely due to their new addition. DD and I were hungry afterwards but instead of going out we went home for lunch. It involved extra driving since we had to go right back out to pick up my other DD from school, but it was worth it. No more spending for the rest of the day, though!
 
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