~March No-Spend Challenge~ The Day of Reckoning...how did you do? What did you learn? What will... - Page 7

[SugarAndSun]

I really want to buy some jars, but I think I am going to hold off. I am also in to organization thread and I am organizing the office. My office isn't a mess, I just have neglected medical bills and stuff. I am so glad I started going through everything. There is a lot the insurance company should have paid. I am on my way to getting it sorted out and I prefer to get it all done with. I am holding off on spending until I get it all sorted out.

I also have so many dinners in the freezer (well at least a week) so I am going to eat through the food in the frig. this week and then the freezer next week. This should let me just buy perishables for the kids.

$50 eating out budget!
$50 household budget... I need some jars.
$231/$850 food... we eat tons of fresh fruits and veggies and I can't seem to get this lower. Suggestions welcome!

1st: $231 Food; $124 vitamins; $52 DH's ipod
2nd: No spend!
3rd: No spend!

[mamayarn]

Originally Posted by ThisLove

And I decided (all of a sudden) that instead of spending on dipes this week, I'm going to go through my bags of recyclable clothing and sew up a few (I may have to buy a few things - not sure yet) before buying. I'm too indecisive and the thread over in Diaper Making with all of the recycled-material dipes inspired me!

THANK YOU for mentioning this!! I keep thinking I'm going to use some clothes and scraps to make dipes for the new baby and then it winds up at the bottom of the pile in my mind. I'll go check that thread out... I'm running out of time.

Originally Posted by SugarAndSun

I am so glad I started going through everything. There is a lot the insurance company should have paid. I am on my way to getting it sorted out and I prefer to get it all done with.

UGH, me too!!! My insurance covers very little at all before the deductible is met (physicals, pap smears) so naturally when they got those bills they refused to pay. Provider bills me. Provider resubmitted, they refused. Provider bills me. I call insurance, they say, "Oops... we'll send this over to the black hole of something and let you know." Me: "When?" Them: "30 business days." Considering they never should have refused to pay it to begin with and the visit was now four months ago, yeah. I'm irritated.

I seem to be rolling my eyes a lot today.

[melissel]

Originally Posted by SugarAndSun

$231/$850 food... we eat tons of fresh fruits and veggies and I can't seem to get this lower. Suggestions welcome!

Do you only buy organic or local? If you don't, high-quality frozen fruit/veggies usually have the same nutrients as fresh because they're frozen within a day or so of harvest, and fresh veggies often hang around waiting to be shipping, then sit while shipping, and then hang around in the grocery store, losing their nutrients. Switching to frozen for some things might save you a little there. My kids are being super picky about veggies lately, but will usually eat the things that freeze well (peas, corn, broccoli), so that works for us. And there are usually decent sales and coupons. We also buy frozen strawberries, blueberries, and peaches, warm them just a little, drizzle on a tiny bit of maple syrup, and eat straight from the bowl, or blend them up for smoothies. The kids also happen to like the fresh fruit that's generally easily available right now (pears, apples, oranges), lucky for me *whew*

[ladyinred]

On February 28th I went on a bit of a spending spree because I could for the first time in ages! I went to the movies with a friend ($9) Went work clothes shopping ($55) and then for dinner ($25). Even though that was technically last month it's still on this budget so I'm counting it here.

28/03 - $89 on movie, clothes and dinner with a friend
01/03 -
02/03 -
03/03 -


Budget

Til March 14th
$89/$150
Til March 31st
$0/$150

[nadia105]

1:
2:
3:

Goals:
3/25 spending w/in budget
0/6 out food days
0/$100 unnecessary

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

I was like, "No way! I just joined the no-spend challenge on MDC THIS MORNING! I can't fail on the first day!" And I cooked the dinner. But it was hard. We had a snow day here, the kids were getting tired, I had work to do, etc.

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

I spent over $50 on reusable cloth gift bags!

Wow. How did that happen? The internet is dangerous for me. click click click and money is spent. In this case, about $40 more than I meant to spend.

(they are really cute though...Lucky Crow.com

My thinking in this case, though, is like dish towels and cloth diapers and family cloth, these gift bags will be used in our family for years to come. And ultimately save us money.

Granted, we re-use PAPER gift bags right now. But I do spend money on wrapping paper and ribbons and tape...so I'm thinking long-term...

Maybe? Or am I just justifying spending?

Last year Big Lots had very inexpensive (much cheaper than these Lucky Crow bags) Christmas cloth bags...I should have bought some. I will if I see them again this next year.

01.. $23 Pizza Putt
02.. , : $750
03.. $51 reusable gift bags at Lucky Crow
04..
05..
06..
07..
08..
09..
10..

~~~~~~~~~~
My Goals:

1/20 No Spend days
0/5 Let the Car Rest Days :
: Put Money in Savings

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

I don't know how to sew, or even which end of the sewing machine you put the fabric in.

But on days like this, after spending $50 on bags that a crafty mom could just sew right up...I wonder if it wouldn't be worth it to learn how.

[Scribe]

I've gotten so bad lately that I decided I'm back to square one this month. My only goals are:
1. write down EVERYTHING I spend
2. don't use credit cards

Surely I should be able to manage those. Then next month I'll make some more. Baby steps.

March 1: $46 K-cups
March 2: $7 lunch; $61 bath product containers
March 3: $37 and $25 gifts; $6 lunch; $21 skirt and socks (skirt is going back)

[PlayaMama]

so, should we update our original post or make a new post for each day? this is my first time and i'll tell you i'm totally into it!! i walked yesterday just because i knew i'd get to put a jogger on my tally

those gift bags are really cute btw! i need to get my sewing machine fixed...

[Hollysmom]

March 1 - $22 fast food :, $26.95 :
March 2 - $2.65 breakfast, $7 lunch
March 3 -

:$26.95/$560
Unbudgeted/Unnecessary Spending: $31.65
No Spend Days 1/15

My Key:

No Spend
Unbudgeted/Unnecessary Spending
Budgeted/Necessary Spending
: Groceries

[Hollysmom]

Originally Posted by PlayaMama

so, should we update our original post or make a new post for each day? this is my first time and i'll tell you i'm totally into it!! i walked yesterday just because i knew i'd get to put a jogger on my tally

those gift bags are really cute btw! i need to get my sewing machine fixed...

I usually just do a new post by quoting my original one and then adding the info for the new day.

[DoomaYula]

I have a dumb question. I've never done this thread before -- am I supposed to go back and re-edit my original post, or am I supposed to keep reposting my spending info in subsequent posts?

Today has been a no spend day! :

[Amys1st]

Key of the Method of my Madness:

no money left my wallet or bank account:
deposited money for savings :
messed up
planned spending
eat from what I have on hand: :

1 church donation and grocery 42.95/400
2 & :
3 & :
4 car insurance due
5 payday/mortgage due
6

Boy this is easy so far! But then again, having to hunker down with DD1 who has a mild bug will do that to you! Also DH is working extra hours this week.

I decided this year was Year of Amy. If I wanted to do something, I would make plans for me to do them because DH had a crazy year last year with his work and he said I should spend this year doing things for me. SO now I am deciding if I should go to this Womans Day at a local church on Saturday. $40, fellowship, speakers, massage, and a few friends also want to go.

Also, Wed is preschool registration and a few of us plan a girls night out for this. Luckily I have the cash in my wallet to have a drink and a light meal. I also really want to go out too!

[crunchy_mama]

Checking in-- so far so good.
March 1- no spend (stayed home)
March 2- Eating out $15/$75- HFS= $47$250 groceries
March 3-Gas- Withdrew cash for this months expenditures hopefully we can stay with cash only this month!

[kalisis]

I usually do a new post for each day and copy my previous days post into it (quoting is a neat feature b/c then youcould keep your smilies...). If you just keep updating your first thread, no one will see it and we won't be able to cheer you on!

[mamimapster]

Last month was great! I hit most of my goals and used the tax refund to totally pay off a CC as well as sock money towards a very needed roof & paid a little to Dp's smaller student loan. Here's to another awesome month!

March 1: No spend/No drive: sick DD
March 2:
March 3:

[major_mama11]

March key and goals:

Budgeted spending:
Groceries /household 128.50 / 450
Gas 7.51 / 65
Homeschool 0 / 20
Kid clothing 0 / 20
New baby items- 0 / 200 carseat, 0 / 40 for misc, 53.10 / 55 for cloth dipes
: 4 / <20 unbudgeted spending
No spend days 2 / 20
Declutter (so I will know what I have!) 1 / 10
: Money to savings for replacement car fund- 0/500

3/1- 53.10 cloth diapers- (used $ from last month’s ebay sales), 4.00 gift for co-worker, 7.51 gas, 128.50 groceries (so much for < 110 per week)
2- (1 hour)
3- – (Home sick)

[Jenn_M]

I'll just bring over the spending stuff...


Smilies I'll use... = no spending, = budgeted spending, = extraneous spending

3/1
3/2 / (overspent on grocery stuff and DH's convenience store habit)
3/3
3/4
3/5
3/6
3/7
3/8
3/9
3/10

Goals:
$425 for groceries/household this month ($140.40/$450)
$85/week for DH gas and spending money ($27/$85)

[Jenn_M]

Originally Posted by ThisLove

And I decided (all of a sudden) that instead of spending on dipes this week, I'm going to go through my bags of recyclable clothing and sew up a few (I may have to buy a few things - not sure yet) before buying. I'm too indecisive and the thread over in Diaper Making with all of the recycled-material dipes inspired me!

Originally Posted by mamayarn

THANK YOU for mentioning this!! I keep thinking I'm going to use some clothes and scraps to make dipes for the new baby and then it winds up at the bottom of the pile in my mind. I'll go check that thread out... I'm running out of time.

I did this a while back! I got most of my materials at Goodwill in the form of plus size flannel pajamas!

Here are some of the posts from my blog where I talk about it and here are some wool soakers I made from thrift store sweaters.