~August No-Spend Challenge~ We are tracking our spending and trying to save money! Come join us... - Page 3

[dfunk98]

I'm in. Need to be dedicated this time. Last month was AWFUL!! I have been so spendy lately, it's disgusting. I will be posting EVERY DAY!! Beginning this month, I will be taking $$ out every payday for groceries, gas and essentials. THAT'S IT!! Debit card is getting a rest this month. From this point on, it's cash only for this mama!!


My Key-
No Spend
Necessary/Planned Spending
Unnecessary Spending

Goal
No spend 0/14/30 days
Groceries/Household $0/$450

[sweetjasmine]

a. Who you are - Aileen, wife to hubby, part time stepmom to 11 year old girl and 16 year old boy.

b. Where you are going (your financial goals) - long term: be debt free by this time next year (medical bills, one cc and one car payment), continue building up savings/retirement cushion. short term: work on reducing grocery budget and unnecessary spends.

c. How you plan to get there - get an online budget tracker such as Quicken because what I'm doing now is NOT doing the trick.

Legend:
Necessary spend
: Unnecessary spend
No spend

August
1. : um, got off on the wrong foot, bought a starbucks frappacino. gas, grocery store (getting better at trying to eliminate frivolous spending here), petsmart (fish to replace some we lost).
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[PlayaMama]

huge grocery day today. mostly because we had nothing in the fridge and the summer produce just looked and smelled so good. some sales at whole paycheck/ whole foods didn't help. there is some sundry in there but i'll have to look at the receipts. i'm not that concerned about spending half the food budget on day 1 since i already have the money in savings for this month and i'm sure the food will last until we go to town again in a few weeks.

318.35/600 food
11.68/80 sundry
0/60 spending money
100/100 to savings :

0/20 no spend
1/11 budgeted spend
0/0 non-budgeted spend

1- 11.68 nail clippers lip balm, 318.35 groceries trader joe's, costco, wf (don't forget tp is sundry)
2-


july 105.65 20
june 76.70 17
may 181.46 18
april 358.07 19
march 517.18 17

[rob'shappywife]

I'll join the fun

a. Who you are

I am Melissa, SAH mama to 4 month old baby girl, and married to my best friend

b. Where you are going (your financial goals)

Short term goal is to pay off a piece of land we own in South Dakota ($3400)

c. How you plan to get there

Stay to our budget, no frivolous spending, sell things we don't need, go to mvelopes every day to track spending (best budget tool ever)

Key:

Budgeted Spending:
Frivolous Spending: - the devil made me do it
No Spend:

8/1:: $20 at yard sale(DD winter coat and tights, 2 jeans and shorts for DH, 2 birthday gifts, dog crate, 2 glass dishes with lids for freezer) $13 Lunch, $22 friend came home from Iraq we all went out to eat. Days not usually like that... glad I found this post now I have to be responsible=)

[Ruthiegirl]

Crumbs. The toilet has been leaking for awhile and has decided to truley crack and flood water in the bathroom. We are off to Lowe's for a new toilet. How much do those things cost anyway?

Not sure what this will do to the budget. We have a little extra money coming in this month, so I am hoping hings will remain balanced. I reeeeeeeally want to get the cc paid off completely this month. :

Aug1 --
Aug 2 -- new toilet ?
Aug 3
Aug 4


Goals:

Pay off credit card 0/2000
Groceries 33.00/600.00
No sloppy spending!

[FeelingBlessed]

I need back on the wagon! After a couple years of participating, got lazy when starting a new gig, and dropped out the last couple of months. Big mistake! Sorely missed the accountability factor, and vow to make time to post.

Hope the summer has been going well for all of you!

Take good care,
Kim :

###

a. Who you are...Kim, PT SAHM/PT WOHM (25 hrs) to 2 delightful kiddos (DD 5 + DS 2); DH works FT + is in school FT; kids are nearly always w/ one of us, so schedule can be nutty (we are also homeschooling).

b. Where you are going (your financial goals)...
August: Budget back in the black; pay cash for DH's $2K dental bill, dryer for rental unit, + siding/labor
September: Emergency fund restored; budget for DH's 2nd b-day
October: Attack debt; budget for cash Christmas

c. How you plan to get there...meal plan, organize, exercise, no library fees/parking tickets, sell upright freezer/baby stuff/etc., TAME THE GROCERY BUDGET!

###

Aug. 1: $79 at Goodwill (2 dresses, 2 shirts for DH, + about 15 exceptionally cool floor puzzles/wooden toys/board games/art stuff for kiddos)
Aug. 2:

= no spend/spending w/in budget
Goal: 1/27

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Did yard work all morning and this afternoon we are going to the pool. No shopping on the horizon, so I think my money is safe today.

01.. $1 Beanie Baby Toy at a yard sale
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Goals:
1/20 No Spend Days
$18/$600 Grocery Budget

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Originally Posted by dfunk98

Debit card is getting a rest this month. From this point on, it's cash only for this mama!!

Here here! Me too. I have an envelope. I'm going to get grocery money tomorrow. And that is it. Card is going away.

Originally Posted by Ruthiegirl

We are off to Lowe's for a new toilet.

I'll meet your toilet and raise you a bumper.

Last night we had some friends over for dinner and I quickly backed out of our garage right into their car. Hard. Knocked their bumper off. :

I'm guessing that will be around $800. ouch.

Originally Posted by FeelingBlessed

I need back on the wagon!

: Yeah! Kim is back!!! We missed you.

[HydeParkB]

1 - GARAGE SALE: $50 dresser, $3 cards, twine, toy; $39 Pet food
2 - $2 entertainment, $38 pet store

Spent a little at the educational farm to feed the animals. Denied my DD the pony ride she wanted; it's just too expensive for a five minute (or less) ride. I also had to go back to the pet store for flea control - UGH. Rather expensive for 5 cats!

On the bright side, dinner is in the crockpot and it smells good.

[scrapadoozer]

08/01: $5 Dunkin' Donuts, $2 snowshoes for dd @ a yard sale.
08/02:

1/20 No-spend days
$7/$100 Frivolous spending
0/6 Diapers made from my stash of fabrics

[Peppermint Poppies]

Aug 1 $9 on coffees before we realised that it was August, our no-spend month
Aug 2 :
Aug 3
Aug 4
Aug 5
Aug 6
Aug 7

1/31 No spend
0/31 Budgetted spend
1/31 Frivolous spending
1/31 : No car
0/31 : Expenses tracked in Quicken

I didn't get around to setting up my Quicken accounts yesterday (although I did take a lovely nap in the afternoon while DH looked after both kiddies) so hopefully I can get onto that today.

I did my grocery shopping online - came in just under budget, so as long as we don't buy any more food this week, I'm on track with our food bill

[dsaucone]

I'm off to a horrible start
1 $5 fast food lunch $7 soda and chocolate $8 grocery store
2 $5 soda and snack at work
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0/$300 Saved
25/$500 Spent

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Back In!! My computer died about a week after I joined mid-month last month, so last month was a complete failure. I spent way too much, and I am on a super low budget right now, so here goes again!

I am Kim, single mama to my 2 year old son. I work sporadically at two extremely part time jobs, and I am on public assistance as well.

My financial goals are to build my savings back up to $1000, pay off my bills that I have fallen behind on, and to become MUCH more mindful of frivolous spending.

I plan to check in here every day, hold myself accountable, and only spend what is necessary. I am not going to set any number of no-spend days, because I am really just looking to track for right now. Hopefully they will be plentiful though! I am also not planning to track groceries, as I use food stamps and WIC, and I belong to an organic CSA, and can definitely make it through on those alone without going over.

My key:
No-spend day:
Planned spending (bills, gas for car, etc):
Unplanned spending:

So far: 1 1

1. $16 drive in movie and snacks.
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[akichan]

a. Who you are
Aloha! I'm Akie, SAHM to 3 boisterous young boys, but going through a divorce right now and the financial situation changes every time we go to court.

b. Where you are going (your financial goals)
Fast food allowance - 3 times this month
Hoping not to owe any money at the end of this divorce.
Spending on only necessary things, and staying out of debt.
Finishing my bachelor's degree in December 2009! (not financial, but a big goal for me!)

c. How you plan to get there
Rent very cheap house without laundry facilities
Meal plan
Unsubscribe from all "sale" email lists
Figure out how to teach my children without spending lots of money on materials/toys/games/etc.

[akichan]

I need support! I can't pass up a good sale! Yesterday at the Children's Place they were selling a bunch of stuff at 50% off already marked down, you know the spiel, so I bought my kids matching polos in 3 colors @ $3.50 each. Isn't that SWEET? I might have to return a few, but it was such a good deal I just couldn't pass it up!

Anyone else with my problem? How do you resist? And anyone else a chronic returner? I buy stuff and then return it (or some of it) all the time! HELP!!!

[meandk0610]

1 - good start!
2 - 1.37 ice cream for dd while we were out picking up freecycle stuff


total
s 1

unnecessary spending $1.37

[HydeParkB]

Originally Posted by akichan

Anyone else with my problem? How do you resist? And anyone else a chronic returner? I buy stuff and then return it (or some of it) all the time! HELP!!!

I'm not a chronic returner, but I love a bargain or a great sale. Or, if go to a store or market and they don't have what I want, I am open to buying something else. At the farmers market this week my egg lady was absent, but I felt I should get something, so I got peaches and blackberries and cukes. Not anything I needed, like the eggs.

I just have to stay out of stores. And be okay with leaving empty handed if they don't have what I came for.

[major_mama11]

a. Who I am... Kirstin, mostly SAHM of 2 fun kiddos. I started participating in these threads back in Jan. They are so helpful, and very habit-forming also!

b. Financial goals... Short-term- no crazy unplanned self-spending this month! Keep under budget for once! Keep canning veggies every night even though it's totally wiping me out- it does save $$ after all.

Long-term- stay home with kids, build savings back up, pay off vehicle ahead of schedule, then work on paying off mortgage!

c. How you plan to get there-DR- “Live like no one else, so that later you can live like no one else.”


8/1- :
2- :


August goals:

Budgeted:
Groceries /household $0 / $360
Gas $0 / $100
Homeschool $0 / $20
Kid clothing & items $0 / $30
Baby $0 / $20
Gifts $0 / $20
unbudgeted spending $0 / $20
No spend days 2 / 20 days

Other goals:
: Exercise 0 / 12
: Garden 1 / 10
Declutter/ Deep clean 0 / 5
: Cook from scratch 1 / 7

Total budgeted =$570
Total spent = $0

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Kim -- I'm keeping my eyes open for you and if I hear of anything I think you would like, I'll let you know. We'll see you and G again in the fall when church starts up.

Originally Posted by HydeParkB

I'm not a chronic returner, but I love a bargain or a great sale. Or, if go to a store or market and they don't have what I want, I am open to buying something else.

Bridget -- Nothing wrong with that...unless you are spending money that you would rather spend on something else. I'm ~constantly~ battling with my love of shopping...and I do the same thing you just described. I'm trying so hard to keep myself focused on the big picture...my ultimate financial goals instead of little purchases here and there. It is hard.

I just have to stay out of stores.

ME too.

I'm actually thinking about going hard-core this month and asking DH to go buy the things that we need. Send him on errands to the stores with a list in hand. He NEVER buys anything but what is on the list.

The problem is time...he has very little time and it is kind of my job to get the supplies for the house and the kids, you know?

But I'm thinking for a month we may need to try this. Just give myself a month where I don't go in any stores.

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Originally Posted by akichan

I need support! I can't pass up a good sale! Anyone else with my problem? How do you resist? And anyone else a chronic returner? I buy stuff and then return it (or some of it) all the time! HELP!!!

Some of us on this thread are ALSO habitual shoppers (raises hand) which is why we are doing the thread...to keep focused on getting over this habit. To get some little reward for not spending money.

I know for me at least, being able to return things just opens the floodgates to more buying.

If I allow myself to think -- I'll just buy this now, and if I don't like it when I get home I can always return it -- then I'm sunk. I'll buy the item.

I know that your pattern of chronic returning is just enabling your shopping habit...but I don't know how to help you break that pattern. I wish I did.

I hope someone else has some tips for us.