~August No-Spend Challenge~ We are tracking our spending and trying to save money! Come join us... - Page 5

[akimbo]

hope it's not too late to join...

Since it's only the 4th, I'd like to jump in while I can still remember my expenses over the last few days.

I'm L, full time college student, no kids yet, hoping to start a family in a few years. I'm going to have about $50k in loans to pay off when I graduate in 2 years. I'm going to be taking 5 classes this upcoming semester, and work about 20 hours/week. Right now I'm working at an internship that will end in mid-September. Most months my expenses are more than my income. I'll be trying to get my expenses down as close to my income level as possible. I love the idea of the spending keys, here's mine:

: no money spent

: planned expenses or necessities, stayed on track (e.g. paid rent but didn't buy coffee)

: frivolous spending

1:
2: $40 on groceries, had some family in town and spent $13 on unnecessary purchases when I went shopping with them
3: was unprepared for a workday that I knew was going to be busy, and ended up having dinner out: $12 on 2 rolls of sushi and a drink.
4:
5,6,7: I'm interning on a huge project right now that will be a month long art installation. We just starting rolling out the installation this week, and I've been pulling looooong days, leaving me no time to cook. So I've eaten out Wed, Thu, and Fri.:
8: Back on track. Picked up the CSA share (money already spent back in June), and we just got a dvd in the mail today which we'll watch tonight, so no money spent today.

Good luck to everyone out there!

[Bookworm715]

I'm trying to buckle down this month and truly only purchase what I need to.


Spent according to budget
Blew the budget
: Nothing spent! No driving! Nada nada nada!

I can't remember the first two days of August, so I'll start with Monday the 3rd.
3: Bought a few things at the grocery store. Made a basically-free dinner (trout DH caught, mashed potatoes w/ ingredients I already had)
4: : Didn't go anywhere, didn't spend money, made a yummy dinner out of things I already had at home (including adding herbs to a really yucky spaghetti sauce I had in the fridge.

Planning on going to the grocery store tomorrow to pick up a couple of things. If I stick to my budget then I'll take DS and DD to our (germy but fun) McDonald's playland. It's been 100 degrees here every day lately (with the hot Colorado sun. Ouch!) so it'll be nice for him to play in a cool building instead of in the scorching sun. I'll try to only drive one other day this week (but just 1 driving day would be AMAZING!!!).

[dfunk98]

So, I'm finally going to break down a get a Vitamix. I've wanted one for 10 years, I think it's time. I have TONS of food in the house and managed to plan a months + worth of dinners. If I can do it, and keep my grocery budget to $100 (still need milk, bread, cheese), it's all mine, BABY!!
Oh!! And I hope to have a garage sale next weekend!!


My Key-
No Spend
Necessary/Planned Spending
Unnecessary Spending

8/1- $50 on fundraiser for World Breastfeeding Week
8/2- $70 on dinner for dh's 30th birthday
8/3- $45 on groceries
8/4-
8/5-

Goal
No spend 1/14/30 days
Groceries/Household $0/$100
Vitamix Money

[_ktg_]

Ahh welcome to August!

So far it has not been a fun month - mostly courtsey of some lovely plumbing issues for the past 3 days. I think right there we have sank the ship for the month.

08/01: :
08/02: Groceries $324 (ala costco)
08/03:
08/04: $412.57 for plumber to tear all roots in our main water drain
08/05:


Goals:
No Spending: :
Dining out: 0/2 :
Splurges: 0/3 :
On budget: 0/25
Emergencies: (new one Thanks plumbing!)

Overall Montly goal - Have $100 extra bucks to set aside for Savings/CC or etc.

[AngelBee]

August challenge

Aug 1 (Sat) No spend; at SIL all day; mom bought us Domino's
Aug 2 (Sun) cant remember :
Aug 3 (Mon) didnt leave house or spend $
Aug 4 (Tues) 30.00 at McDonalds for royalty girls; 144.00 for soccer fees (Angelo and Abby)
Aug 5 (Wed) 250.00??? school supplies; curriculum 650.00 but : to have proper supplies. Sure adds up when you have so many kids : 4.50 food at park carnival
Aug 6 (thurs) Didn't spend money myself, but had dh and my mom get stuff for me. All eating out :


We have a very busy and expensive weekend coming up. Abigail is a Jr Ambassador for our city and she gives up her crown Sun So we will see how we do. We are also going out of town for a week and need school supplies.


GOALS:
Have lawyer paid 4000.00 (have alot saved)
school supplies (haven't gotten new school stuff in almost 2 years)
on budget!!!
get dh on board :

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

01.. $1 toy at a yard sale
02..
03..
04.. $13 pizza
05..
06..
07..
08..
09..
10..
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16..
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18..
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20..
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25..
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30..
31..

Goals:
3/20 No Spend Days
$102/$600 Grocery Budget

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Originally Posted by scrapadoozer

0/6 Diapers made from my stash of fabrics

Jenny -- Go make a diaper.

Originally Posted by Amanda Williams

38 weeks pregnant

Woohoo! We're on baby watch again! Great to see you back Amanda. Rachael had her baby last month. Do you know if you are having a boy or a girl?

Originally Posted by highlandmum

::: no driving day

Highland Mum you are inspiring me. I took my "let the car rest" goal off of my list of goals because I never seemed to make it...I drove every single day last month. But I really should be making an effort to get that back up there.

Welcome Gretchen! New House and a New Baby...that are some exciting changes in your life.

Originally Posted by xekomaya

Oh yeah, and I'm not buying any pregnancy tests or OPK's, AT ALL! Every time I'm about to click that nice little "buy" button on Amazon, I'm going to come here and post and I'm hoping you will kindly talk me out of it.

XM -- Put down the stick. Great to have you back! That is exciting news about your AK move!!! :

Originally Posted by Peppermint Poppies

Aug 3 Toilet blocked - we had to buy a plunger and cleaning supplies

What is up with the plumbing in this thread this month?! First Ruth, now you.

Originally Posted by rob'shappywife

found blueberries at a great price bought 48 pt. $48.00

Wow! That is a GREAT price. I would have bought all of those too! Blueberries freeze beautifully.

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Ahhh...I feel like I got my money's worth out of our community pool passes this year.

This morning my six year old announced that she is tired of going to the pool every. single. day.

That's life with a frugalista Mama, honey. Put that bathing suit on....we're using that pass.

[AngelBee]

Any one know of a good price for a good quality laser printer? I need something that can do color and black and white as well as both sides at one time.

Also....prices for binding books? Like spiral bound machine thingys.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

My key:
No-spend day:
Planned spending (bills, gas for car, etc):
Unplanned spending:
Total frivolous spending $29.56

So far: 3 2

1. $16 drive in movie and snacks.
2.
3. $1.35 coffee, $8.46 Christmas gift
4. $3.75 new pj's for DS on clearance at Old Navy
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.

[scrapadoozer]

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom

Jenny -- Go make a diaper.

I did make one today. It has little airplanes on it. DS is wearing it now. :

[scrapadoozer]

08/01: $5 Dunkin' Donuts, $2 snowshoes for dd @ a yard sale.
08/02:
08/03:
08/04:
08/05:

4/20 No-spend days
$7/$100 Frivolous spending
1/6 Diapers made from my stash of fabrics

[HydeParkB]

1 - GARAGE SALE: $50 dresser, $3 cards, twine, toy; $39 Pet food
2 - $2 entertainment, $38 pet store
3 - No spend (Sent out cds with prepaid paypal postage)
4 - No spend (If I can avoid the gas station tonight)
5 - $32 new showerhead; $4 milk; $20 gas; $2 lottery

[Bookworm715]

I'm trying to buckle down this month and truly only purchase what I need to.


Spent according to budget
Blew the budget
: Nothing spent! No driving! Nada nada nada!

I can't remember the first two days of August, so I'll start with Monday the 3rd.
3: Bought a few things at the grocery store. Made a basically-free dinner (trout DH caught, mashed potatoes w/ ingredients I already had)
4: : Didn't go anywhere, didn't spend money, made a yummy dinner out of things I already had at home (including adding herbs to a really yucky spaghetti sauce I had in the fridge.
5: Bought postage to send the card my kids made for my dad's bday, about $5 at McDonald's (lunch for DS and I, and an ice cream cone. And entertainment for over an hour for DS!) and about $35 at the grocery store, where I got some great deals (but did splurge on some letter tater tots for DS, who has recently learned the alphabet and was very excited about them).


I'm going to try to not drive tomorrow, but DD has been napping horribly, so if I must then I'll drive to Target to get DS some PlayDoh like I've been promising him (I really hate the texture of the homemade stuff. For some reason it seems to make a bigger mess.). If our day goes smoothly then I'll just leave in the evening to go to the farmer's market in town. Maybe buy some produce if the prices are good.

[AngelBee]

Feel : about my spending. We have big ticket things that need to be taken care of this month that we have needed a LONG time.

[milosmomma]

Pru, I feel the same about our Zoo membership. Any day we're free, my first suggestion is "Let's go to the zoo!!! :" Fortunately (or unfortunately), it's been so hot that we haven't gone in a while. So when we went today is was FUN!!! My condition was that iff we went, we wouldn't buy ANYTHING (and I stuck to it no matter how much DD asked) and we'd only stay for 2 hours. It worked out really well. And then I had time to come home and pack lunch for work!

8/1 $11 birthday gift for friend
8/2
8/3 $9 lunch at McD's :
8/4 $5 lunch at work because I forgot mine :
8/5

[Ruthiegirl]

Oh my. I spent a huge amount yesterday on blueberry bushes. The money was set aside for fall gardening equipment, so we are within budget, but I was not planning on buying so many. They are planted and mulched and soooooo beautiful. I am in love... : : :

Setting myself up with a for today since I have no plans to go anywhere.

Aug1 --
Aug 2 -- 168.00 new toilet
Aug 3 -- 18.59 lunch with mom
Aug 4 --
Aug 5 -- 119.00 blueberries bushes for the garden
Aug 6 --
Aug 7 -- pay day


Goals:

Pay off credit card 0/2000
Groceries 126.90/600.00
No sloppy spending!

[meandk0610]

1 - good start!
2 - 1.37 ice cream for dd while we were out picking up freecycle stuff
3 - 1.05 ice cream for dd coming back from babysitting
4 -
5 -
6 -


total
s 4

unnecessary spending $2.42

[akh]

a. I'm April, wife and SAHM to baby girl Taylor, 9 months old.

b. Our long term goal is to pay off our 5k credit card debt in the next year. Darn credit cards! Our short term goals are getting ready for T's bday party and all the holidays. I remember seeing my parents struggle with finances and don't want my DD to see us in that position too.

c. First thing I did was cut up those nasty credit cards! (Never mind they were maxed out anyway, lol) Temptation...gone! Second thing, we eat out a good bit, and don't want to cut that out, so we are going to fast food instead of sit-down resturants. And getting kids meals and food off the 'dollar menus' instead of those expensive combo meals. And lastly we aren't much on cooking (no skills) so we want to try....ugh....try to cook at home more and take leftovers for lunch. So I need to get better groceries and cook better cheaper meals

[momma,mia]

Excited to try

I use to be super frugal but got off track and wanted to try things differently. Well, had some fun, but spending money more than I should wasn't really "me". I want to spend less so I can work less and have more TIME with the kids!!

a. Single working mother of 3

b. My goal is to work part time next year by saving most of my income this year and getting a different certification that allows a bunch of flexibility in working

c. Saving most of my income this year and taking about 3 classes to get me certified in a more flexible job