~ October No-Spend Challenge ~ The treat is having money in the bank. The trick is keeping it... - Page 2

[kathirynne]

I am so IN!

I have completely fallen off the wagon. I will use the remainder of this month to get back on track, and then start fresh in November. (I am planning a big trip at the end of March, so I ABSOLUTELY have to stick to my budget for the next 5 months...)

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Great to see all these newcomers on our thread!

...and you regulars too

[PoetryLover]

My name is Linda and I'm currently trying to get caught up on bills and to be able to afford plane tickets for my stepdaughters to visit at Christmas. Money has been really tight, as I've been unable to work for most of my pregnancy so far (due to extended nausea). I plan to be as frugal as I can be in order to save all that I can save. I've been making my own household cleaner and laundry detergent and am exploring other ways to live simply/frugally, as well. I'll develop more of a plan as I begin this journey, but I think the no spend challenge is an excellent place to start.


No Spending
Planned Spending
Unplanned Spending
Exercise


10-01
10-02
10-03
10-04
10-05
10-06
10-07
10-08
10-09
10-10
10-11
10-12
10-13
10-14
10-15
10-16
10-17
10-18
10-19
10-20
10-21
10-22
10-23
10-24
10-25
10-26
10-27
10-28
10-29
10-30
10-31

[akichan]

I'm Akie, SAHM to 3 wonderful boys and trying to keep it that way - in the middle of a custody evaluation here and hating every minute of it.

This month I'm actually using the cash system! I've been too scared to do it before, but this month I'm really doing it!!!!

I'd like to save 25% of the income this month. I'll keep track using smilies here. The only hard part of the month will be paying for the 2-night trip I'll be taking in Nov. for a wedding.

[akichan]

BTW Crunchy VT Mom - did I mention how much I love your titles every month? I've been lurking several months already and your creativity rocks!

[Noelle C.]

October 1st - Spending, but still within budget for that expense

October 1st:

I like the idea of having keys. But it's kind of hard when certain things, like gas, we budget for on every other Saturday and that money lasts the net two weeks. We don't necessarily budget per day, rather by per 2 weeks. However, I like the idea of no-spend days. Fewer trips to do any shopping means fewer chances at spending. So I will have this as my key:

NO spending at all!! (aside from gas)
Spending, but still within budget for that expense
Spending on unneeded item(s)
Overspent, or under budgeted for a necessary expense

So, for today, though it hasn't been spent yet:

We do need milk badly, so will be buying that. We are still a few bucks ahead for this week. Frankly, we've got $7 until this week's budget is blown. Two gallons will come in under that. What's left goes to our savings jar.

[OkiMom]

a. Who you are
Hey, I was here last month and stopped posting half way through. Not because I fell off the wagon but because Ive been sick. Im still not 100% but we have to be really careful this month.
b. Where you are going (your financial goals) and
We just purchased plane tickets back home for all of us. I leave in 11 days, DH is coming out for Christmas. This means that everything else is going to be tight. We still need to save to have traveling funds and money to get a few things back in the states.
c. How you plan to get there
We are spending very little on the vacation. We did budget to get two season passes to Disney since we will most likely go there daily while we are in Florida. Ends up being cheaper in the long run. Other than that the budget is tight.. We are really bad at eating out so Im trying to keep from eating out except during traveling (food doesn't travel well on international flights, Ive tried it).

Key
No Spend
Budgeted Spend
Unbudgeted but necessary spend
Unbudgeted/unnecessary spend.
No drive
Ate at home

Oct 1- 3000 plane tickets. Still need to buy the return flight for the girls and me but it worked out cheaper doing it two one ways.
Oct 2
Oct 3
Oct 4
Oct 5
Oct 6
Oct 7
Oct 8
Oct 9
Oct 10
Oct 11
Oct 12- Travel day!!!

0/20 No Spend Days
0/25 Eat at home days
0/10 No drive days
0.00 unnecessary spending

[scrapadoozer]

Originally Posted by akichan

BTW Crunchy VT Mom - did I mention how much I love your titles every month? I've been lurking several months already and your creativity rocks!

Yeah. I thought Prudence's title this month was particularly inspired.

A. I'm Jenny. SAHM to an almost 6 year old dd and an almost 6 month ds. These challenges have revolutionized my spending habits and I love them.

B. My current financial goals are to pay off my husband's lawn tractor and build our savings back up. Over $2,000 has gone missing from our savings in the last year due to my pregnancy, our car dying, etc.

C. My usual techniques. Stay out the stores whenever possible. Stay off tempting websites. Be happy with what I have. Do more. Meal plan.

[bwylde]

I was going to do something like this on my own but why not join . I love the "Under a Thousand A Month" Blog so DH and I are trying something similar. I'm recording it in my simplifying blog. I don't like posting numbers and whatnot but sufficent to say DH works less than 30 hours a week in retail, we don't have a lot of money.

My biggest goal is to stop the impulse spending. I have a favorite store I could go every day and come out with a cartload of stuff. I will start making lists. I am budgeting $300 for groceries; $50 a week and $100 for the month to replenish food storage. I went through the flyers for next week and there wasn't much, so I was able to budget in a meal out ($10 chicken dinner, whole chicken, taters, salad and a bag of cookies. I can't even buy a small chicken for $10 anymore.)

Oh yeah, I'm Carla, I've done these before, sometimes sucessful, sometimes not as much so but you lose if you don't try. I'm a SAHM/homeschooling mom to two (7yoDS and 5yoDD). DH works not very much, but we get by on what he does make.

Anyway. Yes, less spending, more saving! Here is to a tight wallet month!

[crunchy_mama]

Who I Am?
Amanda- SAHM- to a 5y.o., 2.5y.o. and one due next month!!

Financial Goals?
Save enough money these next few months to pay off the mw and the ob for this birth and end up with $1000 to start an IRA fund.

Strategy?
Try to focus on the positive and see this as a challenge and not deprivation. Enjoy the little things, focus on simple living and STAY OUT OF STORES!!!

For this month-
$300 for groceries- $100 going to a co-op order
$250 more to the mw
$300 for b-day and Christmas presents(spending $400 total) hope to get it almost all done and planned out before new baby comes)

Also, will be squeezing the budget everywhere else this month to get more for the co-op order as I plan to order about 6 months worth of many items so I will be well stocked- just because I like to be , to save money ordering in great quantity and to save shopping time after the baby is here! Luckily dh is getting a bit of overtime at work so that should help immensely!!

[Noelle C.]

BUDGET
*rent: $2,134.97 - includes water, sewer, garbage
*power/gas: $250 (split into $40 and $210 for this month)
*phones: $127
*food (includes toiletries and pet food, etc.): $550
*gas for car: $285
*birth kit: $60 (need to fit this in somehow)

Because a payday falls on the 30th, some of the gas-for-car and food money listed above will actually be used in November.


1: $2,134.97 - rent (high COL area)
2: PAYDAY $150 - groceries / $85 - gas for car / $40 electric
3:
4:
5:
6:
7:
8:
9:
10:
11:
12:
13:
14:
15:
16: PAYDAY / $210 - gas bill / $250 - dog deposit / $127 - phones
17: $200 - groceries / $100 gas for car
18:
19:
20:
21:
22:
23:
24:
25:
26:
27:
28:
29:
30: PAYDAY
31: $200 - groceries / $100 gas for car

Money for groceries and gas is cash put into an envelope on their designated days. What's left the next day-after-payday is put into savings. Even a few bucks adds up. This week is an exception for it happening ON payday.

[Ruthiegirl]

Oct 1 --
Oct 2 -- payday
Oct 3 --
Oct 4 --
Oct 5 --
Oct 6 --
Oct 7 --


2250.00 savings (extra paycheck this month)
24.13/600.00 groceries/household stuff
100.00 ds's birthday/Halloween

[sarmis35]

I started to participate in this thread last month and totally fell off the wagon! Our old habits are really difficult to break. This month we have an expensive trip to a friend's wedding planned. Well, we are trying to do it as frugally as possible. Maybe I will try again to join you all. I don't know why I am so bad at this.

[jewelsJZ]

I'm Jewels, SAHM to 3 wonderful kiddos. I need to get back on my budget. I've been on hiatus. Been overspending, which means we've had to use some of our savings to pay some bills. Dh's company is in trouble and he could very well lose his job, so my goal is to get back to the budget and look at more things we can cut out.
Some goals:
***Talk to dh about cable t.v. We hardly watch t.v. anyway and the kids would be happy with DVD's from the library.
***go back to my envelope system. It works!
***stop eating out so much and ordering take out.

Ok, I'm going to get some stuff out of the freezer right now for the next two nights so we won't be tempted to order/go out.
Thanks for starting this thread, OP!

[major_mama11]

a. Who you are- Kirstin, mostly SAHM to 2 kiddos. I started participating in these threads in January, and the accountability is so helpful.

b. Where you are going (your financial goals) – Work outside the home as little as possible. Pay off Stupid Medical Bill ($577 remaining), car loan, and eventually house.

c. How you plan to get there – Stick with budget! Going back to cash envelope system this month- I don't stick with budget well using debit card. Cook from our pantry as much as possible, and also start making lists and building up our food stockpile again- winter is coming and they don't snowplow our road! .

Expected expenses this month- DD's birthday, and also planning to start Christmas shopping (well, planning to buy smaller things, and make some of our gifts myself)..

9/30- $4 milk. Story hour at library- free!

October goals:

Budgeted:
Groceries /household $4 / $360
Gas $0 / $100
Homeschool $0 / $20
Kid clothing & items- $0 / $20 (need jubilee shoes)
Baby $0 / $30 (well stocked, so no excuse for going over!)
Gifts $0 / $40 (may start xmas shopping this month (photo calendars and friend bday $5)
Jubilee birthday! $0 / $30
Stupid medical bill $0 / $100
unbudgeted spending $0 / $20
No spend days 0 / 20 days

[Alyantavid]

Here goes:

1-$0
2-
3-
4-
5-
6-
7-
8-
9-
10-
11-
12-
13-
14-payday
15-
16-payday
17-
18-
19-
20-
21-
22-
23-
24-
25-
26-
27-
28-payday
29-
30-payday
31-

[blueoveralls9]

=No Spend Day!
=No Spending outside of Prewritten Budget
=Unnecessary Spending
=Not Budgeted but Needed
=No drive days

50.10/566.10 Paid to Hospital
20.00/500.00 To Emergency Fund
1/10 No drive days

1-
2-
3-
4-
5-
6-
7-Grocery Day 0/125
8-
9-
10-
11-
12-
13-
14-Grocery Day 0/125
15-
16-
17-
18-
19-
20-
21-Grocery Day 0/125
22-
23-
24-
25-
26-
27-
28-Grocery Day 0/125
29-
30-
31-

[Hollysmom]

My goals and key:

$625 Groceries/Household items
$100 Frivolous Spending (including lunches at work)

- No Spend/Budgeted Spending
- Unbudgeted Spending

[dsaucone]

I need to watch eating out. That is the focus this month. We are in surplus for the closing fund. How exciting! I'm going back to my normal $125 a week in food/gas. I need to work out an allowance spending for everybody. I think that will help keep clothing purchases under control. However, for now we're focusing on NOT eating out. Just look at today's entry!


1 $19 eating out
2 food&gas 25/125
3
4
5
6
7

No Spend / Needed Speding
$19

[mija y mijo]

No Spend/Budgeted Spending:
Unbudgeted Spending:

Groceries: $10.78/$500
Credit card: $500
No eating out!!!

1:
2: $10.78 groceries
3:
4:
5:
6:
7:
8:
9:
10: