~November No-Spend Challenge~ We're trying to save as much as possible in November -- Come Join Us! - Page 13

[PlayaMama]

okay, i've been gone for two months and i've realized how desperately i need to track my spending. i'm hoping to kick-start myself for december, so here we go.

no spend
budgeted spend
unnecessary spend


27
28
29
30


nov
oct
september 181.81 17
august 89.88 22
july 105.65 20
june 76.70 17
may 181.46 18
april 358.07 19
march 517.18 17

[Ruthiegirl]

Hey mamas! Oops, I slipped this month and have been awol this past week.

Big happenings at my house. The stove/oven had to be replaced 2 days before Thanksgiving. We gave the old stove our best shot, but it was just too old to fix. The parts were no longer compatible.

Lots of family over the holidays and I waaaaay overspent on the groceries, but had a terrific time.

My dad is in town, so I am sure there will be some more spending while he is here. I only get to see him once a year or less, so this is a special time for us and I am not sweating money spent to be with him.

So my month in review: money is flying out the window. I bought an appliance on a credit card. I bought a ton of food to feed a crowd..and my official 'frugal fanny' title has been revoked.

Nov 1 --
Nov 2 --
Nov 3 --
Nov 4 --
Nov 5 --
Nov 6 --
Nov 7 --
Nov 8 --
Nov 9 --
Nov 10 --
Nov 11 --
Nov 12 -- 95.37 homeschooling supplies
Nov 13 -- 117.95 gifts, umbrellas, movie
Nov 14 -- 150.00 part to fix stove, 26.00 consumer reports
Nov 15 -- 56.00 fabric to recover chairs and to finish a gift
Nov 16 -- 15.00 co-pay, 10.00 meds
Nov 17 --
Nov 18 --
Nov 19 --
Nov 20 --
Nov 21-27 -- big spending
Nov 28
Nov 29
Nov 30



Savings 800.00/1000.00

Grocery/household waaaaay too much/600.00

[scrapadoozer]

11/01:
11/02:
11/03: Swap shipping $3.02
11/04:
11/05:
11/06:
11/07:
11/08:
11/09: Target (shirt for ds) $2.35
11/10:
11/11:
11/12: Redbox DVD rental $5.25 (I never even watched it!
11/13:
11/14: Craft fair (divine beeswax handcreme) $3.50
11/15:
11/16:
11/17: Cute Christmas clothes for my dc that they didn't really need $45.66
11/18: Apron for me & tie dye outfit for ds $8.00
11/19:
11/20:
11/21:
11/22:
11/23:
11/24:
11/25:
11/26:
11/27: Old Navy (shirt dd didn't need, jacket ds didn't need) $10

20/20 No-spend days
$77.68 in frivolous spending

[quelindo]

I spent $3 on parking downtown today so we could take DS to the children's museum (we have a membership). I'm okay with that, though, since I have a "fund" for that (old PB jar that holds cashed-in coins and aluminum can money) and DS had a BLAST.

11/1:
11/2:
11/3: $142.47 necessary groceries + $6.51 unnecessary groceries
11/4: $4.95
11/5: $22.16 gas for the car + $10.52 hooks for the garage + $8.44 curtain tie-back hardware
11/6: $7 open gym for DS
11/7: $18 apples from orchard
11/8: $115.63 necessary groceries + $7.25 unnecessary groceries
11/9:
11/10: $125 energy worker (but should be reimbursed)
11/11: $49.45 Ace Hardware + $1 library fine + $1 hardcover copy of Stellaluna from library sale
11/12:
11/13: $7 open gym for DS + $666 hospital bill (an EVIL EVIL bill indeed -- this finally pays it off) + $2162.25 down payment on having our chimney rebuilt (which is costing us over $7000 total...gulp)
11/14: $174.81 groceries
11/15: $13.52 Frontier order
11/16:
11/17: $3 to park downtown for an outing at the library + $21.65 to fill the gas tank in my car
11/18:
11/19:
11/20: $22.69 bottle of Baileys Irish Cream
11/21:
11/22: $25.98 memory card for DH's keyboard + $119.44 for necessary groceries
11/23:
11/24: $200 UNFI buying club order
11/25: $71.28 winter boots for DS + $24.86 groceries + $109.05 groceries from Amazon.com
11/26: $25 for SS's birthday
11/27: $30.16 Amazon order (something for the computer for DH + two books I'd been wanting -- to take advantage of free shipping) + $21.30 stocking stuffers at Walgreens
11/28: $3 parking at children's museum


________________________

My Key:
No Car Day
No Spending
Necessary Spending
Unnecessary spending

[vivalamama]

stayed home! spent nothing!
tomorrow really need to go to the grocery store, and need to start planning for xmas.

key:
no spend at all
budgeted spend
excess spend

1- Moving day
2-
3- injured back PT, store bought dinner
4- DD1's b-day dinner out (1/2)
5- grocery trip
6- party supplies, value village pajamas and bookshelf
7- DD1's party
8-
9- gas for the car
10-
11- excess groceries
12- csa day, costco, Closing on house
13- target, gas, McD, Record house sale
14-
15-
16-
17- co detector, tub plugs, milk,
18- uh, I can't remember
19- holiday
20- lots of money out, all planned for.
21-
22-
23-
24-
25- unplanned trip to grocery store, pick up car from shop $800++ (plus haircut and csa day)
26- Thanksgiving- grateful that our finances are ok even if I'm not a perfect budget follower.
27-
28-
29-
30-


My plan:
make a budget for DD3's birthday, and Christmas.
go to cash system for a reasonable amount of 'fun' money for DH and I
put away debit and credit cards!
dinner out 2 times max, one on closing date for house to celebrate!
1 trip to costco <$150
2 CSA days $80
1 grocery trip/week <$85

[quelindo]

We're in the home stretch and I actually kept close tabs every.single.day. And not only that, but I gave a LOT of thought to each purchase and did a pretty good job of not spending frivolously. I'm REALLY looking forward to continuing this streak in December!

11/1:
11/2:
11/3: $142.47 necessary groceries + $6.51 unnecessary groceries
11/4: $4.95
11/5: $22.16 gas for the car + $10.52 hooks for the garage + $8.44 curtain tie-back hardware
11/6: $7 open gym for DS
11/7: $18 apples from orchard
11/8: $115.63 necessary groceries + $7.25 unnecessary groceries
11/9:
11/10: $125 energy worker (but should be reimbursed)
11/11: $49.45 Ace Hardware + $1 library fine + $1 hardcover copy of Stellaluna from library sale
11/12:
11/13: $7 open gym for DS + $666 hospital bill (an EVIL EVIL bill indeed -- this finally pays it off) + $2162.25 down payment on having our chimney rebuilt (which is costing us over $7000 total...gulp)
11/14: $174.81 groceries
11/15: $13.52 Frontier order
11/16:
11/17: $3 to park downtown for an outing at the library + $21.65 to fill the gas tank in my car
11/18:
11/19:
11/20: $22.69 bottle of Baileys Irish Cream
11/21:
11/22: $25.98 memory card for DH's keyboard + $119.44 for necessary groceries
11/23:
11/24: $200 UNFI buying club order
11/25: $71.28 winter boots for DS + $24.86 groceries + $109.05 groceries from Amazon.com
11/26: $25 for SS's birthday
11/27: $30.16 Amazon order (something for the computer for DH + two books I'd been wanting -- to take advantage of free shipping) + $21.30 stocking stuffers at Walgreens
11/28: $3 parking at children's museum
11/29: $6.64 for Drano for our plugged-up bathtub drain


________________________

My Key:
No Car Day
No Spending
Necessary Spending
Unnecessary spending

[PlayaMama]

no spend
budgeted spend
unnecessary spend


27
28
29
30


nov
oct
september 181.81 17
august 89.88 22
july 105.65 20
june 76.70 17
may 181.46 18
april 358.07 19
march 517.18 17

[major_mama11]

Tallied up everything for November through today.

Total spent- $570/$600 budgeted ( first month under budget in a looong time!).

19 no spend days. Less frivolous spending than usual (good), but probably this is due to me being holed up in the house in the middle of nowhere all month (bad), including being called off work two weekends in a row, which is not great for my budget or my sanity- we need my income.

Good news is that I have almost all my xmas shopping done- I spent $19 at Artscow, and that took care of just about all the gifts for adults in the family. Bad news is that DH has spent an ungodly amount of money on a new camera and a wii for xmas already, in addition to the new tires he also bought this month. Feels like we are just treading water sometimes- my penny-pinching hardly cancels out all his spending...

[Ruthiegirl]

Nov 1 --
Nov 2 --
Nov 3 --
Nov 4 --
Nov 5 --
Nov 6 --
Nov 7 --
Nov 8 --
Nov 9 --
Nov 10 --
Nov 11 --
Nov 12 -- 95.37 homeschooling supplies
Nov 13 -- 117.95 gifts, umbrellas, movie
Nov 14 -- 150.00 part to fix stove, 26.00 consumer reports
Nov 15 -- 56.00 fabric to recover chairs and to finish a gift
Nov 16 -- 15.00 co-pay, 10.00 meds
Nov 17 --
Nov 18 --
Nov 19 --
Nov 20 --
Nov 21-27 -- big spending
Nov 28 -- 30.00 museum trip
Nov 29 --
Nov 30



Savings 800.00/1000.00

Grocery/household waaaaay too much/600.00

[Hollysmom]

November 1 -
November 2 -
November 3 - ($26 take-out)
November 4 -
November 5 -
November 6 -
November 7 -
November 8 -
November 9 -
November 10 -
November 11 - ($5 fast food, $9 eyebrow wax)
November 12 -
November 13 -
November 14 -
November 15 -
November 16 -
November 17 -
November 18 - (breakfast $3, snack $2)
November 19 - (breakfast $3)
November 20 - (breakfast $3)
November 21 -
November 22 -
November 23 - (lunch & snack $18)
November 24 - (lunch $8)
November 25 - (snack $2)
November 26 - (lottery ticket $6, coffee & snacks $8)
November 27 -
November 28 -
November 29 -

$93 Frivolous Spending
10 No Spend Days

My Key: = No Spend
= Budgeted Spending
= Unbudgeted/Unnecessary Spending

[mama_ani]

I'm really impressed with how well I've done this month. I've tried this before and dropped out after two weeks of doing horribly.

I did some totals...
$603.57 - groceries (including food, diapers, cleaning supplies, hygiene etc)
$234.53 - household meds, bus tickets (garbage tags, items for the house, medicine, bus tickets etc)
$74.11 - unnessecary (basically all treats at Tim Hortons, food out etc)

Making plans to do even better next month!

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Whoa!

I've spent so much money this month I had to dip into our savings account to cover it.

Yowsa!!

I'm hitting the reset button today and I'm going to have a STELLAR December.

Seriously Ladies, I need some encouragement and help. December is a tough month for me because I can justify buying ANYTHING if I'm buying it for someone else.

So I'm back on the wagon and I'll be haunting this thread every.single.day. I need to keep my eye on the big prize (financial security) so that I can avoid being sucked into buying whatever whim I'm having that day.

I spent a lot this month. Not a good month for me.

But it is past -- onward and upward.


01..
02..
03.. $ can't remember what I spent this day, but I spent
04.. $6 City Market
05.. $97 long underwear,
06.. $9 McDonald's
07.. $17 clothes
08.. $437 Vita-Mix
09..
10.. $7 City Market
11.. $10 pictures
12..
13.. $30 martinis out with the girls
14.. $141 shoes
15.. $62 victoria's secret, $30 liquor, $10 bagels
16..
17..
18..
19..
20.. $13 McDonald's
21.. $85 cat supplies
22.. $11 Christmas presents
23.. $16 Wendy's
24.. $.85 candy bar
25.. $40 Christmas Scrapbook
26..
27.. Black Friday found me out there spending
28.. $8.53 on stuff so inconsequential I can't remember what it was
29.. $50 on scrapbook stuff. Seriously.
30.. $53 bunch of stuffity stuff at Costco

My Goals:

9/20 No Spend Days
3/5 Let the Car Rest Days :

9 out of 20!!!!!! wow. That is embarassing.

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Originally Posted by CKinAK

I have been tempted to quit instead of posting all my little frowny faces, but it's a growth process right. accountability!

You said it, Claire. I have to remember this too.

some things I'm learning (again )-- make dinner in the middle of the day cause life happens; emergency funds are GOOD! (see car bill below ); and lists really are essential when you go shopping

More good points.

Originally Posted by New Mama

(I also bought maxi pads for my stepdaughter, but those are NOT stocking stuffers, lol).

Okay That made me laugh.

Originally Posted by PlayaMama

okay, i've been gone for two months and i've realized how desperately i need to track my spending. i'm hoping to kick-start myself for december, so here we go.

Hey hey!!! Welcome back! I've been on here for two months, but I've had a DISMAL November and my October wasn't so hot either. So that made me realize, like you, how desperately ~~I~~ need to track my spending too. I'm kick-starting right there with you.

I am the ONLY person who sees the finances in our family so I could spend spend spend all year and no one would ever say a word to me. This thread is literally the only accountability I have. So I need it. I really do.

Originally Posted by Ruthiegirl

Big happenings at my house. The stove/oven had to be replaced 2 days before Thanksgiving. We gave the old stove our best shot, but it was just too old to fix. The parts were no longer compatible.

Same here, Ruth. Only for us it is the fridge. I'm hoping it can limp along until after Christmas, but it is freezing our food and clearly is on its way out.

Lots of family over the holidays and I waaaaay overspent on the groceries, but had a terrific time.

Some things are worth spending on.

My dad is in town, so I am sure there will be some more spending while he is here. I only get to see him once a year or less, so this is a special time for us and I am not sweating money spent to be with him.

Hey Ruth are you following me? Same exact story here. Except my Dad comes in a few weeks and woowhee will money be spent. he's a spender. But it is once a year and he is the light of my life.

So my month in review: money is flying out the window.

Shut that window, Frugal Fanny (you still get the title in my book) or...if you can't do that. Please tell me where this window is so I can go stand out underneath it.

Originally Posted by scrapadoozer

20/20 No-spend days
$77.68 in frivolous spending

Jenny -- You are our Queen. You go!

Originally Posted by New Mama

We're in the home stretch and I actually kept close tabs every.single.day. And not only that, but I gave a LOT of thought to each purchase and did a pretty good job of not spending frivolously. I'm REALLY looking forward to continuing this streak in December!

and YOU are also our Queen. Help me stay with you in December!

I didn't quote you, but Go Ani!!! Good job!!!

[Hollysmom]

November 1 -
November 2 -
November 3 - ($26 take-out)
November 4 -
November 5 -
November 6 -
November 7 -
November 8 -
November 9 -
November 10 -
November 11 - ($5 fast food, $9 eyebrow wax)
November 12 -
November 13 -
November 14 -
November 15 -
November 16 -
November 17 -
November 18 - (breakfast $3, snack $2)
November 19 - (breakfast $3)
November 20 - (breakfast $3)
November 21 -
November 22 -
November 23 - (lunch & snack $18)
November 24 - (lunch $8)
November 25 - (snack $2)
November 26 - (lottery ticket $6, coffee & snacks $8)
November 27 -
November 28 -
November 29 -
November 30 -

$93 Frivolous Spending
11 No Spend Days

Frivolous Spending under $100

My Key: = No Spend
= Budgeted Spending
= Unbudgeted/Unnecessary Spending

[quelindo]

Well, I'm going out with a bang, but I'm okay with that.

11/1:
11/2:
11/3: $142.47 necessary groceries + $6.51 unnecessary groceries
11/4: $4.95
11/5: $22.16 gas for the car + $10.52 hooks for the garage + $8.44 curtain tie-back hardware
11/6: $7 open gym for DS
11/7: $18 apples from orchard
11/8: $115.63 necessary groceries + $7.25 unnecessary groceries
11/9:
11/10: $125 energy worker (but should be reimbursed)
11/11: $49.45 Ace Hardware + $1 library fine + $1 hardcover copy of Stellaluna from library sale
11/12:
11/13: $7 open gym for DS + $666 hospital bill (an EVIL EVIL bill indeed -- this finally pays it off) + $2162.25 down payment on having our chimney rebuilt (which is costing us over $7000 total...gulp)
11/14: $174.81 groceries
11/15: $13.52 Frontier order
11/16:
11/17: $3 to park downtown for an outing at the library + $21.65 to fill the gas tank in my car
11/18:
11/19:
11/20: $22.69 bottle of Baileys Irish Cream
11/21:
11/22: $25.98 memory card for DH's keyboard + $119.44 for necessary groceries
11/23:
11/24: $200 UNFI buying club order
11/25: $71.28 winter boots for DS + $24.86 groceries + $109.05 groceries from Amazon.com
11/26: $25 for SS's birthday
11/27: $30.16 Amazon order (something for the computer for DH + two books I'd been wanting -- to take advantage of free shipping) + $21.30 stocking stuffers at Walgreens
11/28: $3 parking at children's museum
11/29: $6.64 for Drano for our plugged-up bathtub drain
11/30: $255 for rec. dept. classes for DS + $22.69 Baileys Irish Cream for me + $7.38 hair dye for me + $4.32 Q-tips

________________________

My Key:
No Car Day
No Spending
Necessary Spending
Unnecessary spending

[scrapadoozer]

I came REALLY close to buying ds yet more clothes he does not need today. Thankfully, the website decided to crash on me right as I tried to check out. I took that as a sign.

11/01:
11/02:
11/03: Swap shipping $3.02
11/04:
11/05:
11/06:
11/07:
11/08:
11/09: Target (shirt for ds) $2.35
11/10:
11/11:
11/12: Redbox DVD rental $5.25 (I never even watched it!
11/13:
11/14: Craft fair (divine beeswax handcreme) $3.50
11/15:
11/16:
11/17: Cute Christmas clothes for my dc that they didn't really need $45.66
11/18: Apron for me & tie dye outfit for ds $8.00
11/19:
11/20:
11/21:
11/22:
11/23:
11/24:
11/25:
11/26:
11/27: Old Navy (shirt dd didn't need, jacket ds didn't need) $10
11/28: Burger King $17.82
11/29:
11/30:

22/20 No-spend days
$95.50 in frivolous spending

[PlayaMama]

no spend
budgeted spend
unnecessary spend


27
28
29
30

dec 4
nov
oct
september 181.81 17
august 89.88 22
july 105.65 20
june 76.70 17
may 181.46 18
april 358.07 19
march 517.18 17

[mommyto4grits]

My key:
No Spend
No Driving
Budgeted Spending/Necessities/Thought Over Purchase
Unnecessary Spending
: Exercise Day

Groceries $865

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2nd- :
3rd- :
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22nd-:
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28th-
29th- :
30th- :

[vivalamama]

ok... finished off the month about evenly spread between and
I don't feel too badly cause it's my first month back in a loooooong time, plus the holidays. need to plan plan plan for next month though!

key:
no spend at all
budgeted spend
excess spend

1- Moving day
2-
3- injured back PT, store bought dinner
4- DD1's b-day dinner out (1/2)
5- grocery trip
6- party supplies, value village pajamas and bookshelf
7- DD1's party
8-
9- gas for the car
10-
11- excess groceries
12- csa day, costco, Closing on house
13- target, gas, McD, Record house sale
14-
15-
16-
17- co detector, tub plugs, milk,
18- uh, I can't remember
19- holiday
20- lots of money out, all planned for.
21-
22-
23-
24-
25- unplanned trip to grocery store, pick up car from shop $800++ (plus haircut and csa day)
26- Thanksgiving- grateful that our finances are ok even if I'm not a perfect budget follower.
27-
28-
29- christmas gifts
30- gas, groceries, haircuts for kids 2nd trip to the grocery store cause I forgot I had baking to do!!


My plan:
make a budget for DD3's birthday, and Christmas.
go to cash system for a reasonable amount of 'fun' money for DH and I
put away debit and credit cards!
dinner out 2 times max, one on closing date for house to celebrate!
1 trip to costco <$150
2 CSA days $80
1 grocery trip/week <$85