April No-Spend Challenge ~ We're in the home stretch... - Page 6

[jewellz]

My key:
no spend day=
unnecessary spending=
no driving=
eat at home=
Used cloth diapers=

Goals:
1. Only go shopping/errands 0/8
2. Stretch out FS money=$0/$514
3. no eating out for lunches this month 0/0
4. major clean (and keep clean) 1 room per week, getting ready for baby's arrival 0/4

THUR 1st-no shopping -stayed home, baby sick.
FS=$0/$514
No driving=
goals=
1. 0/8
2. $0/$514
3.
4. nope

FRI 2nd-Costco & walmart + errands
goals=
1. 1/8
2. $193.51/$514 UGH, stocking up at Costco.
3.
4. nope. too many errands

SAT 3rd-no shopping -stayed home, baby sick.
FS=
No driving=
goals=
1. 1/8
2.$193.51/$514
3.
4. nope, too tired

[mamaofthree]

Key:
no spending:
no driving:
hang clothes on line:
unplanned spending:
savings:
planned spending:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April:
1- , ,
2- ,
3- , (although we enjoyed ourselves at the beach so it was worth the $4.50 )
4- ,

[applecider]

I'm joining because DP just got laid off so I really need to cut the spending down to the bare minimum! I'm off to a bad start, but it should be pretty easy to not spend any extra, when the pressure's on, I do really well.

1. groceries chocolate $4.50
2. bowling $9.25 (my mom wanted to do this, next time I will suggest something free!)
3. coffee/cider $3.00
4.


We're going on a pre-planned vacation this week but my hope is to cook our own food (we'll have kitchens) and only do the planned things.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

1.
2.Allowance day $3.21 for a pail and shovel for DS and $4.99 meds for me.
3. $3.21 Easter treats for church egg hunt.
4. $10 totally frivilously spent on books that were not needed in the least. Grrrr...., plus $1.75 on the paper to get coupons. Over allowance by $2.94 for this week so far.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. Allowance day
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

Goals for the Month of April
1. No unplanned spending above my weekly $20 allowance $22.94/$80
2. No eating out that isn't already planned for: 4/30
4. 100 items decluttered: 0/100
5. Car left at home/take the bus/bike/stay home 0/5

- No Spend
- Planned Spend for allowance
- Unplanned Spend
- All meals eaten at home
- Decluttered stuff out of the house
- Car not driven

[dachshundqueen]

No spend day
Kept Meal Plan
Budgeted spend
Hang laundry to dry
Walked
FAIL

04/01 2 laps
04/02
04/03 2 laps Costco, bread outlet, and Kroger runs today - haven't seen the total in Mint.com yet, but probably about $100.00 even. DH bought stuff for the car we're trying to sell to make the A/C run. I bought a $1.50 hot dog/coke combo at Costco as I nearly passed out in line to pay - that would've really sucked big time. I'm off to go for a walk and walk off the 3 Cokes I've had today (2 were for the blood sugar crash).
04/04 Too much pollen to hang clothes outside, working on plan B. I'm sick so no walking. Took kid to urgent Care $60.00, popsicles (to bribe kids to take medicine), claritin D children's generic.

[mommyto4grits]

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

April 1st- :
April 2nd- so not thrilled I spent money today, but dd did truly need some clothes, got great deals and stayed within a reasonable amount
April 3rd- was a bit of and :
April 4th- :

[triscuitsmom]

Goals for the Month of April
1. No unplanned spending: 4/30
2. No eating out that isn't already planned for: 4/28
3. Bring in extra money from my business: 0%
4. 450 items decluttered: 17/450
5. 13 days with exercise in them: 3/13

Key:
- No Spend or only planned spending
- Unplanned Spend
- All meals eaten at home or shared with friends/family but didn't cost us anything
- Ate outside of the house (unplanned)
- Decluttered stuff out of the house
- Exercise

Apr 1: x 12
Apr 2: x 5
Apr 3:
Apr 4:

[Mirta]

Originally Posted by cody'smomma

I'm joining because DP just got laid off so I really need to cut the spending down to the bare minimum! I'm off to a bad start, but it should be pretty easy to not spend any extra, when the pressure's on, I do really well.

Praying for you and you family and that your DP finds a new job quickly!! Our family is in the same situations as DH got laid off, too.. (last day was Weds..)

Kym

[ambersrose]

no spend day =
no drive day =
budgeted spending =
unbudgeted spending =

1=missing ingredients for dinner caused a grocery run
2=
3=
4=

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

I thought this weekend that I was going to fall over dead if I didn't get myself a pair of Keen sandals.

Luckily I survived.

So now I wrote those Keen sandals on a list and come May 1st I'll re-evaluate how "necessary" those are. If I still want them and I've done well on this challenge, I'll get them.

I had to write an Arc'teryx backpack on that list as well. I haven't been backpacking since college. I tell you, I am an ~impulse~ shopper. Marketers love me.

At least it was easy to stay out of the stores today since it was Easter and everything was closed.

01.. sos
02.. sos
03.. $14 snacks out with my daughter, Latte from starbucks
04.. sos
05..
06..
07..
08..
09..
10..
11..
12..
13..
14..
15..

Goals for April

1. 3/30 Stay Out of Stores (sos)
2. 3/20 No Spend Days

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Originally Posted by maggiemae

at Target (took shopping list and stuck to it!)

Go MaggieMae!

Originally Posted by Pumpkin_Pie

I left my wallet in the car just to head off any temptation. No money = no junk food and no spending. Yippee!

Go Kim!

Originally Posted by greenmom4

do you count paying bills as "planned spend" days?

I only count "unecessary" purchases. Bills, groceries, gas...I tally that stuff up but it is not part of my challenge for myself. So you never see that stuff on here. That is just me though, everyone does things differently on this thread. Do what works best for you.

Originally Posted by mamaofthree

have any of you read "your money or your life"?

LOVE that book. I've practically memorized it. Why? Do you like it? Are you thinking of reading it? I find it very motivational for me.

Originally Posted by greenmom4

Anyone have any success stories of resistant so's who came around?

I think if he sees how hard you are trying, eventually he'll come around, don't you think?

Originally Posted by mama_ani

[FONT="Century Gothic"]I am determined to stick to it this month.

Stick with us, Ani! You can do it. Pay off those credit cards.

Kym -- I'm very sorry to hear about your grandfather. {hug}

[Norasmomma]

PP I LOVE Keens, they are my fave shoes. Maybe you'll get lucky like I did last year, I scored a BRAND NEW pair of the Portola style shoes for $2 at a yard sale, even in my current financial state I could do that-I'd have to. An $80 pir of shoes for $2 is well worth it.

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

$2 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was the buy of the year!!!! wow.

[FillingMyQuiver]

Key:
no spend/ budgeted spending
unnecessary/ unbudgeted spending
hung laundry to dry

Goals for April
no spend days 4/20
eating out 0/3
hung laundry to dry 1/10


1.
2. ordered our homeschool curriculum for next year. I'm putting this here preemptively to encourage me to NOT SPEND when I go out later
3. $50 bread, eggs for dying, and the last of the Easter baskets things at WalMart
4.

[Mirta]

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom

Kym -- I'm very sorry to hear about your grandfather. {hug}

Thanks... we're trying to figure out if we are flying cross country for the memorial service... no spend goes out the window for that.. but funerals don't happen every day, you know?

[simonsmama]

am I too Late to Join?

I hope not! A few days ago, I decided to try out the Buy Nothing Challenge, Which i heard about on Crunchy Chicken's website (which is awesome btw). Then I stumbled across this thread today, and I know I have to join! I'm going to need the support.

I am a 25 year old SAHM to a DS and DD, both preschool age, and wife to wonderful hubby. Our financial goal is to stick to our budget so we can "grow" a cushion in the savings, and also to combat (my) consumerism.
We plan to do this by:
no unplanned spending 0/30 days
no eating out 0/30 days


April so far:

1bought cadbury caramel eggs
2
3ate out at McD's
4

[scrapadoozer]

04/01
04/02
04/03
04/04

$0 Frivolously spent
4/20 No-spend days
4/30 Not buying clothes for my kids days
1/10 Loads of laundry hung out to dry
$7.85/$500.00 Groceries

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Originally Posted by simonsmama

A few days ago, I decided to try out the Buy Nothing Challenge, Which i heard about on Crunchy Chicken's website (which is awesome btw).

Never too late to join! Welcome!

Tell us more about this website and challenge.

Thanks... we're trying to figure out if we are flying cross country for the memorial service... no spend goes out the window for that

Some things are far more important than saving money. Our thoughts are with you and your family.

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

~Question of the Day~

Who handles the finances in your family?

How did you decide who was going to do it?

[scrapadoozer]

~Question of the Day~

Who handles the finances in your family?

I do.

How did you decide who was going to do it?
My DH really dislikes the responsibility of budgeting and bill-paying and I honestly love it to pieces. It was pretty easy to decide in our circumstance.