~July No-Spend Challenge~ We are tracking our spending and trying to save money! Come join us --... - Page 2

[CultivatingMyRoots]

Never even LOOKED at money or my wallet today. Packed a picnic and biked to the river (10 miles roundtrip!) spent $0 and hopefully burned some calories.

I do need to post on freecycle for a bike pump and new tires for the kid-trailer, they were seriously flat on the way back, and I would prefer the skinny all rubber kind. My bike could actually use smaller tires, but only if they're free!!

Tonight I am writing up my finances from June, starting for July, and also doing my business boioks (including my startup costs sheet, which is currently just a folder of receipts...)

[major_mama11]

a. Who you are- Kirstin, mom to two great kiddos. I've found these threads to be very helpful over the past year or so.

b. Where you are going (your financial goals)- my long term goal is to get out of debt, and to be able to afford to stay at home with my kids. I am working on being content with the way things are right now (ie needing my income to get by), while at the same time delaying gratification in order to work towards a better situation for the future.

c. How you plan to get there- Tracking spending in order to cut down on the impulse buying. Short-term, I need to declutter and organize my house so that I will be satisfied with what I actually have, which is more than enough. The biggest help to our finances would be DH getting on the same page as me financially, but at this point, all I can change is my own spending (we have separate accounts so that helps).

7/1-
2

Groceries 0 / $500
Kid clothing and items 0 / $50
Gasoline 0 / $120
Overspending
Gifts 0 / $30 (bday gifts for 2 little boys this month)
Me spending 0 / $40

Work in garden 1 / 10
Line dry clothing 1 / 8
No spend days 2 / 15
Finish a project 0 / 4

[ltlmrs]

1. but and @ home day, but had planned errands
2. , , , @ work day & grocery shopping day (only bought milk, eggs & flour)

$122/$300 grocery budget
0/31 no-spend days

a. Who you are

I'm a Catholic mama to one. She'll be turning two in September (eek!). I mostly stay at home, but have a very part time job doing book keeping outside the home. I am in the process of trying to find work from home as well.

b. Where you are going (your financial goals)

We're trying to get out of debt and start saving for a homestead, plain and simple.

c. How you plan to get there

Stop spending impulsively (especially on groceries!). Get an online business going. And make sure I am well rested so I can cook, clean, help bring in money and take care of Ladybug.

Key:
no spend
unplanned/unbudgeted spend
budgeted spend
went to bed on time and woke up early (major sanity saver)
worked on blogging and other online business opportunities
3 meals made at home without an unplanned run to the grocery.
no unnecessary driving

[AZ mom&teacher]

July 1 - $11.90 at post office, $0.14 on tax for the freebies at the grocery store this week (I love coupons!)
July 2 - $18.71 on groceries (saved 14.49)

GOALS :
$18.85/$200 - Groceries
$11.90/$50 - Budgeted Misc. Spending
$0/$30 - Household Needs
0/4 - Eating Out
0/20 - Working Out
1/100 - Decluttering

KEY :
= good day, no unnecessary spending
= cooked meals at home
= unnecessary spending

[FeelingBlessed]

a) I'm Kim, currently embroiled in an early (good natured) midlife crisis regarding my work status. Right now, spend 32 hrs/wk running a nonprofit; our homeschooled monkeys (DD 6 + DS 3) are with DH when I'm working. DH works 36 hrs/wk in the local ER, + will be adding FT nursing school to our fall schedule. Contemplated leaving my job in the fall, but the #'s don't work yet, + I do enjoy the position. Plan B: Will ask my Board's Exec. Committee on Wednesday for a major schedule overhaul, which would maintain my income + hours, + just necessitate childcare for 6 hrs/wk. Fingers crossed, but confident it will all work out whatever the outcome.

b) We are ultimately moving toward total debt elimination + beaucoup savings. Have paid off ~$240k in debt, but still have ~$560k to go (mortgages on 2 properties, grad school debt, etc.)

c) Will get to debt freeville by being conscious about spending, recognizing we are incredibly blessed, separating optional vs. necessary expenses, reigning in the food budget, + enjoying the heck out of free fun.

July Goals:
Groceries/Dining Out: $0/$600
Budgeted +/or Necessary Spending: 24/31 days
Items sold on Craigslist: 0/4
No Drive Days: 0/4

[FeelingBlessed]

July 1:
July 2:

July Goals:
Groceries/Dining Out: $20.06/$600
Budgeted +/or Necessary Spending: 2/24 days
Items sold on Craigslist: 0/4
No Drive Days: 0/4

[Sharlla]

I'm in. DH got fired last summer and we decided that he would be a SAHD so we lost $1400 a month of his income.

I have 2 jobs. One being full time and the other where I am a sub. I pretty much work 80 hours a week for them. So I make anywhere from $1600-$1800 take home but last year this time we were making $4000 or so a month.

Our bills are $800 total (not including food, gas etc) but we have a $9000 credit card bill now (last fall it was $2000) and paying almost $100 a month in interest is just crazy to me. I had to take a long hard look at what I was bringing in an what we are spending and it was a shocker. I'm use to having a way bigger income and not really having to think twice about my spending. It's just a lot of little things and it seems whenever we go to the store (WM) we buy a ton a ton a ton of stuff we don't even really need.

So i told DH to take the bills off the auto pay for the credit card and that we wouldn't be using it anymore unless we really had to.

We are set on food for a couple weeks and we have no household, clothing etc items that need to be bought. I would really like to commit to paying $500 at least to the CC every month (and not use it)

My ex and I always paid cash for everything and we didn't have a CC. DH always used his CC but since he didn't spend $ on anything it was easy for him to pay the balance in full every month. We've been together a year and half so this has all been experimental but I think my way is better because we didn't spend what we didn't have that way. With DH's way it's just too easy to go into places all day and buy whatever not thinking about it all adding up.

[MsVyky]

Hi, may I join?


a. Who you are:
I'm Vyky, I've currently a SAHM to an 8 month old baby girl and my husband works full time building closets and shower doors. He has a take-home pay of about $2200 per month (net) and My employment insurance pays me $946 per month plus UCCB and CTC (for a total of $350 per month) Our mortgage payment is $1090, utilities about $400, though we are expecting htem to be much less this month without the furnace on and we have a credit on our water/electric bill for our year of good payment

b. Where you are going (your financial goals)

I want to pay down our credit cards- we currently owe about $7000, and stop our unnecessary spending -*my* spending habits are terrible, I will admit that. I might even have to admit that I have an actual spending problem, which is very bad news since I am not currently employed and my EI benefits stop at the end of August and I will not be returning to full time work, as I am returning to school 6th September. I also want DH to change our mortgage from monthly to biweekly payments to help us attak the principle sooner.

c. How you plan to get there
First things first, I need to stop buying frivolous things. I need to make a concrete grocery list to stop buying unnecessary food items that will end up getting thrown out. I need to declutter my home, make us of the things we have and get rid of those we don't use. I need to find cheap/free ways to entertain us during the week. I need to quit guffawing about it and actually cut the cable (*whine* I love the food network )- we can watch TV for free on the computer
Good luck MDCers!! Keep that money in your wallet.

**note: We are vacationing this month from July 23 to August 2, so things might be a little skewed this month**

July Spending
1- Nada
2- $16 at the post office to ship a wrap (But + $95 into paypal account)
-$10 at the convenience store for a coffee, a snack and a mag to keep
me occupied at work
3- Nada
4- Nothin'
5- $30 in gas and $17 in parking (but I got a free haircut and foils for a friend's hair school exam)
6-$65 for dog food, $48 for groceries
7-$4.18 for a Blizzard. I figured if I was craving it for that long, i should just treat myself. Plus it was, like 30* out.
8-$47 in groceries, $6 admission to outdoor pool for my sister (DD and I have a pass)


Budget- "disposable" Income after mortgage and Utilities=~ $2000
$300 for groceries ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ $96/300
$200 for other household expenses~~~~~~~ $47/200
$150 for pet food/supplies~~~~~~~~~~~~ $65/150
$100 for entertainment/"other" expenses~~~~ $36/100

"Other" Goals
2/10 No-Drive Days
9/23 Days eating at home (Remember, Vacation)
6/10 NO T.V. Days

[CultivatingMyRoots]

7/1 - $0
7/2 - $0 and a bike ride!
7/3 - Pulling out cash for my rent, paying internet, PG&E. 'Spending' the gas to go to ex-inlaws for my daughters' birthday dinner, which means they are getting presents and we are getting fed. Can't complain. Did my hw, AND extra business reading, and I am feeling RICH in all the ways that count!

Wishing everyone else the same!

[ltlmrs]

1. but @ home day, but had planned errands
2. , , @ work day & grocery shopping day (only bought milk, eggs & flour)
3. (), , ,

$122/$300 grocery budget
1/31 no-spend days

Key:
no spend
unplanned/unbudgeted spend
budgeted spend
went to bed on time and woke up early (major sanity saver)
worked on blogging and other online business opportunities
3 meals made at home without an unplanned run to the grocery.
no driving (at first it was unnecessary driving, but I realized I already have unnecessary driving down to a minimum)

[Mamma4Peace]

Budget:
$20.17/$320 groceries
$15.50/$100 hubby running money (work)
$10/$100 gas
$43.40/$100 etc. (dining out, movies, etc.)

Savings:$0/$1000

Key: no unnecessary spending
unecessary spending
stuck to bill saving rules
packed lunch for hubby
got enough sleep

7/1:
7/2:
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7/31:

[~cassie]

I have never done anything like this before but would love to join, we need the help!

a. Who you are: I am Cassie, SAHM to 3 boys and married to a husband that works night shifts so is never here!

b. Where you are going (your financial goals): Trying to pay off our credit card bills that keep piling up, trying to get money saved, and evenutally buy a bigger home/car.

c. How you plan to get there-I really need to cut down on my shopping. I tend to use shopping as an excuse to get out of the house and we end up with way too much crap--whether it be groceries, toys, more clothes, etc. Going to try hard to not eat out but once a week and to not buy the frivilous crap!


July Goals:
Groceries: $215/430$
No Drive Days: 0/3
Gas: 25$/115$
Fast food: 0$/40$
misc household items-11$/135$
Savings: 0$/500$

[FillingMyQuiver]

Key:
no spend/ budgeted spending
unnecessary/ unbudgeted spending
hung laundry to dry
completed home improvement project

Goals for July
no spend days 3/25
eating out 0/0
hung laundry to dry 3/10
completed home improvement projects 1/3

1. I got up early and was able to get 2 loads out on the drying racks over the course of the day.
2.
3. DH and I got our new storm door installed and the exterior door painted

[major_mama11]

Free fireworks at the neighbors last night! Very generous of them to invite the entire neighborhood over.

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

Groceries 0 / $500
Kid clothing and items 0 / $50
Gasoline 0 / $120
Overspending
Gifts 0 / $30 (bday gifts for 2 little boys this month)
Me spending 0 / $40

Work in garden 1 / 10
Line dry clothing 1 / 8
No spend days 3 / 15
Finish a project 0 / 4

[AZ mom&teacher]

July 1 - $11.90 at post office, $0.14 on tax for the freebies at the grocery store this week (I love coupons!)
July 2 - $18.71 on groceries (saved 14.49)
July 3 - $50 for dinner out with friends (that's alot but it was a planned dinner for a few weeks now)
July 4 - $14.75 enterence into fireworks and glowsticks from the dollar store (instead of buying the crazy expensive ones there, also we are making our own hotdogs and snacks and bringing them along to the fireworks to save $$!!)

GOALS :
$18.85/$200 - Groceries
$25.65/$50 - Budgeted Misc. Spending
$1/$30 - Household Needs
1/4 - Eating Out ($50)
1/20 - Working Out
1/100 - Decluttering

KEY :
= good day, no unnecessary spending
= cooked meals at home
= unnecessary spending

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Dodged a huge bullet today -- we went with a realtor to look at a more expensive house.

We can afford it, but our monthly expenses would have been soooo much more. Taxes would have been more, we would need more furniture, and it had a pool which equals big maintenance costs.

Luckily the kitchen was not going to work for our family, so the temptation of buying that house has been removed. Whew!

We need to stay in our very affordable home and I need to stay far -- FAR -- away from realtor.com


01.. $11 ice cream and snacks
02.. $10 car wash
03.. $6 Starbucks
04.. finally!
05..
06..
07..
08..
09..
10..

My Goal:

1/20 No Spend Days

[MusicalMeg]

Oh, I'd love to join a no-spend challenge!!!

So here is my short introduction!

I'm Meg~ I am a SAHM, married with one ds age 3.Short term goals: DH's income dropped, and we are having a hard time sticking to our new budget. DS is starting preschool in the fall, so of course we have to be able to pay for that. Medium term our goals are save save save as much as we can. We do not like where we live, but for a variety of reasons we are stuck here for at least another year, more likely a couple years or even longer. Since we are debt free other than our mortgage, we want to use the time we are here to build up our savings so that when we can leave, we will be able to go wherever our hearts take us without needing to worry as much about being able to afford to get there. Our long term goals are to find a house we want to settle into for the long haul, then get more aggressive with saving for college for ds and retirement.

It looks like everyone has developed their own style of keeping track of their progress here, so I think my plan will be to just pop in everyday and record whether or not I spent any money that wasn't necessary, and if I did- fess up about what I bought

My biggest weaknesses are eating out, grabbing a cup of coffee when I'm out and about, clothes (especially for ds), and books. So my plan is to avoid being out and about near mealtimes and take snacks with us, and avoid the bookstore!

[FillingMyQuiver]

Key:
no spend/ budgeted spending
unnecessary/ unbudgeted spending
hung laundry to dry
completed home improvement project

Goals for July
no spend days 4/25
eating out 0/0
hung laundry to dry 4/10
completed home improvement projects 2/3

1. I got up early and was able to get 2 loads out on the drying racks over the course of the day.
2.
3. DH and I got our new storm door installed and the exterior door painted
4. installed the closet organizer system in the master closet. We've had that organizer sitting in the utility room for 2yrs now, so glad it's finally done

[Hollysmom]

July 1:Happy Canada Day!!
July 2:
July 3:
July 4: $13 toys and stuff for girls that they didn't need


3/20 No Spend Days
$13 Unnecessary/Frivolous Spending

[ltlmrs]

1. but
2. , ,
3. (), , ,
4.

$135/$300 grocery budget
1/31 no-spend days

Key:
no spend
unplanned/unbudgeted spend
budgeted spend
went to bed on time and woke up early (major sanity saver)
worked on blogging and other online business opportunities
3 meals made at home without an unplanned run to the grocery.
no driving (at first it was unnecessary driving, but I realized I already have unnecessary driving down to a minimum)[/QUOTE]