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~~September No-Spend Thread~~ We're in the HOME STRETCH....you can do it Mamas! - Page 7

post #121 of 413
9/5/10 at 6:40am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pumpkin_Pie View Post
I have a job!
Congratulations Kim!!

Why do you have to move? Is it for the job?
Sponsored Links
post #122 of 413
9/5/10 at 6:46am
Thread Starter 

some

My house is a crazy-loud zoo with three small children, so every weekend day I take one of the older girls to a bookstore for a few hours to read and play board games in the cafe and have quiet time with Mom. I always buy something at the cafe (a cup of coffee, a cookie, hot chocolate) because I feel like I should support the business since we are using space at their tables and spending HOURS at their store.

It is definitely unnecessary spending, but my Dad was a small-business owner and I know their retail space is not "free" so I budget this spending into my no-spend goals -- there are a least four days a month where I'm giving money to Starbucks.

BUT...then I went to JoAnn's fabrics because I'm thinking about getting a sewing machine and that was some serious shopping. I didn't buy anything, but definitely that broke the SOS goal.

01.. $4.99 Danish for party, SOS
02.. $45 fair food
03.. , SOS
04.. $5 Starbucks
05..
06..
07..
08..
09..
10..
11..
12..
13..
14..
15..

My goals:

1/20 No Spend Days
0/10 Let the Car Rest Days
2/20 Stay Out of the Stores SOS (this includes on-line shopping)
post #123 of 413
9/5/10 at 7:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom View Post
Congratulations Kim!!

Why do you have to move? Is it for the job?
No, not for the job. There is a chance that an housing co-op that I really want to move into will have an open unit within the next few months and I am toward the top of the waiting list. I need to actually get a call from them first before I know for sure, but it would be such a great move for us. We would easily be there for the next 10-15 years. I am sooooooooo crossing my fingers that it works out!
post #124 of 413
9/5/10 at 9:39am
1. Spent the day with my sisters and only spent money that I had set aside in August for the day ($20.00). I also had enough left over from the $20.00 to cover supper with DH.
2.
3. Grocery shopping day. I spent more than normal for a two-week period but I'm trying to stock up for when the baby comes so I'm not too concerned.
4. Spent money. Didn't buy anything foolish...it just all added up to way more than I wanted it to.
5.
6.
7.


Key:
Complete No Spend Day:
No Unplanned Debit Card Use:
Budgeted Spending:

Tracking:
Complete No Spend Days: 1/10
No Unplanned Debit Card Use Days: 3/15
Dining Out: 1/10
Groceries: $134.87/$290.00
post #125 of 413
9/5/10 at 10:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hollysmom View Post
September
1 -
2 -
3 -
4 -
Awesome work!

*sigh* I'm not happy with Saturday. I didn't exercise and we spent more $ than I intended. We had several large purchases budgeted for the weekend, the last "moving into a new house" expenses but somehow we keep finding more that we need. So, beside the planned expenses we spent money for a couple more food items to round out my meal planning for the next week and some flashlights. The flashlights are for emergency preparedness in our new home and likely important as we head into winter but I am so frustrated by all the unseen expenses in our cross-country move. I also spent money on some kitchen storage containers which will be handy but again I should have resisted. Let's see, I'll track like this:

Food items: $3.02 + $3

(editing to add the $3 in candy bars we bought from a neighborhood girl for her band fundraiser)

Unplanned spending: $51.45

Meals Out: 0/2
Ice Cream 0/1
Week-Day Car Days 2/8
No-Spend 1/15
Budget $72.44/$400
Exercise 2/30

Unplanned Spending: $51.45

The only good news is that I did talk DH out of a meal out.
post #126 of 413
9/5/10 at 10:32am
I am joining late. This is a huge spending month for us. I made the final payment on a house repair, I paid my student fees and we paid for residency applications for an international move next year. I am also paying daycare this month while I am in class.

Add all of that up....and we are now broke! Like really broke. Dh and I went over the budget and he was gasping for air. We have no money to spend this month.

I have 158.78 for food till next pay day which is in 13 days. That's it... my total ability to spend money. We have rice, beans, a CSA share each week and a decent amount of food in the fridge. We will be keeping it cheap and staying home a lot this month.


We are staying home today -- dh is scraping the bathroom walls to keep busy and get a project done. The walls will need some plaster repair and paint, but I think we have enough supplies do finish the job without buying anything.

I am studying this morning, cleaning the upstairs, taking a run and getting the kids to the playground. All free and wonderful.

I have split pea soup made for dinner and I'll grill a couple sausages. Lunch will be black beans and corn tortillas. Fresh salsa from the garden. Cheap, cheap, cheap.

Sept 4 --
Sept 5 --
Sept 6
Sept 7
Sept 8
Sept 9

Remaining grocery money -- 158.78
post #127 of 413
9/5/10 at 11:06am
Key:
No-spend day:
Only planned/necessary spending:
Unnecessary spending:

Grocery spending goal: $0/$200

9/1: ($100 on housewarming gift--yes, they're VERY good friends; $46 on a new power cord for my laptop, because my old one is nearly kaput)
9/2:
9/3: Spent $45 on gas for the car, $10 on a b-day gift, and $10 on wrapping supplies for b-day and housewarming gifts--all planned spending. I successfully managed to avoid buying drinks for the kids/Starbucks for me after a long park visit, so I'm proud of that!
9/4: Only planned spending today (picking up some needed school supply items at Office Depot), and less than I planned to boot (never made it to Staples).
9/5:
9/6:
post #128 of 413
9/5/10 at 12:09pm
31. $2 admission, $1.50 ice cream, $1.50 coffee, $4.75 meat on a stick, $3 bus fare, $22 ride wrist band

1.
2. $2 donation to museum, my dad bought all treats at the fair!
3. grocery $84 Not bad, got some fruit for dry for school treats
4.
5.
post #129 of 413
9/5/10 at 12:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom View Post
I always buy something at the cafe (a cup of coffee, a cookie, hot chocolate) because I feel like I should support the business since we are using space at their tables and spending HOURS at their store.

It is definitely unnecessary spending, but my Dad was a small-business owner and I know their retail space is not "free" so I budget this spending into my no-spend goals -- there are a least four days a month where I'm giving money to Starbucks.
It's a hard issue, isn't it? A lot of my involvements (e.g. I'm on the Board for a non-profit and a member of knitting group) require coffee shop meetings, and I don't want to feel like a freeloader by using their space without buying anything.

On the one hand, I know that the profit margin on those lattes is ridiculous. Fifty cents to upgrade to soy??? A dollar fifty to pass hot water through two tablespoons of ground coffee? Pull-ease! And then there's the tip...

But I also know about the business overhead; those giant espresso machines probably pay for a year of tuition at a private college!

Since I'm paying in cash more, I'm storing all of my coins in a little change purse that I just knitted. I consider that my "coffee shop fund." I try to discipline myself to get just black coffee, and I do NOT feel guilty bringing in my own little snack if they only have sugary pastries.
post #130 of 413
9/5/10 at 1:33pm
1: $280 Costco
2: $65 Groceries, $30 raincoat for DD
3: $15 HFS - sugar & teething tablets for DS
4: no spend, finally!

$390/500

NOT a good start to the month. I guess I know what I need to budget for a bare pantry next time. That raincoat was slightly unnecessary but it was 1/2 price, high quality, and a size 4-5 (DD is just outgrowing 3T) so should be good into next year.

I went through a lot of kids' clothes and outerwear this week and realized that they probably don't have enough for the winter. Their b-days are both coming up in November/December so hopefully they can wait that long.
post #131 of 413
9/5/10 at 4:09pm
September

1: £2.50 for the bus
2: £82/400 for groceries
3: £3.60 for the bus, £3.95 uniform exchange, £102.50/400 groceries
4. first no-spend, yay!
5. £3 for coffee and ice cream at the park (last day before back-to-school!) & £60 budgeted purchase

This is getting easier!
post #132 of 413
9/5/10 at 4:22pm
Purchased fabric for DS's Halloween costume at JoAnn's today. I was totally planning to just "look" and that is always the beginning of the end. I did really well though and only spent $11.50 for everything to turn him into an elephant. I also bought DS a chocolate milk at the McDonald's drive through. I had a friend with me who desperately wanted a coffee and DS won't let me go through the drive through without at least something for him. I also forgot to bring DS's RedBox DVD back until today. Grrrr....


1.
2. $1.07 Redbox DVD (hung laundry out today!)
3. $.75 on a bottle of water. I forgot my EBT card at home and had to pay cash.
4. $3.19 on garbage bags, used dryer and didn't use up any canned goods. *sigh*
5. $11.50 at JoAnn's, $1 at McDonald's, $2.14 Redbox DVD
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.


Goals:
1/20 no spend days
1/10 stay home days
9/30 Cans of stockpile food eaten
create and start using an envelope system
4/30 not use the dryer (actually haven't used it at all in over a month already
2/25 not use the a/c (my apartment is obscenely hot upstairs)
post #133 of 413
9/5/10 at 5:19pm
1: $94 diapers
2: $38 eating out
3:
4:
5: family went to the fair, I don't have a total, but it was a good day and is one of our only 'traditions'


For those thinking about the overhead for coffee shops, it is huge! I wokr for an in dependent one, and our espresso machine cost $15K and it only pours 2 shots at a time! I know in our case, the build out costs of the space my boss rents were astronomical, so even though we do a good business, there isn't much if anything left over.

It may not be much, but I know a lot of places discount if you bring your own mug, so that can help a little.
post #134 of 413
9/5/10 at 9:33pm
= No spend day.
= budgeted spend
= made my own dang coffee and didn't buy it at Dunkin
= unbudgeted spend
= all meals homecooked

September:
1.) Didn't spend a dime of my own today! Got a tattoo, but it was a present from my mom. And, and, And I got $9.00 back on bras that I returned.
2.) Gas, rent. And my a/c blew so, even though it was 96 degrees, I saved money. S.O.S
3.) Got garlic bread ($1.50) from the take-out place when everyone ordered lunch at work yesterday. But, most of my lunch was from home. for a Phillies game. We knew we were gonna to blow some bucks on parking and grub.
4.) $5.54 on groceries.
5.) S.O.S Forgot to bring DH's lunch when we went to meet him today so he had to buy something small, but he got a big discount. I don't track his spending, though. I used the lunch I packed and forgot for dinner instead.


Goals:
$5.54/$200 grocery
2/25 meals cooked at home/bagged lunches
2/5 dine-out days
2/15 S.O.S - stay out of store.
post #135 of 413
9/5/10 at 9:43pm
1. Spent the day with my sisters and only spent money that I had set aside in August for the day ($20.00). I also had enough left over from the $20.00 to cover supper with DH.
2.
3. Grocery shopping day. I spent more than normal for a two-week period but I'm trying to stock up for when the baby comes so I'm not too concerned.
4. Spent money. Didn't buy anything foolish...it just all added up to way more than I wanted it to.
5.
6.
7.


Key:
Complete No Spend Day:
No Unplanned Debit Card Use:
Budgeted Spending:

Tracking:
Complete No Spend Days: 2/10
No Unplanned Debit Card Use Days: 3/15
Dining Out: 1/10
Groceries: $134.87/$290.00
post #136 of 413
9/5/10 at 9:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Turquesa View Post
On the one hand, I know that the profit margin on those lattes is ridiculous. Fifty cents to upgrade to soy??? A dollar fifty to pass hot water through two tablespoons of ground coffee? Pull-ease! And then there's the tip...

But I also know about the business overhead; those giant espresso machines probably pay for a year of tuition at a private college!
Plus, in most coffee shops, the coffee is the only thing they really can mark up and sell. Apparently it's average for more than half of all of the pastries & extras to be tossed daily.

We spend a lot of time at a local coffee shop. I've complained to the members of a board I'm on because there are 10 of us, and I'm usually the only one to buy anything. It's just rude to take up a huge table and not spend. I'd say 9 times out of 10 I'm in there I buy something. Plus DH pretty much keeps them in business (and thinks I don't know, but every time I'm there, the baristas say "oh, I saw your husband this morning" or "your husband was telling me about..."), so I don't feel guilty when I occasionally go in and buy nothing.
post #137 of 413
9/5/10 at 9:49pm
1: $27 - I bombed on the first day out. We ended up out longer than we thought and ate out. Still, $27 isn't an awful price for dinner for all of us. We ate at a local place.

2:

3: We spent lots today, but it all was planned. Totals: $260 groceries; $50 oil for car; $36 fundraising lunch; $500 bills; $10 kids' allowances, $27 household supplies.

4:

5:


Key:
- No Spend
- Planned Spend
- Unplanned Spend
- Worked on a Goal

3/10 No Spend Days

Yay! We're on a roll! We had a big family talk about $, and we're all trying not to spend anything right now. We have a hike and picnic planned tomorrow. If we take the dog, we have to get her a new leash, but I'm really trying to get DH to agree not to take her (not because of the leash!).
post #138 of 413
9/5/10 at 10:34pm
September
1 -
2 -
3 -
4 -
5 -


My Goals:

5/20 No Spend Days
Track Unnecessary spending $0
post #139 of 413
9/6/10 at 2:12am
Argh!!! Such an annoying day, financially. The expensive housewarming gift we bought for friends (a Wii) seems to be broken, and now I have to deal with exchanging it and I'm bummed that my friends didn't get to keep their gift We did get a free lunch at a fancy restaurant and free dinner at the friend's house, but DD and I barely touched our lunch at the restaurant and we were SO looking forward to eating our meals tomorrow. Then we left our friend's house in a hurry and left our "doggy bags" in their fridge! Totally kicking myself...


Key:
No-spend day:
Only planned/necessary spending:
Unnecessary spending:

Grocery spending goal: $0/$200

9/1: ($100 on housewarming gift--yes, they're VERY good friends; $46 on a new power cord for my laptop, because my old one is nearly kaput)
9/2:
9/3: Spent $45 on gas for the car, $10 on a b-day gift, and $10 on wrapping supplies for b-day and housewarming gifts--all planned spending. I successfully managed to avoid buying drinks for the kids/Starbucks for me after a long park visit, so I'm proud of that!
9/4: Only planned spending today (picking up some needed school supply items at Office Depot), and less than I planned to boot (never made it to Staples).
9/5: Spent an extra $15 on champagne that we could have done without and $6 on scratch-off lottery tix for us when buying for grandmother's b-day card. Not a smart day
9/6:
post #140 of 413
9/6/10 at 7:16am
Thread Starter 
Grrrrr... Where is my resolve????

I went into HomeGoods -- which is my NEMESIS -- with my daughter yesterday. I was carrying around a stuffed turkey for the mantle, a wooden carved Halloween Owl, and a soup toureen with fall leaves on it when I realized -- what is this ~~CRAZINESS~~?????

And I put it all back. Seriously, can I not live without a stuffed animal perched on the fireplace?

I could not come on this thread and post that I broke my spending freeze because of a wooden owl and a stuffed turkey.

01.. $4.99 Danish for party, SOS
02.. $45 fair food
03.. , SOS
04.. $5 Starbucks
05.. $5 Again with the Starbucks
06..
07..
08..
09..
10..
11..
12..
13..
14..
15..

My goals:

1/20 No Spend Days
0/10 Let the Car Rest Days
2/20 Stay Out of the Stores SOS (this includes on-line shopping)
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