~~December No-Spend Challenge~~ Ho ho ho! How low can you go? Saving money is tough during the... - Page 2

[Caitlin0919]

I'm in. This comes at the perfect time for me.

I'm a 26yo SAHM to a 27mo little girl. My goals are to end the month with some money left in our savings account since we've had to drain it the last few months just to get by. My DH is terrible with money, which makes this much more of a challenge. I actually opened a 2nd checking account that he has no access to(he knows I opened it) just for paying bills and buying necessities like groceries. I transfer money to it each time he gets paid and whatever is leftover is for him to use for gas money(he drives at least 100 miles a day for work) and a few meals or snacks while he's on the road. Anything he has to transfer from savings or the other account is extra that gets taken from the next paycheck. I'm hoping this will help him reign in his spending and maybe start packing snacks and meals each day instead of buying them. He's already started bringing a gallon of water with him to drink so he's not constantly buying soda and Red Bull, which has helped a little. As far as spending so far:

1. $600 rent, $86.51 electricity bill, $28.53 gas, $3.80 DH got coffee(grr)

2.

3. $130 DH student loan payment

 ***EDIT*** I thought of a great way to keep DH from spending too much when he's on the road. I decided to share just in case there are any other ladies here who have trouble getting their partner on the same page with no spending. I told him that every day he has no unnecessary spending, he'll get some kind of "lovin", whether it be sex or something else. I also told him he'd get something really special once we reach our goal of $1000 in savings and maintain it for a month. Sorry if this is TMI, but I just wanted to share in case anyone else could use the idea. Plus I'm kind of excited because I'm pretty sure this is going to work AMAZINGLY well.

Edited by Caitlin0919 - 12/4/10 at 1:41pm

[scrapadoozer]

a. Who you are

Hi! I am Jenny, SAHM to my homeschooling 6 year old girl and my toddling 19 month old boy.

b. Where you are going (your financial goals) and

Well, this month's plan is simple: Pay all of our bills on time! DH is a stone mason and we live in a cold climate, so as you can imagine, his work slows down something serious in the Winter.

c. How you plan to get there

*Stay out of the stores. So simple yet so difficult to execute!

*Do not go out with DH anywhere near a meal time. I can wait until we get home. Him? Not so much.

*Enjoy the true meaning of the holiday season. Cherish the time I have with my great family in my snuggly, warm home.

12/01

12/02

[KnittingKara]

I was going to wait until January to jump in with this again (hi, everyone!  long time, no see)   but I saw this pop up and I figured why not?  Every penny helps and I can certainly use the motivation, especially around the holidays

So far ...

Dec 1 - no spend

Dec. 2 - no spend

Dec 3 - friends from out of town want to get together, hoping to convince them to come here for dinner so that I can keep the "no spend" streak alive   (otherwise, I'll dip into our entertainment budget money and I kinda hate to do that so early in the month, ykwim?)

Here's to a great month, everyone!

[FillingMyQuiver]

Key:

        no spend/ budgeted spending

  unnecessary/ unbudgeted spending

  hung laundry to dry

  spent at least 1hr holiday gift crafting

December Goals

no spend days  2/20

eating out  1/3

loads of laundry hung to dry  2/8

spent at least 1hr holiday crafting  3/20

1.   

2. 

3.    $45 on pizza and subs (it's in the budget, but unnecessary.  I really wanted to avoid using *any* of our eating out budget this month)  finished 4prs of slippers, just need to get them in the washer to felt

[nwmomof2]

1. budgeted spend - $42 groceries

2. no spend, cleaned my kitchen and volunteered at preschool, so stayed out of stores today!

3. budgeted spend - $55 amazon xmas order, $3 coffee, $3 goodwill books, $11 children's museum parking and admission (had 2 free passes, so only paid for 1), $150 car emissions check and new registration tabs for 2 vehicles

4.

5.

1/10 no spend 

2/21 budgeted spend

1/16 stay out of stores

0/5 items sold

groceries/food out $45/500

xmas $55/150

$14/100 misc.

[scrapadoozer]

12/01

12/02

12/03

[KnittingKara]

Did a quick grocery run today - but stuck to the list and essentials ONLY

Dec 1 - no spend

Dec 2 - no spend

Dec 3 - no spend

Dec 4 - planned spend, $20 groceries + Dh got $15 worth of gas for the van today, too

Have also discovered this is the time of year for me to stay OUT of the stores.  Too many people = grouchy me

[nwmomof2]

1. budgeted spend - $42 groceries

2. no spend, cleaned my kitchen and volunteered at preschool, so stayed out of stores today!

3. budgeted spend - $55 amazon xmas order, $3 coffee, $3 goodwill books, $11 children's museum parking and admission (had 2 free passes, so only paid for 1), $150 car emissions check and new registration tabs for 2 vehicles

4. budgeted spend - $11 food out

5.

1/10 no spend 

3/21 budgeted spend

2/16 stay out of stores

0/5 items sold

groceries/food out $56/500

xmas $55/150

$14/100 misc.

[SilverFish]

4/12 no spend days
1/8 art/work days
1/4 eating out days

$92 / $400 grocery budget
$4/ $100 snacks/entertainment

$100 assorted baby stuff

no spend day
unnecessary spending
budget spending day
art/work day

1.
2. $82 groceries. working on paintings and sewing projects today. also, happy birthday to me! $45 on my birthday dinner. mmm!
3. went to watch a free movie screened at our moms an babies group, $4 on a snack for me.
4. ran errands. $10 on groceries, returned $36 in impulsive clothes buying, exchanged a birthday present.
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7.   finished a beautiful winter baby carrier cover. i harbour secret hopes of being able to sell a few of them this winter.
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Edited by SilverFish - 12/7/10 at 7:30am

[Turquesa]

1: $32.00 in dog food.

2: $8.00 at LCS (local coffee shop), $10.50 budgeted lunch for family, $10.00 Christmas gifts.

3: $11.25 unplanned lunch out.  $40.00 additional holiday groceries. (HELP!  The spending is starting...)

4: $114.00 regular groceries

[Mommy2Austin]

A. I'm Sarah Lynne. 24 yo WOHM to 3 beautiful children and 1 bean baking :)

B. I've given up on the idea of paying off debt AND surviving at the same time, so for now, I want to focus on saving up an emergency fund of 3 months bills, giving the kids a (small) Christmas, and eventually be able to quit my job and return to school to become what I really want to be (a teacher.)

C. 1. Attempt to do all (necessary) shopping one or two days a week (Tuesdays and/or Fridays because thats when we get paid.) instead of "going out because I need something" almost everyday.

    2. Limit eating out to $25 a week (which is about 1 meal out a week and a lot better than we've been doing!)

    3. Put at least $100 into savings by Jan 1.

    4. Have at least 18 no spend days this month.

0/$100 Eat out

0/8 Shopping Days

0/18 No spending days

 Budgeted Spending/Shopping Day

 No Spend Day!

Unbudgeted/Unnecessary Spending Day

[FillingMyQuiver]

Key:

  no spend/ budgeted spending

  unnecessary/ unbudgeted spending

  hung laundry to dry

  spent at least 1hr holiday gift crafting

December Goals

no spend days  4/20

eating out  1/3

loads of laundry hung to dry  2/8

spent at least 1hr holiday crafting  4/20

1.

2.

3.   $45 on pizza and subs delivery 

4.   food shopping, stayed within budget, picked up Christmas tree (was less than budgeted )

5.

[nwmomof2]

1.  $42 groceries

2.  no spend, cleaned my kitchen and volunteered at preschool, so stayed out of stores today!

3. budgeted spend - $55 amazon xmas order, $3 coffee, $3 goodwill books, $11 children's museum parking and admission (had 2 free passes, so only paid for 1), $150 car emissions check and new registration tabs for 2 vehicles

4.  $11 food out

5.$21 groceries, $24 xmas

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

 budgeted spending

 1/10 no spend  

2/16 stay out of stores

0/5 items sold

groceries/food out $77/500 

xmas $79/150

$14/100 misc.

[Mommy2Austin]

Originally Posted by Mommy2Austin 

A. I'm Sarah Lynne. 24 yo WOHM to 3 beautiful children and 1 bean baking :)

B. I've given up on the idea of paying off debt AND surviving at the same time, so for now, I want to focus on saving up an emergency fund of 3 months bills, giving the kids a (small) Christmas, and eventually be able to quit my job and return to school to become what I really want to be (a teacher.)

C. 1. Attempt to do all (necessary) shopping one or two days a week (Tuesdays and/or Fridays because thats when we get paid.) instead of "going out because I need something" almost everyday.

    2. Limit eating out to $25 a week (which is about 1 meal out a week and a lot better than we've been doing!)

    3. Put at least $100 into savings by Jan 1.

    4. Have at least 18 no spend days this month.

0/$100 Eat out

0/8 Shopping Days

0/18 No spending days

 Budgeted Spending/Shopping Day

 No Spend Day!

Unbudgeted/Unnecessary Spending Day

12/5  $40.00 Gas in the van/ $865 Rent and Internet/TV

Edited by Mommy2Austin - 12/6/10 at 5:02am

[scrapadoozer]

12/01

12/02

12/03

12/04 $8.90 Pizza, $2.10 Movies

12/05

4/20 No-spend days

$11 Frivolously spent

[leigh2006]

December thus far:

$161/$500 Grocery budget spent (Yikes, this is going to be tight at the end of the month!)

$28 spent on crafting supplies for Christmas gifts (not budgeted)

  2/10 No-spend days

[KnittingKara]

Dec 1 - no spend

Dec 2 - no spend

Dec 3 - no spend

Dec 4 - planned spend, $20 groceries + Dh got $15 worth of gas for the van

Dec 5 - planned Christmas $94 (extended family, goodies for gift baskets)

First week of December spending $129

Dec 6 - (not planning to spend anything: Dh packed his lunch today, and we're all set on groceries)

So far in December, not great, but not bad.

I need to try and really focus on no splurges or extras this week to keep on track with the budget for the month.

So thankful for the accountability and the company this month!

[nwmomof2]

1.  $42 groceries

2.  no spend, cleaned my kitchen and volunteered at preschool, so stayed out of stores today!

3.  $55 amazon xmas order, $3 coffee, $3 goodwill books, $11 children's museum parking and admission (had 2 free passes, so only paid for 1), $150 car emissions check and new registration tabs for 2 vehicles

4.  $11 food out

5.$21 groceries, $24 xmas

6.  $11 groceries, $8 Starbucks - Aargh! 

7.

8.

9.

10.

 budgeted spending

 1/10 no spend  

2/16 stay out of stores

0/5 items sold

groceries/food out $96/500 

xmas $79/150

$14/100 misc.

[Turquesa]

1: $32.00 in dog food.

2: $8.00 at LCS (local coffee shop), $10.50 budgeted lunch for family, $10.00 Christmas gifts.

3: $11.25 unplanned lunch out.  $40.00 additional holiday groceries. (HELP!  The spending is starting...)

4: $114.00 regular groceries

5:

6: $100.00 weight loss club, $38.00 in gas

7:

 

[SilverFish]

Originally Posted by Hollycrand 

Happy Birthday Silverfish!!

thanks hollycrand! i just realized, i owe you a pm.