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November No-Spend Challenge ~ Don't let little purchases gobble gobble up your savings. - Page 2

post #21 of 243
Thread Starter 

Very exciting time, Kristin!!!!  Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 

 

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by greenmamato2 View Post

1.  I'm Kristin!  I'll be joining in again this month.  I am a working mama of 3 (our boy - child #3 - is due to be born one week from today).  slingboy.gif  

post #22 of 243
Thread Starter 

Wallet is still in the filing cabinet. 

 

My game plan for the day is to clean clean clean my house -- usually cleaning helps me realize that I do not want to buy any more stuff because then I'd have to clean it.

 

I really would like to earn another thumb.gif no spend day to get my month off to a solid start. 

 

Plenty of food in the house, everyone has the clothes they need, Christmas is two months away -- today could easily be a no-spend.  I just have to work on it.

post #23 of 243

11/1: no spend shine.gif

 

Today should be no spend also.  Tomorrow is going to be a budgeted spending day.

post #24 of 243
  1. thumb.gif   Woohoo - day 1 off to a good start.  Budgeted spend evening with my grandmother.

 

Today should be no-spend...Fingers crossed!

post #25 of 243
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom View Post

Yes!

 

 

LOL, I usually start off well, it's as the month goes on that I get twitchy for spending.  Hopefully with 3 birthdays this month and a trip to the ILs for Thanksgiving, I'll be super distracted from spending anything.

post #26 of 243

I really need to join too! I am Ruth, a SAHM and student parent to 3. It's been a really expensive year so far (I got married and there were also 2 other family weddings and 2 new babies to welcome) so we really need to stick to our budget and get our debts paid off.

 My biggest downfall is a certain local shop which I am going to try and avoid going into more than once a week. All the stuff in there is a good price and useful but I can do without about 80% of it! I also need to make sure I plan meals and cook at home. This time of year tends to throw up problems as I get horribly insecure and end up massively overspending on presents. I am determined not to go down that road this year!

 

 Our financial goals are to stick to budget over the holiday period, be debt free (other than student loans) in 5 years and to have saved enough for a house deposit. We should be able to do all that if we stick to our plan and our car can manage to go more than 3 months without something expensive falling off (would be a pleasant change...).

joy.gif - no spend thumb.gif - budgeted spend smile.gif - cooked proper meals crochetsmilie.gif - crafted something for Christmas yummy.gif - Ate planned meals irked.gif - over spent/wasted money

 

01 - thumb.gif Had brunch out with the kids - a school holiday tradition in our house!

02 - thumb.gif Food shopping

03 -  irked.gif Forgot to take lunch to a class in the city so bought a sandwich and coffee

04 -  irked.gif Overspent in the supermarket


Edited by Rainbow2911 - 11/4/12 at 6:45am
post #27 of 243

11/1) Errand day, so no-spend not possible, but we managed to get out of Trader Joe's under $30 and the co-op under $50.  Nothing unplanned or extravagant or unnecessary.  Oops but the Gentle Floss is on sale--that stuff is expensive.  Bought 3.  Good idea?  Hmmmmm.......  Also let the girls have a "juice-pop" each.  Cheap thrills.  And they didn't whine about a "no treats!" day, considering we just hosted 2 birthday parties, plus went trick-or-treating.

 

I managed to pass by the coffee stand, my weekly TJ's treat, AND that chocolate croissant coo-cooing at me through the co-op bakery shelf.  thumb.gif  Gave $20 for a DVD from their riding instructor, intended as part of dd2's birthday presents.

 

Got home and was presented with last month's Visa bill.  bigeyes.gif  Ouch.  We are in deep doo-doo.

 

11/2)  Staying home today, so no chance to spend, except if dh stops for something.  Same for the weekend, so I'm going to have good faith and add those too, in good faith and as a bit of a challenge.  I'll check back in Monday because I think dh needs to stop by the grocery store for a couple of things.

 

11/3)  Staying home and away from stores

11/4)  Staying home, no spending predicted-- ???????

 

Food bill so far this month, including Azure Standard order, is $164.  Trying to keep it under $750 this month (all-organic groceries, plus eating out included in this total).


Edited by SweetSilver - 11/2/12 at 9:28am
post #28 of 243
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom View Post

01..  thumb.gif

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My goal = 20 No Spend Days

My progress =  2 thumb.gif days so far

post #29 of 243

a. Who you are - orangemomma, 40-something, WOHM part-time momma to a teen and a toddler

b. Where you are going (your financial goals) My goals for November are to stay current with my bills - Dave Ramsey pre-step 0.8. I also want to find some cash for Christmas.

c. How you plan to get there - stick to the budget, pick up any extra shifts that come my way, try to sell some unused toys at consignment shop. I wonder if I would make more $$ selling on craigslist?? Trouble is I don't have a camera to take pix to post of the stuff I might have available.

 

11/1 - no spend

11/2 gas for car, paid bills - budgeted both

post #30 of 243

a. Who you are - pickle18, SAHM to an awesome toddler love.gif makin' it work on one income

b. Where you are going (your financial goals) - major goal is financing some overdue, pretty big home repairs.  Beyond that, savings and remaining student loans.

c. How you plan to get there - cutting back (version 2.0) on expenses, setting a solid budget.  We've made tons of cuts so I can be at home, we love thrift stores & I'm trying to do better about meal-planning and using all our (often organic) produce.  We don't go out to eat, buy fancy beer/coffee, etc.  No hobby expenses.  No cable.  Usually only extra expense if it's something that will prove to save money (ex. mama cloth), and even then, we are bargain hunters.  Would like to cut out/make some of our processed snacks (cereal, granola bars, crackers) and make even more frugal, tasty meals that are cheaper than our fall-back canned soup or frozen entrees.  Could certainly use even more restraint in buying things for DS.  We have also considered selling some of our old baby things, like orangemomma mentioned, but I always feel guilty, that we should just donate it...(DH doesn't have this hang-up, haha!)

 

I was really proud on Halloween - we got DS' costume last year for $5 on craigslist, and I made DH's & my costume the day of for $7 total (and that includes real clothes we can still wear).  Just took some scrap felt, old makeup, leftover Easter bunny ears, safety pins, and a diaper insert ROTFLMAO.gif.

 

love.gif - extra thrifty

thumb.gif - no spend

smile.gif - normal expense

greensad.gif - unplanned extra

 

1. smile.gif groceries

2. thumb.gif

 

edited for ridiculous typos

post #31 of 243

11/1: no spend shine.gif

11/2: no spend shine.gif

post #32 of 243

Key

 

thumb.gif  No spend/ budgeted spending

irked.gif  Unbudgeted spending

knit.gif  Crafted for at least 30 minutes

 

 

1.  thumb.gif  knit.gif  Starting the month off right orngbiggrin.gif

2.  thumb.gif  knit.gif 

post #33 of 243
11.1 $11 eating out
11.2 No spend!
post #34 of 243

thumb.gif Budgeted         greensad.gif Not Budgeted/went over      joy.gifSaved $, got freebee, paid something off, worked an extra shift        hang.gif   hung clothes out         

 

November
1.  DD2 sport workshop $62 thumb.gif  Working an extra shift tonight joy.gif    and just   hang.gif

2   No spend day! I resisted getting lunch out after school.  Instead I came home and made eggs & toast. I hung 2 loads of laundry hang.gif  Picked up extra shift joy.gif

3    No spend day!  hang.gif

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post #35 of 243

11/1: no spend shine.gif

11/2: no spend shine.gif

11/3: budgeted spending thumb.gif Costco $130 (once a month trip), Grocery store $42, Stamps $9, Gas $33

 

Hoping to make the rest of the weekend no spend! :)

post #36 of 243

Thank you so much Crunchy*VT*Mom!!  We're really excited, and just waiting every day for our little guy to arrive. :)

 

Yesterday was a "mostly" no-spend day.  We did spend, but it was from $ we weren't expecting and that was in addition to our regular budget.  Mom gave us $10 for a dryer that was selling for that much on Craigslist.  Hubby drove to pick it up, which did cost us a bit in gas, but reasonable, and the dryer works!!  Mom also paid me back $40 from part of a loan from last month, so we used that to go out on our respite night last night and have dinner.  Instead of going out somewhere else after (like the movies, or shopping) we went to a friends house and just hung out. :)

 

Today hubby is driving to go pick up a matching $10 dryer for mom (mom is paying).  I need to go to the store if I can muster the energy, and get some groceries, but not much.  I need to find things that are easy for people to grab and feed the kids this week since we don't know when we'll be having the baby and I don't want anyone to have to cook for them while we're at the hospital.  I'll be going to the discount mart for a lot of it, and our regular grocer only for things I can either get on WIC or need out of the refrigerated section. 

 

I am working on finishing up a pair of knitted baby-legs for our little guy to wear  home from the hospital. The yarn was a freebie from a friend, so I am thrilled with that as well.  I'm also thinking about making some pumpkin bread for everyone to have while we're in the hospital. I might make a double batch to have some in the freezer for after we get home too.  We have all the ingredients on hand - including fresh pumpkin that I roasted, pureed, and froze LAST halloween with our many big pumpkins. :)

post #37 of 243
Thread Starter 

Spent a big hunk of money today.  I'm trying to get all my Christmas shopping done by Thanksgiving week and I've ~almost~ finished.  A few more purchases and I'll be done.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom View Post

01..  thumb.gif

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03..  $195 Christmas presents

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My goal = 20 No Spend Days

My progress =  2 thumb.gif days so far

post #38 of 243
Thread Starter 

Welcome aboard, new no spenders!

post #39 of 243

love.gif - extra thrifty

thumb.gif - no spend

smile.gif - normal expense

greensad.gif - unplanned extra

shake.gif - poor choice

knit.gif - crafted / christmas presents made

 -

I'm a WOHM , married with 1 almost 6 year old kid. Whew.

 

Goal: No spend except for 1 gallon milk, a few fresh vegetables (garden is still putting out lettuce, chard, beets, but houseguest eats a SAD diet and I want him to have something for Sunday and Monday!) and cheap turkeys at the end of the month!

 

I'm here because

November 1: greensad.gif bought a new car! Yay!!!! (not really, our car just broke down and we had to get something... sucks)

November 2: thumb.gif $0

November 3: shake.gif $26 for lunch out with houseguest. Not doing that again.

November 4: ... let's see what the future brings!

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Grrrrr... Wish me luck....
 

post #40 of 243
Quote:

No spend =  joy.gif

Budgeted spend = thumb.gif

Unbudgeted spend =  irked.gif

 

1.thumb.gif      Supper with my grandmother

2.joy.gif    No spend!  Yay me!  

3.irked.gif        Oh well...can't be good every day...

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