~December~ No-Spend Challenge -- Is your shopping finished? Time to come join us! - Page 5

[SweetSilver]

This month I am adding some smaller goals.  I'm going to post them a day or three in advance, and I get a Happy Little Dude-icon if I make it.

Last month I had about 12 No-spend days , and a handful of budgeted spending days .  I'm not even going to try to make a goal about # of days this-or-that because of the uncertainties of Christmas shopping, but I need to avoid  days.

*************************************

Here's what actually happened:

12/1 Waldorf Winter Faire.  Cost went up--spent $35 .  Spent $8 on Christmas ornaments, so an itty-bitty .  Still, I packed lunch as planned, and made no other stops.  So I deserve something, and this little Bouncy-Dude is just right. 

12/2    No-spend day 

12/3    No spend day  Made that awesome, no-spend, handcrafted Christmas wreath you can see on post #29.

12/4  Groceries $92  Stuck to the lists!!   I just didn't make the very best lists.  

12/5  Groceries $34.  That's $126/ $156 for the week ending Friday.

12/6   Online Christmas shopping.  I get a Dancing Banana today, but I don't know how I'm going to stick the Christmas budget dh and I agreed on.  

12/7   Had about $30 in this week's food budget left to keep on target for the month, spent $29.34!!  Dinner at DQ tonight instead of tomorrow $16.

12/8     It had to happen sooner or later.  Groceries $89.  Hot chocolate stop $4.  Including last night's DQ $16, that puts us at $108 out of $156 for the week that just started!

*************************************************************

12/9  Christmas tree shopping.  I really should get my dancing banana here, but the tree that would have cost $25 last year, now costs $45.  I know that sounds super-cheap for a tree, if you lived anywhere else, but this is the Land of the Christmas Tree Farm.  This is where your Christmas trees come from, if you live somewhere they don't grow.  Dh cut the tree himself.  So, relatively speaking, THIS IS INSANE!!  WE ARE GETTING NICKELED AND DIMED LEFT AND RIGHT!  EVERYTHING IS MORE EXPENSIVE, AND BEING SELF-EMPLOYED, NEITHER OF US HAS HAD A RAISE IN 10 FREAKIN' YEARS!!!!!  10 FREAKIN' YEARS!!!!!  Meanwhile, we have been kicked off insurance, can't afford even the crappiest insurance and I just get angry about this stupid little shit that hits us every time.  I know, I know.  It's $20 stupid dollars.  It's a Christmas tree.  A luxury.  But what I'm angry about is that the cost of something has suddenly doubled in price and everything just gets tighter.  Everything has doubled in price and we can't raise our rates without losing business because everybody else is in the same damn boat.  Something has got to give somewhere.  I need a flippin' break.  I suppose I should bless my stars that we have any work, and I am, but it makes it damn hard.  Damn hard.  

Bah!  Humbug!

Here are the goals for the next 2 days:

12/10  This will be no-spend, for sure.

12/11    Probably some groceries.  A little bit of Christmas shopping.  Need some socks for the girls.  Hope those haven't doubled in price as well or I think I'm going to have a freakin' coronary which I can't afford to pay for.  I can't even have a flippin' heart attack without trading in my soul to pay for it.  

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Originally Posted by SweetSilver 

12/9  Christmas tree shopping.  I really should get my dancing banana here, but the tree that would have cost $25 last year, now costs $45.  I know that sounds super-cheap for a tree, if you lived anywhere else, but this is the Land of the Christmas Tree Farm.  This is where your Christmas trees come from, if you live somewhere they don't grow.  Dh cut the tree himself.  So, relatively speaking, THIS IS INSANE!!  WE ARE GETTING NICKELED AND DIMED LEFT AND RIGHT!  EVERYTHING IS MORE EXPENSIVE, AND BEING SELF-EMPLOYED, NEITHER OF US HAS HAD A RAISE IN 10 FREAKIN' YEARS!!!!!  10 FREAKIN' YEARS!!!!!  Meanwhile, we have been kicked off insurance, can't afford even the crappiest insurance and I just get angry about this stupid little shit that hits us every time.  I know, I know.  It's $20 stupid dollars.  It's a Christmas tree.  A luxury.  But what I'm angry about is that the cost of something has suddenly doubled in price and everything just gets tighter.  Everything has doubled in price and we can't raise our rates without losing business because everybody else is in the same damn boat.  Something has got to give somewhere.  I need a flippin' break.  I suppose I should bless my stars that we have any work, and I am, but it makes it damn hard.  Damn hard.  

  That sucks.  Especially coming now when it is your husband's "off" season. 

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom 

My goal for the month = 15 no-spend days 

My progress so far = 4 days

01..  $166 ski stuff

02.. 

03..  $8.50 bagels

04.. 

05.. 

06..  $215 Christmas

07.. 

08..  $35 eating out

09..

10..

11..

12..

13..

14..

15..  PAY OFF our 2nd Mortgage. 

[FillingMyQuiver]

Key

  No Spend/ Budgeted Spending

  Un-budgeted/ Unnecessary Spending

  Crafted for at least 30 minutes

1.  Unbudgeted lunch out, budgeted grocery shopping.

2.      Didn't go anywhere.  DH fixed a faulty outlet in the kitchen, then we put together our free bed frame.  This is how we need to spend our weekends, getting household projects done, NOT shopping.

3.      Bought the very last thing on the Christmas gift list (I've been watching zuliliy for it for weeks now), but it was budgeted.  There shouldn't be anymore spending happening today, hopefully raking and garden bed upkeep will get done instead.

4.      Budgeted spending today, but I feel   DS2 has a virus that ended us up in the dr's office (rash & fever), had to get him an Rx for some steroid cream for his flaring eczema, stopped at the grocery store and grabbed some quick things for dinner (thankfully there's money in the food budget).

5.      Stayed home, stayed away from online shopping, got a gnome for DD3 knit, will be working on more crafting after the rugrats go to bed.

6.      Stayed home again, no spending.  Lots of crafting for the holidays happening.

7.      REALLY wanted to get fast food for dinner but DH and I decided he'd make a quick run to the store instead.  $$ for groceries is in the budget, fast food isn't (especially when it's almost $40 for our family at McDs).  Made cookies with the kids for a cookie exchange I'm going to tomorrow.

8.      Cookie exchange and holiday crafting.  No spending.

9.      3 sick kids , $30 ordered pizza for dinner, totally unbudgeted.

7/20 No Spend Days

9/20 Crafting Days

[tealsmith83]

 = No spend/budgeted spend

 = Unbudgeted spend

1.    Breakfast out

2.    Lunch out after church

3.    Supper out tonight with a dear cousin who is going through a rough patch

4. 

5.    Man, this month is hard to get a grip on.  Supper out, husband made 2 purchases (one at school and one on-line). 

6. 

7. 

8.    Big spend!  Belated birthday party for DS, went to local water park.  DH did the shopping while I was out with DS and friends.  Had lots of stuff to get so big spend there too.

9.    Pizza for supper with MIL  only $12.00 but it still adds up.

10.  Today should be a no-spend...I'll post again later when I know for sure.

[SweetSilver]

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom 

  That sucks.  Especially coming now when it is your husband's "off" season. 

Thanks for the hug.  I felt better after the rant.  And, yes, it is because this is the off season.  Expenses go up, income slows down to practically non-existant in winter and I feel like Scrooge suddenly.  

[SweetSilver]

12/1 Waldorf Winter Faire.  Cost went up--spent $35 .  Spent $8 on Christmas ornaments, so an itty-bitty .  Still, I packed lunch as planned, and made no other stops.  So I deserve something, and this little Bouncy-Dude is just right. 

12/2    No-spend day 

12/3    No spend day  Made that awesome, no-spend, handcrafted Christmas wreath you can see on post #29.

12/4  Groceries $92  Stuck to the lists!!   I just didn't make the very best lists.  

12/5  Groceries $34.  That's $126/ $156 for the week ending Friday.

12/6   Online Christmas shopping.  I get a Dancing Banana today, but I don't know how I'm going to stick the Christmas budget dh and I agreed on.  

12/7   Had about $30 in this week's food budget left to keep on target for the month, spent $29.34!!  Dinner at DQ tonight instead of tomorrow $16.

12/8     It had to happen sooner or later.  Groceries $89.  Hot chocolate stop $4.  Including last night's DQ $16, that puts us at $108 out of $156 for the week that just started!

12/9  Christmas tree shopping.  Cost of trees doubled.  Ouch!

*************************************************************

12/10    No spend today.  Making bread today.  Made a big ol' pot of soupy beans, smoky with bacon.  Mmmmm.

Here are the goals for the next 3 days:

12/11    Some groceries.  A little bit of Christmas shopping.  Need some socks for the girls.  Well-child appt for dd2.

12/12  I work today, so a no-spend 

12/13  Probably a few more groceries

[micah_mae_]

12/1 We were traveling and I forgot to feed us breakfast before we left. Spent $15.

12/2 Today will be budgeted Christmas spending only.

12/3 Oil change and I'll spend about $10 on the way home. Tomorrow should be my first no spend day!

12/4 Ok so I spent about $95 on groceries which is $5 under budget even though $7 was unnecessary stuff and I spent $7 at starbucks because my kids pushed me to my coffee point. :(

12/5 I was good all day until I went through chick fil a. $17. I didn't even think about it! It was like...subconcious or something, afterwards I was like "NOOO, my no spend day!!!" Sigh.

Stuff I did to be frugal at home: We had oranges with breakfast and I had lemon water, I put all the peels in a big jar and covered with vinegar to make a citrus cleaning solution. We are also making granola bars for snacks and I'm using the leftover granola bar stuff to make a homemade cold cereal for me to snack on after the boys go to bed (bran flakes, dried blueberries, cranberries and strawberries, chopped almonds, coconut).

 

12/6 $5 on breakfast and I'm about to go to Wal Mart to get my 2 yo his own undies since he randomly decided to poop and pee on the potty today.

 

12/7 Well I'm traveling again today. I'm packing snacks and drinks for the boys and myself. I'll probably spend less than $3 on coffee/coke to stay awake. (It's 3.5 hours through central/west Texas..very boring and makes me literally fall asleep if I'm not careful).

Besides that though, no spend days will be plentiful do to the fact that we are out of money. :P

Oh I'm counting today as a no spend because the $3 will all be change scrounged up, not from the budget.

12/8 Today I'm at my parents house and they tend to pay for anything while we're here. It makes me feel silly since I'm a grown woman but right now I will be grateful and I'll pay them back as we go on.

 

12/9 $6.25 on drinks for my parents and me after church.

 

12/10  $10 traveling

 

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4/20 No spend days

 

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Key

Did something frugal at home

No spend

Budgeted spend

Unbudgeted Spend

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

 Good day today

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom 

My goal for the month = 15 no-spend days 

My progress so far = 5 days

01..  $166 ski stuff

02.. 

03..  $8.50 bagels

04.. 

05.. 

06..  $215 Christmas

07.. 

08..  $35 eating out

09.. 

10..

11..

12..

13..

14..

15..  PAY OFF our 2nd Mortgage. 

[SweetSilver]

Originally Posted by SweetSilver 

12/10    No spend today.  Making bread today.  Made a big ol' pot of soupy beans, smoky with bacon.  Mmmmm.

Or not making bread today.  Apparently putting up the tree takes half the day these days!  At least it doesn't cost anything to put the ornaments up.  And it looks lovely!  So happy we didn't need any new lights this year.  A couple of strings kept flashing, so there is a good possibility that one morning when we plug in the tree, both strings will fail.  Too late!  Everything is up and on and I am done.  

[FillingMyQuiver]

Key

  No Spend/ Budgeted Spending

  Un-budgeted/ Unnecessary Spending

  Crafted for at least 30 minutes

1.  Unbudgeted lunch out, budgeted grocery shopping.

2.      Didn't go anywhere.  DH fixed a faulty outlet in the kitchen, then we put together our free bed frame.  This is how we need to spend our weekends, getting household projects done, NOT shopping.

3.      Bought the very last thing on the Christmas gift list (I've been watching zuliliy for it for weeks now), but it was budgeted.  There shouldn't be anymore spending happening today, hopefully raking and garden bed upkeep will get done instead.

4.      Budgeted spending today, but I feel   DS2 has a virus that ended us up in the dr's office (rash & fever), had to get him an Rx for some steroid cream for his flaring eczema, stopped at the grocery store and grabbed some quick things for dinner (thankfully there's money in the food budget).

5.      Stayed home, stayed away from online shopping, got a gnome for DD3 knit, will be working on more crafting after the rugrats go to bed.

6.      Stayed home again, no spending.  Lots of crafting for the holidays happening.

7.      REALLY wanted to get fast food for dinner but DH and I decided he'd make a quick run to the store instead.  $$ for groceries is in the budget, fast food isn't (especially when it's almost $40 for our family at McDs).  Made cookies with the kids for a cookie exchange I'm going to tomorrow.

8.      Cookie exchange and holiday crafting.  No spending.

9.      3 sick kids , $30 ordered pizza for dinner, totally unbudgeted.

10.   Budgeted spending, placed my seed order for 2013's growing season.  Rest of the day I carried around a sick toddler. so NO crafting was done.

8/20 No Spend Days

9/20 Crafting Days

Tomorrow DS2 has an allergist appointment with skin testing.  There will be unbudgeted spending afterward when we head to WalMart for a toy as a reward.  Yes, I bribe my children sometimes.  If the bribe of a toy gets him to sit through a 3 hour allergist appointment with tiny needles pricking his arms, I'll gladly spend whatever money I need to.

[tealsmith83]

 = No spend/budgeted spend

 = Unbudgeted spend

1.    Breakfast out

2.    Lunch out after church

3.    Supper out tonight with a dear cousin who is going through a rough patch

4. 

5.    Man, this month is hard to get a grip on.  Supper out, husband made 2 purchases (one at school and one on-line). 

6. 

7. 

8.    Big spend!  Belated birthday party for DS, went to local water park.  DH did the shopping while I was out with DS and friends.  Had lots of stuff to get so big spend there too.

9.    Pizza for supper with MIL  only $12.00 but it still adds up.

10.   Budgeted spend...Christmas shopping for DH and a couple of extras for DS.  I have a Christmas budget every year.

[SweetSilver]

Originally Posted by FillingMyQuiver 

Tomorrow DS2 has an allergist appointment with skin testing.  There will be unbudgeted spending afterward when we head to WalMart for a toy as a reward.  Yes, I bribe my children sometimes.  If the bribe of a toy gets him to sit through a 3 hour allergist appointment with tiny needles pricking his arms, I'll gladly spend whatever money I need to.

Indeed.  We've been through that too many times.  Our bribe is a stick of rock candy from the candy store.  Despite what some people say, those tests hurt.  And then there's the waiting, and if there are reactions you are feeling crappy.  I need a reward just thinking about it!

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

I've got to stop with the christmas spending.  enough is enough.  We need to be done.

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom 

My goal for the month = 15 no-spend days 

My progress so far = 5 days

01..  $166 ski stuff

02.. 

03..  $8.50 bagels

04.. 

05.. 

06..  $215 Christmas

07.. 

08..  $35 eating out

09.. 

10..  $50 more Christmas

11..

12..

13..

14..

15..  PAY OFF our 2nd Mortgage. 

[FillingMyQuiver]

Originally Posted by SweetSilver 

Indeed.  We've been through that too many times.  Our bribe is a stick of rock candy from the candy store.  Despite what some people say, those tests hurt.  And then there's the waiting, and if there are reactions you are feeling crappy.  I need a reward just thinking about it!

I totally felt like I needed a reward afterward; my anxiety was through the roof and my pregnant, hormonal self was really worried.  BUT, on the upside, DS2 did GREAT!!  He sat in DH's lap and let the nurse do the test and we brought the laptop so he could watch a movie during the wait times and he didn't try to scratch anything.

On the downside, our food budget will be greatly affected from the results of the tests.  We need to go wheat-free, something that we use A LOT of as I bake most of the kids breakfasts.  And we need to limit his eggs (which we've been doing as he doesn't like them straight, but we use them in the baked goods.  His allergist thinks he may tolerate them in the baked goods BUT most of the wheat free baked good recipes increase the amount of eggs in them).

Key

  No Spend/ Budgeted Spending

  Un-budgeted/ Unnecessary Spending

  Crafted for at least 30 minutes

1.  Unbudgeted lunch out, budgeted grocery shopping.

2.      Didn't go anywhere.  DH fixed a faulty outlet in the kitchen, then we put together our free bed frame.  This is how we need to spend our weekends, getting household projects done, NOT shopping.

3.      Bought the very last thing on the Christmas gift list (I've been watching zuliliy for it for weeks now), but it was budgeted.  There shouldn't be anymore spending happening today, hopefully raking and garden bed upkeep will get done instead.

4.      Budgeted spending today, but I feel   DS2 has a virus that ended us up in the dr's office (rash & fever), had to get him an Rx for some steroid cream for his flaring eczema, stopped at the grocery store and grabbed some quick things for dinner (thankfully there's money in the food budget).

5.      Stayed home, stayed away from online shopping, got a gnome for DD3 knit, will be working on more crafting after the rugrats go to bed.

6.      Stayed home again, no spending.  Lots of crafting for the holidays happening.

7.      REALLY wanted to get fast food for dinner but DH and I decided he'd make a quick run to the store instead.  $$ for groceries is in the budget, fast food isn't (especially when it's almost $40 for our family at McDs).  Made cookies with the kids for a cookie exchange I'm going to tomorrow.

8.      Cookie exchange and holiday crafting.  No spending.

9.      3 sick kids , $30 ordered pizza for dinner, totally unbudgeted.

10.   Budgeted spending, placed my seed order for 2013's growing season.  Rest of the day I carried around a sick toddler. so NO crafting was done.

11.    Unbudgeted spending.  DS2's allergist appointment involved skin testing, we bribed him with a toy from WM ($24).  No plan for dinner, DH stopped at the store and picked up our first try at wheat free pasta and sauce ($13).

8/20 No Spend Days

9/20 Crafting Days

[meandk0610]

key:

no spend-     

budgeted spend-       

over budget or not budgeted-   

extra shift, freebee awesome deal-   

hung clothes on line-

12/1:   

12/2:   

12/3:

12/4:

12/5:

12/6:   never made it to walmart

12/7:   

12/8:  went to Costco unbudgeted but used a Costco cash card that i got back from having HVAC done in June.

12/9:

12/10: finally made it to walmart

12/11:  

[SweetSilver]

12/1 Waldorf Winter Faire.  Cost went up--spent $35 .  Spent $8 on Christmas ornaments, so an itty-bitty .  Still, I packed lunch as planned, and made no other stops.  So I deserve something, and this little Bouncy-Dude is just right. 

12/2    No-spend day 

12/3    No spend day  Made that awesome, no-spend, handcrafted Christmas wreath you can see on post #29.

12/4  Groceries $92  Stuck to the lists!!   I just didn't make the very best lists.  

12/5  Groceries $34.  That's $126/ $156 for the week ending Friday.

12/6   Online Christmas shopping.  I get a Dancing Banana today, but I don't know how I'm going to stick the Christmas budget dh and I agreed on.  

12/7   Had about $30 in this week's food budget left to keep on target for the month, spent $29.34!!  Dinner at DQ tonight instead of tomorrow $16.

12/8     It had to happen sooner or later.  Groceries $89.  Hot chocolate stop $4.  Including last night's DQ $16, that puts us at $108 out of $156 for the week that just started!

12/9  Christmas tree shopping.  Cost of trees doubled.  Ouch!

12/10    No spend today.  Made a big ol' pot of soupy beans, smoky with bacon.  Mmmmm.  And cheap!

*************************************************************

12/11    Errand day/ Well-child appt.  I am back in the groove!!  The only thing that could have been sweeter would have been if the girls' socks were on sale BUT I had a Rewards coupon, my Rewards Card rebate, another coupon for toys the girls bought with their allowance, Christmas cards 40% off.  I resisted buying a box of Zbars, and bought just the 2 we needed for snacks today.  Bought peppermints and butterscotches for treats.  I bought a bag in bulk, but I have been known to pick out 2 candies a piece.  Groceries, including snacks and treats, came in under $20; the whole shebang, including the toys, which I really shouldn't be counting because it's their money, all came in under $45.

I packed lunches and snacks.  I had to avoid feeling like I needed to stop for fries, or buy expensive snacks at the stores.  I didn't load the cart up with sale items.  I bought 2 sale juices (organic--the girls are used to waiting until some are on sale and there is always something they like) and one loaf of bread, making sure that sale lasted through December.  Just writing, I feel like I need an extra bouncy-dude-icon, so here she is: 

Phew!  I needed a day like today.  That leaves us $25 left for the week to keep track with our monthly food/eat-out budget ($800).  We might squeak by.  Tomorrow is a no-spend day.  That leaves Thursday and Friday.  

Here are the goals for the next 3 days:

12/12  I work today, so a no-spend 

12/13  Probably a few more groceries

12/14  This should be a no-spend

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

I've mentally made two more goals -- no going into stores and no more buying for Christmas.  We have everything we need. 

Today should be a good day -- I have to work and the car is still in the shop so no driving anywhere.

I hope to be back on here later with another no spend under my belt

[wildmonkeys]

Can I join in here? I feel like my/our family spending has really gotten out of control lately and I really need some support and encouragement.  I need to readjust our spending divert some of the money we have been wasting into savings for some big expenses we have looming. We probably will need a new roof and a new furnace within the next 3 years and my oldest starts college in 51/2 years.  We also saved up a emergency fund and have spent some of it recently because of expensive dental work.

I am going to try not to spend, but my goals are also going to be making reasonable meals at home, turning the thermostat down, and finding deals on some things we really need. I haven't been on here in awhile and I feel like we have sort of lost our way financially.

12/12/12 - As good a day for a new beginning as any!

[micah_mae_]

12/1  We were traveling and I forgot to feed us breakfast before we left. Spent $15.

12/2  Today will be budgeted Christmas spending only.

12/3  Oil change and I'll spend about $10 on the way home. Tomorrow should be my first no spend day!

12/4  Ok so I spent about $95 on groceries which is $5 under budget even though $7 was unnecessary stuff and I spent $7 at starbucks because my kids pushed me to my coffee point. :(

12/5  I was good all day until I went through chick fil a. $17. I didn't even think about it! It was like...subconcious or something, afterwards I was like "NOOO, my no spend day!!!" Sigh.

Stuff I did to be frugal at home: We had oranges with breakfast and I had lemon water, I put all the peels in a big jar and covered with vinegar to make a citrus cleaning solution. We are also making granola bars for snacks and I'm using the leftover granola bar stuff to make a homemade cold cereal for me to snack on after the boys go to bed (bran flakes, dried blueberries, cranberries and strawberries, chopped almonds, coconut).

 

12/6  $5 on breakfast and I'm about to go to Wal Mart to get my 2 yo his own undies since he randomly decided to poop and pee on the potty today.

 

12/7  Well I'm traveling again today. I'm packing snacks and drinks for the boys and myself. I'll probably spend less than $3 on coffee/coke to stay awake. (It's 3.5 hours through central/west Texas..very boring and makes me literally fall asleep if I'm not careful).

Besides that though, no spend days will be plentiful do to the fact that we are out of money. :P

Oh I'm counting today as a no spend because the $3 will all be change scrounged up, not from the budget.

12/8 Today I'm at my parents house and they tend to pay for anything while we're here. It makes me feel silly since I'm a grown woman but right now I will be grateful and I'll pay them back as we go on.

 

12/9 $6.25 on drinks for my parents and me after church.

 

12/10  $10 traveling

 

12/11 Bought $45 in groceries. $10 in gas. $15 in eating out. I made almond milk for the first time. I'm not sure about it. 

 

12/12  Staying home today. It's cold and I need to clean. Hubby is coming home tomorrow or Friday from a 2 month TDY out of state.

 

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4/20 No spend days

 

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Key

 Did something frugal at home

 No spend

 Budgeted spend

 Unbudgeted Spend