January No Spend Challenge~ Ringing in the New Year with $$ in our Pockets!!! - Page 12

[micah_mae_]

Key:

No Spend/Paying Bills 

Budgeted Spend 

Unbudgeted Spend 

Did Something Frugal at Home 

**14/25 No Spend/Budgeted Spend Days**

**$180/$180 Grocery/Med Budget**

December 28:  Paid rent, electric, water, adt, credit card and van payment for $1,232. But our van payment is now current so we're current on all bills! 

December 29:  We'll be spending the day with the inlaws. 

December 30:  Budgeted spend on pizza, we got home from out of town at dinner time and I needed to buy groceries! We also got some snacks for the road but my dad had given us "coke money" for the trip (I had gone to the store for him and he told me to keep the change).

December 31:  Ah groceries. I spent $150 almost even on food, herbs, meds and wipies. My DH will be going to the other store here in a bit to get our milk and produce. My unbudgeted spend was a pair of sweat pants on sale for the little one who didn't have any (and it's cold enough he needs warm pants around the house). They were $4. I also got 3 packs of toss and go sippy cups for $6.

January 1:  Well I was going to send DH to the post office but it's closed, so no spend!

January 2:  Found out that when my dentist talked me into a "deep clean" it turned me into a periodontal patient and my insurance doesn't cover all periodontal cleanings so I have to go every 3 months to be tortured and can't stop being a periodontal patient until I "get better". Sigh. $30 copay for that today. $9 for stamps. $22 for paper kitchen items (plates/bowls/etc) and tissues because I'm trying to get over the flu and can't keep up with the house. Sigh.

January 3:   I'm still getting over the flu and now DH has gastroenteritis (Lord help us) so another day inside until we have speech therapy at 1:30. We only have $50 left and I'm not touching it! Next pay period will be more challenging because I'll have more $$ available which makes it harder not to spend it! For my frugal thing done at home I made a quadruple batch of steel cut oats for breakfast and divided it into qt sized jars for quick breakfasts later this week. :)

January 4:  Alright..*shame* I'll put the worst things first: Movie for the boys $10, donuts for breakfast $7 and workbooks from targets dollar section because we haven't been able to afford our home school curriculum yet $4. I also got floss (the string kind since the stick kind I've been using apparently don't work well) $3 and instant potatoes $4. Now to go hide in shame.

January 5:  My oldest is autistic and tends to obsess over things. Lately it's been Christmas lights. Tonight is the last night that we have a local light display, it's 5.5 miles of lights. We have been at least 5 times since Thanksgiving. So I took the boys tonight and I don't feel bad. :) $10 So usually we eat oatmeal 3-4 times a week and sweeten it with maple syrup. Well real maple syrup is expensive, so today I cooked 3/4 c frozen berries with 1/4 c water and 2 T maple syrup. Blended it all together and voila, healthier "pink" oatmeal even yummier and cheaper. 

January 6:  Staying home today..marriage drama, 30 weeks pregnant, a 2 yo and a 4 yo..I'm worn out. :(

January 7:  Today is my birthday and I'm feeling kind of down so I've decided that I want to go to starbucks later and get a tall drink and wander Target by myself for some peace. :) And my mom just told me she wants to send me an "e-gift card" so I don't have to buy it myself so yay! A no spend day! The e-giftcard thing is cool, you can email someone a giftcard and they just print it off and use it like a regular gift card!

January 8:  Not much to tell! 

January 9:  Staying home today, it's cold and rainy. I think I'll make a big batch of breakfast food later.

January 10:  Got some birthday money and got a couple things for myself and the boys but since it's not budgeted I'm not counting it. We also got enough for a year membership to the childrens museum so I'll be buying that on Monday!

January 11:  Doing these next few days in advance, we'll be staying home except for church on Sunday and nothing to buy there!

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[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Spent another small fortune on groceries...but I don't count food.  So its looking like I'm on a no-spend roll!

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom 

My Goal = 15  No-Spend days

My progress = 9 No-spend day so far

01..  $258 lessons for the kids

02.. 

03.. 

04.. 

05..  $40.09  Date Night

06.. 

07.. 

08.. 

09.. 

10.. 

11.. 

12..

13..

14..

15..

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20..

[wildmonkeys]

So, I didn't keep track day by day, but I just skimmed the thread - good job everyone.

Sorry about the gas Luvourbabies - my husband does that with groceries and it drives me nuts!!!

I did great this week  I went grocery shopping based on meal plans on Tuesday $130 including lots of shampoo, tooth paste, medicine, etc. and did great frugal/healthy dinners all week.  I did no other spending  stayed home and worked a lot, took the kids to their activities and went for a few long runs when I was itchy to get out.

In bad news - one of my ds2 prescriptions has gone up to $67!!! It usually lasts him about 4 months, but it used to be $14 so this is a huge hit.  I have to put a call into the Dr. next week and see if she can find something else that will work.

Have a great weekend everyone!

[FillingMyQuiver]

Key

  No Spend/ Budgeted Spending

  Unbudgeted/ Unnecessary Spending

  Crafted for at least 30 minutres

1.    Not exactly how I wanted to start the year/ month, but all well.  Another $200 spent at Home Depot for more shelving for my kids' rooms, $40 spent at the grocery store while we continue to wrap our head around the food allergies.

2. 

3. 

4. 

5.    $$ bought DDs's birthday cake and ice cream for DS2.  Blew up the birth pool, gathered birth supplies, & put crib together.

6.    $75 at Home Depot.  Shelves are working out so well in the kids' rooms, DH and I decided to put some in our room.  Making split pea soup for after birth from a ham bone my mom saved.

7.      Frugal accomplishments for today:  started cutting out cloth wipes to sew for new baby, packed all our snacks and brought our water bottles to the 3hr meeting today that I had to take the kids w/ me to, cooked dinner at home even though I was exhausted after my meeting, including greens from our garden we have in a low tunnel, pulled out next size up clothes from storage for DD2 and DD3 (still need to go through DD3's drawers to pull out too small clothing, hopefully tomorrow)

8.    $17 spent at grocery store for milk, pasta, and a jar of sauce (not frugal, I usually make my own sauce, but hey, we didn't eat out ).  Frugal accomplishments for today:  went through DD3's clothes, separated all of the clothes I've pulled from the drawers the last few weeks and started a donation bag, raked half my front yard and moved the leaves into the garden beds, dug a trench and buried 5 gallons of kitchen scraps in one of the beds, brought our change to the coinstar machine and got an amazon gift card.

9.    $6 on an amazon grocery order for soy free chocolate chips, sorghum flour, and chia seeds.  Frugal accomplishments for today: used amazon gift card from yesterday for majority of amazon order, cut DS2's hair, ate all meals and snacks out of the pantry/ freezer

10.     Planned food shopping list for Saturday, cut cloth wipes from upcycled flannel sheet and towels, DH picked up our bulk foods co-op order last night so I was able to make a loaf of gluten-free bread  for lunch and muffins for breakfast, also eating dinner at home, started taxes, opened windows in house to get some fresh air in (we're in a warm streak), took the end of the loaf of bread I made and set it aside to make gluten free bread crumbs

11.    DH made a pretty big purchase today.  We put it on our CC and will pay it off next month b/c it was a last minute, completely unbudgeted purchase.  Also bought some groceries.  Frugal accomplishments for today: wintersowed 5 containers (3 onions and 2 broccoli) using seed starting soil from last year and jugs I've been saving.

8/ 20 No Spend Days

2/ 20 Crafting Days

[FillingMyQuiver]

double post

[FillingMyQuiver]

triple post

[SweetSilver]

/ = Excellent

 /  = Not so good

 / = Very, very bad

12.31    Errand day.  Groceries/ eat out= $55/ $18/ $28    Forgot to record library fines--  22 DOLLARS!

1.1    No spend.  Staying home.  Nothing's open.  But I'm taking it anyway.

1.2   Happy Veggie for now, because we kept snack and treat purchases to a minimum.  Azure Standard order.  Co-op stop.  

1.3    Stop at Burgerville for dd2--she ate 5 fries, I ate a burger and fries.  Oh well.  DH took dd1 out for a taco.  $20

1.4    Just groceries, but not sure how I'm doing so far.  

1.5   No spend.  Stayed home.

1.6    Took away my reward for a no-spend because 1/2 of a stewed chicken was wasted, entirely avoidable.  

1.7  Hopefully the start to a better week. Added $7 to the FUNfund with the girls' leftover treat budget for the week.  Making bread; made my pot of smoky-bacon-y soupy beans.

1.8  Even though this was a big spend day, I'm giving myself this Happy Carrot because I stuck to the lists, and the girls stuck to their weekly treat allowance.  Only one entirely unplanned but not unwelcome purchase-- a new sudoku book for the girls to share, $6.

1.9    Basic groceries, but they keep coming.  Not sure how I'm doing yet.

1.10  Couple of forgotten groceries.  Can't find receipt--less than $20.  Thrift store $30.  Wool socks $16.  New battery for an old digital camera.    Dairy Queen, $13, because I messed up and we drove 40 minutes to what I thought was an open swim at the Y.  

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

1.11    Last of the forgotten groceries.  Totaled $203 for the week.  Not bad.  Could have been waaaaay better.  Added another $7 to the FUNfund again.  DD1 is really excited--we have saved $24 in 3 weeks.

Will I hit my goal?  Will I earn another Happy Veggie?  I'm getting my lists together to try to be more organized next week.

Basic groceries= $430

Snacks and treats and eating out= $105

Groceries for homemade treats and celebrations= $33

=$568.00/ $920 for 5 weeks ending Sunday, 2.3

[sk8boarder15]

January Spending. 

NO SPEND - 

Budgeted Spending - 

Unquieted Spending - 

Dec 29 - 

Dec 30- 

Dec 31 - 

Jan 1-    

Jan 2 - 

Jan 3 - 

Jan 4- 

Jan 5 - 

Jan 6 - 

Jan 7- 

Jan 8 - 

Jan 9- 

Jan 10 - 

Jan 11 - 

Yesterday was FINALLY another no spend day!!! YAY!!! Today we are doing our one meal a week out and ordering pizza. Though we are forgoing the appitizers and sides to save money. JUST one medium pizza. 

[JunebugsMom]

1/11

 $58.43 on gas (this was budgeted) and $2.50 on popcorn for the kids.  ugh.  I really need to get better about having lots of snacks in the car.

frugal things I did today: made a very inexpensive dinner of baked beans (made from dry), gf cornbread, and salad.  I also resisted the urge to buy myself a coffee.

[LoveOurBabies]

Originally Posted by micah_mae_ 

I would fix his least favorite frugal dinners for the next few days and if he complains remind him why you can't buy food. 

Hehe.. He has been having cereal for breakfast and lunch and then a small plate of food for dinner.

Originally Posted by Ruthiegirl 

Oh mama, I am so sorry.  My hardest moments are when dh and I are not communicating well and our plans go awry.  Will your kids eat potatoes?  I know it is lean, but with a bag of potatoes I see the makings of frittata, baked potatoes and beans, tuna casserole, fried eggs and potatoes for breakfast...I know it gets tough when kids are gluten free.  

Thanks mama! My kids love potatoes.. Thank you for the great ideas I've put some of them into place.. I've got potatoes baking in the oven right now to go alongside dinner (fried rice), will make some with egg tomorrow for breakfast/lunch and some with minced beef on monday for lunch/dinner.

Originally Posted by GarciaFamily 

I don't know whether to laugh (out of pain) or cry for you. I have been here before. While you make him cook the frugal meals with the stuff you have and do the dishes, as well as cleaning the bathroom, can you take his car and sell some books or something? Food shelf is another option. I wish I could teleport you some of my beans and things  . Any friends/family who could give you some food stuffs? 

Prayers for you darlin'!!!

Thank you for the prayers! I think they worked We were given a couple of bags of frozen veg from family close by (part of which I'm using tonight) and also found $10 in change from random spots, so we've been able to just pull through on all meals..

Originally Posted by JunebugsMom 

ugh, that is so frustrating, especially when you are working so hard on the budget.  maybe you can tell us what you have in your fridge and freezer and we can help you get creative with meals?  One thing off the top of my head is fried rice.  It's good for using up leftovers bits and pieces of veggies and meat.

Thank you mama! It's very frustrating to feel like you're working alone, which is how I feel lately Most days I'm going without and working hard to save every dollar.. Then what is saved, is carelessly used by another. Thank you for the fried rice idea - We are having it tonight.

Originally Posted by wildmonkeys 

Sorry about the gas Luvourbabies - my husband does that with groceries and it drives me nuts!!!

Thank you! I'm sorry to hear about your dh doing the same thing.

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Today will be a tough day.  I'm trying to hold firm and STAY OUT OF THE STORES.

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Subbing...

[Ruthiegirl]

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom 

Today will be a tough day.  I'm trying to hold firm and STAY OUT OF THE STORES.

Me to.  Weekends are hard.  Hang tough mama!

[Ruthiegirl]

Holding steady though we had an unexpected expense last night -- the kitchen faucet cracked and started leaking everywhere.  When dh looked under the sink, he found the drain pipe also cracked and leaking.  So, $57 and a lot of labor time for my husband and we are back in business.  

I was secretly hoping to get a haircut today, but this leaves us with very little cash from now till next Friday, so I guess the haircut will wait a week or more.  It has been about 8 months and my hair is starting to look really ratty -- I'll just keep it pulled back for a while yet.  Anyone cut hair?  I would gladly let a friend trim it if I knew anyone around here who was willing.  My friends all think I am insane when I ask them to cut my hair.  Really folks, I am super low maintenance and anything would look better than what I have now.  

Fingers crossed for a no spend day.  We are cleaning this morning and have a showing this afternoon.  We are planning a trip to the playground during the showing.  Fingers crossed that we will get an offer soon.  That's a lot of finger crossing!

  No spend

  Budgeted spend

   Unbudgeted Spend

  Do something frugal at home

January 1 --     lowered temperature on hot water heater

January 2 --    $10.50 food at airport    soaked beans for dh and kids

January 3 -- 

January 4 -- 

January 5 --   

January 6 --   $3 tea at airport

January 7 --   well baby check up    soaking more beans for meals, lowered heat 2 degrees

January 8 --     delayed our grocery shopping for another day

January 9 --     delayed our grocery shopping for yet another day

January 10 --   grocery shopping 

January 11 --     shut down the heat due to warm temps

January 12 --     dh repaired kitchen faucet

January 13

January 14

January 15

January 16

January 17

January 18  PAYDAY

My goals:

Save 50% of Jan 4th paycheck -- done!

Save 20% of Jan 18th paycheck

Do something frugal every day

Make every dollar matter

[SweetSilver]

1.12    No spend this weekend.  

1.13    

One thing that has been a very frugal, good thing to do is to cultivate a home practice for yoga instead of trying to afford classes and spending gas money getting to class (a nearly 30-mile round-trip drive).  I've been doing sun salutations every morning-- I did 16 today!  Keeping it simple.  Some days I do yoga from videos as well, and getting in an amazing walk down our dirt road, out to the main road, around the hill to our friend's property, up and over the hill through the forest.  That's about 1.5 hours, with a huge hill nearly at the end.  If I could just make this a habit for 4-5 days per week, but at least I'm getting in my sun salutations 6 days a week, at least 10 of them.  I have a wish-goal of doing 100 on the Solstice with other yoginis.

Today, I will take the girls, each in their turn, over the hill and down to this friend's farm and back up.  That will be twice for me, and I will get some alone time with each of them.  

I feel stronger, and my ss's are feeling easier most days.  I just wish this would show up on the bathroom scale and in the way my jeans fit!  (I love yoga for spiritual reasons as well, but I am still very much a Westerner.  )

[micah_mae_]

Key:

No Spend/Paying Bills 

Budgeted Spend 

Unbudgeted Spend 

Did Something Frugal at Home 

**14/25 No Spend/Budgeted Spend Days**

**$180/$180 Grocery/Med Budget**

December 28:  Paid rent, electric, water, adt, credit card and van payment for $1,232. But our van payment is now current so we're current on all bills! 

December 29:  We'll be spending the day with the inlaws. 

December 30:  Budgeted spend on pizza, we got home from out of town at dinner time and I needed to buy groceries! We also got some snacks for the road but my dad had given us "coke money" for the trip (I had gone to the store for him and he told me to keep the change).

December 31:  Ah groceries. I spent $150 almost even on food, herbs, meds and wipies. My DH will be going to the other store here in a bit to get our milk and produce. My unbudgeted spend was a pair of sweat pants on sale for the little one who didn't have any (and it's cold enough he needs warm pants around the house). They were $4. I also got 3 packs of toss and go sippy cups for $6.

January 1:  Well I was going to send DH to the post office but it's closed, so no spend!

January 2:  Found out that when my dentist talked me into a "deep clean" it turned me into a periodontal patient and my insurance doesn't cover all periodontal cleanings so I have to go every 3 months to be tortured and can't stop being a periodontal patient until I "get better". Sigh. $30 copay for that today. $9 for stamps. $22 for paper kitchen items (plates/bowls/etc) and tissues because I'm trying to get over the flu and can't keep up with the house. Sigh.

January 3:   I'm still getting over the flu and now DH has gastroenteritis (Lord help us) so another day inside until we have speech therapy at 1:30. We only have $50 left and I'm not touching it! Next pay period will be more challenging because I'll have more $$ available which makes it harder not to spend it! For my frugal thing done at home I made a quadruple batch of steel cut oats for breakfast and divided it into qt sized jars for quick breakfasts later this week. :)

January 4:  Alright..*shame* I'll put the worst things first: Movie for the boys $10, donuts for breakfast $7 and workbooks from targets dollar section because we haven't been able to afford our home school curriculum yet $4. I also got floss (the string kind since the stick kind I've been using apparently don't work well) $3 and instant potatoes $4. Now to go hide in shame.

January 5:  My oldest is autistic and tends to obsess over things. Lately it's been Christmas lights. Tonight is the last night that we have a local light display, it's 5.5 miles of lights. We have been at least 5 times since Thanksgiving. So I took the boys tonight and I don't feel bad. :) $10 So usually we eat oatmeal 3-4 times a week and sweeten it with maple syrup. Well real maple syrup is expensive, so today I cooked 3/4 c frozen berries with 1/4 c water and 2 T maple syrup. Blended it all together and voila, healthier "pink" oatmeal even yummier and cheaper. 

January 6:  Staying home today..marriage drama, 30 weeks pregnant, a 2 yo and a 4 yo..I'm worn out. :(

January 7:  Today is my birthday and I'm feeling kind of down so I've decided that I want to go to starbucks later and get a tall drink and wander Target by myself for some peace. :) And my mom just told me she wants to send me an "e-gift card" so I don't have to buy it myself so yay! A no spend day! The e-giftcard thing is cool, you can email someone a giftcard and they just print it off and use it like a regular gift card!

January 8:  Not much to tell! 

January 9:  Staying home today, it's cold and rainy. I think I'll make a big batch of breakfast food later.

January 10:  Got some birthday money and got a couple things for myself and the boys but since it's not budgeted I'm not counting it. We also got enough for a year membership to the childrens museum so I'll be buying that on Monday!

January 11:  Doing these next few days in advance, we'll be staying home except for church on Sunday and nothing to buy there!

January 12:  A friend gave me her extra bountiful basket! I'm trying to keep my kids out of it so I can make strawberry/carrot muffins for snack. :)

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[melissel]

Not a great two days--spent on lunch with friends after a homeschool field trip on Thursday and bagels for the mamas and lunch for my girls (ran out of time to make lunch) for our first day of co-op, the pizza for dinner because we had friends over. Today will be a no-spend day, though, since I'm sick with a stomach bug and doing nothing but laying around, listening to audiobooks!

Key: 

No frivolous/unbudgeted spending: 

Unbudgeted spending: 

Ate at home all day: 

12/30: 

12/31: 

1/1:  

1/2:  

1/3:  $15 at Starbucks

1/4:   $9 in library fines 

1/5:  

1/6:  

1/7:   $60 on clothes, $15 on sneakers, and $20 on desk organizer

1/8:  $40 on desk organizing supplies, $15 on pizza for dinner

1/9:   $42 on black loafers, $2 library fine

1/10:  $25 on lunch out

1/11:  $25 on bagels and lunch, $25 on pizza for 6

1/12:  

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Made it!

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom 

My Goal = 15  No-Spend days

My progress = 10 No-spend day so far

01..  $258 lessons for the kids

02.. 

03.. 

04.. 

05..  $40.09  Date Night

06.. 

07.. 

08.. 

09.. 

10.. 

11.. 

12.. 

13..

14..

15..

16..

17..

18..

19..

20..

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Good luck RuthieGirl ~~~  I hope you get an offer on your house!!!!

[SweetSilver]

Crunchy*VT*Mom --this month is looking really good!

Wore my "new" thrift store sweater today, and all wariness about whether this was a good decision has melted.  It is cozy, fits perfectly, and I'm really happy, even though I paid $12 for it--a phenomenally expensive sweater by Goodwill standards.  However, it is 100% merino Aran sweater, made in Ireland.  It turned out to be a seriously good deal.  No way could I knit this for $12!

I'll need to spend time fixing a seam on my $2.50 cashmere sweater.  They gave me 50% off for the holes in the seam.

I'm starting to feel a bit better about my thrift store purchases, even though I went in for jeans and skirts.  I am about ready to give up on Goodwill for those.  Sigh!  I need to learn how to sew more skillfully.....