January No Spend Challenge~ Ringing in the New Year with $$ in our Pockets!!! - Page 3

[micah_mae_]

Key:

No Spend/Paying Bills 

Budgeted Spend 

Unbudgeted Spend 

Did Something Frugal at Home 

**4/25 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. 

January 1:  Have to send DH to get stamps for thank you cards. I don't even know how much stamps are..it'll have to come out of gas money.

January 2:

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Edited by micah_mae_ - 1/1/13 at 8:15am

[SweetSilver]

Blew my No-spend day I recorded in the December thread, so (as a punishment??) I record it here.  In my defense, tomorrow is New Year's Day, and we weren't going to make it until Wednesday without a few key things.

I got to thinking, I needed to figure my monthly food bill differently.  So, since I wanted to budget $800 per month for (mostly organic) groceries and eating out, I figured that at $9600 per year, that's $185 per week.  So, for 5 weeks (Mon 12.31 through Sun 2.3) that's $920.  Sounds easier-- we'll see.  

Another idea I've had is to give the girls a weekly treat and (expensive) snack allowance.  That way, I can pay a predictable amount, and they get a great deal of freedom in how they want to spend it.  They can spend their $5 treat allowance on snacks (including french fries), but not vice versa.  At the end of the week, we put what's leftover in our "FUN fund" and refill their envelopes.  After the first week, we have $8 in our FUN fund!

I'm separating our grocery purchases into "basic groceries"/ "homemade treats & snacks and celebrations"/ and "treats, snacks and eat out".  

/ = Excellent

 /  = Not so good

 / = Very, very bad

12.31    Errand day.  Groceries/ eat out= $55/ $18/ $28

Seems like a good start, but it always, always seems like that at the beginning.  

[sk8boarder15]

January Spending. 

NO SPEND - 

Budgeted Spending - 

Unbudgeted Spending - 

Dec 29 - 

Dec 30- 

Dec 31 -  

Today we went to a local indoor playground using a gift card my sister got us for Christmas . Then we went to the grocery store. My son played longer and ate a lot more than I expected, he ate ALL the snacks and was still hungry. So we ate lunch at the grocery store. I got lunch for my sister and nephew as well, $22 for all of us. Not the best planning, but it was a relatively affordable VERY healthy option (our grocery store, New Seasons, is AMAZING, think whole foods, but even better, ). I planned to spend $200 on food, but due to watching the sales I only spent $157!! AND I managed to stock up on a few on sale items including a few pricey ones (Gluten free crackers, organic almond milk, and local chicken breast). Also got a bunch of red peepers, on sale, and grabbed some hummus so we have a healthy fresh snack. Very very happy about today. 

Wednesday I'm going to costco. My plan is to go to costco once a month to stock up on some items for the month. 

What are your best buys for costco???  I'm thinking grains, olive oil, toilet paper... 

[LoveOurBabies]

Tuesday 1st of January

No spend day!

$209.76 remaining in for groceries this week.

What I did today to save money:

We had leftovers for lunch. I am making dinner, food for lunch tomorrow and *part* of tomorrow's dinner from meat/vegetables that we have in the freezer. Tomorrow I will need to buy about $20 worth of groceries to complete the meals.

DH also line dried 2 loads of washing.

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Originally Posted by micah_mae_ 

I can't decide if this should be considered a no spend day or not since the pants and the cups both came out of grocery money and we won't go over. Thoughts?

Oh my NO.  M.Mae  Don't you dare take away your no-spend status for things like warm pants for your child or sippy cups.  Those are necessary expenses.  A cruise to the Bahamas?  Your seventh bottle of nail-polish?  ~~These~~ are unnecessary items.  But clothing for your children, any food items, devices that help your child be more self-sufficient...all extremely necessary.   You are doing fine.  Those are just expenses that are part of being alive and being a mother.   

Originally Posted by SweetSilver 

I got to thinking, I needed to figure my monthly food bill differently.  So, since I wanted to budget $800 per month for (mostly organic) groceries and eating out, I figured that at $9600 per year, that's $185 per week.  So, for 5 weeks (Mon 12.31 through Sun 2.3) that's $920.  Sounds easier-- we'll see.  

Another idea I've had is to give the girls a weekly treat and (expensive) snack allowance.  That way, I can pay a predictable amount, and they get a great deal of freedom in how they want to spend it.  They can spend their $5 treat allowance on snacks (including french fries), but not vice versa.  At the end of the week, we put what's leftover in our "FUN fund" and refill their envelopes.  After the first week, we have $8 in our FUN fund!

This sounds like an EXCELLENT idea to me...both the refiguring of the grocery budget and the teaching of the savings concept to your girls. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by sk8boarder15 

Then we went to the grocery store. My son played longer and ate a lot more than I expected, he ate ALL the snacks and was still hungry.

From what I hear about boys, this is going to be the rest of your future. 

I'm finding my 9 year old girl has suddenly had a huge jump in her eating abilities as well.  It is making a noticeable difference in how much food I buy.

At Costco -- We get most of our produce from a CSA farm (those are big in Vermont) but we still buy bananas at Costco because they are always cheaper (and we go through a LOT of bananas) and we buy dairy products from there.

Originally Posted by LoveOurBabies 

What I did today to save money:

Still loving this idea.  Because it is positive instead of negative, and it keeps you focused on your progress.    I would do something like that too, except I'm not sure I ever do anything to save money -- other than not spend it. 

[micah_mae_]

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom 

Oh my NO.  M.Mae  Don't you dare take away your no-spend status for things like warm pants for your child or sippy cups.  Those are necessary expenses.  A cruise to the Bahamas?  Your seventh bottle of nail-polish?  ~~These~~ are unnecessary items.  But clothing for your children, any food items, devices that help your child be more self-sufficient...all extremely necessary.   You are doing fine.  Those are just expenses that are part of being alive and being a mother.   

Aw thanks :)

[SweetSilver]

/ = Excellent

 /  = Not so good

 / = Very, very bad

12.31    Errand day.  Groceries/ eat out= $55/ $18/ $28

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

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

[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.

Tomorrow and Thursday should be No Spend Days as we have guests coming both days.

[Smithie]

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

Definitely take it. The Internet is open, and I spent $218 on clothing. Alluring warm-season clothing that my husband picked out, but still. 

[Ruthiegirl]

Happy New Year Frugal Friends!!!!  I haven't joined one of the challenges in ages, but here I am again.  I have a super saver month planned while we put aside money to make a huge move cross country in a couple of months.  I have mountains of beans to eat and laundry to hang and cheap things to do with the kids.  And no money to spend! 

Here's to a New Year and a no-spend success!  

  No spend

  Budgeted spend

   Unbudgeted Spend

  Do something frugal at home

January 1 --     lowered temperature on hot water heater

January 2

January 3

January 4 

January 5

January 6

January 7

January 8

January 9

My goals:

Save 50% of Jan 4th paycheck

Save 20% of Jan 18th paycheck

Do something frugal every day

Make every dollar matter

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Hard to justify a big whopping expense on the very first day of 2013...but while this doesn't jibe well with my no-spending goals, one of my resolutions is to get my kids outside and active more in the winter and this should do it.

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom 

My Goal = 15  No-Spend days

My progress = 0 No-spend days so far

01..  $258 lessons for the kids

02..

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[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

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

Definitely take it. The Internet is open"

I agree, Sweet Silver.  Hardcore spenders like myself can find a way to spend money even when everything is closed. 

You earned it, my internet friend. 

[daricsmami]

Originally Posted by daricsmami 

No spend: 

Budgeted expense: 

Unbudgeted, but necessary expense:

Unbudgeted, unnecessary, frivolous spending: 

December 29: no spend 

December 30: $99 day care bill (budgeted) 

December 31: 

January 1:  and 

$14 on gas; I decided to use up the change in my house to buy gas for the next two days 

$92.05 on groceries and personal items (lotion, diapers). I let my oldest throw me off track and I bought two items that weren't on the list. Not a big deal, but I really wanted to stay at around $85. 

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Originally Posted by Ruthiegirl 

Happy New Year Frugal Friends!!!!  I haven't joined one of the challenges in ages, but here I am again.

RuthieGirl!!!!  Welcome back!!!! 

[sk8boarder15]

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom 

From what I hear about boys, this is going to be the rest of your future. 

I KNOW, and he's only 2 and 28lbs and he already eats SO MUCH! Many days he eats more than me. This morning alone he ate 3 peices of french toast, an orange, an egg, and a bunch of crackers and hummus. In the span of about 3 hours. Oh yeah and 2 cups of almond milk and a juice box. 0.0 Usually 2 snack bars and 2 applesauces are enough for a morning playtime, but he devoured it all yesterday! 

Today is NOT going to be a no spend day. :( DH spent $50 entering his music into a contest. Not sure how I feel about that. But if any of you are interested he released a new album last night, http://motivemakesaman.bandcamp.com/album/cascadia . 

[melissel]

Originally Posted by SweetSilver 

Another idea I've had is to give the girls a weekly treat and (expensive) snack allowance.  That way, I can pay a predictable amount, and they get a great deal of freedom in how they want to spend it.   

We do this. The girls love it, and it saves me from feeling crazy when I've already bought fun things like dry cereal on our recent grocery shopping trip and they eat it all in the first three days and then complain there's nothing fun to eat in the house! They each get $10 at the beginning of the pay period (every two weeks), and they get to spend it on things they deem treats (I love when that happens to be fruit, LOL!). It has definitely helped them understand budgeting better, and they like that they get to keep whatever's leftover!

[melissel]

Spent more than planned on our NYE dinner last night, but we got to keep all the leftovers, so that will save DH some lunches. I also ended up spending money on an unplanned lunch out after DD10 developed a bad low blood sugar after a trip to a local bounce place, and I bought myself a peppermint mocha on our way home. It's amazing how strong those triggers are! I have such a hard time driving past that Starbucks. I may need to find a different route through that area, seriously 

So I overspent by a total of $23 yesterday. Today will be an at-home, chilling-out, New Year's resolution-making, no-spend day.

Key: 

No frivolous/unbudgeted spending: 

Unbudgeted spending: 

Ate at home all day: 

12/30: 

12/31: 

1/1:  

1/2:

1/3:

1/4:

1/5:

[micah_mae_]

Key:

No Spend/Paying Bills 

Budgeted Spend 

Unbudgeted Spend 

Did Something Frugal at Home 

**5/25 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. 

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

January 2:

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January 30:

[SweetSilver]

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom 

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

Definitely take it. The Internet is open"

I agree, Sweet Silver.  Hardcore spenders like myself can find a way to spend money even when everything is closed. 

You earned it, my internet friend. 

Just goes to show that, even though I am on MDC and FB etc, and I do *buying* on the internet occasionally, I don't really *shop* there.  I am a bit of a Luddite still. 

[sk8boarder15]

January Spending. 

NO SPEND - 

Budgeted Spending - 

Unquieted Spending - 

Dec 29 - 

Dec 30- 

Dec 31 - 

Jan 1-    

Today I ran out to buy more lunch meat for a quickly going stale bread, but then DH went out for Panda Express. :/ Not terrible, but not budgeted. Tomorrow, monthly costco trip. On the bright side I got a FREE couch, on freecycle and I maybe getting a free 55 gallon plastic tub tub tomorrow that would be fantastic for my aquapoics set up! I LOVE FREECYCLE!!