~ February No-Spend Challenge ~ Come save with us, Valentines! - Page 9

[honeybee80]

2/1: no spend 

2/2: budgeted spending  $123 Costco, $50 grocery store, $23 Target 

2/3: no spend 

2/4: no spend 

2/5: no spend 

2/6: budgeted spending  $3 pitched in to share french fries with friends

2/7: no spend 

2/8: no spend 

2/9: budgeted spending  $50 ink cartridges for printer (ouch!), $56 grocery store 

2/10: no spend 

2/11: budgeted spending  $18 haircut for DD (couldn't take the rat's nest every day anymore!), $7 ibuprofen (needed for my knee--it's killing me to be taking this so much, but it's necessary for me to keep working)

2/12: no spend 

2/13: no spend 

2/14: no spend 

2/15: budgeted spending  $5 chai, $25 friend's birthday dinner

[Ruthiegirl]

Super night out with dh last night.  It has been over a year since we had a date night -- worth every penny.  

Not too many plans this weekend.   We have more cleaning to do and a full fridge.  And the weather calls for cold temps and snow -- so no where to go.  I see a lovely couple of days of baking and soup and playing.

  No spend

  Budgeted spend

   Unbudgeted Spend

 Exercised

February 1 -- 

February 2 --   groceries and birthday present

February 3 --  more groceries,  shower curtain and bathroom scale 

February 4 --  

February 5 -- 

February 6 --  field trip to science center 

February 7 --  

February 8 --    gas and groceries

February 9 -- 

February 10 --  piece of pipe to finish sink repair

February 11 --  gave dh a haircut

February 12 --   Valentines and chocolate 

February 13 --  ice cream to make up for a tough day

February 14 --  gas and groceries

February 15 --  night out

February 16

February 17

February 18 

February 19

February 20 

My goals:

Save 20% of Feb 1st  paycheck -- 15%, heating bill was over-budget

Save 20% of Feb 15th paycheck -- 15%

Save entire tax return -- done!

Make every dollar matter

[SweetSilver]

February 15 & 16

  No spend.  Staying home.  No groceries until Monday--  --that means I hit my target for the week!  Tomorrow would be a no-spend, but I think it's a good day to pick up some fresh hay.

 =  Doin' just fine

 =  Spoiled no-spend, but necessary

 = Unnecessary spending due to poor planning

 = No spend

Grocery target= $740

Remaining=$326

= # of weeks I've hit my target ($166, approximately)

I can't have this be a perfect no-spend month.  I need these things:

Underwear

Girl Scout dues

4-H publications

Valentine's Day stuff

Materials for chicken tractors

Camping reservation

Printer ink?  Maybe I can make it until March.

Seeds?

[honeybee80]

2/1: no spend 

2/2: budgeted spending  $123 Costco, $50 grocery store, $23 Target 

2/3: no spend 

2/4: no spend 

2/5: no spend 

2/6: budgeted spending  $3 pitched in to share french fries with friends

2/7: no spend 

2/8: no spend 

2/9: budgeted spending  $50 ink cartridges for printer (ouch!), $56 grocery store 

2/10: no spend 

2/11: budgeted spending  $18 haircut for DD (couldn't take the rat's nest every day anymore!), $7 ibuprofen (needed for my knee--it's killing me to be taking this so much, but it's necessary for me to keep working)

2/12: no spend 

2/13: no spend 

2/14: no spend 

2/15: budgeted spending  $40 gas, $5 chai, $25 friend's birthday dinner

2/16: budgeted spending  $51 groceries, $22 gloves, $32 dish rack & typewriter ribbon

I forgot to add in the $40 for gas from yesterday.  Feeling pretty good about the rest of the month.  I still have $70 left in my food budget, $80 left in gas (which I shouldn't need to use), and $15 in miscellaneous (plus another $125 from selling a few things on craigslist).  Need to stay strong for the rest of the month!  This is about the time when things tend to go south for me, but I'm not gonna let it happen ;)

[CookiePie]

  No spending       Budgeted spending    Not budgeted/went over budget       Did something to save $ or make extra $         Hung clothes on the line

  February 

01    Paid all bills in bill box, should cover the next 2 weeks!  (I got paid today!  I'm every other week, DH is every week)  Need some groceries, going to try to hold off until tomorrow.

02    Bought groceries $141.  Spent a little more than I wanted to but it should last us a while.  Washed throw rugs & hung out to dry

03    I made a batch of hummus from the chick peas I froze last week.  We ate the whole batch with veggies.  Then I made a huge pot of chicken stock which I'm freezing for future use.  Then I made a huge pot of venison stock, which I turned into minestrone soup for tomorrow night.  I also made a batch of chocolate syrup since we were out & dd2 like chocolate milk 1 C water, 1 C cocoa powder, 2 C sugar.  Mix water & cocoa powder, until combined, add sugar.  Boil for 3 minutes.  Cool, store in fridge.  Make sure your pot is big enough so it doesn't boil over like mine did!!!  I don't want to step foot into the store again for at least another week, so I'm so glad that I remembered that I used to exclusively make my own chocolate syrup years ago so I dug out the recipe. 

04 

05   The only spending planned for today is paying admission to get into DD's game tonight.  I didn't make it to the game because of work.  Dh paid to get in & he also picked up a loaf of sourdough from Panera to go with the soup $3.18!   Went in to work early, because I have so much to get done. 

06    As tempted as I am to go buy apples today I'm holding off (we have 2 left in the house), but we have other fruit!  Did taxes, our refund is on the way

07     Paid to do my taxes online using H&R Block, paid we we owe State taxes...

08  

09   The storm kept me from going to work, but we didn't spend any money!  Shoveled 2 feet of SNOW!!!  We need to budget a snow blower, ours crapped out!

10      Went to Aldi spent $37, mostly produce!  Feb grocery spending so far... $178!  Cooked tonight's dinner & prepped dinner for tomorrow! Made a batch of hummus from frozen chick peas, had some for lunch, will have more for lunches all week.  Meal planned for the rest of this week 

11    No spend!  Brought veggies & hummus to work.   Kids had no school, DD texted me at work pics of a brand new snow blower that someone dropped off by our back door.  She didn't see who left it...WTH?  I knew it was my Dad!  He surprised us & bought a top of the line snow blower!!!! OMG this is so amazing!  Now we don't have to save up!  I feel like we just won the lottery!

12    No spend.  I can't believe how many no spend days we've managed so far this month & not a single sad face!  This weeks paycheck won't be great for me, because of all the snow days.  We made omelettes & home fries for dinner! 

13    Picked up raw milk & oats $10.  Got a couple valentines things at the dollar store $4.25

14    I picked up pizza & salad from our favorite place with gift cards that we got for Christmas and a coupon!   We didn't dine in because of the wait plus tip would have cost us more.  Dh asked me what I wanted & I told him that I didn't want anything.  The thing that would make me happy is if he hung up my bird feeder.  We took it down because the bears were visiting in the summer.  I have been watching my neighbors bird feeder & wishing that we remembered to hang ours back up!  So he did that for me & he also made me a card complete with a sweet poem!  I gave DH a card and made him rum balls. 

15     Fed tax refund posted to our account today!!!   

16     Groceries $132.62  (So far this month I've only spent $320.62 on groceries!) With just over a week left we should be in great shape this month!   

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27 My B-day

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[JunebugsMom]

Yay, today we got our Federal tax return AND I got a paycheck (I do freelance so I never know exactly when they will arrive).  Of course the challenge now is to not spend any of it!

2/16

 Budgeted

$24.31 at garden center, $45.21 groceries, $13.59 salads for me and my mom for dinner (babysitting payment! )

Frugal accomplishments:

With my rewards card and a few good coupons I saved $25 at the grocery store.

I took a free veggie gardening class at my local nursery and then got 10% off my total purchase for attending (and I only bought seeds and fertilizer, no plants)

[AprilMary]

Originally Posted by AprilMary 


Feb 13 - no spend
Feb 14 - bought DH and myself a DVD unbudgeted went over budget on groceries again, may have to look at that................
Feb 15 - no spend

Feb 16 - spent budgeted entertainment $$ on GF pizza :D yum

Feb 17 - spent an extra $10.00 at the bulk barn (love that place) :(

[SweetSilver]

February 17

Bought the plastic for the greenhouse/ chicken tractors as planned, and I knew it wouldn't be cheap, but it was pretty hard paying for it regardless.  Also picked up $12 in hay.

 = Planned, but painful

 =  Doin' just fine

 =  Spoiled no-spend, but necessary

 = Unnecessary spending due to poor planning

 = No spend

Grocery target= $740

Remaining=$326

= # of weeks I've hit my target ($166, approximately)

I can't have this be a perfect no-spend month.  I need these things:

Underwear

Girl Scout dues

4-H publications

Valentine's Day stuff

Materials for chicken tractors: plastic, boards, pipe, connectors, brooder thermometers, extra heat lamp bulbs

Camping reservation

Seeds: daikon, cilantro

Printer ink?  Maybe I can make it until March.

[honeybee80]

2/1: no spend 

2/2: budgeted spending  $123 Costco, $50 grocery store, $23 Target 

2/3: no spend 

2/4: no spend 

2/5: no spend 

2/6: budgeted spending  $3 pitched in to share french fries with friends

2/7: no spend 

2/8: no spend 

2/9: budgeted spending  $50 ink cartridges for printer (ouch!), $56 grocery store 

2/10: no spend 

2/11: budgeted spending  $18 haircut for DD (couldn't take the rat's nest every day anymore!), $7 ibuprofen (needed for my knee--it's killing me to be taking this so much, but it's necessary for me to keep working)

2/12: no spend 

2/13: no spend 

2/14: no spend 

2/15: budgeted spending  $40 gas, $5 chai, $25 friend's birthday dinner

2/16: budgeted spending  $51 groceries, $22 gloves, $32 dish rack & typewriter ribbon

2/17: no spend 

So today wasn't technically no spend, but here's why I'm labeling it that.  I got a new iPhone because the on/off button on mine was not working.  New iPhone 4S was $100 since I had an upgrade available.  I came home after buying it and put my old iPhone on craigslist and 2 hours later sold it for $140.  So I actually made $40 today ;)  Yay!

[alaskanmomma]

A) I'm a 22 year old married mother of 3(well soon to be 3..). I'm a SAHM and will be going to school in July for massage therapy.

B) My family's financial goals are to clear up debt, start a savings account, and living within our means on one income.

C) We're getting a fairly large tax return which we're paying off some debts, paying down some debts, and placing some in savings. I know I'm bad at buying things I think I need, but then I never use it! it turns into clutter that I throw out! I hope to stop that. I also want is to stop eating out so much. I think in those "babe pick up dinner" nights, if we already ate out for the week, go put that $20 we would've spent at mcd's in savings and me get off my butt and cook

[veganmama44]

Well because it's one snowstorm after another here in New England, Feb is really a bummer of a month for me so far. My oldest is getting his license, which is expensive and my youngest needed some clothing, so my savings is going to suffer (I'm not taking from my mini EF, but probably not adding a whole lot either). still haven't done taxes yet, yet but have plans to do them Sunday night with our accountant friends.

[veganmama44]

Oops, pressed reply too soon anyway, how do you all stay motivated during crappy months? How big is the misc portion of your budget? For the once in a lifetime things?

[Ruthiegirl]

  No spend

  Budgeted spend

   Unbudgeted Spend

 Exercised

February 1 -- 

February 2 --   groceries and birthday present

February 3 --  more groceries,  shower curtain and bathroom scale 

February 4 --  

February 5 -- 

February 6 --  field trip to science center 

February 7 --  

February 8 --    gas and groceries

February 9 -- 

February 10 --  piece of pipe to finish sink repair

February 11 --  gave dh a haircut

February 12 --   Valentines and chocolate 

February 13 --  ice cream to make up for a tough day

February 14 --  gas and groceries

February 15 --  night out

February 16 -- 

February 17 --  expensive day!  Lunch and trip to city...$$$

February 18 

February 19

February 20 

My goals:

Save 20% of Feb 1st  paycheck -- 15%, heating bill was over-budget

Save 20% of Feb 15th paycheck -- 15%

Save entire tax return -- done!

Make every dollar matter

[honeybee80]

Originally Posted by veganmama44 

Oops, pressed reply too soon anyway, how do you all stay motivated during crappy months? How big is the misc portion of your budget? For the once in a lifetime things?

My monthly miscellaneous budget is $150, but I also try to put $150 into a sinking fund account every month, which is where those 'once in a lifetime' things theoretically come out of.  I'm still working on this budgeting strategy--I started in October or November with my sinking fund, so most of it got zapped for Christmas presents.  I think it really depends on what expenses you want to come out of your miscellaneous budget.  For me, I use it for expenses like haircuts, shampoo, coffee shop visits (which I'm trying to limit), drinks with friends, little things I may need around the house (which for me, this month, are things like a dish rack, typewriter ribbon, etc.)  Bigger purchases would be thought about more and would come out of the sinking fund (think car expenses, things like that).  HTH a bit :)

[SweetSilver]

February 18

  Although our reason for going in to town today went bust and was kinda sorta a waste of gas money, and even though I bought the big rainbow pack of Sharpie pens instead of the 2-pack of black, and even though I spent a small bit on food I wouldn't have if I'd have stayed home, it all amounted to No Big Deal.  So, I keep my thumb's-up.  That snack was only about $4-$5, and consisted of a swiss cheese croissant, a juice-sweetened pop, and some dates.  Mmmmmm...... 

I was worried that needing groceries this early in the week was going to make the week difficult, but the bill--snacks, treats and all, was only $47.

 = Planned, but painful

 =  Doin' just fine

 =  Spoiled no-spend, but necessary

 = Unnecessary spending due to poor planning

 = No spend

Grocery target= $740

Remaining=$279

= # of weeks I've hit my target ($166, approximately)

I can't have this be a perfect no-spend month.  I need these things:

Underwear

Girl Scout dues

4-H publications

Valentine's Day stuff

Materials for chicken tractors: plastic, boards, pipe, connectors, brooder thermometers, extra heat lamp bulbs

Camping reservation

Seeds: daikon

Printer ink

[honeybee80]

2/1: no spend 

2/2: budgeted spending  $123 Costco, $50 grocery store, $23 Target 

2/3: no spend 

2/4: no spend 

2/5: no spend 

2/6: budgeted spending  $3 pitched in to share french fries with friends

2/7: no spend 

2/8: no spend 

2/9: budgeted spending  $50 ink cartridges for printer (ouch!), $56 grocery store 

2/10: no spend 

2/11: budgeted spending  $18 haircut for DD (couldn't take the rat's nest every day anymore!), $7 ibuprofen (needed for my knee--it's killing me to be taking this so much, but it's necessary for me to keep working)

2/12: no spend 

2/13: no spend 

2/14: no spend 

2/15: budgeted spending  $40 gas, $5 chai, $25 friend's birthday dinner

2/16: budgeted spending  $51 groceries, $22 gloves, $32 dish rack & typewriter ribbon

2/17: no spend 

2/18: no spend 

[JunebugsMom]

2/17  $3.45, $28.23, $28.37

2/18

Today's frugal accomplishment: I crocheted a new valance for our kitchen window using yarn from my stash

[Ruthiegirl]

Oh boy, this month has been dismal for me.  Our upcoming move is starting to effect everyone and we all seem mopey.  The kids and I have been doing more activities -- eating at our favorite restaurants, going to our favorite museum, driving to the city...and we went roller skating with friends yesterday.  It was fun and a bit sad since this was a good-bye to friends we won't see again before we move.  

Part of me knows that we need cash to make the move.  We are renting an apartment and (wow!) things have changed in the rental world.  We will need first, last and a deposit, plus an application fee for a credit/criminal check on both dh and I for every apartment we apply for.  Oh, and we have 2 cats and will owe a deposit for each of them.  Goodness!   How do people manage apartment living?  Adding it all up and it is nearly a small downpayment on a house!

And the other part of me wants to wallow and go places and eat out and just fill my days with memories. 

Anyway, I have a no-spend day planned today...mostly because I am behind on the laundry and no one has any clean pants to wear.   So, laundry and schoolwork and eating at home and keeping things simple.  The school kids have the day off and we have an open door policy on these days, so I expect a lot of rowdy boys and fun.  

  No spend

  Budgeted spend

   Unbudgeted Spend

 Exercised

February 1 -- 

February 2 --   groceries and birthday present

February 3 --  more groceries,  shower curtain and bathroom scale 

February 4 --  

February 5 -- 

February 6 --  field trip to science center 

February 7 --  

February 8 --    gas and groceries

February 9 -- 

February 10 --  piece of pipe to finish sink repair

February 11 --  gave dh a haircut

February 12 --   Valentines and chocolate 

February 13 --  ice cream to make up for a tough day

February 14 --  gas and groceries

February 15 --  night out

February 16 -- 

February 17 --  expensive day!  Lunch and trip to city...$$$

February 18 --  roller skating

February 19 -- 

February 20 

My goals:

Save 20% of Feb 1st  paycheck -- 15%, heating bill was over-budget

Save 20% of Feb 15th paycheck -- 15%

Save entire tax return -- done!

Make every dollar matter

[CookiePie]

  No spending       Budgeted spending    Not budgeted/went over budget       Did something to save $ or make extra $         Hung clothes on the line

  February 

01    Paid all bills in bill box, should cover the next 2 weeks!  (I got paid today!  I'm every other week, DH is every week)  Need some groceries, going to try to hold off until tomorrow.

02    Bought groceries $141.  Spent a little more than I wanted to but it should last us a while.  Washed throw rugs & hung out to dry

03    I made a batch of hummus from the chick peas I froze last week.  We ate the whole batch with veggies.  Then I made a huge pot of chicken stock which I'm freezing for future use.  Then I made a huge pot of venison stock, which I turned into minestrone soup for tomorrow night.  I also made a batch of chocolate syrup since we were out & dd2 like chocolate milk 1 C water, 1 C cocoa powder, 2 C sugar.  Mix water & cocoa powder, until combined, add sugar.  Boil for 3 minutes.  Cool, store in fridge.  Make sure your pot is big enough so it doesn't boil over like mine did!!!  I don't want to step foot into the store again for at least another week, so I'm so glad that I remembered that I used to exclusively make my own chocolate syrup years ago so I dug out the recipe. 

04 

05   The only spending planned for today is paying admission to get into DD's game tonight.  I didn't make it to the game because of work.  Dh paid to get in & he also picked up a loaf of sourdough from Panera to go with the soup $3.18!   Went in to work early, because I have so much to get done. 

06    As tempted as I am to go buy apples today I'm holding off (we have 2 left in the house), but we have other fruit!  Did taxes, our refund is on the way

07     Paid to do my taxes online using H&R Block, paid we we owe State taxes...

08  

09   The storm kept me from going to work, but we didn't spend any money!  Shoveled 2 feet of SNOW!!!  We need to budget a snow blower, ours crapped out!

10      Went to Aldi spent $37, mostly produce!  Feb grocery spending so far... $178!  Cooked tonight's dinner & prepped dinner for tomorrow! Made a batch of hummus from frozen chick peas, had some for lunch, will have more for lunches all week.  Meal planned for the rest of this week 

11    No spend!  Brought veggies & hummus to work.   Kids had no school, DD texted me at work pics of a brand new snow blower that someone dropped off by our back door.  She didn't see who left it...WTH?  I knew it was my Dad!  He surprised us & bought a top of the line snow blower!!!! OMG this is so amazing!  Now we don't have to save up!  I feel like we just won the lottery!

12    No spend.  I can't believe how many no spend days we've managed so far this month & not a single sad face!  This weeks paycheck won't be great for me, because of all the snow days.  We made omelettes & home fries for dinner! 

13    Picked up raw milk & oats $10.  Got a couple valentines things at the dollar store $4.25

14    I picked up pizza & salad from our favorite place with gift cards that we got for Christmas and a coupon!   We didn't dine in because of the wait plus tip would have cost us more.  Dh asked me what I wanted & I told him that I didn't want anything.  The thing that would make me happy is if he hung up my bird feeder.  We took it down because the bears were visiting in the summer.  I have been watching my neighbors bird feeder & wishing that we remembered to hang ours back up!  So he did that for me & he also made me a card complete with a sweet poem!  I gave DH a card and made him rum balls. 

15     Fed tax refund posted to our account today!!!   

16     Groceries $132.62  (So far this month I've only spent $320.62 on groceries!) With just over a week left we should be in great shape this month!  Made hummus & chicken stock 

17     Did some CVS-ing for contact solution & TP.  Ordered DD's contact lenses online with coupon code & through Ebates which saved us 50% over what the doc charges.  Picked up Chinese take out

18    Made cauliflower soup & salad topped with hummus and warm whole wheat pitas for a quick dinner

19  Picking up Dd's glasses today with Amazon $ that I got from selling my text books!   Vanguard account is all set up.  They withdrew from my checking instead of savings!  My fault, I forgot to put in the 2 digit code, now my bank is charging me $5 for transferring funds from my other account to cover it   Now my checking account is all messed up & I have to try to sort it out!

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27 My B-day

[FillingMyQuiver]

Key

  No Spend/ Budgeted Spending

  Unbudgeted/ Unnecessary Spending

1.    Starting off the month right!!  WooHoo!!  Still waiting on the new bean

2.    $100 on groceries for Super Bowl and easy food for DH to make when baby comes.  Still here, no baby.

3.    SNOW!!!   Not going anywhere today except for DH dropping our trash/ recycling at the collection site.  Started cooking DH's food requests for the game later.  Want to get 2 loaves of bread going a little later for tomorrow.  DH and I will be working in our utility room to set up more shelving and move my canning supplies/ food storage down there.

4.    $$ spent at Target and fast food lunch

5.    DD4 was born this morning   42wks exactly!!

6. 

7.    Fast food lunch.

8.    Take out pizza for dinner.

9. 

10.

11.

12.   Giving myself a pre-emptive No Spend Day since we're not going anywhere and I have a plan for lunch and dinner.

13.

14.

15.   Take out pizza for dinner

16.   $20 for a haircut for DH (I usually cut his hair but it just didn't work out this time) $42 on bread & cold cuts for lunch

17.   Fast food for dinner, overspent slightly on grocery budget

18. Starbucks coffee

February's Goals

11/ 20 No Spend Days

I need No Spend Days for the rest of the month to make my goal