~ February No-Spend Challenge ~ Come save with us, Valentines! - Page 2

[petersac]

Ruthie - I'm so sorry to hear that, but happy birthday to your son!  Do you have a drop-dead date that you have to move by?  Are you moving for a job, etc?

[granolamommie]

Ok- so 

a-Who are you? Danica aka granolamommie.  Mom to 3 kiddos- Bella 10, Arydona 5, Kai 3 - hoping to add one more bio kid this year and foster care/adopt 1-2 more.  Right now I am a kindergarten teacher but hopefully will be subbing and homeschooling my oldest next year.  Maybe even the youngest too.

b- financial goals- to get our credit back in order and to buy a truck cash as well as some other major purchases cash.  So we need to save 5-600 a month right now.  We are also trying to get a farm started so we need to buy some livestock.  

c- how do you plan to get there- we are planning on minimizing our excess spending, and I work full time but am hoping to make it 2 part time jobs that are flexible around dh's schedule. We are moving to a farrm to be able to be more self sufficient but this is all long term.  This month I am planning on making more from scratch meals to keep the grocery budget down.  I am planning on using the things we already have on hand instead of getting more from the grocery store- making my own apple sauce/ dried apples from the 20lbs I bought from AZURE Standards. I am planning on making use of the dried beans we have. I am really excited about this challenge- though I blew it today buying bfast and tea.

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[SweetSilver]

February 1  

Started the month out by completely forgetting my lunch for after open swim ($10) this morning.  Had lunch with dh and the girls at Dairy Queen, but hahahaha!! that cost was figured into the dismal 5 weeks that was mostly January!!!!  So, even the minor grocery stop gets shunted onto another month.    Still, I get a little Disgruntled Dude-icon for not being more organized.  We cannot do open swim if we keep having to do this every time!

We have a portion of last week's Azure delivery to share with February.  However, I am happy to say that this time the bill is a mere $85.  Grocery target for the next 4 weeks (2/4-3/3) is $740.  That's going to be tough-- that means approximately $164 per week after the Azure bill is figured in.    I keep not making my target but I will not stop trying (don't hold your breath, though)!  

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

Underwear

Materials for chicken tractors

Camping reservation

Seeds and starts for the garden

Gymnastics tuition

4-H publications

Otherwise, I must commit to no more spending.  No birthdays, no nothin' for a while.  I found a decent pair of jeans back in the back of the closet, so I can make due.  I fixed my merino long johns I wear everyday using last year's blown-out pair.  I started hemming another skirt I've had for 3 years but was way too long.... I don't need anything more this month now I have my new undies and I must stick to this.

Posting early for the weekend: no spending planned or needed whatsoever.  

 = Should have planned better

= No spend

Grocery target= $740

Remaining=$655

Edited by SweetSilver - 2/1/13 at 3:45pm

[Sdelgadillo389]

No Spend
Budgeted Spend

Unbudgeted Spend

Meals At Home All Day

Something Frugal For The Day

Sewed For 30 Minutes Or More

Made/Found Money


February 1: - Paid $130 phone bill and DH $15 bank credit card bill - Got $40 refund check - Made reusable Swiffer WetJet pad and no heater use(warm day)

My February Goals:

No Spend/Budgeted Days = 1/20
Sewing Days = 0/20
Frugal Days = 1/15
Meals At Home Days = 1/25

Gas = $0/$120

[FillingMyQuiver]

Key

  No Spend/ Budgeted Spending

  Unbudgeted/ Unnecessary Spending

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

February's Goals

1/ 20 No Spend Days

[petersac]

So far, so good.  We did go out for dinner, but DH paid. Love that man.   All bills were paid/scheduled yesterday, or they are on auto-draft, so I'm not counting any of that for purposes of this challenge.

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[honeybee80]

2/1:  no spend 

Tomorrow I'm planning to do my monthly Costco trip and regular weekly grocery shopping trip.  I think the challenging thing for me is cooking when I'm tired, so I need to make sure that I make anything I can this weekend for the next week so that I can stick to my meal plan.  I almost decided I needed to spend money on a baby shower gift for a friend, but I'm going to make a small quilt with fabric I already have instead of buying something.  Sewing is definitely one of the more useful crafty things I've taken up that doubles as a thrifty hobby :)

[JunebugsMom]

2/1  Groceries $28.50

[JunebugsMom]

I am totally with you on this!  I get so excited when I save a lot on my grocery bill...I have even been known to text DH with the amount I saved I am so glad I have this forum where I can share my frugal accomplishments!

Originally Posted by CookiePie 

 I'm trying so hard to not spend, to spend wiser and hold off as long as I can, and most importantly to save!  I get such satisfaction when I get a good deal on groceries and when I stretch things!  Things like making a gallon of homemade yogurt for $3.50.  Whenever I eat it or serve it to the kids I feel such huge gratification.  When I want take out but decide instead to do a home made version of the food that I crave, anytime I figure out a way to save $.  It is kinda strange I know but it is helping me to stay focused.  Anyone else with me on this? 

[Ruthiegirl]

Originally Posted by petersac 

Ruthie - I'm so sorry to hear that, but happy birthday to your son!  Do you have a drop-dead date that you have to move by?  Are you moving for a job, etc?

Thanks petersac.  Yes, we have a move date. Dh starts a new job at the end of April, so we have to leave here in about 7 weeks. It will all be fine, I was just really hoping that we had sealed a deal and could move without stressing about the house and covering rent and the mortgage.  Looks like we will be scraping the penny jar for a few months while we try to do it all.

And I feel better now.  DH and I had a nice talk and we can handle this.   

Edited by Ruthiegirl - 2/2/13 at 11:17am

[Miasmamma]

I actually forgot yesterday was the 1st, so I'm a day late, but still here.

Who am I? I am Erin, a SAHM/homeschooling mom to 2 wonderful little girls, Mia (6.5) and Lily Grace (3.5), and a wife to my DH!

What are our goals? We need a new (to us) car. We only have one as DH rides his bike to work every day that the weather isn't in single digits. I am currently driving my parent's old Safari van. It only has 175K miles on it, but it's starting to cost us money other than just gas. So I need something newer, more realiable and with MUCH better gas milage. We also need to fully fund an EF.

How do we plan on getting there? We have no debt other than my student loans that are currently in forbearance. We rent our home from family at a very reasonable rate so we no longer have a mortgage payment. Our other home is in foreclosure with a sheriff sale scheduled for early March. We will be using our tax refund to pay those outstanding bills that we do have. It's not much, less than $1000 dollars.

1. Payday! $34 for a GNO - budgeted!

2. I have to go grocery shopping today for things I need for tomorrow, but I am thinking I'll just finish my menu for the week and get it all done today. But it's snowing and cold and I really don't want to! Well, I did it and got my shopping done. $450 rent paid, $120 for groceries. I was a little over budget there, but I think that was due to going to Kroger for what I couldn't get at Aldi. Oh, and $2.45 for a steamer from Starbucks and a movie from the Redbox for DD2. All in all a good day.

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Edited by Miasmamma - 2/2/13 at 3:37pm

[Ruthiegirl]

  No spend

  Budgeted spend

   Unbudgeted Spend

February 1 -- 

February 2 --   groceries and birthday present

February 3

February 4

February 5

February 6

February 7

February 8

February 9

February 10

My goals:

Save 20% of Feb 1st  paycheck -- 15% so far, holding 5% till heating bill is paid

Save 20% of Feb 15th paycheck

Save entire tax return

Make every dollar matter

[delightedbutterfly]

Originally Posted by delightedbutterfly 

The month of LOVE! I already know I'm going to have a huge hiccup as our bank is updating their online system over our long weekend (Feb8-12). It's right before the husband gets paid so I'm going to have to be super prepared and this scares me lol we do everything online and I only transfer a small amount at a time!

Also both the kids need dentist appointments,

my truck likely needs two new tires ($500) <- Yay! What I thought would have to be a tire replacement was just a fix to my tire. Still will probably have to replace in the next year but so happy it was only a $33 fix!

and the dog needs to go to the Vet.

Plus I'm going on a 2 day vacation "home" to my dad's retirement party,

oh and it's my birthday this month and Vday. 

 = No Spend   = Groceries/Gas/Ok spending  = Unnecessary spending   = Exercised   = Ate all meals at home  = Made something new for dinner   = Spending on Kids  = Did something Frugal

February

1:  $12.07, $83.87, $16.39, $18.72, $32.96  $17.29, $16.64  <- Made pulled pork poutine, MMMM but Dh didn't like it...  Groomed the dog myself. She still needs more but it's a start!

2:  Staying home and not spending,  took Vday pictures of the girls instead of paying someone to do it. They were fun and some turned our really great! Now I'm downloading GIMP which is a free photoshop program instead of paying $$$ for a commercial one. I got a really nice new camera for Christmas and I'm still learning how to use it, so I currently don't NEED to spend big bucks!

[petersac]

Well, day 2 is going pretty well.  Had budgeted $75 for groceries for the week, was hoping to keep it under $52.70 (because that's the amount of cash I had, LOL).  I only had to put $6.98 on my debit card, so I spent just under $60 for the week and we're going to eat pretty well!

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2 - 

This challenge is great!

[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.

February's Goals

2/ 20 No Spend Days

[honeybee80]

2/1:  no spend 

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

I totally stuck to my grocery lists and the actual amount I spent was equal to the actual amount--super crazy!  I always estimate how much things will cost so that when I get to the register I can have an idea of what I'll be spending.  I've just never had my estimates be so close to my actuals ;)  I also have most of the little quilt for my friend's baby shower made!  Just need to do the back and the ties.  Decided to make another for another friend who just had a baby, too.  Yay for crafting! :)

[Sdelgadillo389]

No Spend
Budgeted Spend

Unbudgeted Spend

Meals At Home All Day

Something Frugal For The Day

Sewed For 30 Minutes Or More

Made/Found Money


February 1: - Paid $130 phone bill and DH $15 bank credit card bill - Got $40 refund check - Made reusable Swiffer WetJet pad and no heater use(warm day)February 2: - Stayed home all day! - reused salsa jar, no heater use(warm day) and made bread sticks from scratch

My February Goals:

No Spend/Budgeted Days = 2/20
Sewing Days = 0/20
Frugal Days = 2/15
Meals At Home Days = 2/25

Gas = $0/$120

[granolamommie]

I spent $10 of the budgeted $30 for kids clothes for the month. I have $120 budgeted for groceries. Spent $90 and I think that's gonna be good.

Got our gas and filled car.
Doing pretty good so far

[JunebugsMom]

Originally Posted by JunebugsMom 

2/1  Groceries $46.50

2/2  Groceries $139.19 (I saved $75.75, whoop!), $3.45 at Starbucks (this month I am budgeting $50 for all eating out, including Starbucks)

[granolamommie]

Extra bonus- we budgeted for dinner out with a friend for her bday but her hubby paid for it so we didn't have to spend anything but tip!