~ February No-Spend Challenge ~ Come save with us, Valentines! - Page 12

[sexysisam]

Okay, so, I haven't been keeping up day by day because life got crazy. But this is the first month I've been under budget in a LONG time...like years. We even bought half a cow and kept it in budget. I did go to Taco Bell yesterday because I was craving it, but that's my only unnecessary spend. Pretty good. All the rest of the month has been surprisingly on budget. I credit that to putting my budget on my ipad mini, every time we spend a dime it goes right in. It helps when I stay right on top of it. Good month.

[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 

2/19: no spend 

2/20: no spend 

2/21: no spend 

2/22: no spend 

2/23: budgeted spending  $64 groceries, $30 market basket I've been wanting for awhile now, $40 HA underwear for DS

2/24: no spend 

2/25: no spend 

2/26: no spend 

2/27: budgeted spending  $69 skis for DD, $58 fabric & yarn, $20 gas

2/28: budgeted spending  $6 chocolate and coconut milk caramels

I treated myself tonight to some really good dark chocolate and coconut milk caramels because I came in $54 under budget for the month of February!  So stoked about that!  Hoping to keep it up in March :)

[SweetSilver]

Originally Posted by honeybee80 

2/28: budgeted spending  $6 chocolate and coconut milk caramels

I treated myself tonight to some really good dark chocolate and coconut milk caramels because I came in $54 under budget for the month of February!  So stoked about that!  Hoping to keep it up in March :)

Lovely!  Delish!

[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!

20    Filled car with gas.  DD had to have surgery today which wasn't covered by our insurance.  I was expecting to have to pay $600-$800 but the doc is writing off whatever insurance doesn't cover, so if they pay nothing, I still pay nothing!  I didn't ask for a deal or anything turns out the doc is good friends with my boss Got check from Ebates today for $23 from Christmas shopping         If anyone wants to get started with Ebates please PM me!!!  I will give you an invite & we will both get bonus $    

21    Picked up a few things at Aldi, under $20!

22    I grabbed a pizza on my way home from work, we are way under budget for groceries & I was too tired to cook!

23  I worked at my part time job today!  Cut DH's hair

24     Went thrift shopping with Christmas money!  Got $30 worth of groceries at Aldi!

25     Was supposed to have a provided lunch meeting at work, so I didn't bring any lunch.  It was cancelled so I bought lunch $8 (We are still under budget for groceries even with the more than usual take out!  I wrote a check for DD's sport fee $60.

26 

27 My B-day    DH took the day off of work!  He & the kids made me breakfast in bed.  We went to a book store and had lunch together & I got some fancy loose tea 

28   

I'm pleased with how this month turned out, although we ate out/got take out way more than we ever do!!!  I was able to start my Roth IRA with $3,000.  I'm hoping to add another $2,000 by April 15.  Our electric bill was lower than normal and I'd like to try to get that down even further.  I'm looking into lowering other expenses as well.  I've been noticing that lately there isn't much on tv & we always end up watching reruns or netflix.  I keep telling DH that I want to drop cable but so far he doesn't agree.  I already use Straight Talk Wireless for cell phone, but I'm looking into an even cheaper plan that is not unlimited for only $10/month.  I text the same 5 people, myself  and all but DH has an iphone.  I'm in wifi most of the time anyway so this wouldn't use the prepaid minutes if I get the new plan.  I feel like I'm paying for way more service than I currently use.