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Will somebody join me in "NO SPENDING" for April? - Page 6

post #101 of 128
4/12/07 at 11:51am
I want to join as of tomorrow! I have been really good this month so far but I have to spend today on a hemp prefold for dd's nighttime diapering situation because we are changing sheets EVERY OTHER day from leaking and yarn for shorties for a friend's son. GRRRR! So tomorrow we start the no-spend except for bills and groceries this weekend which should be under $100 to last us the rest of the month. That will total us to $250 for the entire month for 4 people and two daycare kids. Not bad!


Meg

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post #102 of 128
4/12/07 at 2:29pm

Hanging in there!

I'm still at $0.00 for the month. There has been a little mutiny in the ranks (like on Tuesday evening when I packed a lunch for my son to take to Choir practice with him, rather than just giving him $5 for pizza after. He did come round, though, when he realized that I packed him more food in his lunch pail than $5 buys at the pizza parlour. ), but I'm not giving in.

This whole exercise (combined with my de-cluttering efforts) is really helping me to take stock of my life and to realize just how much I have!
post #103 of 128
4/12/07 at 7:34pm
I really want to join in too. I'm getting a late start though. I have been spending way too much on online shopping. I don't think I can even let myself browse on ebay or Amazon. I think I go out shopping and spending money just for something to do so that needs to stop too. But I haven't spent anything in the last two days. I'm only going to spend money on groceries and gas from now until the end of april. My husband may not join in, but he's not as compulsive about shopping as I am. Wish me luck
post #104 of 128
4/12/07 at 11:07pm

thought I'd post this for inspiration

http://consumerdisobedience.blogspot.com/index.html

I love reading anti consumerism blogs,it definitly helps me! anyone know of any others?
post #105 of 128
4/12/07 at 11:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by junipermuse View Post
I really want to join in too. I'm getting a late start though. I have been spending way too much on online shopping. I don't think I can even let myself browse on ebay or Amazon. I think I go out shopping and spending money just for something to do so that needs to stop too. But I haven't spent anything in the last two days. I'm only going to spend money on groceries and gas from now until the end of april. My husband may not join in, but he's not as compulsive about shopping as I am. Wish me luck
I do this too. especially when I'm bored or bothered. ugh! : I so need to get into a new mindset! amazon is especially bad for me as it's just one click to pay!
post #106 of 128
4/14/07 at 11:24pm
We're still doing pretty good. Besides groceries and pet needs, we've only spent for a carpet cleaner rental and light bulbs. We've had one other expense - dh had a father/daughter night that ended up costing more than we had planned, but it was unexpected (long story). Anyway, this is really good for us and we're feeling good about it! Of course, my ILs called and asked to borrow $150.: Oh well - sometimes you have to help out family.
post #107 of 128
4/14/07 at 11:59pm
dh bought us some dinner last night...so that means i will have an extra tank of gas to fill than normal. had to get baby spinach and groceries tomorrow. paid some normal bills also.

doing really well.
post #108 of 128
4/15/07 at 10:55am
haven't spent anything since my last post. decided to not do grocery shopping and use up stuff in the pantry (more out of sheer laziness though than anything.lol)..I need to make a lasagna and shepards pie for the freezer. I didn't need to even get groceries! : we will need milk and the kitty litter and some hay for the chickens but that's all I think.
post #109 of 128
4/16/07 at 11:15pm
I wanted to recommend the book Not Buying It. My library has it. You should be able to get it through interlibrary loan if your's doesn't.
http://www.amazon.com/Not-Buying-Yea...6776008&sr=8-1

-------------------------------------------------------

April spending so far:

3/31- $149.42 Groceries for the week
4/1- $ 43.00 Date night with dh (free babysitter, used a $5 off coupon for dinner)
4/2- $ 1.07 Tomato needed for dinner
4/3- $ 24.00 Gas for van
4/3- $ 6.00 Art museum parking
4/3- $208.00 GEICO auto insurance payment
4/4- $ 25 Capital One payment
4/4- $ 40 Room Store payment (yes, we did buy expensive couches last year)
4/4- $ 15 Registration for a child care workshop
4/5- $ 14.15 Lunch w/kids at Chipotle
4/6- $ 41 at Target for Easter stuff ($16) and household supplies
4/7- $160 grocery shopping for the week (including stuff like toilet paper [bulk], trash bags[bulk], deodorant and razors for dh)
4/7- $ 40 Filled the gas tank at BJs for .10 a gal less than the regular gas station
4/10-$ 18.55 Socks and underwear for ds1 and dd
4/12-$ 9.00 Breakfast for kids at Giant
4/12-$ 10.00 Gave to dh for lunch
4/14-$ 20 Lunch out with dh and kids
4/15-$ 36 Health food store (dishwasher tabs, rinse aid, probiotics for kids, chips for sh)
4/15-$ 7 Grocery store
4/16-$1642 Mortgage payment
4/16-$ 15 Gas in van
4/16-$ 66 Monthly YMCA membership fee
post #110 of 128
4/16/07 at 11:42pm
this thread is very inspiring! :
post #111 of 128
4/16/07 at 11:47pm
I'm trying to break it down into categories. This is what I have for the month so far:

Bills
4/3- $208.00 GEICO auto insurance payment
4/4- $ 25 Capital One payment
4/4- $ 40 Room Store payment (yes, we did buy expensive couches last year)
4/16-$1642 Mortgage payment

Groceries
3/31- $149.42 Groceries for the week
4/2- $ 1.07 Tomato needed for dinner
4/7- $160 grocery shopping for the week (including stuff like toilet paper [bulk], trash bags[bulk], deodorant and razors for dh)
4/12-$ 9.00 Breakfast for kids at Giant
4/15-$ 7 Grocery store

Household
4/6- $ 41 at Target for Easter stuff ($16) and household supplies
4/15-$ 36 Health food store (dishwasher tabs, rinse aid, probiotics for kids, chips for dh)

Gas
4/3- $ 24.00 Gas for van
4/7- $ 40 Filled the gas tank at BJs for .10 a gal less than the regular gas station
4/16-$ 15 Gas in van


Kids
4/3- $ 6.00 Art museum parking
4/10-$ 18.55 Socks and underwear for ds1 and dd

Extras
4/1- $ 43.00 Date night with dh (free babysitter, used a $5 off coupon for dinner)
4/5- $ 14.15 Lunch w/kids at Chipotle
4/12-$ 10.00 Gave to dh for lunch
4/14-$ 20 Lunch out with dh and kids
4/16-$ 66 Monthly YMCA membership fee


Work
4/4- $ 15 Registration for a child care workshop

What budget categories do you use?
post #112 of 128
4/17/07 at 1:27pm

Thump! (cross-posted in New Leaf challenge)

That is the sound of me falling off the No-Spend wagon this weekend.

We did major work on the garden and the garage this Saturday. I made a huge soup in the Crock-Pot for dinner, and we had leftovers for lunch (using up the last bits and bobs in the refridgerator...)

Fast forward to 6:00 in the evening. My entire "crew" is tired, hungry and cranky. I go into the kitchen to serve up the delicious soup and it is stone cold. I had forgotten to turn. on. the. Crock-Pot...

We ordered pizza, to the tune of about $59 (because about 10 of the neighbourhood boys had been helping us in the garden all day. I couldn't just send them home hungry.)

But I am back on the wagon, as of this morning. (I'm telling myself that even the $59 I spent "accidently" : is less than one week's worth of groceries during previous months, so I'm still doing pretty well.)
post #113 of 128
4/17/07 at 3:42pm
Okay, now my dd's birthday party is over, I'm in.

Yesterday 4/16: $2.00 for coffee which was desperately needed as I was exhausted from the party and didn't have time to wait for another pot to brew. I had no cash on me so I had to pay an extra .50 to use my atm card. $791 to the irs, but had no choice about that one!

So far today I have spent nothing but I will need to spend $6.90 on a train ticket to and from work since dh needs the car this afternoon. I will need to buy a jar of salsa for dinner. Also I need to buy a cd for work. Hopefully I will find it used.
post #114 of 128
4/17/07 at 6:10pm
i goofed up too.

i did a people search for $59 and got some summer clothes (and a toy) for dd at the local goodwill for $17. i also spent about $27 on easter candy (bought after easter at 50% off) after i found out hubby had asked another woman for her phone number. she gave him her email also so she now knows he's married & he has not tried to contact her. we have a lot of issues...

forgot tp add today's grocery: $58. since we eat all organic & grain-free i feel pretty good about our groceries this month.

sarah
post #115 of 128
4/18/07 at 8:28am
Well, I'll be spending some money today. One of the moms I babysit for is giving me money to take the kids (hers and mine) to the zoo. I'm going to pay the difference between what she's giving me for admission and a membership. It makes more sense to me to just get the membership.
post #116 of 128
4/19/07 at 1:55am
I got through the whole day without spending a single cent!!!!:
post #117 of 128
4/19/07 at 2:02am
tomorrow I will have been doing this no spending thing for a week. I did get groceries and gas, but I knew I would have to spend money on that. Groceries were about 80 dollars which is pretty good for me. However I planned all the dinner meals around things I already had in the pantry. On Monday night my husband plays kickball and we usually go out to eat, but I convinced my husbnd we should cook at home, so that was good, but yesterday husband got us mcdonald's for lunch and pizza for dinner, so that was money spent that I had not intended to spend. Then today DH's best friend wanted to go out for lunch and I said we couldn't cause were not supposed to be spending any money, so he offered to treat. Yay free lunch! Oh I also sold a bunch of old clothes and shoes and made 26 dollars. That's a move in the positive direction. The hardest part is finding free entertainment. What do you all do all day when you don't spend any money?
post #118 of 128
4/20/07 at 1:35am
Today I spent $3 on parking and $6 to take a dance class. (This is a business expense for me) I packed a lunch complete with water and bought a coffee at Starbucks with a gift card I got for my birthday. Everybody had leftovers for dinner.
post #119 of 128
4/20/07 at 10:11am
I am wondering if anyone would like to do this for May? I would totally do it.

And do groceries and gas count?
post #120 of 128
4/20/07 at 1:50pm
Managed to not spend anything yesterday (mostly because I'm broke). I'll have to buy gas today to take ds to his class.
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Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Natural Family Living › The Mindful Home › Frugality & Finances › Will somebody join me in "NO SPENDING" for April?