Please Join us...No Spending in May...a support group - Page 14

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Whew.....I made it back. I bought only what was on my list (milk, bread, bananas, baking powder)...it was HARD.

I thought my life could not continue if I didn't buy a Kelty six person tent with a queen-size self-inflating camping mattress.

But I made myself put it back and -- indeed -- I was able to survive.

When I was safely out in the car, wallet locked in the glove compartment, I remembered how much I hate bugs and dirt and heat...does that sound like someone who needs a six-person tent?

Sheeeesh...it is purchases like that that have put us so deeply in debt. I am an impulse buyer.

The girls wanted to go to McDonald's after Costco, but I have taken all the cash out of my wallet and pay for everything with checks...so we couldn't go.

I made it another day, another thumb. Yeah!!

May 1...
May 2...
May 3... $105
May 4... $23
May 5... $9.50
May 6...
May 7...
May 8... $6
May 9...
May 10.. $6.50
May 11.. $18.43
May 12..
May 13..
May 14..
May 15..

Tonight we were invited to a dinner party, but my neighbor who normally baby-swaps with me isn't available and I refuse to hire a sitter at $10 an hour...so DH is going by himself. I figure once our debt is paid off we can start talking about hiring babysitters again...but for now that counts as a non-necessity.

Frugal Progress for today:

1. Went shopping at Costco and only bought groceries
2. CD Eleanor
3. Not hiring a babysitter
4. Played at a park after Costco instead of taking girls to McDonalds

[babymakes3]

Way to go Prudence! Now if only I could 4 in a row. lol Today is a though!!! Woo Hoo!

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Thanks Kelly!

You guys in this forum saved me yesterday -- I was two clicks away from buying something on the internet late last night, but I didn't want to come back on here and take off my for yesterday.

That's why I put mine up so early today...now I feel obligated to stay clean.

[Scribe]

Well, no for me today--spent $82 at Ross on summer stuff--but this should be it for summer clothes now, so that's good. And some of it will likely go back, as it won't possibly all fit.

[AngelBee]

:

[Mom2Joseph]

HI! Is it too late to join? I really want to be in on this for the rest of the month!
1. I'm Mom2Joseph and I have 2 children. We live pretty frugally already but need to really tighten the belt so to speak

2. Our DD has been very sick for the past year and the medical bills have cleaned out our savings. I really want to replenish our savings and then pay off our student loans (now there's a big challenge!)

3. Nothing but gas and groceries...and even groceries will be limited. I have a stocked freezer and pantry so should only need essentials/dairy. The only expense this month is a wedding gift for my dear friend's daughter. She is like a niece to me and so special. I already have a 20% off coupon for her gift and plan to use my "allowance" so it doesn't really come out of our budget. OH AND NO MORE DIAPERS! I have more CD's than any person needs! I HAVE TO STOP!

oh, and I have tons of stuff to return....that's just $$$ hanging out there for me to get! My plan is to take an entire morning/afternoon and just return stuff.

[Om Girl]

No thumb for me Had lunch with my aunt after getting a cavity filled...$9.00 ouch :
This week is going to be a nightmare for me...mama's you've gotta help me stick this out for the month!

This week I'll be traveling by car 70 miles a day from wednesday - friday. I'll be WOH those 3 days, plus I have book club and a birthday on Wednesday More possible money spent...help me be frugal!

[bwylde]

Sunday:
Monday:
Tuesday:

I am also planning on doing no shopping tomorrow. It's hard as I got a lot more money for my birthday today than I expected. I want to do some things to the apartment, but we're also seriously looking into buying a house, which may happen sooner than expected. Why waste money for decorating a place we may live at no more than a year or two at the most. I am planning on buying a shoe rack as our current set up is a disaster (think a big heap of stinky shoes by the kitchen table : . There's no where else to keep them that's handy), but I'll watch the sales as there's no hurry. I was also tempted to eat out for supper but reached for the freezer instead. yay!! Little victories rock!!!

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Welcome Valerie!!! My LAST diaper arrived today in the mail. ~~no more diapers~~~ You and I can hold firm together.

I have over 60 diapers and we never use them all. It is a compulsion. That is 60+ diapers that are size large. I don't even count the smaller sizes. My daughter is afraid to potty-learn because I start screeching whenever she heads toward the bathroom. She HAS to wear all those diapers.

Happy Birthday Carla!

[scrapadoozer]

May 1 around $9
May 2:
May 3
May 4
May 5: $3
May 6
May 7
May 8 $4
May 9 I spent but I don't remember how much
May 10
May 11 $2 (forgot I don't have to count necessary purchases)
May 12 $11 on supper...We were supposed to go visit my mom & were running late...have to try to plan better next time!
May 13
May 14
May 15

Yay, my second three-in-a-row streak for the month!

[Mom2Joseph]

Dear Crunchy,

We can join DA together - Diaper's Anonymous! Seriously, I must have 7 - 8 dozen dipes. not all the same size, but honestly. I mean come on. I kept telling my DH it was to "save money" but I kept buying fluff! Seriously addicted. About a month ago I ordered my last order. I knew it was the end. My DS is almost potty learned and DD is in a size large... so this is it. And no babies on the horizon or in the plans. I cried. I really did. I cried to my dear friend that I finally really did place my last diaper order!

I am going to sell part of my stash to put towards my student loans.

I don't even go to the cd' boards anymore, or to hyena cart, or to diaperswappers.... I just can't. Like a drunk avoiding a bar.

oh my, I sound deranged....but it really does have to stop!

Yes, we CAN hold fast together!

only groceries bought today and I stuck to the list!

[meandk0610]

5/15

i almost didn't make it yesterday--amazon was calling my name loudly! i had the cart ready to go, had whittled it down to "only $48" and remembered this post. it hurts, it hurts! i want my books!

sarah

[milosmomma]

5/15

We were good today...mostly because we stayed at home. Instead of going to the park in town (near STUFF), Amelia & I went for a walk around our subdivision and stopped to play at the playground. Bonus- I met a rockin' momma who lives on the other side of the development and has a son Amelia's age. While the kids played, we brainstormed how we could get a moms' group together and do pot-lucks. This is completely off the topic, but I'm psyched about it!

I think we should be good tomorrow. DH has a conference call, so Amelia are going to go to a state park and go hiking (free admission on Wednesdays!).

We have a birthday party to go to on Saturday...still trying to think of a cheap/free gift......

[oneKnight]

We went out of town, talked to the bank and realtor (and it's going great!) and only bought 2 Dr Peppers all day. That's like $2.25 today. Not bad.

[Metta&Karuna]

Yesterday I was right by a thrift store, and I really need new shoes for my dd. But I had my kids with me, and they love to buy things at thrift stores, as do I.

I decided to go in, but before opening the door, I made it clear to the dc we were going in there only for dd shoes and to see if they have any sheets that would make good napkins (added that one at the last minute ) and those things ONLY. What if they saw something else they wanted? Not going to get it. What if mama saw something else she wanted? Not going to get it. What are we going to get?-- Only those two things.

And then I opened the door.

It was so tempting walking through that store. I used to spend an average of $25 a month at thrift stores, definitely some money well spent, some not. I have this mentality that things are "almost free" there, as if it doesn't count. But I am working on it!

So yesterday there were no good shoes and no good sheets, and, wistfully, but proudly, we marched right out of there.

Success!

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

May 1...
May 2...
May 3... $105
May 4... $23
May 5... $9.50
May 6...
May 7...
May 8... $6
May 9...
May 10.. $6.50
May 11.. $18.43
May 12..
May 13..
May 14..
May 15..
May 16..

Woohoo!!!!! I'm on a roll............

Five thumbs in a row. I am finding it easier each day now that not spending is becoming more of a habit.

Again, today the kids wanted McDonald's and I checked my wallet and there is only $3 emergency cash in there...so what can you do? We had to just keep on driving by. Fast food is one of my downfalls, but not eating it is so good for my wallet and our waistlines.

Way to go Scrapadoozer and Junonia!! You're making me proud.

Valerie -- I've long abandoned the idea that cloth diapering would save me money...I still count it as Frugal Progress, but that is just because I'm trying to assuage some of the damage. I could buy disposables until Eleanor was potty-trained and it wouldn't add up to what I have spent on cutie-pie cloth diapers in the past year. Originally I was doing it to save money, now I'm claiming it is for the environment. That is my story and I'm sticking to it.

Sarah -- Way to go!!! Be strong...be strong...Amazon doesn't need that $48 as much as you need to keep it in your bank account. Can you get those books at the public library? I'm glad our thread held you back!

Jessica -- Could you re-gift a relatively new toy that your children already have? Could you offer a "playdate" to the birthday child as a gift -- having the child come over to your house for an afternoon in the future. It is really a gift of free babysitting for the parents, but that may be much more appreciated than yet another toy. If you feel like you have to give a new gift, color books and new crayons are pretty much universally loved and they are very inexpensive. I'm just brainstorming for ideas.

KariAnn -- How's the one car experiment going?

Frugal Progress for today:

1. CD Eleanor
2. Not going to the restaurant for book club tonight
3. Drove right past McDonald's without going in

[Om Girl]

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom

May 1...
May 2...
May 3... $105
May 4... $23
May 5... $9.50
May 6...
May 7...
May 8... $6
May 9...
May 10.. $6.50
May 11.. $18.43
May 12..
May 13..
May 14..
May 15..
May 16..

Woohoo!!!!! I'm on a roll............

Five thumbs in a row. I am finding it easier each day now that not spending is becoming more of a habit.

Again, today the kids wanted McDonald's and I checked my wallet and there is only $3 emergency cash in there...so what can you do? We had to just keep on driving by. Fast food is one of my downfalls, but not eating it is so good for my wallet and our waistlines.

Way to go Scrapadoozer and Junonia!! You're making me proud.

Valerie -- I've long abandoned the idea that cloth diapering would save me money...I still count it as Frugal Progress, but that is just because I'm trying to assuage some of the damage. I could buy disposables until Eleanor was potty-trained and it wouldn't add up to what I have spent on cutie-pie cloth diapers in the past year. Originally I was doing it to save money, now I'm claiming it is for the environment. That is my story and I'm sticking to it.

Sarah -- Way to go!!! Be strong...be strong...Amazon doesn't need that $48 as much as you need to keep it in your bank account. Can you get those books at the public library? I'm glad our thread held you back!

Jessica -- Could you re-gift a relatively new toy that your children already have? Could you offer a "playdate" to the birthday child as a gift -- having the child come over to your house for an afternoon in the future. It is really a gift of free babysitting for the parents, but that may be much more appreciated than yet another toy. If you feel like you have to give a new gift, color books and new crayons are pretty much universally loved and they are very inexpensive. I'm just brainstorming for ideas.

KariAnn -- How's the one car experiment going?

Frugal Progress for today:

1. CD Eleanor
2. Not going to the restaurant for book club tonight
3. Drove right past McDonald's without going in

Feeling left out of the loop...I need positive feedback too... (pout)

SAM

[oneKnight]

We went shopping today.
I didn't realize that we spent $4 on raw honey! Guess we should've taken that off at the checkout this time around. Our total bill was only $31 (we were aiming for $25ish) and the guy at the discount bread store gave us a free loaf! We may give it to MIL tomorrow though, because we have 5 in the freezer!
We are having to divert some of the food money into gasoline because of the move. Kinda sucks having to see the banker and realtor in another town, but it is SO TOTALLY worth it.

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Go Sam Go!!! Way to not spend that money!

Don't spend money at the bookclub or the birthday party -- be strong.

My book club is meeting without me tonight...they chose an expensive Italian restaurant so I had to pass. It was tough, but I'll have to talk about this book with them during the day at free playdates and such.

[milosmomma]

Thanks for the ideas Prudence! I'm going to look through our cast off toys tomorrow and see if there's something gift-able. It's for a 1 year old boy....I know nothing about boys!

So, I have to take back my from yesterday because on the way home from work I stopped at McD's (at dh's request). However, I'm going to just move it to today. Jason had some stuff to do at home, so I took Amelia out and we took a walk. When we got home, we all worked on our flower garden. No money spent!

5/16