August No-Spend Challenge -- Congratulations no-spenders!!!! You made it to the end! - Page 10

[MamaPam]

To prevent further unexpected lunch expenses from DH, I am sending a "emergency lunch" to go in the freezer at work for the next time he forgets. Wish I'd thought of this before.

-Pam

[loitering]

August 1st:
August 2nd:

WOW, I can't believe how difficult but rewarding this has been already! Thursdays are my ds's day off from daycare and my day off from school. Usually we shop in the morning, have a nap at home, and then go to our kiddie group. Instead, we stayed home all morning and it was amazing. We had such a great time together!

I did buy a $3 air freshener for my car today, which I could have gone without but I think my passengers will thank me.

[SusanInItaly]

Aug 1-
Aug 2-

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Day 3 of our challenge...the weekend is coming...

All that leisure time... partners at home... the weekend can be tough.

Do you see any potholes that could trip you up this weekend? Take a minute today to think about what's coming up.

Hang tight onto your money!

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

No spending is very tough.

It is easy to say you want to no-spend, but very tough to execute. Go back and re-read what you wrote for #2.

For those of you who feel like you have already fallen off the wagon -- DON'T GIVE UP!

The wagon hasn't even pulled out of the station yet...we're still here waiting for you to jump back on.

For those who already have two no-spend days under their belt -- Good job! You are off to an excellent start!

[SusanInItaly]

Weekend is my weakness!!!

The base community garage sale is on Sat...I might take out $20 and browse...

My DH is deployed now, so the pressure to eat out and "do something" has lessened. The kids are happy trying to catch crabs and going to the playground, whew!!

I will be strong, well, except that big garage sale, lol.

[Ruthiegirl]

Dh and I just had a talk about our weekend plans. He wanted to take a big trip to the beach, but honestly the heat has been so bad and I am pregnant so a trip sounds awful. The heat has been making me pukey.

Instead, we are having a quiet day at home tomorrow getting caught up on some things. BIL is coming on Sunay and I found a chicken in the feeezer to serve. I think we can escape the weekend without spending any money!

This is waaaaay different from our normal weekend -- take out pizza on Friday, shopping on Saturday, bagel and coffee after Meeting on Sunday -- $$$$ the cash flows like water normally.

[scrapadoozer]

My husband has this scheme with one of our neighbors to dig out a whole bunch of the hill behind our house and transfer all the dirt down to neighbor's backyard. It's going to be a full day to a possibly two day project so there won't be many oppurtunities to spend money this weekend. I am concerned about tonight though. I would like to get out of the house but I don't want to spend money...we're usually no good at that.

[frog]

August 1: $7.50 for lunch/dinner combo
August 2: $1.86 for drinks out with a friend
August 3: $380 for car repairs; $3.35 for lunch

Running total, unbudgeted: $10.85

Unanticipated cash infusions: $200, for childcare provided during a crisis for which insurance money has been received

[Meems]

Aug 1-

Aug 2- DD woke up @5am, so we took the dogs to the beach for sunrise and picked up breakfast, it was delicious and time well spent. $9.00

Later went to a local arts show, spent only $13 on handmade soaps for gifts. Not too bad, not to good.

Also went grocery shopping and went $15 over budget. I think it was a few extra's I bought to make homemade granola bars, they had organic bread on special (froze one) and I needed fruit and veggie wash, and I splurged on some mangoes. yum.

We're meeting friends for a free activity today.

Oh, my mom's bday is this month. I found some of our family's china on e-bay and may buy her one item. Sentimental and not too pricey.

[meandk0610]

1 - 61.11 dog food & groceries - musts but i'm tracking everything but gas
2 -
3 -

buckled down this month due to last month's crazy spending.

sarah

[jennaugustson]

Hi Meems!

[mama kate]

1st
2nd
3rd - should be


We are scoring this month too - DH won a $30 gift card to a yummy local restaurant at work for having his time sheet in on time (I guess they put everyone in a drawing for getting it in as an incentive since they are all salary)
I sold an art easel yesterday that we haven't used in ages for $10!

We are having friends staying with us this weekend fwhile they are house hunting in this area - THey are taking us to dinner tonight since we will be keeping their DD all weekend. THen we have a b-day party on Saturday night ( gifts were bought weeks ago so free dinner & entertainment sat) sunday we will be going to the zoo with friends ( have a pass will just need to pack snacks!)

Woohoo - maybe I'll be successfull this month!

Carla - I am in a similiar position - I watch 2 babies - I want to drop my full time one. So this month I want to see if we are ok with just the part timers salary (she pays for full time & is off 6 weekdays a month & half days on friday) Ideally our friends moving back want a nanny situation because he travels so we are talking about that & their DD is closer to our DD's age -
I use to have 7 plus DD under 3 - NEVER again!!!! :

[kalisis]

Hi, I'm Ashley.

I'm attempting to overhaul some of my spending habits and even though I don't post much, I've been lurking here for a long time and have been learning.

Both DH and I freelance, so money is always an issue. He's about to lose his biggest client (the one that pays the bills..ugh) and I'm trying to reduce my obligation (my client, we travel for and I'm SOOOO sick of traveling), but that will also reduce our income. So, we live really well and have for a long time, without much thought to budget and I'm trying to get myself into the mindset and get some practice while I still have funds in the bank.

I have a plan, but DD is crying...bbl.

[brooktosea]

Meems can you make your own veggie wash? thats what we do.

[MaddieMay]

Originally Posted by MamaPam

To prevent further unexpected lunch expenses from DH, I am sending a "emergency lunch" to go in the freezer at work for the next time he forgets. Wish I'd thought of this before.

-Pam

I do this too, although I don't send a freezer meal. DH requested stuff he can snack on while on the phone, at a phone conference, etc. For him, he ususally comes home for lunch but once in awhile something unexpected will come up where he has to stay at work. (This happened yesterday.) I just send dried fruit, mixed nuts, and trail mix. Definitely cheaper than a vending machine and probably healthier too. I periodically ask him how his stock is doing and if it's low/out, I write that down on my grocery list. Next time I'm at the grocery store, I pick up a bunch of things and put them all in a bag for DH to take to work.

[Hollysmom]

Well I am quite upset this morning. I had to spend money on a non-budgeted item that was a necessity. I didn't budget any money for car repairs this month because we just spent $800 at the end of July. Well I got home last night and the alternator went on my truck. So, $200 for car repairs out of budget. Blah!

[Baby Makes 4]

Aug 1 - $14.00 unplanned spending
Aug 2 -
Aug 3 -

I am not going to get in the van today so I won't be able to spend any money since you have to drive to get anywhere from here.

I am dying for chocolate so I think I will stick Logan in the Ergo later and make a chocolate pudding cake. He brings me the Ergo almost every day and says "Back .... CAKE"!

I talked to DH about this yesterday and we agreed that we are aiming for 20 spend-free days in August and no unplanned spending. I know DH is going out for lunch today but that is coming out of his personal spending money which I have no say over. I am saving mine up to eventually buy a camcorder so I am including my personal money in no-spend.

[happy1nluv]

Well... the month hasn't started too well for me...
Day 1 - didn't count cause that's what got me here...
Day 2 - $5.35 on a smoothie (we were going crazy sitting at home -- too hot to go outside so we went to walk the mall..and smoothies are my weakness BUT i got a super duper blender for mothers day so i could make my own... the only thing i can say in my defense was that i needed Nic to sit down for a few cause i thought joe needed to nurse... and we left the stroller in the car. I SOOO can't wait til the mall opens their soft toddler play area (woohoo!) ...
Day 3 - well, its gonna be a spend day since we need to find grandpa a bday present...but we're not leaving the house so dh is buying it! ( i know, famous last words)...

So... I really want to subscribe back to Dr Fuhrmans website... its 100/year and you get a discount on vitamins (we use his vitamins for nic... it saves us somewhere between 10-20 (forget exactly) per order...we order every other month)... but i really dont want to spend the $$... wwyd? (we need to order vitamins soon)

[frog]

Originally Posted by happy1nluv

So... I really want to subscribe back to Dr Fuhrmans website... its 100/year and you get a discount on vitamins (we use his vitamins for nic... it saves us somewhere between 10-20 (forget exactly) per order...we order every other month)... but i really dont want to spend the $$... wwyd? (we need to order vitamins soon)

If you only save $10/order, the sub won't even pay for itself. It will BARELY pay for itself if you save $20/order. I wouldn't do it, myself.