August No-Spend Challenge -- Congratulations no-spenders!!!! You made it to the end! - Page 50

[kalisis]

Alright, today was a $0 day. We didn't go out though. I'm thinking that's kind of the key.

I'm thinking up my goals for next month.

I *really* want a bento box from ebay, but I'm not buying it. If I pack our lunch for an entire month, then I'll be worthy of one. Right now, we don't go anywhere to pack a lunch...what am I thinking??? :

[becoming]

August 26 - I did great at the grocery store until my kids spotted the huge display of Oreo Cakesters. So that was our one deviation from our list. I also made the (bad) decision to stop by McD's on the way home instead of attempting to cook when we got home. My excuse is that I knew the baby would be ready to nurse the second we walked in the door, and my toddler was already saying "my hungy!" every couple of seconds.

So $9.27 at McDonald's and $2.50 at Wal-Mart=

August 26 - $11.77

[imnotsupernanny]

I didn't spend anything today!

[brennasmom]

Aug 26th: s, only $ spent was $22.19 for groceries & $14.95 for DS's birthday cake.

[brooktosea]

aug 26th
were moving in the morning and won't have internet until Friday so I'll log back in when I get set up. Good luck everyone with this last week.

[UUMom]

Ok!

Here's what I got ask! People on this thread seem all 'regular' American peeps -- all nice nice & fun and relaxed. Some of you are buying Diet Coke, going to McD's, shopping at Walmart etc.

Here's my question--- do any of you post in the other forums? It seems so chill & supportive here, whereas all the other forums seem so intense about these things.

[MommyHawk]

we did horribly yesterday. I had a balance due at the library ($8), so we went there as a family - fun, but then we remembered that we had a gift to get for that night, totally last minute ($50) when we could of thought about it before hand and gotten something better and less expensive, then we were all hungry and thirsty, so we went to the local healthy food store, bought bottled drinks and snacks ($13) and then we went out for the birthday party, which was dinner out with the whole family ($50)...then DH went out with the guys after we got home, bought the beer (I can only imagine it was like $20 or more)

bad bad bad!!!

[sparkprincess]

Originally Posted by imahappymama

Uh...I'm bringing you along when my car dies and I need to go shopping for a car! You rock!!!!

I'll pop in here with a shameless plug for owning a Costco membership. Twice now we've received amazing deals on cars by going through Costco. You go to their site, plug in all the info about the car you are looking at and then dealers in the area contact YOU with offers! We got an amazing offer from a dealer about an hour away. Wrote down the info and then took it to a nearby dealer and asked him if he could match it. He did. It was no hassle and we know we got a great deal...especially since the vehicle we traded in badly needed new tires and an alignment!!

[SusannahM]

Aug 1 -
Aug 2 -
Aug 3 -
Aug 4 - $25 for double stroller, $3.14 for breakfast at Wendy's, $38.02 for gas
Aug 5 - $26.77 for gas, $6.40 for art supplies and a phone at Staples
Aug 6 -
Aug 7 -
Aug 8 - $29.75 for car inspection
Aug 9 -
Aug 10 - $14.53 on groceries
Aug 11 - $33.58 on groceries
Aug 12 - $8.52 on groceries, $2.75 on water
Aug 13 -
Aug 14 -
Aug 15 - $97.50 for health insurance, $6.16 for life insurance
Aug 16 -
Aug 17 - $38.45 for gas, $7.94 for training pants
Aug 18 -
Aug 19 - $59.36 for electricity, $14.15 for groceries, $2.67 at the Dollar Tree
Aug 20 -
Aug 21 - $50 for a wedding gift, $21.71 at Target
Aug 22 -
Aug 23 -
Aug 24 -
Aug 25 - $2 at a garage sale for random things, including a rolling desk chair
Aug 26 - $8.58 for groceries, $36.36 for gas

Total: $533.34

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Here's my question--- do any of you post in the other forums? It seems so chill & supportive here, whereas all the other forums seem so intense about these things.

That is actually why I had to add the caveat about us being a support group ONLY and being non-judgemental about other peoples' purchases.

Sometimes snarky comments get posted, but for the most part we just ignore them and keep on doing our thing.

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

01..
02.. $31.80
03..
04.. $134
05..
06.. $27
07..
08.. $27
09..
10..
11..
12.. $11.12
13.. $30
14..
15..
16..
17.. $25
18.. $45
19.. $65
20.. $11.71
21.. $39.01
22..
23..
24..
25..
26..

My goals:
1. No diaper shopping 22/31 days
2. No McDonalds 25/31 days
3. Beat June's no-spend days 15/19 days

The county fair is here...it is within walking distance of our house. We have a pass (that expense is already recorded on August 19th), so we've been going there every day without wallets...just watching the free shows and the animals and doing all the free stuff. It has been a lot of fun.

But also EXTREMELY hard because I love that fried dough that they sprinkle sugar and pour chocolate on...oh that is hard to resist.

Okay, I love ALL fair food. That is why I have to leave my wallet at home.

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Jenn -- Thanks for the Costco tip. We're shopping for a car too and I'm going to go check them out.

[kalisis]

Also a big thanks to you Jenn. We've been looking and looking and can't make up our minds. I'm going to give them a try.

Ended up spending $12 last night at Target on groceries (milk, cheese, organic granola bars).

Goal for the week is $100 or less on groceries. Totally doable.

August 26 - $12
August 27
August 28
August 29
August 30
August 31

Goal - 12/100 groceries

[frog]

We're making small progress on the no-spend plan, but we're still spending more than I'd like.

On the upside, financially anyway, we've put our ttc plans on hold indefinitely and I'm liquidating all of the nesting I've done to date. So far, I've sold about $100 worth of diapering stuff and slings. I've only posted the covers, fitteds and specifically diapering-related things--I suspect I'll recover a bit more money once I start posting the prefolds, clothing (through 4T) and toys.

[mrskennedy]

August 1 Paid rent and saved for oil bill
August 2 Got PayPal interest
August 3
August 4
August 5
August 6 $103 budgeted for groceries, etc
August 7
August 8
August 9 $34 budgeted for groceries for next 2 weeks
August 10
August 11
August 12
August 13
August 14
August 15 made $20, spent $18.90 on supplements
August 16
August 17
August 18
August 19
August 20
August 21
August 22
August 23
August 24
August 25
August 26 Made $13.63
August 27 $29.99 sattelite, $38.02 phone/internet, $72.42 electric--all budgeted, made $13.23, submitted articles for review

[meandk0610]

1 - 61.11 dog food & groceries - musts but i'm tracking everything but gas
2 -
3 -
4 -
5 -
6 -
7 - +6.75 from selling scrap metal, -174.62 groceries for at least 10 days
8 -
9 -
10 - 72 Urine-Erase (cheaper than new hardwood)
11 -
12 -
13 - 5 for dog'd meds
14 -
15 -
16 - 147.12 groceries
17 -
18 -
19 -
20 - 143.36 x-rays & meds for sick dog
21 -
22 - 142.87 groceries and dog food
23 -
24 -
25 - 45.39 kleen kanteens (we're moving away from small bottles of water)
26 - 44 for membership to budgie society and bands so i can sell the chicks
27 -

frugal progress:

- become insane (finally cut some cloth wipes!)

running totals:
- $788.82 spent (all necessary) (thank god/dess there's only 1 more week left before this resets to 0)
21

sarah

[mrskennedy]

Originally Posted by SusannahM

Aug 25 - $2 at a garage sale for random things, including a rolling desk chair

the chair! My sister and BIL gave me one for my bday one year, and it was one of the first things unpacked when we moved. Those chairs can be expensive, so you did REALLY well!

[allgirls]

Ok..so today and tomorrow will be big spending days for me. BUT it's my monthly shopping and school supply shopping.

I am making a list and sticking to it. After today and tomorrow I shouldn't spend anything.

I travel to a store out of town and get all my drygoods(paper towels, toilet paper etc.detergent and stuff cheap)

Then tomorrow I go to a local grocery store where I will buy a bunch of packaged things that are cheaper like school snacks and stuff.

Then that's it for groceries for the month except perishables.

I save a LOT of money doing this.

and then I fill up the gas tank. That's that for the month. One tank of gas. I walk everywhere I can.

The plan is coming together for September!

[mrskennedy]

Originally Posted by UUMom

Ok!

Here's what I got ask! People on this thread seem all 'regular' American peeps -- all nice nice & fun and relaxed. Some of you are buying Diet Coke, going to McD's, shopping at Walmart etc.

Here's my question--- do any of you post in the other forums? It seems so chill & supportive here, whereas all the other forums seem so intense about these things.

Yeah, I know what you mean... And yes, most of us do post in the other forums--I do. But I feel bad sometimes b/c everyone else seems so good and healthy, oh and rich too! At least compared to us. But as Maya Angelou said, "We did what we knew how to do at the time, and when we knew better, we did better." Right now there are higher priorities in my life than eliminating WM and convenience foods. But I respect and admire those who do, but try not to judge others for the choices they make. IF I feel like saying something negative here about someone's purchase, I don't say anything. It's not that hard, and you're welcome here, as we all are.

[frog]

I post all over the place, too. turtle and I are crunchy vegetarian dykes, complete with cats and hairy everything, who smoke too many Camels, watch cable TV and eat more fast food and take-out than we should.

We are anything but rich.

<shrug> We're happy.