January No-Spend Challenge -- Day of Reckoning. How did you do? What will you change for next...

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

This thread is a support thread to help you ~not spend your money~. Everyone is welcome to join (we would love to have you) and you are welcome to start at any time. It doesn't have to be January 1st.

The plan is simple (although very tough to execute):

1. Vow not to spend any money on unnecessary purchases.

2. Come on here everyday and record your spending.

3. If you think that you absolutely MUST buy something, come on here and tell us about it first. Sometimes taking the time to come on here and post before you buy something will help you not buy it.

4. Provide encouragement for your fellow non-spenders and try to talk THEM out of buying things.

Good luck Ladies!! Let's have a strong January!!! Keep that money in your wallet.

ETA: Our no-spend threads tend to get very long...if you are new and considering joining us you don't need to read the entire thread (unless you want to). Just read the first three entries and jump right in. Start your no-spending today!

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

Some caveats...

*Groceries, utilities, clothing for you and your family, transportation...these things are necessary. You don't need to record things like that.

*Only YOU can determine what is necessary. We are a non-judgemental group.

*Record whatever will cause YOU to spend the least. If you feel guilty about coming on here and fessing up -- then this thread is working perfectly.

*Don't get discouraged if you spend -- our goal is PROGRESS not PERFECTION. We all will spend this month...let's admit that up front...Our ideal is no-spend...but we'll be happy if you just spend less.

Please don't take an all or nothing attitude. You will see progress if you stick with us...I promise you that.

*If you have time to read everyone else's post and do personals, hurray! That helps our thread do its job...but if you don't have time, then just post your tallies. We have plenty of successful no-spenders who do only that.

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

1. Please introduce yourself and tell us anything you think it would help us to know about yourself.

2. Please tell us why you have decided to spend nothing (or spend significantly less) for the Month of January. Memorize these goals and recite them to yourself before all purchases.

3. No spending is hard work. You need a plan. Please tell us your game plan -- how do you plan to approach no spending for a month?

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

1. My name is Prudence and I am a SAHM with two daughters and another little girl on the way!

2. I do these no-spend challenges because keeping a record of what I spend makes me more conscious of where our money is going...I spend less when I write it down.

3. My plan: Record spending here and try to drive the car less. Gas = money. And if I'm not out driving, I'm not out shopping. There is a direct correlation between how much I drive and how much I spend.

My previous records:

May= 19 no-spend days/$265
June = 19 no-spend days/$394 in frivolous spending
July = 15 no-spend days/$580
August = 19 no-spend days/$451
September = 22 no-spend days/$103
October = 20 no-spend days/$203
November = 19 no-spend days/$456
December = Fell off the wagon
January = ** no-spend days/$ unnecessary spending

[quelindo]

1. Please introduce yourself and tell us anything you think it would help us to know about yourself.

I'm a SAHM to a two-year old, married to a wonderful guy who has three kids from a prior marriage. The two younger ones are with us part of the time and DH has paid a HUGE chunk of his paycheck toward child support for the past eleven years.

2. Please tell us why you have decided to spend nothing (or spend significantly less) for the Month of January. Memorize these goals and recite them to yourself before all purchases.

We moved to a much nicer, more expensive part of town last February and now have a humongous mortgage. We paid off all our debts (so long, student loan!) when we sold our last house to simplify things but we still have that huge mortgage. We need to tighten our belts if we want to stay here and getting ahead would be nice, too.

3. No spending is hard work. You need a plan. Please tell us your game plan -- how do you plan to approach no spending for a month?

November was AWESOME for me -- it was the second month I signed up for the challenge and the first time I followed it to the end. The challenge really, really helped that month. December was...a train wreck. So I need to get back on this!

My game plan is to list almost every single thing I spend money on, even things like groceries, so that I am held totally accountable. I have a problem with lumping "wants" under categories in the budget when I shouldn't be (i.e., chocolate that I'm jonesing for under "grocery"). I did so much better in November at the grocery store when I came here and separated out what was truly necessary and what was not.

I'm also going to continue keeping up with the budget, logging things in right away and keeping my checkbook balanced. I used to be obsessive about this (sometimes looking at the budget multiple times a day) and I'm starting to get back to that. This is a good thing! I would like to start up an emergency fund. A few months ago I didn't see how that would be possible, but the old saying is true -- if you watch your pennies the dollars will take care of themselves.

Good luck everyone!

[SugarAndSun]

1. Please introduce yourself and tell us anything you think it would help us to know about yourself.

I am a SAHM to two boys. I am planning to work part time and ease into full time. This will be my fourth month doing this challenge. I have progressed so much!

2. Please tell us why you have decided to spend nothing (or spend significantly less) for the Month of January. Memorize these goals and recite them to yourself before all purchases.

We are paying off all our debt. We only want to spend on necessities. I am also joining the Compact this year! However, I also want to stay out of thrift stores, etc.

3. No spending is hard work. You need a plan. Please tell us your game plan -- how do you plan to approach no spending for a month?

I plan to record all spending outside our fixed bills including food and gas. That just helps keep me in check. I also want to beat December.

December:
Food from the grocery store: $697/$400
gas: $230/$200
Christmas: $200/$150
Misc.: $212/$50
TOTAL SPENDING OUTSIDE FIXED BILLS:$1338.50


************************************************** **
GOALS:
Food from the grocery store: $0/$400
Gas: $0/$200
Misc.: $0/$100


I will NOT patronize any fast food places!
I will NOT patronize any big box stores except Home Depot if necessary.

0/31 NO FAST FOOD! 0/31 NO BIG BOX STORES!

KEY: : True no spend Spending within budget : Spending outside budget

[gnutter]

my name is gretchen

This is my first month posting but I lurked in Dec.

I am hoping to get financially organized this year--part of a long mission to get organized.

I have set up an excell worksheet to track my cashflow this month and organize my bills and any money not already dedicated to bills.

outside of my bills and groceries I have $175 left a month. I am going to try to put that money toward the best possible things-debt, some toward gas to go to the ymca a coupe times a week. I really need to be aware of the small things I waste money on. so this will help me be accountable to someone-besides dh--he's no help he just sympathizes with my "needs" ( like starbucks)LOL!

[gnutter]

subbing oops

[cilantromapuche]

1. Please introduce yourself and tell us anything you think it would help us to know about yourself.

I work fulltime as a librarian and have 2 kids, ages 4 and 1.

2. Please tell us why you have decided to spend nothing (or spend significantly less) for the Month of January. Memorize these goals and recite them to yourself before all purchases.

Like some of the others here I want to get organized and try and try and keep my house clean in 2008. If I had less crap it would be easier. I have never been a shopper but after DH being unemployed and him finding a job I shopped just because I could and I liked it a bit too much!

3. No spending is hard work. You need a plan. Please tell us your game plan -- how do you plan to approach no spending for a month?
I am going to try and stay off some bad websites that show bargains. I am going to stay busy cleaning and organizing my house instead. I don't have time to post everyday but I will try and post every once in a while (and kept track of expenses...my cc bill can only get up to $1116)

[annethcz]

All right ladies, I'm in again this month. The past few months of participating have really helped me, so I can't stop now

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom

1. Please introduce yourself and tell us anything you think it would help us to know about yourself.

I'm Ann, a SAH and homeschooling mama of 4 usually wonderful children.

2. Please tell us why you have decided to spend nothing (or spend significantly less) for the Month of January. Memorize these goals and recite them to yourself before all purchases.

We moved to a new house this summer, and the move was more expensive than we anticipated. We ended up running up some credit card debt *sigh* and now we're working on getting it paid off.

3. No spending is hard work. You need a plan. Please tell us your game plan -- how do you plan to approach no spending for a month?

I am going to post here everyday to keep myself accountable. Daily accounting has made a huge difference for me in past months, so I'm going to keep it up. I'm also going to go back to our normal menu planning and grocery shopping habits. I went over my grocery budget by $100 in December because all of the holiday craziness, and that can't happen again.

My goals for the month of January:
Track Grocery Spending: $0/$550
Track eating out/take out spending: $0/$75
Track my gasoline spending: $0/$160
Track household/ misc. spending: $0/200
Track frivolous spending: $0/$0
Track spending/income on chickens: $0 spending/$0 income
No frivolous spending: 0/31 days
No credit card use: 0/31 days
Stay within 15 miles of home: 0/23 days
No-drive: 0/10 days

[Anarkissed Mama]

It's gotta be for real this time

We moved into a house this summer that was stretching us. I got a job last month and we took on a tenant and now things could be rosy. We have been seriously considering a "Total Money Makeover" ala DAve Ramsey but are not 100% yet. My goal is to stick within our budget. I am constantly overspending on my allowance and I am so sick of it. I am sick of the emotional rollercoaster it puts me on and the way it promotes sneakiness, shame, more sneakiness. My big huge fat weakness is take-out. I get overwhelmed with my kitchen, I get intimidated by recipes, I get abruptly hungry and am too weak to cook and off to the thai restaurant I go. I get $150 a month to play with--whatever I want...clothes, food, movies. BUT THAT'S IT $150 AND THEN I NEED TO SLAM ON THE BREAKS. I find myself thinking, "maybe I could work more or cash in some vacation time or oro orororo." Then I think "What madness is this?" You know I have not been that open with folks about the extent of my problem so this may be a nice combo of accountability and anonymity for me. My plan is to allot myself $35/week so that if I run out I only have to wait a few days for the next installment instead of weeks which is a total set up for me. I probably won't be on here everyday, but I'll definately check in. Here goes nothing...

[AGlimmeringHope]

1. I'm Dennie, mom to two little girls, 2.5 and 3 weeks old. I'm a part-time student (online) and currently a SAHM, but am starting the job hunt for part-time work to help with finances.

2. As usual:
-We need to get our own place. Whether we rent or buy, we just need a place of our own. 350 sq ft is NOT big enough for a family of four with 2 dogs...oh, and my parents kind of drive me nuts most of the time.

-We're working on paying down our debts. Obviously, the less I spend, the quicker this happens. The quicker our debts are paid down, the quicker we can move....see #1.

-We don't have enough room to house our stuff. Since we're not able to immediately get more room, the only solution is to have less stuff. The less I buy, the less we have to find room for!

3. My strategies this month are:
-Stay far, far away from the baby stores.
-Any money made through paypal (via Pinecone, selling stuff on DS, textbook sales) gets immediately transferred to our bank account so we can use it to pay towards a bill.
-Make sure we eat a meal before leaving the house. It sounds simple, but we never get ready early enough to do so and wind up eating out way more than we should.
-Pack snacks in the diaper bag for dd1 so that if we are out and haven't eaten yet she can be held over until we can get home and eat.

[a2mama]

1. Please introduce yourself and tell us anything you think it would help us to know about yourself.

I am a SAHM to a 7 yr old boy, 4 yr old girl. I am in library school, and work part-time as a teaching assistant and circulation clerk.
I am working really, really hard toward a more green life, and one of the most important things for me is reducing debt, so we can reduce other things.

2. Please tell us why you have decided to spend nothing (or spend significantly less) for the Month of January. Memorize these goals and recite them to yourself before all purchases.

a. I am doing the Compact.
b. I need to become conscious of my spending, even stuff like groceries and bills.
c. I strive to walk more lightly upon the earth. Spending less will help immensely.

3. No spending is hard work. You need a plan. Please tell us your game plan -- how do you plan to approach no spending for a month?

After a nice meal out for my birthday (Jan 2) and a trip to the movies by myself (my annual b-day treat), I plan to take the credit card AND the debit card out of my wallet. I will use checks for groceries and supplies. I will check my credit card statements each morning to keep myself aware of the magnitude of the situation. At the end of each week, I will put at least 50% of the excess $$ not spent to our credit card bill. The other excess will go toward building our emergency fund. It doesn't cost me anything to make frequent payments, and I am a girl who needs some immediate gratification.

[beansmama]

I am game this month...and i will accomplish it! I can do it...i can do it!

One of my goals for 2008 is to compact and stick to my budget...as well as prepare ALL meals at home - that's right, no eating out in 2008! so i don't fear this challange this month

I plan on sticking to my budget, and not taking anything out of my savings unless it's a true need (medical/dental/car). Subway is NOT a need.

I do get $25/mo spending cash - but i'm pretty sure i will be saving it.

GOALS:

No spend (outside my budget) days: 31/31
No eating out days: 31/31

[ReikiMommy07]

I'm in again!

1. Please introduce yourself and tell us anything you think it would help us to know about yourself.
I'm ReikiMommy, mama to baby DS, wife to DH, student mama...

2. Please tell us why you have decided to spend nothing (or spend significantly less) for the Month of January. Memorize these goals and recite them to
yourself before all purchases.
I want to declutter, decide what's really materially necessary in my life, and get rid of what isn't. I want to focus more on time/love, etc, than spending. Also, I'm working on our $1000 basic emergency fund and only need $150!!!

3. No spending is hard work. You need a plan. Please tell us your game plan -- how do you plan to approach no spending for a month?
I have a detailed budget and will stick to it. Savings, fuel oil money, and DH's allowance come out on the 1st, and everything else has allotted $ amounts. Anything left over at the end of the month gets devided between oil and savings.

[mumkenna&lucas]

This will be my fifth month here!
I am a SAHM to a 4 year old dd and a 2 year old ds,
We have home renovations approaching, cc debt, student debt, and car payments. Not easy with one income so I have to keep more control of our money and where it goes! We are also thinking about getting pregnant in the next year or so, and I would really like to have a fairly large savings account prior to another baby..

My goals this month are:

• compact!
• write down everything! Even necessary spending like groceries
• No Credit Cards!
• Save, Save, Save!
• declutter and simplify

I just noticed that quite a few of use are doing the compact!! Exciting!!

January Spending goals:
No Spend days: 27
No etsy/DS/ebay: 30
Non-necessary Spending: <150
December totals:
No spend days: 20/18
No DS, Etsy, DT: 31/27
Non-essential spending $85.20/$200

[MidgeMommy]

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom

1. Please introduce yourself and tell us anything you think it would help us to know about yourself.

2. Please tell us why you have decided to spend nothing (or spend significantly less) for the Month of January. Memorize these goals and recite them to yourself before all purchases.

3. No spending is hard work. You need a plan. Please tell us your game plan -- how do you plan to approach no spending for a month?

1) I am a young mother and wife, baby is six months and I have been working part-time since she was three months.

2) Work has cut my hours from 30/week down to 12/week, which might increase eventually, but is a HUGE portion of our income that just disappeared. Zap. My husband's job has also cut his hours, because he is one of their newest employees, and budget cuts meant that him getting benefits in a month was a HUGE budgeting problem. We now have no way of getting benefits, baby is going to have to go on Healthy Families, and we weren't doing so great in the budget area to begin with. DH and I are still working out our spending habits, and especially our accountability between each other. We spent WAY too much this month on erroneous moving expenses, things we didn't have but needed for the new apartment. We are both looking into new/supplemental jobs, but in the meantime, we have NO money to go towards ANYTHING but food, rent, and utilities.

I'm done with my novel, but I needed to vent. Thank you for listening.

3) Husband and I are sitting down and talking about the budget and our goals (for life as well as finance) and agreeing not to spend. I am also making a home management binder, and updating daily a printed budget spreadsheet. We both NEED visual presentations to understand how/why/where/when we spend, and how/where to improve. Accountability here will provide me with inner peace, and clarity.

[sweetfeet]

1. Please introduce yourself and tell us anything you think it would help us to know about yourself.

I'm Meghan. I have a 5 year old daughter, Sophie, who is home schooled and a 14 month old son, Atticus, who is just being busy climbing. My dh is a full-time student in addition to working full-time as a YA rep and ref tech at the library.

2. Please tell us why you have decided to spend nothing (or spend significantly less) for the Month of January. Memorize these goals and recite them to yourself before all purchases.

Starting in January I'm compacting. I'm excited to see other compacters here. So no spending on non essentials and bills.


3. No spending is hard work. You need a plan. Please tell us your game plan -- how do you plan to approach no spending for a month?

[karuna Mayi]

1. Please introduce yourself and tell us anything you think it would help us to know about yourself.

My name is Karuna, I have 2 dds ages 10 and just turning 1 on the 8th. My dh is working 2 jobs right now and I do full-time childcare and am taking a Web Design program through my local college.

2. Please tell us why you have decided to spend nothing (or spend significantly less) for the Month of January. Memorize these goals and recite them to yourself before all purchases.

I'm tired of senseless spending. Getting nowhere fast. It's not how much you have but what you do with it. I would like to be debt free (student loans etc.) in a couple of years. I want to make the most of what we have and truely appreciate it.

-320/groceries
-50/misc.
-60/clothing

I'll add to this list later...

3. No spending is hard work. You need a plan. Please tell us your game plan -- how do you plan to approach no spending for a month?

My plan is to account for everything! Not eat out, no snacks or junk food.

This is my first month, so here it goes.

[isaiahsmom]

1. Please introduce yourself and tell us anything you think it would help us to know about yourself:

My name is Eryn, I am a SAHM to Isaiah who is 10 and homeschooled.

2. Please tell us why you have decided to spend nothing (or spend significantly less) for the Month of January:

We are moving to WA next summer and we really need to pay down debt.

3. No spending is hard work. You need a plan. Please tell us your game plan -- how do you plan to approach no spending for a month:

I will be tracking all purchases on here. When I did it this summer I spent a lot less! We are selling my SUV to save on payments, insurance, and gas. I had to agree to this in order to quit my job to homeschool our son.