April No-Spend Challenge ~ Last day of our challenge. How did you do? - Page 6

[mamaof6]

4/01 $39.76 groceries

Tomorrow looks like a trip to the "Big Box" for more groceries. I tried to avoid the store today, but we were out of fresh fruits/veggies. At least I went to the local store here in town.

Jill


Key

No Spend
Budgeted Spending
Unbudgeted Spending

My Plan

Track Groceries: $39.76/$750
Track Gas: 0/$300
Track Coffee: 0/$25
Track Frivolous Spending: 0/$50
10 no spend days: 0/10
25 days no Big Box stores: 1/25
No Credit Cards: 1/30

[*andiflipping*]

4/01....



Key...
True no spend
Spend within budget
unbudgeted but needed
unbudgeted and totally not needed
: no drive


Goals
1/21 no spend/spend within budget
0/$300 gas
0/$300 groceries
more no drive days (I think I only had 3 last month)

[daekini]

4/1~ Spent nothing, not even at work (usually a coffee drink!)

Goals:
1/15 Days no spending at ALL
1/30 Days no frivolous spending on self
0/3 No Drive days

[monkey's mom]

4/1: Dinner $15

I'm giving myself a for tonight--b/c even though it was a frivolous spend, really, it's coming out of the $20 Eat Out budget. I knew I had a meeting at the restaurant tonight but I was NOT going to buy dinner. Then it got late after doing some running around and I was hun-gry. Sigh. Tomorrow I have to buy food.


My key:

No spend
Budget spend
Over spend

Groceries $0/$650
Pet $0/$100
Eat-Out $15/$20
Misc. $0/$100
Garden $0/$50

[mamimapster]

April 1groceries:76.44.Gas 23.01,Thrift 5.12

April Goals:
No unbudget spend days goal 15/30,0/30
No Drive Days goal: 10/30,0/30
No frivolous spending over 100 actual: 0/100
Sold items 0/50
Thrift/HB kit items: 5.12/40
Decluttering/organizing 30 min day 1/24
Grocery budget 76.44/375-Extra for Pesach
Baked/bulk cooking 0/13
Study 30 min/day goal 1/26

March:Nospend14/31,No Drive: 5/31,frivolous spending147.41/100,Sold items 57/50,Decluttering 18/26,Grocery 331.27/350,Bulk: 6/13, Study23/31

Feb:No spend 11/29,No Drive7/29,No frivolous spending: 127.01/100 Sold items 60/50,Decluttering 30 min day 11/26,Grocery budget 352.59/350 Baked/bulk cooking 7/12

[mumkenna&lucas]

4/1


No Spend Days: 1/25
No DS/etsy: 1/27
Non-essential Spending: $0/$200

[princesstutu]

I think I tried this back in Feb, but I forget things. This time, I'll sub to the thread and try really hard to update daily. Maybe I'll make it a S.H.E. card.

4/1--only spent $3 at the roller rink

I just joined a roller derby team, so I'll have that unaccounted for expense, but I need to do that (something) for myself.

I need to start up my gardening stuff soon, so that may be an expense, too. I'm not sure. Maybe not til next month.

I really don't have extra money right now, so we'll see. I soooo need to stay on top of what little money I have. And, I still haven't gotten the door on my van fixed, yet. The guy already bought the part, so when he gets around to fixing it, I'll have to pay him.

Look at that. The month just started and I've already spent more than I can afford to.

[FeelingBlessed]

Fantastic - I will be borrowing this for my goals too (though starting with 10).

Kim

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom

Oooh, Ann, I need to add that to my list of goals too. I'm going to try to sell 20 things in my house too...I already have the list, I've just been bad about sitting down and POSTING them.

Brie -- This time you'll do it!!! You get credit just for starting out again. Stick with us

[FeelingBlessed]

Only trip out today was a walk to (free) music class, which was sadly cancelled due to Mr. Mark's back injury. Bringing dinner to in-laws tomorrow night; should be no-spend with the exception of gas.

April 1:

GOALS:
* Less than $50 in frivolous spending: month to date $0
* At least 25 days (no spend or spending w/in budget): 1/25
* Pack snacks/water for outings: 1/30
* NO library fines: month to date $0
* Stay within grocery/eating out budget: $0/$500
* ORGANIZE/declutter (lack of organization = spending): 1/25
* Exercise (feeling good = decreased emotional spending): 1/25
* Items posted for sale on internet: 0/10
* Meal plan created: 0/4 weeks
* Grocery/Co-op trips: 0/2

[umarider]

I have decided to include pet supplies under household. I hope to get a better picture of what my grocery spending REALLY is (w/out the stuff for 1 big dog and 2 indoor cats!)

Originally Posted by umarider

4/1 $27.61 Groceries, $10.15 pet/household, $39.09 Gas, $6 car wash/household


2 no-spend days per week
1/30 no-credit card days
0 unbudgeted spending
Gas - $39.09/$220
Groceries - $27.61/$450
Household - $10.15/$125
Eating Out - $85

- budgeted spending
- no-spend day!
- unbudgeted, but necessary
: - didn't need it, but bought it anyway

[llamalluv]

Well, we lasted ALMOST a day. The money hasn't actually been spent yet, but it's going to be. Unbudgeted spending. A woman that belongs to our church had a stint placed two weeks ago, and then got the flu and has been in the hospital. Since she's been out of work for two weeks, she is having trouble paying bills, so the members of the congregation are sending her money - DH and I are sending some. It will come out of our e-fund, but it's aggravating that we blew the budget on the FIRST DAY. :

[becoming]

4/1 - $13.42 (lunch out - planned), $15.00 (insurance co-pay)

[monkeys4mama]

Originally Posted by llamalluv

Well, we lasted ALMOST a day. The money hasn't actually been spent yet, but it's going to be. Unbudgeted spending. A woman that belongs to our church had a stint placed two weeks ago, and then got the flu and has been in the hospital. Since she's been out of work for two weeks, she is having trouble paying bills, so the members of the congregation are sending her money - DH and I are sending some. It will come out of our e-fund, but it's aggravating that we blew the budget on the FIRST DAY. :

llamalluv,
At least your unbudgeted spending was for a good and generous cause. You'd feel a lot worse if it was for something completelyl frivolous.

[daekini]

:

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

01..
02..

2/24 no-spend days
2/30 fast-food-free days
2/10 let the car rest days
5/20 items posted on internet to sell

[liangel]

I'm too lazy to post my intro page. I've been doing this challenge since August.

My key:

:-groceries
-gas
-unnecessary spending

4/1-
4/2- $40-gas.

I should have quite a few this week and into next. I am having lap surgery tomorrow and don't foresee myself going anywhere to spend money or even wanting to online.

[monkeys4mama]

Now is the time to confess I did badly yesterday...

I stopped at the store for something necessary and wound up buying the unnecessary. To my credit, I didn't buy as much unnecessary as I started out piling in my cart. But I still spent money that wasn't planned.

Does anyone else find themselves getting sortof overwhelmed with choices and ending up buying more than they need just b/c they can't make up their minds? This happens to me a lot. It's a sort of sensory overload when I hit the store. And I see all sorts of stuff that makes me think, "oh, I could use that" and "gee, what a great sale on those" and "the kids will love this", etc, etc. Then I have this cart of stuff and I can't make up my mind which thing I want most or whether it's really worth it. I feel really pressured and sometimes I just check out and buy it all. Yesterday, I went back through the cart and dumped the majority of things. But I still bought some makeup and bath type stuff. I didn't absolutely NEED it, but then again, it was really cheap and was my brand and colors, etc. Spent $13. I also put some bids in on Ebay. What was I thinking? I'm kinda hoping I'll just get outbid since they were lowball bids. I guess if I don't get outbid, I won't feel too bad b/c they'd be "bargains". But there's the problem. Am I addicted to "bargain shopping"??? Must learn to tell myself that it's not a "bargain" if I didn't really need it in the first place.

How do you guys do this?

[daekini]

Originally Posted by monkeys4mama

...I see all sorts of stuff that makes me think, "oh, I could use that" and "gee, what a great sale on those" and "the kids will love this", etc, etc. Then I have this cart of stuff and I can't make up my mind which thing I want most or whether it's really worth it. I feel really pressured and sometimes I just check out and buy it all. Yesterday, I went back through the cart and dumped the majority of things.
How do you guys do this?

This is why I try to shop at smaller stores that specialize in specific things - those "big box" stores are my downfall, there are too many things I can decide I "need"! Even big grocery stores have this affect on me. I'm glad that Trader Joe's opened, since they don't carry the type of things I'm tempted by... but there are a few things we still get at the regular grocery store. I usually send DH there!

[lizziebits]

I find I am the same way. While I'm there, I try to think: A week from now, will I think the purchase was worth it? and If I never saw this item, would it be something I would have independently decided I needed?

[FreeSpiritMama]

This is helping me already :

1/4 ~ No spend, no drive
2/4 ~ No spend, no drive