April No-Spend Challenge ~ Last day of our challenge. How did you do? - Page 35

[p1gg1e]

4/26-
4/27-
4/28- / DH's birthday at chipotle
4/29 - 1.99 DQ....

Key:
Stayed home
No extra spending
Spending
Made extra money :

[mumkenna&lucas]

4/1
4/2
4/3 $18.37 art supplies
4/4 $36 dd's school pictures, $70 soccer sign-ups
4/5
4/6
4/7
4/8
4/9 $67.05 camera lens
4/10
4/11
4/12 $25 klean kanteens
4/13
4/14
4/15
4/16 $17 coop
4/17 $23.50 ds party
4/18
4/19
4/20
4/21
4/22
4/23
4/24
4/25
4/26
4/27
4/28
4/29 $13 for ds's birthday, $7 produce bags

No Spend Days: 22/25
No DS/etsy: 26/27
Non-essential Spending: $259.92/$250

[Patrick's mummy]

01: $134 groceries/household stuff - within budget but more than I meant to spend IYKWIM. However, I did get some PP pads, some labour drinks and a bit of extra meat to make PP meals for the freezer, so I got a lot for my money. DH spent $1 at work on a chocolate bar!
02: No spend!!! DH spent a tiny bit at work but this isn't his challenge....
03: DH spent $7 on playing football plus $1.5 on a drink afterwards. The weather was glorious so I took DS1 and DS2 to the park after school. I had packed snacks but DS1 accidentally dropped his and spilled them everywhere so I ended up with a $2 spend at the store for replacements.......
04: Needed butter but came out of the store with chocolate too So, that's $4 out of my grocery budget. I wanted a Coke later but I resisted so it wasn't all bad!!
05: $3 on groceries. Still within budget but wouldn't have bought this by choice, it was related to an argument with my DH about my trying to cut down on groceries and him claiming he is being left hungry??!?!
06: $4 on groceries. By some miracle, I sent DH to the store for bread, milk and cheese and he *only* came back with those items!! Progress!!! That is my household/grocery budget spent til Weds so we need to manage with what we have now. DH is aware!!
07: No spend!!
08: $120 groceries/household (that's within budget and pretty good given that we needed diapers for nighttime use and laundry stuff.......) plus $120 gas (within budget but still scary)
09: No spend!!
10: No spend AND no drive! Just off to polish my halo........
11: $2 parking to take DS2 on a walk. Later I had my tutorial social. I'll get reimbursed the main and the drink so technically only spent $5 on a dessert. I didn't need it, so that was a bad purchase.
12id pretty well on my tutorial by packing a lunch and drinks. Spent $2 on a tea (mainly just to be sociable so needless really ) and left a tip after dinner. Dinner will be on expenses. DH took the kids out to the library and got lunch while they were in town - $6 on lunch plus $4 on a gift for DS1 and probably $4 on parking.
13: $5 on a cake and some juice to take to the tutorial. I had promised to bake but was way too tired, so this was a compromise and probably didn't work out much more expensive than baking at home. DH took the kids to the park and picked up some lunch items - $4. I then had to get $12 worth of groceries for dinner because DH hadn't followed my meal plan in my absence!! Plus $6 contribution to a gift for someone in the tutorial group who has finished the course.
14:No spend and no drive for me but DH bought a loaf and some mints - $2.
15: Wooah, lots of spending today. Spent $176 in total on this week's groceries, DH's birthday presents, some extra food that is intended for postpartum and some vitamins for DS1 and me. Then, I took the kids to McDonald's as a treat and spent $14.
16: No spend, no drive. Midwife came to me and made a belly cast!!
17: I think I can record today as a no spend. We've been out for DH's birthday and we're going back out for dinner but his folks are here and I think they're paying! Turns out that DH spent $12 on sweets during our day out!!
18: Well today could have been a no spend, no drive for me but I got the urge to eat chocolate and drink something fizzy and gave in to it. Actually drove especially to do it too - shameful. Got a few things on sale while I was there so spend came in at $12......DH bought himself a McDonalds for lunch today and spent $40 on a book but that was his birthday money so fine.....
19: $18 dry cleaning, $12 groceries - we are over budget this week by a mile
20: $26 on a double stroller, a shirt for DS1 that he can wear to the two weddings we are invited to this year, and a book for DS2 as a gift from baby3 when he/she arrives!
21: $52 cranial osteopath, $40 gas, $4 groceries
22: $3 groceries
23: $88 groceries - mostly necessary but overbudget by $40. I could have left some of it there but when things we use regularly are on sale, it seems silly to. I need to figure out a system where my budget for the next month takes this into account..... Also $2 on sweets for DS1 and DS2 but our neighbour gave them the money so not sure it counts.
24: No spend, no drive! DH will have spent $7 on a game of football.
25: Outrageous day of unnecessary and unhealthy food purchasingSo, we have a breakfast for me $4, some sweets for the kids plus a Dr Pepper that I could have done without $3, and then in the evening I went back out and purchased 2 bottles of soda, 2 bags of sweets and 2 chocolate bars for me and DH to binge on which came to $8 Talk about no restraint.
26:No spend, no drive for me. DH and DS1 got a haircut (amount unknown) and DH bought DS1 a magazine (it was $5 - can you believe that? and it's full of adverts..)
27:$30 at hardware store but all totally necessary. $50 at grocery store- I'm hoping that will hold me off til the end of the month if not longer.
28: Should have been a no spend but I caved in and bought myself chocolate this morning... so much for a healthy pregnancy eh.
29: $100 gas for the car (in budget but scary), $64 grocery/household (in budget) plus the seemingly inevitable $1 on chocolate that I ate at 9 30 this morning???

Looking at my month, the only spending I ever do frivolously is buying soda/chocolate for myself that I really shouldn't be consuming (because it's expensive, unhealthy, I'm pregnant and before I was pregnant I was overweight...........) so my May efforts have to focus there.

[mamaof6]

I did it!!! I reached my No Spend goal. So all is not lost this month. My spending still stunk, but progress not perfection right?

4/01 budgeted spending: $39.76 groceries
4/02 No Spend Day!!!
4/03 budgeted spending: $193.71 groceries from Big Box; $4.70 coffee
4/04 No Spend Day!!!
4/05 budgeted spending: $126.46 Target (groceries, baby gift, and household) $50.00 groceries
4/06 budgeted spending: $23.00 charitable contributions; $5.00 gift for friend; $2.34 coffee
4/07 / budgeted spending: $72.00 haircut/color; $33.80 groceries. Unbudgeted spending: $36.00 haircare products (frivolous)
4/08 No Spend Day !!!
4/09 No Spend Day!!!
4/10 /: budgeted spending: DH paid bills; $23.45 milkman/groceries; $2.34 coffee; $69.00 gas. Unbudgeted spending: $8.07 McDonalds for kids (frivolous )
4/11 No Spend Day
4/12 budgeted spending: $2.35 coffee; $185.60 Costco (groceries)
4/13 /: budgeted spending: $20.00 charitable contributions; $2.93 coffee; $81.08 groceries; $50.00 birthday gift for dd#1. Unbudgeted spending: $79.63 clothes for me (these were not necessary so frivolous spending)
4/14 budgeted spending: $12.08 bowling party
4/15 budgeted spending: $11.43 bowling party; $8.38 felt from Michaels; $99.53 Kohls (much needed dress clothes for kids)
4/16 budgeted spending: $47.25 (groceries); $5.86 (2 coffees)
4/17 /: budgeted spending: $2.93 coffee; $31.15 milkman Unbudgeted: $18.06 Target for gift (this was unbudgeted, but necessary)
4/18 unbudgeted spending: $20.66 groceries (I'm calling this unbudgeted because I'm over budget on groceries)
4/19 / (bought more clothes that I did not need )
4/20 / I went over on my coffee allowance :
4/21 No Spend Day
4/22 No Spend Day
4/23 $14.56 (food from Schwans that we did not need.)
4/24 $2.24 coffee
4/25 No Spend Day
4/26 No Spend Day
4/27 / budgeted spending: $30.00 charitable contributions; overbudget: $2.72 coffee
4/28 Today was all unbudgeted/overbudgeted/frivolous spending. Except for the baby gift for my new nephew.
4/29 No Spend Day


Key

No Spend
Budgeted Spending
Unbudgeted/Overbudgeted Spending

My Plan

Track Groceries: $800.08/$750
Track Gas: $143/$300
Track Coffee: $33.36/$25
Track Frivolous Spending: $265.17/$50
10 no spend days: 10/10 YEAH!!!!!
25 days no Big Box stores: 20/25
No Credit Cards: 29/30

[lizziebits]

Apr 1 --
Apr 2 -- Groceries: $51, Post Office: $31, Linens & Things: $15
Apr 3 --
Apr 4 -- Gifts for god daughter and dad: $15
Apr 5 -- : Breakfast Sandwich at McDonald's: $5, Movie Rental: $5
Apr 6 -- Newspapers at Dollar Tree: $3, Groceries: $6
Apr 7 --
Apr 8 -- Coke: $2, Groceries: $59, CVS: $2
Apr 9 --
Apr 10 --
Apr 11 -- Snack: $2, Post office: $4, Ice Cream: $6
Apr 12 -- Breakfast: $5, Target: $9
Apr 13 -- Newspapers: $3, Groceries: $9
Apr 14 -- : Vending Machine: $1.25
Apr 15 --
Apr 16 -- Groceries: $85
Apr 17 -- Lunch: $3
Apr 18 -- : Snacks: $4
Apr 19 -- : Breakfast: $5, CVS: .50
Apr 20 -- Entertainment: $32, Newspapers: $3
Apr 21 --
Apr 22 --
Apr 23 --
Apr 24 -- : Groceries: $10, McDonald's, $6
Apr 25 -- : Groceries: $30, Wendy's $5
Apr 26 -- : Snack: $2, Gifts: $6, Groceries: $5
Apr 27 -- Newspapers: $3, Gas $8
Apr 28 -- Groceries: $3
Apr 29 --

One more day! One day more! I can do this. I'm not going to meet my goals, but that doesn't mean I can't finish strong.

-- No Spend
-- Spend within Budget
-- Budgeted by Frivolous
: -- Unplanned/Unbudgeted Spending

April Running Tally:
10/30 -- No Spend
10/30 -- Budget Spend
3/30 -- Budget, but Frivolous
6/30 -- Non Budget Spend

Week 1 -- 92 miles/100 miles
Week 2 -- 125/100 miles
Week 3 -- 110/100 miles
Week 4 -- 135/100 miles

Goals: 15 No Spend, 15 Spend with Budget, under 100 miles/week

[katheek77]

: I give up. Well, not really. But DH is thinking it's good to stock up now, so we have. I'm not upset about spending tons of money on foods we normally eat and having them here. I'm upset because DH apparently decided that means that it's time for a spending spree. He "had" to go out to eat yesterday. And pick up Wendy's on the way home. And buy ice cream and junk food.

With MDC being down, I'm not even going to put in money amounts...suffice it to say, I'm overbudget big time for groceries. I'm hoping to salvage my no-drive days. I have to think about those, and figure out dates.

4/1 Doc: $125, groceries: $37.59
4/2 No spend No Drive Transferred $475 into savings.
4/3 No spend No Drive
4/4 No spend No Drive
4/5 No spend No Drive
4/6 No spend No Drive
4/7 No spend No Drive
4/8 No spend No Drive Transferred $300.56 into savings
4/9 No spend No Drive
4/10 $34.71 Trader Joe's
4/11 $23.09 Beer (this should last about two months...you have to buy cases here in PA. No six packs! Binge-drinking is healthy!)
4/12 $45.84 Birthday Dinner for DH. $40.15 Gas
4/13 No spend No Drive Put $899 into savings
4/14 No spend No Drive
4/15 No spend No Drive
4/16 No spend No Drive
4/17 No spend No Drive
4/18 $81.99 groceries, $24.75 Target, $10.00 Laundry Quarters
4/19 No spend No Drive
4/20 No spend No Drive
4/21 No spend No Drive
4/22 Spend?
4/23 No spend No Drive
4/24 Spend
4/25 No spend No Drive
4/26 Spend
4/27 Spend
4/28 No spend No Drive
4/29 No spend No Drive , DH ate out. :

20/21 No spend days
20/20 No drive days
27/28 No eat out days

Ridiculous/$150 groceries - I have a lot of food in the pantry and freezer from last month.
$3374.56/$1493.70 into savings/IRAs/investments for month GOAL MET
$15420.77/17924.40 into savings/IRAs/investments for the year (so far, $10420.77 into savings, $5000 into IRAs)
Less than 225 miles for the month. 121,461 beginning mileage[/QUOTE]

[scrapadoozer]

04/01:
04/02 Toy for dd $3
04/03
04/04
04/05
04/06
04/07
04/08 Toy for dd $2, Pillowcase $1
04/09
04/10
04/11
04/12 Wireless headphones $15, Sewing supplies $32, DVD for DD $5
04/13
04/14
04/15
04/16 Swap shipping $9
04/17 Coloring book $1
04/18
04/19 Fabric $100
04/20
04/21
04/22
04/23 Stuff for dd's playhouse $8
04/24
04/25
04/26
04/27
04/28
04/29 Swap shipping $2, Coffee I owed my brother $2

Goals:
21/20 No Spend Days *YAY!*
$180/$200 in frivolous spending

[josybear]

Originally Posted by liangel

1- Would you bring a Bi-Lo canvas bag into a Publix grocery store? Do you think it's okay?
i do this all the time, i've never had so much as a raised eyebrow
2- How does the cashier know that you purchased the bags (for $1 each) on a previous visit? I don't want to get charged everytime I bring my own bag. I guess is where the honor system would come into play.
my bags look used pretty quickly, they lose their crisp edges and, obviously, no longer have tags on them. i guess they just figure you wouldn't pull the tags off the bags and cram them into your bag of bags in a crowded store, you know?

bolded mine.

april 1:
april 2:
april 3:
april 4:
april 5:
april 6:
april 7:
april 8:
april 9:
april 10:
april 11:
april 12:
april 13:
april 14:
april 15:
april 16:
april 17:
april 18:
april 19:
april 20:
april 21:
april 22:
april 23:
april 24:
april 25:
april 26:
april 27:
april 28:
april 29: went waaay over budget, but i won't have the chance to get groceries next week, so overall i haven't overspent. and i've made a meal plan for may already, using mostly ingredients i already have!
april 30:

week 1: 3$ leftover
week 2: 63$ leftover
week 3: 0$ leftover
week 4: 28$ leftover
week 5: -70$
0$ remaining for the month

(the budget is 100$/week for food, transportation, outings, etc, 100$ a month for clothes, gifts, craft stuff, etc)

march: 48% no-spend days
april: 56% no spend days!!!

[liangel]

My key:
-no spend
:-groceries
-gas
-unnecessary spending

4/1-
4/2- $40-gas.
4/3-
4/4-
4/5-
4/6-
4/7-
4/8-
4/9-
4/10-
4/11-
4/12-
4/13-
4/14- $53.23 Household items. I went to BJ's and bought Papertowels, toilet paper and tissues ONLY. These should last quite a while since it's only me and DH. I actually wrote it on the calendar, so I know how long it takes before we need that stuff again. I went to another store and bought Shower Cleaner (Value size so it's really 2 shower cleaners), a big thing of Spray and Wash and Sour cream.
I also get a for today for spending $7.01 on a Salad at Zaxby's. I did split it up into 2 salads though when I got home.
4/15-
4/16- $4.10-McD's bkfst
4/17- $6 Dunkin Donuts (Iced Coffee, Hashbrowns, 2 Donuts-for niece and nephew.
4/18-: $32 groceries
4/19-
4/20- $50 gas :$20 groceries.
4/21-
4/22-
4/23-
4/24-
4/25-
4/26-: $30 groceries/health & beauty aid
----- $5 Subway, $10 for fundraiser niece is doing
4/27-
4/28-
4/29-
4/30-

[liangel]

.

[liangel]

Originally Posted by liangel

Aug '07-20/31 total no spend days

Apr-22/30-total no spend days

Uh make that 23/30 no spend days in April

[annethcz]

April 1: budgeted spending: $16.21 groceries, $22.35 school lunches/juice for April
April 2: budgeted spending: $11.39 lunch out, $48.10 gas, $15.65 dollar store
April 3: budgeted spending: $$17.26 Dollar Store, $94.85 grocery store, $11.99 Bakery Outlet
April 4: budgeted spending: $6 ECFE class fee, $17.40 softener salt & chicken feed, $12 kids' school carnival
April 5: no spend
April 6: no spend, no drive
April 7: budgeted spending: $20.75 groceries
April 8: no spend
April 9: no spend
April 10: budgeted spending: $72.21 groceries, $7.71 cat food
April 11: no spend
April 12: budgeted spending: $26.81 Target, $7 shoes for DS (why does this child keep growing???? ), $22.89 pizza, also paid state 2007 income taxes and mortgage for May
April 13: no spend, no drive
April 14: budgeted spending: $27.67 lunch out, $56.49 gas
April 15: budgeted spending: $48 school fundraiser, $22.89 pizza takeout
April 16: budgeted spending: $15.11 lunch out, $14.51 gardening supplies, $10.64 soda for DH, : unbudgeted spending: $101.24 groceries
April 17: budgeted spending: $10.99 dinner takeout, : unbudgeted spending: $54.05 gas
April 18: no spend
April 19: no spend, no drive
April 20: budgeted spending: $14.35 lunch, $18.50 DD haircut
April 21: no spend
April 22: no spend
April 23: budgeted spending: $5.93 ice cream treat, : unbudgeted spending: $25.18 groceries, $40 gas

My goals for April:
10/15 true no-spend days
3/5 no drive days
9/less than 15 days driving more than 50 miles in a day
$433.15/$400 groceries
$187.97/$200 household/misc.
$304.13/$250 gas
$143.22/$150 eating out/take out/entertainment
$14.51/$50 garden
490/1000 minutes on the treadmill
2/20 items sold

[mumkenna&lucas]

4/1
4/2
4/3 $18.37 art supplies
4/4 $36 dd's school pictures, $70 soccer sign-ups
4/5
4/6
4/7
4/8
4/9 $67.05 camera lens
4/10
4/11
4/12 $25 klean kanteens
4/13
4/14
4/15
4/16 $17 coop
4/17 $23.50 ds party
4/18
4/19
4/20
4/21
4/22
4/23
4/24
4/25
4/26
4/27
4/28
4/29 $13 for ds's birthday, $7 produce bags
4/30

No Spend Days: 23/25
No DS/etsy: 27/27
Non-essential Spending: $259.92/$250

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

01..
02..
03..
04..
05.. $3
06.. $2
07..
08..
09..
10..
11..
12.. $3
13..
14.. $40
15..
16..
17.. $22
18..
19.. $56
20.. $30
21.. $185
22.. $33
23..
24..
25..
26..
27.. $10
28.. $18
29..
30.. ,

19/24 no-spend days
29/30 fast-food-free days
10/10 let the car rest days

Tally of evil: $402

Wow. That was even more than I expected.

Okay, no wonder we were broke at the end of this month.

Next month: will do better.

[princesstutu]

4/1:
4/2:
4/3: :
4/4:
4/5: :
4/6:
4/7: Plus I got an unexpected check. LOL
4/8: :
4/9:
4/10: bowling
4/11:
4/12:
4/13: : dinner meeting
4/14:
4/15: : Avon order
4/16:
4/17:
4/18:
4/19:
4/20:
4/21:
4/22:
4/23:
4/24:
4/25:
4/26:
4/27: :
4/28: :
4/29: : :
4/30:

The day's not over, but I'm only going to the recycling center and church, so I figure I got this in the bag.

I'm proud of myself.

Goals:

no spend days: 23/30 (not including groceries) ---> 20/23
gas: $100 budgeted for month --->$131
household: $50 budgeted for month --->$41
business: I'd like to make at least $50 this month --->$0
eating out: 2/30 ---> 2/2

Key:
: eating out
: paid bills
: spent $ unnecessarily
: made some $$$
stayed on budget
spent money non-budgeted, but not nec. unnecessary

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

No DS/etsy: 27/27

Go Amanda Go!!!!

That is a hard habit to break.

[scrapadoozer]

04/01:
04/02 Toy for dd $3
04/03
04/04
04/05
04/06
04/07
04/08 Toy for dd $2, Pillowcase $1
04/09
04/10
04/11
04/12 Wireless headphones $15, Sewing supplies $32, DVD for DD $5
04/13
04/14
04/15
04/16 Swap shipping $9
04/17 Coloring book $1
04/18
04/19 Fabric $100
04/20
04/21
04/22
04/23 Stuff for dd's playhouse $8
04/24
04/25
04/26
04/27
04/28
04/29 Swap shipping $2, Coffee I owed my brother $2
04/30

Goals:
22/20 No Spend Days *YAY!*
$180/$200 in frivolous spending

[ananas]

So...can I join in? I mean for next month, of course.

[knittinanny]

April 22:£25.59 fruit/veg/milk box
April 23: £8.37 pet insurance (direct debit) no spend otherwise
April 24: £20 M phone, J no spend
April 25: £20 cash (£10 for co-worker's gift, other £10 for...???) £5 tube £16.70 cinema tickets (the only film we're likely to see this year)
April 26: £17.88 pizza
April 27th: £15 therapy £5 tube
April 28th: £19.10 fruit/veg/milk box
April 29: £215.59 student loans £20 cash (£10 for pre-meeting snack, £10 for co-worker's leaving party) £23.30 home insurance £12.25 grocery (how can I go to buy cat food only and come out spending £12???) £74.41 phone Are we calling Mars? There's no way our phone bill can be this high!! £5 tube
April 30: £5 for drink at work party £845 rent £40 bank charge (hopefully the last one though) £10 umbrella (unfortunately completely necessary) £15 tube for M and J (weather was truly horrible)
Spending Key:
No Spend
Budgeted/Practical/Necessary Spend:
Unnecessary Spend:
Ride bike to work day::

April Grand Totals:
Groceries: 216.60 (down £128.05 from March!!! )
Household etc: 164.26 (up £57.83 from March, but now the garden expenses are done!)
Bills (including rent and one double payment of sallie mae loan):1825.64 (up £310.86 from March - £210 was extra sallie mae, others was horrible phone bill!)
Transport: 70.90 (down £22 from March! )
Eating Out/Fun Money/Reckless Spending on Crap: £384.14 including £146 on bank charges (up £98.04 from March, which is pretty good considering all the bank charges!)
Cell phone: 70 (J=15, M=55) (up £10 from March. : No way to rein in M's phone usage).
Amount put in savings: £160 (up £10 from March! )
J overdraft used: £301.88 (down £111.35 from March! )

Last Month's Numbers
Groceries: 344.65
Household Etc: 106.43
Bills Incl Rent: 1514.78
Transport: 92.80
Cell Phone: 60
Eating Out/Fun Money/Reckless Spending on Crap: 286.06
Amount in Savings: 150.00
Amount spent in Overdraft: 413.23

[FeelingBlessed]

On to May...see you ladies there!

Kim

April 1:
April 2: parking ticket + library fine
April 3:
April 4:
April 5:
April 6:
April 7:
April 8:
April 9:
April 10:
April 11:
April 12: Adopted 2 cats - not in budget (but not frivolous)
April 13:
April 14:
April 15: pizza + ice cream
April 16: ice cream date w/ DH
April 17: overbudget on add'l produce
April 18:
April 19:
April 20:
April 21:
April 22:
April 23:
April 24: $24.40 on snacks for road trip to visit grandmother
April 25: $55.12 on dinner/ice cream (dinner was nephew's b-day party, so debated still getting a , but ice cream was not necessary)
April 26:
April 27: $138 @ emergency vet - not in budget
April 28:
April 29:
April 30:

GOALS:
* Less than $50 in frivolous spending: month to date $39.16
* At least 25 days (no spend or spending w/in budget): 24/25
* Pack snacks/water for outings: 30/30
* NO library fines: month to date $12
* Stay within grocery/eating out budget: $768.65/$500
* ORGANIZE/declutter (lack of organization = spending): 22/25
* Exercise (feeling good = decreased emotional spending): 21/25
* Items posted for sale on internet: 11/10
* Meal plan created: 1/4 weeks