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~October No Spend Challenge~ The economy declines, MDC familes SAVE!!!!!! - Page 9

post #161 of 481
10/1: $17.03 Groceries which included $6.99 pack of vacuum cleaner bags
10/2: $13 paid online for a necessary monthly bill :
10/3: $10 (Gas), $64 (Gym dues), $5.37 (Taco Bell ).
10/4: :

So, far:

2/15 no driving :
2/15 no spending :
$10.04/$250 groceries
$83.99 necessary spending
$5.37 unnecessary spending
0/2 yummy coffees

---

New plan! I QUIT MY JOB It was a really unhealthy job for me, so this is a good thing!

So, now I have to really curb my spending. I'm working on getting my doula business started, so hopefully, I'll have some money coming in from that. YAY!
post #162 of 481
10/1:
10/2:
10/3: Groceries $23.79 Dessert stuff for Mom's Night Out
10/4: Mtg. $1
10/5:
10/6:


No Spend
Budget Spend
Over Spend

Groceries $418.42*
Gas $24*
Misc. $12.72*

XMas $19.39**

*Some of this is carry-over from Sep.
**Running total until Xmas
post #163 of 481
10/1 - $1.41 for a candy bar - stuck in a hotel -- HIGHWAY ROBBERY! :
10/2 - :
10/3 - $4.00 Frozen Yogurt @ the airport
10/4 - $2.96 CVS + $3.97 grocery store
10/5 - :
10/6 - $48 pedicure + 5.75 cold stone
post #164 of 481
10/1 - $65 for household goods and groceries.
10/2 - No spend, No drive
10/3 - No spend, No drive
10/4 - Groceries
10/5 - Shoes for DD2, used a giftcard
10/6 - No spend

No Spend
Budgeted Spend
Frivolous Spend
: Unbudgeted Spend (repairs, emergencies, etc.)

My goals:
18/31 - No spend days!
5/31 - NO drive days!!
5/31 - Limited drive days
20/31 - Eat at home days
31/31 - Check in on the thread days... for accountability purposes.
1/31 - go back and tally up for last month and 'fess up days!

Meeting goals:
3/18 - No spend
2/5 - No drive
0/5 - Limited drive
6/20 - Eat at Home
3/31 - Thread check in
0/1 - Fess up
post #165 of 481
Lot's of thumbs, but I feel like we are going through our grocery budget wayyyyy too fast. We have bought groceries nearly every day, and there are always just a few things that we have to get - grrr!

01.
02. $52.91 on a sleep sac and baby proofing supplies
03. $15.58 on 3 springform pans
04.
05.
06.

154.20/400: Groceries
0/50: Gifts
54.45/150: Gas
post #166 of 481
Key
: No spending of any kind
: Budget spending
: Unnecessary/out of budget spending

Oct 1: (mostly paid bills to start the month, but I did get coffee/juice while DS and I were out that we didn't need... should've been prepared)
Oct 2: (bought Christmas present and office supplies at a great price
Oct 3: (not only no spend, but an unexpected government payment came in *yay*)
Oct 4:
Oct 5: (bought groceries to supplement what we had in our pantry and use some stuff up this week )
Oct 6: (bought apples on sale, plus paid heat and for my website domain name renewal)

Goal Areas (must not go over)... I reduced/changed some of these as I reworked the budget from last month and closed it out:
0/100: Household flux
19.22/200: Groceries (Week 1: 17.23/40)
4.30/30: Entertainment
0/20: BABiC (the babywearing group I facillitate)
0/50: Baby Supplies (I am trying to get things we need for the baby spread out so it doesn't hit us all at once)
10/40: Special Occasions (buying birthday/Christmas presents)

As of today I am at 33.54/440.00 flux dollars spent
post #167 of 481
OCT 1No Spend/ No drive
Oct 233.02Gas (No unbudget spend)
Oct 321.66 groceries,4.50 thrift,12.59 present for dd's friend, 13.00 wool longies for dd2-oy! very spendy day
oct 4No spend/no drive
Oct 5.6.95 tester longies,4.83 Snacks Out (We were on the way to a party, I gave Dd lunch and didn't feed myself, doh!
Oct 67.19 coffee out this has to stop!!
OCTOBER Goals;
unbudget spend days goal 15/30, 3/30
No Drive Days goal: 7/30,2/30
No frivolous spending over 100 actual: 49.06/100
Sold items 0/50
Thrift/HB kit items: 4.50/20
Decluttering/organizing 20 min day 4/24
Grocery budget 21.66/370.00
Baked/home cooking:2/10
Study/Daven daily 4/15

August Goals
No unbudget15/30,No Drive,7/30, 102.00/100Sold items 67/50
Thrift/HB kit items: 18.70/20,Decluttering/organizing 20 min day 14/24
Grocery budget 397.72/350.00 ,Baked/bulk cooking:6/10 Study/Daven daily goal 7/15

July Goals:Awesome!:
No unbudget spend days goal 17/30 +2,No Drive Days goal:11/30+1
No frivolous spending93.56/100 7.00 under!, Grocery budget 341.73/375-30.00 UNDER
post #168 of 481
I'm NOT doing very good over here!!! This month will definitely be an eye opener for me.

10/1.
10/2. $42.47 at Home Depot, $31 for Halloween party (budgeted)
10/3. $76 groceries, $26.96 winter gear, $25.43 for party, $40 for Homecoming game
10/4. $26 Bath and Body Works (2 gifts and needed soaps), $118 at Menards (door and boards for basement)
10/5. $34.99 for clothing for girls (2 pr of pants and fall jacket)
10/6. $45 for clothing for dd1. $10 in groceries

1/10 no spending days
$86/$200 grocery budget
0/$100 gas budget
$56.43/$300 Halloween party budget
$26/$100 winter gear
post #169 of 481
Arghh...somehow DS managed to rip open a Hannah Montana fingernail polish set on display near the register while I was paying for DH's new underwear (necessary). Needless to say, we are now the proud owners of $10 worth of Hannah Montana polish (DD will be delighted when she receives it in her stocking, so not a total loss, but certainly not planned or necessary).

Kim :

Oct. 1:
Oct. 2:
Oct. 3:
Oct. 4:
Oct. 5:
Oct. 6: $10 Hannah Montana nailpolish (thanks to DS ripping open package in the store)

GOALS:
* Less than $50 in frivolous spending: month to date $10
* At least 25 days (no spend or spending w/in budget): 5/31
* Pack snacks/water for outings: 6/31
* NO library fines: month to date $0
* Stay within grocery/eating out budget: $to update/$500
* ORGANIZE/declutter (lack of organization = spending): 5/25
* Exercise (feeling good = decreased emotional spending): 6/25
* Meal plan created: 0.5/4 weeks
* Sell rental house by 10/31...
post #170 of 481
I did well today and it was another No Spend day! I even stayed at work 8 minutes longer and that will bring in some extra money! LOL Ok,it's only a few cents,but it does still count!

Day1 Rent and bus pass
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6

My new goal is to learn about meal planning and what items I should always have in my pantry and start doing that.
post #171 of 481
1st: $9 on food while at work.
2nd: $20 or so on fast food
3rd:
4th:
5th:
6th:

Goals:
Only necessary driving: 4/26
No Spend Days: 3/25
Total Grocery Bills: $94.29/$200[/QUOTE]
post #172 of 481
Quote:
Originally Posted by FeelingBlessed View Post
Arghh...somehow DS managed to rip open a Hannah Montana fingernail polish set on display near the register while I was paying for DH's new underwear (necessary). Needless to say, we are now the proud owners of $10 worth of Hannah Montana polish (DD will be delighted when she receives it in her stocking, so not a total loss, but certainly not planned or necessary).
For nail polish?! 10 big ones?? : Are you sure it's not liquid gold?

It was *technically* necessary because you break it, you buy it . . . right? And it was *technically* necessary because eventually you'll have to buy stuff for Christmas . . . . :-)
post #173 of 481
10/1-10/3 $300 hotel and eating out (not planned for, but neccesary)
10/4
10/5 $20 eat out (husband insisted)
10/6-10/7 and : (no drive)

This month started poorly, but I am still here right?
post #174 of 481
It's been a tough month, quite a few things came up that I hadn't thought ahead about. This is good for me. I am continuing tracking every cent.

10/1 $30 impromptu cocktail hour with dh, $30 for sitter
10/2
10/3
10/4 $70 Oktoberfest, $3.99 word search book for ds6, $10 fundraiser
10/5 $4.60 library fines
10/6 : $128 vet, $4 scholastic books,
10/7 : $80 dd's snowball retreat

Key:
no spend day or spent within budget only
: not budgeted but necessary
oops

October goals:
Track every cent spent
Spend within budget only - no nickel/diming myself
Think thrify/frugal
Eat out only: one bfast, one dinner, order in one dinner
Learn to budget monthly for things, rather than just yearly

Ultimate goal:
Stay focused on 6mo emergency fund (1/3 there)

This months planned expected expenditures (outside the basic budget):
$22.55/$25 presents for 2 kids friends bday parties
$60/$60 presents for 3 family birthdays
$20/$30 medical copay
$30/$50 sitter
$26.92/$30 halloween costumes x2
0/$25 yarn for starting chanukah gifts
$250/$200 new belt, winterboots, slippers, socks, fleece - for me (this should get me through the winter for clothes)
post #175 of 481
My car is working hard this month.

But hopefully tomorrow I can motivate myself to walk to work rather than driving. The weather here is gorgeous and it is less than 1/2 mile from my house, sidewalks the entire way on beautiful tree-lined streets. I can do that, can't I? Seriously using the car is just habit. I need to be walking more.

01..
02.. , :
03.. $150 gas grill
04.. $113 fleece and new shoes and latte
05..
06..
07..

Goals:

4/20 No Spend Days
1/10 Let the Car Rest Days :
post #176 of 481
Katherine -- You are doing GREAT this month! Keep it up!

Kim -- I agree with Turquesa. You did the right thing paying for the polish. Granted, not what you wanted to spend that $10 on, but you did the right thing.
post #177 of 481
So far I'm still keeping track of everything .
post #178 of 481
10/1.
10/2. $42.47 at Home Depot, $31 for Halloween party (budgeted)
10/3. $76 groceries, $26.96 winter gear, $25.43 for party, $40 for Homecoming game
10/4. $26 Bath and Body Works (2 gifts and needed soaps), $118 at Menards (door and boards for basement)
10/5. $34.99 for clothing for girls (2 pr of pants and fall jacket)
10/6. $45 for clothing for dd1. $10 in groceries
10/7. $166 Halloween costumes ($16 over budget), $9 coffee for dh and I

1/10 no spending days
$86/$200 grocery budget
0/$100 gas budget
$56.43/$300 Halloween party budget
$26/$100 winter gear
$166/$150 costume budget

At least the next couple of days shouldn't have any spending.
post #179 of 481
My key:

:= groceries
anything deemed necessary gas,household supplies, health and beauty aids
- anything deemed NOT necessary
- no spend at all

10/1- $50 gas, $26 Bella Band, $12.70 CVS
----- $2.16 McD's

10/2-
10/3- $26.50 dinner/movie, $6 CVS
10/4-
10/5-
10/6-
10/7-
post #180 of 481
I have been giving DP the evil eye for getting fast food yesterday and today, and then I went and got $5 worth of chocolate while I was at the bulk food store, and then a $78 haircut - impulsively. Zipping it now!

01.
02. $52.91 on a sleep sac and baby proofing supplies
03. $15.58 on 3 springform pans
04.
05.
06.
07. $5 chocolates plus $78.25 for a haircut :| oops.

160.03/400: Groceries
0/50: Gifts
54.45/150: Gas
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Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Natural Family Living › The Mindful Home › Frugality & Finances › ~October No Spend Challenge~ The economy declines, MDC familes SAVE!!!!!!