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~August No-Spend Challenge~ We are tracking our spending and trying to save money! Come join us -- newcomers welcome

9K views 343 replies 43 participants last post by  HydeParkB 
#1 ·
I thought we could start this so people could sub and get keys and dates down...
And I'm motivated

This is a support thread to help you ~not spend your money~.

Everyone is welcome to join and you can start tracking your spending at any time. It doesn't have to be August 1st.

The plan is simple (although tough to execute):

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

2. Come on here everyday and record your spending.

We all record our spending in different ways. There are no rules. You record and update however you would like -- pick a way that will help you spend the least amount of money.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please write an introductory message when you decide to join our thread. We would like to know:

a. Who you are

b. Where you are going (your financial goals) and

c. How you plan to get there

Good luck MDCers!! Keep that money in your wallet.
 
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#27 ·
a. Who you are

Sarah, sahm/wahm mom to 4yo dd.

b. Where you are going (your financial goals) and

At this point we're just trying to stay afloat. I end up putting something on credit card about every other month (stuff that I think we'll need by the end of the year).

c. How you plan to get there

Really, I'm not sure. I'm going to try to make it to the end of the month so we can get the Angel Food Ministries August order, but I know we'll have to buy some food before then. The only thing I can think to do right now is to try not to go out most days.
 
#28 ·
A.
I'm Jenny. SAHM to my 5.5 year old dd and my 3 mo ds.

B. My current financial goals are to pay off dh's glasses and his new lawn tractor. I'd also like to start contributing to my savings every week again even if it is just $10/wk to start with. We can surely spare that!

C. Stay out of the stores!
Stay off the store's websites!
Stay away from people trying to sell me things in general. We are blessed to have more than enough to get by. I need to tell myself that a lot.
Menu plan and stick to it.
Stop eating out so much. It's not healthy for our bodies or our wallets.
 
#29 ·
okay, i'm coming in high from last month since i only overspent one part of the budget by 1.02 and underspent another by 105.65. the goal is to NOT get cocky about that and spend a ton of money we don't have. i'm also taking out the 100.00 i had for pantry sticking and putting it in savings instead since we just depleted our savings for dental work for ds.

0/600 food
0/80 sundry
0/60 spending money
0/100 to savings

0/20 no spend

0/11 budgeted spend

0/0 non-budgeted spend


1-
2-

july 105.65 20

june 76.70 17

may 181.46 18

april 358.07 19

march 517.18 17
 
#30 ·
nak

a. Who you are?

I'm Cherie, SAHM to DS, 2, and DD, 3 months.

b. Where you are going (your financial goals)?

Our income is less than our expenditure, I think, but since we don't have a budget or track our spending who would really know? I'd like to reduce our expenses to a reasonable level. Long term, I want to continue to be able to SAH, pay off our mortgage early, set up an emergency fund, and set up a homeschooling fund.

c. How you plan to get there

This month I'm aiming to create a budget, track spending in Quicken every day, consolidate all of our bank accounts, compile our tax return paper, and spend no money
:

My key:
No spend

Budgetted spend

Unnecessary spending

Expenses tracked in Quicken
:
No-car
:
 
#31 ·
We have a second mortgage that is 24K.

I want that debt gone.

That is my goal for this next year.

DH starts getting paid again in September and I would like to live on HALF of what he earns and send the other half towards that debt.

This is hard, but doable. Very hard.

Today is the first day of what will be a STELLAR month for me. I'm determined.

I'm using Carrie and Jenny's success from last month to motivate me. If they can do it, I can too.
 
#32 ·
We have a second mortgage that is 24K.

I want that debt gone.

That is my goal for this next year.

DH starts getting paid again in September* and I would like to live on HALF of what he earns and send the other half towards that debt.

This is hard, but doable. Very hard.

Today is the first day of what will be a STELLAR month for me. I'm determined.

I'm using Carrie and Jenny's success from last month to motivate me. If they can do it, I can too.

*(He gets paid on a nine-month contract. Professor.)
 
#36 ·
Aug 1
$9 on takeaway coffees (before we realised that it was August, our no-spend month)
Aug 2
Aug 3
Aug 4
Aug 5
Aug 6
Aug 7

I'm going to set up my Quicken accounts today hopefully, so that I can start tracking expenses. And I'm aiming for a food budget of $150/week, which is still generous, but waaaay less than what we have been spending.
 
#40 ·
Alright a spendy start for me. But, it was MOSTLY things we need. Tomorrow I'll probably be buying some frontline, a showerhead and shower curtain. THRILLING!

In good news, I've found 2 or 3 meals to cook in the crockpot using what we've got on hand.

1 - GARAGE SALE: $50 dresser, $3 cards, twine, toy; $39 Pet food
 
#41 ·
I'm in. Need to be dedicated this time. Last month was AWFUL!! I have been so spendy lately, it's disgusting. I will be posting EVERY DAY!! Beginning this month, I will be taking $$ out every payday for groceries, gas and essentials. THAT'S IT!! Debit card is getting a rest this month. From this point on, it's cash only for this mama!!

My Key-
No Spend
Necessary/Planned Spending
Unnecessary Spending

Goal
No spend 0/14/30 days
Groceries/Household $0/$450
 
#42 ·
a. Who you are - Aileen, wife to hubby, part time stepmom to 11 year old girl and 16 year old boy.

b. Where you are going (your financial goals) - long term: be debt free by this time next year (medical bills, one cc and one car payment), continue building up savings/retirement cushion. short term: work on reducing grocery budget and unnecessary spends.

c. How you plan to get there - get an online budget tracker such as Quicken because what I'm doing now is NOT doing the trick.

Legend:
Necessary spend
: Unnecessary spend
No spend

August
1.
: um, got off on the wrong foot, bought a starbucks frappacino.
gas, grocery store (getting better at trying to eliminate frivolous spending here), petsmart (fish to replace some we lost).
2.

3.

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30.
 
#43 ·
huge grocery day today. mostly because we had nothing in the fridge and the summer produce just looked and smelled so good. some sales at whole paycheck/ whole foods didn't help. there is some sundry in there but i'll have to look at the receipts. i'm not that concerned about spending half the food budget on day 1 since i already have the money in savings for this month and i'm sure the food will last until we go to town again in a few weeks.

318.35/600 food
11.68/80 sundry
0/60 spending money
100/100 to savings
:

0/20 no spend

1/11 budgeted spend

0/0 non-budgeted spend


1-
11.68 nail clippers lip balm, 318.35 groceries trader joe's, costco, wf (don't forget tp is sundry)
2-

july 105.65 20

june 76.70 17

may 181.46 18

april 358.07 19

march 517.18 17
 
#44 ·
a. Who you are

I am Melissa, SAH mama to 4 month old baby girl, and married to my best friend

b. Where you are going (your financial goals)

Short term goal is to pay off a piece of land we own in South Dakota ($3400)

c. How you plan to get there

Stay to our budget, no frivolous spending, sell things we don't need, go to mvelopes every day to track spending (best budget tool ever)

Key:

Budgeted Spending:

Frivolous Spending:
- the devil made me do it
No Spend:


8/1::
$20 at yard sale(DD winter coat and tights, 2 jeans and shorts for DH, 2 birthday gifts, dog crate, 2 glass dishes with lids for freezer)
$13 Lunch, $22 friend came home from Iraq we all went out to eat. Days not usually like that... glad I found this post now I have to be responsible=)
 
#45 ·
Crumbs. The toilet has been leaking for awhile and has decided to truley crack and flood water in the bathroom. We are off to Lowe's for a new toilet. How much do those things cost anyway?

Not sure what this will do to the budget. We have a little extra money coming in this month, so I am hoping hings will remain balanced. I reeeeeeeally want to get the cc paid off completely this month.
:

Aug1 --

Aug 2 -- new toilet ?
Aug 3
Aug 4

Goals:

Pay off credit card 0/2000
Groceries 33.00/600.00
No sloppy spending!
 
#46 ·
I need back on the wagon! After a couple years of participating, got lazy when starting a new gig, and dropped out the last couple of months. Big mistake! Sorely missed the accountability factor, and vow to make time to post.

Hope the summer has been going well for all of you!

Take good care,
Kim
:

###

a. Who you are...Kim, PT SAHM/PT WOHM (25 hrs) to 2 delightful kiddos (DD 5 + DS 2); DH works FT + is in school FT; kids are nearly always w/ one of us, so schedule can be nutty (we are also homeschooling).

b. Where you are going (your financial goals)...
August: Budget back in the black; pay cash for DH's $2K dental bill, dryer for rental unit, + siding/labor
September: Emergency fund restored; budget for DH's 2nd b-day
October: Attack debt; budget for cash Christmas

c. How you plan to get there...meal plan, organize, exercise, no library fees/parking tickets, sell upright freezer/baby stuff/etc., TAME THE GROCERY BUDGET!

###

Aug. 1: $79 at Goodwill (2 dresses, 2 shirts for DH, + about 15 exceptionally cool floor puzzles/wooden toys/board games/art stuff for kiddos)
Aug. 2:


= no spend/spending w/in budget
Goal: 1/27
 
#47 ·
Did yard work all morning and this afternoon we are going to the pool. No shopping on the horizon, so I think my money is safe today.

01.. $1 Beanie Baby Toy at a yard sale
02..

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08..
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Goals:
1/20 No Spend Days
$18/$600 Grocery Budget
 
#48 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by dfunk98 View Post
Debit card is getting a rest this month. From this point on, it's cash only for this mama!!
Here here!
Me too. I have an envelope. I'm going to get grocery money tomorrow. And that is it. Card is going away.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruthiegirl View Post
We are off to Lowe's for a new toilet.
I'll meet your toilet and raise you a bumper.


Last night we had some friends over for dinner and I quickly backed out of our garage right into their car. Hard. Knocked their bumper off.
:

I'm guessing that will be around $800. ouch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FeelingBlessed View Post
I need back on the wagon!
: Yeah! Kim is back!!! We missed you.
 
#49 ·
1 - GARAGE SALE: $50 dresser, $3 cards, twine, toy; $39 Pet food
2 - $2 entertainment, $38 pet store

Spent a little at the educational farm to feed the animals. Denied my DD the pony ride she wanted; it's just too expensive for a five minute (or less) ride. I also had to go back to the pet store for flea control - UGH. Rather expensive for 5 cats!

On the bright side, dinner is in the crockpot and it smells good.
 
#51 ·
Aug 1
$9 on coffees before we realised that it was August, our no-spend month
Aug 2
:
Aug 3
Aug 4
Aug 5
Aug 6
Aug 7

1/31
No spend
0/31
Budgetted spend
1/31
Frivolous spending
1/31
: No car
0/31
: Expenses tracked in Quicken

I didn't get around to setting up my Quicken accounts yesterday (although I did take a lovely nap in the afternoon while DH looked after both kiddies) so hopefully I can get onto that today.

I did my grocery shopping online - came in just under budget, so as long as we don't buy any more food this week, I'm on track with our food bill
 
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