Mothering Forum banner

November Spend-less Challenge- Enjoying a cornucopia of savings!!

Tags
frugality
4K views 129 replies 11 participants last post by  SweetSilver 
#1 ·
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 October 1st. NOW is a good time to start.

The plan is simple (although tough to execute):

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

2. Come on here 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.
 
See less See more
#52 ·
Forgot that I was to bring snacks for ds's class this week. Bought snacks and diapers.

And I scraped up another few bucks to send to savings increasing this month's contribution to 35% of our take home pay.
:thumb


:thumb
No spend/budgeted spending

nono.gif
Un-budgeted spending

November 1 --
:thumb


November 2 --
nono.gif
10.00 pool,
:thumb
129.07 groceries

November 3 --
:thumb


November 4 --
:thumb
60.07 gas for van

November 5 --
:thumb
28.73 groceries

November 6 --
:thumb
24.64 groceries/household

November 7

Goals for November:

Groceries 182.44/900.00

Gas 1/2 tanks

Register Van ~ 150.00
 
#53 ·
Grocery budget: $625- this does NOT include beef and chicken. We buy our beef by the side and chickens in bulk from a friend; both are already paid for.

Gifts- $50 each for DD1 and DS2. DH is the other birthday this month and he got his gift yesterday, a cell phone upgrade (budgeted).

Knit a stick horse head, 2 pairs of child gloves, a pair of mittens, a hat, and sew a Waldorf baby doll for Christmas gifts.

:treehugger
Do something intentionally frugal every day.

1.
:thumb
Co-op order placed, $117.70, DH stopped @ store $7.14; $500.16 left in the grocery budget.
:treehugger
With DH's cell phone upgrade came a contract change, lowered our cell phone bill about $15/ month. Mended one of the baby's knitted wool diaper covers.

2.
:thumb
Quick grocery run, $21.27, $478.70 left in grocery budget.
:treehugger
Strained the beef stock I had in the crockpot and separated it into ziplocs to freeze. My stock is made from soup bones AND miscellaneous bones I get from our beef farmer. Made a batch of crockpot granola. Picked up chicken necks and feet from my "chicken friend". They butchered 16 birds of which I bought 8, but she doesn't use ANY of the feet and necks. She gave them ALL to me for FREE
:joy
They make the most beautiful chicken stock, which I will get started later tonight or tomorrow.

3.
:irked
Big monthly Costco shop today and I've already OVER spent the month's grocery budget *sigh* Granted, for the rest of the month, the only grocery shopping that will be done is when I ask DH to stop and pick up milk every week, but that's still about another $25.
:treehugger
Started a batch of chicken stock from saved chicken carcasses and chicken feet.

4.
:irked
Zulily had bunk beds for sale. We've been looking for bunk beds for our girls. Zulily had a set for $249.99, regularly $499 (I checked, some places were as high as $550!!) We ordered 2 sets of bunks for the price of 1!!! While very frugal for us, it wasn't in the budget this month. Also ordered a pair of casual Clarks shoes for me, $54.99.
:treehugger
Extended the mashed potatoes by adding some parsnips from the garden. Strained the chicken stock and reduced it down to concentrate it more.

5.
:thumb
DH picked up the birthday gifts. Ordered Five Guys Burgers for lunch, budgeted for.
 
#54 ·
11/1 -
:love
no spend

11/2 -
:thumb
planned spending $46 grocery store, $105 Costco, $28 Elephant Revival ticket

11/3 -
:thumb
planned spending $4 flowers for a friend's blessingway, $35 gas

11/4 -
:love
no spend

11/5 -
:love
no spend

11/6 -
duh.gif
unplanned spending $2 school lunch for DS, $32 dress for me

Today's lunch money spending was from pure laziness ;) I found an amazing deal on a dress I've been eyeing up for awhile, so I ordered it. Still doing great with my budget for the month, though!
 
#55 ·
1
:2whistle
Ate at Dairy Queen while I had a tire patched. The repair was free, the errand on the way to work.

2
:throb
No spend

3
shine.gif
DH picking up some groceries

4
shine.gif
Groceries.... aaaand wee little treat. Not counting that. It's "groceries".

5
shine.gif


6
:2whistle
Ate lunch out with girls. Some planned spending on crafts stuff and unplanned--both minor.

DD1 decided she wanted to join other adults at our library's watercolor/acrylic painting sessions. Bought a pad of heavy watercolor paper for their paintings. I am not going to buy them canvases!
 
#56 ·
11/1: Spent $5 on a pack of Oreos for my dad's birthday (seriously I thought they were cheaper). My mom bought beer and my sister bought pizza, so we were lucky not to have spent more. My ebay auctions ended, so I will have $85 more to pay towards student loans

11/2: We didn't drive anywhere or spend anything. We worked on fencing for our chickens and made some really cheap and yummy lentil soup. I got a $175 unexpected check in the mail. I guess Law of Attraction really works! The second random check this week.

11/3: Drove 5 miles to church. It was way to cold to bike. No spending. Made salmon grilled cheese with homemade bread and peach cobbler with frozen peaches.

11/4: Went grocery shopping. Spent $40 at Aldi's and $50 at Dillions. We are hoping this will last 3 weeks with one trip for milk/eggs/fruit/veggies in between

11/5: Filled up car $45. spent $24 on olive oil and salad we forgot

11/6: Bought milk $5. I paid an extra $1,000 on my student loans

11/7: no spend.
 
#57 ·
No spend planned for the day.

:thumb
No spend/budgeted spending

nono.gif
Un-budgeted spending

November 1 --
:thumb


November 2 --
nono.gif
10.00 pool,
:thumb
129.07 groceries

November 3 --
:thumb


November 4 --
:thumb
60.07 gas for van

November 5 --
:thumb
28.73 groceries

November 6 --
:thumb
24.64 groceries/household

November 7 --
:thumb


November 8

November 9

November 10

November 11

Goals for November:

Groceries 182.44/900.00

Gas 1/2 tanks

Register Van ~ 150.00
 
#58 ·
Joining late but here goes:

a. Who you are

Writer mama to crazy inquisitive toddler, adjunct prof

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

Adjust our 3-person household to significantly lower income after losing a consulting gig this summer; get back on track w/ bills; get out of CC debt; start building savings back up; travel overseas at some point next year

c. How you plan to get there

MAKE A BUDGET AND STICK TO IT, stay out of stores, drive less, cook more & more efficiently, cut way down on coffee purchases while out and about, figure out how to manage better during the part of the month when I'm PMSing and way less focused & more likely to struggle to stick to my goals (of all kinds)

:thumb
No spend/budgeted spending

nono.gif
Un-budgeted spending

November 7 --
nono.gif
Un-budgeted spending (lunch out b/c I didn't pack one)

November 8

November 9

November 10

November 11
 
#59 ·
11/1 -
:love
no spend

11/2 -
:thumb
planned spending $46 grocery store, $105 Costco, $28 Elephant Revival ticket

11/3 -
:thumb
planned spending $4 flowers for a friend's blessingway, $35 gas

11/4 -
:love
no spend

11/5 -
:love
no spend

11/6 -
duh.gif
unplanned spending $2 school lunch for DS, $32 dress for me

11/7 -
duh.gif
unplanned spending $57 running shoes

I'm gonna start running again, so that cancels out the fact that this wasn't a fully planned out purchase, right? ;)
 
#60 ·
Things are back to a thin veneer of normal here, so I'm going to start tracking now. We spent so much money on things like funeral flowers, hotel room, food out, extra gas for transporting relatives, mourning clothes, etc. that I can't even bring myself to tally it up. I'm just thankful we had the money in the bank to allow us to spend what we needed to without hardship. Now I need to get in gear to try to recover from the financial blow and prepare for some potential bumps in our financial future. Gah.
:(
I'm thinking we're just going to stay home and rest tomorrow, so hopefully no spending will happen then.

Key:

No unplanned/unbudgeted spending:
thumb.gif


Unbudgeted spending:
irked.gif


Ate at home all day:
yummy.gif


Did something mindfully frugal:
orngbiggrin.gif


----------------------

No-unbudgeted-spending days: 0/23

Mindfully frugal days: 0/23

11/7:
irked.gif
$14: Food out because I neglected to pack anything for the ride home after art class (which goes over lunchtime) and special treat for my sad DH. $135: Groceries and comfort food (budgeted).

11/8:
 
#61 ·
Grocery budget: $625- this does NOT include beef and chicken. We buy our beef by the side and chickens in bulk from a friend; both are already paid for.

Gifts- $50 each for DD1 and DS2. DH is the other birthday this month and he got his gift yesterday, a cell phone upgrade (budgeted).

Knit a stick horse head, 2 pairs of child gloves, a pair of mittens, a hat, and sew a Waldorf baby doll for Christmas gifts.

:treehugger
Do something intentionally frugal every day.

1.
:thumb
Co-op order placed, $117.70, DH stopped @ store $7.14; $500.16 left in the grocery budget.
:treehugger
With DH's cell phone upgrade came a contract change, lowered our cell phone bill about $15/ month. Mended one of the baby's knitted wool diaper covers.

2.
:thumb
Quick grocery run, $21.27, $478.70 left in grocery budget.
:treehugger
Strained the beef stock I had in the crockpot and separated it into ziplocs to freeze. My stock is made from soup bones AND miscellaneous bones I get from our beef farmer. Made a batch of crockpot granola. Picked up chicken necks and feet from my "chicken friend". They butchered 16 birds of which I bought 8, but she doesn't use ANY of the feet and necks. She gave them ALL to me for FREE
:joy
They make the most beautiful chicken stock, which I will get started later tonight or tomorrow.

3.
:irked
Big monthly Costco shop today and I've already OVER spent the month's grocery budget *sigh* Granted, for the rest of the month, the only grocery shopping that will be done is when I ask DH to stop and pick up milk every week, but that's still about another $25.
:treehugger
Started a batch of chicken stock from saved chicken carcasses and chicken feet.

4.
:irked
Zulily had bunk beds for sale. We've been looking for bunk beds for our girls. Zulily had a set for $249.99, regularly $499 (I checked, some places were as high as $550!!) We ordered 2 sets of bunks for the price of 1!!! While very frugal for us, it wasn't in the budget this month. Also ordered a pair of casual Clarks shoes for me, $54.99.
:treehugger
Extended the mashed potatoes by adding some parsnips from the garden. Strained the chicken stock and reduced it down to concentrate it more.

5.
:thumb
DH picked up the birthday gifts. Ordered Five Guys Burgers for lunch, budgeted for.

6.
:thumb


7.
:irked
Ordered a long sleeve running shirt for myself (it was on sale, is my excuse) and placed a fairly large order w/ Mountain Rose Herbs.
:treehugger
Made split pea soup for dinner using a leftover ham bone I was saving in the freezer.
 
#62 ·
1
:2whistle
Ate at Dairy Queen while I had a tire patched. The repair was free, the errand on the way to work.

2
:throb
No spend

3
shine.gif
DH picking up some groceries

4
shine.gif
Groceries.... aaaand wee little treat. Not counting that. It's "groceries".

5
shine.gif


6
:2whistle
Ate lunch out with girls. Some planned spending on crafts stuff and unplanned--both minor.

7
:2whistle
4-H training night. Picked up some dinner for myself at grocery store deli instead of packing it.
 
#63 ·
Another no spend here, though I am gearing up to spend some money this weekend. My boys need a better place to do their homework, so we are going to take a trip to IKEA this weekend and get them some cheap desks. Probably will be a couple hundred dollars for 2 desks, lamps and a couple of shelves. I should have done this ages ago, just getting around to it finally. Of course, if we go to IKEA we will probably stop for meatballs at the cafeteria.
:2whistle


And my kids are begging for swim team and basketball....dh and I will sit down this weekend and look over our goals and see what we can make happen. The days are darker and rainy lately, so I know the kids need more ways to get out their energy and organized sports are a good way to do that. So much easier in the summer when I can just take them hiking, swimming, biking, etc....

The groceries are holding well. I have a chicken thawing for dinner and enough produce and rice for another day or two. Might stop for milk, but that should be it until I go shopping on Sunday.

:thumb
No spend/budgeted spending

nono.gif
Un-budgeted spending

November 1 --
:thumb


November 2 --
nono.gif
10.00 pool,
:thumb
129.07 groceries

November 3 --
:thumb


November 4 --
:thumb
60.07 gas for van

November 5 --
:thumb
28.73 groceries

November 6 --
:thumb
24.64 groceries/household

November 7 --
:thumb


November 8 --
:thumb


November 9

November 10

November 11

Goals for November:

Groceries 182.44/900.00

Gas 1/2 tanks

Register Van ~ 150.00
 
#64 ·
Spent $15 on groceries today, which leaves me with $200 for the rest of the month. We could possibly just baaaaaarely squeak by on that thanks to the food I have in the freezer and pantry (lots of oats, canned tuna/salmon, frozen chicken and stock, etc.), but I'll have to sit down and do some meal planning so I don't blow it. I also spent $15 on a stocking stuffer (a mishmash of stackable bracelets) for my DD11, who's just starting to get into wearing fun jewelry. Hopefully the purchase was worth it--almost seems like too good a deal! I'll probably also spend a little more for Christmas tonight on Etsy. I just need to narrow down some options. All Christmas spending is already budgeted though. I'm just trying to stay ahead of all my shopping this year so I can actually enjoy the season!

Key:

No unplanned/unbudgeted spending:
thumb.gif


Unbudgeted spending:
irked.gif


Ate at home all day:
yummy.gif


Did something mindfully frugal:
orngbiggrin.gif


----------------------

No-unbudgeted-spending days: 1/23

Mindfully frugal days: 0/23

11/7:
irked.gif
$14: Food out/treat for DH. $135: Groceries and comfort food (budgeted).

11/8:
thumb.gif
Groceries (budgeted) $15. Christmas gift (budgeted): $15.
 
#65 ·
11/1 -
:love
no spend

11/2 -
:thumb
planned spending $46 grocery store, $105 Costco, $28 Elephant Revival ticket

11/3 -
:thumb
planned spending $4 flowers for a friend's blessingway, $35 gas

11/4 -
:love
no spend

11/5 -
:love
no spend

11/6 -
duh.gif
unplanned spending $2 school lunch for DS, $32 dress for me

11/7 -
duh.gif
unplanned spending $57 running shoes

11/8 -
:love
no spend
 
#67 ·
Vegged at home all day, cooked at home all day, so no spending.

Key:

No unplanned/unbudgeted spending:
thumb.gif


Unbudgeted spending:
irked.gif


Ate at home all day:
yummy.gif


Did something mindfully frugal:
orngbiggrin.gif


----------------------

No-unbudgeted-spending days: 2/23

Mindfully frugal days: 0/23

11/7:
irked.gif
$14: Food out/treat for DH. $135: Groceries and comfort food (budgeted).

11/8:
thumb.gif
yummy.gif
Groceries (budgeted) $15. Christmas gift (budgeted): $15.

11/9:
thumb.gif
yummy.gif
 
#68 ·
I'm on my phone so it's a pain to do emoticons and such for my "reports..."

Spent more than $10 but it was for grocery stuff I should have anticipated. $25 for almond milk, cow milk, goat milk (sadly everyone in my household drinks different milk), cheese, 2 big bags of produce, and a pack of training pants--not bad!

I'm never totally sure what my DH is spending, though. Are you guys tracking that too?
 
#70 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by esinedeggplant View Post

@melissel, what do you do with the canned salmon? We have some canned Alaskan sockeye salmon we need to use, and I used to occasionally eat it mixed with brown rice and salad, but it kind of grossed me out. I need to come up with a recipe my family will eat.
canned salmon is good for salmon burgers. I also make a salmon salad - much like tuna salad - only for some reason I started adding pieces of apple to the salmon salad and I really like it like that. I only buy the boneless canned salmon. Once I got some that had lots of bones in it and that grossed me out.
 
#72 ·
1
:2whistle
Ate at Dairy Queen while I had a tire patched. The repair was free, the errand on the way to work.

2
:throb
No spend

3
shine.gif
DH picking up some groceries

4
shine.gif
Groceries.... aaaand wee little treat. Not counting that. It's "groceries".

5
shine.gif


6
:2whistle
Ate lunch out with girls. Some planned spending on crafts stuff and unplanned--both minor.

7
:2whistle
4-H training night. Picked up some dinner for myself at grocery store deli instead of packing it.

8
:2whistle
Enrolled girls in gymnastics. Groceries

9
:throb
No spend

10
:throb


Finally picked up a new client. Two more to go, and I should be doing fine. Enrolled the girls in gym, even though I should have waited a bit more. It makes such a huge difference in the mood around here, and feelings of self-worth. We've been doing gym so long, I feel like it sort of defines us. So, not quite financially ready for this, but almost there. And certainly we are not going into debt, so that's a plus. Still busy finding clients, but feeling much more optimistic. Need to keep all other spending under wraps, though. The girls do need some cozy fleece pants.
 
#73 ·
11/1 -
:love
no spend

11/2 -
:thumb
planned spending $46 grocery store, $105 Costco, $28 Elephant Revival ticket

11/3 -
:thumb
planned spending $4 flowers for a friend's blessingway, $35 gas

11/4 -
:love
no spend

11/5 -
:love
no spend

11/6 -
duh.gif
unplanned spending $2 school lunch for DS, $32 dress for me

11/7 -
duh.gif
unplanned spending $57 running shoes

11/8 -
:love
no spend

11/9 -
:thumb
planned spending $48 groceries, $20 gas

I actually made money yesterday…my friend ending up getting free tickets to the show we went to last night (that I had bought tix for already), so I sold my other one and she bought me drinks to cover her cost of the other one I had bought for her ;) Anyway, I'm putting that money I made from my ticket toward tickets for shows this weekend that I really want to go to. Today is already an unplanned spending day, but I'll come back and tally later, since I might go to the thrift store this afternoon, too.
 
#74 ·
Grocery budget: $625- this does NOT include beef and chicken. We buy our beef by the side and chickens in bulk from a friend; both are already paid for.

Gifts- $50 each for DD1 and DS2. DH is the other birthday this month and he got his gift yesterday, a cell phone upgrade (budgeted).

Knit a stick horse head, 2 pairs of child gloves, a pair of mittens, a hat, and sew a Waldorf baby doll for Christmas gifts.

:treehugger
Do something intentionally frugal every day.

1.
:thumb
Co-op order placed, $117.70, DH stopped @ store $7.14; $500.16 left in the grocery budget.
:treehugger
With DH's cell phone upgrade came a contract change, lowered our cell phone bill about $15/ month. Mended one of the baby's knitted wool diaper covers.

2.
:thumb
Quick grocery run, $21.27, $478.70 left in grocery budget.
:treehugger
Strained the beef stock I had in the crockpot and separated it into ziplocs to freeze. My stock is made from soup bones AND miscellaneous bones I get from our beef farmer. Made a batch of crockpot granola. Picked up chicken necks and feet from my "chicken friend". They butchered 16 birds of which I bought 8, but she doesn't use ANY of the feet and necks. She gave them ALL to me for FREE
:joy
They make the most beautiful chicken stock, which I will get started later tonight or tomorrow.

3.
:irked
Big monthly Costco shop today and I've already OVER spent the month's grocery budget *sigh* Granted, for the rest of the month, the only grocery shopping that will be done is when I ask DH to stop and pick up milk every week, but that's still about another $25.
:treehugger
Started a batch of chicken stock from saved chicken carcasses and chicken feet.

4.
:irked
Zulily had bunk beds for sale. We've been looking for bunk beds for our girls. Zulily had a set for $249.99, regularly $499 (I checked, some places were as high as $550!!) We ordered 2 sets of bunks for the price of 1!!! While very frugal for us, it wasn't in the budget this month. Also ordered a pair of casual Clarks shoes for me, $54.99.
:treehugger
Extended the mashed potatoes by adding some parsnips from the garden. Strained the chicken stock and reduced it down to concentrate it more.

5.
:thumb
DH picked up the birthday gifts. Ordered Five Guys Burgers for lunch, budgeted for.

6.
:thumb


7.
:irked
Ordered a long sleeve running shirt for myself (it was on sale, is my excuse) and placed a fairly large order w/ Mountain Rose Herbs.
:treehugger
Made split pea soup for dinner using a leftover ham bone I was saving in the freezer.

8.
:thumb


9.
:irked
DH went and got cereal for breakfast. Our grocery budget is blown for the month, but I did notice that DH said we were low on some of his toiletries and it turns out we weren't, so next month's grocery budget doesn't need to b as high.

10.
:irked
DH stopped at the store again. *sigh* I need to sit down and meal plan for the rest of the month, this is getting ridiculous.
 
#75 ·
Another long day dealing with too much sadness
:(
A large bottle of wine is in order. Bought more flowers for graves, and bought some groceries (salad, TP, yogurt, etc., budgeted). Didn't eat at home all day, but MIL insisted on paying for dinner, so no spending there.

Key:

No unplanned/unbudgeted spending:
thumb.gif


Unbudgeted spending:
irked.gif


Ate at home all day:
yummy.gif


Did something mindfully frugal:
orngbiggrin.gif


----------------------

No-unbudgeted-spending days: 2/23

Mindfully frugal days: 0/23

11/7:
irked.gif
$14: Food out/treat for DH. $135: Groceries and comfort food (budgeted).

11/8:
thumb.gif
yummy.gif
Groceries (budgeted) $15. Christmas gift (budgeted): $15.

11/9:
thumb.gif
yummy.gif


11/10:
irked.gif
Wine: $13. Flowers: $20. Groceries: $40 (budgeted).
 
#76 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by esinedeggplant View Post

I'm never totally sure what my DH is spending, though. Are you guys tracking that too?
I typically don't track DH's spending if it's personal money (his allowance) that he's spending. If he's buying something for us/the household (e.g., a big bottle of wine!), then I count it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by esinedeggplant View Post

@melissel, what do you do with the canned salmon? We have some canned Alaskan sockeye salmon we need to use, and I used to occasionally eat it mixed with brown rice and salad, but it kind of grossed me out. I need to come up with a recipe my family will eat.
I just do salmon salad too, or break it up over a green salad with a vinaigrette. No one has liked any of the recipes I've tried using the canned salmon, so I just go pretty simple with it. The kids like it with some mayo in it and some crackers and veggies to scoop it with.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top