No Buy ~ Feburary 2013

[PrincessNancy96]

Since some of us are looking for some financial freedom this year, I figured this would be a good place to try a new thread.

Rules are simple: you decide what to track, how to track it and what your goals are. While many people choose to try for as many $0 days as possible (hence the "no buy" title), if some other target works for you, then go for it!

Good luck to everyone!!!

[PrincessNancy96]

I really liked being accountable last month with my/our spending... I was excited to try it again!!!

Last month, I paid of DsS21's tuition 3 months early!!!
This month, actually today, Feb. 1st, I am paying off a CC!!!!
I plan on taking this payment and adding it to another payment to pay that CC off by May!!

No Buy Days - goal 12 since February is a shorter month thought it was more doable with 12 but I really want 15!!

I also want to stick to my budget... *I have our check set out for specific bills w/ a little extra to each one*

Week 5/end of last month's week:

2/1 - groceries/bills - all budgeted
2/2 - 0

No Buy Days: 1
Goal meet: Paid off CC!!!!

Paid off my CC this morning!!!

Week 1:

2/3 - 0
2/4 - 25 (postage)
2/5 - 75 (paid off DS16's college course)
2/6 - 0
2/7 - 0
2/8 - 20 (milk and a few extras)
2/9 - 0

No Buy Days: 5
Paid off DS16's college tuition!!! 3/3 kids are tuition FREE now!!!

Week 2

2/10 - 0
2/11 - 15 McD's dinner
2/12 - 0
2/13 - 0
2/14 - 0
2/15 - grocery, bills, gas for 2 cars
2/16 - baby gift for CJ & my sister


No Buy Days: 9

Week 3:

2/17 - 0
2/18 - 0
2/19 - 0
2/20 - 0
2/21 - 15 milk
2/22 - 15 soda
2/23 - 0

No Buy Days: 14

Week 4:

2/24 - 14 McDonalds
2/25 - 50 gas; 15 groceries (milk)
2/26 - 100 (22 cash for games on Friday/Saturday (I'm not going so it will get DH and DS in both nights); 3 for a card; 50 for DsS22's birthday; 5 for Ds12's lunch money; 20 to my savings (52 week challenge)
2/27 - 45 for DS16's tux online purchase brand new!!!!
2/28 - 0

No Buy Days: 15

[JohnsonsLoveDisney]

I think I am in again.

Need to get my stuff in for Jan. It's sitting and waiting.

Goal is more no buy days than buy days.

2/1-$1.63 for 2 movies
2/2- $8 coffee and milk
2/3- $5 gas for car, Dbf put gas in van not sure how much.
2/4-$5 for coffee.- spent biz money on supplies
2/5-
2/6
2/7

[morgansmom2000]

I did very well at the beginning of January, but slacked off on keeping track. I know I did okay, but could do better. So...

2/1 - Budgeted items only - Bills due 2/1 - No need to eat out, going to shop the cupboards and freezers. (Payday - call to make a payment on my weekend away). $0
2/2 - Movies and lunch with my sister and Morgan - $58 for movies and lunch, DH bought some stuff at Target, $15.29
2/3 - Groceries and "stuff" - Slightly over my budget, but saved over $58 by "stocking up" - $148.58 ($7.48 PJs for Sophie for next year to match Ryan's!)
2/4 - Used my DD GC - $0, but need to pick up water. $26.60 on paper $25.43 at the grocery store, I went in for water...
2/5 - Day at home, should be nothing!
2/6 - Free coffee?
2/7 - Into Boston

[dsneprincess]

I'm in. I also loved this last month & worked for me well. I am going to split February goals in 2 as we are in Disney for 9 days at end of month. Obviously, that will not be "no buy"! LOL.

2/1 through 2/18, no dinners out, no groceries except perishables, no junk or clutter purchased. Need to roll change & "find" money there. Keep all spending to a minimum. Obviously will pay bills due.

2/19 through 2/28 enjoy family time. Not stress about spending, but careful thought before purchasing yet another Disney sweatshirt!

I would like to get DH & DS on board as well. I guess that will be my goal for the year!

[BernardandMissBianca]

I'm in again. I fell off the wagon hard this month but now the kids are caught up on shoes and clothes and what not, at least until the weather gets a little warmer.

14 no buy days
1 day a week for grocery shopping, with the exception of milk. $250 a week limit for groceries.
gas - $350 - $20; for the month (should be less than this if I cans use Stop and Shop points but it's $90-95 to fill my tank)
5 starbucks trips
$200 for DS16 for lunches (this should last 2 months)
$48 for little kids hot lunch
$12 for little kids milks
pay off Apple card

2/1 - scrap paper - $2.34; gas - $20; work out shirts - $99.94; Target - $69.11
2/2 - need to look at all the receipts. Track meet entry fee - $10; lunch - $75: EMS - $120ish
2/3 - NO BUY DAY!!
2/4
2/5
2/6
2/7

[rlovew]

This month should be better with only 2 planned trips and one of those is an all expense paid trip. My goal is to have at least 2 days of no buy for the family and 4 days on buy for me (it is really hard to get DH to stop dropping by the dollar general for something if he wants it).

Week 1 Goals- 1 tank of gas, $40 on groceries (we will be away most of the week),
Feb 1- on a trip- 2 meals out
Feb 2- on trip 1-2 meals out
Feb 3- groceries?
Feb 4- trip- meals covered, need gas
Feb 5- trip- meals covered
Feb 6- trip- meals covered
Feb 7- groceries if not Sunday, fresh stuff
Feb 8- eating out- $30 (our monthly time out with other clergy)
Feb 9- no buy

Rebecca

[mommy2mrb]

I'm in! no buy days goal is 16!
no big expenses this month.
Goals:
eat out one night a week -
3 lunches out for the month on weekends

2/1
2/2
2/3
2/4
2/5
2/6
2/7
2/8
2/9


good luck with your goals ladies

[Deffenm]

I am in again this month. I had 16 no buy days in Jan and almost met all of my goals. Here are my goals.

1.)Stick to Budget (groceries $600, Gas $400, pay normal bills)
2.) Only eat out 5 times for month (lunch and dinner)
3.) earn/save $500
4.) 18 no buy days

[Reddy]

My goal is to have Disney paid off - at least the ticket, DDP, and resort
I'll 2 paychecks in Feb so 250 per check will do it.

then I need to find good bargins on anything else I buy.
then only buy what is needed except for Avon - sister sells so I kinda have to buy something every 2 weeks but I stopped looking at make-up & stuff at stores so that helps impulse buying then.

I really need to make a list of what is really needed for trip
shoes is top on the list but there it needs to be good ones not cheapos that won't hold up

[PrincessNancy96]

Goal #2 meet for the year... I just paid off a CC!!!

[BernardandMissBianca]

Originally Posted by princessnancy96

goal #2 meet for the year... I just paid off a cc!!!

woohoo!!!

[mommy2mrb]

Originally Posted by PrincessNancy96

Goal #2 meet for the year... I just paid off a CC!!!

way to go Nan!!

[PrincessNancy96]

Thanks!!

While driving to town my low pressure tire light came on.. DS16 wants to drive my car to work after school so I had it checked out... luckily it was no cost to fix it...but they did say by November I need new tires.... which we had already planned to do anyway....

[JJ&JHsmom]

I am in again this month. I did well last month and this is helping to keep me on track.

Goal for this month, stick to budget, only 2 nights take-out(this is going to be very hard with the meeting schedule) , only buy what I need, shop from lists.

2/1 Pizza, $42.01, but the family time sitting around the table is priceless!
2/2 $73.58 groceries, $38.30 gas, $107.05 walmart-kitchen shoes, ink and paper for printer, put in an order for paper
2/3 no buy day
2/4 paid college tuition bill
2/5 no buy day
2/6 gas $38.26, filled up today so I don't have to worry about it over the weekend
2/7 no buy day
2/8 no buy day
2/9 milk and sandwhich makings $36.78

2/10 no buy day
2/11 oil $585.64, gotta have heat!
2/12 no buy day
2/13 paid bills
2/14 no buy day
2/15 no buy day
2/16 no buy day

2/17 no buy day
2/18 no buy day
2/19 gas $48.73, groceries $86.34
2/20 no buy day
2/21 no buy day
2/22 take out Chinese $34.00
2/23 gas $34.52 groceries $80.59

2/24 no buy day
2/25 no buy day
2/26 no buy day
2/27 paid bills all within budget
2/28 no buy day