September No Buy - Holidays are Coming!

[tinkarooni]

My husband gets a set amount per month as discretionary spending. He set the amount he wants and I have it accounted for in our budget. I don't count it because I don't care how he spends it.

I also take an amount that's set and I use it for haircuts, if I buy a coffee, lunch etc. I'm going to count mine because I want to try to save mine. I won't hold my DH to the same standard because he works in an office while I work at home. He already tries to stretch his and often will use his cash if I ask him to stop at the grocery.

 

[milwaukeemommy]

September 1 - No Buy (day 1/18)
Lousy day at work. Would be nice on a day like this to go out to eat, but of course I won't. Can't fold on Day 1, right?

Yeah, about that .....

1: Went to Joann. Bought craft stuff. Guess that qualifies as a not-so-great start. But it was all on sale
2: NO BUY #1 - groceries only
3: NO BUY #2 - spending the day at my mom's
4: Went to dinner with a friend who was in town for the weekend. Totally worth giving up a no buy day!
5: NO BUY #3 - I don't know if I'm getting sick or what, but it took all the energy I had to just take a shower. I even fell asleep after lunch! Not leaving the house today
6: NO BUY #4 - Grocery shopping only, & even that I only spent $18 because I had a gift card & a Savings Catcher rebate of $22. Yay me!
7: Definitely not a no buy day. Went to the new Meijer store that opened a few weeks ago. Never been to one. I'm not going to tell you how long I was there, nor am I going to tell you what I bought or how much I spent. Definitely need to stay away from that store in the future!
8: Today's my mom's birthday & I am making her a Green Bay Packers bracelet. Went to Hobby Lobby & a local bead store to get what I needed. I probably could have bought one already made on Etsy for cheaper. But she'll appreciate that I made it, right??
9: Went out with a friend to a beer garden & dinner. Ate & drank & spent too much. Time with friend {aka therapy} = priceless.
10: NO BUY #5 - spent the day at my mom's to celebrate her birthday.
11: NO BUY #6 - stayed home & did yard work, now that it finally cooled off! I can NOT work in 90 degree temps!
12: Bought some beads at Michael's, 70% off!! One of these days I'll actually make something with all the beads I've been buying!
13: NO BUY #7
14: Groceries. I guess we have to eat.
15: NO BUY #8

 

[Shughart]

Question, do you include your spouse/other half/kids in the no buy? DH is theoretically on board with my hunker down plan but is going to balk at accounting for every "little" thing. I'm going to have to go slowly with him and stuff like stopping off at a convenience store for drinks and snacks.

My husband has a cc he uses once a week for bowling with coworkers, for a lunch out, and for his gas. He's not a spender. I *AM* a spender so I only count mine. And I don't count bills, groceries, meds, etc. As for kids, mine are young and usually only have tooth fairy/allowance money. I do not monitor their spending persay but they do have savings accounts they add to occasionally. Mostly this is just an accountability thing for me. I shop a lot. More than I need to. I skip cooking even though I've got a full 2 weeks of groceries to use up. That kind of thing. If my husband was a spender, I'd get him on board with it too, but still give him a specific discretionary amount for the month, so I don't have to ask him everyday.

 

[EpiStitch]

I've been gone for a few months, but I need to get back on track. I'm going to try for 15 days this month.

1-went out to lunch, not the best start

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Question, do you include your spouse/other half/kids in the no buy? DH is theoretically on board with my hunker down plan but is going to balk at accounting for every "little" thing. I'm going to have to go slowly with him and stuff like stopping off at a convenience store for drinks and snacks.

I don't, but my husband is already pretty frugal. This is something I do for me.

 

[gottalovepluto]

...and $5 Target runs that turn into $60 Target runs.

That's a really keen observation. I need to work on that too!

 

[tinkarooni]

September 1 - No Buy (day 1/18)
September 2 - scheduled shopping day
$75.00/$500. Groceries

For the past two months I have buckled down to meal planning and a list when shopping. I had a ridiculously overstocked freezer and pantry. I was spending over $1200 a month in groceries I didn't need.

So now I shop my house first and then make my list. We eat all of the leftovers and no one is starving. Last month for four, all adults , me, DH, DS 18 and DD 16, I spent $400. This month I'm figuring a little more because my inventory is getting low.

In order to reach the goals I set, no buy is not an option, it is a requirement. I have tried many times before, but this time I intend to succeed.

 

[Tanzanite]

I feel your pain, I wrote a huge tuition check a month ago. I have one in college and another going in two years. We've always saved for college, but clearly not enough, so it's time to get incredibly serious.

I have one in college twins in 2 years will be going. .We never applied financial aid proud to be doing it ourselves on one income rough but its a good investment.

 

[Tanzanite]

September 1 - No Buy (day 1/18)
September 2 - scheduled shopping day
$75.00/$500. Groceries

For the past two months I have buckled down to meal planning and a list when shopping. I had a ridiculously overstocked freezer and pantry. I was spending over $1200 a month in groceries I didn't need.

So now I shop my house first and then make my list. We eat all of the leftovers and no one is starving. Last month for four, all adults , me, DH, DS 18 and DD 16, I spent $400. This month I'm figuring a little more because my inventory is getting low.

In order to reach the goals I set, no buy is not an option, it is a requirement. I have tried many times before, but this time I intend to succeed.

Thats great i will try that.i had to buy new freezer last month need to pay bill when it comes in for that $450 .Threw a lot of food out when it break down. I am now trying to cut down restocking only on sale items .I went through bills from Costco was several hundred a month so now i will go every couple of months.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I really need to do this. I've downloaded the David Ramsey podcast and he had me feeling guilty about going to the grocery store. LOL But I needed paper towels and toilet paper!
I need to look at my schedule and figure out some no buy days. I can tell you I spent on the 1st and 2nd.

 

[stayhomemom77]

I'm in! Going for 20 days and not counting gas, groceries or bills plus a couple of expected expenses (scout uniform for DS, school planners, date nights, etc)

September

1-No Buy #1
2-spend--dinner out for the family
3-No Buy #2 (staying home and keeping my money to myself!!)
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2/20 days (10% of the way there already!)

 

[Nlfm432010]

I would love to join this thread. I def. need some accountability. Goal is for 15 days no spend aside from charges automatically deducted from my checking.

9/1- $51.00 - groceries
9/2- $4.00 - lunch
9/3- $7.00- movies
9/4- no buy!- made $33 selling old electronics and used Subway sandwiches credit for a free footlong. Listed somethings on eBay.

 

[tinkarooni]

September 1 - No Buy (day 1/18)
September 2 - scheduled shopping day $75.00/$500. Groceries
September 3 - Ordered dog food from Target.com. Purchased two bags, used a $25.00 gift card and put the rest on my Target card. 5% off, shipped free to my house and I did not have to set foot in a Target. My Target run cost me exactly what it should have. Success!!

I also had my hair done, which comes out of my allowance. Can we talk about hair for just a moment? I really do wish I had the type of hair that looks good no matter what, you know those people right? They get a hair cut three times a year, they have never, ever put a chemical on it and they always look like they walked out of a shampoo commercial. I despise those people. I am not one of those people. I have very, very thin mousy brown hair. It only looks good in a pixie cut and I have to keep it colored in some way. I am lucky that I don't have gray, but my hair is so thin it needs color or highlights in it to give it some volume. So of course short hair requires frequent haircuts, so I spend more than I want to. I have switched to a nice all over color which is cheaper than highlights, but I still spend $120. per cut and color every other time and $40. for haircuts in between. I have tried the cheaper places, but I always walk away with a bad hair cut and am miserable for weeks. Is there a solution or do I suck it up?

 

[milwaukeemommy]

September 1 - No Buy (day 1/18)
September 2 - scheduled shopping day $75.00/$500. Groceries
September 3 - Ordered dog food from Target.com. Purchased two bags, used a $25.00 gift card and put the rest on my Target card. 5% off, shipped free to my house and I did not have to set foot in a Target. My Target run cost me exactly what it should have. Success!!

I also had my hair done, which comes out of my allowance. Can we talk about hair for just a moment? I really do wish I had the type of hair that looks good no matter what, you know those people right? They get a hair cut three times a year, they have never, ever put a chemical on it and they always look like they walked out of a shampoo commercial. I despise those people. I am not one of those people. I have very, very thin mousy brown hair. It only looks good in a pixie cut and I have to keep it colored in some way. I am lucky that I don't have gray, but my hair is so thin it needs color or highlights in it to give it some volume. So of course short hair requires frequent haircuts, so I spend more than I want to. I have switched to a nice all over color which is cheaper than highlights, but I still spend $120. per cut and color every other time and $40. for haircuts in between. I have tried the cheaper places, but I always walk away with a bad hair cut and am miserable for weeks. Is there a solution or do I suck it up?

Ugh, I'm with you on the thin, fine hair. But I keep mine longer so I don't get it cut very often ... maybe 3 times a year. I have highlights. But again, longer hair. I think all over color would be worse for me because of the root issue. I have a hairdresser that I LOVE & she's the only one who knows how to cut my hair. I've been going to her for about 20 years, & she rarely raises prices. And when she does, she still give me a break because I've been her client for so long. Thank goodness because those cheap places don't work for me & I couldn't afford the prices most of the salons charge.

 

[stayhomemom77]

I'm in! Going for 20 days and not counting gas, groceries or bills plus a couple of expected expenses (scout uniform for DS, school planners, date nights, etc)

September

1-No Buy #1
2-spend--dinner out for the family
3-No Buy #2 (staying home and keeping my money to myself!!)
4-No Buy #3
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3/20 days

 

[charming23]

I got lost at the end of last month but am in it again for September. I want to try for 16 no buy days

I don't count bills or planned trips. I do count my gas, groceries, take out, etc. seeing it written out here helps me see what I am truly spending

9/1- $0
9/2- $0
9/3- $13.44 lunch at work and $17.66 gas
9/4- planned spending for day on Kelleys Island

 

[tinkarooni]

September 1 - No Buy (day 1/18)
September 2 - scheduled shopping day $75.00/$500. Groceries
September 3- dog food bought

September 4 - Walmart .43 I wanted to start some herbs in pots for the kitchen counter for winter and maybe do some Christmas gifts of herb pots. Needed seeds, .20 a packet was a steal. Used change in the bottom of my purse, pretty close to No Buy.

SAMs $34.00 so $108/$500 groceries spent. I actually bought $116 worth of items, but had rewards to use, so money spent was only $34.00. I'm happy with my shop, stuck to the list and bought exactly what I went in for. Needed some basics, oil, walnuts, coffee, frozen French fries, Parmesan.

Normally all my food shopping would have been done in one day, but when I was in the middle of it the other day I suddenly didn't feel well and I abandoned ship. I've been fighting a little flu bug here. Should be a long stretch of no buy days ahead.

 

[EpiStitch]

Today certainly hasn't helped my budgeting! I was going out of town this morning and managed to get into an accident that may have totaled my car. Luckily, I walked away with only a few bruises and some soreness, but the cost is going to hurt for a while...especially if I have to take on an unplanned car payment.

1-went out to lunch, not the best start
2-No Buy #1
3-went out for drinks
4-paid to have my car towed

 

[tinkarooni]

EpiStitch - So sorry about your accident! Glad you're OK.

 

[Ciandella915]

That's a really keen observation. I need to work on that too!

I told my husband there's an unspoken rule that Target doesn't let me leave unless I spend a minimum of $60. I don't know how it happens, but somehow that's the magic number almost every time.