April 2011: Springing into No Buys

[SunnieRN]

MMO3, I hope you start having more energy soon. What amount of carbs are you eating? If your calorie intake is too low and you are working out every day, your body may be in 'starvation mode', where it conserves as much energy as possible. Maybe it would be a good idea to talk to a nutritionist/dietician. Your doctor could refer you. Feel better!!

April 8-22:

Goals:

Medical: $200
Groceries $200 / $111
Cash: $100 / $35 /63
No Buy Days: 9 (going out on a limb here. 9 of 14 sounds rough!)

April 8: $0 (off to a good start anyway!)
April 9: $0
April 10: $0
April 11: $$ may be in the thousands, as we are car shopping today. Didn't buy a car today, so $0
April 12: Well, got DeeDee today! Dodge Durango, big enough for the whole family AND the ADHD dog!! Has more stuff in it, then I know what to do with. I will probably need to up my no buys now. Ended up getting dinner out after I posted this, so $35.00.
April 13: $0!! Eating out of the freezer!
April 14: $0, but have to grocery shop tomorrow or the next day.
April 15: $0 wasn't planned,
April 16: $0
April 17: $111. Huge grocery trip, including Easter dinner, a coffe for my
dd and an icee for my Grandson.
April 18: $63, Grandmas day with the grandmunchkins. ChuckECheese, TRUs, park with ice cream. It was a blast!!
April 19: $0.


No Buy Goal 9 / 9 accomplished!

 

[Virgderon]

Bowling banquet tonight, which is already paid for, but I did have to buy stuff for a pot luck lunch at work.

Running Total: Spent $461
$800 budget... $339 left
$0 Days: 7
Goal is 8 or more!
coupon/sale savings : 75

Groceries budget- $250-19-7- 69-7-11-25-42 = 70 left

April 1: 19 ( groceries)
April 2: 0
April 3: 26 ( pop, razor, cleaning supplies, soup)
April 4: 0
April 5: 43 (14 Walgreens, 23 bowling banquet, 6 dinner at bowling)
April 6: 0
April 7: 69 ( Publix groceries)
April 8: 0
April 9: 41 ( 23 lunch, 11 Publix, 7 pop)
April 10 : 0
April 11: 0
April 12 : 12 ( 5 dinner at bowling, 7 at Walgreens)
April 13: 0
April 14 : 14 ( misc including People magazine. Couldn't help it. )
April 15: 45 ( groceries and chinese food )
April 16: 61 ( 42 groceries, 7 books at the flea market, 12 misc)
April 17: 67 ( 46 old navy, 20 Busch gardens lunch, 1 newspaper)
April 18: 47 ( 25 Target food, 12 food at ball game, 10 parking)
April 19 : 17 ( pot luck lunch treats)

 

[ronnmel]

I hear you Mickeymomofthree on having no energy. I'm tired of being tired. I'm so ready for my vacation to be here!

No Buy Days : 11/12
Gas : 81$ (max 120$???)
Groceries : 91$ (max 250$)
Eating out (and snacks) : 40$ (max 100$)
Non-necessities : 163$ (max 200$)

04/01 : 0$
04/02 : 7$ (snack)
04/03 : 20$ (lunch + purse)
04/04 : 0$
04/05 : 0$
04/06 : 0$
04/07 : 15$ (gift bag + dinner)
04/08 : 0$
04/09 : 0$
04/10 : 0$
04/11 : 67$ (books + gas)
04/12 : 20$ (groceries)
04/13 : 2$ (breakfast club)
04/14 : 0$
04/15 : 103$ (baby shower gift, swimwear for me, dinner and snack)
04/16 : 0$
04/17 : 141$ (gas + medication + groceries + swimsuit for DD)
04/18 : 0$
04/19 : 0$

 

[QVCshopper]

Another no-buy day. We stayed home, but my son seems to be getting over his stomach bug. Thankfully it was quick moving and no one else got it (fingers crossed).

8/10 no-buys

4/1-$23 Wegmans, $2 McD
4/2-$19 Wegmans, $5 Charity, $5 Amazon, $64 Lowes, $14 Target
4/3-$19 Chinese food
4/4-$0
4/5-$18 Mall food (+ Lego build), $21 Wegmans, $13.50 ACME
4/6-$0
4/7-$0
4/8-$24 Wegmans
4/9-$13.50 ACME, $21 Wegmans
4/10-$5 Tag Sale, $5 Subway, $3.50 Sonic
4/11-$8.80 Stamps, $84.80 Pepsi/Hershey Park deal, $23 Lands End
4/12-$0
4/13-$0
4/14-$70 Wegmans (food/Easter event), $9 PetSmart, $2 Doctor, $5 BK, $5 DD
4/15-$0
4/16-$11 Wegmans, $25 PetSmart, $4 Book Store, $5 Five Below, $11 Gertrude Hawk, $5 Subway, $4 Auntie Anns, $53 Disney Store
4/17-$60 Food
4/18-$0
4/19-$0

 

[A.Mickey]

Running Total: Spent $496.17
$0 Days:8/13

Groceries ($240-$8/day)- $99.89
Eating Out ($210-$7/day)- $175.36
Misc. (Shopping/Entertainment) ($780-$26/day) $73.73
Gas $250- 4/2 $54.17 (3.89/gal), 4/5 $28.02 (3.89/gal), 4/15 $65 (4.02/gal) saw gas prices are up to $4.25 at some stations, so filled up with cash for $4.02= $147.19

1- $0
2- My son's 4th bday. $8.06 (Games-Misc.), $16.10 (Target-Misc.), $6.38 (Dollar Tree-Misc.), $11 (Dairy Queen-Eating Out)
3- $0
4- $0
5- $0
6- $16.81 (Walgreens-Groceries), $9.80 (McDonald's Eating Out)
7- $19.09 (Burger King- Eating Out-Our son really wanted to go here for some reason...maybe one too many commercials on TV during American Idol last night. I remember why we don't go here...yuck!), $7.89 (Meijer-Groceries...actually left my receipt there so I have no idea how much I saved off of sales, just know I saved $8 with coupons)
8- $2.88 (Dairy Queen-Eating Out), $6.40 (McDonald's-Eating Out), $7.91 (Doggery-Eating Out)
9- $10.44 (Panera-Eating Out), $35 (Maggiano's-Eating Out)
10- $2.88 (Dairy Queen-Eating Out), $8.29 (Au Bon Pain-Eating Out), $4.83 (McDonald's-Eating Out)
11- $21.03 (Portillo's-Eating Out), $20 (Video Game-Misc.), $4.61 (Target-Groceries)
12- $0
13- $16.05 (Walgreens-Groceries), $9.81 (Wendy's-Eating Out) $7.16 (Meijer-Groceries)
14- $0
15- $0
16- $7 (McDonald's-Eating Out), $4.19 (Dollar Tree- Misc.), $14.71 (Joe Caputo-Groceries), $5.99 (Trader Joe's-Groceries)
17- $19 (Parking-Misc.), $19 (Gene and Jude's-Eating Out), $6.77 (Walgreens-Groceries)
18- $0
19- $11.94 (Dominick's-Groceries), $7.96 (Jewel-Groceries), $ (Meijer-Groceries)
20-


Budget: $1480....34%
Month: 19/30: 63%
No Buy: 8/13: 62%

My savings from coupons and sales: $739.78

Next Month: 6 month insurance premium ($300)....First month tuition for preschool ($203)....Broadway in Chicago Tickets ($318)

August: $300 Hotel Room for Cedar Point, October: ~$250 Rental Car

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Hi Everyone. Thanks for your kind words, as always. Reminds me why I miss it here so much!!! We won't have much internest the next few days, my grandparents don't have it and DH has his for work, but he's been working like a maniac and we almost had to cancel even going, but we are still he will just be working the whole trip so we won't get online much. But I will be missing you all and can't wait to start fresh in May!!!

Virgderon, your "suggestions" had me cracking up.

Sunnie, I could never cut the carbs completely, just way back. We have replaced all white pastas with whole wheat when we do eat it. Very rarely am I eating potatoes. I have given up bread and when I want a sandwich I eat on the 9 grain sandwich thins or Flatouts. I did think part of it is I have cut too much. I am spreading out what I eat but honestly think part of it is that I am not eating enough. I am doing better, my DH (who has lost 47 pounds since January!!!) has been planning out my food more. He's researched it more then me and it's obviously working for him.

This morning a friend called asking for my cheesecake recipe and I remembered someone here had asked but I forgot to post it. So here it is, sorry about that! I altered it for his diet with Spenda and light cream cheese and sour cream and it was pretty good, and how she asked for the recipe so here are the alterations if you want as well.

1 3/4 C graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 C sugar and 1/3 C butter for the crust. I subbed out Spenda for the sugar and cut it back a bit, cause Splenda is stronger then sugar. I couldn't find sugar free graham crackers so it wasn't completely sugar free. I was afriad to bake it crust free, afried it would make a mess, so I figured he could just not eat the crust. He ate it though, it was after all his birthday.

Mix it and then put it in a springform pan.

Then take 3 blocks of cream cheese, I used light, softened, and 1 cup sugar (again I used Splenda, minus a tablespoon or 2.) And 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Mix well. Then add, one at a time, 3 eggs till just blended. Stir in 1 C sour cream, again, I used light.

Pour into crust and bake for 1 hour at 350. Then leave it in the oven, turn it off and prop open the oven door just a bit and leave it there for another hour.

 

[angierae]

No buy days: 8/10
Groceries: $154.38/$240
Fuel: $60/$48
Eating out: 44.90/$44
Entertainment/Hobbies: 24.67/$52

Coupon running total for April: $16.24

4/1: $0
4/2: $0
4/3: $0
4/4: $2.10 (CVS. Got $50 worth of stuff between sales, coupons and Extrabucks, though.)
4/5: $14.90 @ Subway $8.67 @ 7-11 $20 @ Mobil
4/6: $10 @ Panera $51.34 @ Meijer
4/7: $0
4/8: $0
4/9: $41.92 groceries (3 different stores)
4/10: $0
4/11: $20 @ Mobil, $16.37 @ Kroger, $16 @ Amazon
4/12: $9.31 @ CVS during a walk with DH - cleaning supplies
4/13: $3.20 @ Kroger because I forgot my lunch so I stopped in on the way to work for a frozen dinner and a thing of apples and caramel
4/14: $0
4/15: $20 Gas (officially overbudget for the month, but I knew that was coming)
4/16: $10.22 groceries $20 dining out
4/17: $7.52 CVS (papers and a few little things)
4/18: $0
4/19: $5.30 CVS, $12.40 Kroger, $13 Mcdonald's (I was having that kind of day and did not feel like cooking.)

Have no idea what I'm feeding DH and I for dinner, so may have to make a trip to the store. Also, I need gas AGAIN.

 

[charming23]

Another no spend here today. Last night we had huge rainstorms, with hail, that kept me up most of the night so I have no energy to go anywhere. It is fabulous on the budget though.

April Budget (3/30-4/29)

Grocery/Household- $300/$855.56 Left
Car/Gas- $50/$17.30 Left
Eating out- $50/$26.80 left
Misc/entertainment- $100/$44.04 left

Total- $500.00/$160.48 left

Goal of 15 No Buy Days

Week One
3/30- $0
3/31- $54.53 Grocery, $26.62 Gas, $3.32 misc, and $13.75 eating out
4/1- $15 Haircut and $13.05 Walgreens
4/2- $0
4/3- $10.21 Grocery and $6.59 Misc
4/4- $0
4/5- $0

Week Two
4/6- $18.44 Grocery and $9.45 eating out
4/7- $0
4/8- $2.99 Pepperidge Farm and $5.45 Walgreens
4/9- $0
4/10- $14.95 Grocery and $9.70 Misc
4/11- $0
4/12- $0

Week Three
4/13- $8.60 Lane Bryant, $30.72 Marc's and $52.66 Giant Eagle
4/14- $0
4/15- $4.49 Giant Eagle
4/16- $19.50 Gas and $20 Walmart
4/17- $0
4/18- $0
4/19- $0

Week Four
4/20- $0
4/21
4/22
4/23
4/24
4/25
4/26

13/15 No Buy Days

Store and Coupon Savings-$111.16

 

[SunnieRN]

MMO3, I am happy to hear your hubby is helping you 'tweak' things!!! That's great and I hope you get an energy boost from the changes!!

April 8-22:

Goals:

Medical: $200
Groceries $200 / $111
Cash: $100 / $35 /63
No Buy Days: 9 (going out on a limb here. 9 of 14 sounds rough!)

April 8: $0 (off to a good start anyway!)
April 9: $0
April 10: $0
April 11: $$ may be in the thousands, as we are car shopping today. Didn't buy a car today, so $0
April 12: Well, got DeeDee today! Dodge Durango, big enough for the whole family AND the ADHD dog!! Has more stuff in it, then I know what to do with. I will probably need to up my no buys now. Ended up getting dinner out after I posted this, so $35.00.
April 13: $0!! Eating out of the freezer!
April 14: $0, but have to grocery shop tomorrow or the next day.
April 15: $0 wasn't planned,
April 16: $0
April 17: $111. Huge grocery trip, including Easter dinner, a coffe for my
dd and an icee for my Grandson.
April 18: $63, Grandmas day with the grandmunchkins. ChuckECheese, TRUs, park with ice cream. It was a blast!!
April 19: $0.
April 20: $0


No Buy Goal 9 / 10 accomplished!

 

[QVCshopper]

The finger crossing didn't work, and the rest of my family (including me) got the stomach virus last night. My son seems better, my daughter is iffy, and my DH isn't too hot. Not a good Spring Break after all... If we don't get better soon, we'll lose our $100 priceline room for tomorrow night.

9/10 no-buys

4/1-$23 Wegmans, $2 McD
4/2-$19 Wegmans, $5 Charity, $5 Amazon, $64 Lowes, $14 Target
4/3-$19 Chinese food
4/4-$0
4/5-$18 Mall food (+ Lego build), $21 Wegmans, $13.50 ACME
4/6-$0
4/7-$0
4/8-$24 Wegmans
4/9-$13.50 ACME, $21 Wegmans
4/10-$5 Tag Sale, $5 Subway, $3.50 Sonic
4/11-$8.80 Stamps, $84.80 Pepsi/Hershey Park deal, $23 Lands End
4/12-$0
4/13-$0
4/14-$70 Wegmans (food/Easter event), $9 PetSmart, $2 Doctor, $5 BK, $5 DD
4/15-$0
4/16-$11 Wegmans, $25 PetSmart, $4 Book Store, $5 Five Below, $11 Gertrude Hawk, $5 Subway, $4 Auntie Anns, $53 Disney Store
4/17-$60 Food
4/18-$0
4/19-$0
4/20-$0

 

[Virgderon]

QVC, I hope they get well stat, but that is a tough one to overcome in a short time. I use Priceline all the time, and sometimes its a bet that you lose. I'm sorry.

Today is a 0 day, and I am actually about $170 to the good, because I got my bowling prize money last night. I will be putting some of it into DD's account for her bd (21!!!) and using the rest for Easter dinner out .

Running Total: Spent $461
$800 budget... $339 left
$0 Days: 8
Goal is 8 or more!
coupon/sale savings : 75

Groceries budget- $250-19-7- 69-7-11-25-42 = 70 left

April 1: 19 ( groceries)
April 2: 0
April 3: 26 ( pop, razor, cleaning supplies, soup)
April 4: 0
April 5: 43 (14 Walgreens, 23 bowling banquet, 6 dinner at bowling)
April 6: 0
April 7: 69 ( Publix groceries)
April 8: 0
April 9: 41 ( 23 lunch, 11 Publix, 7 pop)
April 10 : 0
April 11: 0
April 12 : 12 ( 5 dinner at bowling, 7 at Walgreens)
April 13: 0
April 14 : 14 ( misc including People magazine. Couldn't help it. )
April 15: 45 ( groceries and chinese food )
April 16: 61 ( 42 groceries, 7 books at the flea market, 12 misc)
April 17: 67 ( 46 old navy, 20 Busch gardens lunch, 1 newspaper)
April 18: 47 ( 25 Target food, 12 food at ball game, 10 parking)
April 19 : 17 ( pot luck lunch treats)
April 20: 0

 

[ronnmel]

Big spending day, running around everywhere to run small errands.

No Buy Days : 11/12
Gas : 81$ (max 120$???)
Groceries : 106$ (max 250$)
Eating out (and snacks) : 40$ (max 100$)
Non-necessities : 264$ (max 200$)

04/01 : 0$
04/02 : 7$ (snack)
04/03 : 20$ (lunch + purse)
04/04 : 0$
04/05 : 0$
04/06 : 0$
04/07 : 15$ (gift bag + dinner)
04/08 : 0$
04/09 : 0$
04/10 : 0$
04/11 : 67$ (books + gas)
04/12 : 20$ (groceries)
04/13 : 2$ (breakfast club)
04/14 : 0$
04/15 : 103$ (baby shower gift, swimwear for me, dinner and snack)
04/16 : 0$
04/17 : 141$ (gas + medication + groceries + swimsuit for DD)
04/18 : 0$
04/19 : 0$
04/20 : 116$ (groceries + pharmacy + baby shower gift (yet again) + books for my classroom)

 

[Debbie]

Hi Everyone. I am embaassed to comeback.

I don't know what has been wrong with me this month. t isn't just here, I am still so tied. Falling asleep all the time. I have dropped off the kids at dance and fell asleep in the van while I waited, I have fallen asleep at the movies with m y DH. The thing is I have been healthier lately then ever, going to the gym everyday doing cadio, drinking only water, eating almost no carbs and when I do they are good ones. The doctor an a bunch of tests and said they didn't find anything but it's almost like he said that's it. I think I need to find a new doctor.

Anyway, I miss you all but everytime I say I am going to get caught up I get overwhelmed. Now my kids are on Spring Break and so I am just going to start over in May.

I do want to try and catch up with everyone, but for now I just wanted to say hello.

FTR, other then an insane amount of gas, I am doing really well spending wise! 15 months with you guys taught me well!!!

Mickey Mom, one time I was commenting on my tiredness to my dear, sweet MIL via email. She quickly emailed back and said, "look at the email....you are running those kids (I have 5) all over the place, from morning to night. No WONDER you are tired." I love that she gave me permission to complain AND to know that I had a reason." (((hugs))) that you get your energy back soon.

Bowling banquet tonight, which is already paid for, but I did have to buy stuff for a pot luck lunch at work.

That happened to me this week, too. The cinnamon buns were tasty, but.... (and I have to buy stuff for the family get together on Friday, too)

Have no idea what I'm feeding DH and I for dinner, so may have to make a trip to the store. Also, I need gas AGAIN.

Yeah, not is the price astronomical, but the tank doesn't seem to be lasting as long as it used to.

The finger crossing didn't work, and the rest of my family (including me) got the stomach virus last night. My son seems better, my daughter is iffy, and my DH isn't too hot. Not a good Spring Break after all... If we don't get better soon, we'll lose our $100 priceline room for tomorrow night.

that everyone feels better soon!

 

[Debbie]

Quick catch up!

My budget:
I will count all OTC purchases, but not the regularly budgeted and paid for bills like Church, heating, water, taxes etc.
I will not count DH's spending on his snacks, since he does that every day, and there is no way for me to keep track, anyway.
This month I have a couple of birthday gifts, and of course Easter candy. (not sure if I'm doing baskets or not....maybe just cash for each of 5 kids ) My biggest goal is that I NOT spend as much as I did last month....that should be attainable, since last month was atrocious! Here's hoping for 12 no buy days.

April 1: $4 drug co-pay, grad pics for DD $172, gas $23
April 2: groceries $53 DDs phone needed replacing, and, since she was off to buy her shoes for her prom, I bought the phone...happy belated birthday....$101
April 3: $0
April 4: $0
April 5: Tuesday is DH's grocery day: $116
April 6: more groceries $26, gas $50
April 7: $0
April 8: $0
April 9: $30 groceries and it was ME, not DH this time
April 10: tip on brunch $5, gas to TO $15, shared lottery ticket with DSisters $35
April 11: gas $36
April 12: groceries $23
April 13: gas $30
April 14: $0
April 15: lottery ticket $5, contact lens (yes, ONE) $145
April 16: market groceries $13, Dollarama $50 (gift for DNephew, stuff for school, envelopes for home, and just...fun ), Bulk Barn (groceries and Easter candy)$37, Chapters gift + books for school $18, Costco-went in for milk for us, and chocolate bars for school (I sell stuff and the proceeds go to cancer), but the bill-NOT including the school chocolate-was $96 What was I thinking??? Oops, just read the bill......$33 of that was Easter CANDY....again....What was I thinking? Updating the $43 groceries DH bought after Church
April 17: $0
April 18: gas $32, oil change $24 Cinnamon buns for the school review breakfast $11 groceries $10
April 19: groceries $20
April 20: $0

Gas: $187
Groceries/Household: $507
Drug co-pays/medicine/lens: $149
Misc including gifts: $378
Easter candy: $55

No Buy days: 7/12

 

[A.Mickey]

Running Total: Spent $498.68
$0 Days:9/13

Groceries ($240-$8/day)- $102.40
Eating Out ($210-$7/day)- $175.36
Misc. (Shopping/Entertainment) ($780-$26/day) $73.73
Gas $250- 4/2 $54.17 (3.89/gal), 4/5 $28.02 (3.89/gal), 4/15 $65 (4.02/gal) saw gas prices are up to $4.25 at some stations, so filled up with cash for $4.02= $147.19

1- $0
2- My son's 4th bday. $8.06 (Games-Misc.), $16.10 (Target-Misc.), $6.38 (Dollar Tree-Misc.), $11 (Dairy Queen-Eating Out)
3- $0
4- $0
5- $0
6- $16.81 (Walgreens-Groceries), $9.80 (McDonald's Eating Out)
7- $19.09 (Burger King- Eating Out-Our son really wanted to go here for some reason...maybe one too many commercials on TV during American Idol last night. I remember why we don't go here...yuck!), $7.89 (Meijer-Groceries...actually left my receipt there so I have no idea how much I saved off of sales, just know I saved $8 with coupons)
8- $2.88 (Dairy Queen-Eating Out), $6.40 (McDonald's-Eating Out), $7.91 (Doggery-Eating Out)
9- $10.44 (Panera-Eating Out), $35 (Maggiano's-Eating Out)
10- $2.88 (Dairy Queen-Eating Out), $8.29 (Au Bon Pain-Eating Out), $4.83 (McDonald's-Eating Out)
11- $21.03 (Portillo's-Eating Out), $20 (Video Game-Misc.), $4.61 (Target-Groceries)
12- $0
13- $16.05 (Walgreens-Groceries), $9.81 (Wendy's-Eating Out) $7.16 (Meijer-Groceries)
14- $0
15- $0
16- $7 (McDonald's-Eating Out), $4.19 (Dollar Tree- Misc.), $14.71 (Joe Caputo-Groceries), $5.99 (Trader Joe's-Groceries)
17- $19 (Parking-Misc.), $19 (Gene and Jude's-Eating Out), $6.77 (Walgreens-Groceries)
18- $0
19- $11.94 (Dominick's-Groceries), $7.96 (Jewel-Groceries), $2.51 (Meijer-Groceries)
20- $0


Budget: $1480....34%
Month: 20/30: 67%
No Buy: 9/13: 69%

My savings from coupons and sales: $761.59

Next Month: 6 month insurance premium ($300)....First month tuition for preschool ($203)....Broadway in Chicago Tickets ($318)

August: $300 Hotel Room for Cedar Point, October: ~$250 Rental Car

 

[charming23]

Went out to Aldi's this morning for a few items.

April Budget (3/30-4/29)

Grocery/Household- $300/$72.78 Left
Car/Gas- $50/$17.30 Left
Eating out- $50/$26.80 left
Misc/entertainment- $100/$44.04 left

Total- $500.00/$147.70 left

Goal of 15 No Buy Days

Week One
3/30- $0
3/31- $54.53 Grocery, $26.62 Gas, $3.32 misc, and $13.75 eating out
4/1- $15 Haircut and $13.05 Walgreens
4/2- $0
4/3- $10.21 Grocery and $6.59 Misc
4/4- $0
4/5- $0

Week Two
4/6- $18.44 Grocery and $9.45 eating out
4/7- $0
4/8- $2.99 Pepperidge Farm and $5.45 Walgreens
4/9- $0
4/10- $14.95 Grocery and $9.70 Misc
4/11- $0
4/12- $0

Week Three
4/13- $8.60 Lane Bryant, $30.72 Marc's and $52.66 Giant Eagle
4/14- $0
4/15- $4.49 Giant Eagle
4/16- $19.50 Gas and $20 Walmart
4/17- $0
4/18- $0
4/19- $0

Week Four
4/20- $0
4/21- $12.78 Aldi's
4/22
4/23
4/24
4/25
4/26

13/15 No Buy Days

Store and Coupon Savings-$111.16

 

[Debbie]

Quick catch up!

My budget:
I will count all OTC purchases, but not the regularly budgeted and paid for bills like Church, heating, water, taxes etc.
I will not count DH's spending on his snacks, since he does that every day, and there is no way for me to keep track, anyway.
This month I have a couple of birthday gifts, and of course Easter candy. (not sure if I'm doing baskets or not....maybe just cash for each of 5 kids ) My biggest goal is that I NOT spend as much as I did last month....that should be attainable, since last month was atrocious! Here's hoping for 12 no buy days.

April 1: $4 drug co-pay, grad pics for DD $172, gas $23
April 2: groceries $53 DDs phone needed replacing, and, since she was off to buy her shoes for her prom, I bought the phone...happy belated birthday....$101
April 3: $0
April 4: $0
April 5: Tuesday is DH's grocery day: $116
April 6: more groceries $26, gas $50
April 7: $0
April 8: $0
April 9: $30 groceries and it was ME, not DH this time
April 10: tip on brunch $5, gas to TO $15, shared lottery ticket with DSisters $35
April 11: gas $36
April 12: groceries $23
April 13: gas $30
April 14: $0
April 15: lottery ticket $5, contact lens (yes, ONE) $145
April 16: market groceries $13, Dollarama $50 (gift for DNephew, stuff for school, envelopes for home, and just...fun ), Bulk Barn (groceries and Easter candy)$37, Chapters gift + books for school $18, Costco-went in for milk for us, and chocolate bars for school (I sell stuff and the proceeds go to cancer), but the bill-NOT including the school chocolate-was $96 What was I thinking??? Oops, just read the bill......$33 of that was Easter CANDY....again....What was I thinking? Updating the $43 groceries DH bought after Church
April 17: Oops! I remembered that I bought DQ, so I have to add $5 to the misc category
April 18: gas $32, oil change $24 Cinnamon buns for the school review breakfast $11 groceries $10
April 19: groceries $20
April 20: $0
April 21: Bought tea at Tim's $2, gas $42, and the groceries were $93, but I had $90 in points to use, so.....groceries $3
April 22: Nothing open, I refuse to buy online tomorrow, so I can call $0

Gas: $229
Groceries/Household: $510
Drug co-pays/medicine/lens: $149
Misc including gifts: $385
Easter candy: $55

No Buy days: 7/12

 

[A.Mickey]

Running Total: Spent $541.68
$0 Days:10/13

Groceries ($240-$8/day)- $102.40
Eating Out ($210-$7/day)- $175.36
Misc. (Shopping/Entertainment) ($780-$26/day) $73.73
Gas $250- 4/2 $54.17 (3.89/gal), 4/5 $28.02 (3.89/gal), 4/15 $65 (4.02/gal) saw gas prices are up to $4.25 at some stations, so filled up with cash for $4.02, 4/21 $43 (4.19/gal)= $190.19

1- $0
2- My son's 4th bday. $8.06 (Games-Misc.), $16.10 (Target-Misc.), $6.38 (Dollar Tree-Misc.), $11 (Dairy Queen-Eating Out)
3- $0
4- $0
5- $0
6- $16.81 (Walgreens-Groceries), $9.80 (McDonald's Eating Out)
7- $19.09 (Burger King- Eating Out-Our son really wanted to go here for some reason...maybe one too many commercials on TV during American Idol last night. I remember why we don't go here...yuck!), $7.89 (Meijer-Groceries...actually left my receipt there so I have no idea how much I saved off of sales, just know I saved $8 with coupons)
8- $2.88 (Dairy Queen-Eating Out), $6.40 (McDonald's-Eating Out), $7.91 (Doggery-Eating Out)
9- $10.44 (Panera-Eating Out), $35 (Maggiano's-Eating Out)
10- $2.88 (Dairy Queen-Eating Out), $8.29 (Au Bon Pain-Eating Out), $4.83 (McDonald's-Eating Out)
11- $21.03 (Portillo's-Eating Out), $20 (Video Game-Misc.), $4.61 (Target-Groceries)
12- $0
13- $16.05 (Walgreens-Groceries), $9.81 (Wendy's-Eating Out) $7.16 (Meijer-Groceries)
14- $0
15- $0
16- $7 (McDonald's-Eating Out), $4.19 (Dollar Tree- Misc.), $14.71 (Joe Caputo-Groceries), $5.99 (Trader Joe's-Groceries)
17- $19 (Parking-Misc.), $19 (Gene and Jude's-Eating Out), $6.77 (Walgreens-Groceries)
18- $0
19- $11.94 (Dominick's-Groceries), $7.96 (Jewel-Groceries), $2.51 (Meijer-Groceries)
20- $0
21- $0


Budget: $1480....37%
Month: 20/30: 70%
No Buy: 10/13: 77%

My savings from coupons and sales: $761.59

Next Month: 6 month insurance premium ($300)....First month tuition for preschool ($203)....Broadway in Chicago Tickets ($318)

August: $300 Hotel Room for Cedar Point, October: ~$250 Rental Car

 

[Virgderon]

We went to the baseball game tonight to see our beloved White Sox play Tampa. My husband got that look on his face when he saw the sausage with onions and peppers, so I had to buy him one.

Running Total: Spent $496
$800 budget... $304 left
$0 Days: 8
Goal is 8 or more!
coupon/sale savings : 78

Groceries budget- $250-19-7- 69-7-11-25-42-5 = 65 left

April 1: 19 ( groceries)
April 2: 0
April 3: 26 ( pop, razor, cleaning supplies, soup)
April 4: 0
April 5: 43 (14 Walgreens, 23 bowling banquet, 6 dinner at bowling)
April 6: 0
April 7: 69 ( Publix groceries)
April 8: 0
April 9: 41 ( 23 lunch, 11 Publix, 7 pop)
April 10 : 0
April 11: 0
April 12 : 12 ( 5 dinner at bowling, 7 at Walgreens)
April 13: 0
April 14 : 14 ( misc including People magazine. Couldn't help it. )
April 15: 45 ( groceries and chinese food )
April 16: 61 ( 42 groceries, 7 books at the flea market, 12 misc)
April 17: 67 ( 46 old navy, 20 Busch gardens lunch, 1 newspaper)
April 18: 47 ( 25 Target food, 12 food at ball game, 10 parking)
April 19 : 17 ( pot luck lunch treats)
April 20: 0
April 21: 35 (13 food at ball game, 22 at Walgreens)

 

[ronnmel]

Went to a tanning salon for the very first time, using a free coupon I got on my car. Not planning on going back often, just want to have a base so I don't burn in Cuba.

On an even better note, I made my no-buy days goal!

No Buy Days : 12/12
Gas : 81$ (max 120$???)
Groceries : 106$ (max 250$)
Eating out (and snacks) : 40$ (max 100$)
Non-necessities : 264$ (max 200$)

04/01 : 0$
04/02 : 7$ (snack)
04/03 : 20$ (lunch + purse)
04/04 : 0$
04/05 : 0$
04/06 : 0$
04/07 : 15$ (gift bag + dinner)
04/08 : 0$
04/09 : 0$
04/10 : 0$
04/11 : 67$ (books + gas)
04/12 : 20$ (groceries)
04/13 : 2$ (breakfast club)
04/14 : 0$
04/15 : 103$ (baby shower gift, swimwear for me, dinner and snack)
04/16 : 0$
04/17 : 141$ (gas + medication + groceries + swimsuit for DD)
04/18 : 0$
04/19 : 0$
04/20 : 116$ (groceries + pharmacy + baby shower gift (yet again) + books for my classroom)
04/21 : 0$