April 2011: Springing into No Buys

[bigmama67]

Planning for 12 no-buy days this month (made it past 10 in March); I don't count grocery spending.

4/1 - Spent the following: $180 to sign DS up for a week of summer art camp; $59.99 on a sand and water play table for DD (Amazon); $99 for a year of educational software for DS; $478 for new fridge for the basement (but this comes out of the insurance money which we got today; the rest is going into savings); $6.24 at Borders (after using $5 in Borders bucks and a 33% off coupon, I ended up saving 67% off an $18 book for my teaching which my own kids will also enjoy); $33 for gas (DH filled up); $15 for DH to see the doctor; $33 for medicine for DH. OUCH!

DH gets three paychecks this month so we were planning to do these things when that came in. We also just ordered new laptops which will be covered by our federal tax refund. End of splurging...I have 2 classes to pay tuition for this summer. Also paid some bills.

4/2: $33 groceries, $19 CVS (more prescriptions), $3 Dollar Tree, $19 movie tickets (we were running late and I couldn't find my coupons!), $10 snacks ($5 for the movie and $5 at DS' baseball game - opening day); $27 baseball pictures; $17 batting gloves...OY, not off to a good start, are we?

4/3: $4 Dunkin' Donuts, $33 Whole Foods

I talked with my Mom and she is not feeling well. It makes me sad; she lives hundreds of miles away. I've decided we need to go up to Maine and see her. We're going on Easter weekend and will drive up Saturday and come home Monday. DH and DS will just miss a day of work/school. I don't want to wait till Memorial Day weekend and we were planning to go up to Massachusetts that weekend anyhow.

 

[Debbie]

I talked with my Mom and she is not feeling well. It makes me sad; she lives hundreds of miles away. I've decided we need to go up to Maine and see her. We're going on Easter weekend and will drive up Saturday and come home Monday. DH and DS will just miss a day of work/school. I don't want to wait till Memorial Day weekend and we were planning to go up to Massachusetts that weekend anyhow.

Rachel, we have been having problems with my Mom not feeling well for the past six weeks or so. It is important to keep those ties open, and not feel guilty that we can't be there all the time (but we do!), so go and enjoy her at Easter. You'll both feel better for it!

 

[3goofyboys]

Allrighty, I'm back and in for the month!! I fell apart at the end of last month. With moving and keeping track of 3 different houses, keeping track of my spending fell by the wayside. We're staying with my MIL for the month and most of our stuff is packed. I anticipate a few extra purchases when I discover something I need is packed and in storage ! I'll go for 10 no buy days this month and I'm posting a budget for the first time.


Food: $10/$420
Gas: $63/$200
Medical: $50
Misc Expenses: $65/$400

April 1 $75 Target-got a little food and a birthday gift for my nephew, $30 Gas

April 2

April 3 $38 gas We went to my nephew's b-day party at the zoo today, but we're members, so we went for free and my sister provided lunch. Glad we got a chance to get out this morning because now it's snowing! I'm ready for real spring!


1/10 No Buy Days

 

[SunnieRN]

March 25-April 8:

Goals:

Medical $200 / -$18
Groceries $200 / -$13 / -$48
Cash: $100 / $37 / -$26
No Buys: 8

March 25: $0
March 26: $0
March 27: $0 Tomorrow zoo, TRus.
March 28: $23 Zoo admission, sheesh the zoo is expensive! $5 each for the Grandmunchkins to spend, $12.57 Dollar Tree, they had Toy Story Kooky pens, for their Easter Baskets.
March 29: $0
March 30; $13 potluck and dressing for home.
March 31: $0
April 1: $0
April 2: $18 med refills,which my insurance only allows a month at a time refills. I wont even attempt to tell you how I feel about this! $48 Groceries, $26 on an appliance I am not sure will be used as much as I hope. The next 3 days will all be NO spend days!! My family is going out of town, I am ADHD dog sitting, and refuse to leave the house or shop online!!
April 3: $0!




Goal 8 / 6 accomplished.

 

[jsmla]

I'll join in although I'm really not in touch enough with our spending to set goals or predict my no buy days yet.

April 1-$0

April 2-$96.23
-Around $25 at the grocery (can't find the receipt!) for beer and ingredients for baked beans to bring to a Final Four BBQ we went to.
-$54.48 at Bed Bath and Beyond for a set of Tervis Tumblers for our son's birthday present.
-$1.09 at Walgreens for a photo of DS and his grandfather for the birthday.
-$15.66 for a frame for the photo.

April 3-$0
I'm going to go ahead and call today a no-spend. It's after 4:00 PM and we don't have any plans except to grill out and we already have everything we need.

 

[Debbie]

I CANNOT believe that it is snowing again! DH wanted to zip into McD's when he was going to drive DS and his gf into the city. But now, they are staying in. So $0 it is!

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

No Buy days: 1/12

 

[Virgderon]

Training is a good reason for a $0!

Kids are older now. The 'baby' just turned 17 and will be off to university in the fall. The older ones....1 is teaching in Egypt (and had to be flown home emergency earlier this year...."Thanks Mommy", 1 is relatively settled with gf, and a new "I love it, Mom" job 1 is in university on the East coast (same distance as Disney from us), and we hardly see her at all right now AND she's searching for a co-op placement out there for the summer. If that's the case, that's where we'll head in the summer, I think. And the oldest is still floundering....under my roof....and really needs to find his way, and soon! Luckily, I like his gf, and I think that they will spread their wings sooner than later. In the meantime, he has needed saving with several hundreds of $$$ recently. But that's what parents help with. (but the helping is done, and time for him to stand on his own two, wobbly feet). And his parents need to stand firm.

Seems like the older they are....the more they cost!

I understand the situation with the oldest one. Not surprised he is male! It seems like so many young men now are having a hard time getting going in life. My stepson is 24 and still has 2 years of college left. We have pretty much been supporting him his whole life, and it has to stop soon. We pay his rent, his car payment, his car insurance and make the minimum payment on one of his credit cards. We have had some big setbacks, and we really need to start seriously pumping up our retirement savings.....so.... He has been warned that he needs to get a job- this is the last semester that we are willing to pay his living expenses. It's tough. I know exactly how you feel.

 

[Virgderon]

Walgreens is having a very good sale this week on all my favorite stuff. Love when I can get Purex for $1.99 !

Running Total: Spent $45
$800 budget... $755 left
$0 Days: 1
Goal is 8 or more!
coupon/sale savings : 21

Groceries budget- $250-19-7= 224 left

April 1: 19 ( groceries)
April 2: 0
April 3: 26 ( pop, razor, cleaning supplies, soup)

 

[Baililan]

Can someone explain the no-buy thing to me?

 

[ronnmel]

Welcome to all the newbies!

Hope the party and surprise went well MickeyMomOfThree!

A good start, then, Mel! And 2 weeks for you Disneymoon sounds heavenly.

RonnMel, congratulations on extending the Disneymoon! How exciting!!

Ronmel: Lucky you! 2 weeks at Disney; you'll have such a good time!

Thanks everyone! We are very excited, both about our upcoming wedding (we are leaving for Cuba this month! Can't believe it's so close) and the Disneymoon.


Yesterday was awesome! Went for my hair and makeup trial, then spent the afternoon doing a photoshoot with my mom and brother in my wedding wedding dress. It was especially nice since I won't have an actual photographer in Cuba so I got to do my "getting ready" pictures. I'm only counting the snack I had in between both trials.

Then today was out all day running errands.

No Buy Days : 1/12
Gas : 0$ (max 120$???)
Groceries : 0$ (max 250$)
Eating out (and snacks) : 12$ (max 100$)
Non-necessities : 15$ (max 200$)

04/01 : 0$
04/02 : 7$ (snack)
04/03 : 20$ (lunch + purse)

 

[Holly&Joesmommy]

OK Since I am just starting out,...I'm thinking I should just do 1 week at a time...the whole month is a metal overload to me.

April Week #1 ...3 No Buys

1 $20 lunch with my mom, $50 Gas
2 $10 AGAIN,...lunch with my mom, CVS $47.00 cleaning supplies & toiletries ( but saved $21.00 with coupons, PLUS $11 Extra Care Bucks) $14 take out pizza

Already beginning to see the PROBLEM!!! No budget and TOO MUCH Eating Out!

3 $68 Groceries @ Aldi, $9 Goodwill $20 cash for DH lunch, $20 for both kids lunches for the week

4 NO BUY

5 NO BUY

6 Gas & Milk

7 NO BUY

8 Not sure yet.

 

[A.Mickey]

Running Total: Spent $95.71
$0 Days:2/13

Groceries ($240-$8/day)- $0
Eating Out ($210-$7/day)- $11
Misc. (Shopping/Entertainment) ($780-$26/day) $30.54
Gas $250- 4/2 $54.17 (3.89/gal)= $54.17

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


Budget: $1480....6%
Month: 2/30: 10%
No Buy: 2/13: 15%

My savings from coupons and sales: $137.31

Next Month: Rental car for October...6 month insurance premium....First month tuition for preschool....Broadway in Chicago Tickets

 

[wlake]

I'll join in although I'm really not in touch enough with our spending to set goals or predict my no buy days yet.

It can take some time to figure it all out!

Can someone explain the no-buy thing to me?

No buy can be whatever you want it to be! For me, it's the spending outside of regular bills. I count groceries, household things, clothes, pharmacy items, birthday gifts, and so on. Tracking no buy days helps me keep away from online shopping and take out for dinner.

OK Since I am just starting out,...I'm thinking I should just do 1 week at a time...the whole month is a metal overload to me.

One week at a time sounds great!!

Another EXPENSIVE day:
4/1: take out; $20 basket raffle for my school
4/2: $15 AC Moore (party gift), $30 gas, $12 Staples, $20 pharmacy
4/3: $66 groceries, I'm-not-admitting-how-much on a new bike for DS8 who had outgrown his badly.


no buy days: 0/8
longest no buy streak: 3 days
meals out: 1/5 (not counting our trip!)
days since our last meal out: 2
longest no meals out streak: 10

 

[SunnieRN]

Darn, I'm on pins and needles!! I want to hear how MMO3's surprise party went!!! Hope she lets us know soon!!

Welsome all you new No Buyers!!

To the poster that asked, you set a budget for yourself. I do two weeks at a time to follow my pay periods, most do an entire month at once. You decide, if you so choose, to set a goal of a number of days you want to go without spending money. Some people only count unplanned spending, but not bills or groceries. I count groceries against my no buy days. It keeps me out of the store more and spending less overall.

The goals pertain to you and your family and can be whatever goals you choose!! It really helps to have a plan!!

 

[SunnieRN]

I almost forgot, RonnMel, your dress is so beautiful and if you care to share I would love to see a 'getting ready' picture, of you and your Mom!! You must be getting SO excited!!

 

[nunzia]

$700 total
$100 Gas $80 left
$250 Groceries $202 left
$150 Entertainment/Eating Out $140 left
$100 Gifts $75 left
$100 Misc Household $92 left

April 1: $15.00 gift (online Jedi game), $2.00 movie rental, $10.00 lunch out ( I am rounding)
April 2: $0
April 3: $20 DH gasoline. $59 Walmart...($8 gift, $8 Misc household garden, saved $8 in coupons) $7.00 Walgreens ( had a great coupon deal on M&Ms and those are for Easter so gifts $2 gift, the rest groceries. total coupons there $5.25)

 

[angierae]

4/1: $0!
4/2: $0!
4/3: $0!

Had a good weekend, but no $. Saturday night we went to a voting party for an organization we belong to (time to elect new board members) but they needed someone to bring plastic cups - we had a huge amount of them from a Costco run, so I just raided that supply and took them. We were able to contribute to the party but it didn't cost us anything.

Last night we went out to a poolhall/bar to see friends perform live, but DH paid for our sodas out of his fun money budget, so nothing out of mine, yay!

Today will probably end up being a no-buy just because some money I'm waiting to be deposited wasn't deposited today, so I'm watching every penny really carefully tomorrow. As soon as I get that $ I need to go grocery shopping, though.

DD16 is on spring break this week, so no extra lunch money!

 

[IMALOVNDISNEY]

Auto $240.00
Groceries/Household Goods $200.00(raised for Easter. Expecting 26 people)
Eating Out/Entertainment $25.00/$100.00
Misc $200.00
No Buy days 2/10
Coupon savings
New Business Expenses. I'm now a new Advisor for lia sophia jewelry. And I know I will have extra expenses. So, I'm giving it it's own catagory.

March coupon savings $116.00
No buy days 15/15
February coupon savings $124.00
No buy days 15/12
January coupon savings $360.00
no buy days 17/10

04/01 -0-
04/02 -0- Didn't go shopping. Went home an napped instead! Sinus' are kicking my butt.
04/03 $25.00 lunch out.
04

 

[IMALOVNDISNEY]

MickeyMomOfThree How was the Party. Did you survive!!!
Can't wait to hear all about it

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Sorry I didn't get back sooner guys. Yesterday my DH took me out to a movie and an early dinner (he got tons of GCs) before bowling. We were gone all day. The party was

AMAZING!!!!!

The day went so smoothly. We met our friends for lunch, the boys went one way and she and I and DD11 and her son went another way. (DD8 was at a b-day party and DD16 was out with friends so we took DD11 with us to hang out with their DS10months.) Anyway, after lucnh we ran a bunch of last minute errands and went out to my friends' house to set up. We all met back at our house about 5 to hang our for an hour. At about 6 my DD16 said mom, you ready to drop me off? They then said they should get going too since they had a long drive home. My kids cracked me saying goodbye to their son as though they wouldn't see him again for a while. So we left, they left and we met down the road at Subway. I grabbed the party sub and gave it and my DD16 to them and they headed out to the party.

I came home, got ready and we went to leave for the party...but my van had a flat tire! DH said we'd take his car and worry about it tomorrow. Great except that we'd have to bring home everything and 3 not 2 kids. He didn't know this of course, but I figured we'd go back the next day and get everything. So we headed out in his little car.

On the way there I started shaking. I don't know why, but I was. My DH said his hands were cold and asked me (with my trembeling hands) to feel. I did and he said Oh, yo uare warm, hold my hand. I did but was so worried he'd feel me shaking. I came up with the plan to say I was nervous cause I wouldn't know anyone at the party. About 5 minutes before we got there he got a text. He doesn't look when he is driving but always checks as soon as he stops cause of his work. Well one of his friends at the party got a call about a problem at one of their restaurants. She asked him where he was cause it was noisy and he said a b-day party for my DH. SHE TEXTED HIM HAPPY BIRTHDAY ENJOY YOUR PARTY!!!! That was the text but for some reason by the time we got there he forgot he had gotten a text and didn't look at it. Oh that was close!!!

We got there and I said Oh, I better text DD16 to be sure she has ahouse key, really I was telling here we were there. We pulled in and there were no cars, he said wow, we must be the first ones here.

He rang the bell and the door swung open and all his friends were there, about 35 people with confetti filled blow outs, it was awesome! He was STUNNED!!!

He kept saying he just couldn't believe I pulled it off. I think he kissed me about 1000 times that night. The whole night he was smiling. It was great!!!

The book was a huge success. He didn't cfry, I didn't think he would but you never know. He did get a little choked up when he saw the photos of he and his bother, he had never seen them before and his brother died 17 years ago, he was 24.

He said it was one of the best nights of his life, not the party, but all the love he felt from so many people that night.

I am so glad I did it, I spent a lot more then I planned but it was worth every penny. I do wish I had not had his friend tell me what to buy liquor wise. The only thing that was touched was the beer, that I had already bought. He said get 2 boxes of wine, the only person to open it took a taste just cause she loves it but it isn't on her diet. And my DH and a friend had a rum and diet coke, but would have been fine not having it. I spent $50 on that and it was wasted, we gave it all away after.

But, I don't care, it was great and he is still glowing. It was a wonderful night!!!