April 2011: Springing into No Buys

[Virgderon]

Dear Friday: Thank you for showing up right when I needed you.

Today is a 0.

Running Total: Spent $157
$800 budget... $643 left
$0 Days: 4
Goal is 8 or more!
coupon/sale savings : 54

Groceries budget- $250-19-7- 69 = 155 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

 

[mrssmith06]

I haven't done this before but I'd love to try it out! Not sure if I am going to do this right, I'm trying to figure out exactly what everyone is doing...

I will try to have 7 no-buy days this month.

Budget for the month $1,200 (edit: I had to adjust my #s after looking over last months #s!)
Groceries... $153 / $500
Eating out... $30 / $150
Gas... $50 / $250
Misc... $81 / $200
DH's birthday... $9 / $100

Coupon/Sale savings total = $23.36
No-buy Days: 3/7


04/01- $34 Disney store purchase
04/02- $153 in groceries, $5 for snack at a deli, $21 for pizza, $50 gas. Busy day!
04/03- $6 misc stuff at Dollar General.
04/04- $0
04/05- $12 misc at WM, $6 misc at Hobby Lobby
04/06- $0
04/07- B'fast $4, misc $23, part of DHs bday $9.
04/08- $0
04/09-
04/10-
04/11-
04/12-
04/13-
04/14-

1st 8 days, already have 3 of my 7 no-buy days! I might be able to do better than I thought!!!

 

[angierae]

No buy days: 5/10
Groceries: 53.44/$240 (237.90 left)
Fuel: 20/$48
Eating out: 24.90/$44
Entertainment/Hobbies: 8.67/$52

Coupon running total for April: $10.49

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

Worked, then went straight home and took care of housework, made dinner, and started planning out the rest of my grocery shopping for the weekend. Planning on taking myself to the Zoo tomorrow (we have a membership, so free!) but I'll probably do some grocery shopping. Hope all my No-Buy Friends have a great weekend!

 

[wlake]

Sounds like everyone is doing well this month!

We're not doing so well no buy wise, but... we won TWO baskets at the basket raffle tonight at the boys' school! They are beyond excited as one of them is an ice cream sundae basket and the other one is Legos! It was hard to get them into bed tonight.

So, add ice cream to tomorrow's list of things to buy -- we're having a sundae party! (I should buy bananas too -- the basket had banana split dishes in it too!) I can't believe we got so lucky!

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.
4/4:
4/5:
4/6: DH went shopping while he was out of town -- I wouldn't ordinarily count it, but he bought me something I wanted!
4/7: $14 groceries (forgot I was the t-ball snack mom for this Sat., and once I'm in there, I seem to need at least one more thing)
4/8: $3 groceries (that I could have gotten last night had I thought of it!) and $21 basket raffle tickets


no buy days: 2/8
longest no buy streak: 3 days
meals out: 1/5 (not counting our trip!)
days since our last meal out: 7
longest no meals out streak: 10

 

[ronnmel]

No Buy Days : 5/12
Gas : 0$ (max 120$???)
Groceries : 0$ (max 250$)
Eating out (and snacks) : 25$ (max 100$)
Non-necessities : 17$ (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$

 

[nunzia]

$700 total
$100 Gas $80 left
$250 Groceries $180 left
$150 Entertainment/Eating Out $128 left
$100 Gifts $68 left
$100 Misc Household $45 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)
April 4: $0
April 5: $3.00 (groceries for a recipe I wanted to try..first time using fresh ginger )
April 6: $3.00 Clone Wars Magazine for DGS, $40 for MP3 player for me..yikes..so is that household or gift? I'll say household
April 7: $10.00 groceries (sale stuff, mainly produce and fruit) $14.00 dinner out with DH & friends
April 8: $20.00 at Dollar Tree (which is what I get when I take DH and he finds his favorite cookie..so broken down into groceries, gift, household)

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

I'm jumping back in! I fell too far behind with posting last month, although I did keep up my spending tracking. I missed y'all!

Year Summary: (Includes all new spending, but no bills)
January: 16 $0 Days; $559.96
February: 21 $0 Days; $666.16
March: 12 $0 Days; $728.19

I need to reverse this trend of higher spending! Last month was a busy month with Mardi Gras, a convention (lots of eating out), and some special events.

This month, the challenge will be spring break, when I will have time to spend more money.

My goal is $400 for point of sale transactions.
This amount does not include health care spending or gas.

I'd like to keep gas to $75 for the month, but I know this is impossible, especially since I will be traveling a bit later this month.

1 - $0
2 - $0
3 - $63.19 Rouses, Wendy's; $22.59 gas (3.48/g)
4 - $3.00 Subway
5 - $0
6 - $0
7 - $0
8 - $5.49 Burger King (2 meals)

Point of Sale Spending: $71.65/$400 = 17.9%
Gas Spending: $22.59
Total Spending: $94.24

Month: 8/30 = 26.7%
$0 Days: 5

Today will not be a $0 Day. I need to go to the grocery store.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Hi Everyone. I haven'
t done well at all this month with recording. Good with not spending, just not with recording. I just got so behind with the party, then I got called in to sub a lot this week and I jsut keep wanthing to cath up and don't have the time so I get another day behind. I am going to jsut start back today and if I catch up, great. If I don't at least I am back from now on.

Today probably won't be a no spend. It is so far but DH and I are thinking of going to the movies tonight. We will see.

Missed you all...it has just been such a crazy couple of weeks.

 

[charming23]

Having a stay at home pajama and movie day today.

April Budget (3/30-4/29)

Grocery/Household- $300/$208.38 left
Car/Gas- $50/$23.38 Left
Eating out- $50/$26.80 left
Misc/entertainment- $100/$62.34 left

Total- $500.00/$320.90 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
4/11
4/12

6/15 No Buy Days

Store and Coupon Savings-$45.25

 

[SunnieRN]

April 8-22:

Goals:

Medical: $200
Groceries $200
Cash: $100
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

No Buy Goal 9 / 2 accomplished!!

 

[jsmla]

April 1-$0

April 2-$96.23

April 3-$0

April 4-$101.04

April 5-$0

April 6-$0

April 7-$20

April 8-$0

April 9-$6.00 for my share of several halves of some four packs of pepper plants and a new tomato variety we wanted to try out.

Tomorrow will definitely be a spend day. We're going to New Orleans for the French Quarter Festival and I can't wait to try the food booths

I don't know how I'll keep track!

 

[SFWife]

What a great idea! I'm late to the party but I can backdate a few days

My goal will be 10 days this month...3 down so far!
Total Budget: 1000
Spent: 505
Remaining: 495

4/5- 62 Gas
4/6- 15.00 Gas, 322 (handgun purchase)
4/7- 12 (groceries)
4/8- 0
4/9- 7 @ Subway, 5 @ donut shop
4/10-5.89 for Sunday papers (2) and 13.00 (lunch for me and kiddos since we were stuck away from home)
4/11-0 (I won't be leaving my house because relatives are coming so I'll be on a cleaning terror!)
4/12-0
4/13-43.00 (I couldnt resist some charts at the needlework shop)
4/14-20.00 took the kids to get deserts at a cupcake shop, 47.65 in postage-this came out of my paypal account though for stuff I've sold on ebay.
4/15-

The gun purchase was not planned (entirely) we've been shopping for a deal on this particular one for my CHL and we found one 250 cheaper than we had seen before because it had been on display so I agreed we should go ahead and grab it while we can at that price.

*i'm not including regular bills, btw. I paid all our monthly bills yesterday (4/14) like cell phone, insurance, gas, water, internet, tv. I'm so glad we have no debt...

 

[Virgderon]

MickeyMom and WheresPiglet, thanks for checking in! I worry when I don't see people for a couple days.

Running Total: Spent $198
$800 budget... $602 left
$0 Days: 4
Goal is 8 or more!
coupon/sale savings : 56

Groceries budget- $250-19-7- 69-7-11 = 137 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)

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

My goal is $400 for point of sale transactions.
This amount does not include health care spending or gas.

1 - $0
2 - $0
3 - $63.19 Rouses, Wendy's; $22.59 gas (3.48/g)
4 - $3.00 Subway
5 - $0
6 - $0
7 - $0
8 - $5.49 Burger King (2 meals)
9 - $112.41 Walmart, Walgreens

Point of Sale Spending: $184.06/$400 = 46%
Gas Spending: $22.59
Total Spending: $206.65

Month: 9/30 = 30%
$0 Days: 5

I really hate Walmart. I got some good deals I things I would have needed to buy eventually, but I still hate that I overspend when I go in there.

Tomorrow will likely not be a $0 Day. We are probably going to go to the French Quarter Festival. It's free admission, but we will probably have to pay to park, and we will be paying for some food!

 

[QVCshopper]

Just think how much more money I'd have if I didn't go to Wegmans, lol!

3/10 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

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

I see some new people! I have posted on this thread on and off for several months. I was very consistent with posting in January and February, and the first week or so of March. I'm back now, and it's good to see everybody, old and new!

Hi Everyone. I haven'
t done well at all this month with recording. Good with not spending, just not with recording. I just got so behind with the party, then I got called in to sub a lot this week and I jsut keep wanthing to cath up and don't have the time so I get another day behind. I am going to jsut start back today and if I catch up, great. If I don't at least I am back from now on.

Today probably won't be a no spend. It is so far but DH and I are thinking of going to the movies tonight. We will see.

Missed you all...it has just been such a crazy couple of weeks.

I read about your party! It sounded like so much fun! I think you did a great job planning it and pulling it off.

Tomorrow will definitely be a spend day. We're going to New Orleans for the French Quarter Festival and I can't wait to try the food booths

I don't know how I'll keep track!

Cool!

I plan to take a certain amount of cash and then figure out the difference between what I left home with and what I return home with.

The gun purchase was not planned (entirely) we've been shopping for a deal on this particular one for my CHL and we found one 250 cheaper than we had seen before because it had been on display so I agreed we should go ahead and grab it while we can at that price.

At Walmart today I found a 3-piece luggage set made by Jeep. It has a 26" rolling part, a small shoulder bag, and a toiletry bag. The zippers seem good and it rolls nicely and is lightweight. It was on clearance for $17!

So, I understand the whole "we weren't planning to buy it just yet, but we found a good deal" thing!

MickeyMom and WheresPiglet, thanks for checking in! I worry when I don't see people for a couple days.

Awwww, thanks! I missed this place!

 

[angierae]

No buy days: 5/10
Groceries: $95.36/$240 (144.64 left)
Fuel: 20/$48
Eating out: 24.90/$44
Entertainment/Hobbies: 8.67/$52

Coupon running total for April: $13.24

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)

Went grocery shopping. Mostly just hit up the stores I go to for what was on sale - tomorrow when Meijer's new sale rolls over I'll grab a few "fill in" items, too. I've got about $35 left in this week's grocery budget, so I'll have to make sure it gets everything we need. I've been stock piling so the weekly bill should get lower and lower as the month goes on, but meat has been so expensive! Got a big bag of frozen chicken though, so that'll last us.

 

[wlake]

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.
4/4:
4/5:
4/6: DH went shopping while he was out of town -- I wouldn't ordinarily count it, but he bought me something I wanted!
4/7: $14 groceries (forgot I was the t-ball snack mom for this Sat., and once I'm in there, I seem to need at least one more thing)
4/8: $3 groceries (that I could have gotten last night had I thought of it!) and $21 basket raffle tickets
4/9: $40 Target, $50-something groceries


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

 

[julie4423]

This is a very cool concept. However, I'm getting married in less than a month, so I really can't even begin to budget. I'll be back on track after I get back from the honeymoon, so maybe I can try for June.

 

[Debbie]

Nice to see everyone.
angierae, congrats on your envelope use.
WheresPiglet welcome home.
Ronmel, I can hardly wait to see pics of you in your dress!
wlake, I want you to pick my next lottery ticket, please.
MickeyMomofThree, I hope that you enjoyed your date night.
QVCshopper, I really do try to stay out of the stores
Sunnie, there is no way that I could do 9 of 14 days as no buy...I'm rooting for you
SFWife-welcome!
nunzia, you are doing a good job of recording...I find that helps to keep me aware of what I am spending

and to everyone else that I missed....Keep up the GOOD work!

Tomorrow will not be a no buy, since I'm headed to a theatre brunch with DSisters. The play and brunch are paid for, but the gas to get there and the tip are not. Oh, well, it's going to fun!

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


No Buy days: 4/12