April 2011: Springing into No Buys

[angierae]

No buy days: 6/10
Groceries: $111.73/$240 (144.64 left)
Fuel: 40/$48
Eating out: 24.90/$44
Entertainment/Hobbies: 24.67/$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)
4/10: $0
4/11: $20 @ Mobil, $16.37 @ Kroger, $16 @ Amazon for a new book I want (I don't buy many books anymore but this is a series I've been reading forever) but I did get free shipping, and it was cheaper than buying it at Borders or B&N)

Hoping for No Buy Days today and tomorrow. Thursday I have to pick up some fancy cheese for a friend's birthday party Friday - he's having a "Wine and Cheese" party and asks everyone to bring a small hunk of cheese so we can all taste and enjoy. He and his SO did this a few months back and it was lovely, really looking forward to it.

 

[nunzia]

$700 total
$100 Gas $60 left
$250 Groceries $180 left
$150 Entertainment/Eating Out $119 left
$100 Gifts $48 left
$100 Misc Household $35 left ( I can see this one will be a problem)

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)
April 9: $20.00 gas ($3.67! whaaa?)
April 10: $20.00 gift, $5.00 Tangled album download
April 11: $5.00 memorial lily, $9.00 lunchout with DD

 

[annsteere]

Today is a 0. Many of my recent 0 days have been because I am collecting unemployment for several weeks instead of a normal paycheck, but it's actually very interesting what you can do if you have to. Now the question is how to be conservative like this when the paychecks start rolling in?

That IS a challenge. Maybe, even "how to land half way between super conservative and 'back to my old ways."

Happy Birthday Ronmel!

I had a dinner disaster yesterday. It's been many, many years since I cooked a meal that wasn't worth eating. But, a new brand of tomatoes with peppers turned out to be HOT. Our baked lentil supper was too spicy to enjoy eating. (At least I smelled it and bailed out before covering the dish with cheese.)

So, we ate dinner at Culvers, using two coupons. I'm going to count that as groceries rather than entertainment and move on.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Virgderon, I'm not giving up, I like you guys too much. I think there is something to the idea that I've learned though. Even when I am not good about recording I am being good. I think a year plus trained me well. But I am still coming back to read along and trying to get back into the swing of recording again.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Uggg, why am I haveing such a hard time getting back into this? I want to do it, but I just keep getting more behind. I did 15 solid months withouth missing and now I am 2 weeks almost missing.

April 9-$0 Hubby got home really tired so we stayed in.
April 10- Dh and I went to the ballgame. It was a beautiful day. Tickets were free but with parking and food we spent just under $20. I also went grocery shopping, and it was scary how high it was. I usually spend $100 a week, I spent $180!!!
April 11- It ws Dh's b-day, and a really bad day for him work wise. I wish he could find something else...but we are lucky he has a job so many people don't but some days I really think it is killing him. Anyway, he decided he wanted to go to the baseball game again. It was 80 during the game so he thought it would be a nice evening for it. We had free tickets but spent about $25 on paring and food (we had the kids with us.) It dropped to 50 and we were freezing and his office kept calling so we wound up leaving and coming home after the 3rd. I am making a nice dinner tonight as a do-over. But I have nothing to spend on today.
April 12-$0

 

[charming23]

Calling it a $0 day today. Tomorrow is our big shopping trip and I am making out lists and matching up coupons to sales.

April Budget (3/30-4/29)

Grocery/Household- $300/$193.43 left
Car/Gas- $50/$23.38 Left
Eating out- $50/$26.80 left
Misc/entertainment- $100/$52.64 left

Total- $500.00/$296.25 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
4/14
4/15
4/16
4/17
4/18
4/19


8/15 No Buy Days

Store and Coupon Savings-$61.94

 

[Debbie]

Sorry, had work and home drama, so I'm a day behind, and a dollar short.
April 11: $ may be in the thousands, as we are car shopping today.

Just a dollar short? That sounds like So, what kind of car are you looking at?

Back from a really quick trip to Washington D.C. ate out a lot, but budgeted $200 for the trip and only spent $80 so pretty happy about that.

That's worth celebrating!

OK, ladies. So, I spent $85 today on SODA.

The things we do to save a buck! That's an awesome deal, and you won't have to buy soda for at least a....week!

4/11: Finally, another no buy -- I was beginning to worry!

Congrats!

Today it's my birthday so I treated myself to a new novel and two Disney Imagineering books.

Also had to buy gas before it shot up in price. It went up over 40 cents a litre in a few months.

:birthday: Happy Birthday, Mel! At least you didn't count the gas as your birthday present. Not sure WHERE the price will stop. We're at $128.8, how about you?

II renewed our zoo membership and it went up from $75 to $90 in one year! The place is worth it, but that's a BIG leap!

You said it all when you said this! And the family time is priceless.

I had a dinner disaster yesterday. It's been many, many years since I cooked a meal that wasn't worth eating. But, a new brand of tomatoes with peppers turned out to be HOT. Our baked lentil supper was too spicy to enjoy eating. (At least I smelled it and bailed out before covering the dish with cheese.)

So, we ate dinner at Culvers, using two coupons. I'm going to count that as groceries rather than entertainment and move on.

Good save on the dinner, and look at you using the coupons at Culvers!

Even when I am not good about recording I am being good.

AND a $0 for today! WAY TO GO!

 

[QVCshopper]

4/10 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
4/12-$0

 

[SunnieRN]

Hi Debbie, thanks for asking and my update is below!!

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
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.

No Buy Goal 9 / 4 accomplished!!

 

[ronnmel]

Happy Birthday, ronnmel. Hope your day was great.

Happy Birthday Ronmel!

:birthday: Happy Birthday, Mel! At least you didn't count the gas as your birthday present. Not sure WHERE the price will stop. We're at $128.8, how about you?

Thanks guys! I did have a great day (and weekend), but today I'm exhausted! Even bailed out of going to salsa class...

Gas was at 131.9 when I filled up yesterday, but it jumped to 142.4 today. The highest it has been is 147.9, and we are getting dangerously close to that mark...


No Buy Days : 7/12
Gas : 40$ (max 120$???)
Groceries : 20$ (max 250$)
Eating out (and snacks) : 25$ (max 100$)
Non-necessities : 44$ (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)

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Me too, only with asthma in place of the earache. Hope you're feeling better!

April 7-$20 for four tickets to the New Orleans Zephyrs through Living Social. Drat that internet! I thought it was a good deal though. $20 for an evening's entertainment for four

I was looking for my last post and came across this. I have also been having problems with my allergies triggering my asthma. My asthma acted up in the middle of administering a standardized test last week. I was giving directions in between the coughing.

The Zephyrs sound fun. I haven't been to a game, but I did go to the Saints vs. Military softball game last year at Zephyr Field. It was a good time! They are doing it again, but I haven't seen tickets yet....I keep forgetting about it.



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
10 - $0
11 - $34.85 Winn-Dixie
12 - $0

Point of Sale Spending: $218.91/$400 = 55%
Gas Spending: $22.59
Total Spending: $241.50

Month: 11/30 = 37%
$0 Days: 7

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! We ended up not going to the FQF. We didn't want to deal with the crowds. We were going to go out to eat for lunch, but the place we wanted to go to is closed on Sundays. I'm glad I remembered that before we drove out to it. It's not too far away, but with the price of gas I'm not interested in driving just for the heck of it.

WheresPiglet welcome home.

Awww, thanks!

Yesterday was my bachelorette! It was a very busy day, but I was not the one paying for anything. I had a blast!
Today was my friend's baby shower, but I had already bought her gift, so that makes this a no-buy weekend.

What a fun weekend!

Yesterday was very spendy! We went to the French Quarter Festival and tried lots of the food booths. Hubby had a few of the specialty drinks as well.

April 10-$69.67 ($20.17 for breakfast at Trolley Stop Cafe, $.50 for parking, $5 for the streetcar, $44 at various food and beverage kiosks at the festival. Still, last year we spent the night so had the hotel $$ on top of our festival spends which were higher because I had a few drinks then too. I was DD this trip so I only had water )

Today will only be a no-buy if I stay at home-I'm out of gas. By the time we got back from New Orleans we were riding behind the E!

What an expensive free festival! Sounds like fun, though. The crowds looked huge.

I can't believe how low you were on gas! I wouldn't do that drive that low on gas....it's so isolated!

Back from a really quick trip to Washington D.C. ate out a lot, but budgeted $200 for the trip and only spent $80 so pretty happy about that.

Nice!

OK, ladies. So, I spent $85 today on SODA. Isn't that insane? It's for that Hershey Park rebate deal, so I should get 4 tickets out of it, but boy the looks I got with that many 20-oz sodas in my cart... One adult ticket is over $50, so it should be a good deal as long as it works. SODA, though. What am I doing?

Wow! That is a lot on soda! It sounds like a great deal though....just a lot to spend on soda at one time.

Today it's my birthday so I treated myself to a new novel and two Disney Imagineering books.

Also had to buy gas before it shot up in price. It went up over 40 cents a litre in a few months.

Happy Birthday! Did you get those Imagineering Guide books? I have 4 of them....Disneyland, MK, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom. At some point I'll have to get MGM.

I find it unnerving how fast the price of everything is rising. It's crazy and unsettling. This $400/month is already insanely tight, if not nearly impossible.

Hoping for No Buy Days today and tomorrow. Thursday I have to pick up some fancy cheese for a friend's birthday party Friday - he's having a "Wine and Cheese" party and asks everyone to bring a small hunk of cheese so we can all taste and enjoy. He and his SO did this a few months back and it was lovely, really looking forward to it.

This sounds like fun. We had a party in December and someone brought a cheese platter. All the cheeses were from Whole Foods. I really liked the Seaside Cheddar and the Smoked Gouda. Mmmm....now I want to go to Whole Foods and get some cheese.

Virgderon, I'm not giving up, I like you guys too much. I think there is something to the idea that I've learned though. Even when I am not good about recording I am being good. I think a year plus trained me well. But I am still coming back to read along and trying to get back into the swing of recording again.

I also feel like this is becoming more and more of a habit versus a short term challenge.

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.

I was going to ask you what kind of car you were shopping for. I see you got a Durango! How exciting!

Gas was at 131.9 when I filled up yesterday, but it jumped to 142.4 today. The highest it has been is 147.9, and we are getting dangerously close to that mark...

Please tell me the prices are posted in Canada in cents. Prices here are running $3.69/gallon. I know that is less than your prices, but it's high for here! I was paying 2.20ish not that long ago! I am really glad I usually go only through about 20-25 gallons of gas a month!

 

[A.Mickey]

Running Total: Spent $309.92
$0 Days:5/13

Groceries ($240-$8/day)- $30.83
Eating Out ($210-$7/day)- $146.36
Misc. (Shopping/Entertainment) ($780-$26/day) $50.54
Gas $250- 4/2 $54.17 (3.89/gal), 4/5 $28.02 (3.89/gal) saw gas prices are up to $4.09 at some stations, so at a half tank so filled it up when I still saw gas prices at $3.89= $82.19

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- $1.52 (Walgreens-Groceries), $6.81 (Wendy's-Eating Out)


Budget: $1480....21%
Month: 12/30: 40%
No Buy: 5/13: 38%

My savings from coupons and sales: $459.85

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

 

[superme80]

I am adding 2 No Buys days!!! Sunday we went to church and came home! Today we stayed home! I was going to do laundry, but never got around to it. So far I am halfway there!!!! 5/10

 

[Debbie]

4/11-$8.80 Stamps, $84.80 Pepsi/Hershey Park deal
4/12-$0

Another $0. Good for you!

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.

No Buy Goal 9 / 4 accomplished!!

Congrats! And have fun playing with DeeDee as you learn all of her tricks and surprises!

Gas was at 131.9 when I filled up yesterday, but it jumped to 142.4 today. The highest it has been is 147.9, and we are getting dangerously close to that mark...

YIKES! I'll check what ours is today.

Please tell me the prices are posted in Canada in cents.

cents per litre Multiply by 4 and you kinda get a sense of price per gallon

I am adding 2 No Buys days!!! Sunday we went to church and came home! Today we stayed home! I was going to do laundry, but never got around to it. So far I am halfway there!!!! 5/10

Way to go!

 

[nunzia]

$700 total
$100 Gas $60 left
$250 Groceries $180 left
$150 Entertainment/Eating Out $112 left
$100 Gifts $48 left
$100 Misc Household $35 left ( I can see this one will be a problem)

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)
April 9: $20.00 gas ($3.67! whaaa?)
April 10: $20.00 gift, $5.00 Tangled album download
April 11: $5.00 memorial lily, $9.00 lunchout with DD
April 12: $7.00 Burger King, buy one get one whopper

 

[angierae]

This sounds like fun. We had a party in December and someone brought a cheese platter. All the cheeses were from Whole Foods. I really liked the Seaside Cheddar and the Smoked Gouda. Mmmm....now I want to go to Whole Foods and get some cheese.

I have a great recipe for crock pot cheesy potatoes that uses smoked gouda. I'm actually thinking about making it for Easter. I want cheese, now, too! (I have no idea what this party this weekend is going to do to my diet, how do you track cheese one or two bites at a time?! )

I ended up spending yesterday AND this morning already but I haven't gone through my reciepts to add it up. Guess I'd better buy the party cheese tonight so I can get that no-buy tomorrow!

 

[Virgderon]

OK, ladies. So, I spent $85 today on SODA. Isn't that insane? It's for that Hershey Park rebate deal, so I should get 4 tickets out of it, but boy the looks I got with that many 20-oz sodas in my cart... One adult ticket is over $50, so it should be a good deal as long as it works. SODA, though. What am I doing?

I would do this. I think you are my hero today.

 

[Virgderon]

Happy birthday belatedly to ronmel. I could not get on the boards last night, I kept getting an error message.

Last night of bowling yesterday . I enjoyed it, but glad to not be spending the money with DDs wedding coming up.

Running Total: Spent $210
$800 budget... $590 left
$0 Days: 6
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)
April 10 : 0
April 11: 0
April 12 : 12 ( 5 dinner at bowling, 7 at Walgreens)

 

[charming23]

Did my errands already this morning. I first dropped off the mortgage check and then headed up to Lane Bryant as I had a $15 off any $15 or more purchase coupon and I got a sweater plus a pair of earrings on clearance and only paid $8.60 out of pocket. I then did my grocery shopping before coming home to take my mom to her eye appointment. I did a big stock=up and should only need a few essentials until the end of the month.

April Budget (3/30-4/29)

Grocery/Household- $300/$110.05
Car/Gas- $50/$23.38 Left
Eating out- $50/$26.80 left
Misc/entertainment- $100/$44.04

Total- $500.00/$204.47

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
4/15
4/16
4/17
4/18
4/19


8/15 No Buy Days

Store and Coupon Savings-$97.14

 

[SunnieRN]

Thank you Debbie and where's Piglet!! It's kind of eerie to have a computer and a car that are so much smarter than I am!

I am so excited that your wedding is coming up Mel and hope your day is absolutely wonderful! You will be a beautiful bride.

Sorry I have been SO behind in everything. Every moment was spent car shopping the past few weeks. We knew what we wanted, but until yeaterday couldn't find the price we wanted, with the must haves and nothing extra. Hopefully I will be able to stay caught up!!

Bye the way, even though I know it doesn't actually work, and the arguments against it, Friday is 'don't buy gas day.' Worth a shot I guess?

April 8-22:

Goals:

Medical: $200
Groceries $200
Cash: $100 / $35
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!

No Buy Goal 9 / 5 accomplished!!