December No Buy: To help us survive the holidays

[charming23]

I did not see a Deceomber thread started yet, so I hope it is okay that I started one.


The purpose of the no buy thread is to help support each other as we tackle our monthly budgets and try to curb our impulse spending. All are welcome and I look forward to another month with everyone.

Happy Holidays

 

[Robinrs]

See you in January!

 

[kinntj]

I'm joining in! I do have a class party to coordinate, but I'm trying to keep costs down. We did really well for Christmas spending in November and I'm thinking that if I don't spend so much this month that we'll balance things out a bit. January and February is usually my best months.

Grocery shopping and filling up the gas is tomorrow, so that'll be my first report.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

See you in January!

I'm back from Disney and ready to SAVE!!! I am having some troulbe finding my Christmas Spirit this year so I have not started shopping (usually I am done or close to it by now) so I have some shopping to do but I will still save by planning my trips out saving gas and impulse!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I am happy to be back with my No Buy Friends!!!

 

[annsteere]

See you in January!

Me too.

 

[Tiggerish]

I am in again and need this thread more than ever since my already limited fixed income is dropping by $175 a month due to medical insurance costs. However, I am not complaining since I have been uninsured and uninsurable for the past three years and that has been very scary and has eaten up all my savings plus I am on payment plans with two doctors and one hospital for past expenses.

The December budget is $800 with 10 no spend days.

Auto $75
Eating Out/Entertainment $115
Giving $25
Groceries/Household Goods $200
Medical $20
Misc. $75
Set bills $290

No spend days goal of 10

Coupon savings =
Christmas 2010 running total of spending = $1018

 

[Holly324]

I have never joined in on no buy months...I think it is time to start! My hubby will LOVE this idea! I have most of my Christmas shopping done, so that shouldn't be a problem. I don't have my exact budget on hand, but I thought that for a first run, I will go with 8 no buy days. Does that sound reasonable??? Thanks!!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I have never joined in on no buy months...I think it is time to start! My hubby will LOVE this idea! I have most of my Christmas shopping done, so that shouldn't be a problem. I don't have my exact budget on hand, but I thought that for a first run, I will go with 8 no buy days. Does that sound reasonable??? Thanks!!

I think that is a very good goal. Many people come and set their goal at 20 or something and get discouraged when they don't reach it, but it is harder then you might think, so 8 is a good goal, if you exceed it then you know better for next month. Welcome and to me, 8 is great!

 

[thebigkahuna]

See you in January!

This.
I completely failed in November - I lost track of everything - I had too much going on & could barely keep track of what day it was let alone if I had spent money.

December will be similar, so I'm going to skip it - see you all in 2011!!

Happy Holidays & good luck to everyone!!!!

 

[A.Mickey]

Going to Disney for 16 days in December. Will probably rebook (cruise) on board and I really wanted to make sure I don't go over budget for once! Let's see what happens this month. Would love to spend about 1000 less, but need to be realistic for once.

Spent $1424 in November when I started tracking xtras like car insurance and tickets to concerts and eye exams.

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

Groceries ($93)- $
Eating Out ($527)- $
Misc. (Shopping/Entertainment) ($992) $


Decided to start a weekly budget, maybe this way I won't get too discouraged

WEEK 1:
Groceries- $12
Eating Out- $68
Misc.- $128

WEEK 2:
Groceries- $21
Eating Out- $119
Misc- $224


WEEK 1 BEGIN:
1- Walgreens
2- Costco
3- DISNEY McDonalds, Counter Service, Blue Zoo
4- Counter Service, Citrico's
WEEK 2 BEGIN: We are on dining plan part of this week!
5-
6-
7-
8-
9-
10-
11-
WEEK 3 BEGIN:
12- Limo to Port Pay Driver ~$60
13- Fun on a Boat
14- Fun on a Boat
15- Fun on a Boat
16- Crystal Palace
17- Biergarten, DATW
18- Boma
Week 4 BEGIN:
19- Last Day at Disney
20-
21-
22-
23-
24- Driving to Michigan- Make food to take in car
25-
Week 5 BEGIN:
26-
27-
28-
29-
30-
31- Probably going my mom's house to ring in the new year.


Budget: $1612....%
Month: 1/31: %

My savings from coupons ($) and sales ($): $

 

[charming23]

December Budget

Groceries: $200
Household: $50
Christmas Eve Dinner: $50
Gas/Car: $50
Eating out/Entertainment: $75
Misc: $75

Total: $500

Goal of 12 no Buy days

 

[QVCshopper]

After a long hiatus, I'm back for December. I will try to reduce my daily spending, but still need gifts for most of my in-laws, so I'm not going to count those. Otherwise, I think I'm ready to be good. Went a little nuts around Black Friday and Cyber Monday...

 

[fairyprincess1]

I am in... Here's hoping for 12 no buy days in Dec...

Thanks Charming for starting the thread!!

 

[kinntj]

Going to Disney for 16 days in December. /COLOR]

lucky, lucky you. Envious person here. Have a great time!

 

[Virgderon]

I am in again and need this thread more than ever since my already limited fixed income is dropping by $175 a month due to medical insurance costs. However, I am not complaining since I have been uninsured and uninsurable for the past three years and that has been very scary and has eaten up all my savings plus I am on payment plans with two doctors and one hospital for past expenses.

Uggh- what a challenge. I think it is admirable that you are keeping up with your obligations, but wonder if there is any negotiation that can be done to lower the past expenses. It seems unfair that you have these big payments when so many people just walk away from medical expenses. It's a big burden. Also hoping the medical issues are part of your past so you can move forward. Hugs.

 

[Tiggerish]

Thanks Virgderon. I am very grateful that I got excellent services at a time when I could not pay. First they all reduced their bills and worked it out so I pay a total of $150 a month towards the bills and it is all interest free. Plus one of the Doctor's hooked me up with a program from a drug company to get my meds for free which was $2800 a month. So it is all good. Unfortunately, I will not get better and am concentrating on holding my own against a progressive disease. Which explains why I am now on SSDI and living in MI instead of happily defending the (as my family always said) "scum of the earth" in my beloved Chicago. Have a hot dog and a pizza for me when you are there.

 

[Tiggerish]

Calling today early because it is snowing hard here and I am under strict orders not to drive unless the roads have been plowed. Since I seem to be at the end of the snow plow route I will be home bound for the day.

The December budget is $800 with 10 no spend days.

Auto $75
Eating Out/Entertainment $115
Giving $25
Groceries/Household Goods $200
Medical $20
Misc. $75
Set bills $290

No spend days goal of 1/10

Coupon savings =
Christmas 2010 running total of spending = $1018
--------------------------------------------------------
12/1 $0

 

[Ava]

Count me in! I need to get back on the wagon. Too much eating out the last couple months, and DD needed clothes which got us into the stores.

Good thing I have money set aside to cover holiday expenses! I also like Tiggerish's idea of tracking how much has been spent towards the holidays. I'm going to count Thanksgiving in my total too, since we had travel expenses.

Goal is... to spend as little money as possible!

Holidays 2010 Total: $925

 

[fairyprincess1]

12/1 - on my way to the post office to send my secret santa gift to my coupon train buddy... so it is obviously a spend day... think I will also go out & finish up my secret santa gift for Bunco group so I can have a no spend day tomorrow... well at least it is a plan

I think in January I am going to start tracking the spending... Dec is just too hard to do that ... but I can at least track those no buy days...


No Buys: 0/10

 

[Virgderon]

Should have been a no buy day, but I gave into my cold and got some meds and some tea.

For December, I will be in Chicago for 6 days (will think of you Tiggerish- I have 2 connections to you now because DD2 goes to Grand Valley State ). I have lowered my no buy goal to 6 days and lowered my grocery budget since we won't be around for the whole month.

Running Total: Spent $19
$800 budget...$ 781 left
$0 Days: 0
Goal is 6 or more!
coupon/sale savings : 9

Groceries budget- $200- 4= 196 left

December 1: 19 ( meds, tea, soda)