December No Buy: To help us survive the holidays

[3goofyboys]

I'm going to adjust my expectations and go for 11 no buy days this month. I'm done shopping, but we have a ton of activities in the month of December that I'll need to pay for. I'm so thankful for this thread and its ability to keep me on track; what a difference it's made!


December 1 $0! Hopefully this a good omen for the month!
December 2 $0! Took the boys to see Santa today. We went to Bass Pro Shops where they have a great Christmas area set up with tons of activities and you get a 4x6 print for free. It was great!
December 3 $105 groceries, $9 orowheat outlet, $9 Kohls, $6 Lowes, $43 Target, $41 printer ink
December 4 $9 groceries, $30 Took the boys to the Parade of Lights in Downtown Denver. The parade is free, but I paid for parking and food. We had a fantastic time, well worth the money!

2/11 no buy days

 

[ronnmel]

No Buy Days : 1/10
Gas : 0$ (max 90$)
Groceries : 0$ (max 250$)
Eating out (and snacks) : 59$ (max 150$)
Non-necessities : 97$ (max 250$)
Christmas : 4$ (max 200$)

01/12 : 10$ (food delivery)
02/12 : 0$
03/12 : 49$ (dinner)
04/12 : 101$ (clothes)

 

[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

12/2 $0
12/3 $0
12/4 $0
12/5 Spend - know I am going out for a lite dinner with friends, Kohl's to spend my Kohl's cash, and I am sure I will stop at the store to pick up stuff for DS lunches this week...

No Buys: 3/10
__________________

 

[Tiggerish]

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

Auto $75
Eating Out/Entertainment $115 / $102 left
Giving $25 / $8 left
Groceries/Household Goods $200 / $166 left
Medical $20
Misc. $75
Set bills $290 / $239 left

No spend days goal of 2/10

Coupon savings = $15.20
Christmas 2010 running total of spending = $1024
--------------------------------------------------------
12/1 $0
12/2 Groceries $3; Giving $1 (SA kettle)
12/3 $0
12/4 Groceries $17; Giving $16 (SA kettle and Angel Tree gift); Set bills $26
12/5 Set bills $25 (church); Groceries $13; Eating out $13

 

[Virgderon]

No spend day. Played tennis and watched football.

Running Total: Spent $76
$800 budget...$ 724 left
$0 Days: 2
Goal is 6 or more!
coupon/sale savings : 29

Groceries budget- $200- 4-14= 182 left

December 1: 19 ( meds, tea, soda)
December 2: 0
December 3: 39 ( pop, food, VS, shoes)
December 4: 18 ( 8 Wendys, 5 parking and 5 snacks at hockey game)
December 5: 0

 

[wlake]

I'm not counting Christmas gifts in here as it only encourages me to procrastinate on buying them, and that's sure not going to work!

12/1: Off to a better start this month!
12/2:
12/3: after school $161 (I thought I had paid for the past two weeks, but I forgot to! Oops! The two half days the boys had this week bumped the total way up too.), $7 books for my students, $6 DS's book order
12/4: Legofest day! I bought tickets last month, so today was $25 on lunch, $12 on dinner (but I'm not counting it as a dinner out as it wasn't the entire family), $35 on gas, $9 on parking, $16 on an extra ticket (long story!).
12/5: $23 on a teacher book, ? on groceries as DH is at the store right now.

no buy days: 2/8
dinners out: 0/5
longest streak: 3

 

[ronnmel]

No Buy Days : 1/10
Gas : 0$ (max 90$)
Groceries : 50$ (max 250$)
Eating out (and snacks) : 59$ (max 150$)
Non-necessities : 139$ (max 250$)
Christmas : 4$ (max 200$)

01/12 : 10$ (food delivery)
02/12 : 0$
03/12 : 49$ (dinner)
04/12 : 101$ (clothes)
05/12 : 92$ (groceries + dance show tickets)

 

[3goofyboys]

I'm going to adjust my expectations and go for 11 no buy days this month. I'm done shopping, but we have a ton of activities in the month of December that I'll need to pay for. I'm so thankful for this thread and its ability to keep me on track; what a difference it's made!


December 1 $0! Hopefully this a good omen for the month!
December 2 $0! Took the boys to see Santa today. We went to Bass Pro Shops where they have a great Christmas area set up with tons of activities and you get a 4x6 print for free. It was great!
December 3 $105 groceries, $9 orowheat outlet, $9 Kohls, $6 Lowes, $43 Target, $41 printer ink
December 4 $9 groceries, $30 Took the boys to the Parade of Lights in Downtown Denver. The parade is free, but I paid for parking and food. We had a fantastic time, well worth the money!
December 5 $0! We went to a community sing along today and had a great time for zero dollars spent.

3/11 no buy days

 

[kinntj]

12/1 - Meijer $156.59 groceries Gas - $40.81
12/2 - $20.00 on Oriental trading crafts for Christmas party
12/3 - $35.00 Amazon
12/4 - $0
12/5 - $0
12/6 - Meijer trip later for yogurt and healthy snacks for kids lunches.

 

[tinkarooni]

December 6 - One day in and I've crashed and burned. Bought snow boots for me and snow pants for the kids. The snow pants were prompted by the thread on here....how do you use up your kids energy in the winter? Lots of people said they dress them warm and send them outside. That got me to thinking....my kids like to go outside but they come in so fast wet and cold. We just do long johns under jeans. So I decided to get them snow pants (we get planty of snow). We'll call it an investment in my sanity.

So I need a do-over for me too. No more buying clothes, shoes etc. I need to focus my energies on something else. Maybe cookie baking.......

Back on that horse....it's Monday, a whole week of not buying opportunities ahead of me.

 

[QVCshopper]

December 6 - One day in and I've crashed and burned. Bought snow boots for me and snow pants for the kids. The snow pants were prompted by the thread on here....how do you use up your kids energy in the winter? Lots of people said they dress them warm and send them outside. That got me to thinking....my kids like to go outside but they come in so fast wet and cold. We just do long johns under jeans. So I decided to get them snow pants (we get planty of snow). We'll call it an investment in my sanity.

So I need a do-over for me too. No more buying clothes, shoes etc. I need to focus my energies on something else. Maybe cookie baking.......

Back on that horse....it's Monday, a whole week of not buying opportunities ahead of me.

That's OK. The no-buy is hard. I got snow pants for my kids at the Goodwill. I lucked out and found $6 Lands End barely used ones in the exact sizes I needed for my boy and girl. I hope to send them outside soon, too.

BTW, maybe try walking or something to redirect you? I kept shopping after I dropped my DS at preschool; it's so nice to shop without kids. But, instead I'm trying to hit the gym and see how far I can go. Just an idea!

 

[lattemomof3]

Hi everyone, jumping on board, even though Dec. is a tough month to budget. I'm hoping to finish up all Christmas shopping this weekend with my mom, so hopefully, aside from baking supplies there won't be too many extra expenses (and it's a good thing I live 30 miles from Starbucks, because the holiday peppermint mocha & caramel brulee are!, I WILL need one to get through the mall this weekend, though!)

Setting a goal of 10 no buy days.

Dec. 1- face cleanser & lotion

Dec. 2 - tea w/ a friend, groceries, mailed a package

Dec. 3 - 3 things @ grocery store, having mom over for taco soup, watching the Huskers play football, and making our 2 month countdown to DW chain!

Dec. 4 - Groceries, Boy Scout popcorn

Dec. 5 - gifts, coffee, lunch @ sandwich shop while Christmas shopping, & the Eclipse movie for me - from the entertainment fund. DD saw it so I can't have it as a Santa gift now.

Dec. 6 - ordering my LAST 2 gifts online today, and then I'm officially DONE! So hoping to start (finally!) wracking up some no-buy days! Good luck to everyone, and cut yourselves a little slack, it is the most difficult time of the year, budget-wise.

 

[Ava]

12/1 - $1 soda
12/2 - $1 soda, $4 groceries, $22 shoes for DD
12/3 - $10 lunch, $3 comic, $135 gifts
12/4 - $12 breakfast out, $61 groceries
12/5 - $10 groceries, $3 donuts, $20 gifts, $15 laundromat

Holidays 2010 Total Spending: $1,080

 

[charming23]

Another cold and snowy day out, so I am staying in until I go to my last math class tonight.

Groceries: $200/ $162.08 left
Household: $50/$15.13 left
Christmas Eve Dinner: $50
Gas/Car: $50
Eating out/Entertainment: $75/$49.94 left
Misc: $75/$57.86 left

Total: $500/$385.01 left

Goal of 12 No Buy days

Week One
12/1- $3.65 Starbucks, $7.45 Jersey Mike's, $17.14 Pat Catan's, $11.19 Walgreen's, and $13.96 Rustic
12/2- $26.89 Househol and $34.71 Grocery at WalMart
12/3- $0
12/4- $0
12/5- $0
12/6- $0
12/7-

4/12 No Buy Days

Coupon and Store Savings- $10.50

 

[CBisMe]

Hi all,

I heard about this thread on the podcast. Do you take 'new members'?
I have a budget that I have been pretty good at sticking to - but I think being a part of the forum will make it even easier for me...

 

[Virgderon]

Hi all,

I heard about this thread on the podcast. Do you take 'new members'?
I have a budget that I have been pretty good at sticking to - but I think being a part of the forum will make it even easier for me...

You bet! This thread has been amazing for me. I was shocked after the first month about where my money was going, but it was a good thing for sure. Doing no buy really opens your eyes, and helps you stay under budget. Welcome!

 

[QVCshopper]

3/10 No-buy days

12/1-$0; 6 miles!
12/2-$1 library; $6 Cookie Co.; 2 miles
12/3-$0; 7 miles!!
12/4-$40 Charity Sale; $13 QVC; $12 Breakfast with Santa; $5 Toys for Tots; $36 Various Stores at Mall/B&N
12/5-$0
12/6-$7 Burger King; $29 Wegmans; 7 miles

 

[Virgderon]

I was busy today, and it's cold out. Enough to keep me in and get me a no buy day.

Running Total: Spent $76
$800 budget...$ 724 left
$0 Days: 3
Goal is 6 or more!
coupon/sale savings : 29

Groceries budget- $200- 4-14= 182 left

December 1: 19 ( meds, tea, soda)
December 2: 0
December 3: 39 ( pop, food, VS, shoes)
December 4: 18 ( 8 Wendys, 5 parking and 5 snacks at hockey game)
December 5: 0
December 6 : 0

 

[Tiggerish]

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

Auto $75
Eating Out/Entertainment $115 / $102 left
Giving $25 /$8 left
Groceries/Household Goods $200 / $166 left
Medical $20
Misc. $75
Set bills $290 / $239 left

No spend days goal of 3/10

Coupon savings = $15.20
Christmas 2010 running total of spending = $1024
--------------------------------------------------------
12/1 $0
12/2 Groceries $3; Giving $1 (SA kettle)
12/3 $0
12/4 Groceries $17; Giving $16 (SA kettle and Angel Tree gift); Set bills $26
12/5 Set bills $25 (church); Groceries $13; Eating out $13
12/6 $0

 

[wlake]

Welcome CBisMe!

I'm not counting Christmas gifts in here as it only encourages me to procrastinate on buying them, and that's sure not going to work!

12/1: Off to a better start this month!
12/2:
12/3: after school $161 (I thought I had paid for the past two weeks, but I forgot to! Oops! The two half days the boys had this week bumped the total way up too.), $7 books for my students, $6 DS's book order
12/4: Legofest day! I bought tickets last month, so today was $25 on lunch, $12 on dinner (but I'm not counting it as a dinner out as it wasn't the entire family), $35 on gas, $9 on parking, $16 on an extra ticket (long story!).
12/5: $23 on a teacher book, ? on groceries as DH is at the store right now.
12/6: $8 dinner (just two of us), $36 Walmart, and Christmas shopping

no buy days: 2/8
dinners out: 0/5
longest streak: 3