Fall more into savings! No buy October!

[melissalee]

So no buy September didn't work out to well. No many unexpected expenses. So back to basics this month! So far for me no spending!
October
1- $0
2- $0

 

[threeboysmom]

OK, I've been seeing these threads around but not sure how they work, BUT I definitely need to join anything that says "no buy"!

I consider myself a "responsible spender" lol meaning I DO spend a lot, but always pay my bills on time, put some in savings, and fund my retirement.

However, I'm hoping to make a big move south in 2 years (my goal) and am inspired to save as much money as I possibly can which means no more eating out or impulse spending for me. This will be my very first month trying something so extreme like this. Little scared! (OK, very scared!!)

Currently I spend roughly $400 in dining out for the month (not including lunches!!!) and I spend $500 on miscellaneous stuff (which is pretty much anything other than bills) so would like to cut this down to $200, so I *should* be able to bank AT LEAST $600 a month!

Unfortunately, I do have a few things I know I need to buy in October so I'm thinking planned purchases don't really count towards the "no buy" or do they?

I definitely will need a blowdryer (mine is on its last legs) and some socks now that it's getting cold. Plus, of course, the normal toiletry items...

So here we go, I'm in! Do I just keep a running track in my original post?

1 - $5 (4 big bottles of Pantene conditioner - couldn't pass this up!)
2 - $0
3 - $5.99 Dominos large pizza (another great deal I couldn't pass up - no way I could come close to feeding 4 ppl for $5.99!)

Arg, am I already blowing it????

 

[stayhomemom77]

Hi threeboysmom! Welcome to this month's No Buy thread!!

Basically, there is no wrong. You set your parameters and your goal and then...you're off!

Many people like to try to have 15-20 No Buy days in the month but you get to choose!

For myself, I am aiming for 20 No Buy Days in October. I don't include regular bills at all and this month I am only going to be tracking my MISC spending, not gas or groceries or anything.

You can keep updating your first post if you like, or do like some of us...quote your first post...add the pertinent info and repost it with the old and new info on it!

Good luck!!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Tracking MISC spending
Goal:20 No Buy Days

1-spend
2-No Buy #1
3-spend
4-No But #2
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

2/20

 

[kandeebunny]

Joining in until our trip on 10/26 aiming for 15 no buy days.

1. no buy #1
2. no buy #2
3. $5 hospital parking (ER visit)
4. no buy #3
5. $1.37 at Kohl's (after using Kohl's cash) for birthday gifts
6. no buy #4
7. $12.92 newspaper renewal (though I get a $10 target gc in the mail for renewing online)
8. no buy #5
9. no buy #6
10. $23.00 Photos for Grandma and socks for the kid
11. no buy #7
12. no buy #8
13. $9 photo ornament for Christmas gift
14. no buy #9
15. no buy #10
16. no buy #11
17. $12.00 yarn for a scarf I've been planning
18. no buy #12
19. no buy #13
20. no buy #14

 

[melissalee]

OK, I've been seeing these threads around but not sure how they work, BUT I definitely need to join anything that says "no buy"! I consider myself a "responsible spender" lol meaning I DO spend a lot, but always pay my bills on time, put some in savings, and fund my retirement. However, I'm hoping to make a big move south in 2 years (my goal) and am inspired to save as much money as I possibly can which means no more eating out or impulse spending for me. This will be my very first month trying something so extreme like this. Little scared! (OK, very scared!!) Currently I spend roughly $400 in dining out for the month (not including lunches!!!) and I spend $500 on miscellaneous stuff (which is pretty much anything other than bills) so would like to cut this down to $200, so I *should* be able to bank AT LEAST $600 a month! Unfortunately, I do have a few things I know I need to buy in October so I'm thinking planned purchases don't really count towards the "no buy" or do they? I definitely will need a blowdryer (mine is on its last legs) and some socks now that it's getting cold. Plus, of course, the normal toiletry items... So here we go, I'm in! Do I just keep a running track in my original post? 1 - $5 (4 big bottles of Pantene conditioner - couldn't pass this up!) 2 - $0 3 - $5.99 Dominos large pizza (another great deal I couldn't pass up - no way I could come close to feeding 4 ppl for $5.99!) Arg, am I already blowing it????

I count ANY spending that isn't normal bills like montage, electric, gas, cable etc. it really helps you look to see what you can cut out. Even Gas and groceries. Just for my DH and I can spend a lot on groceries. I'm hoping for 15-20 no buy. I do have a trip to Vegas planned and I need to buy tires for my car (I really need all 4 but I think I'm gonna do 2 at a time)

 

[kirbyx5]

I am totally in but a few questions do groceries count as "buy" days?? I think I will count anything that isn't needed to survive (bills, Groceries, Gas) Here is where I am at so far!
Oct1 no buy
Oct 2 no buy
Oct 3 went to the movies 1st time in a year 18.00
Oct 4 Went to lunch after football 7.00
Oct 5th

 

[stayhomemom77]

Tracking MISC spending
Goal:20 No Buy Days

1-spend
2-No Buy #1
3-spend
4-No Buy #2
5-No Buy #3
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

3/20

 

[stayhomemom77]

Tracking MISC spending
Goal:20 No Buy Days

1-spend
2-No Buy #1
3-spend
4-No Buy #2
5-No Buy #3
6-No Buy #4
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

4/20

 

[threeboysmom]

1 - $5 (4 big bottles of Pantene conditioner - couldn't pass this up!)
2 - $0
3 - $5.99 Dominos large pizza (another great deal I couldn't pass up - no way I could come close to feeding 4 ppl for $5.99!)
4 - $9 dinner out (after coupon value)
5 - $26 lunch out & matinee movie
6 - $0
7 - $0

So far, Saturday is the only day I'm mildly disappointed in - probably could have done without the lunch out (even though I kept cost down to a minimum with a coupon), but I just HAD to go see Gone Girl in the theatre, lol.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Tracking MISC spending
Goal:20 No Buy Days

1-spend
2-No Buy #1
3-spend
4-No Buy #2
5-No Buy #3
6-No Buy #4
7-No Buy #5
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

5/20

 

[melissalee]

No buy October
1- $0
2- $0
3- $0
4- $45 cvs ($40 went to Christmas savings) $81 amazon water filter $17 safeway
5- $0
6-$125 advocare $42 TJs $32 petco
7-$0
So far 5 no spend days. I go to Vegas in 9 days so we will see how it continues! And I still need 4 new tires on my car.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Tracking MISC spending
Goal:20 No Buy Days

1-spend
2-No Buy #1
3-spend
4-No Buy #2
5-No Buy #3
6-No Buy #4
7-No Buy #5
8-spend
9-No Buy #6
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

6/20

 

[threeboysmom]

1 - $5 (4 big bottles of Pantene conditioner - couldn't pass this up!)
2 - $0
3 - $5.99 Dominos large pizza (fed 4 ppl dinner for $5.99!)
4 - $9 dinner out (after coupon value)
5 - $26 lunch out & matinee movie
6 - $0
7 - $0

So far, Saturday is the only day I'm mildly disappointed in - probably could have done without the lunch out (even though I kept cost down to a minimum with a coupon), but I just HAD to go see Gone Girl in the theatre, lol.

8 - $2 (2 cans of hairspray, reg. $10 so once again, couldn't pass up!!)
9 - $0
10 - $6 splurged on lunch at work

 

[Reginat]

Hi!

Goal: 15 No Buy days for October. That doesn't seem strict enough, but I have a Disney trip and pre-holiday shopping is starting also.

OK purchases = for groceries, for gasoline for the car, and needed drug store purchases. Normally what I am trying to avoid in a month is Recreational Shopping, but as we get closer to the holidays, there may be some overlap due to birthdays and holiday celebrations. 15 No Buy days seems realistic, as I have front-loaded 9 No Buy days so far in October.

Good luck, everyone!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Tracking MISC spending
Goal:20 No Buy Days

1-spend
2-No Buy #1
3-spend
4-No Buy #2
5-No Buy #3
6-No Buy #4
7-No Buy #5
8-spend
9-No Buy #6
10-No Buy #7
11-No Buy #8
12-No Buy #9
13-No Buy #10
14-No Buy #11
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

11/20

 

[threeboysmom]

1 - $5 (4 big bottles of Pantene conditioner - couldn't pass this up!)
2 - $0
3 - $5.99 Dominos large pizza (fed 4 ppl dinner for $5.99!)
4 - $9 dinner out (after coupon value)
5 - $26 lunch out & matinee movie
6 - $0
7 - $0
8 - $2 (2 cans of hairspray, reg. $10 so once again, couldn't pass up!!)
9 - $0
10 - $6 splurged on lunch at work
11 - $7 coffee & donuts (airport date, lol)
12 - $0
13 - $31 lunch & dinner out (was out all day so no cooking... but I didn't need the $5 pint of Ben & Jerry's!!)
14 - $7 CVS (pads, 2 deodorants, b'day card)
15 - $0
16 - $1 (Halloween candy)

For me, the amount of money spent by impulse shopping is far more important than no-spend days since that is my extreme weakness. I can easily just have one day a month that I just go out & blow $500+!

Right now, I'm SHOCKED at myself! I'm halfway through the month and I've spent pennies. I normally spend anywhere from $500-700 on things other than bills (not including food or gas), and at this point, I've spent not quite $100!!!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Tracking MISC spending
Goal:20 No Buy Days

1-spend
2-No Buy #1
3-spend
4-No Buy #2
5-No Buy #3
6-No Buy #4
7-No Buy #5
8-spend
9-No Buy #6
10-No Buy #7
11-No Buy #8
12-No Buy #9
13-No Buy #10
14-No Buy #11
15-No Buy #12
16-No Buy #13
17-spend (Now I have no cash left!!)
18-No Buy #14
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

14/20

 

[melissalee]

No buy October
1- $0
2- $0
3- $0
4- $45 cvs ($40 went to Christmas savings) $81 amazon water filter $17 safeway
5- $0
6-$125 advocare $42 TJs $32 petco
7-$0
8-$0
9-$24 Walgreens $21 safeway $18 eBay
10-$0
11-$0
12-$20 safeway $47 gas
13-$0
14-$0
15-$0
16-$0 (12 days)
17-$0 (13 days 1st day in Vegas DH paid for dinner)
18-$40 concert $15 Walgreens $24 food
19-$27 art of shaving
20-$128 hotel resort fees $19 taxi
21-
22-
23-
24-
25-
26-
27-
28-
29-
30-
31-

 

[threeboysmom]

1 - $5 (4 big bottles of Pantene conditioner - couldn't pass this up!)
2 - $0
3 - $5.99 Dominos large pizza (fed 4 ppl dinner for $5.99!)
4 - $9 dinner out (after coupon value)
5 - $26 lunch out & matinee movie
6 - $0
7 - $0
8 - $2 (2 cans of hairspray, reg. $10 so once again, couldn't pass up!!)
9 - $0
10 - $6 splurged on lunch at work
11 - $7 coffee & donuts (airport date)
12 - $0
13 - $31 lunch & dinner out (was out all day so no cooking... but I didn't need the $5 pint of Ben & Jerry's!!)
14 - $7 CVS (pads, 2 deodorants, b'day card)
15 - $0
16 - $1 (Halloween candy)
17 - $0
18 - $4 coffee & donuts (another cheapo airport date, lol)
19 - $0
20 - $0

Still going strong!!