Feb No Buy! Short Month! We can do this!

[Where'sPiglet?]

1: $20.89 gas ($2.86/gallon)
2: $0!
3: $0!
4: $0!
5: $138.70 Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS, SaveALot, Rouses, Winn-Dixie, Wendy's
6: $0!
7: $0!
8: $0!
9: $0!
10: $0!
11: $0!
12: $0!
13: $0!
14: $109.19 Walgreens, CVS, Exxon ($2.85/g), Rouses, RiteAid, iTunes, Work
15: $0!
16: $0!
17: $0!
18: $7.20 Winn-Dixie and a snoball (like a snow cone...yes, in February!!)
19: $0!
20: $96.69 Family Dollar, Walgreens, Winn-Dixie
21: $28.91 Banfield, Cane's
22: $0!
23: $0!
24: $0!

$0 Days: 18
Spending: $401.58/$475= 85%
Days Passed: 24/28: 86%

Goal: To keep spending to within $475 for food, gas, and miscellaneous. I do not track bills; I only track "point of sale" transactions.

I need to go to the grocery store for a few things. I was going to go today but I didn't quite get there. I will try to go tomorrow. The only issue with this plan is that there is a parade tomorrow, and Saturday, and Sunday....I'm sure the traffic is going to be quite fun to deal with.

I also need to get gas. I'm down to about a 1/3rd of a tank. Well wouldn't you know, it was 3.09 this morning and 3.29 on the way home. I was going to just get it before it goes up even more, but I was in the wrong lane. I have a 20c off coupon, so I'm hoping I can use it tomorrow before it goes any higher.

 

[SunnieRN]

Whoops, Tiggerish, i am so sorry, I missed saying CONGRATULATIONS!!!

 

[ronnmel]

Gas prices have been up here too. People are saying it's probably due to all the turmoil in the middle-east (and north african countries too possibly?).


Was going to be eating alone tonight, so I stopped to get take-out food on the way home from work. Almost stopped myself in order to get another no-buy days, but I figured I have been doing so well both in no-buy days and eating out budget, I'm allowed this once. We have also been trying to save on groceries and eat what we already have, and I'm getting pretty bored with the choices now... Plus it's report cards time, so this is my little reward to keep up with all the hard work.

No Buy Days : 17/16 Not setting a new goal. Will just take whatever extra no-buy days I can get.
Gas : 102$ (let's try 100$)
Groceries : 119$ (250$ max)
Eating out (and snacks) : 42$ (100$ max)
Non-necessities : 608$ (200$)

01/02 : 0$
02/02 : 0$
03/02 : 35$ (gas)
04/02 : 0$
05/02 : 0$
06/02 : 0$
07/02 : 0$
08/02 : 111$ (gas + groceries)
09/02 : 0$
10/02 : 0$
11/02 : 41$ (dinner + clothes)
12/02 : 0$
13/02 : 0$
14/02 : 0$
15/02 : 12$ (scarf, mittens + snack)
16/02 : 0$
17/02 : 0$
18/02 : 622$
19/02 : 0$
20/02 : 39$ (groceries)
21/02 : 0$
22/02 : 0$
23/02 : 0$
24/02 : 11$ (take-out)

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Charming, I'm happy the power came back on and that disaster in the freezer was averted!!

MickeyMomOfThree, I hope for your sake that you do not get snowed in,but at least the girls would have friends there!. I always ended up with extra kids at my house. I usually loved it, but it did make a difference in the grocery budget!

Yeah, they are having fun. I don't mind either, the only thing that is hard is we have under 1200sf and 1 bathroom. So it is tight. The oldest and her friend are in her room watching a movie. The younger 4 are playing Just Dance 2. Have been for hours and probably will for hours. I think about 11 I am pulling the little 2 off to head to sleep. then after a couple hours I will pull the middle 2 off so my oldest and her friend can play. The room is tight and while all 4 are dancing, I am having visions of things getting broken so adding 2 16 year olds will be too much, so they can play all night on their own. If not for that or if we had a nice big basement I'd relax more, but they are being good and having fun.

 

[A.Mickey]

Running Total: Spent $1637.09
$0 Days:10/10

Groceries ($252-$9/day)- $217.54
Eating Out ($196-$7/day)- $166.70
Misc. (Shopping/Entertainment) ($1008-$36/day) $1044.85
Gas $200?- $25 (2/3), $48 (2/6), $28 (2/8), $30 (2/14), $45 (2/20), $32 (2/22) = $208

WEEK 1 BEGIN:
1- $12.68 (McDonald's-Eating Out), $21.04 (Walgreens-Groceries), $6.34 (Meijer-Groceries)
2- As much as I would like to go out, to get a few items at Dominick's before they are off sale, it is not happening. We got 22" of snow! Only emergency and medical vehicles are allowed on the road.
$0
3- $31.43 (Meijer-Groceries), $4.88 (McDonald's-Eating Out)
4- $0
5- $9.97 (CVS-Groceries), $5.99 (Dominick's-Groceries)
WEEK 2 BEGIN:
6- $2 (Dollar Tree-Papers), $6.37 (Meijer-Groceries), $3/bag, probably got over 50 kids books (Library Book Sale-Shopping), $12.95 (Walgreens-Groceries), $13.98 (Wendy's-Eating Out), $291.60 (Hotel for 2 nights St. Louis in July, staying right next to the arch and we can walk to Busch stadium for the U2 concert), $101.25 (Car Registration-Misc.)
7- $35 (Joe Caputo-Groceries)
8- $200 (Registration for Spring Classes for our 3 year old son and preschool in the fall)
9- $6 (McDonald's-Eating Out), $23 (Post Office-Misc. Needed to send in a DSLR lens that broke on our trip in December, it is still under warranty though, so hopefully this will save me money in the long run, and also bought a book of stamps)
10- $0
11- $0
12- $6.82 (Jewel-Groceries), $2 (Dollar Tree-Shopping Newspapers), $9.80 (McDonald's-Eating Out), $13.15 (Eating Out-Subway)
WEEK 3 BEGIN:
13- $31 (Zoo-Eating Out, bought a refillable mug for $10 that will be good til the end of the year, now we just have to remember to bring it), $19 (Meijer-Groceries), $6.77 (Super Target-Groceries)
14- $3.81 (Joe Caputo-Groceries), $16.58 (KFC-Eating Out and Hubby's Valentine's Day present...he loves Hot wings and last week he wanted them, but he couldn't justify getting them when we have so much food in the house. He works 3rd shift so I lined them up on a pan to make them spell out I "heart" U. I can't wait til he sees it. He loves his hotwings and hasn't had them for a long time)
15- $0
16- $215 (Southwest-bought two one way tickets for our trip in Sept/October), $1.65 (Walgreens-Groceries), $7.26 (Wendy's-Eating Out)
17- $0
18- $0
19- $12 (Dollar Tree-Groceries (bought alot of stuff to start a container garden), $8 (Parking-Misc.), $27 (foodlife-Eating Out), $15 (Culver's-Eating Out), $14 (Justice-Shopping)
WEEK 4 BEGIN:
20- $9 (Meijer-Groceries), $11 (Justice-Shopping), $82 (Frys-Shopping)
21- $0
22- $20.34 (Target-Groceries-Awesome frozen food deal and got back $15 in Target Gift Cards), $9.37 (McDonald's-Eating Out), $9.06 (Walgreens-Groceries)
23- $0
24- $0


Budget: $1656....99%
Month: 23/28: 82%
No Buy: 10/10: 100%

My savings from coupons and sales: $765.45

Next Month: Pictures, Ohio Hotel, two trips by train, Great America season pass installment, 2nd half of our airplane tickets for October, ink for printer, laptop...

 

[nunzia]

Feb 1- Gas $20, Walmart shopping trip during a snowstorm..ack: $106.89 (more than I expected to spend, but dogs have to eat and DH needs his beer) coupons: $8.45
2- $0 (even New Mexico was snowed in today)
3- took a friend visiting from Florida out for lunch $22.87, went to Dollar Tree for hash browns but got my DH his favorite cookies instead since they had no hash browns $5.00, ended up at Lowes for hash browns $1.99
4- $12.00..out for lunch with another friend
5- $0
6- $0
7- $0
8- $0 ( to be fair..I did buy a plane ticket for DH's trip to join me after Expo next year, but that wasn't an optional purchase and money came from trip account..I'm only counting optional things, food and gas, not things that are locked in stone)
9- Big spending day! DH medicine and gas: $20, groceries: $39, Leapfrog site,,they still have some DIDJ stuff on clearance and I bought DGS a Didj for Christmas and he loves it so needed to get stuff before it totally disappears, plus a charger to save on batteries, so $53, and DH had to buy materials to replace the pad to our bedroom carpet that got ruined during the big stupid freeze/thaw we had, so $166 ACK Coupons, $2.50 (PS edited to *** $4.90 to ship Valentines stuff to out of state grandkids..forgot to yesterday)
10- $0
11- $9.00, lunch out with a friend, $9.00 grandkids to Dollar Tree after school
12- $20.45 at my second job, Hastings, for frappe, bagel, magazines for grandkids and part of a wedding shower gift, $45.75 WalMart, rest of the wedding shower gift, a few groceries and WHOOP toys on super clearance put away for future events, $30.00 Bingo night out with son and DIL
13-$0
14-$0
15-$1.74 movie rental, $10.00 gas, $4.50 berries on sale
16-$26 Walmart..groceries and did I mention the great Toys clearance?
17-Took a day off from work today. At my other job spent $1.00 for a bagel (started feeling shakey..low blood sugar issues) and rental clearance Sorcerer's Apprentice for $4.99, then went to Penny's because I had overpaid my CC and got some stuff for a baby shower and grandkids, but cost nothing, down the mall past Hallmark, who had all their left over ornaments on sale for $2.00 each, bought 2..Kmart to finish getting stuff for the baby shower, $16.96, then tacos for lunch $4.80. We also went out to dinner with friends, but used a GC
18-Dang, blew it with $6.89 at Dollar Tree with the grandkids...
19- $0
20-$66.41, Walmart groceries AND the cashier hit the process button before taking off my coupons..SO irritated... $9.00 lunch with friend
21- Disney...$116.00 gas$ 10.00 (3.08 a gallon ouch)and wine $12.69
22- $0
23- $0
24- $15.00 groceries(great deals! Milk $1.87 a gallon) Gas $20 (figured I may as well get more since it's going nowhere but up and the same gas I pais $3.08 for 2 day is now $3.13) Dinner out with friends, $19.00
25-
26-
27-
28-

11/12

 

[SunnieRN]

Yeah, they are having fun. I don't mind either, the only thing that is hard is we have under 1200sf and 1 bathroom. So it is tight. The oldest and her friend are in her room watching a movie. The younger 4 are playing Just Dance 2. Have been for hours and probably will for hours. I think about 11 I am pulling the little 2 off to head to sleep. then after a couple hours I will pull the middle 2 off so my oldest and her friend can play. The room is tight and while all 4 are dancing, I am having visions of things getting broken so adding 2 16 year olds will be too much, so they can play all night on their own. If not for that or if we had a nice big basement I'd relax more, but they are being good and having fun.

That sounds like an awesome plan! I hope it went well!. You know, I had one brother. We grew up in-home that had one bathroom. Now I live in a two bathroom home and we often wish we had an extra 1/2 bath. .

We almost bought a bigger house last month, as my daughter got a work at home job, but luckily came to our senses!

 

[SunnieRN]

Alrighty. I have more then met my February goals. It feels good. But...

I get paid every two weeks, on Friday. My written (yep, I am old and write down my budget), goes along with and according to my pay periods. Would anyone object to my having a two week budget at a time? I know I would be 'marching to the beat of a different drummer', but it would be much easier for me to do.

Let me know what you all think please!

(I know, small things for small minds)

 

[Tiggerish]

Congrats for making your goals SunnieRN. I think a two week budget would work fine. It is not in how you do it but in the fact that you are following a plan that works for you.

 

[QVCshopper]

Do what works for you, SunnieRN. I don't even have a budget (except mentally) but I always seem to spend about the same anyway. Life seems to have it's patterns.

BTW, if you have a FiveBelow near you, I have found that's a good place when you want to get a treat for the kids (or in your case grandkids). Since nothing is over $5, you're already limiting the amount you can spend, and their selection is pretty good.

 

[SunnieRN]

Do what works for you, SunnieRN. I don't even have a budget (except mentally) but I always seem to spend about the same anyway. Life seems to have it's patterns.

BTW, if you have a FiveBelow near you, I have found that's a good place when you want to get a treat for the kids (or in your case grandkids). Since nothing is over $5, you're already limiting the amount you can spend, and their selection is pretty good.

Thank you ladies!. Thanks for the tip QVC Shopper. I WISH we had a store like that! One of my promises to myself this year is to not buy them as much, as they didn't even care about a lot of the things I got them. They have a glut of toys. The average comment someone makes is, 'Wow, this is better than ToysRUs.'. Grandma has gone just a little too overboard. All cash, no credit, but still unhealthy. Since I love them, I needed to make changes!

They have adjusted nicely so far.. It has been harder on Grandma.

Thank you again for the tip, as that sounds like a great store!

 

[SunnieRN]

Congrats for making your goals SunnieRN. I think a two week budget would work fine. It is not in how you do it but in the fact that you are following a plan that works for you.

Thank you!. I appreciate your and QVC's opinions, as I do everyone else on this thread, as you have all been successful at this a lot longer than I have!

I HAVE to write it all down, as I that way, see progress, strengths and places I can improve. I am a visually oriented budgeter.

I'll post my two week budget and $$$ spent after I go grocery shopping! Thanks again ladies!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Sunnie, My plan didn't really work, but it was fine. It was the first time they all 3 had a sleepover on the same night.
One bathroom isn't too bad for going to the bathroom, it's showers/getting ready with all these girls which isn't easy. I was going to get up early and shower, but they didn't go to bed till 2am and then were back up at 5am, so I got 3 hours of sleep. I told them play Wii but I was laying back down. I did for a little bit, then decided to expercise in my room. By that time the bathroom was being used and I just gave up. I will shower after they are gone. The first are getting picked up around noon, my DD16's friend's have no power, so no heat, so I think she is here for a while, maybe another night, not sure. I don't worry about them though, it is the little ones coming in that makes me nervous. (We don't have a lock on the bathroom I was nervous the little one might walk in, don't want to scar the kid. ) Good news is no one needs to go anyhwere so no rush to get ready. And they had a lot of fun.

 

[dtr_angel]

Week 4
2/21 – $0!
2/22 - 4 new tires for our SUV $416, airfare for May 2011 Disney Trip $539, Tax Preparation $150, CVS <$1 OOP
2/23 – Eating out $3, $8 groceries
2/24 – Groceries $31

No buy days - Feb 2, Feb 21

 

[princessbride6205]

Just tracking this month, will figure out what I can budget and where I can save for March. Exceptions will be a nice Valentine's date night and if I buy myself a birthday gift (overdue from October! Long story...).

2/1 - $6.50 parking
2/2 - $6.50 parking, $1 breakfast, $13 DD & DH dinner out
2/3 - $6.50 parking
2/4 - $6.50 parking, $20 DH out with friends
2/5 - $9 family breakfast, $15 family dinner, $103 groceries
2/6 - $6 newspapers/grocery
2/7 - $6.50 parking, $5 clothing, $10 grocery
2/8 - $8 parking (boo-hiss, bad traffic made me miss the early bird price)
2/9 - $6.50 parking, $14 Girl Scout Cookies, $26 family dinner
2/10 - $6.50 parking, $30 clothing alterations
2/11 - $15 parking (me & DH)
2/12 - $0
2/13 - $140 clothing, $2 coffees, $2 newspaper, $28 lunch, $32 gas
2/14 - $6.50 parking, $41 gas for DH car
2/15 - $6.50 parking, $13 outfit for DD & clearance Valentine's for next year
2/16 - $6.50 parking, $7 lunch
2/17 - $6.50 parking,$9 dinner for me & DD
2/18 - $6.50 parking, $6 snack, $56 dry cleaning
2/19 - $76 grocery, $21 family dinner
2/20 - $15 grocery/newspaper, $11 pizza (DH talked me into it).
2/21 - $7.50 parking
2/22 - $6.50 parking, $12 DH & DD dinner
2/23 - $6.50 parking
2/24 - $6.50 parking
2/25 - $8 parking

Dining out: $180
Transport: $209
Groceries: $226
Other: $244

 

[SunnieRN]

Sunnie, My plan didn't really work, but it was fine. It was the first time they all 3 had a sleepover on the same night.
One bathroom isn't too bad for going to the bathroom, it's showers/getting ready with all these girls which isn't easy. I was going to get up early and shower, but they didn't go to bed till 2am and then were back up at 5am, so I got 3 hours of sleep. I told them play Wii but I was laying back down. I did for a little bit, then decided to expercise in my room. By that time the bathroom was being used and I just gave up. I will shower after they are gone. The first are getting picked up around noon, my DD16's friend's have no power, so no heat, so I think she is here for a while, maybe another night, not sure. I don't worry about them though, it is the little ones coming in that makes me nervous. (We don't have a lock on the bathroom I was nervous the little one might walk in, don't want to scar the kid. ) Good news is no one needs to go anyhwere so no rush to get ready. And they had a lot of fun.

The showers and primping is usually where the problems exist.

I have a daughter and raised my niece also. There were many nights when they each had 2 friends over to spend the night. I once let them have a huge sleepover with 10 girls! I didn't dare sleep that night! They were all 13 and 14.

They not only used their bathroom, but invaded mine. lol

 

[msmama]

I'm going to go for 14 No Buys - half the month.

I'm also going to track spending this month:
Groceries: 422/300 - 122 over
Car: 34/80 - 46 left
Dining out/Entertainment: 83/100 - 17 left
Gifts/Valentines: 231/100 - 131 over

2/1 - 5 -met friend for coffee
2/2 - 0
2/3 - 0
2/4 - 97+9 - Target and Taco Bell
2/5 - 55+66+8 - Sale meat at Grocery store, Flowers for BFF and Quiznos
2/6 - 0
2/7 - 0 (if I call it now then I can't spend, right?)
2/8 - 0
2/9 - 50+60 (baby present and Tangled preorder and dinner out with soon to give birth friend)
2/10 - 0 (got Cash from the ATM but didn't spend it so I figure it counts as "No Buy")
2/11 - 30+7 (birthday present for Mom)
2/12 - 139 (Totally unnecessary groceries at Target. But I couldn't pass up the sale prices of their "bulk" items.)
2/13 - 0
2/14 - 2 (Missed a No Buy by 2 freaking dollars. Library fine and a bit over a GC at Starbucks).
2/15 - 0
2/16 - SURGERY -0
2/17 -0
2/18 - 0 (Happy that I managed to ward off the online shopping bug)
2/19 - 0
2/20 - 0
2/21 - 28 (Scholastic book order for presents)
2/22 - 0
2/23 - 0
2/24 - 48 - I don't remember on what though.
2/25 - 56 - Took my Mom to Target to get photos taken with my son.
2/26
2/27
2/28

15/14 No Buy Days!

Failed so miserably on my budgeting this month.

 

[Virgderon]

MickeyMom, back in the day we had 2 girls living with us, 2 stepkids every other weekend, and 1 bathroom. Thank god we had an unfinished basement when they started having friends over, but my younger DD was afraid of the basement until she was about 17. Too many horror movies I guess.

Today could have been a 0, but DH makes me breakfast on the weekend, and we were out of breakfast supplies. Some things are more important than 0 days.

Running Total: Spent $916
$1225 budget... $309 left
$0 Days: 7
Goal is 8 or more!
coupon/sale savings : 106

Groceries budget- $250-25-14-45-31-7-19-16-11-26= 56 left

Feb. 1 : 45 (groceries and laundry detg, snacks for hockey game tonight, 10 for parking at hockey game tonight)
Feb. 2 : 0
Feb. 3: 24 (10 shipping DDs e-bay stuff, 14 pop and bread)
Feb. 4: 23 (Cracker Barrell)
Feb. 5: 250 (205 car repair, 45 groceries)
Feb. 6: 0
Feb. 7: 20 (dr. co-pay)
Feb. 8 : 62 (32 bowling, 6 food at bowling, 14 Walgreens pop & misc, 10 Walgreens prescription co-pay)
Feb. 9 : 0
Feb. 10 : 58 (27 Walgreens, 31 Publix - got some good bogos today!)
Feb. 11: 16 ( card and small gift for DH for Valentines day)
Feb. 12 : 93 ( 88 Ross for clothes, 5 gas - the stupid pump ran out and I did not have patience to go to another one)
Feb. 13: 70 (20 breakfast, 50 haircut, color, tip)
Feb. 14 : 0
Feb. 15: 30 ( Walgreens - cleaning supplies, 7 pop)
Feb.16 : 0
Feb. 17 : 19 (groceries)
Feb 18-20 : 102 (Orlando weekend, food , etc.)
Feb. 21 : 0
Feb. 22: 37 (16 bowling, 5 food at bowling, 16 groceries)
Feb, 23: 0
Feb. 24: 40 (21 Walgreens, 11 pop, 8 shipping at USPS)
Feb. 25 : 26 (Publix)

 

[charming23]

Today was a no buy day as we had a pretty good sized storm last night and I am staying in.

February Budget-
Groceries/Household- $300/-$14.51 left
Car/Gas- $50/$17.39 left
Eating Out- $50/$12.25 left
Misc/Entertainment- $100/$28.07 left

Total-$500/$38.26 left

Goal of 14 No buy days

Week One
2/1- $0- Snow Day
2/2- $0- Snow Day
2/3- $0- Snow Day
2/4- $49.82 Grocery and $12.74 Misc
2/5- $17.40 Lunch, $12.94 Jeans, and $8.43 groceries
2/6- $0
2/7- $0

Week Two
2/8- $6.30 Walgreen's and $5.58 Drugmart
2/9- $71.96 Grocery and $4.49 lunch
2/10- $37.38 Grocery, $14.01 lunch, and $46.25 Fashion Bug
2/11- $0- My Birthday
2/12- $0
2/13- $22.58 Gas and $11.51 Grocery
2/14- $23.43 Grocery/meds

Week Three
2/15- $0
2/16- $0
2/17- $55.46 Groceries
2/18- $0
2/19- $0- Found $15
2/20- $0
2/21- $0- No Power

Week Four
2/22- $0- No Power
2/23- $44.64 Groceries
2/24- $1.85 caribou coffe and $10.03 gas--- Found $21.03 in coins
2/25- $0
2/26
2/27
2/28

15/14 No Buy Days

Coupon and Store Savings- $113.69

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

The showers and primping is usually where the problems exist.

I have a daughter and raised my niece also. There were many nights when they each had 2 friends over to spend the night. I once let them have a huge sleepover with 10 girls! I didn't dare sleep that night! They were all 13 and 14.

They not only used their bathroom, but invaded mine. lol

Oh we have had big sleepovers, for b-days and Girl Scouts. I think the most is 12maybe 15. This was the first jsut because sleepover where they each had a friend. I was just a little worried cause of the age difference, not so much the number. And the activity, all the swinging arms and such a small space. But they did better then I expected. We had one sleepover where the girls knocked things over and almost hit the TV doing Wii, and my DD16 broke a light at a friend's house playing Wii. So that was more the concern. More recently (since getting the Wii) the numbers are down cause our room is so small and they all seem to want to play together.