Get on board! October No Buy thread

[mickeysmate65]

Last month I unofficially joined mid-month. While we didn't do so great with no buy days, we actually came in under budget so I am happy! One of us gets paid each week so I keep a weekly budget. I allow 'x' amt for gas, food, and miscellaneous which is everything but standing bills. The miscellaneous is what gets us every month! So far for October:

Oct 1: $56 @ home depot. All the rain = flooded window well! Will need to budget for a plumber to check the line b/t window and sump pump.

Oct 2: Not planning to spend $ today.

Oct 3:

Wish us luck!

 

[mickeysmate65]

I'm in! Although this paycheck is expensive. I have to pay for my daughters jr Colts cheer stuff that was ordered in August. ugh.

1 - $962--rent
2 - $37 - gas
3 - $130.00 - jr cheer

Only the 2nd and I am over $1,000.

Ceemys- Don't be bummed. No matter what you would be paying for a roof over your heads! For most of us gas is also a necessity - are you within your budget? To me, the jr cheer is the only "extra" -- but very important to your child! Just remember that one day soon that jr cheer cost will be replaced with car insurance, graduation costs, sr year costs, college costs, etc. There will always be something but it is how we handle it and budget for it that matters most!

 

[neatokimmo]

I went to a friend's church's fall sale today for their building fund. Apple butter was $8, and an angel crafty thing was $5 for Christmas. I also bought drill bits for $1.

Then at yard sales, I got three skirts, 2 nice dresses and coat for DD for $3. I got 3 books for $1 & a tupperware container for 25 cents.

10/2 = $18.25
10/1 = $148.07

Groceries - $58.66/120 (yikes!)
Eating out - $37.56
Clothes - $10.73/40
Makeup - $25/25
Cats - $35
Preschool extras - $10
Gas - $65 - 32
Toys - $0/25
Misc - $70.75/80
Christmas - 10.46/??

 

[thebigkahuna]

I'm in! Although this paycheck is expensive. I have to pay for my daughters jr Colts cheer stuff that was ordered in August. ugh.

1 - $962--rent
2 - $37 - gas
3 - $130.00 - jr cheer

Only the 2nd and I am over $1,000.

Ceemys- Don't be bummed. No matter what you would be paying for a roof over your heads! For most of us gas is also a necessity - are you within your budget? To me, the jr cheer is the only "extra" -- but very important to your child! Just remember that one day soon that jrcheer cost will be replaced with car insurance, graduation costs, sr year costs, college costs, etc. There will always be something but it is how we handle it and budget for it that matters most!

Ceemys, I agree with mickeysmate!
definitely don't be discouraged - the no buy is on your terms, but I don't know of many who include rent (or electric, or gas) because those are really mandatory - it's not an option to pay rent (well, for me it's not! LOL) so really, the rent and the gas are items you *had* to pay - I would say the only thing that made that day a "spend" day instead of a "no spend" day was the jr cheer costs.

Everyone does the no spend their own way, but I would say you are off to a good start!

Good luck for the rest of the month!

 

[ronnmel]

No Buy Days : 0/15
Gas : 29$ (max 85$)
Groceries : 0$ (max 250$)
Eating out (and snacks) : 25$ (max 150$)
Non-necessities : 0$ (max 250$)

10/01 : 15$ (drinks with friends)
10/02 : 39$ (gas + breakfast)

 

[thebigkahuna]

Octobers goal is 16 no spend days.
Anticipated expenses include: Medical (amount not known), some Holiday shopping (amount not known, but limited to $200.00 for the month), I believe I have a passport expense coming up (YIKES! this has become expensive!), the cost of a replacement cell phone (I will keep this under $60.00) and also some misc. expenses of car maintenance, and jewelry repair. Oh and Beauty and the Beast out on 10-5. I will be picking that up for sure!


10-01 - $40.90 replacement phone (under my estimated cost!)




October Goal: 16 no $pend day$
# of no $pend day$: 0
# of no $pend day$ needed to meet goal: 16

 

[thebigkahuna]

Wish us luck!

good luck! hope it isn't a huge expense for you.

 

[nancycg56]

I'm in ~ I usually lurk along but I like seeing it in print

We have a wedding in NY at the end of the month so I will be having lots of no-spend days until then I hope

I'm in for 15 no-spend days and I hope to have more than that. So far, I have ZERO no-spend days ~ UGH!

October no-spend days ~

10/1 ~ $
10/2 ~ $

 

[ilovepete]

Oct 1 - Spent $0! Yay!
Oct 2 - $0!

2/7 goal

 

[Goofygirl17]

I'm going to try again. I just printed out Dave Ramsey's budget forms so we can figure out where all our money goes! I don't know about actual no spend days but hope to only have planned expense days I just booked our airfare for April w/ SW so I need to tighten the belt!

10/1 DQ for girls and 1 friend-- DD11 earned it as a reward
10/2 No spend so far except DH was sweet and bought me a coffee this a.m.


Extra Expenses I already know about-
gymnastics birthday party for DD8 (have to schedule)
school lunches
casual fridays at work
gymnastics? (have to see if they have openings)
riding lessons (still have to schedule)



Good luck everyone!

 

[Virgderon]

Got a haircut today and bought a few books at the flea market. We were starving when I was done so we got Wendys, one of my big no-nos. Oh well. I saved $30 by finding a new place to get my hair cut. I was spending $48 on a hair cut and tip (!) and I just could not justify it any longer. Today I spent $18 including the tip.

Running Total: Spent $87
$1000 budget...$913 left
$0 Days:
Goal is 8 or more!
coupon/sale savings : 9

Groceries budget- $250-9-12= 229 left

October 1 : 30 (groceries, misc)
October 2 : 57 (18 haircut, 5 used books, 11 Wendys, 8 food at college football game, 15 gas)

 

[charming23]

Went grocery shopping today. I spent a bit more than normal but they had their boxed pastas on sale 20 for $10, so at $.50 a box I could not resist and it will last us all winter long. I also got a free cookie sheet for buying baking mixes we use anyway. Then they had a deal on toilet paper so we are set for awhile on that. Also stopped a target for a new muffin pan as ours has seen better days.

I also got a caramel apple spice drink at Starbucks but had a giftcard for that.

Groceries- $200/ $141.92 Left
Household/Pet- $50/ $28.03 Left
Gas/Car- $50
Eating out/Entertainment- $50
Misc- $50

Total- $400/ $319.95 Left

Goal of 15 No Buy Days

Week One
10/1- $0
10/2- $58.08 Grocery and $21.97 Household
10/3-
10/4-
10/5-
10/6-
10/7-

1/12 No Buy Days

Coupon and Store Savings-$29.82

 

[RockAndRollBallerina]

I'm hopping on this band wagon.

My objective for this month is 20 no spending days.

My budget for this month is $250.00. Things such as rent, utility bills, internet/cable, gas for the car, health insurance, car insurance, and laundry will not be included in my $250.00 budget.

Oct 1st = $0
Oct 2nd = $23.51 on Groceries

Amount left over remaining in budget for spending: $226.49

 

[3goofyboys]

My goal for this month is 15 no buy days. This might be tough because we're hosting a big halloween party mid-month, but I'm going to give it a shot.

1: $0
2: $30 groceries, $20 gas


1/15 no buy days

 

[disneymom3]

Oct 1, $13.50 for boots for my boys. Almost brand new from Once Upon a Child and used garage sale money so I felt good about that!

Oct 2 Dh needed a new backpack for work. THirft store total $8.49.

So, not succeeding at no buy but only getting needed items and doing it cheap.

 

[disneymom3]

Week 2:
Groceries- $25 left
Eating Out- $70 left
Misc- $45 left

Can you tell me how you only spend $25 a week on groceries? What are some of your best tips? I can see that your family is smaller than mine but even when it was just DH and I, my budget was definitely higher than that. (This is NOT a criticism, I am really looking for ideas on cutting my grocery bill.)

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

October 1- Not a good start. $55 DD15's yearbook, $18 DD15's PSAT, $4.50 2 kids wanted to buy lunch (we don't do this but once a month maybe twice for DD15) $14.50 school photos for DD8. Really messed up my back today (this is an ongoing and expensive problem) so I absolutely couldn't cook, plus I was supposed to get groceries and that was out. I barely made it to get the kids dinner, so a pizza at the drive thru $8 (DH isn't home or he'd have handled dinner.) However I subbed yesterday and today so I made some money (preschool, so just about $50 for the 2 days) and will be face painting at a festival tomorrow and will get $1 a kid, so that is good (hope it's busy!) And finally, the best news of the day...over the weekend I checked out state's unclaimed property and DH had one thing. It didn't say what it was but I filled out the form to get it and we got it today. It was a check for $338.88!!! DH and I are going to dinner and a movie tomorrow and putting the rest away.
October 2- Woke up wanting to go to the emergency room for my back, but had committed to being the face painter at a local festival so I pushed though and took my DD15 for help and we went. I gave her $4 for food out of what we made. DH and I were going to go out on a date but I couldn't hardly move so when I came hom I got inot bed and have been here since. So not quite a no spend day, but had she not gone with me there would have been no way I could have done it and wouldn't have made anything so it was money well spent. PLUS, I am starting to feel better so that is a $150 ER copay saved.

No Spend Days 0/15


$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Happy About Record Since Joining No Buy-
January-14 Days
February-13 Days
March-17 Days
April-15 Days
May-15 Days
June-8 Days
July- 6 Days (only in town and only recorded half the month, probably had about 7-8 no buys while away)
August-15 Days
September-15 Days
Longest Streak-4 Days in a Row!

 

[Goofygirl17]

10/1 DQ for girls and 1 friend-- DD11 earned it as a reward
10/2 No spend so far except DH was sweet and bought me a coffee this a.m.
- $5 rx, (plus $3.50 of candy free w/ CVS ECB)

Extra Expenses I already know about-
gymnastics birthday party for DD8 (have to schedule)
school lunches
casual fridays at work
gymnastics? (have to see if they have openings)
riding lessons (still have to schedule)

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I'm in! Although this paycheck is expensive. I have to pay for my daughters jr Colts cheer stuff that was ordered in August. ugh.

1 - $962--rent
2 - $37 - gas
3 - $130.00 - jr cheer

Only the 2nd and I am over $1,000.

Don't feel bad at all. Most of us even count rent and lots don't count gas, and stuff for your kids I agree, do it while you can, they grow up all too fast!

Last month I unofficially joined mid-month. While we didn't do so great with no buy days, we actually came in under budget so I am happy! One of us gets paid each week so I keep a weekly budget. I allow 'x' amt for gas, food, and miscellaneous which is everything but standing bills. The miscellaneous is what gets us every month! So far for October:

Oct 1: $56 @ home depot. All the rain = flooded window well! Will need to budget for a plumber to check the line b/t window and sump pump.

Oct 2: Not planning to spend $ today.

Oct 3:

Wish us luck!

Best of luck, we had flooding here several years ago and it was a mess for sure. Hope you can get it all cleaned up with little damage.

 

[A.Mickey]

Can you tell me how you only spend $25 a week on groceries? What are some of your best tips? I can see that your family is smaller than mine but even when it was just DH and I, my budget was definitely higher than that. (This is NOT a criticism, I am really looking for ideas on cutting my grocery bill.)

1st off we have a huge stockpile! Last week I just went through it and gave a box of stuff to my mom. Our freezer will not fit one more thing and we have enough cheese and pasta to last us through the cold war.

2nd I have been doing No Buy for a year now, and really couponing hard since February. I follow about 10 savings blogs. Depending on what is in your neighborhood I could help you find some. But the one that taught me how to coupon is Hip2Save, her videos are awesome, and it really helped me learn fast. I also follow Mashupmom.com, savingaddiction.com, myfrugaladventures, and Jill Cataldo

3rd we will be in Disney/Florida for 11 days this month, so we really only are budgeting for 20 days and I have a ton of catalinas/register rewards to spend. We are lucky here as Jewel-Osco takes register rewards.

Hope that helps .