January No Buy: Let's Start the Year Right!

[charming23]

By the way, Charming I read your blog. I think you have the good habits to do anything you want. If you want to lose weight, you can do it. You do a great job of managing your money.

Thank you for your words. It means a lot to me that others believe in me.

I am glad your interview went well. If you get an offer I would go with your gut feeling on whether or not to take the job.

SimplyPiglet, I joined today. Thanks for telling me about it. It is a little overwhelming but I am interested in learning from it.

Virgderon, go with you gut. The beauty of having a job is you can be more picky.

Wlake, great job on 3 in a row!!!

Charming, you have to do what works for you. Most people do well weighing in, I am just odd. My biggest problem is that I have endometrosis. When it first was getting really bad I was avoiding having surgery so the doctor put me into a chemically induced state of menopause. Basically they were using strong contraceptives to trick my body into thinking I was in menopause. It did work, while I was doing it, but having a dose of DepoProvera every other week (as opposed to one every 3 months for BC) made my body a mess, and it made me gain a ton of weight. In the end I had another surgery so I did it for nothing. It has returned and now I can't wear jeans or fitted pants cause of the pain, so wearing strechy pants (yoga pants and pajamajeans) is what I have to wear and that makes it hard to FEEL when pants are getting tighter or looser, so it is hard to really know mby my pants. But I am trying, and will be ahppy when I feel better, so that is my goal. To FEEL bestter about myself. But that is a hrd goal to join a team with. But good luck, it is still in the challenging stage for me, I am hungry and I hate that feeling, but hopefully it will pay off.

I think you are on the right track, MickeyMom. I have friends who have endometriosis and it does suck. They all have trouble losing weight and keeping it off. I think you need to do what feels right for you. The reason I joined the challange was because like the no buy thread, I need that sense of community to help me through. Good Luck to you as well.

 

[mom2cinderella]

No spend days - yay! Too sick to leave the house - boo!

*************************************
Jan 1 $0.00
Jan 2 $0.00
Jan 3 $9 for a planner - would have put it as a need, but since it is now Friday and I haven't touched the dang thing.....
Jan 4 $10 Wendy's: 45 minutes to kill + driving home wasn't worth it = spent money
Jan 5 $0.00
Jan 6 $8 McD's: It took an hour and 45 minutes to get from Soccer to Gymnastics (stupid Winter! ) Poor kiddo was starving so I caved.
Jan 7 $5 Cappucino & Milk: justification - throat hurt.
Jan 8 $0.00
Jan 9 $10 Cappuccino, cappucino, coffee.
Jan 10 $0.00
Jan 11$0.00
Jan 12 $0.00
Jan 13
Jan 14
Jan 15
Jan 16
Jan 17
Jan 18
Jan 19
Jan 20
Jan 21
Jan 22
Jan 23
Jan 24
Jan 25
Jan 26
Jan 27
Jan 28
Jan 29
Jan 30
Jan 31

 

[A.Mickey]

I think you are on the right track, MickeyMom. I have friends who have endometriosis and it does suck. They all have trouble losing weight and keeping it off. I think you need to do what feels right for you. The reason I joined the challange was because like the no buy thread, I need that sense of community to help me through. Good Luck to you as well.

Best of luck! I think the whole program they have is a good one. I lost 45 lbs last year on the DIS, but unfortanetly I went to Disney World and a cruise and gained alot of that back. I am hoping to train for the Wine and Dine 5k.

Mickeymom, if you are sick of feeling hungry, you really should consider doing South Beach with your hubby. In two days your cravings are zapped and you feel full all the time. Because you can really eat as much as you want just the right things. I have done South Beach 3 times....I wish I could stick with it....if I didn't go on vacation I would be able too . Sugar is not good on South Beach and I can't stay away from dessert on vacation! The first time I did it I lost over 60 lbs. The past 5 years I have fluctuated up and down 80 lbs. Not good. I would love to lose 60 lbs right now...

but my first goal is to get a house. The three of us still live in a one bedroom apartment and my son sleeps out in the living room. I can't wait til the day I can give him his own room, but at the same time I am going to miss this apartment. I have lived in the same apartment for what is going on 8 years! Thanks to the No Buy it is helping me get closer to my dream of home/condo/townhouse ownership!

 

[A.Mickey]

Running Total: Spent $519.56
$0 Days:5/10

Groceries ($340-$11/day)- $127.74
Eating Out ($100-$3.4/day)-$42.15
Misc. (Shopping/Entertainment) ($930-$30/day) $349.67
Gas for Tracking- 1/5 $20, 1/5 $50, 1/8 $35
BIG PURCHASES: Annual DVC Dues: $494.09

WEEK 1 BEGIN:
1- $3.98 (Artscow.com-Misc.), $2 (Dollar Tree-Papers), $38.99 (Ultra Foods-Groceries-most I have spent on one grocery trip in a long long time, but got lots of stuff we eat at stock up prices!), $9.56 (Target-Clearance stuff for next years stocking and son's bday present), $30 (Walmart-balance after giftcard for 2 TB hd), $10.42 (Ikea- Eating Out kids eat free and only bought one pop-it's a start for this family)
2- $0
3- $0
4- $9.80 (McDonald's-Eating Out), $20 (Joe Caputo-Groceries), $9.55 (Dominick's-Groceries), $180 (Midas-Getting Car Fixed)
5- $1.63 (Walgreens-Groceries), $16.45 (CVS-Groceries-but got $17 back in ECB's), $20-Gas
6- $0
7- $2.05 (Walgreens-Groceries), $8.46 (Jewel-Groceries), $2.17 (McDonald's-Eating Out)
8- $0
WEEK 2 BEGIN:
9- $2 (Dollar Tree-Newspapers), $8.48 (Taco Bell-Eating Out), $20 (Target-Shopping)
10- $0
11- $6.30 (Wendy's-Eating Out), $10.13 (Foot Doctor-Misc.), $7.33 (Walgreens-Groceries), $6.18 (Dominick's-Groceries), $12 (Target-Cat Food, Groceries), $92 (Great America Season Pass-Misc.)
12- $4.92 (CVS-Groceries), $4.98 (McDonald's-Eating Out)
13- Target hoping toys go to 75% and get my free boxes of Kashi
14- No Buy?
15- GameWorks (using restaurant.com coupon), Dave and Busters (free game play)
WEEK 3 BEGIN:
16-
17-
18- McDonald's
19- Preschool Education Night
20-
21-
22-


Budget: $1350....38%
Month: 12/31: 39%
No Buy: 5/10: 50%

My savings from coupons and sales: $547.16

 

[ChisJo]

Ok...I've been lagging on this...

January goal:

No buy days: 10

January 1: $34.50 (Pizza for a family gathering)
January 2: $0 (and we went to the movies and had popcorn too..cost us nothing!)
January 3: $0
January 4: $8.25 (Restaurant.com for our upcoming trip)
January 5: $29 (Groupon)
January 6: $4.61 (Restaurant.com), $6.26 (The Source)
January 7: $3.08 (Restaurant.com)
January 8: $49.33 (Home Depot)
January 9: $7.94 (MacDonalds breakfast meeting), $64.45 (Wal-Mart groceries), $$17.49 (groceries)
January 10: $0
January 11: $0
January 12: $0

Entertainment budget: $100
Grocery budget for the month $500
Coupon savings: $13.47 (+ sales, but don't know this total)

Goals for the year: Honestly, to just be more self aware of what I'm spending. Last year it was just being diligent with monitoring what I was spending, and I have since become a little bit of a spreadsheet freak! I also want to get a lower debt load...pay off my student loans and a personal loan that I want to pay by the end of May....wish me luck!

I also don't want to spend money on fast food or on to-go coffees anymore. Been doing pretty good with that (minus the MacDonalds on Jan 9). I brown bag my lunches (and I work 12 hour shifts!), and we are huge supporters of the library! I take public transport to work (we have discounted transit passes through my work) and this literally saves me lots of money on gas and parking each month.

 

[Beezle2]

1/1 $0
1/2 $0
1/3 $0

1/4 $43 from grocery budget $107 left. 2 gals milk, eggs, strawberries, blackberries,pears,apples,cherries,mushrooms,avacados,coleslaw,tomatoes,
soup,diet coke,pancake mix. Almost perfect, lol (coupon/sale savings $37.52) adding this idea from another poster because I like it!

1/5 $10.50 to see True Grit with DH and $3 for a box of screws to make a play table for DD's Playmobil

1/6 $0
1/7 $0
1/8 $0
1/9 $0
1/10 $0
1/11 $2.50 for gum and diet coke. Stopped at Aldis and spent $32 from the grocery budget so $75 left there.
1/12 $0

 

[nunzia]

Jan. 1: $33.00 Walmart (groceries and 75% off Christmas)
Jan. 2: $80.00 (2 shelving units from Lowes. 1 was a facebook deal..79 down to 43)
Jan. 3: $0
Jan. 4: $0
Jan. 5: $0
Jan. 6: $22.69(groceries..stuck to the list!) $18.62 (dinner out with friends) $9.60 (Christmas pictures printed)
Jan. 7: $0
Jan. 8: 18.65 WalMart, groceries, $1.07 McDonalds sausage bisccuit, $19.75, Dh and I went to see Tron, plus got a medium popcorn.
Jan. 9 : $0 (used a $20 Staples Reward card for packing tape, travel tissue and bandaids..I've had a dilemma on if I should count what DH spends..he doesn't spend much..but still. For the sake of this experiment I will only count what I spend since I do the majority of the shopping and all the budgeting..I don't like having to tell him he can't pick up his prescription until a Buy day But I also vow I won't cheat by having him spend money so I don't have to count it )
Jan. 10: $0
Jan. 11: $0
Jan. 12: ack...13.00 lumber for DH project, 10.00 DH gas (so now I'm tracking DH?? dunno) 25.60 Walmart (groceries and upcoming trip stuff) 14.45 (Lowes Pay and Save..small local grocery since we only have that and Walmart and since I'm trying to make a new recipe each week and needed capers which, naturally WalMart does NOT have and then also got mini wines for trip and chicken breasts on sale)
Jan. 13
Jan. 14
Jan. 15
Jan. 16
Jan. 17
Jan. 18
Jan. 19
Jan. 20
Jan. 21
Jan. 22
Jan. 23
Jan. 24
Jan. 25
Jan. 26
Jan. 27
Jan. 28
Jan. 29
Jan. 30
Jan. 31

 

[MapleGirl]

Running Total: $598.03
Cash spent: $15.25
No Buy Days: 6/10


1/1 $105.58 (Gas: $42.53 and Fabric Store: $63.05)
1/2 $79.07 (Groceries: $72.90 and Dunkin' Donuts: $6.17)

1/3 $0
1/4 $0 ($1 cash - lotto ticket)
1/5 $18.85 ($18.85 Whole Foods. Cash: $2 cup of tea)
1/6 $38.69 ($9.50 book from amazon.com and $29.19 at Kmart. Cash: $10 lunch at work)
1/7 $0 ($23 Target giftcard and $9 Starbuck's giftcard)
1/8 $211.88 ($12.03 tea and rock salt at OSJL, $25.10 Costco groceries, $31.84 Petco cat litter, $80.30 Sudbury Farms, $62.61 dinner with friends)
1/9 $143.96 ($11.95 amazon.com ink for printer, $40 gas for car, $92.01 plants at Home Depot $19 breakfast at Starbucks with giftcard)

1/10 $0 ($2.25 cash - cup of coffee)
1/11 $0
1/12 $0
1/13 No Buy Day (going for 4 in a row! )
1/14
1/15

1/16
1/17
1/18
1/19
1/20
1/21
1/22
1/23

1/24
1/25
1/26
1/27
1/28
1/29
1/30
1/31

 

[thebigkahuna]

January goal is no 10 $pend days

01-01-11 Spent money what the heck? LOL
01-02-11 no $pend day #1. Yes, its early, but I'm not feeling well and won't be going anywhere or doing anything this evening.
01-03-11 no $pend day #2.
01-04-11 I spent money today ~ it was a VERY long, but VERY productive day, and when all was said and done I declined to cook LOL
01-05-11 today was a spend also, lunch out and will have to do some non-budgeted shopping later.
01-06-11 didn't get to the "non-budgeted" shopping yesterday, so that means I have to do it today, and that means today is another spend day
01-07-11 no $pend day # 3!
01-08-11 money spent on medicine
01-09-11 spent money today
01-10-11 no $pend day # 4!
01-11-11 no $pend day # 5!
01-12-11 spent $ today
01-13-11 will spend $ today on gas.
01-14-11 ~ bill paying day ~ aiming for 2 things: A.) staying in the budget for groceries & gas and B.) no un-needed spending.
01-15-11
01-16-11
5!! of 10 days

 

[charming23]

Spent today paying all the preset bills except one but it is not due until the 30th and comes out of a different check. I am also going through our huge stack of cooking magazines and ripping out what recipes that we use to put them together in some way, not sure how yet.

Anyways today is a no spend.

Groceries/household- $300/ $89.32 left
Car/gas- $50
Eating out- $50/ $17.26 left
Entertainment/Misc- $100/ $73.64 left

Total- $500/ $230.12 left

Goal of 15 No Buy days

Week One
1/1- $14.23 Groceries
1/2- $0
1/3- $0
1/4- $0
1/5- $88.96 Groceries/household and $17.63 dinner at Loco Leprechaun
1/6- $0
1/7- $0

Week Two
1/8- $0
1/9- $12.78 groceries
1/10- $0
1/11- $0
1/12- $15.11 Denny's breakfast, $54.11 Marc's, $40.50 Giant Eagle, and $26.36 Walgreens
1/13- $0
1/14

9/15 No Buy Days

Store and coupon savings- $38.15

 

[lillygator]

Goals:
10 $0 Days
$100/week on groceries
$200/gas
$100 for extras

January 2011
1/1 $0
1/2 $97.37 groceries
1/3 $0
1/4 $0
1/5 $67.81 in gas but hope to last a while
1/6 $0
1/7 $0
1/8 $97.58 groceries and $58.47 for misc
1/9 $0
1/10 $75 - $66 on dd's gymnastics class, $9 on monthly rx (these are not counted in $100 for extras)
1/11 $0
1/12 $40 gas
1/13 $0

8/10
$195.95/$400 - $204.05
$107.81/$200 - 92.19
$58.47/$100 - $41.53


calling today already - DD has gymnastics tonight and Samantha and I will be in Zumba....then head home to leftovers!!!!!

 

[mickeyschickie]

I've been doing great doing no buys on Mon/Wed/Fri...I haven't kept track of much, but I must be saving something by packing lunches and drinks on those days and not being tempted to order an impulse item off of QVC or running into a store on a whim...so far I've had 7 no buy days out of 13 days this month!

 

[AnninIowa]

As I posted earlier, I am not marking days I don't buy - I am just trying not to buy things unless I absolutely need them. Limiting shopping trips and stores I visit does help! I did buy bananas and cottage cheese on Tuesday. Then today I went to CVS and bought Pepsi and haircolor...and got $13 back to spend next trip!

Okay, a few non-essentials HAVE snuck in! Dinner out Tuesday night (although we were good - only drank water, no dessert, and my dad ordered one of the discounted specials). With tip (we are generous tippers), total was $23.

Then...I bought 4 Kindle books! I LOVE my Kindle - I read every single night for hours at a time. Sooooo.....for me, books are an essential, lol!!

 

[TheDisneyWorldFan]

Okay I guess I should post what I spent yesterday and today


January 12th, 2011:
Miscellaneous: $1.50 for notebook to keep track of what I spend for this
$1.25 for a intense chocolate milk in the morning at school
$0.75 for a snack at lunch
Total: $3.50

Lunch: $2.00 for lunch

Total spent in the day: $5.50


January 13th, 2011:
Miscellaneous:
$0.35 for a morning snack
$0.75 for a slushie at school

Total spent in the day: $1.10



This is an edit to my original post: I want to atleast have 15 no spend days what-so-ever.

Everything was in budget though so that's good.

 

[Tiggerish]

The January budget is $1200 with 12 no spend days.

Auto $70
Eating Out/Entertainment $50 / $32 left
Giving $10
Groceries/Household Goods $200/ $179 left
Medical $100 /$25 over
Misc. $50/ $10 left
Set bills $420/ $121 left
Semi-Annual Neurology eval in Chicago budget is $300

No spend days goal of 12/6
Coupon savings $21.90
Christmas '11 running total = $8
-------------------------------------------------------
1/1 $0
1/2 Set bills $25 (church)
1/3 Groceries $13; Misc. $29 (birthday present for niece)
1/4 Medical $104 (dentist)
1/5 $0
1/6 $0
1/7 $0
1/8 Eating out $18; Medical $21 (OTC drugs)
1/9 Set bills $20 (church); Misc. $10 (Mom's birthday gift) Christmas $8
1/10 $0
1/11 Set bills $186
1/12 $0
1/12 Set bills $68; Groceries $8

 

[Virgderon]

Almost the half way point and it seems that eveyone is doing very well.

Running Total: Spent $428
$950 budget...$522 left
$0 Days: 5
Goal is 8 or more!
coupon/sale savings : 94

Groceries budget- $250 -11-36= 206 left

January 1st: 25 (12 parking at hockey game, 5 pop at game, 8 Walgreens)
January 2nd: 11 ( groceries at Flea market)
January 3rd: 65 ( Walgreens, cleaning supplies, vitamins, etc.)
January 4th: 61 ( 16 bowling, 5 food at bowling, 20 gas , 20 to DD for an item that she picked up for me using her Disney discount)
January 5th: 0
January 6th: 0
January 7th: 0
January 8 & 9: 196 (35 groceries, 25 gas, 136 Disney fun)
January 10 : 0
January 11: 54 ( 21 Steak & Shake, 20 shirt, 13 Walgreens misc)
January 12: 16 ( gas)
January 13: 0

 

[IMALOVNDISNEY]

Auto $180/$240
Groceries/Household Goods $124/$250
(only because I need to buy my bulk meats this month)
Eating Out/Entertainment $43/$50
Misc. $95/$100

No spend days goal of 2/10 only 2 more to go!!!

Coupon savings $69.00
(I like this one, borrowed from a previous poster)

1/01 $9.00 at Target on Soups on sale
1/02 -0- no plans on going out today.
1/03 -0- brought my breakfast and lunch to work.
1/04 $67 $20 for gas, $42. for groceries, and $5 for MegaMillions...It's up to $330million. I'm planning on winning.
1/05 -0-
1/06 -0-
1/07 -0- Today is going to be a spend day. Stocking up on sale items.Didn't go shopping today.But we did go out to dinner with a gift card from Christmas.
1/08 $40 Gas, $70 groceries (Target and ShopRite) this is a lot for me to spend at 1 time, but, we stocked up on a lot of sale items. Plus, bought a few things not on the list. Note to self again. Leave DH at home when shopping. He always costs me extra.
1/09 -0- Had dinner out. Should have been $60 but had a gift card and bought shelves at Home Depot should have been $40 but had another gift card.
1/10 I was really bad today. Have had a migraine since Friday night. So, today I had no energy to pack anything. I slipped off the wagon. I bought both breakfast and lunch out. Total of $7.00. Bad me Tomorrow will be a better day!!
1/11 $5.00 Milk (2 gal.)
1/12 -0- Major Snow day
01/13 -0-

 

[braysmommy]

I have been watching this thread and it has been so helpful. I have been keeping track this month so I thought I would start posting them once a week here is January so far:
1/1 - $0
1/2 $59.25 grocery, 4.75 school supplies
1/3 40.73 gas (drive 45 miles round trip to work)
1/4 $0
1/5 $0
1/6 25.55 grocery
1/7 $0
1/8 $0
1/9 54.43 grocery 8.49 hay for guinea pig
1/10 28.40 gift, 42.00 gas
1/11 $0
1/12 $0
1/13 74.00 Shutterly (last day of sale), 8.21 grocery

Doing well so far....thanks for the support!!!

 

[ronnmel]

Not doing so well these past few days. We had something to do wedding related (which was expensive, but it's from a special budget so not counting), so while we were out we ran a few errands. At least I used a gift card, but then it was getting late so we decided to eat out... again. Used a 5$ off there too, but meal was much more.
Then today I gave in and bought yet another game for our new video game systems.

No Buy Days : 7/15
Gas : 31$ (max 100$)
Groceries : 27$ (max 250$)
Eating out (and snacks) : 65$ (max 100$)
Non-necessities : 73$ (max 200$)


01/01 : 0$
02/01 : 0$
03/01 : 0$
04/01 : 9$ (breakfast + lunch)
05/01 : 0$
06/01 : 0$
07/01 : 48$ (gas + dinner)
08/01 : 35$ (groceries + rent game)
09/01 : 10$ (dinner)
10/01 : 0$
11/01 : 0$
12/01 : 39$ (movie + dinner)
13/01 : 55$ (game)

 

[msmama]

I'm aiming for 15 No Buy Days, but hoping for 20!

1/1 - $0
1/2 - $89.30 (for 2 weeks worth of groceries - this meal planning stuff really works!)
1/3 - $0
1/4 - 37.00 (Darn kid and the stuff he likes. I HAD to get tickets to take him to a Dinosaur Train exhibit.)
1/5 - $0
1/6 - 49.29 (saved due to Amazon Mom and Subscribe and Save, and (fingers crossed) this could be the last pack of diapers I ever buy)
1/7 - 111.41 + 10.95 (groceries and McDonalds for lunch)
1/8 - -- Alright, this may be cheating, but I'm not counting today. Money was spent, but it came from a special fund that I've been saving up for (Ikea) so it isn't money that came out of my regular budget. But I won't count it as No Buy.
1/9 - $0
1/10 - 110.59 (Big Costco shop. Feeling discouraged. I'm only $40 away from my grocery budget for the month and I know there's a handful of things I still need. Crap).
1/11 - 27 + 505 (Amazon to get the CORRECT size diapers since I bought the wrong size on 1/6 - will get a refund though whenever the snow lets up to get the UPS man here. Also had to write a check for the kids preschool tuition for NEXT YEAR already - big budget buster there).
1/12 - $0 Thank you snow!
1/13 - 33 + 5 on GC (Was doing well until the darn gas light came on! I would've waited 'til tomorow but with a couple feet of snow and a temp of 7 degrees overnight I decided it best to ruin my No Buy day).
1/14 -
1/15 -

so far - 5/15