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

[julirina]

This thread helps keep me sane. What I spend on extras is the one thing I can control, and you all help me do it.

I agree 100%! I'm new to posting here but I've read these no-buy threads for a long time and I can see how being accountable and diligent about recording everything can really make a difference. And having control of something is very empowering! Good luck with the 2nd interview, Virgderon, and keep us posted on the transition.

 

[julirina]

So my January goal is 15 no-spend days and 15 no-drive days.

No-Buy - 3/6 days
1/1 - $29.26 ($28.20 Walmart - stupid recessed lightbulbs! $3/each!; $1.06 McDonalds (the Bump needed a parfait)
1/2 - $0
1/3 - $0
1/4 - $0
1/5 - $98.63 ($89.42 groceries, $9.21 McDonalds - lunch for kids after Mommy's dentist appt)
1/6 - $2.10 (refill 6 gallons of water)

No-Drive
3/6

I thought today would be a no-drive/no-buy day but then my sister shared a recipe that I really, really want to try. It will require a trip to town for a few ingredients. I'm waiting to see if I can talk myself out of it as the day goes on and just plan it for another night...

 

[Tiggerish]

I am also calling it early today. I am another one with an older car, my is 11 years old with 240,000 miles on it. It is rusty in a few spots and most of the plasticy parts are dingy or broken. But I own it free and clear an it gets 30 miles to the gallon. So I am driving it until it will not drive any more.

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

Auto $70
Eating Out/Entertainment $50
Giving $10
Groceries/Household Goods $200/ $187 left
Medical $100 / $4 over
Misc. $50/ $21 left
Set bills $420/ $395 left
Semi-Annual Neurology eval in Chicago budget is $300

No spend days goal of 12/ 4

Coupon savings $10
-------------------------------------------------------
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

 

[QVCshopper]

Our Civic is a 1998, we bought it just after getting married. We expect to need a new car soon, but it's hanging in there for now (knock on wood).

I went to Target. darn their 90% Xmas and 75% toys...

 

[mjmartin01]

My goal for January is to have 15 no spend days

1/1 spent $0
1/2 spent $0
1/3 spent $18
1/4 spent $130 on groceries
1/5 spent $0
1/6 spent $0
1/7 spent $5.20 at Starbucks & $3.00 at Taco Bell for lunch
1/8
1/9
1/10
1/11
1/12
1/13
1/14
1/15

 

[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


5/10 - maybe I should change it?
$97.37/$400 - $302.63
$67.81/$200 - 132.19


I just realized I've been looking at my 2010 calendar - so I was ahead of myself date wise!! geez!! But I truly haven't bought anything but groceries and gas, yeah me! I am leaving today as $0, because I am leaving work picking up dd - wait on other dd's practice and we'll all have leftover black bean soup over rice.

In between this thread and the no eating out thread, I tell ya I am feeling so empowered and really am getting a feel for how much we have wasted....I added up 1/1/10-12/31/10 every dime we spent on eating out and groceries. I was SHOCKED. I previously had just added up December's eating out, but thought, no, I have to know. It was bad..really bad. But I am going to carry that adding machine tape with me for when my will power is wavering.

Tomorrow will be a spend day, I am grocery shopping (had planned on doing that Sunday's but Sat works out better for me) and I am getting a good crockpot and some casserole dishes with covers. I think this will be a good investment for the eating at home goal!!

keep it up everyone, it's a week tomorrow!!

 

[Beezle2]

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
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

first day of my weekend challenge down!

 

[mom2cinderella]

Yeesh. I'm gonna have to work harder next week to get back on track........

***************************************
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
Jan 9
Jan 10
Jan 11
Jan 12
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

 

[Virgderon]

Today was supposed to be a spend day , I was going to buy dinner for DD and her friend. They are getting here late, so I will have some spaghetti and get another no buy day.

Running Total: Spent $162
$900 budget...$738 left
$0 Days: 3
Goal is 8 or more!
coupon/sale savings : 60

Groceries budget- $250 -11= 241 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

 

[#1hoosierfan]

1/1 - $6.00 -Group On
1/2 - $141.75 Meijer Coupon Savings - $4.75
1/3 - $0
1/4 - $15 special order needle felt book character
$8.50 toothbrushes and toothpaste - donation to retirement home
1/5 - $0
1/6 - $5.30 for Chinese take/out
1/7 - $109 - $75 for cleaning lady, $27 for dinner and $7 pre-pay for a
luncheon next week.

No Spend:
2/10

I made a "lighter version" of a chickan divan tonight for dinner. It was pretty labor intensive to make, and when I tasted the roux that I made, it did not taste very good.... Then while it was baking, my 3 year old says, "I smell something, and it is horrible." This coming from a child that will eat almost anything. Sure enough when I pulled it out of the oven it was terrible. In all of my years cooking I have NEVER made anything that all of us simply DID NOT like. It was 6:00, the boys were hungry, I was aggravated, so we piled in the car and went to Frischs.

Tomorrow will be a spend day. Maybe Sunday? This is harder than it seems, but I love that it is making me more accountable.

I am enjoying getting to "know" everyone.

 

[msmama]

I was at the grocery store on Sunday and supposedly bought 2 weeks worth of groceries - so how did I manage to spend another $100 today?!?!?

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)


so far - 3/15[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]

 

[AnninIowa]

Had a haircut today, but that was budgeted for. However, afterwards I went to Dollar Tree and spent $12 on greeting cards, foil, brownie mix, and candy. Only two of the greeting cards were "needs"

Oh well, can't be perfect every day, right?!

 

[MapleGirl]

Today was a great No Buy day. We didn't spend any money but still had a nice time shopping at Target and even got some nice warm drinks at Starbuck's by using some giftcards we got for Christmas. I'm super psyched because I found a great birthday present for a friend while we were there. That's one less thing I have to buy tomorrow on my 'Buy' day.

Running Total: $242.19
Cash spent: $13
No Buy Days: 3/10


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
1/9

1/10
1/11
1/12
1/13
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

 

[wlake]

I'm going to really challege myself to spend $0 this weekend. We finally got some good snow so I think I'll take the kids sledding,then maybe swimming at the Y, have a movie night, play our new Wii games, do some scrapbooking, and read. That really sounds like a great weekend

That does sound like a great weekend!

1/1: groceries (but I forgot how much and don't want to get off the couch!)
1/2: $42 gas, $20 pharmacy, $28 JCPenney, ? Home Depot (again, don't want to get off the couch!). I also returned to Lands' End and Kohl's today, enough to cover what we spent! Edited to add: $65 on registration for open swim time. Hopefully we'll get there more often this session than last and I can get some exercise!
1/3: (although I feel a bit guilty about it -- the only reason it's a $0 is because I forgot to take the checkbook to pay for after school care.)
1/4: after school care $31.50, take out for dinner ?
1/5:
1/6:
1/7: $35 after school, $35 dinner, ? book orders for the boys (I haven't done them yet tonight)

no buy days: 3/10
meals out: 2/5
longest streak: 3!

 

[growinupdisney]

Jan-1 $20
Jan-2 $0
Jan-3 $50(dd tumbling class)
Jan-4 $0
Jan-5 $26.36(groceries for kids lunches)
Jan-6 $5.75 (vac and washed car)
Jan-7 $1.06 (thanks to $20.00 staple rewards, school supplies)
Jan-8

 

[lattemomof3]

Calling today early again. It snowed a ton here last night and the weather got colder so I am staying in and job hunting on the internet. My mom will run out to drop off the mortgage check but since I do not track bils here it is a $0 day.

Groceries/household- $300/ $196.61 left
Car/gas- $50
Eating out- $50/ $32.37 left
Entertainment/Misc- $100

Total- $500/ $378.98 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
1/9
1/10
1/11
1/12
1/13
1/14

5/15 No Buy Days

Store and coupon savings- $10.00

Charming, I just had to tell you I read your blog, it's great! I loved the story about your friend Mallory and the American Girl doll - so cute. My dad passed away in April of 2009, he was a wonderful father, last year we did'nt do much to celebrate Christmas either, this year was better, but there is just always a "hole" there, you know? Like you, I'm very close to my mom too. Best of luck in your job search!

 

[3goofyboys]

My goal for January is 15 no buy days.
Christmas is done, my DS's birthday is done. We have a few birthday parties to go to, but other than that, we don't have any big expenses coming up in January. I'm ready to get back on track after all the crazy holiday spending

January 1 $0 We're in for the day, so I'm calling it early. Hoping the $0 for today is a sign of good things in 2011!

January 2 Plans changed and I ended up going out for dinner tonight instead of tomorrow. So $50 for dinner and I went ahead and filled up with gas today $50 gas.

January 3 $0 Took the boys to the library and McDonalds, but we were given coupons this summer that allow one free Happy Meal per kiddo once a month, so we used those .

January 4 $25 got my hair cut- I haven't had it cut in over a year. I was ready for a new cut. $100 groceries. $28 DH and I went out to dinner for our date night.

January 5 $0

January 6 $80 presents for upcoming birthday parties/misc. at Target (but ONLY what I went in for, no impulse purchases), $40 gas, $15 to refill my freezer with bread, $10 local bounce place

January 7 $0


4/15 No Buy Days

 

[charming23]

Charming, I just had to tell you I read your blog, it's great! I loved the story about your friend Mallory and the American Girl doll - so cute. My dad passed away in April of 2009, he was a wonderful father, last year we did'nt do much to celebrate Christmas either, this year was better, but there is just always a "hole" there, you know? Like you, I'm very close to my mom too. Best of luck in your job search!

Thanks for reading. It is good to know that others feel the same way when it comes to losing a loved one. This Christmas went so much better but I felt him missing.

 

[A.Mickey]

Running Total: Spent $345.24
$0 Days:3/10

Groceries ($100-$3.22/day)- $97.31
Eating Out ($200-$6.45/day)-$22.39
Misc. (Shopping/Entertainment) ($500-$16/day) $225.54
Gas for Tracking- $20

WEEK 1:
Eating Out- $29.21 left

WEEK 2:
Eating Out- $45.15
Misc.- $14.46

WEEK 3:
Eating Out- $45.15
Misc- $112

WEEK 4:
Groceries- $2.69
Eating Out- $58.05
Misc- $144


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-Still have to run before Sunday to get a few free things they were out of), $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- GameWorks (using restaurant.com coupon), Dave and Busters (free game play), Target (just looking at the toy clearance)
WEEK 2 BEGIN:
9-
10- CVS
11- McDonald's
12-
13-
14-
15-


Budget: $800....43%
Month: 7/31: 23%
No Buy: 3/10: 30%

My savings from coupons and sales: $409.90

 

[annsteere]

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.

Mom2Cinderella, I love how you tell the truth:"I caved, my throat hurt, I thought it was a need but I see it was a want."

That's a big part of this project for me: learning to be blunt honest about what is a need and what is a want.