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

A lesson in planning ahead: I blew a no buy day today (and thus a new record of 4 in a row) because I ran out of something as basic as flour. The boys had a snow day so after school wasn't open for me to pay them, so that was taken off today's list! Well, now I have my flour for tomorrow's breakfast, at least. I'll probably order some winter gear for next year for the boys too.

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: :cool1: (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: :cool1:
1/6: :cool1:
1/7: $35 after school, $35 dinner, $12 book orders for the boys
1/8: $8 Lowes, $28 gas, $12 things for school
1/9: $60 groceries, $26.50 x2 for school lunches
1/10: :cool1:
1/11: :cool1:
1/12: :cool1:
1/13: $3 groceries

no buy days: 6/10
meals out: 2/5
longest streak: 3!
 
1/1: $0!
1/2: $0!
1/3: $11.10 Popeyes
1/4: $6.25 Subway
1/5: $23.16 Gas
1/6: $14.19: lunch, Rouses
1/7: $4 lunch
1/8: $102.60: CVS, lunch, Rouses, Winn-Dixie
1/9: $0!
1/10: $0!
1/11: $2.07 Rouses
1/12: $0!
1/13: $31.94: Rite Aid, Burger King, Winn-Dixie

$0 Buy Days: 5
Total Spent: $195.31/$395=49%
Month Over: 13/31=42%

$395 breakdowns:
grocery: 200.00-85.72=114.28 left
eating out: 50.00-38.85=11.15 left
misc: 70.00-43.83=26.17 left
gas: 75.00-23.16=51.84 left

Winn-Dixie has a special here this week: Buy a 12=15 pack of paper towels ($14) and get dish soap, glass cleaner, Fantastik, and a box of kitchen trash bags for free. I had to go take advantage! And that is also the reason why my Winn-Dixie trip today was classified as miscellaneous and not grocery.

I am hoping to go buy dog food tomorrow and maybe gas, so tomorrow probably won't be a $0 day either.
 
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.
1/8 - Target - $40 and Kroger $104
1/9 - $0
1/10 - $5.90 fine at the library edit to add: $3.51 on Blizzard from DQ
1/11 - $0
1/12 - hair/eyebrows $47 ; Walgreens - $12.54 received $7 in RR
1/13 - $0

No Spend:
5/10
 
Well, I am back in with a new plan. My goal 365 days ago today was to do this for a year. Never thought I'd make it, sure as heck didn't think I'd write down every penny I spent for a year, but I did and while I thought this would only be a one year thing to teach myself, it not only did that but I also like so many people here so much that I don't want to leave.

OK, I gave it some thought. Not to say DH wasn't supportive of this last year, cause he is the most supportive man you could ask for, but something that really bothered him last year was when we'd go without something like milk cause I was trying to strech a no buy day to the next day or something, or let my tank get low cause I didn't want to blow a day on gas. To him groceries and gas are necessities and he said he'd like to see me alter it this year not not include those things. However, I want to continue to record them to keep track cause I think seeing it helped me, so I will continue to record everything but no buy days will now be no extra buy days. We'll see how this works. Also, I recorded every penny spent last year, so I have totaled up each month and my goal for this year is to come under that. Anything I have left over at the end of the month I will put into our savings account.

January 1-$0 :woohoo: Actually, not totally :woohoo: but good for the budget, we were going to go out today while DH worked, but the kids were having fun playing at home so that was good, but we were going to go to Cosmic Bowling tonight when he got off work but he's stuck there, it will be an all nighter, so we decided to hang out here and go with him another time. It isn't as much fun doing those things without him. So, a little bummed we are in but we are going to back some cookies here in a bit and they are having fun playing with their new games. Right now they are building forts for the kittens. :)
January 2-$0 :woohoo: Today was a wonderful day AT HOME! My DH finally didn't have to go into work. He worked till 4am so we slept in. Then we got up and snuggled on the couch and watched football. This afternoon we sampled our candies that we brought back from each country in EPCOT, we took photos for our scrapbook and the kids recorded what they thought of each one and ranked their favorites and least favorites. That was fun. Then tonight I made a nice roast for dinner. Now DH is working (but from home!) I am Dising and the kids are playing Truth or Lies on the Wii. It is a nice way to end vacation, wish it wasn't already over, but looking forward to getting the house back in order.
January 3-$0 :woohoo: I do need to get a few groceries, but they wouldn't count anyway, but I worked really hard today and never got out for them and now I am tired. I will have to go tomorrow. We are out of milk but have pleanty of eggs so we are good for breakfast and pleanty of bread so we are good for lunches. (One of this years resolutions is to declutter a bit (not too much, I did a huge declutter a few years ago and missed my stuff, but halfway would be nice, I worked all day on the kitchen. It isn't done but I made amazing progress!)
Now, I do have to do some shopping, we will see if I do it tonight or tomorrow. DD16 and DD11 need jeans so badly, I didn't realize how bad and I am actually a little embarassed and DD8's b-day is next week and all she wants is for me to replace The Little Mermaid 2, ours broke so I am watching a couple on eBay. Guess it doesn't matter if I do it tonight or tomorrow, but as of now it is a $ day. ETA- I am totally craving a date with my hubby, maybe I can buy jeans, a movie and meet him for lunch tomorrow...hhhmmm... ;)
January 4-$0 :woohoo: I did buy a copy of The Little Mermaid 2 off eBay for DD's b-day, it was $18 but I returned the Perfect Brownie Pan and a game I had bought for DD's b-day. The game I thought was on clearance but was not and the pan, she wanted it but then after I bought it, it looked like a headache to clean and we rarely make brownies so I got back $32.23 so I am calling it a wash. I traded for what she really wanted and saved $15. I also bought groceries but with my DH's system I won't count it, though I am going to record it. ($66.12 groceries) I also paid for dance which I never counted against a no spend day, we consider it a bill but I record it since it is the ony bill I pay-$86
January 5- Target (sympathy card, socks for DD8's b-day, she needed them and anframe on clearance of Kitty's first Christmas) $14.82 Dinner for the kids at Family Night $4.50 (I got a burger, fries, 2 cookies, a rootbeer float and a slush that they shared all of it.) Then we came home and had the dinner I had made, meatloaf, garlic cream cheese mashed potatoes and broccoli.) So under $20, not too bad. Dollar Tree (b-day invites) $4.32 (forgot these)
January 6-$0 :woohoo: The weekend it won't be so easy. I NEED a date with my hubby!
January 7- Dinner date with hubby. I was craving a good burger, he said Red Robin, but being budget minded we went to 5 Guys. It was still good and we sat and talked while munching on peanuts. It was nice. After we got dinner for the kids to bring home. Total $21.
January 8-$0 :woohoo: I took the kids out to Lowes for the free project, then Home Depot for their projext, then we went home for lunch and I took DD11 to her b-ball game. After I came home and cleaned/reorganized all day. It would have been easy to say yes when they asked for pizza, but I made dinner and saved the ppizza night for a day I (and dad who wasn't home) would also enjoy it.
January 9- 4 pairs of jeans for the kids 29.16, groceries-Wegman's $70.35, groceries-Sam's $129, Restaurant.com certificate $3, Movie for DD11's b-day in May (cause it was a deal) $4.50 Groceries are going to be higher I'm afriad. DH has started a new diet and it is going to be a bit more expensive. DH and I went out for a date but used a GC for the whole thing, but we did buy the kids a pizza $5
January 10-$0 :woohoo: Stayed in and cleaned!!!
January 11-$0 :woohoo: Did some cleaning and a good work out this morning, now back to sorting old clothes. I have an embarassing 9 large garbage bags to be sold/donated. :eek: And I am not done! :scared1: Going to finish till I have to take DD8 to sance, but not going anywhere else so not spending anything today.
January 12-$0 :woohoo: Took the kids to Family Night after dance, but convinced them to wait for the dinner I had in the crock pot. We will proably have to eat there next time. I feel guilty when I don't for too many weeks. $62.14 groceries*
January 13-$0 :woohoo: Tomorrow won't be so lucky. It is my baby girl's 9th birthday. :lovestruc


10/15 No Spend Days This Month Looking at making this number higher since I am not counting groceries at least for this month. Not sure what to set it for, this is a trial month I guess.

Total groceries for the month-$66.12+70.35+129+62.14*
Total gas for the month- $0
*Hate to even count this. DH sent me for a bunch of stuff for his diet. It is all for his meals, not the family, but he is the family so I am counting it but he said his fun money, which is his disability money, will be a lot lower cause he won't be going out at all so we will be saving that as well.

My new goal for myself is to come in under the $ amount I spent last January. Here's how I'm doing.
$1278.99 spent last January minus money spent=$941.45


$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Joined No Buy as a New Years Resolution in 2010 and did pretty well-
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
October-13 Days
November-6 Days (only kept track till November 16th cause we were in Disney the rest of the month)
December-10
Longest Streak-4 Days in a Row
Back in 2011 cause I'd miss you all so much!
:hug:
 

Charming, the more I read your blog the more I feel like we have a lot in common. I too LOVE the snow. I think it's just beautiful. And while learning to drive in it was scary, now it doesn't bother me. My DD8 who will be 9 tomorrow was born during a horrible blizzard. The other 2 girls had plans with my DH that night, it was a Girl Scout event at the snowtubing place about a half hour from our house. They were so excited about it. I was a nervous wreck. PPD had hit me hard, I was a blubbering baby holding my new baby, looking out the window at the blizzard and couldn't get a hold of my DH to find out if he and the girls were OK. When they had left the weather was OK butit turned awful fast. They were fine, of course, but I was a mess till he got home. Then he called me and heard was a wreck I was so he came up to the hospital to spend the night with me. After I saw him and relaxed, I spent that whole night watching the snowfall. It was very calming after that.
 
$15.38 at Target today (2 toys on clearance) which puts me over the budget for Household/Miscellaneous and I still need to buy a new skillet and coffee grinder.

No-Buy Days 2/5 so far! :goodvibes
 
Getting caught up....but I have to open the Quicken to figure things out!

Jan. 1: $0
Jan. 2: $0
Jan. 3: $0
Jan. 4: gas $46; groceries $97; postage for registered letter to Cairo $15
Jan. 5: DH hit up the pharmacy for some iron tabs...$7
Jan. 6: $0
Jan. 7: DH hit up the local grocery. Didn't spend much but it was $12
Jan. 8: I did a Costco run for school. DS bought a pair of jeans ($100 :scared1: ), but not my money. ;) I did spend $40 on Flavour-Seal rolls :eek: but it is the first I've bought since I've had the thing. Also some chips and a magazine.....total $50 for me. I wasn't thinking, though. I need to go BACK to Costco tomorrow to pick up my ColdFX. So tomorrow will not be $0 either. :sad2: Oh, and DH put gas in the car. Goodbye $41
Jan. 9: Costco...got vitamins, ColdFX, more vitamins, chips and salsa $110. DH drove DS into the city, and...thoughtfully....bought some soup for my cold. $7
Jan 10: $0
Jan 11: DH does grocery shopping.....While he spent $66, we had a gift card for $50, so we really only spent $16
Jan 12: There's that gas again! $36 And, DH bought the new winter tires that the car needed....another $421 (which includes 1 can of Pringles :rolleyes: . Luckily, my mom gave us money for Christmas that will cover that expense.)
Jan 13: $0

6/10
 
Woo hoo, I love fresh starts, and a new year is a big one! Hello No Buy friends, and welcome to the new ones. Think I will shoot for another 10 no buy days, both dd4 and dh have January birthdays, and we leave for our trip the 1st week of Feb, so I may need to buy a few things for that. Good luck everyone!

Really great to see lots of new no-buyers- welcome everyone! Dh and I went on a movie and dinner (gift card!) date yesterday, I took our budget notebook, so we had our annual budget meeting on the way to town and listed our goals for 2011.

I use the envelope system (actually mine is an small accordian file folder). Using cash for everything (started last Aug) has been a great help (that and writing down everything I spend). I would really like to get our grocery and household goods spending down, I was lumping them together but I think I'll seperate them so I can see where the leaks are. I do meal plan and we eat out once a week, usually, but I think we could be spending less . I buy a lot of fresh veggies, fruit, lean meats, greek yogurt, cheese and almond milk, but I won't compromise on that- I think I'll try to menu plan from the adds more consistently and stock up when the things we use are on sale.

Jan 1 - Movie w/ dh, popcorn

Jan 2 - clearance t-shirts for trip, shelf for ds8's finished Lego masterpieces

Jan 3 - groceries

Jan 4 - $0

Jan 5 - dh's b-day gift from the kids

Jan 6 - Groceries @ Wal Mart, lunch w/ mom & dd4

Jan 7 - movie rental for kids, dh took kids out to dinner

Jan 8 - groc's for teaching Sunday School, Mcd's for kids

Jan 9 - $0

Jan 10 - $0

Jan 11 - groc's, ice cream cones for dd4 and her friend (they're crazy, it is 3 degrees here!), pizza - sigh, I need to do some cooking for the freezer, it helps so much on nights like tonight, parents night at dance for 2 dd's, and a cubscout meeting for ds8. I really wanted to make something quick but got outvoted by my gang- especially dh.
__________________
Jan 12 - $0

Jan 13 - hoodie for dd11, and a few t-shirts for ds8 and dd11. I went through their closets & most of their shirts from last summer are too short, they're for vacation, woo hoo! It's been so cold here, I love snow, but I have to say I'm looking forward to some sun next month!
 
Charming, the more I read your blog the more I feel like we have a lot in common. I too LOVE the snow. I think it's just beautiful. And while learning to drive in it was scary, now it doesn't bother me. My DD8 who will be 9 tomorrow was born during a horrible blizzard. The other 2 girls had plans with my DH that night, it was a Girl Scout event at the snowtubing place about a half hour from our house. They were so excited about it. I was a nervous wreck. PPD had hit me hard, I was a blubbering baby holding my new baby, looking out the window at the blizzard and couldn't get a hold of my DH to find out if he and the girls were OK. When they had left the weather was OK butit turned awful fast. They were fine, of course, but I was a mess till he got home. Then he called me and heard was a wreck I was so he came up to the hospital to spend the night with me. After I saw him and relaxed, I spent that whole night watching the snowfall. It was very calming after that.

I am glad you are enjoying the blog. It is nice to have a place to place all of my rambling thoughts, lol. I too am now okay driving in the snow. It took awhile but it barely fazes me now. I got over it real fast when I had to follow the ambulance to the hospital a few years ago when my mom fell and hit her head and it was snowing like crazy.

Happy 9th Birthday to your daughter.v:woohoo:
 
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 :cool1: 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 :cool1: 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 :banana:.

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 :cool1:

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 :cool1:

January 8 $0 :cool1:

January 9 $0 :cool1:

January 10 $106 groceries, $30 gas, $15 new wiper blades, $12 McDonalds for lunch--this is twice this month, unheard of, but I had a looooooong board meeting this morning and I didn't even have the energy to make PB&J.

January 11 $28 new winter coat for DS #1, $29 eye doctor for DS#1 (this will be reimbursed, but I'll record it anyway).

January 12 $12 prepay for preschool pancake breakfast later this month, $30 gas, $25 dinner with friends, $20 doctor for DS (this will be reimbursed as well), $13 treats after the doctor

January 13 $13 groceries

6/15 No Buy Days
 
Running Total: Spent $632.30
$0 Days:5/10

Groceries ($340-$11/day)- $127.74
Eating Out ($100-$3.4/day)-$67.98
Misc. (Shopping/Entertainment) ($930-$30/day) $436.58
Gas for Tracking- 1/5 $20, 1/5 $50, 1/8 $35, 1/13 $17, = $122
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- $10.56 (CVS-prescription), $14.52- (Target-Clothes), $25.83 (GameWorks-Eating Out), $-10.00 (Dave and Busters (free game play)), $71.83 (Target hoping toys go to 75% and get my free boxes of Kashi
14- Gonna have to go to Target again! I need pants and at one of my Targets lots of clothes were 75% off with an additional 30% off!), Dominick's, Meijer?!?
15-
WEEK 3 BEGIN:
16-
17-
18- McDonald's
19- Preschool Education Night
20-
21-
22-


Budget: $1350....47%
Month: 13/31: 42%

No Buy: 5/10: 50%

My savings from coupons and sales: $855.78
 
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
1/13 $1.49 for a diet pepsi :P
 
Total of non-necessities so far: $19
jeans $16
breakfast at airport McDonalds $3

I wanted to need skinnier black jeans for a March trip. Ran across these at Costco for a very good price and picked them up early. They are inspiring me to eat healthy food rather than chocolate. (I kept the receipt in case the chocolate wins and my current jeans still fit in March).

I'd eaten Cheerios at the crack of dawn and was still semi-hungry. I hate to fly on an empty stomach, but this was mostly "Yummm. I smell the grease."

So three bucks in two weeks for impulse stuff. Pretty darn good. :banana:

This means I've still got $57 in allowance in my underwear drawer waiting up for the big Feb. spend.
 
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: Well, had planned for a no buy day. BUT..75% off stuff at my second job (Hastings) but had a $16.80 GC so only spent $2.00), then. DD asked me to join her and DGD and another DS and DDIL and another DGD..got taht? at our new IHOP for lunch...$7.49..then..I read that KMart had 75% off toys so went out there..no big sale at my KMart, but my Hallmark had 75% off Christmas so got a couple things...$9.45)
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
 
Dining out tip:

In laws had 5 kids, traveled a lot with Army.

Whenever they ate at a restaurant one member of the family was "trash can". They didn't order anything but a beverage, got an empty plate, and got to sample some of each other persons' meal. Saved money and "trash can" soon became the coveted status.
 
January goal is no 10 $pend days

01-01-11 Spent money :confused3 what the heck? LOL
01-02-11 :flower3: no $pend day #1.
01-03-11 :flower3: 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:flower3: no $pend day # 3!
01-08-11 :sick::headache: money spent on medicine
01-09-11 spent money today :(
01-10-11:flower3: no $pend day # 4!
01-11-11 :flower3: no $pend day # 5!
01-12-11 spent $ today
01-13-11 spent $ today on gas.
01-14-11 ~ bill paying day ~ spent $ on breakfast (unnecessary spending :( trying NOT to do this!)
01-15-11
01-16-11
5!! of 10 days :woohoo:
half way to the goal & I am pleased!
 
Goal: Spend no more than $100 per week (not including set bills)

1/1 - $17 grocery/paper products
1/2 - $0!
1/3 - $2 postage, $2 grocery
1/4 - $0!
1/5 - $27 grocery
1/6 - $20 laundry
1/7 - $0!
Week 1 total: $68

1/8 - $84 grocery
1/9 - $22 farmer's market, $10 medical, $7 breakfast out, $10 laundry
1/10 - $22 cat litter
1/11 - $0!
1/12 - $0!
1/13 - $0!
1/14 - $11 grocery
Week 2 total: $166

Monthly total: $234

Hmm... I will wait until the end of the month to say this for sure, but it seems like $100/week is not enough. I will also admit I've been "cheating" and have used money leftover from my holiday savings to buy some extras, so I've technically spent more than what's listed above.

I can't really figure out a good way to budget for groceries, etc. Weekly doesn't seem to be working because there are a lot of things I don't buy every week but when I do need to buy them they push me over the budget for that week. For example the $22 for cat litter - I buy it in 40lb bags that last for several months, so how do you budget for that? I don't have it down well enough to know exactly when I'm going to need to buy that litter again.

I guess I'll see where I end up for the month, and if it's $400 or under then I'll try next month to just budget $400 for the month. If it's over $400 I'll try raising the budget a bit.
 
I'm in! Hopefully I'll visit enough to input my info. I haven't figured out how many no buy days I want to have as my goal. This year I am joining since this will be my "make a difference" year. No more eating out every meal and no more crazy spending at the mall. No more "I just need one thing" Target trips either.

12/26 - 1/2/2011
+Pet store $24.11
+Target $58.18 after Christmas sales/toy & Clothing donation items
+Belk/ Macys $255 for next years gifts at 60% off-75% off
+Starbucks $12? (no receipt)
+Starbucks $8? (No receipt)
+eating out $32.00 on 12/26
+Eating out $28.70 on 12/27 (Last day of eating out!!):thumbsup2
+Gas $31 + $15 + 13
+Grocery about $70 12/28

1/3-
Grocery about $65

1/4 -
Gas - $27
Target $30.82 After Christmas sales/some toy donations for next year.

1/5-1/9 NO spend!

1/10
Grocery $50~
Gas $60~

1/11 No spend

Today 1/12 NO spend

1/13 No spend!

1/14 Gas $32

8 No spend days so far!!! I can't believe it!!
 














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