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

1/1: $0!
1/2: $0!
1/3: $11.10 Popeyes
1/4: $6.75 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
1/14: $0!
1/15: $94.69: Po boy, Winn-Dixie, Target
1/16: $0!
1/17: $0!
1/18: $0!
1/19: $0!
1/20: $21.55 Gas

$0 Buy Days: 10
Total Spent: $311.55/$395=79% :scared1:
Month Over: 20/31=65%

I filled up my car today. I used my Fuel Perks card to get the price down to $2.749/gallon. Still more than recent prices, but the best price I've seen recently was $2.79 and it was across town.

I have $30.29 left in my $75 gas budget for the month, and $53.16 left in my food/miscellaneous budget for the rest of the month. I'm feeling confident about the gas budget, but still not really confident about the $53 left for everything else!

Add me to the list of teachers on board -- I've got grade 4 this year after low enrollment forced me out of K. I can't wait to get back to the little ones, although it probably won't be for another school year or two. We're a small district and I have to wait for a K person to retire or enrollment to spike dramatically.

That is a big jump from K to 4! That's interesting how they assign teachers in your district. I know many places will jumble people regardless of seniority.

Lot of teachers! I am a 1st grade teacher! :teacher:

I did first grade for four years and it would not be my first choice if I went back to homeroom teaching. I think I would want grade 2 or 3. They are still young, but they are more independent.

I realized I didn't say what I taught! :rotfl: I do pull-out ESL for grades K-8.

Hi, everyone! Thanks again for the encouraging words! My B.A. is in drama/English literature (double music minor in piano and voice) - SO practical, LOL! I also have an M.A. in Theater. I'm a playwright.

$30.59 on groceries last night and DH also filled up his gas tank for $31.31. We have $41.58 left to spend on groceries this month and $7.88 on gas IF I make it. As I said, this is a test month as it's my first month trying this, so we'll see if we need to tweak anything. DH gets paid tomorrow and he gets his check every OTHER Friday.

Today looks like it should finally be no-buy day #4! :thumbsup2 I was planning to go to a movie with a friend (which I NEVER get to do) but that is postponed till Tuesday. I've decided to work on organizing my coupons and DD has a music class and a playdate later (busy busy!)

Your B.A. might not be the most practical thing, but it sounds really cool! My degree is practical, but not very exotic. My students, on the other hand, have traveled the world!

I think that for your first month, you are doing very well!

Another 0 day. I'm very pleased! My grocery total is very low. Part of that is because I had a huge meat stockpile, which we are working through, and also DH grabbed a few things out of his walking around money. I don't count what he spends out of that, so my grocery budget is looking quite good. The problem is after months like this, I tend to have to spend a lot the next month. I'm working on a happy medium.

I also compared what I wrote here to what happened in my checking account, and realized that I forget to count $100 . I gave it to DD to give to her friend from Disney that got us a very cheap rate on our hotel. So I added that in to my total spending. Gotta be honest!

Personally, if you know you go in cycles for meat stockpiling, and you know the pattern to the cycle, I'd just make the grocery budget larger every 2nd or 3rd month. Alternatively, you could act like AT&T and let your grocery budget have "rollover dollars" like they do with the unused cell phone minutes.

Did you stay on-site? Was it just 1 night? I can't remember. I am hoping I can go back to WDW for the Princess Half Marathon again in 2013.

Alrighty, I'm doing pretty well so far this month. I jumped off the bandwagon for two days for this week by eating out. But works been really busy and hadn't been motivated enough to go to the grocery store.

Gotta get back on track!! Now that I see how much I just spent in two days on eating out it's scary! That's enough money to buy food at the grocery store for a couple days!:scared1:At least I'm half and half and am tied with spend and no spend so far. Its amazing for me especially since before I was spending every single day!

Progress is good!
 
Yay, we did it...no-buy day #4! I was even able to get Frosty Jr. at Wendy's to treat the kids and myself because I still had some of the free vouchers left from Halloween!

I am feeling more confident about being able to get through to February with the $42 of grocery budget we have left, or pretty close to it. I was looking at what's left on our list today and it's not bad at all! I already know we'll go over budget on gas but that's better than groceries! I only budgeted $150 for gas for the month and I had a feeling that was low. So, YEAH! :cool1:
 
Jan 1: $0
Jan 2: $0
Jan 3: $0
Jan 4: $121 on necessary items for the new baby, all purchased at the Target baby clearance (mattress, bottles, towels, etc) plus some grocery items
Jan 5: $12 on a valance for the baby's room
Jan 6: $0
Jan 7: $12 for a day at the mall with dd (whoo hoo for free play area!)
Jan 8: $70 groceries
Jan 9: $0
Jan 10: $0
Jan 11: $0
Jan 12: $0
Jan 13: $0
Jan 14: $0
Jan 15: $0
Jan 16: $0
Jan 17: $0
Jan 18: $20 on gas (have to drive into the city for work tomorrow, wanted to make sure my tank was full using a cheaper gas station by the house vs paying 20 cents more a gallon once I got up there!)
Jan 19: $10 for the Amazon gift card deal
Jan 20: $16.33 at Motherhood Maternity (had a $100 gift card to use, so I ended up paying the shipping/tax out of pocket)
 
Don't remember if I ever said it on a previous month no-buy thread, but I'm a teacher too. Grade 1 and 4. :goodvibes
 

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

Auto $70
Eating Out/Entertainment $50 / $26 left
Giving $10 /$0 left
Groceries/Household Goods $200/ $150 left
Medical $100 /$25 over
Misc. $50/ $10 left
Set bills $420/ $81 left
Semi-Annual Neurology eval in Chicago budget is $300 / $95 left

No spend days goal of 12/9
Coupon savings $30.90
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
1/13 Set bills $68; Groceries $8
1/14 $0
1/15 Groceries $29; Chicago trip $166 (pre-paid for a train ticket ($51) and pre-paid hotel ($115)
1/16 $0
1/17 $0
1/18-19 Set bills $40 (newspaper and cell); Chicago trip $39 (food & taxis) Giving $10 (bought food for people begging in the train station)
1/20 Eating out $6
 
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

January 14 $0 :cool1:

January 15 $0 :cool1: Calling it early because we went to a birthday party and now we're in for the day.


January 16 $0 :cool1: Calling it early because we're in for the day.

January 17 $40 gas, $15 PJ party at Panera, $40 dog food, ect at Target. Plus I had to write a HUGE check for DS#2's speech therapy, but that comes out of a different account.


January 18 $8 bread outlet, $10 Starbucks date with my DS#2, $10 eye doctor, $205 :scared1::scared1: groceries.

January 19 $0 :cool1: I did do the Living Social Amazon deal, but I'll take that money out of my Christmas account and then stockpile the gift certificates for Christmas, so I'm not counting it.


January 20 $47 We went to the Museum (we're members so that was free) and dinner with some dear friends. They're moving soon, so we're trying to spend as much time as possible with them while they're still here.


10/15 No Buy Days
 
Personally, if you know you go in cycles for meat stockpiling, and you know the pattern to the cycle, I'd just make the grocery budget larger every 2nd or 3rd month. Alternatively, you could act like AT&T and let your grocery budget have "rollover dollars" like they do with the unused cell phone minutes.

Did you stay on-site? Was it just 1 night? I can't remember. I am hoping I can go back to WDW for the Princess Half Marathon again in 2013.

Yeah, I can kind of see a pattern- stockpiling, then using everything and spending much more the next month. I think part of the problem is that I don't want to have a high grocery budget for 2 people- some people here are feeding 4 people on $100 a week, and my budget is $250 a month for 2 people. :)

We stayed at the Hilton on International Drive. We paid $40 a night for 2 nights thanks to a friend of DD's. I can't recommend it- the free breakfast was nice, but the rooms need work and it was wierdly humid in the room considering it was not humid outside.

You are fit enought to run a Marathon? That is awesome. Good for you!
 
Jumping off the bandwagon with a smile on my face today.

DD is unexpectedly going to be in town--on her birthday. That calls for Olive Garden lunch for sure.

Maybe I can take it out of our "gifts" line. I didn't commit to not buying any gifts this month . . .

Non necessities so far:
$3 airport food
$18 jeans
 
Running Total: Spent $864.46 ~336.65 food and groceries the rest could possibly be cut or unexpected like car and good deals on clothes.
$0 Days:6/10

Groceries ($340-$11/day)- $237.33
Eating Out ($155-$5/day)-$95.33
Misc. (Shopping/Entertainment) ($930-$30/day) $531.80
Gas for Tracking- 1/5 $20, 1/5 $50, 1/8 $35, 1/13 $17, 1/14 $7, 1/17 $30 = $159
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- $37.81 (Target-Clothes) $16.34 (Dominick's-Groceries)
15- $34.92 (Meijer- Bought a new winter jacket for $13! and got lots of groceries), $12.24 (Jewel-Groceries), $3.10 (Dollar Tree-Newspapers and Balloon for son)
WEEK 3 BEGIN:
16- $10.35 (McDonald's-Eating Out); $16.85 (Old Navy- Awesome clothes sale 40% off clearance-bought two pairs of pants and two shirts, shelf price was $93.00!!), $5.05 (Target-two pairs of pajama pants for DH)
17- $21.94 (Walgreens-Groceries); $10 (Dominick's- Groceries), $15.30 (Jewel-Groceries), $10.76 (Old Navy-more clothes, 4 shirts and winter hat for son)
18- $11.00 (McDonald's- Eating Out), $11.85 (Walgreens-Groceries)
19- $8.65 (Postage for Mailing out tickets to Les Mis that I sold on Ebay for a $90 profit), $6 (Wendy's-Eating Out-running to preschool night)
20- $0
21- Meijer, Dominick's
22- No Buy?
WEEK 4 BEGIN:
23-
24-
25-
26-
27-
28-
29-
30-
31-


Budget: $1405....62%
Month: 20/31: 65%

No Buy: 6/10: 60%

My savings from coupons and sales: $1507.48
 
Calling it early today as the temp outside with wind chill is like -2 degrees, so I am staying in today.

Groceries/household- $300/ $59.82 left
Pet Supplies- $30/ $0 Left
Car/gas- $50/ $27.52 left
Eating out- $50/ $17.26 left
Entertainment/Misc- $100/ $57.95 left

Total- $530/ $132.45 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- $22.48 Gas, $29.55 Giant Eagle, and $4.28 Disney Store

Week Three
1/15- $0
1/16- $0
1/17- $15.51 groceries
1/18- $11.41 Walgreen's
1/19- $0
1/20- $14.44 Groceries
1/21- $0

13/15 No Buy Days

Store and coupon savings- $48.09
 
Here is what I got...

Jan 1 $0
Jan 2 $0
Jan 3 spend - lunch, groceries, and a small CVS run
Jan 4 spend - but it was just some subway for lunch
Jan 5 $0
Jan 6 spend - going out for dinner with the neighborhood ladies
Jan 7 $0
Jan 8 $0
Jan 9 $0 It's amazing how you spend no money when you have the flu
Jan 10 spend
Jan 11 spend
Jan 12 spend
Jan 13 spend
Jan 14 $0
Jan 15 spend
Jan 16 $0
Jan 17 $0
Jan 18 spend
Jan 19 $0
Jan 20 spend



10/14 no buy days
 
WHEW! Since DH got paid today filled up the tank and got more groceries. So yes, I'm over my planned budget on everything (will need to adjust groceries to $600 per month and gas to $200 per month from $500 and $150 respectively)...but the huge relief is that apparently we have a bit more to work with in each of DH's paychecks than I realized, so I can adjust the budget without worrying!

See, last year we were doing flexible spending deductions because DD was in daycare and DS was in extended care. Now that I'm not working, we didn't take the money out this year (though hopefully I will be soon)...so in addition to getting a raise in November, we have that money in the check every two weeks, and I hadn't been aware of just how much it would be because this was his first paycheck that was entirely for this year (hope that makes sense!) So we are going to be OK...now I just have to remember that an extra $400 per month doesn't mean we can go nuts, and it should be fine! :upsidedow

I'm just so happy and relieved...and also this means my tuition shouldn't be a problem next semester. :flower3:
 
I just don't want to spend money; it's really strange. I think our goals are really on my mind lately. Maybe tomorrow I'll spend; I think it's the weather... My DH brought home leftover lunches from work, so we ate that for dinner last night, and a local chain is offering free frozen yogurt today, so that should be a nice treat.

12/12 no-buy days; going to raise my goal to 15
* Used coupon

1/1/-$2 TRU*, $7 CFA*, $2 Coldstone*, $31 Wegmans/redbox*
1/2-$6 mcd*, $14 Dollar Store
1/3-$0; 8 miles
1/4-$0; Lego* free build
1/5-$0; 3 miles

1/6-$4 DD*; $24 Wegmans*; $14 Target; 2.5 miles
1/7-$46 Target; $29* Wegmans; 3 miles
1/8-$0
1/9-$0

1/10-$1 LL Bean dress for DD*; $4.50 DH's lunch; $22 Wegmans*; [-$36 Target returns]
1/11-$0
1/12-$0

1/13-$4 DD*, $21 Wegmans*, $37 Target toys
1/14-$1 Goodwill, $26 Gymboree*, $1 Disney Store, $16 Borders for 4 bags of Seattle's Best Coffee!
1/15-$0
1/16-$3.75 Target*/Car Wash/Redbox; $30.50 Wegmans*, $4 Maggianos*, $28 Gymboree*
1/17-$0
1/18-$0

1/19-$60 Wegmans*/Giant; $16 Target*; 3 miles
1/20-$0; 3 miles
1/21-$0
 
I'm just so happy and relieved...and also this means my tuition shouldn't be a problem next semester. :flower3:

Glad you found extra money in your budget! I'm sure you will get a part-time job soon, as well. I am a BA in writing/English and write part-time as my job. I also have an MEd for designing training courses, but unfortunately don't use it in my current job; my past employer covered the bill. Good luck getting your degree.
 
Well, I haven't done as good a job cutting out the coffee/fast food stops as I would have liked, *but* I have not made a scrapbooking purchase yet this month, *and* this thread has made it much easier to just delete gymboree, bath and body works, etc etc etc sales emails so I haven't spent $ on unnecessary junk. :thumbsup2


******************************
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 $0.00
Jan 14 $5.00 cappucino
Jan 15 $5.00 cappucino
Jan 16 $10.00 mcdonald's
Jan 17 $0.00
Jan 18 $15.00 wendy's
Jan 19 $5.00 cappucino, $10 skyline
Jan 20 $0.00
Jan 21 $5.00 cappucino
Jan 22
Jan 23
Jan 24
Jan 25
Jan 26
Jan 27
Jan 28
Jan 29
Jan 30
Jan 31
 
I can not believe that it is three weeks into the month and I still have a half tank of gas left from last month. :thumbsup2

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

Auto $70
Eating Out/Entertainment $50 / $26 left
Giving $10 /$0 left
Groceries/Household Goods $200/ $150 left
Medical $100 /$25 over
Misc. $50/ $10 left
Set bills $420/ $81 left
Semi-Annual Neurology eval in Chicago budget is $300 / $95 left

No spend days goal of 12/10
Coupon savings $30.90
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
1/13 Set bills $68; Groceries $8
1/14 $0
1/15 Groceries $29; Chicago trip $166 (pre-paid for a train ticket ($51) and pre-paid hotel ($115)
1/16 $0
1/17 $0
1/18-19 Set bills $40 (newspaper and cell); Chicago trip $39 (food & taxis) Giving $10 (bought food for people begging in the train station)
1/20 Eating out $6
1/21 $0
 
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

January 14 $0 :cool1:

January 15 $0 :cool1: Calling it early because we went to a birthday party and now we're in for the day.


January 16 $0 :cool1: Calling it early because we're in for the day.

January 17 $40 gas, $15 PJ party at Panera, $40 dog food, ect at Target. Plus I had to write a HUGE check for DS#2's speech therapy, but that comes out of a different account.


January 18 $8 bread outlet, $10 Starbucks date with my DS#2, $10 eye doctor, $205 :scared1::scared1: groceries.

January 19 $0 :cool1: I did do the Living Social Amazon deal, but I'll take that money out of my Christmas account and then stockpile the gift certificates for Christmas, so I'm not counting it.


January 20 $47 We went to the Museum (we're members so that was free) and dinner with some dear friends. They're moving soon, so we're trying to spend as much time as possible with them while they're still here.

January 21 $0 :cool1:


11/15 No Buy Days
 
Won't have another no buy until at least Monday, but I'm happy. This month is going very well.

Running Total: Spent $708
$950 budget...$242 left
$0 Days: 7
Goal is 8 or more!
coupon/sale savings : 98

Groceries budget- $250 -11-36-6-11= 189 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: 296 (35 groceries, 25 gas, 136 Disney fun, gave DH $100 for hotel room that a friend got for us)
January 10 : 0
January 11: 54 ( 21 Steak & Shake, 20 shirt, 13 Walgreens misc)
January 12: 16 ( gas)
January 13: 0
January 14 : 35 (15 gas, 20 Walgreens)
January 15: 14 ( Burger King)
January 16: 19 ( 13 Walgreens, 6 flea market)
January 17: 31 ( 20 dr. copay, 11 Publix)
January 18: 68 (48 bowling, 20 medications co pay)
January 19: 0
January 20: 0
January 21: 13 ( random stuff at Walgreens)
 
I am back to record after missing 4 days. But, easy to record, they were all no spend days. Course I haven't been out of bed, let alone the house. I have been sick. I don't know what it is but I have never been this sick before. We suspect it is either the flu, I had a flu shot but when I had it it made a pop sound and the nurse said she had never heard that before, so it is possible that I never got the meds. Ir, I started a new medicine on Saturday, it is possible I am having a reactin to it. I have stopped it to see if that is it. Whatever it is, I hope I never feel this way again (and hope it ends soon!) I missed Disney on Ice with my girls, had to cancel Brownies last night, tonight I am missing family fun night at their school. OK, pitty party over. I did get a new record of 5 no spend days in a row. :confused3 Shoudl be more, at this rate I am in for the weekend.


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. And I am not done! 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
January 14- My added bonus, surprise baby girl is now 9! Crazy! Anyway, I am lumping one thing as $10, it was just short but I threw the change in the Disney jar. It covered a happy meal for her for lunch, 2 balloons, treeat bag things for her party today and for class and a book to donate to her class. I did very well I have to say. Then we let her pick a restaurant for dinner (last time we all went out was in Disney.) She picked Red Robin. It really is YUUUMMM but I know why we don't take the family out. :eek: $45.67 for burgers. :scared1: I also went to the doctor, that was $40 but I don't count that. It's medical. But for the sake of recording I will write it down. The RX was covered 100%, love those rare times!
January 15-Her party. Spent $150 at Chuck E Cheese. It should have been way less but I am not going to worry about it. I gave my DH the stack of coupons I was going to use (as needed based on who came.) I handed them to him and said can you hold thede for me so I don't lose them? We got to CEC and I was a manic trying to get set up (it was a walk in party) and I didn't realize in his effort to help, he went and ordered all the coupons. That included 2 for buy 100 tokens for $25 get 100 free! So $50 in tokens. I had enought for over 200 free tokens so I had those just in case. He didn't realize, and his heart was in the right place so I didn't say anything. We came home with a whole pizza, 4 colectors cups unused and over 400 tokens so had I paid it would have been about $80 cheaper. BUT, we will never have to buy another CEC tokens again. :rotfl: And still $150 for 15 kids to have all the tokens they wanted, pizza for all the kids and parents and colector cups for everyone wasn't too bad. YEAH COUPONS!!!
January 16- Double date with friends, their turn to pick, so no coupons :( $25 and $11 for chinese for the kids
January 17-$0 :woohoo: Ran to the gas station at 6am cause I had forgotten to grab eggs and milk last night. These are the exact reasons DH wanted me to not count groceries. Anyway, they have a loaf of bread, a half gallon of milk and a dozen eggs for $.99 each, and it's right by the house. Otherwise I spent nothing. I had to cancel our day off from school plans cause DD11 is coming down with something (throat related) and I fell the other night and injured my everything, but mostly my back. I did take my DD9's Brownie troop on the field trip tonight. It was 12.50 a girl but I just didn't pay myself back as much when I paid myself back the deposit I paid. We went to Sweet and Sassy. She was tempted to buy something (with her own money) but they all got the American Girl Manners book and they got their cooke prizes tonight, she got, among other things, a PillowPet (her only one) so she saved her money. She is learning!!!
January 18-$0 :woohoo: Sick in bed
January 19-$0 :woohoo: Sick in bed
January 20-$0 :woohoo: Sick in bed
January 21-$0 :woohoo: Sick in bed




15/15 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*+1.98
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=$709.78
*(need to redo the math)

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
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:
 
Feel better soon, MickeyMomOfThree! That sounds awful. I think my DD had the flu last year, despite getting the vaccine. She was down for about 10 days; it was awful. Hope you are better before that. :grouphug:
 














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