March 2014 ~ No buy thread

[harleygirl]

So I've been lurking and I am curious,do you track your own spending... Or the family as a whole? My spending is minimal aside from the grocery store. The fam however... Diff story. What are some ways that you help them realize their own spending? Do they track their no buy days as well?

 

[QVCshopper]

So I've been lurking and I am curious,do you track your own spending... Or the family as a whole? My spending is minimal aside from the grocery store. The fam however... Diff story. What are some ways that you help them realize their own spending? Do they track their no buy days as well?

I track my and my DH's spending. My kids are 9, 8, and 2 and don't get an allowance right now, because 1) they don't need it, 2) when I tried, it was drive kids to store to buy stuff they don't need.

We right now track everything except gas for the car, bills, etc., and the kids lunches because we treat that like a bill and send a check in every few months.

It helps me... Yesterday I went to the mall. I used a $2 coupon to Hallmark and a Groupon for Jamba Juice. I spent no other money. This helps me with stuff like that. This year, we've been able to pay for our trip's hotel and airfare without touching savings, as well as save some in our IRAs. It keeps me accountable.

I also started tracking my exercise on the WISH board and am down 5lbs! I hope to lose a total of 20. Yay!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Alright! Let's keep the budget tight for another month so we can save more for Disney!!

As with last month...I am just tracking my WAM (walking around money) since that is really the only area where I can conserve.


March

1-$3.95 (dollar store for pencils, thank you cards, bday card and choc bar)
2-$0
3-$0
4-$12.50 Mother Daughter Date night, change in Disney jar
5-$0
6-$0 (housebound with two sick kiddies won't be venturing out!)
7-$0
8-$0
9-$0
10-$0
11-$20 (Mickey tumbler from the Disney store $6.77, snack for three at the mall food court $10.33, $2.90 in the Disney jar, spent nothing at the zoo)
12-$0 I caught the kids' cold, so we're having a lazy housebound day
13-$0
14-$11.68 Tim Hortons
15-$0 (Went to the movies on gift cards again!)
16-$0
17-$0
18-$0
19-$0
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

15/20 No Buy Days

I only have $10 left...and I am really hoping to add that to my Disney fund...so the pressure is on to basically get to the end of the month with nothing but zeros!!!

 

[IMALOVNDISNEY]

This month has been an epic fail as far as me tracking.:
Sad note, I've just been to busy (back to working mega hours). Good note, to busy to spend as well.
I'll be back next month.
Good luck to everyone this month...see you in April.

 

[harleygirl]

Okay, starting today with 13 days to go in the month my goal is to not spend for 6 days

Day 19 - $10.36 lunch with friend

 

[charming23]

Went to work and came home. Allergies are driving me bananas.

3/1 $73.89 Heinen's
3/2 $0
3/3 $0
3/4 $7.45 Chick fil a, $29.62 Giant Eagle, and $14.95 Drugmart
3/5 $25.61 Gas @circle k, and $101.96 Target
3/6 $61.28 Kmart, $5 Mr. Hero, and $25.00 Laundromat
3/7 $0
3/8 $16.20 Five Below, $99.79 Target (saved $42.64), & $18.18 Heinens
3/9 $0
3/10 $29.56 Dinner out, $64.32 Old Navy, and $28.76 Kmart
3/11 $3.30 Peet's Coffee & Tea, $8.75 Chipotle, and $25.91 Aldi
3/12 $0
3/13 $0
3/14 $78.18 Target
3/15 $0
3/16 $25.63 gas and $84.63 giant eagle
3/17 $0
3/18 ($27.65 target return), $91.65 Target, and $9.55 Jersey mikes subs
3/19 $0

9/15 No buy days
$45 in savings jar

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I had an unexpected no buy day today! I love it when that happens.
Need to get milk tomorrow though.

 

[wishesuponastar]

So I've been lurking and I am curious,do you track your own spending... Or the family as a whole? My spending is minimal aside from the grocery store. The fam however... Diff story. What are some ways that you help them realize their own spending? Do they track their no buy days as well?

I track mine and DH spending. I only track my children's spending if it's my money. I don't track gas and bills. This month I have made a budget of $500 for groceries (family of 4).

 

[QVCshopper]

Happy Spring! I got soooo many freebies today due to the first day of spring, it was fun! Dunkin Donuts coffee, Chick Fil A food, Rita's water ice. I just brought some of it home for someone else in my family or another day.

3/1 Spend
3/2 Spend
3/3 Spend
3/4 No-buy #1
3/5 Spend
3/6 Spend
3/7 Spend
3/8 Spend
3/9 Spend
3/10 No-buy #2
3/11 No-buy #3
3/12 No-buy #4
3/13 Spend
3/14 No-buy #5
3/15 Spend
3/16 Spend
3/17 No-buy #6
3/18 Spend
3/19 No-buy #7
3/20 No-buy #8

8/12

 

[stayhomemom77]

Alright! Let's keep the budget tight for another month so we can save more for Disney!!

As with last month...I am just tracking my WAM (walking around money) since that is really the only area where I can conserve.


March

1-$3.95 (dollar store for pencils, thank you cards, bday card and choc bar)
2-$0
3-$0
4-$12.50 Mother Daughter Date night, change in Disney jar
5-$0
6-$0 (housebound with two sick kiddies won't be venturing out!)
7-$0
8-$0
9-$0
10-$0
11-$20 (Mickey tumbler from the Disney store $6.77, snack for three at the mall food court $10.33, $2.90 in the Disney jar, spent nothing at the zoo)
12-$0 I caught the kids' cold, so we're having a lazy housebound day
13-$0
14-$11.68 Tim Hortons
15-$0 (Went to the movies on gift cards again!)
16-$0
17-$0
18-$0
19-$0
20-$0
21-$0
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

17/20 No Buy Days

I'm going nowhere today so even though it's not quite noon...I'm calling it a no buy day!

 

[QVCshopper]

3/1 Spend
3/2 Spend
3/3 Spend
3/4 No-buy #1
3/5 Spend
3/6 Spend
3/7 Spend
3/8 Spend
3/9 Spend
3/10 No-buy #2
3/11 No-buy #3
3/12 No-buy #4
3/13 Spend
3/14 No-buy #5
3/15 Spend
3/16 Spend
3/17 No-buy #6
3/18 Spend
3/19 No-buy #7
3/20 No-buy #8
3/21 Spend
3/22 Spend
3/23 Spend
3/24 No-buy #9

9/12

 

[charming23]

Playing catch up

3/1 $73.89 Heinen's
3/2 $0
3/3 $0
3/4 $7.45 Chick fil a, $29.62 Giant Eagle, and $14.95 Drugmart
3/5 $25.61 Gas @circle k, and $101.96 Target
3/6 $61.28 Kmart, $5 Mr. Hero, and $25.00 Laundromat
3/7 $0
3/8 $16.20 Five Below, $99.79 Target (saved $42.64), & $18.18 Heinens
3/9 $0
3/10 $29.56 Dinner out, $64.32 Old Navy, and $28.76 Kmart
3/11 $3.30 Peet's Coffee & Tea, $8.75 Chipotle, and $25.91 Aldi
3/12 $0
3/13 $0
3/14 $78.18 Target
3/15 $0
3/16 $25.63 gas and $84.63 giant eagle
3/17 $0
3/18 ($27.65 target return), $91.65 Target, and $9.55 Jersey mikes subs
3/19 $0
3/20 $0
3/21 $0
3/22 $40.99 Gentile's (italian bakery), $24.88 lunch out, $25.76 gas, $25 bowling and foid
3/23 $0
3/24 $32.21 GFS Marketplace, and $4.89 Chick fil a

12/15 No buy days
$60 in savings jar

 

[wishesuponastar]

This month I am hoping for 12 no-buy days and a grocery budget of $500 (for a family of 4)

Good luck everyone!

March
1 - Spend
2 $80 groceries
3 no buy#1
4 haircuts
5 no buy#2
6 no buy #3
7 $100 total Supermarket & Costco (I got out of Costco cheap just $42)
8 $8 grocery
9 $5 shamrock shakes & clothes at mall
10 $50 groceries & 2 coffees
11 No buy #4
12 No Buy #5
13 - $66 Costco, $10 Walmart
14 - no buy # 6
15- spend coffee
16- spend breakfast out and $8 farmers market
17 - $47 groceries
18 - $13 pizza
19 - $15 ice cream celebration
20- $7 music book for DD
21 - Spend dinner out
22 - $9 farmer's market
23- spend parade
24- no buy #7
25- $83 Costco (actually $4 was for wiper blades and $29 for dog food so $50 on food) plus $475 tires

$418 spent on groceries as of 3/25 budget goal is $500. I will be going to supermarket this week and it should be under $100.

 

[charming23]

Tuesday I went out to dinner with friends

Yesterday I ran errands.

Today I am already calling a $0 because I am home sick

3/1 $73.89 Heinen's
3/2 $0
3/3 $0
3/4 $7.45 Chick fil a, $29.62 Giant Eagle, and $14.95 Drugmart
3/5 $25.61 Gas @circle k, and $101.96 Target
3/6 $61.28 Kmart, $5 Mr. Hero, and $25.00 Laundromat
3/7 $0
3/8 $16.20 Five Below, $99.79 Target (saved $42.64), & $18.18 Heinens
3/9 $0
3/10 $29.56 Dinner out, $64.32 Old Navy, and $28.76 Kmart
3/11 $3.30 Peet's Coffee & Tea, $8.75 Chipotle, and $25.91 Aldi
3/12 $0
3/13 $0
3/14 $78.18 Target
3/15 $0
3/16 $25.63 gas and $84.63 giant eagle
3/17 $0
3/18 ($27.65 target return), $91.65 Target, and $9.55 Jersey mikes subs
3/19 $0
3/20 $0
3/21 $0
3/22 $40.99 Gentile's (italian bakery), $24.88 lunch out, $25.76 gas, $25 bowling and foid
3/23 $0
3/24 $32.21 GFS Marketplace, and $4.89 Chick fil a
3/25 $20 Olive Garden
3/26 $6.50 Chick fil a, $95.92 Target, $55.21 Aldi, and $10.53 CVS
3/27 $0

13/15 No buy days
$65 in savings jar

 

[QVCshopper]

3/1 Spend
3/2 Spend
3/3 Spend
3/4 No-buy #1
3/5 Spend
3/6 Spend
3/7 Spend
3/8 Spend
3/9 Spend
3/10 No-buy #2
3/11 No-buy #3
3/12 No-buy #4
3/13 Spend
3/14 No-buy #5
3/15 Spend
3/16 Spend
3/17 No-buy #6
3/18 Spend
3/19 No-buy #7
3/20 No-buy #8
3/21 Spend
3/22 Spend
3/23 Spend
3/24 No-buy #9
3/25 No-buy #10
3/26 Spend
3/27 No-buy #11

11/12

 

[stayhomemom77]

Alright! Let's keep the budget tight for another month so we can save more for Disney!!

As with last month...I am just tracking my WAM (walking around money) since that is really the only area where I can conserve.


March

1-$3.95 (dollar store for pencils, thank you cards, bday card and choc bar)
2-$0
3-$0
4-$12.50 Mother Daughter Date night, change in Disney jar
5-$0
6-$0 (housebound with two sick kiddies won't be venturing out!)
7-$0
8-$0
9-$0
10-$0
11-$20 (Mickey tumbler from the Disney store $6.77, snack for three at the mall food court $10.33, $2.90 in the Disney jar, spent nothing at the zoo)
12-$0 I caught the kids' cold, so we're having a lazy housebound day
13-$0
14-$11.68 Tim Hortons
15-$0 (Went to the movies on gift cards again!)
16-$0
17-$0
18-$0
19-$0
20-$0
21-$0
22-$0
23-$0
24-$0
25-$0
26-$0
27-$0
28
29
30
31

23/20 No Buy Days

It sucks to be broke! But it's good for this thread!

 

[charming23]

Managed to squeak out another no buy day.

3/1 $73.89 Heinen's
3/2 $0
3/3 $0
3/4 $7.45 Chick fil a, $29.62 Giant Eagle, and $14.95 Drugmart
3/5 $25.61 Gas @circle k, and $101.96 Target
3/6 $61.28 Kmart, $5 Mr. Hero, and $25.00 Laundromat
3/7 $0
3/8 $16.20 Five Below, $99.79 Target (saved $42.64), & $18.18 Heinens
3/9 $0
3/10 $29.56 Dinner out, $64.32 Old Navy, and $28.76 Kmart
3/11 $3.30 Peet's Coffee & Tea, $8.75 Chipotle, and $25.91 Aldi
3/12 $0
3/13 $0
3/14 $78.18 Target
3/15 $0
3/16 $25.63 gas and $84.63 giant eagle
3/17 $0
3/18 ($27.65 target return), $91.65 Target, and $9.55 Jersey mikes subs
3/19 $0
3/20 $0
3/21 $0
3/22 $40.99 Gentile's (italian bakery), $24.88 lunch out, $25.76 gas, $25 bowling and foid
3/23 $0
3/24 $32.21 GFS Marketplace, and $4.89 Chick fil a
3/25 $20 Olive Garden
3/26 $6.50 Chick fil a, $95.92 Target, $55.21 Aldi, and $10.53 CVS
3/27 $0
3/28 $0

14/15 No buy days
$70 in savings jar

 

[wishesuponastar]

This month I am hoping for 12 no-buy days and a grocery budget of $500 (for a family of 4)

Good luck everyone!

March
1 - Spend
2 $80 groceries
3 no buy#1
4 haircuts
5 no buy#2
6 no buy #3
7 $100 total Supermarket & Costco (I got out of Costco cheap just $42)
8 $8 grocery
9 $5 shamrock shakes & clothes at mall
10 $50 groceries & 2 coffees
11 No buy #4
12 No Buy #5
13 - $66 Costco, $10 Walmart
14 - no buy # 6
15- spend coffee
16- spend breakfast out and $8 farmers market
17 - $47 groceries
18 - $13 pizza
19 - $15 ice cream celebration
20- $7 music book for DD
21 - Spend dinner out
22 - $9 farmer's market
23- spend parade
24- no buy #7
25- $83 Costco (only $50 of that was food) plus $475 for tires
26 - $51 groceries
27- no buy #8
28 - $2.31 yogurt
29 - $56 Costco food, $80 Costco phone system for house, $6 2 coffees at Dunkin donuts
30 - $8 farmer's market

$535.31 total spent on groceries up to Mar. 30th and I don't anticipate shopping tomorrow. My goal was to be under $500 for a family of 4 (2 teen girls.

I'm happy with my March amount because previous months I have been spending $600 to $700.

 

[QVCshopper]

Finishing up the month and reached my newer goal.

3/1 Spend
3/2 Spend
3/3 Spend
3/4 No-buy #1
3/5 Spend
3/6 Spend
3/7 Spend
3/8 Spend
3/9 Spend
3/10 No-buy #2
3/11 No-buy #3
3/12 No-buy #4
3/13 Spend
3/14 No-buy #5
3/15 Spend
3/16 Spend
3/17 No-buy #6
3/18 Spend
3/19 No-buy #7
3/20 No-buy #8
3/21 Spend
3/22 Spend
3/23 Spend
3/24 No-buy #9
3/25 No-buy #10
3/26 Spend
3/27 No-buy #11
3/28 Spend
3/29 Spend
3/30 Spend
3/31 No-buy #12

12/12

 

[QVCshopper]

$535.31 total spent on groceries up to Mar. 30th and I don't anticipate shopping tomorrow. My goal was to be under $500 for a family of 4 (2 teen girls.

I'm happy with my March amount because previous months I have been spending $600 to $700.

That's great you reduced your bill! I'm five people and usually about $375-400, but I coupon a lot and have now started gas rewards where you get tons of nearly free gas. And that doesn't count my kids school lunches they buy.