March No Buy..Rolling Into Spring!

[charming23]

Did our last grocery shopping trip of the month today.

March 2011 Budget
Grocery/Household- $300/$17.22 Left
Car/Gas- $50/$21.25 Left
Eating out -$50/$12.04 Left
Entertainment/Misc- $100/ $41.22 left

Total- $500/$91.73 Left

Goal of 15 No Buy Days

Week One
3/1- $75.27 Giant Eagle and $6.19 Drugmart
3/2- $18.70 Loco Laprachaun
3/3- $0
3/4- $0
3/5- $0
3/6- $10.25 Pat Catan's
3/7- $0

Week Two
3/8- $0
3/9- $95.02 Grocery, $22.89 Misc, and $28.75 Gas
3/10- $20.59 Groceries/household
3/11- $0
3/12- $0
3/13- $23.43 grocery
3/14- $19.42 Walgreen's Misc

Week Three
3/15- $0
3/16- $13.15 Grocery and $4.88 Dairy Queen
3/17- $0
3/18- $6.22 JoAnn Fabrics
3/19- $0
3/20- $0
3/21- $0

Week Four
3/22- $18.63 Grocery and $7.95 Pizza
3/23- $6.43 Lunch out
3/24- $0
3/25- $30.50 Giant Eagle
3/26
3/27
3/28

13/15 No Buy Days

Coupon/Store Savings- $101.43

 

[QVCshopper]

Yay! Reached my no-buy goal early this month.

15/15 no-buy days

3/1-$45 Wegmans, $6.50 Acme, $24.50 CVS prescrip, $17.50 Kid's Trips/Girl Scout Cookies
3/2-$0
3/3-$0
3/4-$0
3/5-$14 Sears, $23 Costco, $26 Hallmark, $25 VS (but got a $10 coupon), $5 Build A Bear
3/6-$18 Wegmans, $20 birthday gift
3/7-$0
3/8-$0
3/9-$0
3/10-$3 Dunkin Donuts, $55 Wegmans
3/11-$3 Dunkin Donut, $31.50 Train tix, food for flower show
3/12-$0
3/13-$18.50 Chinese food; $55 Various Food Stores; $13 Michaels; $5 Five Below; $23 Target; $3 Costco; $10 Haircut
3/14-$0
3/15-$0
3/16-$11 Pretzels, $4 Five Below, $19 Wegmans, $6 Genuardis, $5 Goodwill, $2 iTunes, $3 Target
3/17-$0
3/18 thru 3/20-spend
3/21-$0
3/22-$0
3/23-$0
3/24-$0
3/25-$0

 

[momabaarjo]

I love this thread, I am really working the envelope system for the first time and writing everything down. Dave Ramsey would be so proud. My eyes are being opened to all the "little things" that nickel and dime me into being overbudget. I think it is about time I sit down and readjust my budgeting.

Here is my no spending update:
March 15-April 15
Household Budget-$500
Gas Budget-$200
No Spend Days...trying to get an idea of how many days I actually have, then next month I will set a goal to better it

March 15-$163
March 16- …number 1
March 17-$67
March 18- …number 2
March 19-$20
March 20-$9
March 21-$4
March 22-…number 3
March 23-$20
*United SPENT $20 (bake sale mixes for dd youth group bake sale, ds snacks for testing week)
March 24-...number 4
March 25-$55
*Church SPENT $19 (Fish Fry)
*Walgreens SPENT $36 (vitamins, cash/snack for crop)

Budget
$338 Spent
$162 remaining
4 No Spend Days

 

[wlake]

I almost feel like I should have bought more stuff, since the day was "wasted" anyway with the bagel.

I feel that way some days too!

Yay! Reached my no-buy goal early this month.

Good for you!

I love this thread, I am really working the envelope system for the first time and writing everything down. Dave Ramsey would be so proud. My eyes are being opened to all the "little things" that nickel and dime me into being overbudget. I think it is about time I sit down and readjust my budgeting.

I'm glad you're finding a system that works for you!


Posting early tonight to try to avoid the temptation of the Title Nine discount shipping offer I got today....

3/1:
3/2: $26 groceries
3/3:
3/4: $35 after school care, $540 brakes (ouch!), $12 dinner, $16 skate night
3/5: $13 Christmas Tree Shop (candy for basket raffle, cupcake liners, and replacement garden clogs), $23 Yankee Candle (candle!), $24 Michael's (gifts for parties the boys are invited to), $51 gas and $16 Walmart (groceries and a dry cleaning kit I have a rebate for)
3/6: $35 dinner out to celebrate DS8 scoring two goals in his indoor soccer game today (he's not terribly athletic, so this is huge!) and the end of indoor soccer season (DS5 played too, but he's very athletic and usually outscored the other team) as well as $49 on groceries. A little more bragging here: I saved $30 on that grocery bill between sales and coupons AND walked out with coupons for a free box of frozen fish and a free gallon of milk. I'm pretty proud of myself!
3/7:
3/8: $6 groceries (well, ice cream after a tough couple of days) and $5 books
3/9: $10 lunch, $26.50 x2 for school lunches for the boys
3/10:
3/11:
3/12: $3 JoAnn's (sprinkles and cupcake liners), $40 gas, $? Target (drinks, cat litter, health and beauty type stuff), $25 birthday gift for my aunt, $25 birthday gift for my sister
3/13: $27 groceries
3/14: $30 dinner (DH is out of town, so my mom suggested going out -- I was all too happy to go and pay for dinner!), $38 sneakers for the boys
3/15:
3/16:
3/17:
3/18: $2 bake sale at my school
3/19: $100 cut and color, $39 gas, $30 Target (snacks and a gift for a birthday party), $18 pharmacy (time to start buying the OTC allergy meds!)
3/20: $32 groceries, $50 Target (clothes for me, items for the kids' basket raffle baskets, groceries, things for school)
3/21:
3/22: takeout
3/23:
3/24:
3/25:


no buy days: 12/12
longest streak: 3
meals out: 5/5
days without dinner out: 3
longest no dinners out streak: 10
non-consumable items purchased: 4/0

 

[superme80]

Stayed home again! Doing laundry and playing with the kids. Dinner did not turn out how I was hoping last night. That was supposed to be dinner again tonight. Thank goodness I have enough meat for burritos tonight! If all goes well tonight I will be at 6/7 No Buy Days!!! I'm almost there!!!!

 

[Virgderon]

QVC, sorry about the car repair. I just hate unexpected expenses. I'm having trouble trying to build an emergency fund, and its frustrating. I feel your pain.

Running Total: Spent $535
$900 budget... $365 left
$0 Days: 8
Goal is 8 or more!
coupon/sale savings :97

Groceries budget- $250-3-52-47- 8-12= 128 left

March 1: 22
March 2 : 0
March 3: 52 ( groceries)
March 4: 0
March 5: 11 ( Walgreens pop, cooking supplies)
March 6 : 22 ( cleaning supplies )
March 7 : 0
March 8: 18 ( 13 Walgreens, 5 snack at bowling)
March 9 : 0
March 10: 48 ( Publix)
March 11: 43 ( 15 dress, 28 gas)
March 12 : 0
March 13 : 0
March 14: 60 ( meds, toiletries, cleaning supplies, pop)
March 15 : 32 ( 11 make up, 16 bowling, 5 food )
March 16: 9 ( magazine and snack at airport)
March 17: 27 ( shirt )
March 19 : 41 ( 15 Jewel, 9 take out, 17 lock for storage locker )
March 20: 0
March 21: 30 (shipping)
March 22: 41 (5 airport snack, 4 magazine at airport, 32 gas for rental car )
March 23: 12 ( pop, snacks)
March 24 : 0
March 25 : 58 ( 20 haircut, 16 misc, 22 gas)

 

[A.Mickey]

Running Total: Spent $2709.73
$0 Days:11/14 Got 13 no buys last month, trying to up it to one more.

Groceries ($279-$9/day)- $201.37
Eating Out ($217-$7/day)- $185.18
Misc. (Shopping/Entertainment) ($806-$26/day) $2143.49
Gas $250- (3/1-$23.69), (3/6-$28.55), (3/8-$37.45 $3.64/gal), (3/17-$35 $3.52/gal), (3/23-$55 $3.69/gal)= $179.69

WEEK 1 BEGIN:
1- $15.76 (Dominick's-Groceries), $31.02 (Target-Pictures), $23.69 (Gas)
2- $0
3- $9.26 (Walgreens-Groceries), $2.85 (Meijer- Groceries), $3.97 (Dominick's-Groceries), $26.58 (Jewel-Prescription), $12.46 (McDonald's-Eating Out)
4- $0
5- $11 (Zoo Admission), $16 (Eating Out), $37 (Chinese- Eating Out-we bought food for 5 people), $3.91 (Home Depot- Misc.)
6- $196 (Spring Awakening Tickets-Misc. Weren't expecting this, but we are sitting 2nd row center and it is our 7 year anniversary of knowing each other and it is the last performance of the show in Chicago...I forgot that my husband wanted to see this, he wanted to go to two shows and sit in the cheap seats, but for the price of sitting in the 2nd to last row for two nights it is the same as sitting in the front row for one performance, so we opted for sitting close, since our broadway series shows are for the cheap seats), $149.41 (Cedar Point Hotel-Misc.), $31.75 (Driver's License Renewal),
$126.11 (Sears Essentials-Misc. husband wanted a Logitech harmony remote forever! and it was more than half off in liquidation sale), $20.63 (Culver's-Eating Out), $2 (Dollar Tree-Papers), $6.96 (Dominick's-Groceries), $12.50 (Meijer-Groceries), $82.73 (Printer Ink), $27.51 (Amazon.com-Veggie Cages and hiking book)
7- $5.18 (Trader Joe's-Groceries), $24.33 (Joe Caputo-Groceries)
8- $.59 (Dominick's-Groceries), $5.04 (Meijer-Groceries), $6.59 (Chipotle-Eating Out)
9- $0
10-$0
11- $107.50 (Signed up Hubby and I for 5K in October), $3.39 (Dominick's-Groceries), $2.86 (Meijer-Groceries), $1.73 (Walgreens-Groceries), $3.23 (Aldi's-Groceries)
12- $14 (Train-Misc.), $65 (The Berghoff-Eating Out), $4 (Dollar Tree-Misc.)
13- $13.42 (Walgreens-Groceries)
14- $205 (Airplane Tickets for October-Southwest), $9.20 (McDonald's-Eating Out), $15.94 (Joe Caputo-Groceries)
15- $0
16- $7.97 (Deal Woot-Shopping), $14.58 (Meijer-Groceries)
17- $0
18- $0
19- $0
20- $2 (Dollar Tree-Newspapers), $14.30 (McDonald's-Eating Out), $19.60 (Walgreens-Groceries), $1.02 (Dominick's-Groceries)
21- $0
22- $890 (Car Fixed-Misc.), $130 (Tickets for Sisters birthday present to see Comedian...forgot about budgeting for her present), $95 (Great America final season pass payment-Misc.), $5 (Meijer-Groceries)
23- $0
24- $4 (McDonald's-Eating Out), $33.70 (Joe Caputo-Groceries)
25- $0


Budget: $1552....175% DUMB CAR!
Month: 25/31: 81%
No Buy: 11/14: 79%

My savings from coupons and sales: $980.73

Next Month: Get car fixed need new rotors and brake pads on other car...rental car for October

 

[ronnmel]

No Buy Days : 10/12
Gas : 144$ (max 120$ Raising the max due to higher gas prices)
Groceries : 139$ (max 250$)
Eating out (and snacks) : 156$ (max 100$)
Non-necessities : 650$ (max 500$)

03/01 : 45$ (gas + pharmacy)
03/02 : 0$
03/03 : 0$
03/04 : 0$
03/05 : 0$[
03/06 : 95$ (canadian tire + dinner)
03/07 : 0$
03/08 : 118$ (dinner, passport, and a few little things)
03/09 : 79$ (gas + long overdue windshield wipers)
03/10 : 55$ (cat litter & food)
03/11 : 22$ (breakfast, envelopes, groceries)
03/12 : 59$ (gift for baby shower + snack)
03/13 : 0$
03/14 : 38$ (gas)
03/15 : 0$
03/16 : 287$ (salsa class + fast food)
03/17 : 79$ (groceries)
03/18 : 100$ (dinner)
03/19 : 0$
03/20 : 85$ (dress + drinks)
03/21 : 0$
03/22 : 144$ (gas)
03/23 : 0$
03/24 : 2$ (bagel)
03/25 : 0$

 

[Debbie]

Finally! The weekend! Hopefully, I can get caught up a little later.....off to drop of DS's gf in the city....chauffeuring is why my gas bills are so high.
Here's my plan:
1. I will only track PoS transactions-cash, cc, or debit-usually, groceries and gas, although this month there will be a couple of birthday gifts, and my running shoes need to be replaced [there goes $200]
2. Bills paid regularly, including all charity, not included, nor all items that are budgeted for (eg. DD's music trips....money is already set aside-I'll note them, but they don't count)
3. Whatever 'fun' money DH spends i.e. junk food, on himself....not counting
4. I anticipate some eating out this month-birthday and March Break
5. Gas....there is no telling!
6. I would like to aim for 10 No Buy days. Something to shoot for.

Great start.
Mar. 1: DH took the car in for a needed oil change. Found other issues (I knew there was something) Maintenance $434, gas $40
Mar. 2: $0
Mar. 3: $0
Mar. 4: $0
Mar. 5: Mom paid for the hospital parking and supper, but went to Costco: $90 for DD's gifts (birthday), $20 for odds and ends
Mar. 6: groceries $98, gas $47 Music trips that are b$5udgeted for: $125
Mar. 7: medical co-pay , groceries $16
Mar. 8: $0
Mar. 9: Happy Birthday to my baby, who asked for pizzeria pizza (a rare treat) $25 and ice cream cake $24. (and for me-Buster bars while I was at DQ $10), fundraiser World's Finest Chocolate almonds for DNiece $20, gas $44
Mar 10: $0
Mar 11: vet charges for tests/visit $250 definitely not planned for, and only the beginning. My poor fur baby!
Mar 12: Medicine for $28, plumbing repair $80, groceries $55
Mar 13: $0
Mar 14: Costco-gifts plus a steam mop $241 (but gifts for DH are DONE for birthday AND Father's Day), tea from Timmy's $2, vet $147
Mar 15: Groceries $89 Mostly for Mom. So excited to actually find Hot Cross Buns! Last year, I didn't have one serving.
Mar 16: Tea from Timmy's $2, pretzel at the mall $2 It could have been a $0, but playing chauffeur when I hadn't had any supper....
Mar 17: Parking fees $20, gas $48, Dinner at Denny's FREE but the tip $10.
Mar 18: Cotton Ginny $126, Parking $1, Tea and Croissant $3
Mar 19: DS (that'd be dumba$$ son ) broke his tooth last night and it couldn't be saved. He has no coverage, so $339 out the window. DD had her university music audition, $22 for lunch/supper, groceries $41, gas $25, DH is taking the script for DS (again, no coverage, so Mommy has to pay.) $27
Mar 20: $0
Mar 21: DH went grocery shopping (and large water bottles, too) $16
Mar 22: gas $40 hospital parking $6
Mar 23: DH bought some milk $5
Mar 24: gas $41 (yuck!) buttermilk $3
Mar 25: $0 Under threat of a body part coming off .....a no buy day! (not optimistic that I can get another 2, but we'll take what we can get. )


NO BUY DAYS: 8/10

 

[nunzia]

Here we go:
Mar 1: 56.07 Birthday gifts for DBIL and DN, $12.20 for Amazon peanut butter (seemed like a good deal)
Mar 2: Not starting out very well! have to get past these birthdays...$98.34 groceries (bday dinner for 13, dog food, beer..etc), $46.00 DH gas (some will be reimbursed..he has to go to a town 90 miles away for a continuing ed class)
Mar 3: $2.42 for movie rental and a coffee, $9.00 dinner out with friend
Mar 4: DH got $23 reimbursement for the gas, so Plus that..then minus $10 to the church rummage sale (cool pedal car for DGD and really neat vintage desk for DGS), $9.48 Dollar Tree
Mar 5: $0 yea!
Mar 6: $7.43 WalMart (clearance toys..from $6 to $2 for Easter gifts & Sharpies on clearance) $2.19 Dollar Tree...needed 8x8 foil pan for a dessert I have to bring somewhere and got 4 at Dollar Tree for $2 instead of 3 at WalMart of $3)
Mar 7: 24.34 Amazon (2 pop up Harry Potter books and baby gift..had $10 off coupon
Mar 8: $20.00 gas..ack, $3.67 PhotoPass pictures developed at Walgreens
Mar 9: $3.57 movie rental
Mar 10: $18.00 dinner out with friends
Mar 11: $0
Mar 12: $20.33 Walmart groceries..didn't even LOOK in the toys clearance aisle
Mar 13: $20.53 Walmart AGAIN...DH needed stuff that he forgot to write down.
Mar 14: $0! End of the pay period, so I put the remaining $40 cash in my Trip cash box.
Mar 15: $0
Mar 16: $10.23 Amazon for durum flour
Mar 17: $16 gas, $63.44 groceries (Walmart & Lowes...$11.84 coupons), 18.00 dinner out
Mar 18: $20.00 gas, $9.45 lunch out, $7.15 Dollar Tree
Mar 19: Naturally I forgot things I needed: $1.38 margarine, $1.98 potatoes
Mar 20: had to go to a different town to pick up grandkids from their dad so $8.49 Jack in the Box then promised kids Taco Bell for dinner, so $13.45
Mar 21: $0
Mar 22: $3.96 bread, $3.00 goggles that are crappy and don't even work to play with and are going back!
Mar 24: $7.16 (milk on sale 2 for $5.00 ) $19.75 dinner out
Mar 24: 9.00, lunch out, .49 potatoes with a coupon at grocery store

$217.25/$800.00 remaining

 

[Tiggerish]

The March budget is $700 with 12 no spend days.

Auto $50 /$12 left
Eating Out/Entertainment $100 / $35 over
Giving $10 / $7 left
Groceries/Household Goods $250 / $54 left
Medical $25 / $3 left
Misc. $75 /$13 over
Set bills $205 / $70 left

No spend days 12 /13
Coupon savings $28.92
Christmas 2011 $8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3/1 $0
3/2 $0
3/3 $0
3/4 Misc. $27
3/5 Groceries $22
3/6 Set bills $30 (church); Eating out $4
3/7 Eating out $18
3/8 $0
3/9 $0
3/10 $27 Misc. (copying, faxing and printer ink)
3/11 $0
3/12 Groceries $76 (k-cups and the cheese store); Set bills $25 (credit card); Misc. $2 (Easter cards from the dollar store); Eating out $20 (took niece to lunch); Auto $38 (gas - which is now $3.65 a gallon)
3/13 Set bills $30 (church); Groceries $5; Giving $1 (person begging in the grocery store parking lot)
3/14 $0
3/15 $0
3/16 $0
3/17 $20 Set bills (newspaper delivery); $10 eating out.
3/18 $0
3/19 $76 Groceries; $10 Set bills (cell phone); $40 Eating out (Chinese food with my sister and two nieces)
3/20 $30 Set bills (church); Eating out $45 (pizza take) $2 Misc. (bought a shirt for niece at Kohls used two coupons) $25 Misc. (tickets to other niece's school play for myself and my brother and his family)
3/21 $0
3/22 $0
3/23 $0
3/24 $12 Groceries; $7 Eating out; $5 Misc.(stuff for Easter baskets); $22 Medical (co-pay on prescription); $2 Giving
3/25 $11 Eating out (treats before the play but did have everyone back to the house for ice cream instead of going out so that saved a bundle)

 

[Tiggerish]

Where'sPiglet? - thanks for checking in, I wondered if something had happened to you.

 

[QVCshopper]

Thanks, Virgderon. I don't mean to complain because we thankfully have savings, but it's hard to build extra... especially quickly. Glad we do the no-buy because it has really helped us cut back, but we don't have much left to cut back.

Good luck with the new job and emergency fund! On the bright side, we are done finishing paying for preschool, as DS goes to kindergarten in the fall. That's at least a $1500+ savings per year.

 

[wlake]

Stayed home again! Doing laundry and playing with the kids. Dinner did not turn out how I was hoping last night. That was supposed to be dinner again tonight. Thank goodness I have enough meat for burritos tonight! If all goes well tonight I will be at 6/7 No Buy Days!!! I'm almost there!!!!

Good for you!

On the bright side, we are done finishing paying for preschool, as DS goes to kindergarten in the fall. That's at least a $1500+ savings per year.

This is our first year without full time daycare costs -- trust me, you're going to love it!

 

[3goofyboys]

I haven't had time to keep up with the thread. We're moving in with my MIL tomorrow and then I should have some time to slow down!


I'm going for 14 no buys this month.

March 1

March 2 $31 groceries, $40 gas

March 3 $20 groceries (why is there always one more thing to pick up?)

March 4

March 5

March 6 $273 groceries- that will hopefully keep us in food for the next 2 weeks and it includes a baby shower gift (apparently I spoke too soon when I said we didn't have any this month) and dollar bills to play a shower game.

March 7 PLUS, I actually won all my dollar bills back plus $36 at the shower last night. That was enough to cover my baby shower gift. Hooray!! I did pay tuition for my guys today, but that comes out of a separate account, so I'm not counting that.


March 8 $40 gas, $11 landfill run. I also got my hair cut, but I paid for that out of my shower winnings!

March 9


March 10 $16 ticket to the local children's museum

March 11 $17 groceries-it was my turn to parent help in DS's class and I didn't read until this morning that I needed to bring a special snack. Nothing like an early morning grocery run. $40 gas AGAIN!


March 12 We were going to run the St. Patricks day run this morning (first run of race season, YAY!!), BUT there was a huge SNAFU where DH and I got seperated and once we finally found each other, we were too late to register (note to selves, never attempt race day registration again). The boys did run in the kids race, which was really the point anyway. Not racing saved us $60. We did spend $1 to park and $4 on doughnuts after the "race". Plus I decided to have everyone over tomorrow for corned beef and cabbage, $25 groceries for that. Tomorrow should be a no buy day.


March 13 I always jinx myself when I say "tomorrow should be a no buy day"! $65 car maintenance-oil change with some additional work. $25 packing supplies-ran out of packing tape. $30 dog food.

March 14 $30 packing supplies, $55 dinner out after a tough day of packing, $15 supplies for a garage sale to get rid of all the stuff we don't want to move.

March 15 $50 gas, $50 moving supplies (bubble wrap and tape are crazy expensive!), $8 beer for the hubby to keep him happy while he hauls boxes around the house.

March 16 Holy cow am I behind!! I have good news and bad news: the good news is we found a renter for our house. Through a great accident, I got to meet the tenants (we are dealing through property managment company and we really aren't supposed to deal with the tenants at all) and they are wonderful. The bad news: moving is EXPENSIVE!! Just moving supplies alone are adding up, plus I am always running out of something, so I'm not scoring any no buy days. On a plus note for my budget, we're moving in with my MIL between our move out date and the time we close on a new house. So, we'll be mortgage/utility free (my MIL insists we not pay rent and if I did pay her, she would put it right back in my bank account) for about 2 months. That adds up to big savings on my end. Now if we can just find a house!
$3 moving supplies, $50 medical bills, $40 Target-we had to take the boys house hunting b/c all our normal sitters were out of town or working. We promised them if they behaved like gentlemen through all the houses, we'd let them pick a new toy. We very, very rarely reward good behavior with material items, so this was a real treat for them and it was fun for us to provide the treat.

March 17 $60 supplies to fix some things at the house, $40 gas-house hunting is burning gas like crazy, $9 car wash


March 18 $4 Starbucks. I feel bad about this because we blew the chance for a no buy day.


March 19 $26 lunch. We wrote a bid on another house and it took much longer than expected. We had to grab a quick bite to eat so DH could make it to work on time.

March 20 FINALLY!!


March 21


March 22 $$$ dentist for both boys-plus DS2 has 3!! cavities (some medication he was on as an infant affected his teeth), so that will be more $. $5 soccer shin guards for DS1, $40 gas, $65 groceries, $25 packing supplies.

March 23 My kitchen is totally packed, so we've been eating out. $11 lunch, $39 dinner.

March 24 DH and I went to a hockey game that we bought tickets for a couple months ago. The game was fun, but we didn't get to stay for the whole thing because we are just SO BUSY this week. $90. Had to go to the landfil $17.

March 25

March 26 We had a garage sale the past 2 days. We were really looking to just get rid of some stuff, but we actually made $170. Can't beat that!


9/14 No Buys

 

[SunnieRN]

Sorry I was MIA yesterday, I was babysitting my Grandmunchkins!!

March 25-April 8:

Goals:

Medical $200
Groceries $200
Cash: $100
No Buys: 8

March 25: $0
March 26: $0



Goal 8 / 2 accomplished.

We are going to go to the zoo on Monday, after I work Sinday night. So that will be out of my 'cash' for sure. Also, I am going to start Wonderslim, to lose weight, so not sure if I will have to tweak the food budget, or bite the bullet and buy that seperate from my current food budget and keep this the same. I am in a holding pattern, until I figure this all out.

 

[charming23]

Went out today and picked up a few grocery items I forgot plus got a few things I needed. I also got some of the disney plates and cups at Target for 75% off.

March 2011 Budget
Grocery/Household- $300/$1.99 Left
Car/Gas- $50/$21.25 Left
Eating out -$50/$12.04 Left
Entertainment/Misc- $100/ $29.95 left

Total- $500/$65.43 Left

Goal of 15 No Buy Days

Week One
3/1- $75.27 Giant Eagle and $6.19 Drugmart
3/2- $18.70 Loco Laprachaun
3/3- $0
3/4- $0
3/5- $0
3/6- $10.25 Pat Catan's
3/7- $0

Week Two
3/8- $0
3/9- $95.02 Grocery, $22.89 Misc, and $28.75 Gas
3/10- $20.59 Groceries/household
3/11- $0
3/12- $0
3/13- $23.43 grocery
3/14- $19.42 Walgreen's Misc

Week Three
3/15- $0
3/16- $13.15 Grocery and $4.88 Dairy Queen
3/17- $0
3/18- $6.22 JoAnn Fabrics
3/19- $0
3/20- $0
3/21- $0

Week Four
3/22- $18.63 Grocery and $7.95 Pizza
3/23- $6.43 Lunch out
3/24- $0
3/25- $30.50 Giant Eagle
3/26- $15.33 Grocery and $11.27 Misc
3/27
3/28

13/15 No Buy Days

Coupon/Store Savings- $105.73

 

[Debbie]

Wanted to update right now, while I have all of the grocery bills in hand.
Here's my plan:
1. I will only track PoS transactions-cash, cc, or debit-usually, groceries and gas, although this month there will be a couple of birthday gifts, and my running shoes need to be replaced [there goes $200]
2. Bills paid regularly, including all charity, not included, nor all items that are budgeted for (eg. DD's music trips....money is already set aside-I'll note them, but they don't count)
3. Whatever 'fun' money DH spends i.e. junk food, on himself....not counting
4. I anticipate some eating out this month-birthday and March Break
5. Gas....there is no telling!
6. I would like to aim for 10 No Buy days. Something to shoot for.

Great start.
Mar. 1: DH took the car in for a needed oil change. Found other issues (I knew there was something) Maintenance $434, gas $40
Mar. 2: $0
Mar. 3: $0
Mar. 4: $0
Mar. 5: Mom paid for the hospital parking and supper, but went to Costco: $90 for DD's gifts (birthday), $20 for odds and ends
Mar. 6: groceries $98, gas $47 Music trips that are b$5udgeted for: $125
Mar. 7: medical co-pay , groceries $16
Mar. 8: $0
Mar. 9: Happy Birthday to my baby, who asked for pizzeria pizza (a rare treat) $25 and ice cream cake $24. (and for me-Buster bars while I was at DQ $10), fundraiser World's Finest Chocolate almonds for DNiece $20, gas $44
Mar 10: $0
Mar 11: vet charges for tests/visit $250 definitely not planned for, and only the beginning. My poor fur baby!
Mar 12: Medicine for $28, plumbing repair $80, groceries $55
Mar 13: $0
Mar 14: Costco-gifts plus a steam mop $241 (but gifts for DH are DONE for birthday AND Father's Day), tea from Timmy's $2, vet $147
Mar 15: Groceries $89 Mostly for Mom. So excited to actually find Hot Cross Buns! Last year, I didn't have one serving.
Mar 16: Tea from Timmy's $2, pretzel at the mall $2 It could have been a $0, but playing chauffeur when I hadn't had any supper....
Mar 17: Parking fees $20, gas $48, Dinner at Denny's FREE but the tip $10.
Mar 18: Cotton Ginny $126, Parking $1, Tea and Croissant $3
Mar 19: DS (that'd be dumba$$ son ) broke his tooth last night and it couldn't be saved. He has no coverage, so $339 out the window. DD had her university music audition, $22 for lunch/supper, groceries $41, gas $25, DH is taking the script for DS (again, no coverage, so Mommy has to pay.) $27
Mar 20: $0
Mar 21: DH went grocery shopping (and large water bottles, too) $16
Mar 22: gas $40 hospital parking $6
Mar 23: DH bought some milk $5
Mar 24: gas $41 (yuck!) buttermilk $3
Mar 25: $0 Under threat of a body part coming off .....a no buy day! (not optimistic that I can get another 2, but we'll take what we can get. )
Mar 26: gas (returning DM's car...full, please) $54, groceries-market for meats, M&M for meat, Costco (ibuprofen, Caltrate, groceries etc), regular groceries, and farm eggs $150, Shoppers for contacts solution and miscellaneous $45. DEFINITELY not a no buy day!
NO BUY DAYS: 8/10

 

[Tiggerish]

The March budget is $700 with 12 no spend days.

Auto $50 /$12 left
Eating Out/Entertainment $100 / $35 over
Giving $10 / $7 left
Groceries/Household Goods $250 / $54 left
Medical $25 / $3 left
Misc. $75 /$13 over
Set bills $205 / $70 left

No spend days 12 /14
Coupon savings $28.92
Christmas 2011 $8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3/1 $0
3/2 $0
3/3 $0
3/4 Misc. $27
3/5 Groceries $22
3/6 Set bills $30 (church); Eating out $4
3/7 Eating out $18
3/8 $0
3/9 $0
3/10 $27 Misc. (copying, faxing and printer ink)
3/11 $0
3/12 Groceries $76 (k-cups and the cheese store); Set bills $25 (credit card); Misc. $2 (Easter cards from the dollar store); Eating out $20 (took niece to lunch); Auto $38 (gas - which is now $3.65 a gallon)
3/13 Set bills $30 (church); Groceries $5; Giving $1 (person begging in the grocery store parking lot)
3/14 $0
3/15 $0
3/16 $0
3/17 $20 Set bills (newspaper delivery); $10 eating out.
3/18 $0
3/19 $76 Groceries; $10 Set bills (cell phone); $40 Eating out (Chinese food with my sister and two nieces)
3/20 $30 Set bills (church); Eating out $45 (pizza take) $2 Misc. (bought a shirt for niece at Kohls used two coupons) $25 Misc. (tickets to other niece's school play for myself and my brother and his family)
3/21 $0
3/22 $0
3/23 $0
3/24 $12 Groceries; $7 Eating out; $5 Misc.(stuff for Easter baskets); $22 Medical (co-pay on prescription); $2 Giving
3/25 $11 Eating out
3/26 $0

 

[wlake]

I priced out an adorable bathing suit and skirt cover up at Title Nine last night. $167!!!! I won't be doing that, especially when I have two decent bathing suits already.

I did buy new sneakers today for my half marathon training, but I'm calling them a replacement item as my old sneakers are going right out the door.

3/1:
3/2: $26 groceries
3/3:
3/4: $35 after school care, $540 brakes (ouch!), $12 dinner, $16 skate night
3/5: $13 Christmas Tree Shop (candy for basket raffle, cupcake liners, and replacement garden clogs), $23 Yankee Candle (candle!), $24 Michael's (gifts for parties the boys are invited to), $51 gas and $16 Walmart (groceries and a dry cleaning kit I have a rebate for)
3/6: $35 dinner out to celebrate DS8 scoring two goals in his indoor soccer game today (he's not terribly athletic, so this is huge!) and the end of indoor soccer season (DS5 played too, but he's very athletic and usually outscored the other team) as well as $49 on groceries. A little more bragging here: I saved $30 on that grocery bill between sales and coupons AND walked out with coupons for a free box of frozen fish and a free gallon of milk. I'm pretty proud of myself!
3/7:
3/8: $6 groceries (well, ice cream after a tough couple of days) and $5 books
3/9: $10 lunch, $26.50 x2 for school lunches for the boys
3/10:
3/11:
3/12: $3 JoAnn's (sprinkles and cupcake liners), $40 gas, $? Target (drinks, cat litter, health and beauty type stuff), $25 birthday gift for my aunt, $25 birthday gift for my sister
3/13: $27 groceries
3/14: $30 dinner (DH is out of town, so my mom suggested going out -- I was all too happy to go and pay for dinner!), $38 sneakers for the boys
3/15:
3/16:
3/17:
3/18: $2 bake sale at my school
3/19: $100 cut and color, $39 gas, $30 Target (snacks and a gift for a birthday party), $18 pharmacy (time to start buying the OTC allergy meds!)
3/20: $32 groceries, $50 Target (clothes for me, items for the kids' basket raffle baskets, groceries, things for school)
3/21:
3/22: takeout
3/23:
3/24:
3/25:
3/26: Lowe's, $75 BJ's, $38 gas, $3 candy, $91 running shoes


no buy days: 12/12
longest streak: 3
meals out: 5/5
days without dinner out: 4
longest no dinners out streak: 10
non-consumable items purchased: 4/0