March No Buy..Rolling Into Spring!

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Sunnie, any date is a good date, especially when it is free!!! DH liked it and lots of people around us were lauging so it really was just not my cup of tea. But I loved the company.

I enjoyed all of your stories about what your kdis are doing for Dr. Seuss this week. I guess my kids, even though they still enjoy it, have grown out of the age that their classes are involved.

We had such a good time tonight. We got to tour the restaurant, make our own ice cream and waffle cones and gave free ones to the moms. So I wasn't even tempted to spend. However hat wasn't what my diet needed, but I will work out harder tonmorrow. It was so worth it.

 

[Debbie]

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

NO BUY DAYS: 2/10

 

[Orangewolf]

March 1st: (Gas)$61.90 - (Groceries) $60.13 - (Household - vitamins, shampoo etc) $28.59
I also dropped $155.12 at Kohls on DH's clothes for work - this isn't a true figure cause I will end up returning at least half the clothes - I am his personal shopper and what he doesn't like/doesnt fit goes back on Sat.

March 2nd - $0

March 3rd - The best kind of No Buy Day - paid for our airline tickets to Disney!! Yay! Bought through the WDW website after some tips from the transportation board and saved around $500 -
Tickets To WDW $1243 RT for 5 people from MSP. SAME tickets priced thru Air tran directly were $1743
(Groceries) $38.02 - still stocking up after eating the cupboards bare in Feb.

$98.15/$425 Groc.
$61.90/$150 Gas
$28.59/$75 Household

 

[A.Mickey]

Running Total: Spent $112.23
$0 Days:1/14 Got 13 no buys last month, trying to up it to one more.

Groceries ($279-$9/day)- $31.84
Eating Out ($217-$7/day)- $9.20
Misc. (Shopping/Entertainment) ($806-$26/day) Ohio Hotel, two trips by train, Great America season pass installment, 2nd half of our airplane tickets for October, ink for printer $47.50
Gas $250- (3/1-$23.69)

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), $16.48 (Jewel-Prescription), $9.20 (McDonald's-Eating Out)


Budget: $1552....7%
Month: 3/31: 10%
No Buy: 1/10: 10%

My savings from coupons and sales: $166.23

 

[Debbie]

March 3rd - The best kind of No Buy Day - paid for our airline tickets to Disney!! Yay! Bought through the WDW website after some tips from the transportation board and saved around $500 -

Congratulations on the savings AND the trip to Disney! How exciting for you!

 

[MissBritt]

Looks like I'll make my goal of less than $1000 on my Visa this month... 19 days left in the cycle and I've just now hit $300 and have a $35 item to return.

 

[annsteere]

yesterday I spent $5 admission to go to my DD12's show chorus competition. It was well worth the price, I totally cried but I'm a sap that way, I cry at everything. I also grabbed a cheap drive-thru dinner before teaching class.


03/01 - $0 spent
03/02 - $5 admission Show Chorus competition & $3.00 at KFC


1 down - at least 9 to go.

Another good thing this board helps us do--get a cheap drive thru dinner. Rather than dropping 10 bucks you got by on $3. Good for you.

If I have to do drive thru, just drinking my own water and skipping the fries is budget and health friendly.

 

[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


$585.97/$800.00 remaining

 

[Orangewolf]

Congratulations on the savings AND the trip to Disney! How exciting for you!

Thanks!! For a few minutes we were ready to tack on another night to our stay - and then we went "whoa, what are we doing - why not pocket the savings and put it towards our food, souvenier and MNSSHP budget - we were just about lured by the magic, but managed to hang on..

 

[angierae]

3/1: $1.59 @ CVS
3/2: $0!
3/3: $3.17 for the "free" photo notepad through Walgreens that was advertised here on the Dis.


I've decided "buy days" won't include our regular weekly grocery shopping days, but I will include days I have to stop at the grocery store for extra items, either because I decided to get something extra or because I planned poorly and we're missing something. I'm REALLY trying to only shop when I'm organized and watching sales/coupons and not just pick up stuff randomly.

This weekend we have a bat mitzvah for a friend's daughter. They converted to Judaism a few months ago and she's older (19) but it should be really nice. We need to decide tonight if we're buying a gift or just giving her a check.

(I already blew today by stopping at Tim Horton's for a coffee but I hadn't had one in weeks.)

 

[rubato]

Rubato- one thing a lot of us do when we have special spending is to put it as an exception for the no buy/monthly budget. Obviously, you need to include it in your overall personal budget, but the purpose of this thread for most people is to reign in typical monthly spending. If there is a big purchase you have set aside money and planned for, I would not include it here.

Like you mentioned, you're now already over for the month and it's only the 3rd if you include it here. It's making you feel discouraged already, which is not the point. I would just not include the framing (awesome idea, by the way- I'd love to do something special for my Princess, Disneyland, and Coast to Coast medals!) in your daily tallies.

Thanks, I think I'll take your advice and just delete that. It was something I've been waiting to do, so yes, it was budgeted for. I feel better!

 

[rubato]

What Where'sPiglet said. And when you get them....PICTURES, please! (my framed Donald medal still makes me smile)

Thanks. I'll definitely post a pic when I get them. It'll be about 2 weeks, or so they said.

 

[rubato]

Rubato, if I ever had the stamina to run a marathon, let alone a half one day and a whole the next, I'd spend at least that much to frame them!! While it sounds expensive, it also sounds important to you, and that's just as important as money! to your running skills!

Thanks very much! It was a once in a lifetime deal for me, so you are all correct. It doesn't matter what it costs. I was just shocked at how big the thing is going to be! I am, apparently, going to have a pride wall now.

 

[QVCshopper]

Looks like I'll make my goal of less than $1000 on my Visa this month... 19 days left in the cycle and I've just now hit $300 and have a $35 item to return.

Good for you! I've seen mine go down, but not that low. But we charge everything we can, including house and car insurance, water and trash bill, cable, gas, food, etc. I don't really impulse buy much, though, so that's good. The only things we don't charge are the gas and electric bill and life insurance because they charge a fee.

 

[QVCshopper]

Thanks!! For a few minutes we were ready to tack on another night to our stay - and then we went "whoa, what are we doing - why not pocket the savings and put it towards our food, souvenier and MNSSHP budget - we were just about lured by the magic, but managed to hang on..

Thanks for your tip! We've been toying with the idea of a trip, and our airfare is cheaper that way. Just trying to see if $2400 is worth 6 nights at POP, but that includes airfare for four, room, tix for four, and quick service meal plan for four. Don't think it will get much lower... But August is hot!

Disney was cheaper when it was the two of just--and when the kids were less than three!

 

[hmack]

yesterday I spent $17 on groceries and $3.00 for a smoothie treat for DD16

03/01 - $0 spent
03/02 - $5 admission Show Chorus competition & $3.00 at KFC
03/03 - $17 groceries, $3 treat for DD16



1 down - at least 9 to go.


Today I am holding my breath
I came to work for find a voicemail and an email asking me to meet with the Dean and the Provost at the University where I work at 3:45 this afternoon. I have no idea what it's about. And thinking about it makes my palms sweat.

 

[charming23]

Another $0 day today. Had a phone interview for a job this morning (waiting to hear back next week) and am just hanging around the house tonight.

March 2011 Budget
Grocery/Household- $300/$218.54 Left
Car/Gas- $50
Eating out -$50/$31.30 Left
Entertainment/Misc- $100

Total- $500/$399.84 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
3/6
3/7

2/15 No Buy Days

Coupon/Store Savings- $38.38

 

[Tiggerish]

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

Auto $50
Eating Out/Entertainment $100
Giving $10
Groceries/Household Goods $235
Medical $25
Misc. $75 /$48 left
Set bills $205

No spend days 12 / 3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2/1 $0
2/2 $0
2/3 $0
2/4 Misc. $27 (bought the Vera Bradley bag on Ebay. I found the pattern I wanted on an auction ending in a hour with no bids and was able to get it for the minimum bid with reasonable shipping and saved $7 from buying it on the Vera Bradley site. It is my Easter basket present for myself.)

 

[QVCshopper]

Glad you got your purse, Tiggerish! You deserve it! I bought a Pottery Barn quilt last month on sale and love it. It's worth treating yourself sometimes.

 

[QVCshopper]

Another no-buy day and I'm down 5 pounds in two weeks. This hitting the gym instead of shopping, combined with better eating, is paying off!

3/15 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