March No Buy..Rolling Into Spring!

[momabaarjo]

Pay day! Love this day...filled my envelope for the upcoming month and crossing my fingers this will be the month that I get it all together...no spending, stay within budget, and use my envelopes!

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-TOTAL SPENT $163
*Took the kids to the local pizza buffet for a spring break treat...I had 3 free coupons for their lunch, SPENT $13 for my buffet and 4 drinks
*Grocery Shopping...got most of the things I need for the next 2 weeks (only have to buy chicken for meat since we stock the freezer twice a year with a hog and whole beef from a friends ranch...great hand feed beef and pork)...SPENT $73
*New athletic shoes for ds...SPENT $44(planned on this purchase for this month, he needed new shoes bad)
*Dollar Movie Tuesday-Took the kids to see Gulliver's Travels...it was $1 day at the mall theater...SPENT $4
*Local Grocery Store...needed some fresh made tortillas for dinner tonight and a couple of avacados...of course ds#2 had to get a package of ice cream bars since it was such a pretty afternoon...SPENT $9
*DDs allowance... SPENT $20

 

[A.Mickey]

Running Total: Spent $1402.56
$0 Days:5/14 Got 13 no buys last month, trying to up it to one more.

Groceries ($279-$9/day)- $127.47
Eating Out ($217-$7/day)- $166.88
Misc. (Shopping/Entertainment) ($806-$26/day) Great America season pass installment $1018.52
Gas $250- (3/1-$23.69), (3/6-$28.55), (3/8-$37.45 $3.64/gal)= $89.69

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


Budget: $1552....90%
Month: 15/31: 48%
No Buy: 5/14: 36%

My savings from coupons and sales: $684.43

Next Month: Get car fixed...

 

[ronnmel]

Going back to work after some time off (March break) is always hard, but add to that the loss of an hour due to "spring forward" and I am completely exhausted. Sorry I'm too tired to take the time to comment.

No Buy Days : 6/12
Gas : 110$ (max 120$ Raising the max due to higher gas prices)
Groceries : 64$ (max 250$)
Eating out (and snacks) : 47$ (max 100$)
Non-necessities : 290$ (max 300$)

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$

Sadly, our kitty didn't make it. I'm upset, since, maybe, if I had gotten him in sooner, he'd have had a chance. He was a friendly guy, never complaining, (rarely meowed), always traipsing in when I was on the toilet. Gonna miss him.

It had taken me too long to post my last post so I had not seen this in time. I'm really sorry about the loss of your kitty. I have two of my own (including one who loves to accompany me to the bathroom like yours) and I know it will be a very sad day when they die.

 

[SunnieRN]

March 11-25:

Goals:

Groc: $200 / -$93
Medical: $260
Cash: $100 / -$31.25

March 11: $0
March 12: $0
March 13: $31.25 on PB2 and chocolate PB2. Not a grocery necessity, but a want, so put it under cash?
March 14: $240, Target, YEP, you read that right. $33 on 6 mos of zyrtec' Mobigo and 1 extra game for EACH of my grandsons, so $140 there. New cookie sheets, as my son in law refuses to NOT put the non stick ones in the dishwasher and they now stick BAD, $25, nice cephalon, big ones. Also some misc. stuff I needed, plastic containers etc. The whole time going through the store, I kept saying, 'I am going to have to confess this on Dis boards". My daughter laughed and told me to get over it. I can't believe I spent that much $$$.n: Tomorrow, I'm stayin' home!!!
March 15: $0 stayed home, lol

No Buy Goal: 8 / 3 accomplished

It's OK, SunnieRN. I've found that the longer I do the no-buy, the more likely I am to run out of stuff (or perhaps even just need/want stuff). So, I've taken a few months off here and there... like the time I ran completely out of batteries and toilet paper. It's hard to maintain not buying much... Anyway, I think you're doing great!!

Thank you to you and Deb! I knew I needed to confess, but it was nice of you both NOT to slap me!! Everything is getting SO expensive!

Charming, I am so glad your Mom's surgery went well!! As for bringing your own snacks, that's double good!! Saves money and helps you know how many calories you are eating!!!

Love it when dh is gone...no cook night! Sometimes I wished that happened more...my budget would be great and a night off from the stove...

Have a nice night 'off'!!

 

[QVCshopper]

9/15 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

 

[Virgderon]

Sunnie, it happens. Don't worry- tomorrow is a new day.

Today I turned 50. It was a good day, since DD is safe.

Running Total: Spent $307
$900 budget... $593 left
$0 Days: 6
Goal is 8 or more!
coupon/sale savings :97

Groceries budget- $250-3-52-47- 8= 140 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 )

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Virgderon!!!
Glad it was a good day, things are looking brighter!

I am so tired. Long day, went to the gym tonight, then DH wasn't feeling good so I made him homemade soup. I will record tomorrow, it was a no buy though.
Charming, unfortunatly I got my blood work back. It was good in the sense that it was all normal, and the liver issues from being sick are over, but it did not explain why I can't eem to lost weight and why I am always so tired. I may see a specialist, but we will see. It is frustrating to ahve such high copays that you consider not going cause of the expense. Our copay for specialists is $80.

 

[bigmama67]

I'm in. The tricky thing this month will be that I have to figure out where I'm getting daycare $ from, as I now have some part-time tutoring but that decreases my unemployment. I'm starting to figure that out though.

I was under budget in February! I still have a bill to pay though...I'm mailing the check tomorrow.

I don't count buying groceries as spending $ though I do keep track of my grocery spending...so I will aim for 10 no-buy days. My birthday is March 11th and whatever I feel like that day (coffee, Pepsi, Dunkin' Donuts, whatever) I will get, darnit!

3/1: Between yesterday and today, spent $63.18 on groceries from March's budget/$536.82 left (we budget $600 but then again, I need to trim this because of the daycare issue.) DH doctor $15.
I don't count medical or groceries so... $0

3/2: $4.74 on groceries (GREAT deals at Acme!) $15 for some LeapPad cartridges for DD (brand new off Craig's List). $7.41 at A.C. Moore (T-shirt for DS for his show, PipSqueak markers, stickers).

3/3 $8.48 on 2 heater fans at Target (75% off!); $52.66 for groceries (LOTS of good deals again!) $7.99 for a ladybug umbrella for DD (Amazon, free prime shipping); DH spent $1.54 on soda at Rite Aid because he needed $20 cash back on a road trip for work (he will get reimbursed for mileage though, yeah!)

3/4 - DS school lunch $4.35; Juice and milk at TRU for DD $10; $125 for DH to register for a conference (out of our own pockets, argh!)

3/5 - DS bowling $16; soda at bowling $2.50; Toys R Us $12.83 for Lego game (this was actually DS’ money though); $24.80 at Bed Bath & Beyond (heating pad and toothpaste, used 2 coupons); $27.08 at Buy Buy Baby (used coupon); $16.99 at JC Penney (got a $200 coat on clearance with 2 coupons, YEAH!...find of the month!); $13 CVS (2 prescriptions); $1.26 Home Depot.

3/6 $4.84 Home Depot; $8.55 Stew Leonard’s (beer); $35.58 gas for DH’s car; $19.02 Borders.com (used coupon, got 2 gifts, free shipping); $4.28 Dollar Tree

3/7 $20.25 Whole Foods; $41.28 gas for my van; paid some bills; $19.18 for training pants on Amazon; $25 at Learning Express for a birthday gift and a game for my tutoring kids.

3/8 $0
$18.43 groceries

3/9 ? Can’t remember the details (that’s what I get for not writing it all down at once!) but not a no-buy day.

3/10 ? – same as 3/9, I’ve learned my lesson and will track as I go from now on. I did order something on Amazon ($6 for the Purim play, $14 for a book I wanted). Got a loaf of bread at the bakery outlet.

3/11 - my birthday...anything goes! (Well, within reason, especially because I'm tutoring that day!) DS school lunch too. I don't think I ended up actually wanting anything particular but I did buy a 2-liter of Pepsi and it's going fast.

3/12 – No bowling for DS today. We went to a birthday party, and I knkow we shopped a little (Home Depot, groceries).

3/13 –exchanged something at Home Depot. Also I know DS and I went to Dunkin’ Donuts…

3/14 – Bought DS’ new baseball glove for Little League. Groceries. Gatorade for DH at Walgreens (10 @ 69 cents each, COOL!) DH went to the doctor ($15 copay) and also got a prescription for his ear infection (he’s flying on Thursday, ouch!) Paid bills.

3/15 - $0
Groceries at Acme, bread at the bakery outlet. I still have over $250 left for the monthly grocery budget so I expect we’ll come in way under this month (yay!)

Something cool - at the last minute I decided to go to this networking thing being held for women in my town at the high school tonight. I intended to go for an hour and stayed for two. I went to a really interesting presentation on figuring out what you want to do next with your life; I got a makeover (my hair is straight! it's NEVER straight!) and they had a "suit bank" and since I've gone down a size I felt OK about taking one. I actually found a nice grey pants suit that is just my size and style. What a cool evening! (But my makeup itches; I'm not used to wearing it...LOL).


3/16 – we both need to get gas.

3/17

3/18 - DS school lunch; DH out of town, I’m tutoring so have to pay a sitter.

3/19 - my play reading; have to provide breakfast & lunch for my actors and keep my kids happy. $$$

3/20 Purim at my synagogue and then I’m taking the kids to get their pictures done (my Mom asked for a new photo) and out to dinner at Bahama Breeze. Hope it’s good!

3/21

3/22

3/23

3/24 - DS book fair at school.

3/25 - DS school lunch.

3/26

3/27

3/28

3/29

3/30

3/31


No-buy days: 3/10

Coupon savings: $270.60 so far!

 

[bigmama67]

Happy birthday, Virgderon! I turned 44 last Friday. Onward and upward!

MickeyMomofThree, sorry about your still feeling bad and the high co-pays.

 

[charming23]

Happy Birthday Virgderon

Glad your Mom's surgery went well, charming23. You'll both sleep well tonight! Smart thinking taking your own snacks/water. We always do this, too!

Thanks. I slept really well last night. I fell asleep at 9pm and just got up at 6am. I was glad I brought my own snacks as everything was so expensive at their cafe.

charming23, WOW! on the weight loss. I am on steroids again and their least annoying side effect is the weight gain. Glad your Mom's surgery went well, I had both eyes done last month and have decided that the eye drop stuff afterwords is a nuisance. Necessary but a nuisance none the less.

Thanks. I have been working hard and still have about 20 lbs left in my goal. It was so weird to try on dresses that fit perfectly last summer and were now swimming on me.

My mom agrees that the eye drops are a nuisance but she is faithfully doing them. My favorite though was the one pill we had to pick up for her to take last night, just one pill.

Congrats on the loss! Sure wish I could find some motivation!

Thanks. Motivation was always my weakness.

Charming, I am so glad your Mom's surgery went well!! As for bringing your own snacks, that's double good!! Saves money and helps you know how many calories you are eating!!!

Thanks.

Charming, unfortunatly I got my blood work back. It was good in the sense that it was all normal, and the liver issues from being sick are over, but it did not explain why I can't eem to lost weight and why I am always so tired. I may see a specialist, but we will see. It is frustrating to ahve such high copays that you consider not going cause of the expense. Our copay for specialists is $80.

That stinks that you did not get any answers from the bloodwork. I will say this to you though, when I had the major flu back in November and was out of comission for awhile it took a while for my body to get back to where it was before then. I was constantly tired until January and that is when the weight began to fall off again. Maybe that is what is happening to you because that flu was horrible.

I get your frustrations on co-pays. My mom has to pay $75 everytime she sees a specialist and she sees her endocronologist every two months.

 

[Debbie]

Happy Belated Birthday, Virgderon and bigmama67 Hope your birthday wishes came true!

Going back to work after some time off (March break) is always hard, but add to that the loss of an hour due to "spring forward" and I am completely exhausted.

I hear ya! I am so tired, and I haven't really done anything. (best whining voice, please!) Trying to get the taxes done.....that's my March break regular plan. Thanks for the thoughts on my kitty.

I am so tired. Long day, went to the gym tonight, then DH wasn't feeling good so I made him homemade soup. I will record tomorrow, it was a no buy though.
Charming, unfortunatly I got my blood work back. It was good in the sense that it was all normal, and the liver issues from being sick are over, but it did not explain why I can't eem to lost weight and why I am always so tired. I may see a specialist, but we will see. It is frustrating to ahve such high copays that you consider not going cause of the expense. Our copay for specialists is $80.

I'm sorry about your co-pays, MM3. Sometimes, we Canadians take our Health Care for granted.

3/15 - $0
Groceries at Acme, bread at the bakery outlet. I still have over $250 left for the monthly grocery budget so I expect we’ll come in way under this month (yay!)

Something cool - at the last minute I decided to go to this networking thing being held for women in my town at the high school tonight. I intended to go for an hour and stayed for two. I went to a really interesting presentation on figuring out what you want to do next with your life; I got a makeover (my hair is straight! it's NEVER straight!) and they had a "suit bank" and since I've gone down a size I felt OK about taking one. I actually found a nice grey pants suit that is just my size and style. What a cool evening! (But my makeup itches; I'm not used to wearing it...LOL).

Congrats on the grocery budget. The networking night sounds interesting. I'd be itching, too. The only makeup I wear is some lipstick, bit of blush over moisturizer. Takes 45 seconds tops.

Not sure how today will go. DD is having a sleepover, and, DH and I are planning a quiet dinner out (gifted the dinner, only have to pay the tip). Check in later.

Oooooh! I heard my first flock of geese coming home this morning! Hooray! Spring IS on the way!

 

[charming23]

My mom had her follow-up appointment today and everything looks great. She goes back next week to see about glasses. I did stop at save-a-lot for a few sale items. Milk was $.99 for a half gallon and whole fryers were $.79 lb. We also drove through dairy queen for a quick treat.

March 2011 Budget
Grocery/Household- $300/$66.35 Left
Car/Gas- $50/$21.25 Left
Eating out -$50/$26.42 Left
Entertainment/Misc- $100/ $47.44 left

Total- $500/$161.46 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
3/18
3/19
3/20
3/21

8/15 No Buy Days

Coupon/Store Savings- $92.77

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Charming, I completly forgot to say I am glad things went so smoothly for you mom. My grandpa has the same surgery next week. I can't be there, I bet it was comforting for her to have you there with her. You are such a good daughter.

 

[Tiggerish]

I am doing a happy dance today because I was approved for a
whole year of assistance with my MS drug. The drug costs $2500 a month and even with the insurance coverage I just qualified for through medicare, my co-pay was $480 a month. Now with the insurance and the assistance I pay nothing!!

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

Auto $50 /$12 left
Eating Out/Entertainment $100 / $78 left
Giving $10 / $9 left
Groceries/Household Goods $250 / $142 left
Medical $25
Misc. $75 /$19 left
Set bills $205 / $120 left

No spend days 12 /9
Coupon savings $15.55
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

 

[SunnieRN]

Sunnie, it happens. Don't worry- tomorrow is a new day.

It was and thank you!! Bye the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to YOU and
bigmomma!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks. I have been working hard and still have about 20 lbs left in my goal. It was so weird to try on dresses that fit perfectly last summer and were now swimming on me.
=

Thanks. Motivation was always my weakness.

It certainly isn't now!!! That is awesome and congratulations!! Sometimes the clothing clues make me feel better than the scale does!! I always have to approach dieting one meal, one calorie at a time!! Sometimes one minute at a time, when my resolve is low!

I am doing a happy dance today because I was approved for a
whole year of assistance with my MS drug. The drug costs $2500 a month and even with the insurance coverage I just qualified for through medicare, my co-pay was $480 a month. Now with the insurance and the assistance I pay nothing!!

Woo Hoo!!! Great news!!!!

MickeyMomof3, I understand how hard it is! Believe it or not an illness, takes a healing time for your body to allow it to then give up weight. Prior to that healing time, it may be reacting to the lower calories as a 'starvation' situation and it wants to hold on to the calories it needs, to protect you in case of another illness.

Sounds wacky, but that's what happens if you cut your calories too low also!!

I wish you all good wishes, but would like to suggest eating really healthy meals, the best being 6 small meals a day to keep your body fueled. If you watch your calories and fat, as well as your carbs, your body will heal and be MUCH nicer to you in your weight loss adventures! Also, I can't stress enough the importance of water. If I drink 8 glasses a day, I stall, 10, I will lose easier. And I am 53!

 

[SunnieRN]

]March 11-25:

Goals:

Groc: $200 / -$93
Medical: $260
Cash: $100 / -$31.25

March 11: $0
March 12: $0
March 13: $31.25 on PB2 and chocolate PB2. Not a grocery necessity, but a want, so put it under cash?
March 14: $240, Target, YEP, you read that right. $33 on 6 mos of zyrtec' Mobigo and 1 extra game for EACH of my grandsons, so $140 there. New cookie sheets, as my son in law refuses to NOT put the non stick ones in the dishwasher and they now stick BAD, $25, nice cephalon, big ones. Also some misc. stuff I needed, plastic containers etc. The whole time going through the store, I kept saying, 'I am going to have to confess this on Dis boards". My daughter laughed and told me to get over it. I can't believe I spent that much $$$.n: Tomorrow, I'm stayin' home!!!
March 15: $0 stayed home, lol
March 16: $ 0, work!

No Buy Goal: 8 / 4 accomplished

 

[Debbie]

I am doing a happy dance today because I was approved for a
whole year of assistance with my MS drug. The drug costs $2500 a month and even with the insurance coverage I just qualified for through medicare, my co-pay was $480 a month. Now with the insurance and the assistance I pay nothing!!

AWESOME news!

I always have to approach dieting one meal, one calorie at a time!! Sometimes one minute at a time, when my resolve is low!

MickeyMomof3, I understand how hard it is! Believe it or not an illness, takes a healing time for your body to allow it to then give up weight. Prior to that healing time, it may be reacting to the lower calories as a 'starvation' situation and it wants to hold on to the calories it needs, to protect you in case of another illness.

Sounds wacky, but that's what happens if you cut your calories too low also!!

I wish you all good wishes, but would like to suggest eating really healthy meals, the best being 6 small meals a day to keep your body fueled. If you watch your calories and fat, as well as your carbs, your body will heal and be MUCH nicer to you in your weight loss adventures! Also, I can't stress enough the importance of water. If I drink 8 glasses a day, I stall, 10, I will lose easier. And I am 53!

GREAT advice!

 

[wlake]

Happy belated birthdays bigmama67 and Virgderon!

Tiggerish, that's great news for your meds! I have two uncles (strangely enough, one on each side of the family, with neither of them blood relations to me) with MS, and I know their medication costs are through the roof.

On Monday, my DH's hotel was near a shoe outlet with some good deals, so he picked up new sneakers for the boys a size ahead. If they were shoes for me, I'd consider them non-consumables, but as they're for the boys, they're consumable!

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:

no buy days: 7/12
longest streak: 3
meals out: 3/5
days without dinner out: 2
longest no dinners out streak: 10
non-consumable items purchased: 2/0 (2 books)

 

[Virgderon]

I am in Chicago visiting mom and dad. It's good to be home.



Running Total: Spent $316
$900 budget... $584 left
$0 Days: 6
Goal is 8 or more!
coupon/sale savings :97

Groceries budget- $250-3-52-47- 8= 140 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)

 

[bigmama67]

I'm in. The tricky thing this month will be that I have to figure out where I'm getting daycare $ from, as I now have some part-time tutoring but that decreases my unemployment. I'm starting to figure that out though.

I was under budget in February! I still have a bill to pay though...I'm mailing the check tomorrow.

I don't count buying groceries as spending $ though I do keep track of my grocery spending...so I will aim for 10 no-buy days. My birthday is March 11th and whatever I feel like that day (coffee, Pepsi, Dunkin' Donuts, whatever) I will get, darnit!

3/1: Between yesterday and today, spent $63.18 on groceries from March's budget/$536.82 left (we budget $600 but then again, I need to trim this because of the daycare issue.) DH doctor $15.
I don't count medical or groceries so... $0

3/2: $4.74 on groceries (GREAT deals at Acme!) $15 for some LeapPad cartridges for DD (brand new off Craig's List). $7.41 at A.C. Moore (T-shirt for DS for his show, PipSqueak markers, stickers).

3/3 $8.48 on 2 heater fans at Target (75% off!); $52.66 for groceries (LOTS of good deals again!) $7.99 for a ladybug umbrella for DD (Amazon, free prime shipping); DH spent $1.54 on soda at Rite Aid because he needed $20 cash back on a road trip for work (he will get reimbursed for mileage though, yeah!)

3/4 - DS school lunch $4.35; Juice and milk at TRU for DD $10; $125 for DH to register for a conference (out of our own pockets, argh!)

3/5 - DS bowling $16; soda at bowling $2.50; Toys R Us $12.83 for Lego game (this was actually DS’ money though); $24.80 at Bed Bath & Beyond (heating pad and toothpaste, used 2 coupons); $27.08 at Buy Buy Baby (used coupon); $16.99 at JC Penney (got a $200 coat on clearance with 2 coupons, YEAH!...find of the month!); $13 CVS (2 prescriptions); $1.26 Home Depot.

3/6 $4.84 Home Depot; $8.55 Stew Leonard’s (beer); $35.58 gas for DH’s car; $19.02 Borders.com (used coupon, got 2 gifts, free shipping); $4.28 Dollar Tree

3/7 $20.25 Whole Foods; $41.28 gas for my van; paid some bills; $19.18 for training pants on Amazon; $25 at Learning Express for a birthday gift and a game for my tutoring kids.

3/8 $0
$18.43 groceries

3/9 ? Can’t remember the details (that’s what I get for not writing it all down at once!) but not a no-buy day.

3/10 ? – same as 3/9, I’ve learned my lesson and will track as I go from now on. I did order something on Amazon ($6 for the Purim play, $14 for a book I wanted). Got a loaf of bread at the bakery outlet.

3/11 - my birthday...anything goes! (Well, within reason, especially because I'm tutoring that day!) DS school lunch too. I don't think I ended up actually wanting anything particular but I did buy a 2-liter of Pepsi and it's going fast.
ENDED UP BEING A NO-BUY DAY...FUNNY ENOUGH!
$0

3/12 – No bowling for DS today. We went to a birthday party, and I knkow we shopped a little (Home Depot, groceries).

3/13 –exchanged something at Home Depot. Also I know DS and I went to Dunkin’ Donuts…

3/14 – Bought DS’ new baseball glove for Little League. Groceries. Gatorade for DH at Walgreens (10 @ 69 cents each, COOL!) DH went to the doctor ($15 copay) and also got a prescription for his ear infection (he’s flying on Thursday, ouch!) Paid bills.

3/15 - $0
Groceries at Acme, bread at the bakery outlet. I still have over $250 left for the monthly grocery budget so I expect we’ll come in way under this month (yay!)

Something cool - at the last minute I decided to go to this networking thing being held for women in my town at the high school tonight. I intended to go for an hour and stayed for two. I went to a really interesting presentation on figuring out what you want to do next with your life; I got a makeover (my hair is straight! it's NEVER straight!) and they had a "suit bank" and since I've gone down a size I felt OK about taking one. I actually found a nice grey pants suit that is just my size and style. What a cool evening! (But my makeup itches; I'm not used to wearing it...LOL).


3/16 – DH put $10 of gas in because he ended up having to go to Trenton (60 miles each way) to pick up some copies for work. He will get mileage reimbursement but I guess it still counts...there goes my no-buy. Sigh...

3/17

3/18 - DS school lunch; DH out of town, I’m tutoring so have to pay a sitter.

3/19 - my play reading; have to provide breakfast & lunch for my actors and keep my kids happy. $$$

3/20 Purim at my synagogue and then I’m taking the kids to get their pictures done (my Mom asked for a new photo) and out to dinner at Bahama Breeze. Hope it’s good!

3/21

3/22

3/23

3/24 - DS book fair at school.

3/25 - DS school lunch.

3/26

3/27

3/28

3/29

3/30

3/31


No-buy days: 4/10

Coupon savings: $270.60 so far!