No Buy August

[LBelle]

Belle, it is up to you how you track your spending. Whatever you are struggling with, come up with a plan to better your spending-even if only a wee bit. We're here to ! Start by literally tracking your spending for a few weeks to determine your 'latte factor'-and then work on saving, not spending.

Got it! So, I should carry a little notepad and jot down everything I spend, $$ out of ATM's, $$ to kids, etc?

Oooh...this could be scary!

Thanks for your help!

 

[Debbie]

I think since I'm starting so late, I'm just going to keep an honest tally this month and start fresh next month. This month was full of exceptional purchases- tv, keurig, micro. My micro passed away on the wknd and I use it many times daily..

Aug 17-mon
microwave $173.00
m&m's $2.30
iced capp & timbits $3.60

Today I need to pick up some groceries, I'll try to do the advance meal planning

I hear you with the microwave, Tara. I use mine all the time, and it is the one thing that I can't be without! My girls love the ice capps, but I'm enjoying the McD $1.00 XL iced tea this summer. That was a good gimmick, since I would not normally buy cold drinks at all, and I've had at least one a week. : You'll do great with your meal planning!

Got it! So, I should carry a little notepad and jot down everything I spend, $$ out of ATM's, $$ to kids, etc?

Oooh...this could be scary!

Thanks for your help!

it is a really helpful exercise. (and you don't have to sweat in the heat, either!)

 

[tara32]

AUg 18- Tues
groceries $131.00 But got lots of chicken and meal items!! Wouldve hit $125 without that rotisserie chicken..
Timmy's (again) $4.30 ( ice capp, 2 donuts and 2 timbits) <--not all 4 me!!

 

[carissanboys]

Hello! I've joined this thread in previous months, but have never stuck with it for very long. I am in line at the library to get Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover and have been checking out a message board that follows his plan to try and get a jumpstart. I am bound and determined to get out of debt and get us into a better place financially so that we can easily buy a house when dh retires from the navy in 4 years.

For the rest of this month, I'm just going to report on my spending and $0 days and not worry about posting a budget here. I'll do that next month. I've already had many $0 days this month, but I'm just going to start reporting from today.

8/18 - $2.99 shipping on a Veggie Tales movie.

I thought about this long and hard. I saw the thread many days ago, but wasn't going to buy it until we went to the Regal Cinema today and got to see a Veggie Tales movie for free. My boys really enjoyed it so I thought $2.99 for a Christmas present would be a good deal. Always trying to plan ahead for the holidays.

 

[lattemomof3]

This thread is definately helping w/ eating out. It about killed me yesterday to shell out $17 at McD's for 3 happy meals, a fish sandwich & small latte. Normally I would'nt have even noticed the price. It was a "last day of summer vacation" treat for the kids - we went to the park & they were dying to get the new lego racers/american girl toys. We haven't had fast food for quite a while, though, bec. I know I can make something much healthier and MUCH cheaper.

 

[tara32]

Lattemom- I don't know if you ever do this, but when we go as a family,
(dh-huge eater, me-big eater, ds6-picky eater, ds1- hoover)Instead of one or 2 happy meals, we get one chicken nuggets combo (the one with the 10 nuggets) that way both kids share nuggets, we all share the fries , (I usually get one small as a booster, lol) and all share the drink.
If your kids don't mind ditching the toy (mine couldn't care less) all 3 could share the combo for way less $$. Or you could tell them in advance, its this way or no way today..and you could alternate visits.. most kids would prefer going more often and not haivng the toy, I think.
So with all 4 of us, it comes to around $17 and thats with dh having 3 burgers and a grilled chicken wrap!!

 

[neatokimmo]

How do you not have a tag?

Ok, seriously, I had to go buy bugs today for DD10's leopard gecko, and we get home and the waxworms are all dead!

$4.80 dead waxworms, $4 gas, now I have to bring them back. Only thing grosser than live waxworms is dead waxworms. Ewww.....

Don't buy your kids reptiles, people, even if they offer them buy one, get one free. It ain't worth it!

 

[neatokimmo]

Yeah, but then you'd be able to write your own diet book and make a killing!!


Mmm, the hamburger & Bananas Diet!!

Lol then I wouldn't have to budget at all!

 

[neatokimmo]

I bought one of the big cottonelle packs at CVS today and nail polish. I had just a tiny amount left on a CVS card and spent $14.77 OOP. I have a free toothbrush coupon to use now and a $3 ECB that worse case, I'll use on milk next week

Breakfast and a drink today were covered by work! - yippee! I also had a free game piece for a whopper for lunch.

Groceries - 101.67/200
Eating out - 12.76/50 (oops)
Cats - 30
Baby Loot - 34.24/60
Mama Loot - 15.91/40
Gas - 22/60
YardSale cash - 5.25/50
Misc - 87.54/200

August 18 - $14.77 397.48/690
August 17 - $.80 382.71/690
August 16 - zero 381.91/690
August 14th + 15th - $124.32 - 381.91/690
August 13th - $1.65 $257.59/$690
August 12 - zero! 255.94/690
August 11 - $.20 255.94/$690
August 10 - $1.45 255.74/$690
August 9 - zero! $254.29/$690
August 8 - $93.09 $254.29/$690
August 7 - $41.48 $161.19/$690
August 6 - $9.25 $119.71.$690
August 5 - $11.08 $110.46/690
August 4 - $31.51 $99.38/690
August 3 - $1! $67.87/$690
August 2 - zero! $66.87/ $690
August 1 - $66.87/ $690

 

[Schmoodle]

Planned Monthly Expenses:
Groceries $500 - 261/500
Eating Out $150 - 224/150
Movies $50 - 45/50

Exceptions:
State Farm Auto Ins Due $550
Hershey Park $100
Tickets for company picnic $50
Disney trip due – $955
Dance registration fee – $10
Back to school shopping – $150
Camera – $350
Computer - $500

So far:
8/1 – Butcher/Farmer's Mkt/Groceries - $115, Breakfast Out- $5
8/2 - $0
8/3 - Fam ate out while I was away - $40
8/4 – Bras $24, kids' lunch out $30
8.5 - $0
8/6 - $42 Souvenirs for Kids, Doctor - $95, kids' movies $40
8/7 – Movies $5.75
8/8 – Breakfast out $4.55, Butcher/Farmer's Mkt/Groceries $83, Gas $46, Pay Sitter $200, Pay Disney Trip $955, Girls’ Lunch Out - $25, Pay allowances - $30

8/9 - $0
8/10 - $15 copay for DD doctor, $40 for company picnic tickets
8/11 - $0[/QUOTE]
8/12 - Kohl's order - $110 dishes and clothes
8/13 - $0
8/14 - $0
8/15 - Breakfast out $5, Butcher/Farmer's Mkt/Groceries $60.55, Dinner out $138
8/16 - Back to school shopping $70, mall snacks $7, gift for nephew's birthday $25
8/17 - $0

 

[dismom9761]

Gas and car 98/180
groceries 183.52/300
eating out 29.52 /50
Misc 89.63/100
Sport 230/350(yes that is correct and that is a low number)
`````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````
8/8-$13.85-We were going to cook out at a friend's house and needed steaks.We bought 4 steaks(the youngest wasn't with us and I don't eat steak),rolls,and a 2 ltr drink
8/9-$11.63-school supplies and DH spent $3 on gatorade/water for ball practice and $2.50 for a newspaper
8/10-9.72-hamburger meat and pretzels...I have to get better about planning ahead and doing one grocery store run...
8/11-gas-$8 and groceries $7.68
8/12-$20 gas
8/13-,$3.79 for drinks at ballfield,$9.90 for dinner for DH and DS11 and DS13...and then the girls and I stopped at the store for something DD5 needs for school tomorrow and I spent $8.62 on groceries
8/14-$14 for Dh and I to eat out for lunch,$10 for DS13 to go to High School football game,$4.37 at grocery store,gas $25,new fish for DS11(his died)$6,groceries(drinks and sandwich stuff for ballfield mostly)$14.69
8/15-girls' softball registration $180,fans for kids' rooms $27,boys tryout fees $50
8/16-$20 gas,$35 friends' birthday gifts,5.62 DH and boys eating out lunch,$113.96 groceries
8/17-$25 gas,$1.39 Sunkist drink(YUM!)
8/18-$15.94 for pictures I had developed,$20 for school shirts for my boys

````````````````````````````

I had really hoped to have a $0 day but the kids needed current pics for school and of course I had none developed.I did get them for .06 each. We had parent night at the boys' school and I had promised to buy them shirts so there went another twenty dollars.

Maybe tomorrow....

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Got it! So, I should carry a little notepad and jot down everything I spend, $$ out of ATM's, $$ to kids, etc?

Oooh...this could be scary!

Thanks for your help!

I save my receipts, then when I get home I put them into a spreadsheet, then I stick the receipts in a big manilla envelope. You wouldn't believe how fat that envelope is by the end of the month sometimes. I do like knowing where all my receipts are, though. DH also tracks it through Microsoft Money so at the end of the month we compare my spending with what the credit card says we're spending (we pay it off every month), to make sure they match.

How do you not have a tag?

I think the powers that be on the board are so busy giving me points it hasn't occurred to them to give me a tag....

DD9 is home sick today with a tummy bug, ah, welcome back to school and germs.

I need to go through my receipts and post-I think we had a $0 day yesterday but I've been known to "forget" that I shopped .

 

[Debbie]

I think the powers that be on the board are so busy giving me points it hasn't occurred to them to give me a tag....

My cc gives me points and I cash them in for groceries. Maybe you can negotiate with DIS to do the same.

 

[Siouxstone]

Wow, I don't post for a few days and all manner of things happen! We get newbies, Paula leaves for vacation, cats get finicky, and horseback riding is expensive. Wow, and that doesn't even hit the price of food in Canada! Bananas and burger! I can't even type it without making a face!

Kickapoo~ I can't believe you still have the BOGO lizards! If anyone ever makes a badge for our siggies, we've got to have two lizards as the mascot.


8/1-$0
8/2-$0
8/3-$75 groceries
8/4-$35 petsmart, $25 Sam's
8/5-$0
8/6-$58 Target, $33 dinner
8/7-$4 Redbox
8/8-$12 Urgent Clinic Copay, $18 lunch after Urgent Clinic
8/8-$98 new suitcases
8/9-$18 book and thank you cards
8/10-$125 groceries
8/11-$6 ChickFilA
8/12-$0
8/13-$0
8/14-$27 out to eat
8/15-$16 haircut
8/16-$0
8/17-$48 Target
8/18-$105 groceries, $90 clothing

I managed a few $0 days, but not as many as I would like. I'm down two sizes from last year, so I went in search of some capri pants & bermuda shorts yesterday. Our tax free weekend is in a few days, and last year I waited, which was a big mistake. Everything was picked clean. I did get two pairs each of capris and bermudas and a drawerful of panties for my $90! I just need to get a white t-shirt for MNSSHP and the whole family will be set for Disney.

 

[princessbride6205]

8/1 - $0 (+$73 and -$73)
8/2 - $62 groceries, $23 dining out as family
8/3 - $0
8/4 - $2 coffee, $9 Target misc.
8/5 - $0
8/6 - $11 Gas
8/7 - $11 Lunch out
8/8 - $19 dining out as a family, $12 pants for DH
8/9 - $72 groceries, $57 stock up on diapers, wipes & sunblock
8/10 - $7 lunch
8/11 - $9 Gas
8/12 - $0
8/13 - $0
8/14 - $25 Dad's B-day gift
8/15 - $100 prepaid on our gas card (gets us 6 cent discount per gal)
8/16 - $0
8/17 - $0
8/18 - $0
8/19 - ?? I might use some of my fun money for lunch

TOTALS
Fun money spent $20/40
Groceries $134/300
Family Dining Out $42/100
Other (clothes, diapers, etc.) $103/150
Gas & Parking $120/125

Exceptions:
* Photo Software
* DH and I each get $40/mo. "fun money" - can go out to lunch, buy other non-necessities, etc. I'll track my fun money above, but DH just gets his envelope with $40 cash and that's that.
* Dad's birthday gift - $25
* Getting a passport (I really should have renewed years ago, but now there is a slim chance I'll need to go to Europe for work - not that work will pay for the passport!)
Paid with income from items sold:
* (Fall clothes for DD)
* (Organization stuff - baskets, bins, etc.)

 

[wdwfan16]

8/2 - $0
8/4 - $0
8/8 - $0
8/9 - $0
8/13 - $0
8/15 - $0
8/16 - $0
8/18 - $0

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

8/2 - $0
8/4 - $0
8/8 - $0
8/9 - $0
8/13 - $0
8/15 - $0
8/16 - $0
8/18 - $0

WOW!

 

[carissanboys]

8/18 - $2.99 shipping on a Veggie Tales movie.
8/19 - $0

 

[Tiggerish]

Total discretionary budget for August is $420

Groceries = $120 / $34 left
Auto/Gas = 75 / $50 left
Giving = $50 / $23 left
Medical = $50 / $46 left
Eating Out = $25 / $3 over
Misc. = $100 /$61 left
==================================================

8/1 = $0
8/2 = $13 Eating out
8/3 = $7 Groceries
8/4 = $29 Groceries
8/5 = $0
8/6 = $0
8/7 = $8 Eating out
8/8 $0
8/9 $10 Giving (church collection); $8 Misc. (some dollar store trinkets to stock up my "treasure chest")
8/10 $12 Misc. items for back to school boxes I am making for church to give to kids
8/11 $4 Misc. - more trinkets for my "treasure chest"
8/12 $0
8/13 $0
8/14 $50 Groceries; $3 Eating out; and, $4 Medical (prescription)
8/15 $4 Eating out
8/16 $15 Giving (church collection)
8/16 $19 Misc. (lunch for the nieces); $25 gas
8/17 $0
8/18 $3 Giving (bought a water and sandwich for a homeless man who passed out at the bus stop)

 

[lattemomof3]

tara32 I am going to try that McD's trick next time- usually my kids don't care about the toy, this one was one that appealed to all of them though. Tiggerish you were so kind to help someone out. I have a dumb question - how do you all list your expenses for the whole month w/out re-typing, are you just cutting & pasting? I think before long I will have to start asking my 1st grader these things, he is getting pretty adept at the computer!