No Buy December 2009

[CherylA]

Welcome to No Buy!

The point of this thread is to keep track of your discretionary spending on each day of the month. The goal is to have as many $0 days as possible.

The beauty of this challenge is that each person gets to set their own spending goals and choose how they would like to post their results. Most people choose to post their spending for each day on a daily basis, as well as keep a running total of the monthly spending. Some people break it into categories, while other people do not. You can also list exceptions to your spending, such as holiday purchases or vacations. It is entirely up to you!

Good luck to everyone. December is sure to be a tough one!

 

[CherylA]

I have cut down my categories a little this month. I think theres not much point in tracking gas spending or haircuts so I eliminated those. I'm carrying over what I have left of my xmas money from last month and since that was to be the whole xmas budget I'm not adding any more to that. I was substantially under budget for groceries last month so I cut down that number a little but not too much since Dec is a long month and there is a lot of holiday food purchases. I need to try harder to stick to my entertainment budget since I was over on that (although I did up it by $20). I'm aiming for 10 no buy days again this month. I only managed 7 last month!

Clothing $60

Grocery $470

House Upkeep/Decorating $90

Unexpected Spending $250

Gifts $60

Entertainment $370

Christmas

Immediate Family $114.23 remains from last month


Other gifts $188.64 remains from last month


Xtra food and events (dinners out, food for xmas dinner)
$230

0/10 no buy days

 

[PixiePlanner]

I have been so bad! I didn't finish No Buy October and didn't even attempt November! Today I am turning over a new leaf. I have to get back under control. I have to budget in my groceries for DD's birthday but the presents are done. Goal is to keep groceries <$450 for the month. Hard-seems like less has cost me more these last two months. I also want at least 15 $0 days.

12/01 $0
12/02 $0
12/03 $2.51 Gallon of milk
12/04 $6.59 Treated myself to lunch. Needed my junkfood fix.
12/05 $0 and only 62.45 at the grocery store!
12/06 $0
12/07 $0
12/08 $3.59 Breakfast out
12/09 $0
12/10 $0
12/11 $0
12/12 $0
12/13 $0 and only 83.62 at the grocery store!
12/14 $4.07 Treated myself to Chinese food for lunch. YUM!

groceries $146.07/450

 

[HLDisney]

I'm in. I went a bit overboard with Christmas shopping and other stuff in November so I'm going to really need to work on minimizing my spending in December. I can't quite go for $0 days (as I'm having a hard time coming up with breakfasts that I can bring to work so most days, I'll end up picking up a bagel for $1.35) but I'm going to aim for as many less than $5 days that I can. This won't include the non-negotiable monthly payments (maintenance fees, telephone, church offering, insurance, money for my parents, etc)

12/1 - breakfast-$1.35, soda-$1.55, snack from vending machine-90 cents, discounted movie tickets for Christmas gifts-$82.50 (not a great start for the month but hopefully, this will be the last Christmas gift purchase I need to make)

Helen

 

[charming23]

I'm In for December. I am really hoping to cut down in some areas again this month.

Grocery/Household- $300 (I am really going to work this month at cleaning out the pantry and freezer)
Entertainment/Dining Out-$75
Car/Gas- $50
Misc/Emergency- $150

Total for the month- $575

Goal for 15 $0 days

12/1 $0

 

[casper_jj11]

Thank goodness November is over. I went over in almost every category, including groceries which is amazing to me since I increased teh grocery budget last month... probably due to the eating out that we did

Trying to be realistic this month and include everything except regular monthly payments. I tend to forget things and then take them out of my discretionary spending which ended up way over without me actually buying anything for me... which is fine but at least I shouldnt feel guilty without anything in it for me

Most of the Christmas shopping is done. Its now little things like socks.

groceries $700
gas $500
cat food $90
DD3 Birthday party supplies $80
DD3 and DS2 playgroup $200
car repair/tire changing x 2 $160
DS7 winter boots $50
DS2 and DS7 haircuts $36
New Years fun stuff for kids $20
my spending $150 $120.26 left
DH spending $150

Christmas carryover:

Dad $57
DMil $79
BIL $50
shipping pkg to BIL family $50
DH for me $200 ( hopefully he sticks to it)
Gifts for family the church is helping $50
Teachers gift cards $80

Socks:
DD3 $40
DS2 $35
DS7 $25
DH $30

Total: $2832 ... quite honestly, if I stick to this I'll be shocked! - $2802 left

1 - lunch with co-worker $13.74; $16 ornaments for our tree outside
2 -

 

[disneyfav4ever]

My goals for the month;

$100 - Christmas Spending
$300 - Groceries & Eating Out
$100 - "Fun" Money

I'm just going to leave it at that. I already have most of my shopping done, I just need to buy for my mom, my aunt, and one of my cousins, so $100 should be more then enough for that, as well as any misc decorations and stuff I pick up.

12/1 - $29 (Starbucks, gift tags, amd some groceries)
12/2 - $0
12/3 - $0
12/4 - $3 (Soda and cookies at work)
12/5 - $7 (Sodas and some Laundry Detergent)
12/6 - $135 (Grocery & Christmas Shopping)
12/7 - $54 (Liquor Store)
12/8 - $16 (Fruit, More Baking Ingrediants, Snack at Work, DVD)
12/9 - $0
12/10 - $7 (Take-Out)
12/11 - $19 (Groceries, Soda, and Lunch Out)
12/12 - $11 (Groceries & Sodas)
12/13 - $22 (Soda, Newspapers, Groceries)
12/14 - $63 (Movies, Books, CD)
12/15 - $2 (Snack & Soda)
12/16 - $103 (Gifts, Book, Calendar, Lunch Out, Bath & Body Works)
12/17 - $0

$255/$300 - Groceries & Eating Out
$88/$100 - Christmas Spending
$128/$100 - "Fun" Money

 

[Tiggerish]

Total budget for December is $520.

Groceries - $220
Automobile - $50
Giving - $50
Eating Out - $50
Misc. - $100 / $90 left
Christmas - $50
============================================

12/1 Misc. $10 postage

 

[DawnM]

Ok, I need to be more diligent with every day tracking this month. Here is my budget:

$400 Christmas gifts left
$400 Groceries (continuing pantry cleaning)
this includes toiletries
$200 Misc (thrift store shopping, etc...)
$150 Gas
$100 Eating out

Total: $1250

Dec. 1- $140 Christmas gift

 

[Swmr359]

November was my first time doing no buy and I was shocked at how much I spend! I spent just under 400 so I hope to do less this month, and I had 14 0 days. I will not be counting bills that I have to pay (car, school loan, housing, swimming, insurances). I give myself 2 ice cream days and 2 eat out days; I need these to stay sane. I haven't even thought about Christmas gifts yet, my brothers birthday was yesterday and my cousins is next week so I've had those on my mind.
---------
Dec.1 $21 at Petsmart (great price on kitten food today! I should have enough to last the month), $7 at Target

Groceries: $7/$100
Ice cream: 0/2
Eat out: 0/2
Christmas gifts:$0
Misc.:$21
Total:$28
0 days: 0/15

 

[smiller]

I am so in this month! My goal is $260 for groceries, toiletries, household, going out/eating out, DSis's birthday gift, and maybe the seamstress or cobbler if I have the money available.

I've reduced my goal by $40 to cover my organic meat CSA and this new Tea of the Month club I joined.

I'm still going through the gas like crazy, but I can't do anything about my commute. I'm glad to have my job!

Christmas is a separate budget, so I'm not too worried about that. I am a little worried how to budget for going out this month - I've got several Christmas dinners out at restaurants that will add up.

 

[A.Mickey]

I am here! This is really helping me get out of debt, and make me more aware of my eating out habits! I went over my eating out budget by 60 last month, my DH really wanted to keep eating out at Five Guys. Even yesterday he wanted to go and I told him we are already over our eating out budget by almost 60 so he opted to eat at Costco instead. So we both ate for $3.30!

I am going to lower our gas this month by $50 as we won't be driving anywhere too far this holiday, as we went to Michigan for Thanksgiving. Also, lowering the grocery bill by $50 as we have a lot in our cupboards.

Running Total: Spent $40
$650...$610 left
$0 Days:0
Goal is 15 or more!

Groceries- $250
Gas- $100
Eating Out- $100
Misc. (Shopping/Entertainment) $200...$160 left
I always round up to the nearest dollar.

1- $40 (Barnes and Noble- Christmas Presents for me and DH)

 

[lougoofy]

All-righty
Dec. 1: $4.25 laundry, $13.89 home decor/used goods store, $5.50 beers (out) and $38.45 dollar general store (misc. stuff)

 

[reginaastralis]

I'm in .. November got away from me ... but here goes

My budget is $1000 ... this includes everything., Gas, groceries, Christmas. Let's see ... lol

12/1 - $0!

 

[Siouxstone]

I'm in. Exceptions seem huge though! Ah, December....

I don't put in usual suspects like mortgage, utilities, and gas. Oh, and since I'm getting a new roof with some new beams, I won't be listing that 7K, but you may hear a little crying.

Budget:
Groceries/Household/Eating out: $800
Holiday Fun Budget: $125
Liquor Store: $50
Employee days: $60
Christmas gifts: $500
Haircuts: $60

I'm giving myself the full $500 even though it puts me over my original goal as I feel very good about where we are sitting. Holiday fun includes drive thru light place, visit to Santa for pics, and maybe a certain princess and amphibian. The liquor store is because it is December, and I am a big box retail manager. 'Nuff said. I also have a fair bit to buy during our annual employee shopping days. I plan the list all year long. And that giant grocery/household/eating out budget, well, my parents are coming for Christmas and in the weeks leading up to the big day, I try to cram as much family time as possible in when I'm not at work. Sometimes, picking up take out allows me to see my family more. Ack! I feel unprepared already...

Dec 1-$62 Grocery/Household budget

Groceries/Household/Eating out: $800/$738 left
Holiday Fun Budget: $125
Liquor Store: $50
Employee days: $60
Christmas gifts: $500
Haircuts: $60

 

[CherylA]

I am here! This is really helping me get out of debt, and make me more aware of my eating out habits! I went over my eating out budget by 60 last month, my DH really wanted to keep eating out at Five Guys. Even yesterday he wanted to go and I told him we are already over our eating out budget by almost 60 so he opted to eat at Costco instead. So we both ate for $3.30!

I thought it was so funny when I read this because one of my last dining out entries for Nov is 3.70 at Costco. We also were already about $60 over the "dining out" budget and I was dying for 5 guys but we were doing some shopping at Costco and my DH talked me into that for dinner! Great minds think alike!

 

[Tiggerish]

Total budget for December is $520.

Groceries - $220
Automobile - $50
Giving - $50
Eating Out - $50
Misc. - $100 / $90 left
Christmas - $50 /$46 left
============================================

12/1 Misc. $10 postage
12/2 Christmas $4 - for 12 candy bar type items for the stockings

 

[charming23]

Today we headed out for our annual trip over to the East Side of Cleveland for a few items and lunch at our favorite Italian Place. We also hit up Marc's for a few extra groceries since bad weather is expected here tomorrow.

Grocery/Household- $300/$234.95 left (I am really going to work this month at cleaning out the pantry and freezer)
Entertainment/Dining Out-$75/$58.94
Car/Gas- $50
Misc/Emergency- $150

Total for the month- $575/$493.81

Goal for 15 $0 days

12/1 $0
12/2 $16.06 Lunch at Geraci's, $10.20 Bagels from Bialy's, $9.45 at Aladdin's Bakery, $40.41 at Marc's and $4.99 for cat litter at Giant Eagle

 

[annsteere]

No way.

The point of NO impulse spending in Nov was to have money to impulsively spend in Dec. I won't go crazy, but my 83 year old parents are coming this weekend for "Thanksmas" and DS who hasn't been home in the winter for 4 years is coming home, and this will be DD's last Christmas at home.
And if any of them want to join me for a peppermint mocha latte or for orange rolls and coffee or for chestnuts roasted on an open fire while we see the lights or rent a movie and snuggle up with a bowl of popcorn or. . . you get the picture.

See you back here in Jan.

 

[CherylA]

No way.

The point of NO impulse spending in Nov was to have money to impulsively spend in Dec. I won't go crazy, but my 83 year old parents are coming this weekend for "Thanksmas" and DS who hasn't been home in the winter for 4 years is coming home, and this will be DD's last Christmas at home.
And if any of them want to join me for a peppermint mocha latte or for orange rolls and coffee or for chestnuts roasted on an open fire while we see the lights or rent a movie and snuggle up with a bowl of popcorn or. . . you get the picture.

See you back here in Jan.

Have fun! Enjoy a peppermint mocha latte for me!