No Buy January

[micki7337]

I crashed and burned today but for 2 good causes 1 is that our Christmas tree well died a horrible death while we were removing the ornaments and well the wife and I saw that it well was not going to last till next season so we did the best thing for it. we ditched it in the garbage because it was bent and it was not level at all. So we did the Home Depot 75% off sale for a new 9 ft tree and well we also bought our cleaning products for the house.
So it was not that bad but not at all budgeted. 50 dollars for the tree.

 

[kandeebunny]

Yesterday and today were $0 days!!!

Which means $0 out of budget this month so far, and $40 out of $250 allowance/discretionary spending. So I'm doing well for me!

 

[MrsPiglet]

The 12th was a no spend day. Today, I will send DH to the grocery store for a couple things forgotten Friday, no more than $20 which will be withing budget.
Oh this money I paid a couple bills online and added a lettle to the credit card, this was within budget.

I am so glad for this thread, makes one realize how much money is blown. I am going to try to take my lunch this week to save money. (We will see how well this will work) I used to take my lunch everyday.

 

[tinkarooni]

1/11: $0

tinkarooni~ Don't worry about it. It sounds like a beautiful set and communion is a big deal. Just think- in May you can pull out the set and know that you don't have to buy her anything!

Thank you. Can you hear the guilt I'm feeling, which is silly I know. We earn money to use it for things. This was a choice that we made and that's that. Sometimes I get so caught up in saving money that I feel guilt when I spend it. Sometimes money should be used to enjoy today, not just save for tomorrow. So I will look forward to giving to to her. It is a perfect set for a little girl. I remember I got my first "real" ring for my Communion, my godmother bought it for me....but that's a whole different thread, and I still remember how exciting it was today.

Good Luck everybody.

Today: $6.56 My DH made a quick run to the grocery store, completely out of brown sugar, american cheese and a Sunday Paper. Comes out of food money....so back on track.

 

[tinkarooni]

I crashed and burned today but for 2 good causes 1 is that our Christmas tree well died a horrible death while we were removing the ornaments and well the wife and I saw that it well was not going to last till next season so we did the best thing for it. we ditched it in the garbage because it was bent and it was not level at all. So we did the Home Depot 75% off sale for a new 9 ft tree and well we also bought our cleaning products for the house.
So it was not that bad but not at all budgeted. 50 dollars for the tree.

I am a firm believer that this is spending to save. We did the same thing last year, we had always had a real tree at about $40.00 each. We bought a beautiful pre-lit tree from Target last year at 75% off. Cost $75.00 but come this Christmas we dragged it out and put it up, Voila $40.00 saved. after next year it will have paid for itself and what a thrill to know how cheap we got it. Also not having to pay full price for a tree three weeks before Christmas....priceless.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

1/1 - $0
1/2 - $0
1/3 - $9.62 (Groceries)
1/4 - $1.88 (Groceries)
1/5 - $25.44 (Groceries)
1/6 - $5.64 (Groceries)
1/7 - $19.53 (Groceries)
1/8 - $0
1/9 - $0
1/10 - $0
1/11 - $10.09 (Groceries)
1/12 - $1.51 (Groceries)

Month Total So Far - $73.65

Week One's Budget - $50.00 Total - $36.94
Week Two's Budget - $50.00 Total - $36.77

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

disneyfav4ever, that is great! You're under budget for your groceries AND sticking to no spend, WTG!


1/1 $0
1/2 $0
1/3 $53 (budgeted oil change and haircut)
1/4 $17.50 (V-day gift, unplanned)
1/5 $31 (bowls unplanned)
$65 (bike unplanned)
$8.95 (mailing planned)
1/6 $0
1/7 $0
1/8 $0
1/9 $10.70 (grocery budget)
1/10 $30 (ds game, unplanned)
1/11 $114 (Old Navy, unplanned)
$18 (McDonalds, in budget)
1/12 $39 (bowling league, in budget)
1/13 $0

 

[disneyfav4ever]

disneyfav4ever, that is great! You're under budget for your groceries AND sticking to no spend, WTG!

Thank you! I thought I'd go over budget at some point, since I work at a grocery store, and those little things I see every day I always want, but I've been good so far this month.

Just eighteen more days to go! Though I'll be in trouble if the Disney store has it's pin sale before the month is up. Maybe I'll make an allowance that the money I didn't spend in the budget, (about $30,) and use that for pins if the sale happens. I believe the semi-annual pin sales are usually in Jan and Aug.

 

[smiller]

1/11 - $6.40 at CVS for Soy Joy and toiletries. I'm so addicted to CVS!
1/11 - $11.00 out with friends, not bad! (And still within budget)
1/12 - $0
1/13 - $11.42 at Starbucks out of gift budget for DM's birthday
1/13 - $1.33 at CVS for Pepsi and toiletries for DSis and DBIL. If I have all these ECBs, I might as well share the wealth!

I'm happy I'm still under in the going out budget; I'm going to plan a casual lunch out with a few friends soon. I think I have a couple bucks left in the grocery budget as well, which is nice to know. I am dipping into next month's gift budget, which is okay since I have no birthdays or anything to worry about in February.

If I go back to the CVS, though, I need to only use leftover change!

 

[neatokimmo]

1/12/07

Ross - $18.03 (sweater for me, clothes for the baby - my baby spending column is waaay over!)

TJMaxx - just $4.37 for a pack of baby socks

Walmart - $75ish. I have decided to count my GC as free money. I have about $25 left

1/13/07
Zero!

 

[neatokimmo]

I wish I could get on top of the CVS deals better. Part of the OOP is like an entertainment budget, I love getting things really cheap!

I got a lot of stuff during the freebie month in Oct but I've not done it since. Are you just following the thread here for all the deals?

1/11 - $6.40 at CVS for Soy Joy and toiletries. I'm so addicted to CVS!
1/11 - $11.00 out with friends, not bad! (And still within budget)
1/12 - $12
1/13 - $11.42 at Starbucks out of gift budget for DM's birthday
1/13 - $1.33 at CVS for Pepsi and toiletries for DSis and DBIL. If I have all these ECBs, I might as well share the wealth!

I'm happy I'm still under in the going out budget; I'm going to plan a casual lunch out with a few friends soon. I think I have a couple bucks left in the grocery budget as well, which is nice to know. I am dipping into next month's gift budget, which is okay since I have no birthdays or anything to worry about in February.

If I go back to the CVS, though, I need to only use leftover change!

 

[smiller]

I wish I could get on top of the CVS deals better. Part of the OOP is like an entertainment budget, I love getting things really cheap!

I got a lot of stuff during the freebie month in Oct but I've not done it since. Are you just following the thread here for all the deals?

The threads on the BB are a great help. Plus, I love clipping coupons and studying the ads myself, so when it all adds up, I can get some pretty good deals! It also helps to research CVS and MF coupons that you can print online.

DBIL wants me to teach DSis all about CVSing, as he was very impressed with his cheap pepsi, hair gel, and toothpaste I got him this weekend. I even overheard him telling his best friend about it, "No, she doesn't steal it, it's legal!"

 

[disneyfav4ever]

1/1 - $0
1/2 - $0
1/3 - $9.62 (Groceries)
1/4 - $1.88 (Groceries)
1/5 - $25.44 (Groceries)
1/6 - $5.64 (Groceries)
1/7 - $19.53 (Groceries)
1/8 - $0
1/9 - $0
1/10 - $0
1/11 - $10.09 (Groceries)
1/12 - $1.51 (Groceries)
1/13 - $17.51 (Groceries)

Month Total So Far - $90.16

Week One's Budget - $50.00 Total - $36.94
Week Two's Budget - $50.00 Total - $36.77

 

[micki7337]

I am a firm believer that this is spending to save. We did the same thing last year, we had always had a real tree at about $40.00 each. We bought a beautiful pre-lit tree from Target last year at 75% off. Cost $75.00 but come this Christmas we dragged it out and put it up, Voila $40.00 saved. after next year it will have paid for itself and what a thrill to know how cheap we got it. Also not having to pay full price for a tree three weeks before Christmas....priceless.

Thanks it make it feel better

 

[delmar411]

I can't remember where I left off tracking but I think I'm only missing a couple days. No other unplanned spending though so everything has been in the budget amount categories.
There have been several very very VERY tempting moments but I've got more important things to save our money for.

DH even took the kids out all day yesterday w/o spending a dime! He brought food from home and they snacked on that all day and came home and ate a big meal.

Yesterday I got some grocery items at CVS and spent $11.xx there but that is well within budget.

I'll need to get gas tonight or tomorrow night when I go to p/u DH at work (he's there for the next 2days straight ). It's about 5cetns cheaper per gallon by his work so I'm going to try and wait.

Had to send DD's package to her dad out this morning and that was $8.30 but she has to pay me back. And I sent her to school with $1 and that will cover her breakfast and lunch and still leave .30 for tomorrow's breakfast. We decided that since we do qualify for reduced prices that it is much cheaper than what I can feed her for. I'll re-work the budget to include a lunch payment for the rest of the year.

That's it and I dont' have any plans to shop or do any online shopping today or tomorrow.

 

[mmfan53226]

Is their a thread about the CVS savings or can someone fill me in on how that works?

I never shopped at one, but their is one by my house that might be worth the trip.

THANKS
Krystine

 

[Pigeon]

My no spend January has been a total failure.

Dh's car has been smelling of gasoline all the time. He dropped it off at our wonderful and trusted mechanic and told him to fix what needed fixing, instead of telling him to call us when he knew about the problem. It needed a new gas tank and a few other things, which ended up being $800. OK.

Then, as we are picking it up, dh tells me he thinks the transmission is going. Uggh. This is a '93 and I don't think it's worth investing that much in. We are people who keep cars forever (obviously), but I think it's time this one goes to its reward.

Then as we pull into the garage, the garage door opener dies. Dh installed a new one over the weekend for $240.

 

[smiller]

Is their a thread about the CVS savings or can someone fill me in on how that works?

I never shopped at one, but their is one by my house that might be worth the trip.

THANKS
Krystine

Here's this week's thread http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1677652

Have fun!

My no spend January has been a total failure.

Dh's car has been smelling of gasoline all the time. He dropped it off at our wonderful and trusted mechanic and told him to fix what needed fixing, instead of telling him to call us when he knew about the problem. It needed a new gas tank and a few other things, which ended up being $800. OK.

Then, as we are picking it up, dh tells me he thinks the transmission is going. Uggh. This is a '93 and I don't think it's worth investing that much in. We are people who keep cars forever (obviously), but I think it's time this one goes to its reward.

Then as we pull into the garage, the garage door opener dies. Dh installed a new one over the weekend for $240.

To me, No Buy is about avoiding all those impulse purchases that you don't need: lunches/dinners out, snacks & drinks, clearance items, recreational shopping, etc.

Goodness, if something like the car or garage door needs fixing, that's important!

The nice part about No Buy is that with the money you save on the miscellaneous items that you really don't need and you decide not to buy, you can (hopefully!) afford life's unexpected expenses without completely busting the budget.

 

[mmfan53226]

My no spend January has been a total failure.

Dh's car has been smelling of gasoline all the time. He dropped it off at our wonderful and trusted mechanic and told him to fix what needed fixing, instead of telling him to call us when he knew about the problem. It needed a new gas tank and a few other things, which ended up being $800. OK.

Then, as we are picking it up, dh tells me he thinks the transmission is going. Uggh. This is a '93 and I don't think it's worth investing that much in. We are people who keep cars forever (obviously), but I think it's time this one goes to its reward.

I actually can feel your pain. My DH truck seems to be in the shop every 3-6 months with something. A couple of years ago we had the Transmission replaced.

Good luck with everything.

Krystine

 

[Siouxstone]

The nice part about No Buy is that with the money you save on the miscellaneous items that you really don't need and you decide not to buy, you can (hopefully!) afford life's unexpected expenses without completely busting the budget.

What a great way of putting! That's it in a nutshell, really. Don't be discouraged if life happens or if you fall off the wagon. Seriously, the first month is one of the hardest.

My trip to Target was sad. The coffee has gone up to match the rest of the areas prices. I kept thinking it would happen, but after almost 2 years of getting our brand $2/$3 cheaper I was getting comfortable that it would stay that way. So, I only spent $3.xx for DH cold medicine.

Sunday, I spent $1.75 on the Houston paper and went to Albertson's for another jar of free peanut butter (my last coupon*sigh*) and .50 bacon. Last of the big spenders! I seriously don't know how this store stays in business, there is never anyone in it. I only go in when the deals are fantastic and rarely spend over $15 there.

Today, I did my regular weekly shopping and did both other stores in the same day. UGH! It is nice to get it done and it was cool enough to not have to bring frozen stuff home after the first store. I spent under $80 at all 3 stores and did a huge stock up of Ragu while it was on sale. The couponing is really helping out the grocery bill. I still spend $11 bucks a week on organic milk for DS, but everything else is going way, way down!

I also ordered my shoes from Zappos. If I bought them locally it would be $161 with the tax. Zappos it was $109 and that includes tax and overnight shipping. I'll include them with Feb's budget when the bill gets here. I decided it was too good of a deal to miss if they sold out of my size. Feel free to rib me if ya want! For $51, I can take it!

1/12-$3.xx cold medicine at Target- from household budget
1/13-paper and groceries w/list
1/14-groceries w/list and ordered shoes online.

Keep up the good work, everyone, we are right at the half-way mark!