No Buy January

[iggbees]

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[reginaastralis]

I like the idea behind the index card ... but when trying to furnish a new home ... it's hard!

Since we're moving in April (or Feb) I am always coming across things I "have" to have. I wrote everything down I want for the apartment, and once a month am allowing myself to buy something off of it.

Oh, and to all the new members ... my keyboard is going. Please excuse the typos ... I know they are annoying. Most of the middle keys don't work on the first try ... and the spacebar works when it wants to. I try to catch them ... promise. My dad is supposedly giving me he "old" laptop later this month.

 

[neatokimmo]

Those are great goals, you'll be surprised how much you'll save by making those small changes

I've been sort-of following these threads but I think I'm ready to jump in for January. I need to start saving $$$ and stop spending money frivolously so I can put more money away for my wedding and buying a new house!

My new years resolution is to become more domestic so this fits right in (at least it does in my opinon... )...

My goal for the week is:
Buy a weekly meal planning journal
Organize my monthly budget


My goal for the month is:
Cancel my gym membership at the gym I never go to (my employer pays for my membership at a different gym... I just never cancelled the old one )
Buy myself out of my AT&T contract so I'm not paying for a phone I don't need (again, my employer pays for a cell phone, I just pay if I go over my allotted minutes, which will be cheaper than having another phone for just personal use)
Stop drinking so much Starbucks coffee
Stop eating out 4-5 times a week
Pack lunches for work

 

[Beezle2]

I need to do this all year! We just bought a house and I must be serious about being better with our money.

I'll do do the budget and report back I have resolved to absolutley avoid any clearance sales this month. It will help that I'm doing a medical study at the clinic for 11 days this month. Can't shop while I'm in there! And I'll be earning money at the same time

I'll be back!
alisa

 

[jennz]

I'm in! I need to think about what I'm going to exactly but I'm definitely in.

 

[tinker_me_happy]

I love the index card idea especially for the items that don't fall into absolute necessities!

 

[DawnM]

We adopted from China last year too! He was 2.5 when we got him and will be 4 in March. We are going to Disney for his first visit in a little over a week and I am SOOOO excited to take him for the first time~! He is 40" too (he is very large! He is bigger than my bio boys were at that age!!!!) so it will be awesome!

Dawn

youbelong.net/manwell

Hello everyone!

I am on adoption leave now, so if I can just stay out of the stores I'm good!!

Groceries - $160 (1 adult, 1 baby)
Eating out - $40 ($10 a week)
Cleaners - $40 (time to restock)
Utilities - $168 (student loan, $53, power $0 yay!, water $25, cable/internet $51, life insurance 8, cell phone $31)
Cats - $20
Baby loot - $40
Gas - 0 (I have gift cards for Shell from CC)
Oil Change for car - $25
HBA - $40
Target wipes deal - $50 (a bunch of these are going to be a gift too)
Misc - $174
property taxes - $665
China airfare - $1278 (CC due - ick)
-------------------------------- $2700

My power bill is zero this month because I am on budget billing and I had a $150 credit on my account! It will be really cheap (if not zero) next month too My misc category is for the baby's birthday party, I am not sure how much that will cost yet.

Good luck everyone!

 

[DawnM]

Good idea to pantry clean....we have a lot right now.


Ok, here is January for us.....all expenses are planned for paid for (or we have cash), but we will be spending.

Disney trip, January 11-20. Lodging paid for through SkyAuction, tickets purchased and paid for already, and $350 on a Disney rewards card for misc. and food. We are in a condo, so will be eating in the condo a lot too.

All new appliances. We have saved for a while for these and the Lowe's guy has agreed to 10% off everything if we buy them all at once. Our stove will boil water in about 45 minutes time!~ Our dishwasher has been recalled, and also makes all sorts of horrid noises. Our fridge freezes things in the bottom and is too hot on top to keep foods cold. It also makes wierd noises. Water dispenser and ice maker died a couple of years ago. All appliances are 20 years old and original with the house.

But we have very little spending to do that we haven't planned for or have the cash for.

Budget was made a year ago (we do Crown Finacial, like Dave Ramsey) and we have been pretty good at sticking to it.

thought of joining the gym, but DH and I decided to use our home gym instead and put the extra $$ into buying healthier foods and keeping all processed foods out of the house. Our new leaf for 2008 for the entire family!!!!

Ok, way more than you wanted to know and probably more than most of you will read anyway....I am really just writing this out for my benefit, it helps to keep me in line.

Dawn

 

[tinkarooni]

I have not followed the other threads but like others, new year, new leaf. We have been working on a budget for about two years. We have taken different ideas form different financial gurus and put them together to make a plan that works for us. For eample we have a freedom account which Mary Hunt writes about in "Debt Proof Living". We have a seperate checking account set up for the yearly expenses, car insurance, propane tank filling, car maintenance, home maintenance, gifts, clothing, haircuts, medical. We deposit a set amount into this account every month and than when something is due we write a check out of this account. Has been working great for two years. This will be the second year in a row that I have had the yearly car insurance premium put aside and write the big check. This saves me $40.00 per year by not needing a payment plan. I hardly notice the money going into the account anymore because we've been doing it for so long. This would be sort of equivalent to dave ramseys emergency fund. We rarely are surprised with something we can't pay for. The fund includes a Misc sub account for those things you can't figure.

OK so I won't count any money coming out of the Freedom Account since that is what it is for. Necessary needs pre saved for. Not wants.

January- I will be purchasing computer memory for my husband because I promised him after the holiday he could get it. $100. Will be ordered online January 15th. Other that that no additional consumer spending except for food and maybe a pair of sneakers for my DS9 unless we can squeek by with the ones he has.

I also have committed to starting a Yoga Class in January for $160 but that money is sitting in my checking account waiting to be paid. This is from a $250 rewards check I recvd from my credit card.(which is completely paif off every month) And Dave Ramsey says rewards don't pay.

My kids and the big kid DH want a new WII game but at the prices they are charging I told them all to save up their allowances together and when they had enough and could agree on a game they could buy it. (Yes my DH will save up part of his allowance too, I even kicked in a few dollars from mine too, now it;s a family project)

Here we go.

 

[reginaastralis]

I amglad to know the Freedom Account works for someone. I read about it, and have wanted to try it, but haven't started it yet. I am thinking I will start this year.

I have picked and chose some of my favorite financial "guru's" advice as well. It's honestly worked pretty well, but this year will be the test of it all.

 

[luvsJack]

Hi! New to this but really need to do it. I hope to be in for all of 08! We are really in a bit of a bind right now, so I won't have much choice but to not spend at least for the next couple of weeks. My husband drives a truck for a living, and just a few months ago decided to lease to own his truck from the company. We didn't give ourselves time before the holidays to really adjust to the different way his pay would run (with the truck payment and expences coming out of his check). So, the week before Christmas was really slow for him and then of course the week of Christmas was down to almost nothing. This means the first two checks of January will only cover the expences of the truck--so its really going to be a stretch!!! Don't want to go through this next year, so we really have got to save whatever we can! He has already been told to be ready to stay on the road after New Year's so everything will be fine once we get through this couple of weeks, but we both agree that if we can get through this comfortably it just proves that we WAAAAYYY overspend!!
One of you mentioned ING. I was thinking of opening an account with them to save for extras, vactions, Christmas etc. Are you happy with them and is it easy to get your money when you want it?

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Ok, it's a yucky, rainy day here so I figured, may as well get the budget rolling, here. What works for me (to y'all who are new) is to give myself categories of discretionary spending and try and stay within those limits.

Since our mortgage is the same every month, there's no point in listing it because there's nothing I can do to change it or reduce it, short of selling the house. Same with the DVC dues, so they're not on here either.

What has plagued me is the 100 trip to Target, like Sioustone first posted when she created the "no buy" concept. So now, I can still go to Target and come out with 100 worth of crap, but that means I can't buy anything else because I exceeded my budget for crap (also known as "personal care" in my list )

It's worked really, really well for me so far (with the exception of December, I just wasn't good enough with anticipatory spending to keep it together for Xmas-it was still better than the last 3 years spending, in that month, however!). So, here's my discretionary spending for the month of January, 2008!

Gas (180) I'm debating on whether or not to leave this as discretionary since it comes out the same every month...
Groceries (600) my personal bugaboo. This month I'm trying pre-planned dinner menus so I don't end up staring at the fridge at 5:30 and ending up running to Publix for a rotisserie chicken because I can't think of what to cook.
Dining out (50) we like cheap eats like Subway and Shane's Rib Shack...
Clothing (50)
DD9's birthday party (300) That's worst case scenario, but probably accurate we love birthdays!
Personal care (50) I can never stay under 50, we'll call this KJJ's "ugly month"
Church (100) this may be higher, our church is putting the thumbscrews to us to do 'commitment pledges'. While logically I understand that they need to do predictive spending too, emotionally I'm like, we're already tithing when we go, isn't that enough?
Home repair (100) 40 year old house, 'nuff said...
Auto maint (25) want to keep my minivan for 10 years, it's 4 1/2, so I treat her well.

Total: $1455. It's always the totalling up all the categories that makes me go "oof"!!! Still, I know if I didn't budget, it would be worse. My credit cards in the past have made that plain. Also, I've been using just my debit card now, that hurts way more than amex...

Good luck with 2008, everyone! I'm saving for a new garage on my house!

 

[Tjaleks]

Well, I am in. I still need to sit down soon and make a budget for the whole year and be able to stick to it. This will not happen until after the 7th since I am going to TN to visit my sister. And we all know how that goes, so I am not thinking too hard until I get back. However, I am a clearance shopper so I pledge to stay away from that stuff. I will be back and regularly on this thread for support.

 

[hinodis]

Count me in! I am new to this, but I really need to do it. We are putting our house up for sale this month so I need to save for the next one we buy. I will put together and post me budget ASAP. I know my biggest cut will be the food budget. I do the $100.00 detergent runs as well.

 

[reginaastralis]

KJJ - I have to know how you like Shane's. We drive by it everyday and I am tempted to stop, but haven't yet. It's right next to Moe's, and I always end up in Moe's. It seems pretty kid friendly, but is it budget friendly?

 

[smiller]

What has plagued me is the 100 trip to Target, like Sioustone first posted when she created the "no buy" concept. So now, I can still go to Target and come out with 100 worth of crap, but that means I can't buy anything else because I exceeded my budget for crap (also known as "personal care" in my list )

KJJ - I laughed out loud when I read "my budget for crap!" I know, it sometimes feels that way.

I'm so in for this month again. I'll probably fill up my little envelopes tomorrow since not much is open on the 1st nor do I think I'll be up to much on the first. I'm volunteering (well, I'm the volunteer coordinator!) for a NYE event that's expecting about 500+ guests. Whew. Probably won't make it home until at least 3AM. At least I get dinner and drinks and music I don't have to worry about any expenses. Plus, a whole bunch of my good friends will be there, too!

I'll try to post my budget tomorrow. I don't think I have anything unusual coming up next month. I really want to just keep within my budget. I, too, have made a list of financial goals to achieve and simpler tasks to complete. I'll try to post a few of those, too.

I might be visiting a friend in Michigan, but I'm going to use my saved-up ING money. I've saved $10 a week for the entire year (but had to use $200, so I figure I have at least $300) with no particular objective in mind. So off to the UP I go. I know. The UP of MI in January. I must be crazy!

One item I am completely dreading and choosing to block out right now is my THIRD special assessment on my condo. I pay an arm and a leg for my FIRST special assessment (second one was small, paid that off this month) so I do not know how on earth I will afford this one. It makes me panic just thinking about it. We have an association meeting near the end of the month and I'm hoping other owners want to go in for bank financing, cuz there's no way I can pull $5K out of no where considering I'm still paying off the $13K one!

Okay. Enough venting. I'm happy to have a home and a job which I believe is giving me a 4% raise next year plus now they're fully paying for my CTA (public transportation) pass, which gives me a few extra dollars to utilize. I've got a positive attitude and 2008 is going to be a great year!

 

[Kate and Pete]

Okay - after watching for months on end, I'm joining! I'll post my budget for tomorrow - I'm really excited to start saving!

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

KJJ - I have to know how you like Shane's. We drive by it everyday and I am tempted to stop, but haven't yet. It's right next to Moe's, and I always end up in Moe's. It seems pretty kid friendly, but is it budget friendly?

Oh, yeah! The four of us can eat a LOT for less than 30 bucks (like 28.50), and it's really, really good. We usually get the rib/pulled pork platter with the mac and cheese side and the brown bean side, and a small order of wings on the side. That and four waters (not ordering sodas is our biggest budget/waistline secret we've done for years) and we're all so full we've yet to be able to cram in any ice cream at the place next door

I like how you go in, order at the front, they give you a number, and five minutes later your food's on the table. I HATE waiting to order, waiting for drinks, etc. By the time we get there I'm usually totally starved...

 

[eeyoresmom]

This will be my first No Buy, so I'm not really sure what's involved. We're going to Disney in Feb so any money saved this month will go toward us purchasing the DDP DH does the food shopping, all bills are pretty much static, so I just have to keep my teen DD's from dragging me to the malls every weekend! I've just decided to skip the salon this month since the last time I went my stylist cut my hair way too short. So I'll have to buy some drug store hair dye ( any recommendations )? Kids have dental appointments so $30-60 co-pay. 2 prescriptions is $20, gas for the car this month should be around $180 and $40 for fast food "emergencies" That's it.... I'll keep $300 this month, the rest goes in the savings account. Anything not spent from this budget will go to my "Disney" fund. Thanks for the oppurtunity to be held accountable

 

[my2boyzrock]

Count me in...I wanted to do this last month, but just knew it wouldn't be possible!