No Buy March

[neatokimmo]

Just checking in. I am doing decent for the month. I have $125 in the misc column as a payment on our trip (my thoughts were......if I could pay for it by not buying everyday crap and not break into savings like how I normally pay for a trip then it is free...right? lol) and $75 at Home Depot for little stuff to get my house ready for the renter. AND the kiddo's Easter basket is set, I got a plush lamb at work as a fundraiser and 2 Elmo DVDs. I went to Sams today and bought a lot of fresh produce so I don't think I'll be sticking to the monthly meal plan 100% oh well!


Groceries $88.81 / $160
Eating out $21.86 / $30
Cats $30 / $50
Baby Loot $45.04 / $75
Gas $25 / $50
Misc $111.70 / $315

$377.59 spent, $322.41 left to go

 

[annsteere]

So far this month I've spent nearly zero on impulse, unnecessary "stuff." Went to see "Doubt" with friends for 3 bucks and got a box of Milk Duds at Walgreens for $1.25 to eat during the show.

Good thing. We've spent nearly $200 for a wet vac, sandbags, and tarps to protect our basement during this week of flooding.

There is a big difference between "unnecessary" and "unexpected". Doing no spend in Feb and March helped us have money on hand to spend when we needed it.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

March 1: $0
March 2: $0
March 3: $0
March 4: $0
March 5: $0
March 6: $ 21.89 gas, $6 library fine (oops)
March 7: $0
March 8: $0
March 9: $0

Today probably will not be a zero day, when I sent my husband food shopping last week (with a list) this was what he brought home:

1. Sausage
2. Southern Style Sausage
3. Bratwurst (ie german sausage)
4. More Sausage
5. Chips
6. Beans. A lot of beans.



So, he's fired from food shopping. It's not like he's supposed to be good at it, right? I appreciate that he stepped up for me and tried to shop after working a ten hour day, I just don't think it's his thing.

I think bran muffins will be at the top of my "to make" list this week, after a weekend of sausages, we all need some fiber...

The hard part will be going into the supermarket and not going bonkers because I haven't done *any* recreational shopping in 10 days...

 

[paulasillars]

I think bran muffins will be at the top of my "to make" list this week, after a weekend of sausages, we all need some fiber...

Isn't thats what the beans were for?

I'm not doing so well on $0 days this month as I did last time, I guess that makes sense as there were a few things I needed to get.

9th - $0
10th - $7.50 for lunch
11th - $6 for lunch, ~$22 for a new 4GB USB flash drive (I lost my one)

On the plus side, I got a cheque for $100 for some online survey's I cashed out - that was a years worth of "points".

 

[Debbie]

Another one not doing well. I guess that I didn't plan as well this month. We've used 65% of the budget in the first 10 days. YIKES! That's because I didn't budget for the girls' birthday parties that I didn't know about. Next week is March Break, and I know that we'll be going out to eat once. It's a tradition, and we don't usually go out at all, so I will bite the bullet. On the plus side, yesterday was a $0 day. And the second plus is that, while the budget is there, an overun will not break the bank. I'm just trying to get spending more under control....and some months are easier than others!

 

[smiller]

Today probably will not be a zero day, when I sent my husband food shopping last week (with a list) this was what he brought home:

1. Sausage
2. Southern Style Sausage
3. Bratwurst (ie german sausage)
4. More Sausage
5. Chips
6. Beans. A lot of beans.



So, he's fired from food shopping. It's not like he's supposed to be good at it, right? I appreciate that he stepped up for me and tried to shop after working a ten hour day, I just don't think it's his thing.

This is the funniest shopping list ever - I love it!

3/1 - $15.00 Newleaf Natural
3/2 - $0.99 CVS
3/3 - $1.18 CVS
3/4 - $20.69 Newleaf Natural
3/5 - $10.91 Sauganash Grill
3/5 - $9.73 Whole Foods
3/6 - $0
3/7 - $14.61 Wine
3/8 - $1.50 Coke
3/9 - $0
3/10 - $14.19 Green Grocer
3/10 - $12.00 Out with Friends

Total: $100.80/$200.00

I got a free half gallon of whole milk at Green Grocer - I don't think I have ever bought whole milk. It's the non-homogenized, glass bottle kind of milk - with a chunk of cream at the top. I'm kind of at a loss of what to do, but it was free! I think I'll make some rice pudding (or Rice Cream from Norway, anyone? ) Or maybe custard. Anyone have good milk recipes? It's dated yesterday, so I should use it up quickly.

Today I think I'm heading to the Jewel (Albertsons) to get in on this Kraft 2% cheese deal. I love cheese and I love it even more when there's a deal. That's my lunch break project.

I still have the pub crawl this weekend, DBIL's birthday (DSis & I are making eggrolls), and groceries to buy - I have a feeling I'll be eating a lot of cheese...

Looks like the toilet seat will have to wait until April!

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

March 1: $0
March 2: $0
March 3: $0
March 4: $0
March 5: $0
March 6: $ 21.89 gas, $6 library fine (oops)
March 7: $0
March 8: $0
March 9: $0
March 10: $37.73 (CVS) , $175.03 (food shopping)

Well, when I do fall off the cold turkey, I do it big time.

I did save 17.35 at the grocery store and 3 bux at CVS, but still, it was painful.

No, I did not purchase any sausages.

Today should be another $0...

 

[tampabrat22]

I feel like I am spending too much $$$ and time in the grocery store, but I guess its because I'm not used to cooking so much!! But other than lunch we are making progress on not eating out so much. My friends always talk me into meeting up for lunch, I have to say NO!! I am going to have to really make this last bit of money stretch......

Budget for March $650 (for everything except bills)
3/1- $0
3/2- $53.20 (bday gifts for DD), $80 groceries, $3.21 Dvd rentals
3/3- $0
3/4- $0
3/5- $15 gas, $24.19 lunch, $45.26 Walmart, Dr. $20, Walgreens (meds)$15.00, $1.07 Dvd rental, Advance Auto $19.14
3/6- $0
3/7- $18 yard sale (16 outfits for nephew--couldn't pass it up), $35.38 dinner

3/8- $0
3/9- $27.95 Target, $21.51 lunch w/mom, $48.60 Groceries, $10.75 post office
3/10- $0
3/11- $68.40 groceries, $10.68 Subway lunch
3/12-
3/13-
3/14-

Balance remaining $132.66

 

[tampabrat22]

1. Sausage
2. Southern Style Sausage
3. Bratwurst (ie german sausage)
4. More Sausage
5. Chips
6. Beans. A lot of beans.

LOL that is too funny!! But so typical of men!! When I send Gary for groceries he comes back with a bunch of junk, I cant even make one meal out it!!

 

[casper_jj11]

$550 groceries $382left[/COLOR]
$500 gas $410 left
$350 swim lessons for all 3 kids $330 used, $20 left
$100 playgroup for DD $103 used $0 left
$60 playgroup for DS1
$200 summer science camp for DS6
$200 summer sports camp for DS6
$160 summer soccer for DS6 $0 left
$15 DS1's first haircut $0 left
$100 DH's bday gift (not sure what yet) $90 left
$150 DS1's 18mo pictures to be taken
$300 easter presents (planning on getting DD and DS6 new bikes this year ... maybe this ought to wait til the snow goes...) $28 used, $272 left
$150 spending for me (incl. kids clothes ... Gymboree is my weakness)
$150 spending for DH

Total: $2985 $1980 left

1- $0
2- $200 swimming lessons for DS6, $9 groceries, $40 DS's medical alert bracelet renewal (not budgeted but not really optional either...)
3 - $160 soccer registration for ds (budgeted)
4 - $50 gas (budgeted)
5 - $40 gas for dh (budgeted)
6 - $8 dinner (take out food at children's hospital)
7 - $134 groceries, $21 groceries, (groceries budgeted)$3 cat food, $30 liquor store
8 - $15 coffee, $10 bday cards for dh
9 - $103 playgroup for dd, $65 swim lessons for DD, $65 swim lessons for DS1 (budgeted); cat food $42 (not budgeted...oops)
10 - DS1's first haircut $20 (my little guy is so cute!)
11 - $0 YEAH (I just wanted to see it! Now, I can run out tomorrow morning and buy toilet paper )

 

[paulasillars]

I got a free half gallon of whole milk at Green Grocer - I don't think I have ever bought whole milk. It's the non-homogenized, glass bottle kind of milk - with a chunk of cream at the top. I'm kind of at a loss of what to do, but it was free! I think I'll make some rice pudding (or Rice Cream from Norway, anyone? ) Or maybe custard. Anyone have good milk recipes? It's dated yesterday, so I should use it up quickly.

Today I think I'm heading to the Jewel (Albertsons) to get in on this Kraft 2% cheese deal. I love cheese and I love it even more when there's a deal. That's my lunch break project.

Macaroni cheese springs to mind, also remember you can freeze milk. Banana smoothies as also our fall back if we have lots of milk to use up.

 

[smiller]

Macaroni cheese springs to mind, also remember you can freeze milk. Banana smoothies as also our fall back if we have lots of milk to use up.

With the 14 bags/blocks of cheese I got yesterday and the free milk, I'm thinking mac & cheese will be on the menu! I like the banana smoothie idea, too. I've got a banana sitting on my kitchen table that needs to be eaten.

3/1 - $15.00 Newleaf Natural
3/2 - $0.99 CVS
3/3 - $1.18 CVS
3/4 - $20.69 Newleaf Natural
3/5 - $10.91 Sauganash Grill
3/5 - $9.73 Whole Foods
3/6 - $0
3/7 - $14.61 Wine
3/8 - $1.50 Coke
3/9 - $0
3/10 - $14.19 Green Grocer
3/10 - $12.00 Out with Friends
3/11 - $15.64 Jewel (14 blocks/bags of cheese and I have $13 in catalinas to spend on whatever at the store!)
3/11 - $5.61 Trader Joe's (maple syrup - acorn squash is just sooo much better with it!)

Total: $122.05/$200.00

Ugh... am I going to make it this month? Something's going to have to give! I have a chicken to cook next week, so I'm thinking some chicken noodle soup, mac & cheese with chicken, maybe chicken nachos?

Thank goodness I pick up my produce box next week. I'm lost without it! Must budget better to be able to get it every week!

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

March 1: $0
March 2: $0
March 3: $0
March 4: $0
March 5: $0
March 6: $ 21.89 gas, $6 library fine (oops)
March 7: $0
March 8: $0
March 9: $0
March 10: $37.73 (CVS) , $175.03 (food shopping)
March 11: $0
March 12: $0 (probably, I'm home and the kids have friends over so I'll be *beat* by the time they go home )

Today's my day off and I play tennis, instead of going shopping after I played like I usually do, I stayed and cheered my team on. Yeah, I ate more food off the buffet, but it was FREE! My partner had a 102 fever and the shakes, and we didn't win, but it was still nice to find things to do that didn't involve shopping.

I DID swing by Goodwill on the way home just to see if there was a tennis racquet there. Sometimes (once in a blue moon) they'll have a really expensive racquet for like, $5. $20 bux to re-string it and I'd have a really good racquet. Nothing there today, I was in and out in 5 min, no money spent....

 

[tampabrat22]

I'm so happy I'm starting to see results!! I know it's not much but if you looked through my bank statements I don't think I've had this many days of no spending in a long long time!! I can't believe how many days of no spending some of you have, very inspiring!!!

3/1- $0
3/2- $53.20 (bday gifts for DD), $80 groceries, $3.21 Dvd rentals
3/3- $0
3/4- $0
3/5- $15 gas, $24.19 lunch, $45.26 Walmart, Dr. $20, Walgreens (meds)$15.00, $1.07 Dvd rental, Advance Auto $19.14
3/6- $0
3/7- $18 yard sale (16 outfits for nephew--couldn't pass it up), $35.38 dinner

3/8- $0
3/9- $27.95 Target, $21.51 lunch w/mom, $48.60 Groceries, $10.75 post office
3/10- $0
3/11- $68.40 groceries, $10.68 Subway lunch
3/12- $0
3/13-
3/14-

 

[paulasillars]

1st - $0
2nd - $0
3rd - $2 for a Cabbage Patch Kid which I will restore and sell
4th - $7 lunch
5th - $7 lunch + $11 for shoes and $4 for a top a the Salvation Army store
6th - $0
7th - $14 for entry to the thermal pools, $2 for a locker, $10 for lunch, $36 for World Vision sponsored child
8th - $4.50 for nail polish remover and $2.50 for a new nail polish, then I went to a school fair and spent $2 for a piece of chocolate gateaux and $1 for a supermarket bag of clothing. Then I spent $8 for 4 "new" tops at the $2 clothing thrift store
9th - $0
10th - $7.50 for lunch
11th - $6 for lunch, $22.20 for a new 4GB USB flash drive on Ebay
12th - $32 for doctors appointment
13th - $43.60 for prescription

I'm going shopping again at the $2 clothing thrift tomorrow. Taking Mum with me this time. Also my brother and his family are coming in to town tomorrow so we'll probably eat out or get takeaways.

 

[smiller]

3/1 - $15.00 Newleaf Natural
3/2 - $0.99 CVS
3/3 - $1.18 CVS
3/4 - $20.69 Newleaf Natural
3/5 - $10.91 Sauganash Grill
3/5 - $9.73 Whole Foods
3/6 - $0
3/7 - $14.61 Wine
3/8 - $1.50 Coke
3/9 - $0
3/10 - $14.19 Green Grocer
3/10 - $12.00 Out with Friends
3/11 - $15.64 Jewel
3/11 - $5.61 Trader Joe's
3/12 - $0

Total: $122.05/$200.00

 

[casper_jj11]

1- $0
2- $200 swimming lessons for DS6, $9 groceries, $40 DS's medical alert bracelet renewal (not budgeted but not really optional either...)
3 - $160 soccer registration for ds (budgeted)
4 - $50 gas (budgeted)
5 - $40 gas for dh (budgeted)
6 - $8 dinner (take out food at children's hospital)
7 - $134 groceries, $21 groceries, (groceries budgeted)$3 cat food, $30 liquor store
8 - $15 coffee, $10 bday cards for dh
9 - $103 playgroup for dd, $65 swim lessons for DD, $65 swim lessons for DS1 (budgeted); cat food $42 (not budgeted...oops)
10 - DS1's first haircut $20 (my little guy is so cute!)
11 - $0 YEAH (I just wanted to see it! Now, I can run out tomorrow morning and buy toilet paper )
12 - Walmart $4.50 toilet paper and $28 Easter stuff for kiddos

Budget: Total: $2985 $1948 left

 

[tampabrat22]

3/1- $0
3/2- $53.20 (bday gifts for DD), $80 groceries, $3.21 Dvd rentals
3/3- $0
3/4- $0
3/5- $15 gas, $24.19 lunch, $45.26 Walmart, Dr. $20, Walgreens (meds)$15.00, $1.07 Dvd rental, Advance Auto $19.14
3/6- $0
3/7- $18 yard sale (16 outfits for nephew--couldn't pass it up), $35.38 dinner

3/8- $0
3/9- $27.95 Target, $21.51 lunch w/mom, $48.60 Groceries, $10.75 post office
3/10- $0
3/11- $68.40 groceries, $10.68 Subway lunch
3/12- $0
3/13- $0
3/14-

 

[tampabrat22]

sorry, double post...

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

March 1: $0
March 2: $0
March 3: $0
March 4: $0
March 5: $0
March 6: $ 21.89 gas, $6 library fine (oops)
March 7: $0
March 8: $0
March 9: $0
March 10: $37.73 (CVS) , $175.03 (food shopping)
March 11: $0
March 12: $0
March 13: $0

I'm sorry I'm posting every day, it's literally the only way I feel I'm going to get through this month without going on a shoe bender...