No Buy May! Welcome old and new savers!

Tuesday turned out to not be a no-spend day again - my cell phone automatically topped up on me (my father is terminal and in hospice care :sad1: and I am running through minutes like crazy - normally I hardly use any).

But yesterday I managed to not spend. I'm hoping for the same today.

(Due to my unique form of budgeting, my "month" runs 4/26-5/30)
4/26 $0
4/27 $0
4/28 $0
4/29 $16 Field Trip Fees
4/30 $44 Dinner Out
5/1 $31 DL Renewal, $26 Target, $14 FoodsCo, $2 Oroweat Bakery Store, $30 Cash to "Summer Fun" Stash
5/2 $0
5/3 $42 Gas, $12 Walmart, $15 Everyday Minerals
5/4 $15 Phone Topup
5/5 $0

% Month Complete 28.6%
% No Spend Days Achieved 25.0%
% Budget Spent 30.9%

I am so sorry to hear about your Father.:hug: I lost my Mom a few years ago and miss her often. When she was ill, was the only time we have gone over the min. on our cell phone plan. Prayers for you and your family!!

May 1: $0
May 2: $39.78 Groceries
May 3: $0
May 4: $0
May 5: $0 (work got us dinner for Nurses Day!:goodvibes)
May 6: $0 (as I am on my way BACK to work right now:rolleyes:)
May 7: $63.79, Groceries ($30.28 in store coupons), $10, mailing letter and package, $97, that is not actually spent yet, but will be. I ordered a cake to be delivered to our illuminations cruise!!:goodvibes So, I counted it for today!

5/13 $0 days!!
 
I am so sorry to hear about your Father.:hug:

Thanks SunnieRN - the last few weeks have been hard. The worst part is being half a country away from my parents and siblings. Hence the outrageous phone bills!

I managed to get another zero spend day yesterday, and I'm really, really trying for another today. I spent 30 minutes before an appointment wandering around Target this morning - but managed to leave without buying anything. Tomorrow is grocery shopping day, so it definitely won't be a zero spend and I have a feeling I may end up back at Target to buy a few things I saw this morning :rolleyes1

Anyway, I'm going to post $0 for today to give me a reason to get through the rest of the day without spending!!

(Due to my unique form of budgeting, my "month" runs 4/26-5/30)
4/26 $0
4/27 $0
4/28 $0
4/29 $16 Field Trip Fees
4/30 $44 Dinner Out
5/1 $31 DL Renewal, $26 Target, $14 FoodsCo, $2 Oroweat Bakery Store, $30 Cash to "Summer Fun" Stash
5/2 $0
5/3 $42 Gas, $12 Walmart, $15 Everyday Minerals
5/4 $15 Phone Topup
5/5 $0
5/6 $0
5/7 $0

Total Spent - 247/800
No Spend Days - 7/20

% Month Complete 34.3%
% No Spend Days Achieved 35.0%
% Budget Spent 30.9%
 
Also $3.70 tickled pink and $.80 soda

5/06/10: $2.10 Hardee's, and $1.55 Dairy Mart
5/07/10: $1.50 bus fare, $1.58 White Castle, $8.47 Sitar (indian food) plus $2.00 tip, $1.50 bus fare and $1.35 water (when we had to WAIT for a replacement bus) and $4.61 groceries (DGMarketplace), OH YEAH $21.20 for three used dvd's at a store
 
Budget for May is $555 with 12 no spend days.

Auto $60
Eating Out/Entertainment $50 / $19 left
Giving $125 / $90 left
Groceries/Household Goods $230 / $218 left
Medical $15
Misc. $75 / $3 left

No spend days = 2 /12
Coupon savings $4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5/1 Groceries $12; Entertainment $18 (movies)
5/2 Giving $25 (church) and $10 National Kidney Foundation of MI Walk
5/3 Eating Out $8 (coffee with my sister to plan our WDW trip in August)
5/4 $0 :thumbsup2
5/5 Misc. $72 (4 pair of capris for me)
5/6 Eating Out $11
5/7 $0 :thumbsup2
 

Thanks SunnieRN - the last few weeks have been hard. The worst part is being half a country away from my parents and siblings. Hence the outrageous phone bills!

I managed to get another zero spend day yesterday, and I'm really, really trying for another today. I spent 30 minutes before an appointment wandering around Target this morning - but managed to leave without buying anything. Tomorrow is grocery shopping day, so it definitely won't be a zero spend and I have a feeling I may end up back at Target to buy a few things I saw this morning :rolleyes1

Anyway, I'm going to post $0 for today to give me a reason to get through the rest of the day without spending!!

(Due to my unique form of budgeting, my "month" runs 4/26-5/30)
4/26 $0
4/27 $0
4/28 $0
4/29 $16 Field Trip Fees
4/30 $44 Dinner Out
5/1 $31 DL Renewal, $26 Target, $14 FoodsCo, $2 Oroweat Bakery Store, $30 Cash to "Summer Fun" Stash
5/2 $0
5/3 $42 Gas, $12 Walmart, $15 Everyday Minerals
5/4 $15 Phone Topup
5/5 $0
5/6 $0
5/7 $0

Total Spent - 247/800
No Spend Days - 7/20

% Month Complete 34.3%
% No Spend Days Achieved 35.0%
% Budget Spent 30.9%

You are much better than I am!! I have to stay OUT of the stores to not spend money!:thumbsup2 You did great!
 
5/1 $0
5/2 $0
5/3 $0
5/4 $0
5/5 $125 Target for household items, diapers, clothing and groceries, $100 Kroger groceries
5/6 $0
5/7 $63 at Children's Place (jeans and T-shirt sale!), $6.50 thrift store new outfit for me, $2.50 lunch, $10 Dollar Tree cards and cleaning supplies

5 of 11 no-buy days so far.
 
Spending budget = $1000
“No Buy” days = 2/10
Running total spent = $663.55/$1000 (will be getting $40 back from Daunt and DMIL)
Coupon savings: $6.00


5/1 – $33 (lunch at Kings Dominion, including a refillable cup for the rest of the season)

5/2 - $55 (DH’s birthday lunch); $31 (deck sealant and a plant)

5/3 – NO BUY

5/4 - $120 (recital tickets and recital DVD order – I will get $40 back from my aunt and MIL for purchase of their tickets); $3.66(DD dinner at McDonald’s after dance); $47 (Lowe’s/Round up)

5/5 – NO BUY

5/6 - $35 (dr. appt.); $127 (grocery); $43 (Lowe’s-paint supplies, thompson’s water seal, American flag and flag pole)

5/7 - $100 (hair cut & color); 2.39(Ben Franklin – mini muffins tins); $66.50 (gas)
 
Did the weekly grocery shopping and spent a bit more than normal but I bought wine to go with Mother's day dinner

Grocery/Household: $200/ $96.84 Left
Gas/Car: $50
Entertainment/Easting Out: $75/ $69.88 Left
Misc/Emergency: $75/ $52.70 left

Total: $400/ $269.42 Left

Goal of 15 no Buy days

4/15 No Buy

5/1- $44.19 Groceries for the week at Save-a-lot
5/2- $0
5/3- $22.30 Lane Bryant (a black cardigan shrug I had been looking for and I had 40% off), $5.12 At Auntie Anne's for lunch, $2.78 Save-a-lot because I forgot potatoes last saturday
5/4- $0
5/5- $0
5/6- $0
5/7- $56.19 Groceries
 
Running Total: Spent $416
$900...$484 left
$0 Days:3
Goal is 10 or more!

Groceries- $150-50-15= 85 left

May 1 76
May 2 233
May 3 0
May 4 0
May 5 37
May 6 70 ( dinner for 4 at the House of Blues in Downtown Disney - could have been worse but I had the restaurant.com coupon for $25 off)
May 7 0
 
05/01 - LLBean 13 (new sandals 50% of sale price !), Renys $59 (gift for neice - $29, clothes $30), Olympia Sports (new track duffle for odd, new water bottle for ydd, running shorts for me & softball shorts/tee for dh), gas $40, groceries $13
05/02 - $132 - groceries
05/03 - :)
05/04 - :):)
05/05 - :):):)
05/06 - gas $30, groceries $17
05/07 - groceries $8


no-spend days - 3/12

I can't seem to get to the elusive 4 day streak. This weekend will be interesting. I'll try to behave.
__________________
 
I spent £27 on Disney pins yesterday - someone who I've traded with a couple of times was going to Florida and offered to buy anything if I wanted. So I requested two boxes of <a href="http://pinpics.com/cgi-bin/pin.cgi?pin=75232" target="blank">these</a>. They're mystery boxes, so I won't know what pins I have until I open them! Very exciting stuff!

I finally got back my work expenses as well, so I have credit of £97.60 for yesterday.

Today plans to be a zero spend day, being ill I really don't fancy leaving the house especially in the rain.

May 01 - £0
May 02 - £0
May 03 - £0
May 04 - £200.77 (£36.87 quarterly TV Licence Payment); (£39.26 monthly minimum Credit Card payment); (£34.65 monthly Car Insurance); (£75.00 monthly savings direct debit); (£14.99 monthly Lovefilm subscription);
May 05 - £0
May 06 - £11.00 (£6.50 taxi into the city); (£4.50 drinks);
May 07 - £27.00 (£27.00 disney pins);
May 08 - £0

Total zero-spend days: 5
 
May 1-
I am embarassed and sick to report the start to my month. I knew it was going to be a bad day today and tomorrow for that matter, but I feel sick about all we spent today.Opening Day for Softball always means pizza and hotdogs at the park. This year we opted to go get a whole pizza for the 5 of us to eat at the park.-$10 Slushies for the kids-$3.50
Dinner Date with Hubby-$35
Dinner for kids at home-$8
Gas-$44
MAJOR stocking up at Sam's-$459.96 (This included new fans since we are already melting here and don't have A/C, and new clothes for me as I have literally not enough shirts to last a week. I got 2 capris, 2 shorts and 5 shirts though tomorrow I will try them all on and some might go back. Also a new chair for me for when I am at softball and have an old, broken chair to sit on. Also, laundry supplies, etc.)
Total- $560.46 :eek:

May 2-
I started today bad, 8 minutes after midnight I spent $13 on eBay. I bought 3 pearl cages for my girls for when they do Pick a Pearl in EPCOT. They have never done it and want to very much this trip and while I think it is a great thing to do, the cost of setting 3 pearls was going to be pricey so here on DIS I learned about the Cinderella Carriage pearl cages and bought 3 of them. So, $13 on eBay but a savings in the end.
Dance pictures, videos and final tuition till fall $156.50*.
Groceries- Wegman's- $76.39
Walmart- Groceries, photo developing (Mother's Day gifts), medicine and makeup for dance photos- $44.85
Post Office (mailed 3 Mom's day packages)- $14.90
Total- $305.64
*I know some would cut the photos and videos but as frugal as I am I would not eat for a week to make up for them if I had to (glad I don't have to.) We are not allowed to videotape the recitals and the memory to me is worth the money. As for photos, I buy the basic packages just for me and take photos for the family with my own camera. But they just aren't as good. Again, the memory is worth the money to me. I have all their dance pictures displayed and they bring me great joy so it is worth it for me. I do not buy school photos, so this is the one time a year when I allow myself to buy photos of my kids.

May 3- FI-NAL-LY! $0 Rough start, but knew it was going to be. Now the weekend is gone and I am back on track!

May 4- $0 Today I thought I might have to spend, but I didn't. Tomorrow is DD10's chorus and band concert. She has black pants and a white shirt, but her black shoes are a little small. I said how I hated to buy new black shoes now with her foot growing so fast, by fall when she'd wear them again who knows if they'd fit. She offered to wear them more like a flip flop (heel over the back of the shoe) just for the performance since it is such a short time. I love my frugal kid! So, she tried them on, she said they didn't bother her at all. For a one hour performance, I am thrilled!

May 5- $0 So tonight is DD10's chorus and band concert. Many parents bring their kids flowers and I always did too for my older DD. I debated if I should or not but then my DH surprised me today with flowers (early) for Mother's Day. I called him to thank him and asked if he'd mind me taking a few of them for DD for her concert and he said "no, I figured you would ." :lovestruc So, she will be getting some of those to put in a vase in her room and I get another $0 day! Woo-Hoo! I love that man! :love:
We also often go out for Mexican on Cinco deMayo, but with dance, the concert and a first softball game for our kids tonight we will hardly have time to eat, let alone go out so this was a great savings too. Earlier today I made chicken enchiladas, coleslaw and cinnamon-pecan brownies (recipe from Family Fun on Facebook this morning for Cinco deMayo.) It is all ready to go and with some ice, fresh pineapple and coconut milk we will have it all with pina coladas and it will be a huge savings of money and time today!

May 6-$0 Well I did it, 4 days in a row. Yes we are out of milk. Yes we are out of bread. BUT, we survived. It was close. DH came home and saw dinner and his face said what his mouth wouldn't. I told him I'd go get some groceries and he said, "you won't eat this, what are you eating." I said leftovers from last night (chicken enchiladas) and he perked up. There was pleanty for both of us so we had that. The kids had pigs in a blanket (well, hot dogs in crescent rolls with cheese, that's what we called them, not sure that is what they are called), pasta salad, baked beans and corn. They thought it was a great dinner. :laughing: SO, there is peanty of pasta salad for lunches tomorrow and I will go grocery shopping in the morning (we have only bananas left for fruit and all the last of the veggies I had are in the pasta salad.) I am just happy to see we can survive without getting groceries every other day.

May 7- I can't tell you how bad I wanted to make 5 in a row. But, The family wanted to "eat" so, fine! :headache: :lmao:
Groceries- $138.25, higher then it should be and normally would be, but today is DH's monthly game day with his friends. They all bring junk food but DH is trying to be more healthy so asked me to make a veggie tray, so I did. So, double the veggies = $$, that stuff is not cheap. In the long run though it is a good investment.
Pizza and Movies with the kids- $12.15 pizza $2 Redbox
Total- $152.40

$0 Spend Days This Month- 4/15 :yay: Longest Streak-4 Days in a Row! :yay:
Happy About Record Since Joining No Buy-
January-14 Days
February-13 Days
March-17 Days
April-15 Days
 
Very windy here today and my allergies are acting up do i am staying inside today.

Grocery/Household: $200/ $96.84 Left
Gas/Car: $50
Entertainment/Easting Out: $75/ $69.88 Left
Misc/Emergency: $75/ $52.70 left

Total: $400/ $269.42 Left

Goal of 15 no Buy days

5/15 No Buy

5/1- $44.19 Groceries for the week at Save-a-lot
5/2- $0
5/3- $22.30 Lane Bryant (a black cardigan shrug I had been looking for and I had 40% off), $5.12 At Auntie Anne's for lunch, $2.78 Save-a-lot because I forgot potatoes last saturday
5/4- $0
5/5- $0
5/6- $0
5/7- $56.19 Groceries
5/8- $0
 
5/1-15.64-stockpile stuff Wags and Target 5.68-Target Groceries
5/2-4 for newspapers 11.64 for organizing coupon stuff!
5/3-83.40 SIL in town for a few days with her 2 DD's
5/4-0
5/5-0
5/6-0
5/7-62.12 Gas
5/8-0


Here's our budget for May:
(Total Budget-2298.36/left-851.22 after bills pd in advance for May)

Groceries-230 = 57.50/Week 146.60-Left

Gas-150 Left-50.51

Miscellanies-50Total (DH/10.18 ME/17.18)

Stock Pile-20/Left 4.36

No Buys- 4/15=Goal No Buys!:cheer2::cheer2::cheer2:
 
May 1st - $14 (trash & recycling), $43.05 (Kohl's)
May 2nd - $46.28 (CiCi's Pizzas)
May 3rd - $40.00 (gas)
May 4th - $0 (HOORAY)
May 5th - $2.12 (McD's)
May 6th - $50.09 (groceries), $23.24 (gas), $20.84 (Burger King)
May 7th - $53.68 (groceries), $35.01 (gas), $14.00 (carwash), $80 (Olive Garden)
May 8th - $0 (HOORAY)

total - 2/15 no-spend days!
 
May 1: $0
May 2: $39.78 Groceries
May 3: $0
May 4: $0
May 5: $0 (work got us dinner for Nurses Day!)
May 6: $0 (as I am on my way BACK to work right now)
May 7: $63.79, Groceries ($30.28 in store coupons), $10, mailing letter and package, $97, that is not actually spent yet, but will be. I ordered a cake to be delivered to our illuminations cruise!! So, I counted it for today!
May 8: $0

6/13 $0 days!!
 
Goal: 12 no spend days

5/1 and 5/2 - I spent money. Lets move on. :rotfl:
05-03 .65, soda $1.25, soda, $5.31 dinner
05-04 no spend! :thumbsup2
05-05 no spend! :thumbsup2
05-06 $14.05 dinner (late night at work :( ) $14.65 gift
05-07 $8.07 breakfast,$30.61 lunch for me & a co-worker (I owed her!), $40.59 Target, $13.06 dinner YIKES!:scared1: I went into Target for TWO things. Two things that did NOT total 40 dollars. :headache: impulse shopping anyone? oh well, I will do better tomorrow!

2 of 12 No Spend days!!:wizard:
 
My computer got a virus last month and I didn't get to finish on the thread! But I was able to stay under budget by $66.24 total and had 18 no-buy days! The only problem was that I went over on my gas budget a lot, so I am adding on to that and taking money out of my "going out" budget. My goal for this month is going to be 20 no-buy days. I really have my doubts about this, but I'm going to be trying very hard! So, this month's budget is:

$200 Gas ($167 left)
$100 Misc./Spending
$80 Groceries
$24 Movies ($18 Left)
$20 Going Out
20 No-Buy Days (6 so far)

5/1 - $33 Gas
5/2 - $0
5/3 - $0
5/4 - $6 Movies
5/5 - $0
5/6 - $0
5/7 - $0
5/8 - $0

8.99% of budget spent
25.81% through month
30% to no-buy goal
 
Managed to keep the no-spend day yesterday, but today was errand day so plenty of spending there. But I MOSTLY kept to my lists (wait - how did those donuts get in my cart?? :rolleyes1) so it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I have to say I love our Oroweat Bakery store - I always leave with a bag full of breads and such for just a few dollars!!! Today I got that box of donuts, a bag of bagels, a loaf of Cinnabon bread and a Bobali thin pizza crust for less than $4.

(Due to my unique form of budgeting, my "month" runs 4/26-5/30)
4/26 $0
4/27 $0
4/28 $0
4/29 $16 Field Trip Fees
4/30 $44 Dinner Out
5/1 $31 DL Renewal, $26 Target, $14 FoodsCo, $2 Oroweat Bakery Store, $30 Cash to "Summer Fun" Stash
5/2 $0
5/3 $42 Gas, $12 Walmart, $15 Everyday Minerals
5/4 $15 Phone Topup
5/5 $0
5/6 $0
5/7 $0
5/8 $54 FoodsCo, $4 Oroweat Bakery Store, $22 Target

Total Spent 327/800
No Spend Days 7/20

% Month Complete 37.1%
% No Spend Days Goal Achieved 35.0%
% Budget Spent 40.9%
 
May 1-
I am embarassed and sick to report the start to my month. I knew it was going to be a bad day today and tomorrow for that matter, but I feel sick about all we spent today.Opening Day for Softball always means pizza and hotdogs at the park. This year we opted to go get a whole pizza for the 5 of us to eat at the park.-$10 Slushies for the kids-$3.50
Dinner Date with Hubby-$35
Dinner for kids at home-$8
Gas-$44
MAJOR stocking up at Sam's-$459.96 (This included new fans since we are already melting here and don't have A/C, and new clothes for me as I have literally not enough shirts to last a week. I got 2 capris, 2 shorts and 5 shirts though tomorrow I will try them all on and some might go back. Also a new chair for me for when I am at softball and have an old, broken chair to sit on. Also, laundry supplies, etc.)
Total- $560.46 :eek:

May 2-
I started today bad, 8 minutes after midnight I spent $13 on eBay. I bought 3 pearl cages for my girls for when they do Pick a Pearl in EPCOT. They have never done it and want to very much this trip and while I think it is a great thing to do, the cost of setting 3 pearls was going to be pricey so here on DIS I learned about the Cinderella Carriage pearl cages and bought 3 of them. So, $13 on eBay but a savings in the end.
Dance pictures, videos and final tuition till fall $156.50*.
Groceries- Wegman's- $76.39
Walmart- Groceries, photo developing (Mother's Day gifts), medicine and makeup for dance photos- $44.85
Post Office (mailed 3 Mom's day packages)- $14.90
Total- $305.64
*I know some would cut the photos and videos but as frugal as I am I would not eat for a week to make up for them if I had to (glad I don't have to.) We are not allowed to videotape the recitals and the memory to me is worth the money. As for photos, I buy the basic packages just for me and take photos for the family with my own camera. But they just aren't as good. Again, the memory is worth the money to me. I have all their dance pictures displayed and they bring me great joy so it is worth it for me. I do not buy school photos, so this is the one time a year when I allow myself to buy photos of my kids.

May 3- FI-NAL-LY! $0 Rough start, but knew it was going to be. Now the weekend is gone and I am back on track!

May 4- $0 Today I thought I might have to spend, but I didn't. Tomorrow is DD10's chorus and band concert. She has black pants and a white shirt, but her black shoes are a little small. I said how I hated to buy new black shoes now with her foot growing so fast, by fall when she'd wear them again who knows if they'd fit. She offered to wear them more like a flip flop (heel over the back of the shoe) just for the performance since it is such a short time. I love my frugal kid! So, she tried them on, she said they didn't bother her at all. For a one hour performance, I am thrilled!

May 5- $0 So tonight is DD10's chorus and band concert. Many parents bring their kids flowers and I always did too for my older DD. I debated if I should or not but then my DH surprised me today with flowers (early) for Mother's Day. I called him to thank him and asked if he'd mind me taking a few of them for DD for her concert and he said "no, I figured you would ." :lovestruc So, she will be getting some of those to put in a vase in her room and I get another $0 day! Woo-Hoo! I love that man! :love:
We also often go out for Mexican on Cinco deMayo, but with dance, the concert and a first softball game for our kids tonight we will hardly have time to eat, let alone go out so this was a great savings too. Earlier today I made chicken enchiladas, coleslaw and cinnamon-pecan brownies (recipe from Family Fun on Facebook this morning for Cinco deMayo.) It is all ready to go and with some ice, fresh pineapple and coconut milk we will have it all with pina coladas and it will be a huge savings of money and time today!

May 6-$0 Well I did it, 4 days in a row. Yes we are out of milk. Yes we are out of bread. BUT, we survived. It was close. DH came home and saw dinner and his face said what his mouth wouldn't. I told him I'd go get some groceries and he said, "you won't eat this, what are you eating." I said leftovers from last night (chicken enchiladas) and he perked up. There was pleanty for both of us so we had that. The kids had pigs in a blanket (well, hot dogs in crescent rolls with cheese, that's what we called them, not sure that is what they are called), pasta salad, baked beans and corn. They thought it was a great dinner. :laughing: SO, there is peanty of pasta salad for lunches tomorrow and I will go grocery shopping in the morning (we have only bananas left for fruit and all the last of the veggies I had are in the pasta salad.) I am just happy to see we can survive without getting groceries every other day.

May 7- I can't tell you how bad I wanted to make 5 in a row. But, The family wanted to "eat" so, fine! :headache: :lmao:
Groceries- $138.25, higher then it should be and normally would be, but today is DH's monthly game day with his friends. They all bring junk food but DH is trying to be more healthy so asked me to make a veggie tray, so I did. So, double the veggies = $$, that stuff is not cheap. In the long run though it is a good investment.
Pizza and Movies with the kids- $12.15 pizza $2 Redbox
Total- $152.40

May 8-$0

$0 Spend Days This Month- 5/15 :yay: Longest Streak-4 Days in a Row! :yay:
Happy About Record Since Joining No Buy-
January-14 Days
February-13 Days
March-17 Days
April-15 Days
 

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