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
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 ."
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!
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.
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!
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
May 9-$0 My DH says today doesn't count since the day was a gift. He said it comes out of his free to spend money that he gets each week. We went to lunch at Dave and Busters and the kids each got a $10 card with the eat and play deal, then we went to Dairy Queen for ice cream after. It was a treat of a day, we have never been before and it is over an hour away. Our plans were a picnic at the park but when we woke up to a snow covered ground we knew that was out. Also, the flowers he sent me were all but dead so we got a refund for them. Anyway, if I had to guess we spent probably $75 today but he tried to take me shopping too and I passed so he said I really did deserve a $0 day for that.
May 10-$0 So today my zero spend pledge annoyed my DH a bit. So we were sitting at DD8's softball game and he was leaving to get DD10 at dance. I said jokingly that if I wasn't home by 8 to send help cause I was low on gas. (I had forgotten my cell phone.) So he left, I stayed and her game ran late. (supposed to end at 7:30, they didn't end till 8.) So I get home and he isn't here. I come in and my DD10 says dad went to get you.
I was like I WAS KIDDING! So I call him, sure enough he was on his way to get gas in the gas can for the lawn mower to bring it to me.
So, he came home and reminded me that this is only good for frivilous spending which gas in the car is not.
OK, I get it. See, I should have been fine till tomorrow when I planned an errend day. BUT, since we decided to head to Buffalo for Mother's Day (an hour away) instead of staying local, we used a bunch of gas and, well, I just wasn't thinking about getting gas yesterday. I was really only kidding about running out. YES, my light came on, but the game was 2 minutes away I was fine. Anyway, it was nice to see him worried about us and coming to be my hero, but I guess I should be careful when I joke too.
Needless to say, tomorrow will not be a $0
May 11-
Gas- $52.75
Groceries- $88.77
Rite Aid- Rx for DD10- $2.99
Arby's for me and DD8 (everyone else had dinner plans other places figured she deserved something out too)- $6
Field Trip (including dinner) for DD15- $10
Vacation Bible School Registration- $14
I took DD10 to the doctor for some serious allergy problems. We left with 2 Rx and 3 sample meds. The poor kid is having a reeally bad allergy season. Thankfully he game me everything he could as samples and on of the meds my DH uses so until I see if it works I am not filling hers. She also needed an antibiotic as she has an ear infection from all the fluid draining into her ear.
$0 Spend Days This Month- 7/15 
Longest Streak-4 Days in a Row!
Happy About Record Since Joining No Buy-
January-14 Days
February-13 Days
March-17 Days
April-15 Days
. I forgot I needed some cards and a gift card for DD's book buddy for a thank you gift. However, I did stick to my list and managed to get out of Target only spending $30. No extras. HUGE feat for me 
I went into Target for TWO things. Two things that did NOT total 40 dollars. 
They called me today to come pick up the title, which i will do this weekend. 
what a great feeling!
(well, I guess it is for everyone, but it's a special one for me 
Can we have a moment of silence for my budget for the month?
