GOAL REACHED!!!
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.
May 12- $0
May 13- After 6 years as my DD10's troop leader, we are not continuing on next year and tonight was our closing ceremonies (for good.) So, I bought the girls flosers, but got them marked down for being after Mother's Day. I also bought the supplies to bake them a cake. So, Walmart-$9
Then since I was frazzled after work and before the sceremony, my DH bought pizza, I am not sure what he spent but it was around $15.
Then he tells me his belt broke and needed a new one and DD10 needed yet more allergy medicine so I went back to Walmart (we live around the block from it, so not too much wasted gas) and spent $32.98.
So, as bad as I wanted it to be a $0 day, it was not meant to be. But in 2 trips to Walmart I did not buy (or even look at) anything that was not a necessity.
May 14- $0Today DH asked me to meet for a lunch date since he has plans tonight and I won't see him till late. BUT, we have a coupon for $5 off 2 lunches and we have a gift card so it didn't cost us anything. I also stopped by Lane Bryant and looked at all the pretty clothes but left with just my free pair of panties.
May 15-
Splurged and went to the Lilac Festival for a very overpriced and unhealthy (yet yummy) dinner with the family.-$49
Baby Gift-$26
Home Depot- $29.50 (new toilet deat and shelves for closet)
Walmart- $48.50-groceries, storage containers (Newly organized closet...priceless!
)
May 16- Home Depot (2 new storm doors, so beyond needed!)-$201 (Today should have been a $0 day but we picked out the doors last night but DH forgot to measure for them so he had to go back this morning and get them. Bummer...)
May 17-$0 Starting tomorrow is going to be hard, tomorrow my grandparents come and it's my grandma's b-day so she wants to go out to dinner. Can't remember the last time we all went to a real restaurant so that is going to be pricey. Then we begin an incredibly busy/stressful week including 2 seperate dance recital dress rehersals, 2 recitals, softball games, field trips, DD10's b-dday on and on and all while we have company, 7 people sharing 1150 sf and 1 bathroom... wish me luck on not ordering pizza every night!
May 18- $95 dinner at Outback for 7
Today was my grandma's 73rd b-day and my grandpa's 73rd was yesterday. Their anniversary, the 53rd, was Saturday and my DD10 will be 11 on Friday. They came to town today for my kids' dance recital and so we went to dinner tonight. I hate spending a week's grocery money on dinner, but it was a very special dinner.
Since we were spending money anyway, I registered my girls for dance next year, $22. And got dinner for the crock pot tomorrow (extreemly busy day,) toilet paper and bread, milk, juice. $38 and change.
May 19- Soooo close! Today my DD10 went on a field trip to the Lilac Festival to perform with band. They said they could buy lunch there. Well we agreed to pack lunches since we had dinner there Saturday as a family. Well, when all her friends were buying treats I let her get an elephant ear. It was a special treat to get to go I couldn't say no. Then since I had spent money anyway, I bought my grandparents a bag of kettle corn. They love it, but they are like me, they will give to everyone else but won't buy for themselves and I iknew thye would enjoy it. And they did. So while I spent $12 I didn't need to and could have added to my No Buy days, it was worth it. Plus, I was good bringing lunch instead of buying so I'm still saving money even if I didn't get to add another day.
May 20-$0 It was tough but I really wanted to have one today since the next 3 days are impossible. We wetn to 2 Targets and 2 Walmarts today (my grandma and I) and I spent nothing, then DD8 had her recital dress rehersal tonight and nearly every kid had a Happy Meal (Practice was from 5-8.) But I packed sandwiches and fruit and string cheese and managed to make it!
The next 3 days are catch up. Between having company, 2 dance recitals, a b-day and on and on I have not gotten on the computer.
May 21- DD's 11th b-day. $50 gift. Ice cream treat for her at school $1.50. Dollar Tree balloon and gift bags for dance teacher gifts $5.
May 22- Dance recital day. Pizza between 2 dance recitals $15, Flowers and last minute make-up $25. (We had just over an hour between the 2 recitals and had to get right back in line for good seats anways so this was the best option for dinner. We could have packed sandwiches but we did that for lunch and with company we felt we had to feed them. We did pack drinks and snacks.)
May 23- Groceries and gifts for my preschool class $130 (Went to lunch and Chuck E Cheese but it was my grandparents treat to celebrate DD's b-day.)
My company is gone, my life is back to normal and my fridge is full so to make my goal I need 4 out of the next 5 days to be $0. We are going away for Memorial Day weekend so if it is going to happen it need to by Friday. I am determined and so I will start by recording today as a $0 day. I am staying home, cleaning my house (recovering really) and not going anywhere till my DD8's softball game tonight and that is free.
May 24-$0 Back on track!!!
May 25-$0 Don't need anything but gas tomorrow and really want to make it another $0 day. I could walk to work but DD11 has to go to the orthodontist and that is several miles away. I saw my DH just filled the gas can for the lawnmower and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't considering using it instead of ruining a $0 day.
May 26-$0 OK, I borrowed gas that was supposed to be for the lawnmower from our garage to make it to the orthodontist. My DH thinks I am nut but here is my reasoning. My DD8 had a softball game tonight. It was low 90s and miserable. Had I gotten gas today I would have likely stopped for ice cream on the way home. Instead I told her how I ahd a new thing of ice cream at home and mini cones and she thought that was cool so I did save by not getting gas today. I am good for tomorrow and will get gas Friday when I have to get some things for our trip this weekend including an oil change.
May 27-$0 I am reporting early because I am leaving soon to go to DD's swim meet then home for a quick dinner (It's in the crock pot) and off to my last day (evening) of work. I knew going in it was going to be a hard month to make it but I did and I am really excited this month of all the ones I have done it. I may or may not get to report tomorrow, and probably won't the rest of the weekend till Monday night all at once since we are going away.
See you all on the June Thread. Can't Wait!!!
$0 Spend Days This Month- 15/15 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
) $14.65 gift
Even though I've had some other bills pop up that cancel out the car payment savings, it's great that the car payment money is available for those other things. All things considered...
