No Buy September

[Debbie]

Welcome to No Buy September.

For the regulars, welcome back and to the new posters and lurkers - please feel free to join in at any point.

Purpose of this thread is to try to control your unnecessary spending - some call it the $100 habit where you go for a carton of milk and come out of the store with a trolley load of stuff you didn't really need.

How you do this is up to you and your circumstances. Post your budget (personal or household) and any exceptions. Then your goal is to try to stick to it! Remember that you have to come here and confess. You can post daily if you need to or just as often as you'd like - some find posting daily keeps them on track.

If you are starting out with a budget, most would agree the first step is to write down everything you buy - then critically look at what you are literally throwing away your money on.

Feel free to jump in at any point and ask questions, we share what we are learning along the way with getting our finances into order!

 

[Debbie]

This month, I will be budgeting as best I can. We have had a couple of 'drops' in income, but we will manage that. It is just the idea of getting used to it. I will update my budget as the week goes on, and I have a better handle on things.

For now this is what I have left:
Groceries: 165/450
Pets: 10/15
Gas/Car Maintenance: -35/175
Household/Misc/Clothing: -470/200 thanks to an unexpected washing machine malfunction and Wal-Mart actually having a sale on something I need for Christmas + MORE Christmas gifts bought at Costco
Teaching Supplies/Dues etc: 105/150
Junk Food/Just for fun: 17/60

1- iced tea $2 (when did the McD's special end ) + shoes (3 pair!) $42 + eggs $4
2- margarine at Costco $9 + No Frills groceries $74 BUT I cashed in $70, so total groceries for the day was $13 + Drug Store co-pay $3
3- $0
4- $0
5- Benedryl- $10 + pop/chips $10 + groceries $7
6- gas for rental car in Nova Scotia $36
7- gas $33
8- post office $4 + junk food $2 + cat food $5 + pop $2 + groceries + $31 + 2 DQ Blizzards $6
9- tub for organizing DD at university stuff $12
10- groceries $22
11- gift for unplanned wedding $50
12- gas $36 + groceries ($90, but I used $70 in reward points, so they cost me) $20 + misc (batteries for my clock) $4
13- groceries $19 + Misc $28 + junk food $4
14- yogurt $6 + DQ $2
15- groceries $ 42 + pop/chips $5 + washing machine repair $180
16- $0 YIPPEE!
17- Pool closing chemicals $55
18- Teacher staff dues/water for the year $45 + Christmas gifts (hadn't budgeted for, but Wal-Mart had a deal on what I needed for DD15 $104 + junk food $10 + groceries $39 + gas $35
19- groceries $16
20- groceries $9 + magazine $3
21- tp $4
22- oil change $35 + gas $35
23- $0
24- groceries $6
25- groceries $7
26- Christmas gifts 170 + groceries $70

 

[carissanboys]

Budget for September (only including discretionary spending here – not regular monthly bills):

Groceries - $400
Pet - $10
Household/Misc. - $50
My blow money - $60
Dh’s blow money - $60
Gas - $160

 

[MrsSpratt]

I am so scared by this, but I have to start. More later.

Mrs. Spratt

 

[casper_jj11]

Wow! The Jonas Brothers concert last night was amazing! I won the tickets and was planning to sell them (or barter them for babysitting ) until my almost 7 yr old son said he'd like to go. He didn't even know their music but we won the CD along with the tix so he's been listening to it ever since. We left really early (1hr before teh concert ended) because today is ds's first day of school but wow, what an amazing concert! I would have love to have stayed but I'm glad we left early since ds usually goes to bed at 7:30 and he was pretty tired getting up today.

On to the budget. We're adding a bathroom to our basement so our parents don't have to travel up the stairs from the spareroom at night when they visit. I'm not sure when the payment is due but I think half is due in Sept and half in Oct. The money is set aside for it so I won't add that in. I've also have two kiddos with bdays this month. I've bought presents for DS7 already and bday party supplies for DS2 already.

groceries $540
gas $500
cat food $90
DD3 skating registration $300
DD3 playgroup registration $98
DS2 bday party $50
DS2 bday gift $50
DS2 bday pics $150
DS7 bday party $298
DS7 bday pics $150
fall clothing $175
annual cord blood storage fees for DS2 and 7 $200
downpayment bathroom reno $2250
garage painting $200
my spending $150
DH spending $150

Total not incl. bathroom reno $3110

1 - actually need to do a bunch of returns today and set aside clothes for the gymboree baby sale starting tomorrow... hopefully I'll start with $0 spent

 

[HLDisney]

Okay, I'm going to try this again. I always seem to have the best of intentions at the beginning of the month but then I lose momentum partway through.

What I'm going to try to do is to post my discretionary spending here. Not the stuff that I HAVE to pay for, like regular monthly bills, church offering, gas for the car, etc, but the purchases that I could do without (impulse buys, eating out on weekends) or the ones where I have some control of how much to spend (like grocery shopping)

I'm hoping that if I know that I have to post here that I spent $78 on books (which I did in August ), it'll make me think twice before doing it.

Helen

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Thanks for starting September, Debbie

Exceptions for me this month:

Oil Change & Tire Rotation (I've put it off all summer, poor minivan)
, possibly new brakes (although I think they just need to be adjusted)

Disney Anniversary Trip (3 days, sept 25-27-already paid for in July/Aug with the exception of gas for the trip)

8 Books for DD's (made a deal with them that I'd buy them one new paperback book a week if they finished the previous one-worked really well in August, DD10 read the entire 1600 page Fablehaven series and DD9's mowing through the Humphrey the Hamster series)

$200 for landscaping (I have to buy a bunch of pine straw, the yard's looking really bald and weedy because I keep putting it off, so I'm just going to do it).

$84 fall tennis dues

$150 repair stove (it might be less, the broiler won't come on)

My modus operandi is to have as many $0 days as possible, and to pre-plan spending days. I do better with a list, and I don't end up going to fast food places or have $15 library overdue fines when I plan.

I'm going for cold turkey this month, where unless it's on the exemption or groceries or gas, I just don't buy it. Best ever was May '09 with 21 $0 days and way under my $2k or less budget.

Today will be a grocery shopping/car fix it/library day for me (no fines, though ).

Good luck, everyone!

 

[HLDisney]

Okay, I'm going to use this thread to post my discretionary expenses:

9/1 - soda-$1.50, lunch - $5
9/2 - lunch with my DD and mom after a Dr. appt - $11, $54 for Wii Sports Resort for my godson for his birthday
9/3 - soda-$1.50, lunch - $6
9/4 - soda-$1.50, lunch - $5
9/5
9/6
9/7
9/8
9/9
9/10
9/11
9/12
9/13
9/14
9/15
9/16
9/17
9/18
9/19
9/20
9/21
9/22
9/23
9/24
9/25
9/26
9/27
9/28
9/29
9/30

 

[bcinohio]

This is what I need. We just received our Chase card bill in the mail and they raised our minimum payment by $280 a month. That really throws off the budget. I will need to come up with a new budget and start tracking the extra money that we spend. Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[hlkeck]

This is what I need. We just received our Chase card bill in the mail and they raised our minimum payment by $280 a month. That really throws off the budget. I will need to come up with a new budget and start tracking the extra money that we spend. Thanks for the encouragement.

That happened to us too! They almost tripled our payment. I have just started the Dave Ramsey program - so that card got moved to the top of the list instead of 3rd...I tried to figure it out and it looks like there is only about a month difference in the full repayment schedule. Annoying though - when DH called about it they said "this actually HELPS you!" Right...it helps Chase, not me...

 

[threeboysmom]

OK, I've never bothered with these threads before because... well I'm a total shopaholic, and honestly, I've never really had to watch my money before. I just bought whatever I wanted...

Now, however, circumstances have changed dramatically. My husband lost his job, but fortunately found another but at a 40% pay cut!!! If that's not bad enough, we also have a son in college and just put $8000 on the credit card.

And... as of last night we made the decision to send our second son back to private high school. We had pulled him out to homeschool, but he really wanted to finish out his last year (he's a senior) with his friends. Tuition is $350/month. Seriously, I have NO IDEA where that money is going to come from every month. I'm scared to death!

So, I'd like to jump in on this no-buy month. Not sure it can magically make money appear where there's none, but it's a start.

We do have a Disney vacation planned for 9/13 that's been paid for since June, but I'm seriously thinking about cancelling it. That would give us $1700 that we could put towards school.

Anyways, I like how someone posted the entire month by day. I don't have a budget planned so this seems to be the easiest for me to be accountable for my shopping habits.

Hoping to have a lot of $0, but I know that may be unrealistic...

9/1 - $0!! (yay, my first day not spending anything!)
9/2 - $35 gas/$2 iced coffee/$12.63 groceries (groceries & gas were needed... coffee was NOT)
9/3 - $9.44 breakfast at Panera (so NOT needed. This month isn't going too well for me...)
9/4 - $0
9/5 - $16.66 Rite Aid - cosmetics/hair color
9/6 - $13 Borders/$8 McDonalds (NOT needed)
9/7 - $11 Rite Aid - food & cosmetics/$86 groceries/$31 birthday gift
9/8 - $5 Old Navy (pants for me)
9/9 - $10 P.O./$50 license renewal/$9 Rite Aid
9/10 - $43 gas
9/11 - $0!!!
9/12
9/13
9/14
9/15
9/16
9/17
9/18
9/19
9/20
9/21
9/22
9/23
9/24
9/25
9/26
9/27
9/28
9/29
9/30

Thanks for listening, and I'll take all the advice/help I can get from you all.

ETA: It's only the 3rd day of the month and I've already spent $11.50 in stupid careless wasting of money that I don't have...

9/10: OK.... NO MORE RITE AID SPENDING!!!

 

[minnie1928]

I'm new on this thread, but I'm ready to give it a shot. My "normal" bills are already manageable so I'll use this for discretionary stuff. My only planned expenditures outside of the norm are: stain for the deck, light for above the island in the kitchen. We'll do the work, but we still need the materials but I figure it'll save us a lot by doing the work ourselves.

9/1 $4 to ship DD's hair donation to Pantene
9/2 $1 for drink at the lake (I didn't have any drinks at home to bring with me)
9/3 $0 (stayed home and washed/waxed/polished my car - took 6 hours!)
9/4 $0 (recuperated-see 9/3)
9/5 $7 (DS was invited by a friend to go to mini golf)
9/6 $191 for deck supplies and new kitchen light
9/7 $11 for DQ to celebrate the completion of the deck staining
9/8 $5 at Starbucks to celebrate the 1st day of school with other moms!
9/9 $0
9/10 $0
9/11 $0
9/12
9/13
9/14
9/15
9/16
9/17
9/18
9/19
9/20
9/21
9/22
9/23
9/24
9/25
9/26
9/27
9/28
9/29
9/30

 

[MrsSpratt]

Hi there, Team No Buy! After lurking for quite a while, I've decided to "man up" and join! The thing is, I'm trying to "fix" EVERYTHING in my life.

I have gained 70 pounds in the 18 months I've been married; 40 in the past six months! (I promise, I'm getting to the money part!)

Those 40 pounds are from "eating with the team" everyday. We always order in. I was also buying breakfast daily - we are talking 10-20 dollars a day!

So my lifestyle has become too expensive, financially and calorically. Thus, the challenge was born: could I bring my lunch (and breakfast!) EVERY DAY? Not spend the 2.25 daily for my precious iced tea? And can I lose weight doing it?

I've been bringing food for a week. Still gained a pound, but that is ok. (Alright, I wanted to burst into tears, but there you have it.)

So I guess this is a combo "No Buy/Wish" report. It just seems like everyone here is so supportive - I hope y'all don't mind me talking about both.

I recently joined Mint, and I was SHOCKED at the amount we are spending on food! And alcohol! And we have 42K in debt just sitting there, NOT BEING PAID OFF. It is KILLING me. So I don't really have a budget yet - I've just been tracking all of our spending, as well as everything I put in my mouth. (LiveStrong.com rocks!)

So...
September "First time I'm tracking everything with some measure of accountability" here I come!
9/1 - brought breakfast, lunch, and iced tea. Need to get gas (32.00?) and lawn treatment (?)

Wish me luck!

Mrs. Spratt

 

[carissanboys]

Good luck with both of your goals Mrs. Spratt!

 

[PixiePlanner]

I have looked before on this thread and never taken advantage of the accountability it offers. I have been spending on average $60 a week on coffee and lunch. This seems to be a tremendous waste when I am throwing away food at home! I will be trying to pack my lunch as I pack DD's. I also am trying to bring iced coffee from home rather than stopping at the gas station in the morning.

Here goes:

9/01 00.00
9/02 00.00
9/03 7.50 lunch at meeting
9/04 1.50 coffee in morning
9/05 00.00
9/06 00.00
9/07 00.00 I am pretty proud of myself!
9/08 00.00
9/09 00.00
9/10 26.50 4 Christmas presents!
9/11 33.50 6 Christmas presents!
9/12 00.00
9/13 00.00
9/14 00.00
9/15 00.00 Halfway there!
9/16 00.00
9/17 00.00
9/18 14.62 Bought the kids take-out for breakfast. No school today.
9/19 00.00
9/20 00.00
9/21 00.00 Only 9 more days to go!
9/22 00.00
9/23 00.00
9/24 00.00
9/25 00.00 sort of... Bought lunch with a gift card that was going to expire!
9/26 00.00
9/27 00.00
9/28 00.00
9/29 00.00
9/30 00.00

Yahoo! This accountability has saved me.

 

[bluesaturn]

I'd like to join. I've followed this thread for months and tried to join before, but now is a better time for me.

Although I'm starting the month with spending. I've haven't bought lunch in weeks, so I treated myself to Subway today. I'm also going to the grocery store today.

9/1 - $6.67 Subway

 

[carissanboys]

Groceries - $60.13/$400
Pet - $10
Household/Misc. - $7.33/$50
My blow money - $60
Dh’s blow money - $60 (I won't be keeping track of this.)
Gas - $160

9/1 - $39.29 (KMart/groceries), $7.33 (Target/household), $20.84 (commissary/groceries)

 

[MrsSpratt]

9/1 - 32.25 gas, 15.27 on chinch bug killer, 5.67 cigarettes (please don't flame me for my terrible habits. Any tips on quitting?) The chinch bug killer is regularly 25.00, so I SCORED!
54.09 Baby Shower Gift

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Hi new people

Welcome!

September:

Sept. 1: $191.70 groceries, $86.46 oil change/tire rotation-balance

 

[spare+a_pair]

Well, I am jumping on the bandwagon as well! Trying to keep track of my cash spending a little better!

Groceries - $131/$300
Gas - $212/$450
Entertainment - $140/$290
Misc - $100/$300

9/1 - Expensive day! Everyone needed food! $95 Groceries; $19 misc (Horse feed), $47 Gas
9/2 - $60 Gas for DH, $5 groceries, $7 misc spending (Lunch $5, $2 gift boxes)
9/3 - $35 misc (dinner out)
9/4 - $0
9/5 - $72 entertainment
9/6 - $0
9/7 - $0
9/8 - $30 Entertainment
9/9 - $0
9/10 - $38 entertainment
9/11 - $45 Gas for me, $31 groceries, $39 misc for camp out
9/12 - $60 DH Gas
9/13 - $0

Total Cash Spending: $583/$1340