No Buy September

[casper_jj11]

Is any one else glad this is a 30 day month instead of a 31? I am so in the red that I am not going anywhere near a store until October.

You're not alone! This month has just been a huge bust! That said, I found our visa bill for last August... and our present bill is about 75% lower! As bad as it feels after the past few decent months, it shows that overall, things are under control.

groceries $540 $55.75 over
gas $500 $489.98 left ... looks good but I bought gas cards with promo last month so I'm using them
cat food $90 $34.37 left
DD3 skating registration $300 $15 left
DD3 playgroup registration $98 $0 left
DS2 bday party $50 $14.97 left
DS2 bday gift $50 $22.37 over
DS2 bday pics $150 $11 over
DS7 bday party $298 $148.23 over
DS7 bday pics $150 $35 left
fall clothing $175 $110.24 over already!! .. and its gonna get worse since Gymbucks usually starts a day early ... Sept 30 annual cord blood storage fees for DS2 and 7 $200 $0 left
downpayment bathroom reno $2250
garage painting $200
my spending $150 $8.25 left
DH spending $150 $462.64 over ... and yes, I've made his budget responsible for parking charge at the hospital and the towing charge

Total not incl. bathroom reno $3110 $201.72 over... the questions becomes, how far over will it really be

1 - fall clothes $12.29
2 - fall clothes $192.95; bday gift for ds2 $14.28; gift for niece's bday $5.75 (more to come ... forgot to budget this so it comes off my spending); groceries $13.17; makeup for me $48.30
3 - $24 gift for niece; $40 bday gift for the children's nanny (forgot to budget this too ); DSalmost2 bday gifts $22.60;
4- $65.83 stuff for DS7's bday party; $55 Gymboree ; bday gift for DS2 $29
5 - party supplies $27.25; liquor store $28.80; groceries $19.74; drugstore/grocery stuff $60
6 - cat litter $14.68; groceries $7.38; gymboree return $55 purchase $75 = $25;
7 - movie night $34
8- gas $10.02; $98 DD playgroup registration; $285 dd skating registration; $200 cord blood storage fees; $6.49 bday cards; $62.87 groceries;
9 - bday party decorations $35.03;hockey tape $11.84; cake supplies $2.79; $50.48 party supplies plus a few fun things to encourage dd to potty train at night; $5.67 stamps; $3.76 party stuff; $7.66 groceries; $13 party supplies; $50 groceries
10- $4.52 bday stuff;
11 - milk $3.99; gift for party DS going to $23.70; $13 parking at hospital; $525 towing charge for motorcycle
12- coffee $13.99
13 - $0
14- DS2's bday; dinner delivered $63.78; milk $3.99; advil and cards for DS's bdays $27.80
15 - last of the lootbag stuff for DS7's party $27.12; cat food $40.95; milk and tylenol $14.15; groceries $21.63; balloons booked for DS7's party $29.95; $161 bday pics of DS2
16 - $12.97 big bandages for DH; $189 paid for Ray's Reptiles to come to DS7's party
17- $0
18- $96.61 Christmas gift for DS7; $8.11 walmart; $2.83 loot bag stuff
19 - $0
20- $0
21- $0
22- 4.54 cake supplies; 8.40 dollar store ; 61.71 groceries
23 - 3.99 milk, 23.45 groceries; 2.38 cake supplies; 11.83 groceries;
24- 1.50 dish detergent; 17.00 christmas gift for Toy Mountain; 19.96 groceries; 6.00 bday gift for DS7; 4.51 groceries
25- DS7's bday pics $115
26- 80.00 new skating helmet for DD3
27 - 16.24 pizza
28-17.98 postage for niece's bday gift; 3.99 milk; 47.66 groceries
29 -

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

While I've done a lot better this month since joining this thread (i'm always thinking, you know, I've got to post that so hundreds and thousands of people can see it!) I'm still not where I want to be. So is anyone else looking forward to October to 'wipe the slate clean'???

 

[princessbride6205]

DH and I went over in our fun money, but we were under in everything else, I think. This week should essentially all be $0 because DD is staying with my parents while DH and I are on a business trip - all expenses paid by company.

9/1 - $9 groceries
9/2 - $11 Lunch
9/3 - $1 snack
9/4 - $9 Pizza dinner
9/5 - $46 groceries, $29 other (diapers & vitamins), [$10 meds - not listed below]
9/6 - $0
9/7 - $60 State Fair admission, parking & food
9/8 - $0
9/9 - $9 dinner for me
9/10 - $0
9/11 - GAH! $2 coffee, $9 lunch & snack, $25 Dinner out with friends
9/12 - $34 family dinner out, $82 groceries
9/13 - $2 newspaper
9/14 - $0
9/15 - $0
9/16 - $1 coffee
9/17 - $0
9/18 - $2 coffee
9/19 - $15 lunch, $21 pizza, $105 groceries, $25 other
9/20 - $0
9/21 - $1 coffee
9/22 - $6 breakfast, $8 lunch
9/23 - $2 coffee, $5 dinner
9/24 - $2 coffee, $9 lunch
9/25 - $4 breakfast
9/26 - $0
9/27 - $30 clothing for self & DD
9/28 - $0

BUDGET
Groceries - 242/300
Other (clothes, diapers, State Fair) - 148/150
Dining Out - 89/110
Gas/Parking - 100/130
My Fun Money - 87/50

EXCEPTIONS
* Fun Money - $50 each for DH & I. I'll just track mine here so I can remember how much I have.
* Sister's Birthday - $75 - spent $48
* Baby gift for friend - $40 - spent $10 (remainder will be in Oct)
Putting off:
* Reward for meeting my weight loss goal for Summer DIS Biggest Loser - download new season of TV shows to my iTunes/iPod.
* Photo Software - $260 - We put this off from last month, and may or may not put off again.
* Passport - something else I put off from last month

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Sept. 1: $191.70 groceries, $86.46 oil change(exempted) 35.02 gas
Sept. 2 $9.10 Subway
Sept. 3 $84 tennis (exempted)
Sept. 4 $85 stove repair (exempted) (wasn't actually broken-long story)
Sept. 5 $33.28 Michael's (party stuff for dd9), $31.34 Petsmart, $37.45 dinner for dd9 & friends, $40.16 groceries
Sept. 6 $46.08 Lowe's (used 10 off 50-landscaping, exempted)
Sept. 7 $0
Sept. 8 $165 mostly medical
Sept. 9 Groceries $33.47
Sept. 10 $0
Sept. 11 $20.56 last minute groceries for dinner
Sept. 12 $10.50 Dh's shirts
Sept. 13 $0
Sept. 14 $0
Sept. 15 (this hurts) $260.72 Target (groceries & uh, other) $ 33.78 gas
Sept. 16 $0
Sept. 17 $0
Sept. 18 $0
Sept. 19 $60.92 Best Buy (ran out of toner)
Sept. 20 $76.51 Claire's (impulse buying with girls, bad me!)
Sept. 21 $0
Sept. 22 $33.60 gas, $65.68 toysrus , $10.60 subway
Sept. 23 $209.81 Target (groceries), $24.08 publix
Sept. 24 $10 food, $20 fundraiser for kid in n'borhood, $47.55 walmart,$5.95 publix, $33 mani/pedi,
Sept. 25 Disney (exempted)
Sept. 26 Disney (exempted)
Sept. 27 Disney (exempted)
Sept. 28 $0
Sept. 29 $65 tennis lessons for dd9
Sept. 30

Right before we left I did a lot of running around buying things before we left, which blew the budget for that week (I'm on the laptop and I don't have access to the spreadsheet right now but I know I'm over).

We did well at Disney with spending, we left with $300 and came back with $200, $60 on gas and one $40 xmas purchase at WDW. The rest was paid for AP's, dining/yacht club was paid for back in august, and the disney rewards card (I signed up for the 5x rewards back in, uh, june?).

I also resigned from my job today, I was tired of arguing with my boss and I can make the same amount (or more) doing editing/proofreading/writing with another company (which I had been transitioning to over the past few months), so I just made the decision to let go. Financially it was an easy decision because I wasn't making very much (editors seldom do), but emotionally it was hard because it was a small company and I'd been there since the beginning and was one of the core four people who still remained. But all things must move forward.

October for me is all about Halloween, yard work, and lower a/c bills (the windows are all open today, it's beeeeyooootiful out!!). I'm going to get the bills in the spreadsheet later today and I'll have an idea of how well I did for September. I think I did ok, not fabulous, but I'm SO bad with reckoning money that I truly have no idea until I've punched it all in...

 

[Tiggerish]

Groceries = $150 /$47 over
Auto/Gas = $50 / $10 left
Giving = $50 /$2 left
Medical = $10 / $20 over
Chicago Trip = $175 /$2 over
Eating Out = $40 / $2 left
Misc. = $125 / $50 over
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
9/1 $152 Chicago trip
9/2 $10 Chicago trip; $17 Misc. pair of pants; $18 Misc. Christmas presents
9/3 $15 Chicago trip; $35 Misc - newspaper; $50 Groceries
9/4 $25 Groceries; $13 Gas; $3 Eating out
9/5 $2 Eating out
9/6 $10 Giving - church collection
9/7 $0
9/8 $0
9/9 $53 Misc - shirt
9/10 $0
9/11 $10 Giving - donation to Habitat for Hummanity
9/12 $25 Groceries
9/13 $10 Giving - church collection; $6 Groceries
9/14 $0
9/15 $0
9/16 $0
9/17 $30 Medical
9/18 $3 Eating out; $16 Misc. - fleece lined Crocs
9/19 $42 Groceries; $27 Eating out; $5 Misc. anniversary gift for parents
9/20 $10 Giving - church collection
9/21 $16 Misc. - bought a cd for niece who got hurt at school today
9/22 $8 Giving
9/23 $0
9/24 $0
9/25 $0
9/26 $27 Gas; $15 Mis. Gift for nephew; $55 Groceries
9/27 $0
9/28 $0
9/29 $3 Eating out - picked my niece up from school and got her a treat at the Mickey D drive-thru; however, I used my disney cruise commuter cup and drank my own coffee I had brought from home

 

[twinnersmama]

9/1 $0
9/2 $0
9/3 $0
9/4 $26 -- grocery store just stopped in for the "bargains"
9/5 $31 -- gas
9/6 $0
9/7 $0
9/8 $0
9/9 $30 for 2 spirit day t-shirts from DDs school
9/10 $71 - grocery store --- just went in for a "few" things -
9/11 - $0
9/12 $0
9/13 - $75 Walmart
9/14 $50 - DDs gymnastics
9/15 - $0
9/16 - $80 -- TWO trips to Target -- Can you say CLEARANCE ?!
9/17 - $0 for me ... DH -- MAJOR budget buster ... he bought a quad ... and of course all of the accessories, gloves, helmet, goggles, A TRAILER to haul it ... AAAAAHHHHH !!!
9/18 - $0
9/19 - wedding gift
9/20 - church donation, $11 grocery store and $21 TARGET (Clearance AGAIN)
9/21 - $0
9/22 $0
9/23 $0
9/24 $1 - McDonald's sweet Tea
9/25 $2 - donation to wear jeans or shorts to work today
9/26 $67 Target -Rx, MIL bday gift, and some other clearance stuff ---
$50 Mall - MIL Bday gift
$30 Mall - some early Xmas shopping (again, CLEARANCE --- it gets me every time)
9/27 - $107 - groceries that I had been putting off
9/28 $0
9/29 - $68 contacts
9/30 -- I'll be paying my FINAL PAYMENT on our WDW trip. Bittersweet -- I love that it's getting closer, but that final payment is a killer to the checkbook !!

I'm glad it's the end of Sept -- although I have really kept my spending to a minimum this month ... I am looking forward to see what I can do next month.
It's going to be harder though ... I'll be starting to Christmas shop and get things for our upcoming WDW trip ... we'll seee.

 

[lougoofy]

Sept.27: $2.10 restaraunt and $1.00 snack at work

Sept. 28: $4.10 dollar store and $1.06 redbox
Sept. 29: $7.50 laundry , $2.11 restaurant, $1.50 busfare, $4.55 stir fry potato (food court), clothing $80.22 (25 gift card used, rest reg. spending) store starts with an M and McD's $3.60? ( I hoped to help health difficulties with food and drink)

 

[casper_jj11]

Kickipoo JJ - Good luck with the new job. Its always hard leaving a place you've been with for awhile but it sounds like you made the right decision.

groceries $540 $55.75 over
gas $500 $489.98 left ... looks good but I bought gas cards with promo last month so I'm using them
cat food $90 $34.37 left
DD3 skating registration $300 $15 left
DD3 playgroup registration $98 $0 left
DS2 bday party $50 $14.97 left
DS2 bday gift $50 $22.37 over
DS2 bday pics $150 $11 over
DS7 bday party $298 $148.23 over
DS7 bday pics $150 $35 left
fall clothing $175 $110.24 over already!! .. and its gonna get worse since Gymbucks usually starts a day early ... Sept 30
annual cord blood storage fees for DS2 and 7 $200 $0 left
downpayment bathroom reno $2250
garage painting $200 Not gonna happen til the Spring now I expect ... too cold!
my spending $150 $8.25 left
DH spending $150 $462.64 over ... and yes, I've made his budget responsible for parking charge at the hospital and the towing charge

Total not incl. bathroom reno $3110 $201.72 over

1 - fall clothes $12.29
2 - fall clothes $192.95; bday gift for ds2 $14.28; gift for niece's bday $5.75 (more to come ... forgot to budget this so it comes off my spending); groceries $13.17; makeup for me $48.30
3 - $24 gift for niece; $40 bday gift for the children's nanny (forgot to budget this too ); DSalmost2 bday gifts $22.60;
4- $65.83 stuff for DS7's bday party; $55 Gymboree ; bday gift for DS2 $29
5 - party supplies $27.25; liquor store $28.80; groceries $19.74; drugstore/grocery stuff $60
6 - cat litter $14.68; groceries $7.38; gymboree return $55 purchase $75 = $25;
7 - movie night $34
8- gas $10.02; $98 DD playgroup registration; $285 dd skating registration; $200 cord blood storage fees; $6.49 bday cards; $62.87 groceries;
9 - bday party decorations $35.03;hockey tape $11.84; cake supplies $2.79; $50.48 party supplies plus a few fun things to encourage dd to potty train at night; $5.67 stamps; $3.76 party stuff; $7.66 groceries; $13 party supplies; $50 groceries
10- $4.52 bday stuff;
11 - milk $3.99; gift for party DS going to $23.70; $13 parking at hospital; $525 towing charge for motorcycle
12- coffee $13.99
13 - $0
14- DS2's bday; dinner delivered $63.78; milk $3.99; advil and cards for DS's bdays $27.80
15 - last of the lootbag stuff for DS7's party $27.12; cat food $40.95; milk and tylenol $14.15; groceries $21.63; balloons booked for DS7's party $29.95; $161 bday pics of DS2
16 - $12.97 big bandages for DH; $189 paid for Ray's Reptiles to come to DS7's party
17- $0
18- $96.61 Christmas gift for DS7; $8.11 walmart; $2.83 loot bag stuff
19 - $0
20- $0
21- $0
22- 4.54 cake supplies; 8.40 dollar store ; 61.71 groceries
23 - 3.99 milk, 23.45 groceries; 2.38 cake supplies; 11.83 groceries;
24- 1.50 dish detergent; 17.00 christmas gift for Toy Mountain; 19.96 groceries; 6.00 bday gift for DS7; 4.51 groceries
25- DS7's bday pics $115
26- 80.00 new skating helmet for DD3
27 - 16.24 pizza
28-17.98 postage for niece's bday gift; 3.99 milk; 47.66 groceries
29 - $0
30 - Won't be a $0 day. Gymbucks redemption starts today so it'll be at least $150 out of pocket for the kids Christmas clothing... meet the teacher bbq is tonight at school too so that'll cost about $10-$15 I figure.

Time to work on October's budget! Despite the bad month, I paid off the overdraft today. Yeah! Now there's just a line of credit to disappear before I get to stay home with my kiddies for awhile!

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Has anyone started October yet? I'm soooo ready. I have $72.95 left to stay under budget for September, I should make it, although I'm going to have to get creative in the dinner dept. tonight to put off food shopping for tomorrow....

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Here's october:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=33777824#post33777824

 

[lougoofy]

Sept. 28: $4.10 dollar store and $1.06 redbox
Sept. 29: $7.50 laundry , $2.11 restaurant, $1.50 busfare, $4.55 stir fry potato (food court), clothing $80.22 (25 gift card used, rest reg. spending) store starts with an M and McD's $3.60? ( I hoped to help health difficulties with food and drink)

Sept. 30: First meal of day $2.63? (rest.) quick and easy before mowing the lawn, 5 p.m. starts my work shift and I might spend a little money before I ffinish my shift

I expect to do better in Oct.

 

[PixiePlanner]

Yahoo! 25 0.00 days! Let's hope October is good too. However, realistically, the closer to Christmas, the more spending there will be. I just am happy that I have been bringing my lunch and not throwing away good money!

 

[lougoofy]

Sept. 30: First meal of day $2.63? (rest.) quick and easy before mowing the lawn, 5 p.m. starts my work shift and I might spend a little money before I ffinish my shift

I expect to do better in Oct.

Last Sept. 09 purchase THE 30TH: $.99 candy bar

 

[Tiggerish]

This was not a pretty month too much RED! Need to regroup and get a better plan for October.

Groceries = $150 /$47 over
Auto/Gas = $50 / $10 left
Giving = $50 /$2 left
Medical = $10 / $20 over
Chicago Trip = $175 /$2 over
Eating Out = $40 / $2 left
Misc. = $125 / $60 over
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
9/1 $152 Chicago trip
9/2 $10 Chicago trip; $17 Misc. pair of pants; $18 Misc. Christmas presents
9/3 $15 Chicago trip; $35 Misc - newspaper; $50 Groceries
9/4 $25 Groceries; $13 Gas; $3 Eating out
9/5 $2 Eating out
9/6 $10 Giving - church collection
9/7 $0
9/8 $0
9/9 $53 Misc - shirt
9/10 $0
9/11 $10 Giving - donation to Habitat for Hummanity
9/12 $25 Groceries
9/13 $10 Giving - church collection; $6 Groceries
9/14 $0
9/15 $0
9/16 $0
9/17 $30 Medical
9/18 $3 Eating out; $16 Misc. - fleece lined Crocs (gift for Mom)
9/19 $42 Groceries; $27 Eating out; $5 Misc. anniversary gift for parents
9/20 $10 Giving - church collection
9/21 $16 Misc. - bought a cd for niece who got hurt at school today
9/22 $8 Giving
9/23 $0
9/24 $0
9/25 $0
9/26 $27 Gas; $15 Mis. Gift for nephew; $55 Groceries
9/27 $0
9/28 $0
9/29 $3 Eating out
9/30 $10 Misc. bought a game to put in the care box my family is putting together to send my nephew serving in Afghanistan

 

[wdwfan16]

9/1 - $0
9/2 - $0
9/3 - $0
9/6 - $0
9/7 - $0
9/9 - $0
9/10 - $0
9/13 - $0
9/15 - $0
9/16 - $0
9/19 - $0
9/20 - $0
9/21 - $0
9/22 - $0
9/23 - $0
9/24 - $0
9/27 - $0
9/30 - $0

 

[HLDisney]

9/1 - $0
9/2 - $0
9/3 - $0
9/6 - $0
9/7 - $0
9/9 - $0
9/10 - $0
9/13 - $0
9/15 - $0
9/16 - $0
9/19 - $0
9/20 - $0
9/21 - $0
9/22 - $0
9/23 - $0
9/24 - $0
9/27 - $0
9/30 - $0

Wow, great job!

 

[Siouxstone]

9/1-$0
9/2-$1 from Anniversary budget + $60 for Early Bird Check in for Southwest flights
9/3-$0
9/4-$0
9/5-$29 grooming, $40 petfood, treats, & chews
9/6-$0
9/7-$125 groceries/travel snacks/household
9/8-$13 SD card for DS's new camera
9/9-$0
9/10-$40 travel reads from anniversary money
9/11-9/20- WDW exemption
9/21-$12 groceries, $2 coffee from anniversary money
9/22-$128 groceries/household
9/23-$0
9/24-$0
9/25-$21 gas, $12 haircut for DS
9/26-$39 Sam's
9/27-$0
9/28-$91 groceries
9/29-$0
9/30-$64 car tags

Wow, I hadn't posted in a while! I had two unbudgeted things. First was a haircut for DS, which was going to be in October, but then we found out about picture day, so I moved it up. Then, he was home sick on picture day. Then, my car tags snuck up on me! How does this happen? Same time each year and it was so much fun going to get them at lunchtime on the last day of the month...

I have to go work on October's budget, but I'm glad to see September go....

 

[wdwfan16]

Wow, great job!

Thanks

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

Well folks, I was a bit upset at myself for spending money so I did return some stuff and have been really good and my final tally is not so bad!

I was $86.00 over budget for the month -
BUT
We were able to save an additional $600 in our savings accounts (above what I budgeted to save this month)!!!

So, even though I was over budget, it did not come out of any money that would have been saved and in fact, we saved quite a bit more than expected! You might ask why this would happen...My income is from a salary but occasionally I get (small) bonuses and I do try to get a lot of free stuff from meal coupons (usually fast food) to gift cards from participating in surveys and mypoints to samples I find online (and yes, it adds up to a lot of free stuff sometimes!) But the additional income comes from my husband who owns his own business. While I budget for a certain amount of income, he may choose to work more and bring home more money. Go hubby!!!

Bad news though...my budget really shouldn't be so high. I really should be spending less and not even allowing myself to spend certain amounts. I'm aiming to not only make my budget next month, but to spend less than my budget and then to alter my budget in the future so I lower the expected amount we spend.

On to October - see y'all there!