August No Buy - Let the Fall Savings Begin!

[Jen and Ashwin]

Nothing except the regular groceries and gasoline, all budgeted. I did buy leg of lamb at Costco for $4 per pound. I will be grinding it up and making burger patties to keep in the freezer. It should make enough patties for several months so it seemed like a big purchase at the time, but it will help ease things up later.

1 - Spend - $25 donation to Oasis
2 - No Spend
3 - No Spend
4 - No Spend

3/22

 

[SunnieRN]

August:

1 - No buy #1
2 - Not a no buy. Bought a cookbook on sale on Amazon for 1/2 price.
3 - No buy #2. Stayed home, boring but financially a good deal!
4 - No buy #3!!
5 -
6 -
7 -
8 -
9 -
10 -
11 -
12 -
13 -
14 -
15 -
16 -
17 -
18 -
19 -
20 -
21 -
22 -
23 -
24 -
25 -
26 -
27 -
28 -
29 -
30 -
31 -

August goal: 20 No buy days, but it will be tough. My grandmunchkins birthday!


StayhomeMom, I bet you can hardly wait for your trip!! Then you get to look forward to WDW in December!!

Charming I bet your Mom is looking forward to coming home!!! Wow three friends having babies in three months is tough on the budget.

Oh, one last note. I "spent money" today, but had gift certificates for it. In fact I have $.17 left, lol.

 

[SunnieRN]

Sorry. I'm not sure what happened. it was supposed to be the 5th, lol.

 

[SunnieRN]

August:

1 - No buy #1
2 - Not a no buy. Bought a cookbook on sale on Amazon for 1/2 price.
3 - No buy #2. Stayed home, boring but financially a good deal!
4 - No buy #3!!
5 - No buy #4
6 - No buy #5, except groceries which I don't count.
7 -
8 -
9 -
10 -
11 -
12 -
13 -
14 -
15 -
16 -
17 -
18 -
19 -
20 -
21 -
22 -
23 -
24 -
25 -
26 -
27 -
28 -
29 -
30 -
31 -

August goal: 20 No buy days, but it will be tough. My grandmunchkins birthday!

 

[charming23]

Mom got to come here me on Thursday and the first thing she wanted when we left the hospital was a Wendy's frosty, lol. After I got her home and comfortable, I ran to the store for food and her medicine.

Yesterday I went to work, and came home.

Today I worked and then ran to target for some clothes as it is tax free weekend in Ohio.

8/1- $21.45 Hospital gift shop, $6.68 lunch with mom, $150.66 Walmart, and $5.10 snack from Chick fil a
8/2- $0
8/3- $3.83 Burger King and $88.77 Target
8/4- $3.45 Wendy's, $12 Cvs, and $67.44 Heinens
8/5- $0
8/6- $66.89 Target

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

DH and I did a Habitat for Humanity build yesterday. We were so good. We packed a lunch and had something ready for dinner when we got home so that we weren't tempted to buy something else. Today I started planning holiday gifts for my family. Since everyone likes to travel, I decided to sew travel themed gifts. I will be sewing travel laundry bags, passport covers and luggage tags for everyone. I bought all the fabric I needed for the laundry bags and it cost just $33. I will buy fabric for the passport covers and luggage tags maybe next month but I think that will cost less than $20 for the rest of what I need. But when I was shopping for the fabric, I got tempted by a sewing pattern and ended up buying it. Haven't sold anything this weekend, but someone inquired about an item and might buy it for $175. Finger's crossed!

1 - Spend - $25 donation to Oasis
2 - No Spend #1
3 - No Spend #2
4 - No Spend #3
5 - No Spend #4
6 - No Spend #5
7 - Spend - $7 on sewing pattern, $33 on fabric

5/22

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Hi All!

Back from another trip. . .no more travelling until Disney at the beginning of September. It is good to be back and rein in my spending.

1st - Bought t-shirts from a charity booth at the convention I attended. $60 (but v.v. cool Hackers without Borders tees!)
2nd - $25 - random things at CVS
3rd - $67 - Items I won at a silent auction (money went to two charities to encourage girls in security, the EFF and Hackers without Borders). I'm not even sorry. I got $100 in gift certs to a techie/hacker/security publisher for $40 and a military challenge medal that relates to a local defense contractor for $20 and a great t-shirt for $7.
4th - No buy day #1
5th - $18 thrift store shopping on the road.
6th - $65 - gift for my niece and pet-sitter, half-price books at airport, books on my Kindle.
7th - $45 - Walmart, cheap t-shirt, rugs for the kitchen. $22 - Thrift store shopping: 2 work blouses (wearing one today), 1 pair zip-off nylon North Face hiking pants (go me!), some Fiestaware. $35 - Fitbit chargers. Left my charger for my Fitbit in hotel and tried to kill it in a river while hiking, so need charger for the old fitbit as well. . .why don't they all just take ONE charger?????)
8th - No buy day #2 (I am calling this one so I won't be tempted to spend money today.)

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Mom got to come here me on Thursday and the first thing she wanted when we left the hospital was a Wendy's frosty, lol. After I got her home and comfortable, I ran to the store for food and her medicine.

Yesterday I went to work, and came home.

Today I worked and then ran to target for some clothes as it is tax free weekend in Ohio.

8/1- $21.45 Hospital gift shop, $6.68 lunch with mom, $150.66 Walmart, and $5.10 snack from Chick fil a
8/2- $0
8/3- $3.83 Burger King and $88.77 Target
8/4- $3.45 Wendy's, $12 Cvs, and $67.44 Heinens
8/5- $0
8/6- $66.89 Target

The Wendy's frosty was a necessity! I'm glad your mom is home from the hospital.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

DH and I did a Habitat for Humanity for Humanity build yesterday. We were so good. We packed a lunch and had something ready for dinner when we got home so that we weren't tempted to buy something else. Today I started planning holiday gifts for my family. Since everyone likes to travel, I decided to sew travel themed gifts. I will be sewing travel laundry bags, passport covers and luggage tags for everyone. I bought all the fabric I needed for the laundry bags and it cost just $33. I will buy fabric for the passport covers and luggage tags maybe next month but I think that will cost less than $20 for the rest of what I need. But when I was shopping for the fabric, I got tempted by a sewing pattern and ended up buying it. Haven't sold anything this weekend, but someone inquired about an item and might buy it for $175. Finger's crossed!

1 - Spend - $25 donation to Oasis
2 - No Spend #1
3 - No Spend #2
4 - No Spend #3
5 - No Spend #4
6 - No Spend #5
7 - Spend - $7 on sewing pattern, $33 on fabric

5/22

I wish I was that crafty. All I can do is knit, and for the time expended, I don't like to give that stuff out as presents because I know non-knitters and non-crocheters don't appreciate the effort. . .so I make myself gloves, scarves and washcloths. But I do need to start scouting ebay for a good Christmas present. At our family Christmas every year, we give a present to all the grown-up couples. There are always like 10 or 12 of them, so everyone seriously bargain hunts or cooks/bakes. I've done chocolates, kitchen tool kits, hurricane phone chargers/FM radios, and homemade candy in the past few years. I keep saying I want to do Christmas Crackers with a present. Maybe this year will be the year! You've inspired me.

 

[rznhal]

i was on my way out the door to pick up an iced coffee when i came across this board!!! Made a cup of coffee at home instead! Thanks everyone for the inspiration!!!!!

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

I wish I was that crafty. All I can do is knit, and for the time expended, I don't like to give that stuff out as presents because I know non-knitters and non-crocheters don't appreciate the effort. . .so I make myself gloves, scarves and washcloths. But I do need to start scouting ebay for a good Christmas present. At our family Christmas every year, we give a present to all the grown-up couples. There are always like 10 or 12 of them, so everyone seriously bargain hunts or cooks/bakes. I've done chocolates, kitchen tool kits, hurricane phone chargers/FM radios, and homemade candy in the past few years. I keep saying I want to do Christmas Crackers with a present. Maybe this year will be the year! You've inspired me.

Sewing each laundry bag will probably take about an hour's time. Then I think it will take about an hour for the passport cover and luggage tag combined. I choose things that I have made before, so I know what I am doing. And I choose items that don't require too many pieces so that really cuts down on the time it takes to cut out all the fabric. I am thinking that if I get an assembly line going, it might take me 15-20 hours for all of the gifts. I can basically do a few hours each weekend for a month.

I did sew quilts for family members a few years ago. That was insanely time consuming and expensive. But everyone loves them so much and they use them all the time so I am glad I did it. I also made my mom a set of 4 cute, really fancy reusable shopping bags that fold into tiny clutches and then can be strapped together. She absolutely loves them, but they took some insane number of pieces (130?) and took forever to sew together. I bought fabric to make myself a set, but I could never bring myself to spend that much time on it again. Maybe some day.

 

[susanv]

Wow, I knew I was spending more than budgeted, didn't realize how much. Am writing it all down in a notebook as well as here. If I wrote down everything except groceries there wouldn't be near as much to write lol. Ha and it turns out we have 4 parties for the two kids(one family party and one friend party each), plus one was invited to a friend party. Good month to learn how much I need to cut back.

1. groceries$321.25, Household$79.62, entertainment $6,bdaygifts/party $89.90,
2. parking $17.50, groceries $34.65
3. no buy - YAY!
4. groceries $34.29, gas $68.89
5. groceries $56.63, car maintenance $76.82
6. groceries $173.35, household (pet)$35.00, bdaygifts/party/food$311.08
7. bdayparty$117.59

 

[KittyKitty]

I decided to track my spending since I hardly ever buy stuff. BUT, when I started checking my purchases for August so far, I was shocked how much I have spent! I give myself $30 a week to do as I want.... This is truly an eye opener.
Aug 1. $5 app purchase. $43 shorts
Aug 2. No buy
Aug 3.$8.77 Ivars meal. $6 candy on sale.$7 movie
Aug 4. $16.65 Wall fan cover. App buy $16.50(hang my head)
Aug 5. $33.50 change with SouthWest airlines.
Aug 6. No Buy (finally)
Aug 7. No Buy
Aug 8. $18 ate out for dinner. $6 See's candy( forgot I bought)
Aug 9. Pizza for lunch $13 ( And I wonder why I can't lose weight). Put $30 toward credit card balance.
Aug 10. No buy
Aug 11. $2 App buy. I deleted the game. I had no idea I was spending so much money on it.
Aug 12. No Buy
Aug 13. $9.49. Watermelon for us, and treats for dog. I'm dog sitting for the week.
14 No Buy.
15 No Buy. Easy when I don't leave the house, clean, and stay away from certain websites!.
16. No buy except groceries, $53. Does that count?
17. $170. Added one day to Disney trip, and changed air. Yikes!( I hate that I have to be honest)
Post #67 for rest of the month.

 

[susanv]

1. groceries$321.25, household $79.62, entertainment $6.00, birthday gift/party $89.90
2. parking $17.50, groceries $34.65
3. no buy - YAY!
4. groceries $34.29, gas $68.89
5. groceries $56.63, car maintenance $76.82
6. groceries $173.35, household (pet) $35.00, birthdaygifts/party/food $311.08
7. birthday party $117.59
8. no buy #2 -
9. groceries $32.08, household $17.80, Birthday gift $20.83, gas $106.22, parking $10.50, naturopath $170.00
10. groceries $69.31
11. groceries $5.00, music lessons for four kids $60.00
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[snarlingcoyote]

1st - Bought t-shirts from a charity booth at the convention I attended. $60 (but v.v. cool Hackers without Borders tees!)
2nd - $25 - random things at CVS
3rd - $67 - Items I won at a silent auction (money went to two charities to encourage girls in security, the EFF and Hackers without Borders). I'm not even sorry. I got $100 in gift certs to a techie/hacker/security publisher for $40 and a military challenge medal that relates to a local defense contractor for $20 and a great t-shirt for $7.
4th - No buy day #1
5th - $18 thrift store shopping on the road.
6th - $65 - gift for my niece and pet-sitter, half-price books at airport, books on my Kindle.
7th - $45 - Walmart, cheap t-shirt, rugs for the kitchen. $22 - Thrift store shopping: 2 work blouses (wearing one today), 1 pair zip-off nylon North Face hiking pants (go me!), some Fiestaware. $35 - Fitbit chargers. Left my charger for my Fitbit in hotel and tried to kill it in a river while hiking, so need charger for the old fitbit as well. . .why don't they all just take ONE charger?????)
8th - No buy day #2
9th - No buy day #3

 

[rznhal]

OK i was going to just observe this month but I'm too anxious to give this a try!!!! =) Thanks everyone for your inspiration! it's crazy how much better i do at everything when i feel "accountable" in some way!!!!

Goal: Save my "fun money" and do something constructive with it! ($40 per week)

8-First no spend day! yay!!
9-worst spending day ever!lol Discount movie ($15), non discounted lunch and popcorn ($19)
10-no spend day until 5pm when i realized i was out of chicken broth which i had to have for dinner...... =-[ $4.49 for chicken broth and a cake mix

I have to go to dollar store today for dry erase markers and doggie clean up bags....hopefully i can keep it under $10!!

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

Haven't had any spending beyond groceries. I bought a book on preorder a long time ago, but when it arrived I returned it and will just check it out from the library when it is available instead. And I sold something for $175 yesterday! That brings my extra income/sales for this month up to $350! I still have tons more that I have set aside to list up so I am hoping to sell a lot more this month. All of this extra income is going straight to our debt dumping.

1 - Spend - $25 donation to Oasis
2 - No Spend #1
3 - No Spend #2
4 - No Spend #3
5 - No Spend #4
6 - No Spend #5
7 - Spend - $7 on sewing pattern, $33 on fabric
8 - No Spend #6
9 - No Spend #7

7/22

 

[rznhal]

Haven't had any spending beyond groceries. I bought a book on preorder a long time ago, but when it arrived I returned it and will just check it out from the library when it is available instead. And I sold something for $175 yesterday! That brings my extra income/sales for this month up to $350! I still have tons more that I have set aside to list up so I am hoping to sell a lot more this month. All of this extra income is going straight to our debt dumping.

1 - Spend - $25 donation to Oasis
2 - No Spend #1
3 - No Spend #2
4 - No Spend #3
5 - No Spend #4
6 - No Spend #5
7 - Spend - $7 on sewing pattern, $33 on fabric
8 - No Spend #6
9 - No Spend #7

7/22

Does your library offer e books? I love them! I can check them out and they go straight to my phone, and best part, when the two week loan period is over they just disappear! no more overdue book fines!!! I also got hoopla through my library...it's an app where you get credits....if you put in your library # you get 10 free credits a month to use on movies, books, music etc!!

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

UGH, why do my children not understand the concept of no buy!!! I keep telling them buy XYZ now, or go to Wales and Ireland next summer. Your choice.

 

[rznhal]

UGH, why do my children not understand the concept of no buy!!! I keep telling them buy XYZ now, or go to Wales and Ireland next summer. Your choice.

Wow what an exciting motivator for saving! My kids just started saving dimes in a 2 liter....i read on pinterest if you fill a 2 liter with dimes it will add up to approximately $500....maybe you could get a contest going between the kids to see who can fill theirs the quickest? We're all doing it together.....gonna try to use ours to buy MNSSHP tickets next year!!!=)