January No Buy: Let's Start the Year Right!

[Debbie]

Final check in.

Jan. 1: $0
Jan. 2: $0
Jan. 3: $0
Jan. 4: gas $46; groceries $97; postage for registered letter to Cairo $15
Jan. 5: DH hit up the pharmacy for some iron tabs...$7
Jan. 6: $0
Jan. 7: DH hit up the local grocery. Didn't spend much but it was $12
Jan. 8: I did a Costco run for school. DS bought a pair of jeans ($100 ), but not my money. I did spend $40 on Flavour-Seal rolls but it is the first I've bought since I've had the thing. Also some chips and a magazine.....total $50 for me. I wasn't thinking, though. I need to go BACK to Costco tomorrow to pick up my ColdFX. So tomorrow will not be $0 either. Oh, and DH put gas in the car. Goodbye $41
Jan. 9: Costco...got vitamins, ColdFX, more vitamins, chips and salsa $110. DH drove DS into the city, and...thoughtfully....bought some soup for my cold. $7
Jan 10: $0
Jan 11: DH does grocery shopping.....While he spent $66, we had a gift card for $50, so we really only spent $16
Jan 12: There's that gas again! $36 And, DH bought the new winter tires that the car needed....another $421 (which includes 1 can of Pringles . Luckily, my mom gave us money for Christmas that will cover that expense.)
Jan 13: $0
Jan 14: $0
Jan 15: Costco $42 gas (again!) $43
Jan 16: prediction: $35 for brunch tip/gas/Timmies to get there (It's a theatre brunch [Joseph! And the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat--one of my fav's] and the tickets were paid for last year--just the tip today ) Actual $25
Jan 17: $0
Jan 18: DH's usual shopping was limited to $30
Jan 19: DH picked up the green tea that the store didn't have last night....$21....either that was REALLY expensive tea, or he bought more than the tea He DOES like to shop! Also, another registered letter to DD in Egypt $13; gas $28 (added this-DH gave me the receipt this morning)
Jan 20: $0
Jan 21: pop $8
Jan 22: a biggie....groceries at 3 stores (but food to last the next week or two, and with 1 teen, 1 "adult" (+GF) son, and 1 "eat anything/everything" DH, that's a GOOD thing) $127 and gas...again $37
Jan 23: $0 SUCCESS!
Jan 24: $0
Jan 25: prescription $1, groceries $41 Unfortunately DH didn't buy gas (he always does on Tuesday), so that will be on today's or tomorrow's. Won't add today's until I know for sure.....back to reports!
Jan 26: gas $37
Jan 27: Zuma's Revenge on sale for half price $10
Jan 28: lottery ticket $5 Haven't checked to see if I won, so hope is still alive
Jan 29: ordered a new math professional book for me$43 DH did groceries $25 and I bought some meat at the market $44
Jan 30: DH picked up some carrots and cool whip for dinner $5
Jan 31: $0
A good start (despite the $$) to the new year.
12/10 no buy days!

 

[Virgderon]

Not to proud of this month, but at least I am now finally reporting everything I spend money on, maybe I will finally be able to really see where my money goes. Instead of hiding part of it.

Quite happy with my savings at the grocery/drugstores. I started tracking my spending at with a savings tracker at thecouponproject.com and my savings rate is 77.24%. I bought almost $1000 worth of groceries for $240 after rebates.

You never fail to amaze me with these couponing savings! You should be proud of that!

I gotta tell you something too... I never spent more than when my kids were young and I lived in Roselle (my dd used to dance at Xtreme dance studio in Naperville, where I think you are from). The Chicago suburbs are so expensive to live in, and kids activites are sooo expensive. Plus everyone is on the go so much that the eating out is really hard to control! Lets not even talk about the little fees once they get in school- field trips and class party, etc. etc.

I think if you can afford your lifestyle, and you can find money to put in a 401k every month, you are doing great.

Just wanted to give you a pat on the back. You are doing fine.

 

[Virgderon]

Virgdron, at your weather phenomenon! I am hoping we get our "warm money's worth", I would hope it stays chilly here while we're gone so it will REALLY feel different, but it's been so cold, I feel sorry for any people or animals that are stuck outside, and I want my cat to be warm enough in the garage while we're gone (she has a heated bed, so I should'nt worry TOO much).

Thanks! Seriously, I never get tired of the warm weather. I never enjoyed winter at all. I used to cry walking to school in the cold when I was a kid, and I have no interest whatsoever in winter sports. I am very happy (and grateful!) to be here in Tampa.

 

[thebigkahuna]

January goal is no 10 $pend days

01-02-11 no $pend day #1.
01-03-11 no $pend day #2.
01-07-11 no $pend day # 3!
01-10-11 no $pend day # 4!
01-11-11 no $pend day # 5!
01-16-11 no $pend!! # 6
01-18-11 No $pend day # 7 !! I'm so proud of me! I spent my lunch hour paying bills, and ate what I brought! YEAH!
01-19-11 spent money today *whoops!* LOL
01-20-11 spent money today too - (I did eat the lunch I packed tho ) will need gas in the car before the weekend (I'm using more gas than I used to, I need to adjust my budget) and have run out of a few things at home, so need to stop by the grocery store. (that's the ONLY budgeted purchase today!)
01-21-11 spent money today old habits die hard!
uh oh, it's the weekend...wish me luck!
01-22-11 spent money on breakfast
01-23-11 No spend day # 8!!
lets pack those lunches!
01-24-11 packed lunch, but spent the day at the auto mechanics. Unexpected spend, but could have been much worse. (and I used a $10.00 off coupon!!)
01-25-11 packed breakfast & lunch today - but went out to lunch. will need gas soon too -
01-26-11 money spent today
01-27-11 spent money again today too - my friend at work is moving far away soon, and I've been saying yes to lunch more often. Pretty soon, we won't have the chance to have lunch together at all.
01-28-11 budgeted spending today - bills, gas, groceries. the normal stuff! No extra spending!!!
01-29-11 spend money today
01-30-11 and spent again today too
01-31-11 no spend day - WOOT! that makes 10!

10 of 10 days

Not too bad considering I had some unexpected expenses come up - I'm very pleased to meet my goal! Now onto February!

Congrats to all of us for doing the January no buy! (met goals or not, it's still a great thread! )

 

[ronnmel]

oops, posted in the wrong month

 

[wlake]

Here's my wrap up for the month!

1/1: groceries (but I forgot how much and don't want to get off the couch!)
1/2: $42 gas, $20 pharmacy, $28 JCPenney, ? Home Depot (again, don't want to get off the couch!). I also returned to Lands' End and Kohl's today, enough to cover what we spent! Edited to add: $65 on registration for open swim time. Hopefully we'll get there more often this session than last and I can get some exercise!
1/3: (although I feel a bit guilty about it -- the only reason it's a $0 is because I forgot to take the checkbook to pay for after school care.)
1/4: after school care $31.50, take out for dinner ?
1/5:
1/6:
1/7: $35 after school, $35 dinner, $12 book orders for the boys
1/8: $8 Lowes, $28 gas, $12 things for school
1/9: $60 groceries, $26.50 x2 for school lunches
1/10:
1/11:
1/12:
1/13: $3 groceries
1/14:
1/15: soccer shoes for both boys (we've tried 5 stores with luck for only one boy and they were $30 ), $40 Target, $16 Walmart (because Target didn't carry everything I needed), $13 Dick's Sporting Goods (a sock indulgence), $29 Lands' End clearance for next winter for the boys and $34 Staples for things for school (I refuse to function any longer without working staplers and tape dispensers and there's no money in the school's budget. I hate the fact that I got everyone's broken leftovers -- including desks and chairs for the students -- when I transferred to this school.). Finally, $8 dinner out (the rest was a gc) after the headaches of the day.
1/16:
1/17: $12 lunch (owed to my friend still though!), $76 groceries, ? Walmart (as I had to call DH and give him the list to get the things on his way home tonight!)
1/18: $14 Lands' End (great clearance right now -- this is for a $50 rain jacket with a zip in liner for DS5!)
1/19: This is technically a no buy day -- we spent $6 at the craft store and $17 on dinner but it was all gc money. I'm not counting it as a no buy day, though. Edited to add: gas too!
1/20:
1/21: $7 photobook for my MIL
1/22: $3 Christmas Tree Shop (packs of Christmas shrinky-dinks were 14¢!), $150 BJ's (ouch), $11 gas, ? haircuts for the boys (DH has just taken them, do I don't know how much yet).
1/23: $ groceries (can't remember!)
1/24: (not counting the furnace bill until we get it! If the pipe is broken, we'll need another visit and it'll be one big bill.)
1/25: ? take out for dinner -- we felt like we deserved it since the pipe was still frozen!
1/26:
1/27: (waking up to a foot of snow in the driveway helps!)
1/28: (little guilty about this one, too -- I opened the checkbook at after school to discover I was out of checks! Oops!)
1/29: $70 groceries, $90 cut and color, $27 Target (party supplies and gift for a party of DS's), $3 things DH forgot at the store!, $75 birthday gifts
1/30: $17 Target (my downfall lately!), ? MORE things DH forgot at the store, ? for a couple gallons of gas to top off the tank before the impending ice/snow storm, and finally, what will probably be my biggest budget buster of all: another $17 at Target for a Kindle! (I had gc's to cover the rest). $9 on a book for my new toy.
1/31: $35 after school, ? take out (couldn't face cooking), $6 Amazon for another book, $20 books for school.


no buy days: 13/10 (I made it on 1/24!)
meals out: 6/5 (oh well)
longest streak: 3!

 

[Darkfirewolfe]

Final Update for January:

My Goals:
1) Write Down everything -:

I did a really good job of this and I think I have a good system set up now, so I can do this every month.

2) Save at least $100 each month - :

I did not have data on January 2010 to compare to. But I spent at least $100 less than Dec. 2010.

3) 10 No buy days -

6/10 is my end total for $0 days
However, I really liked the suggestion to count the under $5 or under $10 days:
<$5 days = 8 days
<$10 days = 11 days

So, since this was my first time with the no-buy concept, I think 6 days is pretty good start. I'll probably make a more realistic goal for myself next month



to everyone for the support

 

[IMALOVNDISNEY]

Here's my final tally.
Auto $160/$240
Groceries/Household Goods $340/$250
(only because I need to buy my bulk meats this month)
Eating Out/Entertainment $49/$50
Misc. $170./$100

No spend days goal is 17/10. No Spend goal met.
Coupon savings $326.00
(I like this one, borrowed from a previous poster)

1/01 $9.00 at Target on Soups on sale
1/02 -0- no plans on going out today.
1/03 -0- brought my breakfast and lunch to work.
1/04 $67 $20 for gas, $42. for groceries, and $5 for MegaMillions...It's up to $330million. I'm planning on winning.
1/05 -0-
1/06 -0-
1/07 -0- Today is going to be a spend day. Stocking up on sale items.Didn't go shopping today.But we did go out to dinner with a gift card from Christmas.
1/08 $40 Gas, $70 groceries (Target and ShopRite) this is a lot for me to spend at 1 time, but, we stocked up on a lot of sale items. Plus, bought a few things not on the list. Note to self again. Leave DH at home when shopping. He always costs me extra.
1/09 -0- Had dinner out. Should have been $60 but had a gift card and bought shelves at Home Depot should have been $40 but had another gift card.
1/10 I was really bad today. Have had a migraine since Friday night. So, today I had no energy to pack anything. I slipped off the wagon. I bought both breakfast and lunch out. Total of $7.00. Bad me Tomorrow will be a better day!!
1/11 $5.00 Milk (2 gal.)
1/12 -0- Major Snow day
01/13 -0-
01/14 -0-
01/15 $74.00 $40 gas. $11.00 Walgreens , but got $7 back.Went CVSing did 4 transactions x2 (DH and I, 1 each) Between us we spent less than $20.00 oop but got atleast $200 worth of stuff. And I still have $20 in ECB's Shout out to the CVS tread This is all out of grocery allowance.
01/16-0- Had dinner at DIn-laws.I made my goal of 10 No Spend Days
01/17 $14.00 groceries. Picked up milk and a few things before the BIG ice storm tonight.:
01/18-0- I'm calling this one now. Don't think we will be leaving the house in the ice!
01/19 -0- ACCIDENT DAY!!! STUPID DRIVER (NOT ME)
01/20 $3.00 McD's Doubles. DD had drama rehersal. No time to cook
01 21 -0-
01/22 $69 $40 for gas, $18 grocery (Arizona Ice Tea was on sale for $1.99 stocked up), $11 for CVS (but got $21 ECB back)
01/23 $55.00 $40 went out to breakfast after church and DD had a friend over for the weekend. $15 girls shopped at the flea market.
01/24 $2.00 Soup for lunch. Went home on lunch break to eat and instead I took a nap. zzzzzz
01/25 $150.00 funeral flowers and a rememberance lamp.
01/26 -0-
01/27 -0-Another snow day kind of. Spent the day at a funeral. Home now and later out to attend yet another wake.
Tomorrow will be a big spend day. I'm picking up my bulk meats at the wholesalers. But this meat will last me for a few months.
01/28 $120.00 $90 groceries 40 lbs of ground beef and 20 lbs of boneless breast chicken. $40 gas.
01/29 $65 Costcos stocked up on paper products
01/30 -0- Cooked and cleaned all day.
01/31 -0-

 

[hsmamato2]

oh no,do I have to do a daily update on what I spent? I feel like a failure this month...since I've already bought things....?
I am making myself check my spending totals twice a week now,and I had been lazier for the last year or two and not been doing that...

so far I had to pay a vet bill for sick cat $100
bought a small dustbuster to save my sanity $15.00
got my haircut (once every 7 weeks) $40 with tip
paid $300.00 for ds's homeschool classes (will last for the next 4 months)
'fun money' for eating out is under 75.00 budget for 4 of us for the week
(I've been making Dh lunches regularly)
staying under grocery budget (150.00 or less)
so the classes are a big $ hit,but that takes care of months worth
so def. NOT no-buy....but pretty low buy as far as foolish spending