Low spend January

[Deleted]

Ok, another no spend day. Not leaving the house helped.

[Malarky]

Both cats are going to the vet today for checkup and shots. If I come home with a bill under $300 I'll be happy. Well, maybe not happy, but less stunned.
I did buy milk for my coffee today, but I think I'll be able to avoid going to the grocery store until at least Thursday.

[sidney]

We didn't spend to much money at ds wrestling tournament. I did have to spend more money on Sunday for groceries. I really have to scrutinize my grocery spending. I think I just need to increase the budget. Having 3 grown men eating is killing me. They are not eating junk just eating. I will do better at planning this month.
I have the money I need to pay for our cow that we get. I have almost saved enough to pay for the butchering.
Next thing to save for is my dh had cancer last year and he is going to be getting another MRI in february. Putting money aside for that.
Yeah!! Dh just found out he is getting a bonus from work. Will put that aside for unexpected emergencies.

[Deleted]

Hey! Another no spend day! I'm getting pretty good at this! Mind you I have my nails and the dog's shot coming up. There goes $150.

[Malarky]

So the cats were only $257 which is great considering they got vaccines, flea and worm treatment and one had an abscess drained and is on antibiotics.
However, I forgot that I promised DD I'd take her shopping for jeans. She is really muscular so she has a hard time. Jeans that fit in the legs, gap at the waist.
Sears: $28.59
JC Penney: $76.75
The Body Shop: 10.63
Dunkin' Donuts: $6 with tip.

I suck at this no/low spend stuff.

[honeybunny66]

OK, don't know how everyone else does it but January is far from a low spend month for me. HOA dues ($350) and Alarm system ($395) are both due in addition to regular monthly bills. DS just gave me his list of textbooks ($390 from Amazon) and he still has to purchase one directly from school ($120). DD received laptop for Xmas not to mention that I had to reset my laptop (Put all your good stuff away when lil chillun start rambling in your house). So there goes MS Office ($149) and virus protection ($60).

Finally, this appears to be the coldest winter since forever and my heating system stays on. I know I can turn the thermostat down but no matter how low you go (and I refuse to go under 68) the dang thing comes back on.

Anyhow, the city appears to be shut down for the next few days so I'm not going anywhere to spend more money.

[Sharon]

I almost made it a no spend day. Around 2:00 I was so hungary I was about to start gnawing on the keyboard. Spent $1.00 on a snickers bar from the vending machine. It tasted wonderful.

[sidney]

Yesterday was a no spending day for me. Today ds has a wrestling meet so we will pay to get in. I'll grab a pb & jelly sandwich on our way out the door for dinner so no eating out. Tomorrow we will pick up our cow at the butcher shop. I have the money put aside for it. Does that still count as a no spend day? LOL

[Deleted]

Forgive me for I am weak. I spent $2 for a Timmy's yesterday.

[sidney]

Later I was weak also. I grabbed a diet coke at the meet yesterday. Needed caffeine to stay awake.

Brought lunch today. So no spend today. Yeah!!

[nalto]

There will be a meeting today, so free lunch, and someone brought me a coffee and a donut. So, the lunch I brought can be used for dinner tonight.

I love free food days.

[Malarky]

Snowed in, so had already purchased the food I'm eating and the booze I'm drinking. The schnapps I've had for three years.
So finally...a no spend day for me.

It shouldn't be this hard.

[Deleted]

$40 to take my assistant out for her belated birthday lunch yesterday. Not an option not to do it. The better she likes me the easier my life is. Anyway, $287 so far. And shots for Charlie coming tonight.

[Gardening Grandma]

For January, I'm really focusing on planning meals based on what's in the freezer and pantry. There's still turkey from Thanksgiving and ham from Christmas.... and chicken purchased on sale. I try to use up frozen meats within 3 months...

[sidney]

Grocery shopping is tomorrow. I increased my budget, I couldn't keep it in budget. I am also going over my list with a fine tooth comb. Making sure I get everything we need so no more running to the store several times a week. We shop for two weeks. I buy at least 5 gallons of milk and freeze it. I do have to go back sometime at the end of next week to stock up on fresh fruit and veggies. I hope to have more control of my budget this time.
Brought lunch, no spend day.

[Deleted]

$108 for the vet. $395 for the month. And I have to get gas and a couple of groceries. Man! The part I am doing well on is not buying clothes or shoes or random shopping.

[Deleted]

$48 for gas, $443 for the month. And I'm trying not to spend!!!! This is getting crazy!

[Sharon]

Jan 14, 2011 7:45:13 GMT -5 @justaposter said:

$108 for the vet.

But Charlie is worth it. Once you get through the shots etc. those costs will go down.

DD has a stomach virus so I have had some unexpected trips to the store. We got some pepto bismol and some 7-up. I also picked up some white bread dinner rolls hoping maybe she will eat those and that they will be easier to digest then our multi grain, whole grain bread.

[Deleted]

Poor DD!

A no spend day today, finally! It didn't hurt that I didn't leave the house.

[Malarky]

Now that we're halfway through January, I'm revising the plan.

I was all gung ho about this at the beginning of the month, but since then reality has set in.
I don't have any bills from Christmas because I don't spend what I don't have. But I do have big annual bills come due in January.

So here's my new plan. I'm using DH's bonus to pay off as many bills in advance as I can.
*So far I've paid both car insurances for the year, this is something I save money for all year so I don't have to pay the monthly fee.
*The cats have been to the vet, although I got another $88 bill because they forgot to charge me for something when I was there.
*Tuition for karate for the year (for which I got a 20% discount! on top of the 50% discount I get because my kids teach classes)
*I've already paid the gas bill (which is negligible) for the year and am planning on sending a big chunk of change for the electric. It might not last the year.
*I'm planning on paying off the balance of our cottage rental for July.
That eats up most of the bonus but means that I can really concentrate on saving.

This may seem like a strange approach but I discovered last summer when I overpaid a few bills to avoid missing something while on vacation, that I spend a lot less money if I don't go near my checkbook. For two months the only money that left my account was for mortgage and credit card. And I only used the cc for gas and groceries.

My checks already go directly to savings but I usually have to transfer back to checking in order to pay bills. Hopefully this will mean that my checks stay in savings and I'll be sending part of DH's checks in that direction as well. <<fingers crossed>>

Or the whole thing could go horribly wrong and I'll wish I'd just left the money in the bank. Earning .000001% interest.

[Deleted]

So $22 at the grocery store. $465 for the month so far.

Molly I get what you are doing. It seems that once I start spending it is on a roll.

[dcmetrocrab]

I don't count expected expenses (rent, groceries, gas, etc etc). That being said, I'm not doing well at all, although I wasn't aiming for a no spend month. (that's in February) So far I've spent at least $50 on eating out, $70 spa outing, $200 on bed linens, $300 on clothes/accessories that were pure wants... hoo boy the list goes on and on, and it's only week 2 of the year!

[sidney]

It was DH bd on Saturday and he was craving a fish fry so we went out as a family for dinner Friday night. It's nice when we can get together and I don't have to cook or clean. We spent about $50 including tip. Not bad for 4 people.
Saturday dh took us to a movie with his bd money.
We watched the Packer game Saturday night so no spend there.
Sunday we tithed but the rest of the day was no spend.
I wish I could stick with my diet like I am my budget.
Go Packers!!

[Deleted]

LOL I hear you on the diet sidney!

Okay, I have a real dilemma. I have been looking for a coffee table and end tables for about 8 months. I finally found a set I really like and it is only $100. As good as I am trying to be with my money, it has taken me FOREVER to find something I like! The chances of this happening again soon at a price I like are pretty slim. Oh who am I kidding. I'm buying them.

[Malarky]

Later,
It took me more than three years to find `the rug I wanted for the living room. I never settled for any "just for now" substitute. When I did find it, it was expensive and my husband had just been laid off. I bought it anyway. He was not amused, but I'm still not sorry.
The same with my lamps. It seriously took me years to find what I liked. Now I'm in the market for another lamp and when I see it, I'll buy it.
I got lucky with the coffee table I wanted. Someone left just what I was looking for on the side of the road with a free sign on it.

[Deleted]

It's so nice to be understood Molly. So I had to hand in $60 for tickets I sold to a New Year's Eve Party. That isn't really spending since it was never my money, I just forgot about it until I was getting ready to go the wrap up meeting. I'm going to try for a no spend day today. It should be doable!

[busymom]

Mmmmmm! I'm still thinking about that bacon!
Today is a no spend day here, & if tomorrow goes well, should be a no spend day too. Friday I'll probably have to get a few things at the grocery store.

[Deleted]

I did it! I did it! I'm in for the night and I didn't spend today! Yay!!

[sidney]

Last 2 days were spend days. I had work training in another town so I ate lunch out those 2 days.
Instead of bringing lunch today. I am buying a frozen dinner at the store. No reason other than I am exhausted and didn't feel like cooking.
Not so good in the no spend department this week.

[justwhoever]

Today will be a no spend for us. We are snowed in....only good thing about winter storms.