Catching Fireflies July Controlled Spend Thread

[dakota4600]

Nuttin- What a cutie!! He looks so alert for 2 months.

Startsmart- Portability is the reason we don't have one yet either.

[startsmart]

nut- cuteness! he looks so old! so glad grandma could babysit, I'm sure it's much more peace of mind than a stranger. Do you have a back up plan/savings in case she goes out of town or gets sick?

dakota- the one I got is above ground and tumbles! So cute.. I'm hoping to get a good bunch of soil started with all this summer produce before too long and I'll just keep throwing stuff in there.

So my fabulous DH cancelled his meeting today. He woke up late and was going to feel rushed to get there with DS and back home before DS's nap Then he didn't want to do it this afternoon because it was going to be so hot. So then the old boss goes, well can't you just get a babysitter. Because we know people just sitting around waiting to drop everything at the last minute to babysit DS at our house in the boonies. Right. DH was like no I can't get a babysitter. I don't think the old boss realizes that DS is DH's priority and that is his number one job and he doesn't like any one else to do it (including me sometimes).

Muttelyn- I hate to say it but I agree with the old boss here, especially if it was a meeting and not just an informal get together. I know that DS is priority and that's awesome, I love that your DH really cares about the time with DS. but... it sounds like DH didn't plan his time to either get a sitter for a few hours or go with enough time so DS wasn't cranky. If DH is looking to do work with the old boss, even part time, then perceptively it looks bad to the boss if DH flakes out due to a non-emergency/lack of planning with DS.

Sorry, I'm probably giving my 2 cents out of turn since you seemed to be venting and not asking for advice.

And now, a story of startsmart...

yesterday an older pair of jeans ripped. Not surprisingly, they were old and I've washed them weekly for probably the last year as they are my favorite pair. Well I decided to just tear across and make 'em into jean shorts for my trip to Florida. You know, tanning, no spending extra cash on clothes, waste not, want not?

Well I tried them on and LOVE THEM, they're just much shorter than I would normally be comfortable wearing. Oh well, it's hot, I'm comfortable, no butt cheeks hanging out... and I wore them when I went to get coffee.

And the owner of the coffee shop who I've been trying to meet for literally months is there. And I talk to him and the guy I've been chatting with about some marketing ideas for his business. While wearing the shorty shorts. Eeek. Definitely a moment.

BUT he did love my ideas and asked me to keep talking with the other guy so I guess I made *some* impression...

[mizbear]

nuttin- AWWW!
reenee- OUCH! I was thinking big like me- (DD/F range and measurements in the 40s) I see the problem now. I feel the pain on the prices though. Playtex stopped making my favorite model "everyday" bra that was both comfortable and affordable so everything is Lane Bryant or some other expensive brand.

DB dumped bad news girlfriend. He is still lazy and a pain in the butt, but at least he has gotten rid of her.

Question for the seamstresses on the board: I have salvaged a bunch of junk jeans that I wil be turning the legs into grocery bags. DGM and I can't decide if it would be better to cut squares of fabric or strips. This is not stretch denim and it will be serged together. We won't start until the fall when the house is finished. She can't wait- it will be her first major sewing project since she shattered her shoulder and had her heart attack and first stroke.

DGM is getting home oxygem and other stuff. Should actually make life easier.

[MittenKitten]

;D

Nuttin: Wow what a cutie!

[reeneejune]

mizbear - on your sewing question, it depends on the size of the jeans you're cutting up. Smaller pairs, like kid's sizes or jeans-for-skinny-people might be better in strips. Larger pairs do just fine in squares. A couple of suggestions, though. If you're cutting squares of jeans and leaving the seams in, try to position the square so that the seam runs down the middle of it, not right along the edge. Your serger/sewing machine will thank you. Try cutting just the legs off the jeans then sewing the leg holes closed and making one bag just like that. I saw a skinny little teenager who had made a pair of her old jeans into a purse like that. A bag made that way from a real-person pair of jeans would be perfect for a quick, small trip to the store. OOOHHH, other idea, if you don't want to use the seams from the legs when cutting squares, save that part (in one long length) to use for the straps.

[reeneejune]

I feel like I've had a relatively productive weekend, despite my funk going into it. In the last two days I've:
-Washed laundry (though it's still sitting in the baskets to be put away )
- Made my bed
-Washed a load of dishes
- Got through a chapter in my self-imposed math refresher course
- Did some much needed shopping
- Rented and watched Harry Potter 7a (I waited until now to see it because I'm impatient and didn't want to wait a year for the other half)
- Went to the theater and saw HP 7b in 2D
- Fielded DOM's frantic phone call after I left the theater (It was my day off and I wasn't home when she stopped by! And by the way, did I give anyone the land line number for my parent's house? more on that in a minute)
- Worked for a few hours on freelancing after a long self-imposed hiatus
- Had a nice chat with startsmart about the general stupidity of customers and corporate america.
- Made myself a beautiful, healthy dinner accompanied by a beautiful, healthy-ish desert
- Prepped ingredients for tomorrow's dinner

So yesterday when I went to see HP, I turned my phone on silent because I'm not a rude jerk and I really wanted to focus on the movie. In 2.5 hours, my mother called me 7 times!!! I almost want to change my voice mail message to "Hi Mom. If I'm not answering the phone it means I'm BUSY and not likely to answer the door either. I'll call you when I'm free." But anyway, apparently someone has been calling the house about my student loan. That's nearly paid off. The thing is though, my dad changed the house number back in 2003 without telling me and I haven't had it since. So I told mom that the next time someone calls about me they should tell them that it's not a contact number for me, dad doesn't have my phone number or address, and that they are not to call there again. There's plenty of bad blood between my dad and I, but that doesn't mean I want him being harassed about my debt. That's almost paid off anyway. Really frustrating.

[zippy478]

10 NSD ;D

I'm really close! Unfortunately, the month is almost over but overall for my first time out, I'm pretty happy.

Nuttin - he is one adorable little boy. Congrats

Startsmart - how much did you pay for your composter? We want to get one like that but haven't started looking yet.

Renee - usually you have to put it in writing to stop calling a certain number. My suggestion is to just write up a quick note saying this is the only number you are permitted to contact me at. Otherwise they will give you the "yea we hear you" thing but not actually stop calling.

[muttleynfelix]

start - It might look bad, but it is the old boss that wants DH to work for him. DH really isn't excited about the idea. The old boss (M) is working out of the old office (although not for the same company, just renting space) which is basically next door to my office. DH was going to bring DS into town and then I was going to bring DS over to my office so that they could meet without a toddler running around. To make matters worse, M was the person that hired me for my first job out of college at the company we all worked for and he has a tendancy to put me in the middle of things. If he can't get ahold of DH, he'll call me and he'll ask me if DH wants to do XYZ and I'm like I don't know, ask him. There is just a lot of history there and M has routinely cancelled on DH over the last 2 years. So I'm frustrated that DH cancelled the meeting, but M also frustrates me and part of me thinks a clean break would be best, but since M and I do the same work it isn't like I'll never see him again. Shoot in this town there is a good chance I'll probably work with him again.

[dakota4600]

14NS, 3CS, 18NEO

We are doing really well. I'm proud of us. Bonus is that yesterday DH was asked to work orientation next week, so he will get extra duty pay for that. The down side is that we won't see any of the money for this week or next until 9/15. So right now we have cash flow issues, but we do every year at this time. (DH takes a lump sum in June and I try to save a 1/3 of it and keep the rest in a short term savings to cover us as we need it.)

Odd thing happened last night our house got TP'd. It was the only house on the block. I have no idea why. It was done by kids because DH could reach almost all the TP in the tree out front. But our wonderful guard dogs slept through it. Not a bark or anything.

[financialpeace]

Hello All,

I hate to just barge in, but I have been a long time lurker of the women in red boards (about two years) and just recently started posting. I love your idea of tracking no spend days. I have attempted it with my DH the last couple months. It is quite difficult but definitely forces me to think more about spending money before I do it.

I'm not sure if you guys have requirements to join, but I would like to jump in for August if that's okay. I have a hard time keeping up with the racing thread, but I think I can handle this one.

I'm not sure what info you want. I am 25 and have been married 3 1/2 years. I live in Oregon. I found out a couple months ago I am losing my job (whole department is being eliminated). My last day is September 30. That's what prompted the extra look at my spending. You guys seem fairly big on pets, so I will let you know I have two awesome dogs: a 3 year old beagle named Sampson and a 1 1/2 year old lab named Echo.

Good job to everyone on your successes this month. Just a few days left!

[financialpeace]

*Correction: I am 24. I seem to have an issue with this age. My birthday was in April, but I always think I'm 25 for some reason. lol

[startsmart]

lol financialpeace - I love that you're making yourself older! Welcome!

No real requirements to join, we'll start off with a new thread in August in the next few days, it's like a fresh plate each month and much easier to follow.

Simply set a goal, ask questions and have fun! We encourage first timers to use their first month to track spending and then set goals so you don't get overwhelmed. Most of us old hats need to get back to tracking too (I speak from personal experience!).

And there are some of us young folks too - I'm 26 and live in CA with my 3 dogs.

[startsmart]

Unexpected spend day and eating out day I was hoping for a NSD since tomorrow I'm back to the chiropractor for the third time this month!

Mom came to town to meet with the new staff at Grandpa's care home. We've seen a steady decline in the quality of housekeeping and care so she went over with my uncle to whip them into shape. For how much he pays to live there they will be painting his room, replacing his torn carpet and cleaning his bathroom daily.

So Mom and I went out to lunch and to discuss the meeting beforehand. It was only $10 but boo.

Now I'm home, working on the Radio Show and trying not to reach through the interwebs and slap uncooperative team members.

[MittenKitten]

Well returned my lockbox key for real estate, so saved $160 there. Plus I get to keep the lockboxes so I can sell those for a pretty good sum. DAV is coming tomorrow so going to put lots of stuff out for them and get it OUT of my garage.

Opened up my LLC business today so ready to charge clients. DF also has a job interview tomorrow. DSS may stay the week next week. For the first time he actually asked to stay here a week. Not sure what the boy is going to do but as DS#1 has swimming with my niece I have lots of plans for those 3 kids so he can come along for a lot of it. May be an additional expense for some of it but educational for all the kids.

Went to PF Changs today to use my free lettuce wraps coupon. Met my sister there and we also ordered some food off the lunch menu and a couple of Asian Pear Mojitos. Drinks and lettuce wraps were fabulous. Unfortunately as I was eating my meal I found a lovely body hair in it So on a good note the manager comped the whole meal. On a bad note only really ate the lettuce wraps. I used to have terrible luck going out to eat (I mean seriously 95% of the time I had my food comped and that was NOT what I was looking for. We are talking restaurants from Perkins to Ruth Chris (or Chris Ruth I always get the name wrong))

financialpeace: Welcome. Like start said we have no real rules and everyone kind of has their own rules. What most have found is counting bills you have no control over like mortgage/rent and utilities don't count. Play with it and see what works for you. The main goal is to find your budget leaks and get control of them.

[3catslady]

24 NSD/CSD, 2 SD, 2 EOD. Today was a spend and an eating out but I am only counting it once so I am counting it as a spend. I only need one more day to make my goal but I hope to get 3 more so I will be happy. I still haven't gone to Pizza Hut but that is in for next month. Other than cats and groceries, I bought a 4 gig flash drive, and some stickers for next month and a new pocket calendar planner. I am planning to mark all spending in that book because I don't have a desk calendar yet. I need to get to the printer's down the valley and get one for nothing.
shanen, don't forget my suggestion for August, "Ain't no spendin' August" Anybody else have suggestions for August?

[moneysquirrel]

Update: 11 NS and 12 CS days = 23 NS/CS Days

I have been getting a lot of reorganizing done. Attic is nice and neat. Garage is getting there. Managed to donate several items last week and have several empty boxes to dismantle and/or packed with items that are seldom used but cannot be trashed.

Worked for several hours each day this week. An easy way to get back to full time -- starting next week. Monday morning meetings begin at 8.

Finanicalpeace -- Welcome! I would recommend that you read the first post on page one. It outlines the idea of the thread and gives some ideas to begin this journey. Several of us have been here for several years. Ask questions, jump in with comments, and realize that this is a process that takes time to perfect. We discuss everything because we feel that often our spending is related to the other aspects of our life.

[mizbear]

3cats- Love it!!!

reenee- Most of the jeans are size 6Petite that I have decided I would rather replace when I get done losing this weight (they all have bleach spots on them anyway) and few larger sizes. One of my BFFs just gave me a 30gal trash bag of yard sale jeans in my current size (plus a few for DM) for $1- that will get me through until I am done losing weight! I do not plan on leaving the seams as part of the bags. I like the idea of recycling them for handles. We were going to make purses from the tops. (Or keep them for shorts since that part isn't stained)

financialpeace- I will be 35 in September, am divorced, have great friends, strange relatives, no kids (although I am all but raising my nieces) and no pets (unless you count my brother). I am a disabled student who will be making a foray back into the work force soon (I hope). May I recommend if you do not, that you may want to start couponing and watching sales on necessities.

DB went back with useless gf. *sigh* Not surprised.
On a good note, DGM has been approved for her oxygen! YAY! (I would rather pull on O2 tanks than go through all this drama we have been dealing with lately.

[reeneejune]

financialpeace - woot! another Oregonian! I'm in the mid valley, Albany to be exact. We've also got dianartemis (sp?) in the same general area. Glad to have you here. I'm 26, single, with not even a goldfish to keep me company. I do, however, have a small metal flamingo in my tomato pot. LOL. If you're comfortable sharing, where abouts in OR are you?

[reeneejune]

zippy - thanks for the info/advice, but I doubt I'll get clear enough information to direct a letter to the offending party. While my student loan is through US dept. of Ed, it's currently being serviced by an outside company due to the default/garnishment status. So I don't really know what entity or what department is contacting my dad. Add to that I haven't spoken to him in 9 years and I've NEVER had the phone number they're calling, and I'm just clueless as to a)why they're contacting one of my parents (loan is in my name, they didn't cosign) and b)how they managed to get a phone number that even I don't have.

[dakota4600]

14NS, 4 CS, 19NEO. Yesterday I'm counting as a CS day. One of the dogs broke a claw and we couldn't find our clippers anywhere, so instead of taking her up to Petsmart to get her nails trimmed I just bought a new set.

DH is calling our insurance agent today to switch to new policies. We will be saving about $150 this year on that. Bad thing is that it we have to pay it all at once, but that is why we have our short term savings account. We are switching both home and auto, I've got 6 months of auto ready to be paid and we will get a full refund on our homeowners since it doesn't start until the 12th of the month. So really I just have to come with $500 extra now and if I keep saving for auto by the time next year rolls around we'll be fine on that.

Financialpeace- Welcome, you are not barging in at all. Like others said this is a great place to identify leaks and weak spots in your budget. Sometimes we get off track as we tend to look at spending holistically, so if you have a question jump right in. I don't count bills or gas & groceries(within our monthly budget) as spends, we have to eat and get to work. Even though I budget for eating out I do count it against my spend totals because it is an area that quickly blows the budget up. I've been here over 2 years now and still remember sitting down shortly after I joined and figuring out how much we spent on eatiing out each month and about had a heart attack. Since then I've tracked my NEO (No Eating Out) days as well. I've also learned how to do batch cooking, it usually is just as easy to double or triple a recipe and freeze the extra for another meal. We still do go out to eat usually once a week, sometimes twice depending on the weekend. Which is much better than the 4 or 5 nights we used to do.

Reenee- When the debt collectors are looking for you they try everyone you are related to. We have on occasion gotten what I assumed where collection calls for SIL, we just say that there is no one here by that name and they usually hang up and don't call back. (Our last name is not pronounced how you think it would be so if they butcher it we pretty much know it isn't someone that knows us, actually helps with the sales calls as well.) I'm sure if we let on we knew her they would keep hounding us. She moves every year and I'm guessing may not be updating her address with everyone when she does.

MizBear- Glad DGM is doing better.

3cats- You are doing great. Good job budgeting for your EO days.

[Deleted]

Financialpeace: Welcome and you are not barging in. I'm 26 and startsmart is around our age as well.

[shanendoah]

I got two whole NSDs in a row! Yesterday was very hard as I took a mental health day and I was craving chocolate donuts (well, I was craving chocolate, and i cot my braces adjusted on Tuesday, so I can't eat harder than donuts), but I stayed strong and didn't leave the house. DH was supposed to get gas, but forgot.

Welcomel financialpeace

3cats: This month its back to MK to set up the thread. I did it last month because she was on the South Dakota trip. But I like your August name, so I'm voting for it.

renee: When I was in college, I moved a lot. I always sent in the change of address thing to the post office, but my credit card company decided they didn't want to bother. No, instead of following me, they followed my mother (even though no one ever gave them her contact info). Without ever trying to contact me, they started calling her and harrassing her. She gave them my contact information. 2 weeks later, they called her again. No effort had been made to contact me. (I worked swings, so was home during regular business hours, and they never called.)
She informed them that she knew they had accurate contact information for me, since she had provided it, owed them no money, had signed no agreement with them, and had no legal responsibility for me (as I was an adult) and that if they called her one more time, she would be filing a harrassment charge against them.
They stopped calling her. And finally, over a month later, I got my first credit card statement in like 5 months, in the mail.
Some companies decide that young adults will never pay them, but their parents might. If they are asking your parents for anything other than contact information for you, then they are violating the law. (Sadly, collection agencies do this all the time. The risk is worth the reward.) And even if they are only asking for contact information, once your father has given it, or refused to give it, they are, in fact, harrassing him. If they call him again, he needs to very clearly state that they are harrassing him, and any more contact from them will result in charges being filed.

[muttleynfelix]

Financialpeace - Welcome.

I have no idea what is going on right now. Oh well. On a side note, we completely busted our grocery budget this month. THe end of the month was good, but the beginning of the month put us so far behind we could not catch up. DH and DS I think are going grocery shopping today. Unfortunately, I'm not having them pick up any ingredients for meals for the next week, but I need to hit the library tomorrow, so maybe I'll just do that during DS's nap and get my ingredients then. I'm sick of cooking chicken which is all I have in the freezer. I ate out lunch yesterday, but I should have enough left overs for today. But if the guys want to go out to lunch, I'm not sure that I will tell them no.

[financialpeace]

Thanks for the welcome.

To the Oregonians: I am in the North Bend/Coos Bay area.

I would like to get started with couponing and sale watching, but I find it a little difficult. We only have three places to go grocery shopping: Safeway, Fred Meyer, and Walmart. I usually go to Walmart since I don't coupon and it is cheapest on most things. Groceries and eating out is our biggest budget busting area. I hope to get started with coupons and meal planning once I am laid off. I think having a lot of time on my hands to really get that stuff figured out will be good. Once I am in the habit, it won't be so hard to keep up with it once I'm working again. I think having to account to you all about my spend days will help considerably ;D

[startsmart]

Busy day of errands for me. AAA to deal with DMV bizness and get maps for my upcoming trip, the chiropractor for a back adjustments and new daily stretches, the thrift store to take more pictures for their website, grocery shopping and Walmart then Target for some household things.

[sheilaincali]

Financialpeace- if you are open to advice here is some. I don't typically coupon either (nothing I buy seems to have a coupon and nowhere here doubles). Establish a meal plan for the week. Tape it to your fridge and try to stick to it. Some weeks we break it out by day and others we just brainstorm a bunch of meal options. Be sure to have a couple of backup, super easy and fast options for those days you really don't feel like cooking dinner.
We pantry/freezer shop to set up our meals and then figure out what remaining ingredients we need. We watch the flyers and stock up on our meat and that when it's a good price so some weeks we don't need any meat and others we buy enough for a couple of weeks it seems.
Good luck and welcome.

No idea where I am for the month. Been on auto-pilot. I know we haven't really spent much on anything but I have completely lost track of my numbers. Have to leave in the morning for another family reunion 3 hours away from here. DH decided to come with so we are going there and back in the same day (YUCKY 6 hrs in the car). But it saves us boarding the dog and hotel expenses. BFF is going to stop by and let Zoe out in the afternoon.

[mizbear]

DGM has oxygen!!
I am trying to take today to revamp the schedule and pull together loose ends.
Just found out my fave band is coming next week when I am talent showing and guess who has kids!

[reeneejune]

financial peace - I know grocery shopping can be a tough place to save money. Especially on the coast where it seems like everything costs more. Are there any farmer's markets you can shop? Things at the very peak of the season can be a super cheap addition to your meal plan. And if you're comfortable, you can freeze or can some things to use later in the year. Look for staple items on great sales and stock up! I just saw pasta and spaghetti sauce at Safeway, $1 per pkg for pasta and $1.25 per lrg can for sauce. Instant cheap meal. Buy less processed foods... soup is cheap, but ingredients to make soup is cheaper and makes more. Dry beans are cheaper than canned beans and make much, MUCH more.

Also, make sure that you get in touch with the employment office as soon as you can. With being laid off, you should definitely qualify for unemployment benefits, plus there's usually a ton of job listings through that office. Be persistent, there are jobs out there. And if worse comes to worse, retailers will begin their seasonal hiring in September for the Christmas season... it might help you get through another couple of months.

[financialpeace]

I will be eligible for unemployment and will be getting a small severance. We already live off of DH's income and pay extra on debt or save with mine. I'm not concerned about finances unless I can't find a job before my unemployment benefits run out. We would still be okay, we just wouldn't have any extra and that freaks me out. I just want to save as much as possible in case that does happen. There are no jobs for me in this area. Only medical jobs and part-time minimum wage jobs. I am currently taking medical terminology to maybe get an admin position at the hospital or medical clinic, but it is really hard to break in there. I have wanted to move for several years because of the poor job market for me, but DH has really been fighting it. He's starting to realize we may not have a choice, though.

sheila - Thanks for the advice. I am always open to more money-saving advice. A big problem I have is my DH and I are neither very good cooks. I have occasionally tried to do a weekly meal plan, but it is hard because the things I know how to make are really limited and we end up having the same things every week. It does cut down on the eating out considerably, though if I have everything in the house to make something. The grocery spending goes up and offsets much of the not-eating-out savings though. I plan to really give this more of an effort once I'm off work. I never feel like cooking after work. I go to bed really early, so I only have 3 to 3 1/2 hours between the time I get off work and the time I go to bed right now. I walk my dogs for an hour of that time. I don't know why I wanted high energy dogs! lol They also get walked before work and sometimes on my lunch break, but those are usually only a half hour long. Anyway, by the time I walk the dogs, cook dinner, and clean up the dishes it is time for bed. That burns me out really quick. My husband also works twelve-hour graveyard shifts, so he isn't home to do the cooking most of the time.

Sorry for the book!

[shanendoah]

financialpeace: Do you have a crock pot? Or do you like casseroles? Crock pots often just require a little bit of prep the night before (the chopping) and then you throw everything in and turn it on in the morning before you go to work. You come home to a house that smells lovely and food that's ready.
Casseroles might also be an option for you. My favorite casserole to make, I cook the noodles and brown the meat (takes about 15 minutes) then I throw it in the oven for an hour. You could do the prep then take the dogs for their walk and come back to dinner that's ready to come out of the oven.

For quick and simple meal idea, you might want to consider checking out azmom's blog, she posts links to the reciepes she makes, and she will tell you that she is a completely self taugh cook who still sometimes struggles. She also talk a lot about meal planning. You can find her blog here: anotherhousewife.wordpress.com/. Also, while she doesn't do it a lot on her new blog, mrsl's old blog has a lot of recipe ideas and meal planning options. You can find it here: theemptykitchen.wordpress.com/