Miserly May Controlled/No Spend Thread

[Honeylioness]

The Controlled/No Spend thread is undergoing an overhaul as we get back to the fundamentals of the thread while still maintaining the camaraderie that keeps us coming back and makes us successful- even if not initially.

Not sure if weekly captains will happen but we will try.

Here is this month's Controlled/No Spend Thread as promised. Please post your goals for the month if you would like me to include them in the bi-Monthly update.
For the new people there are no real set rules here, you set your own. The basic goal most if not all of us have are to keep track of the days we don't spend and hopefully by that work on saving money. Some are looking to put it into savings others to pay down debt.
For some they only count the day as a no spend day if they spend nothing at all. Others will count it if they keep their total under $5. Some count all spending others only count a certain part of their budget. For example I personally take $400 out of the the bank in cash for everything that is not related to vehicle expenses (like gas, oil changes, insurance etc) or the house (mortgage, utilities, HOA) If I spend out of the $400 I count it as a spend day (although if it is less then $5 I usually count it as a no spend day.) You set your own rules. Any questions feel free to ask.
You can post your no spend days daily or whenever you want, just put it in bold at the top with the first number being the number you want me to record. If you are doing daily then:
Today (or yesterday) $0 Spend day
More then one day at a time:
4/31 days $0 Spend Which translates into 4 out of 31 days in December have been no spend so far. Some use the bigger number as their goal number so do 4/15 No spend Days which means they have a goal of 15 no spend days this month.

CSD: Controlled Spend Day
BFF: Best Friend Forever
DH/DS/DD/DSS: Dear Husband, Dear Son Dear Daughter, fiance, boy friend, Dear Step-Son
DIL, MIL, BIL, SIL: Daughter in law, Mother In Law, Brother in Law, Sister In Law
NKCW: No Killing Co-Worker Day (could also be no kill DH NKDH etc)
MOAN: Moving our a$$ Now aka exercising
NS or NSD: No Spend or No Spend Day
NEO: No eating out
HTH: Hope This Helps
KWIM: Know What I mean
FWIW: For What It's Worth
IMHO or IMO: In my Humble Opinion or In My Opinion
Getting Nitzed is a now slightly outdated term referring to when you have a long post and MSN cuts you off so its in two posts instead one.
Having a Startsmart Day is referring to when you have 20+ things on your must get done in a day and you accomplish them.
Sharing the Simple Lifestyle aka Toasty;
Single Mom-KY aka Smokey;
MittenKitten aka MK;
Pt_In_NY aka Pointy;
Red2Black aka R2B2.
The Boy is Sheila in Cali's son.
the boy or Mowgli is Nsinglet's son
Blue is Red_Wagon's DH
TBear is MizBear's older niece.
ZBear is MizBear's younger niece.

Every week we try to have a question of the week (QOTW) and challenge of the week (COTW) related to the question.


Honeylioness had a wonderful answer I think really defines WHAT we are about:

"I will admit that during my first two months of lurking, I wondered just how in the WORLD someone could not spend any money at ALL for 25 days? Did they just pay all their bills one day a month, and that same day do the food shopping for the month? Like many new to the concept I saw it as horribly, and restrictively, black or white – an opinion first based merely on the name of the thread.

But once I came to understand that it was not so totalitarian and was more about finding a way that worked for you to track your spending and any “leaks” in the wallet, it has felt more like a tool and less like a punishment. I wish I could say that I have paid off five extra years from the mortgage, or now have an EF of six months take home – but alas that would not be true.

What I do have however is a better awareness of where my “leaks” are, what are my hot buttons that make me want to spend on things I really don’t need or really cannot afford right now. And an awareness of the fact when I AM spending money. I think that awareness is key to learning a new behavior or paradigm. Just like lumberlady(a member that hasn't been a regular lately but is still a much loved part of our community), some of us have had to look hard in the mirror and acknowledge that we had a problem. Until people can do that, be it an addiction to alcohol or drugs or credit cards ….. they will never really GET it."

Thanks Honeylioness!

[constanz22]

Hi ladies! Long time, no see! I'm not sure how long it's been since I've participated, maybe close to a year! I had a crazy end of 2011. I really want to get my spending back under control as I've definitely gotten pretty careless about it. I really want to get a lot of debt paid off this year, so, if y'all will have me back, I'm in! I'm not sure what to set my goal at. I will think about what I have going on this month and will post my goal later. Looking forward to "catching up" with everyone!

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Welcome back, constanz!

I think I'll keep my NSD/CSD goals about the same this month: 11/31 NSD, 10/31 CSD (<$5). It looks to be a relatively quiet month for me, so I'm hoping to easily reach my goals.

[Honeylioness]

If you post your final numbers for April by this Thursday I will post the progress table on Friday.

[3catslady]

I can't believe it is May already but here goes; 30/31 NSD, 26/31 NEO, $25 a week in savings.
I am allowing myself 5 eating out days because I get 5 pays this month since I get paid on Thursday. I am allowing myself 1 spend day because of Mother's Day. I guess that is not being too Miserly but it is good. Maybe I won't spend on Mother's Day and maybe I won't eat out 5 days but I have them planned so I won't feel bad if I do.

[constanz22]

I can't remember what my goal used to be. I guess I will try for 8 NS, and 19 CS. That leaves me with 4 spend days. I count any planned or budgeted spending as a CS, including eating lunch out once per week and no more than 2 coffee or frappe stops per week. A NS for me is spending 0. Mainly, I hope to just keep track...LOL! Today was a NS!

[Deleted]

It is May already? Holy cow! Where did April go?

I am going to try to get as many NSDs as possible.

And I am also going to try to pay closer attention to what I am doing when paying bills. ;D I paid Goose's credit card 3 times when I didn't mean to. I had to transfer some money from savings to fix my mix up. Thankfully I had it or I would have bounced something.

I have 18 more days of work and 38 more days until I move to Italy...time is FLYING!!!!

[constanz22]

Angel- I can't even imagine how excited you must be! I know I would be! I lived in France for a year, only made it to Italy for a couple days. I LOVED it. I was 18 but it was, without a doubt, THE best experience of my life. I'm so jealous!

[mizbear]

I am going for as many NSDs as possible.

TBear turned 13 4/30! Aye yi yi!

[sbcalimom]

I am in for May. We're attempting a NS month on anything non-essential. The only exceptions are my birthday and Mother's Day. I turn 31 on May 2nd and DH better not drop the ball since he forgot my birthday last year. I'm not setting any goals, just as many NS/CS days as possible. I also want to declutter every single day to help prepare for the possible impending move.

[3catslady]

Happy Birthday, sbcalimom, and many many more. And looking at my birthday calendar I noticed that moneysquarrel's birthday was the 30th. Sorry about that, money, I thought I had everybody's birthday on my paper.

[mizbear]

Happy Birthday money and sbcalimom!

[redwagon]

Happy birthday money and sbcalimom!!

I'm not sure what my goals are this month. Survive? It's another busy one - wedding this weekend, nephew's first birthday next weekend along with finally fixing our fence, parents visiting the weekend after to start in on the nursery, then another wedding that I'm in. Makes me tired just thinking about it...

I guess my goal will be a general goal to plan/cook more and eat out less. I've been doing better making my lunches, but sometimes I just can't think about cooking without feeling sick, so chinese or pizza it is. DH isn't so good with the last-minute cooking stuff. I need to just assign him a day a week that he has to cook, maybe... anyways. That's my goal.

Welcome back constanz!

[mizbear]

red- Do you have a slow cooker? Or a bean pot? Stoneware beanpots can go in the oven or microwave. With a slowcooker- you can just throw the stuff in and let it go

[redwagon]

I do have a slow cooker and use it sometimes. It just requires getting up in the morning earlier and getting stuff ready and that's not really something I enjoy lol. I've had DH make beef stew before but he does something funny and it never tastes as good as mine (don' tell him that lol). I need to find more slow cooker recipes though. I basically use it for stews and pot roast.

[mrslynch]

hi ladies! i'm not sure how many of you follow my blog but if you do, you know that i'm doing a no spend may. i've decided that i need to check in here in order to stay accountable (if that's okay).

my goal for the month is 31 no spend days. seeing as how i'm currently on leave from my job, i don't foresee this being a problem. oh, right. i should probably fill you all in. i have clinical depression and anxiety. it's so bad that my therapist and i decided it was a good idea for me to take a leave of absence from my job in order to deal with it and learn to function like a normal person. i'm in a pretty bad cycle of it right now (which includes basically isolating myself from people. i hope that helps explain a little bit of why i had to remove myself from the board a few months ago) and i've decided that since i can't control a whole lot of things, i'm working on controlling my money.

i'm also using this time to figure out some things about my current career path. i need a ton of help in that area and i have no idea where to turn or who to even talk to so working through that is pretty exhausting as well. i know that the depression is a big hindrance in dealing with this particular situation which is unfortunate.

anyway, that's my story. thanks for having me back. here's to a good no spend month!

[mizbear]

mrsl- K 4 U for working on these things. It's so easy to just curl up in your recliner and sleep away the day (ala DM). You know we are here for you.

red- Do you have one day that you can do a bulk cook? I try to cook on the day I buy my food and package everything except stuff like liver that can't be cooked ahead.

BTW- Someone put 2 of my 4 slow cookers in the estate auction LOL- I am really peeved! They were my big ones that cook like 6 and 7 qts. They gave me my 4 qt ones

I am getting my blogs up and moving again now that things are moving again here- one is the cooking blog which will be getting new artices next week or the end of this week if I get them edited and I have a new blog about life with bipolar. It kind of thumbs my nose at everyone who thinks I shouldn't admit I have a mental illness.

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

May 2, 2012 15:54:06 GMT -5 mizbear said:

red- Do you have one day that you can do a bulk cook? I try to cook on the day I buy my food and package everything except stuff like liver that can't be cooked ahead.

I like to make a big casserole or pasta dinner on the weekend, then package half of it up into individual tupperware containers for during the week. Stick 'em in the freezer, and voila! ready-made fast food when you come home beat from work.

[muttleynfelix]

May 2, 2012 14:33:07 GMT -5 redwagon said:

I do have a slow cooker and use it sometimes. It just requires getting up in the morning earlier and getting stuff ready and that's not really something I enjoy lol. I've had DH make beef stew before but he does something funny and it never tastes as good as mine (don' tell him that lol). I need to find more slow cooker recipes though. I basically use it for stews and pot roast.

Red - I know that some people don't recommend this (something about the food being an in appropriate temp for too long), but I do it all the time - I put everything in the crockpot the night before. Then DH just has to put the crockpot on a certain time. It works great. We do about one crockpot meal a week and with my all day sickness kicking in already, we'll probably use it more. That way I can mix everything up while I'm feeling ok and at least DH and DS can eat and if I want something else, then we are good.

mrsl - HUGS.

I'm not sure I'm really in for a no spend month, but we've had an extremely spendy year so far (medical bills mostly and our trip for my great uncle's funeral). So, not really compulsive spending, but we haven't done ourselves any favors on that end. We need to tighten down as much as possible since I'm pregnant (due Dec 31). I've already told my boss and he told me today I can roll over any of my unused PTO days from 2012 into 2013. Plus another 13 months and I get another week of PTO. I also can't post very often because I swamped at work and even if I wasn't, I'm on internet restriction (use it, don't abuse it thing). Happy no spending all.

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

May 2, 2012 16:42:21 GMT -5 muttleynfelix said:

I'm not sure I'm really in for a no spend month, but we've had an extremely spendy year so far (medical bills mostly and our trip for my great uncle's funeral). So, not really compulsive spending, but we haven't done ourselves any favors on that end. We need to tighten down as much as possible since I'm pregnant (due Dec 31).

Congrats on the baby! Try to coax that bugger out by 12/31 to get those valuable tax credits! ;D I was also due on 12/31, but my parents got the doctor to induce me on the 29th so they could get the tax write off. Romantic way to come into the world, huh? I guess it's why I'm an accountant!

[muttleynfelix]

Rocky - Thanks! I have no hope of this baby coming before 2013. I was induced 10 days past my due date with DS. So, I'm guessing around Jan 7th. I would LOVE it if this baby came Dec 31, but I doubt it a lot. DH keeps saying Jan 20th (DS's BD is the 21st and a niece has a BD the 22nd), but I reminded him that my OB only let us go 10 days late with DS. So, we'll just have to wait and see. I really don't want to be induced again. I am going to pre-pay the hospital and doctor this time (not required) so that I can lump the majority of our medical bills in 2012 and get a better tax write off.

[constanz22]

May 2, 2012 16:55:17 GMT -5 muttleynfelix said:

Rocky - Thanks! I have no hope of this baby coming before 2013. I was induced 10 days past my due date with DS. So, I'm guessing around Jan 7th. I would LOVE it if this baby came Dec 31, but I doubt it a lot. DH keeps saying Jan 20th (DS's BD is the 21st and a niece has a BD the 22nd), but I reminded him that my OB only let us go 10 days late with DS. So, we'll just have to wait and see. I really don't want to be induced again. I am going to pre-pay the hospital and doctor this time (not required) so that I can lump the majority of our medical bills in 2012 and get a better tax write off.

Congrats! I remember all of us hanging out here, on the countdown to DS being born and making bets when it'd be! LOL! Don't second babies often come early? Maybe there is still a chance!

[constanz22]

1 NS, 1 CS
Today was a CS. Only spent around $3. Needed milk and had some rewards expiring at Walgreens today I needed to use.

Red- One of my favorite crock pot meals is Salsa Chicken. It is so easy and so good!
Put a couple b/s chicken breasts in crock pot, add 1 cup salsa, 1 cup canned black beans and 1 cup corn (frozen or canned). Can cook all day on low. 20 minutes before eating, add 1/3 brick of cream cheese. When done stir all together and shred chicken. You can serve over rice (boil in bag minute rice can cook during that 20 minutes after you add cream cheese). It's also good in tortillas, over salad, or over Tostito chips.

[3catslady]

update; 2/31 NSD, 2/31 NEO, $0 in savings account.
muttley; It just seems like yesterday that Ben was born. I am so happy for you.
mrsl; I thought I was the only one that had clinical depression but mine came with suicidal tendencies. And then the Dr throws in slight paranoia just for kicks. Then a couple of years later they throw in hypothyroidism. So of course everyone is out to get me. ;D Anyway, I had been on meds for 25+ years and went off of them the last few years because I have no ins and cannot afford over $700 a month for them. I have been doing so-so without them and have been journaling for the past few years. I write my feelings out and then read them a few days later. Some of the time I don't know why I felt that way. Talking to you ladies on here has helped a lot. I also shut myself away from any one that might care.

[mrslynch]

3cats--i have hints of paranoia but it mostly revolves around the fact that i think no one likes me. i've been fortunate that there's no suicidal ideations or anything like that but i definitely think that if i stopped writing or participating in activities, no one would miss me. i'm not on meds (in fact, i'm trying really hard to avoid them) but i don't know how long that's going to last.
mizbear--i refuse to not discuss the fact that i have mental illness. i'm trying to learn to cope with it and live normally as possible, and i want others to do the same. that can't happen if those of us who have it don't talk about it.
muttley--congrats on the new baby! december babies are my favorite (of course, i'm biased since dd is december baby).

[ses]

Happy birthdays to those who are having them. Hugs of support to those who need them or can use them. Even though I find myself posting less frequently, I still consider this thread a valuable support system.

Glad to see old friends dropping by. Welcome back.

This month is not starting out well. I had to take Calleigh to the vet today for her annual visit and shots (goodbye, $50). She is a bit of a Nervous Nellie and sometimes licks a spot until she licks off the fur down to the the skin, she doesn't like to be outside unless I am in sight, and a stranger will never see her. Yet, this Nervous Nellie went to the vet in a carrier and had to be awakened from a nap when it was time for her to come out! Go figure! With other cats, I would be medicating scratches now.

About my accounting system, if I have an anticipated expense (haircut, vet visit, trip out of town to the dentist) that I have saved the cost for in advance I consider it a CSD. If I spend nothing extra that day I can also count it as a NSD. So at the end of the month if my days add up to more than the 31 days of May it is not that I can't count or read a calendar. Having said that, it is still a bummer to have to have 3 CSDs during the first four days of the month!!!!!!

I frequently filled the crock the night before, set it in the fridge and put it in the pot the next morning. Of course, I always used the low temp setting for day long cooking so I don't know about using the high setting on a refrigerated ceramic pot. Would the temps be too extreme, IDK.

I thawed and let rise then baked one of the loaves of bread I froze after the first rise last month. It turned out delicious-but took FOREVER to thaw and rise. Between the homemade bread and homemade Greek yogurt I have saved about 12% of my grocery budget with only an hour of preparation time total. I saved/earned myself about $20/hour. I think I will try to continue this.

[mizbear]

muttley- Congrats!

(If there is something in the water here that is causing the baby bumps around here- I'll pass, I have enough problems around here with DM thanks!

[sbcalimom]

So far I have 1 NS and 1 CS plus two declutter days. Today we went out to dinner for my birthday but I paid for it with money set aside for birthday celebrations and regular entertainment budget. I also went through my books AGAIN and found about 20 that I really don't need to keep since I will probably never read or re-read them. I have lots to do tomorrow to get ready to leave for the weekend but I'm hoping I can manage another NS day.

[WholeLottaNothin]

SbCali - Would you mind a declutter buddy? I have no plans for an immediate move, but the amount of stuff in our apartment is getting to me and I find it effects my mood, which in turn effects my spending.

I am going to try to keep track again this month. Things are tight and I need to be doing a better job of it.

I have 1 NSD so far.

I have an interview next Tuesday for a temp job that pays well, so I am nervous about it and hoping I don't mess it up. On that subject, what is your least favorite interview question and how do you answer it?

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Rocky Mtn Saver: 0/31 NSD, 1/31 CSD (<$5).

I had a CSD (<$5) yesterday, my first for the month. I spent $2.79 including 1 postage stamp. I wasn't going to buy a book of them and lose my CSD!

nuttin: I hate to get "What is your biggest strength/weakness?" I have a hard time figuring out what will sound realistic and yet not make me sound like a terrible worker. I think that's just a mean trick question!