SAVING SEPTEMBER CONTROLLED/NO SPEND THREAD

[ses]

A few months back Honeylioness had an impassioned plea to get us back to the focus of our thread. The fundamentals. The basics. Plus the friendship. Did y'all know we've successfully planned vacations together? Life keeps on going with new babies, relationships, homes, challenges, jobs and financial hurdles but we stick to it. So, get sticky!

Here are some way to get your goals to stick:

#1. Post your numbers - just put it at the top of a post in bold and let us know how you're doin' and what you need help with
#2. Track your numbers - technically this should be #1 but you know it. If you need ideas for tracking post and ask the veterans for guidance
#3. Share your life but please keep it somewhat financially related - we know that everything influences finances especially when we're stressed, tired, excited and busy. BUT this is a financial accountability group, not a therapy session If you want to go off topic consider starting a fresh thread and posting a link so those who are interested can support you there.

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 MittenKitten 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 July 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.

Here's a handy guide to some of our terminology:
NSD: No Spend Day
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)
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
Having a Startsmart Day is referring to when you have 20+ things on your must get done in a day and you accomplish them.
Single Mom-KY aka Smokey;
MittenKitten aka MK;
Pt_In_NY aka Pointy;
The Boy is Sheila in Cali's son.
Blue is Red_Wagon's DH
TBear is MizBear's older niece.
ZBear is MizBear's younger niece.

[ses]

GOAL FOR SEPTEMBER  27/30 NSD 

Perhaps I can find my big leak this month.  I am going to go cash only this month, except for bills and my three major shopping days. After the bills are paid, I am only going to keep enough checks in my wallet for the planned shopping days.  One of those is to stock up on cat food and litter for the next three months.  When I check on how much food I have on hand and hear them race down the hall to check that I am doing things right, I am convinced I am living with a herd of baby elephants in cat costumes.  when I see how fast the food disappears I am totally convinced.

I have things planned that between the pantry, freezer and garden (two tomato plants and a planter of green onions) I will only need to shop twice for fresh stuff.  Hopefully, it will soon cool off enough to use the oven a few times.  I am really ready for Fall this year. 

Mizbear--how are your classes going?

Gotta go, one of my "elephants" is asking to go outside.     

[ses]

Ombud--after I got the thread set up I remembered I wanted to use CENTSable Saving September.  I, too, don't know how to change it! 

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Don't worry about it, ses!  We'll use it next time! :-)

Rocky Mtn Saver:  1 NSD/0 CSD

I started off September right with an NSD on Sunday, but Monday was a bit spendy due to lunch and a movie with friends.  But no complaints!

[Ombud]

The auto repair stuck at $556 but he tossed in $20 gas. Turns out he'd already discounted me $20 off the smog charge although I didn't have a coupon & it was multiple things done: tune-up, oil change, smogged, noise fixed (hope). So it looks like:
$925.37
- 32.50 textbook
-665.06 tune-up w/ oil change, smog, fix noise & DMV
$227.81♡

[moneysquirrel]

Update: 2NSDs and 1 CSD

I'm back for another month.  I am not sure how often I will check in as school happens.  Hope all of you have a good week. 

Need to sign off as I hear the roar of thunder.

[Ombud]

Unexpected dividend check. Completed property tax savings & spending the rest.

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Yay, Ombud! 


Rocky Mtn Saver: 1 NSD/2 CSD

[3catslady]

3catslady: 3 NSD, 2 CSD, 1 eating out day.  All bills for the month are paid except 1 and that has a credit but I am still going to pay something on it. 

[moneysquirrel]

Update: 5 NSDs and 1 CSD

Today will be either a csd or a spend day. I have to get a hand truck as it will be easier for me to move things around the house as well as for the craft shows I have coming up later this fall. Moving the tables by myself is getting harder to do especially if I have to carry them for extended distances. I think I found one at HD and will try to get it this weekend as there is a possibility that the craft show that I applied for next weekend will happen.  I am awaiting confirmation of acceptance as it is a juried one.

School is keeping me busy.  I spend most of last weekend correcting Word documents -- expecting  to spend a few hours this weekend doing the same as well as helping out at the dance tonight. I will be having bursts of large amounts of things to correct around due dates of large projects and then easier lulls of manageable workloads.  Over the years I have manage to rearrange due dates to make things more on an even keel.  Trying to work due dates away from craft show weekends as well.  Students think I am giving them an extra weekend to get the projects in but in reality I would not have time to look at the projects until after the weekend is over anyway.

I do have a few beading projects to finish this week as well.  Need to make several pairs of earrings for the necklaces I have finished recently.  I usually try to make sets so that my customers do not have to search for something that matches the other piece.  This is especially true as some colors are hard to find suitable matches unless the beads are the same shades.

Will try to keep in touch a little more often but can't promise when.  Have a good week and happy no-spend/control spend days.

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Rocky Mtn Saver: 1 NSD/5 CSD

Although I didn't have any NSD's over the long weekend, it was pretty minimal spending each day except Saturday.  And that was only about $20 cash.  So I'm still pretty happy with my spending over the weekend.  Now, on to Monday! 

[3catslady]

3catslady:  4 NSD, 3 CSD, 2 eating out days.  When you get called in to work and you didn't prepare anything for lunch, you buy.  I should put at least 2 eating out days a week for that emergency.  Other than that, I am doing okay.  At least I am getting more hours.

[Ombud]

Whoo hoo for increased hours!

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Rocky Mtn Saver: 1 NSD/6 CSD

We're finally getting some rain here this week.  Boy, do we need it!  Maybe we can avoid any big wildfires this year. 

[Ombud]

227.81
-24.26
203.55

no planned spending before weekend so it should be ok

[Ombud]

Retract

5 Cal Fire firemen walked into Starbucks so I handed the barista my gold card and told him to anonymously put whatever they ordered on my card.  (Unfortunately he told them who covered their bill).

Not sure what the net result was (not looking today)

[moneysquirrel]

Update: 8 NSDs and 2 CSD

Taking a small break to pop in to update and say hello.  Saturday did turn out to be a spend day but I racked up all NSDs until today which was a CSD.  Met a friend for dinner and had the money budgeted for this.  I really need to do more of those as I tend to be somewhat of a hermit (during my "free" hours) at times. 

My friend and I were accepted into the art craft show this weekend.  It is only a few hours on Saturday but I hope it works out and I have the chance to do it again in a later month.  I am also scheduled for some small church craft shows later this fall.  Past experience tells me that I may sell a few little things.  I usually make enough to pay for my share of the spot.  Sometimes a little more but not enough to jump up and down with excitement.  It helps to pay for my supplies and trying out different patterns, stitches and color combinations keep me challenged.  I decided to work on several different bracelet patterns this summer and still have a number of others to try out.  The good thing is that my supplies are somewhat ample and I can usually try out things without additional expense.

Will sign off now.  The alarm will be going off early in the morning as usual.  Good night all.

 

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Rocky Mtn Saver: 2 NSD/7 CSD


Very nice thing you did, Ombud! 

[redwagon]

I've been meal planning a lot better this month and we're definitely eating out less. We've made homemade pizza on Fridays instead of ordering out. We did get Chinese last night because we got out of the pediatrician at 8pm and I was just done.

[Ombud]

203.55
- 5
198.55

So Starbucks hasn't reloaded my card yet. Once that happens, I'll be $25 lighter.

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Rocky Mtn Saver: 3 NSD/9 CSD

What a soggy Colorado weekend!  Where I am is not particularly a problem area, so that was good.  But what a mess!  I hope anyone else in CO or NM is doing okay!  Everyone think sunny thoughts for us today.

[Ombud]

Glad to hear that you're ok

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Rocky Mtn Saver: 4 NSD/11 CSD

[3catslady]

3catslady:  8 NSD, 6 CSD, 4 eating out days.  I am tired of microwave food again so I am eating out more frequently.

[ses]

3cats--Sorry I missed your birthday yesterday.  Hope you had a good one!


Ombud--are you doing anything special with any of your investments due to the possible disruptions in the market Congress might cause?

[moneysquirrel]

Update: 14 NSDs and 4 CSD

Taking a small short break from papers to say hello. 
My sinus condition and a death in my friend's family prevented my participation in the art craft show last weekend but my entrance fee is supposed to be credited to an appearance in December.  I spend the entire weekend trying to get well and beading. 

I have a lot of projects coming in from several of my classes this weekend and next week so my online time will be limited. Plus a friend asked me to tutor her grandson.


Hope all of you are doing well.  Stay healthy and on track with our goals of no spends. 

[Ombud]

Bought TASR last week for the shoulder camera. It's up 14% since then inc 3.75% today. Here's how it works into gov't spending: cops need to record EVERYTHING to avoid pay-to-go-away settlements. This company specializes in that protection. The less they have to pay out in settlements, the more they have to spend on libraries, health services, etc

Looking for a biotech with PEG under 1.2 that I can get a handle on

Are you modifying your holdings?

[Ombud]

Pd 2013-2014 property tax $2747.70 but not counting it as I earmarked it in WIRS anyway. So that account is down & taxes not due again until December 2014

198.55
-25.00 Starbucks
173.55

Homecoming Parade & Skipolinis Pizza Wednesday.

EDITED 9/22/13
173.55
-35.72 groceries
137.83

[3catslady]

3catslady: 9 NSD, 8 CSD, 5 eating out days.  I have not been getting groceries but just buying what I have run out of after work.  I watch a 2 year old until noon and then go to work until 9 pm.  I pick up what I need like cat food and litter one night; bread and rice cakes one night.  I go to BK and get something to eat before going home and then go home and get ready for bed and the next day.  I have been exhausted to the point of nicking my finger on the meat slicer when cleaning it because I am tired.  Nothing bad just needing a band aid to get through the night. 

[Ombud]

Your grandchild or a 2nd job?

My grandson (2 mos) spent last night & DS has no idea how lucky he is to have a little one who sleeps soooooo much (here from 3pm - 10am & slept about 11 hours)