Debt Free December No Spend/Controlled Spend

[forwardwego]

UPDATE 3 NSD 19 CSD 1 eating out day(s) as of Dec 23

Yea!! Finally got another NSD.

Nice score on the movie and meal shanendoah! 

[moneysquirrel]

Update: 10 NSDs and 7 CSDs

Got an early start this morning and finished up the holiday shopping.  Started at WallyWorld but did not get anything there,  I wanted to get some basic items - not for the holidays - but the store lost power due to heavy rain.  No lights and therefore no computers to check out customers.  Transferred my shopping to CVS which was to be my next stop anyway.  Got the few gift cards I needed as well as some basic items for me.  Grocery and gas were also purchased.  Home for the duration.  Got some thank you notes written, and picked up some additional things around the house.  Hope to begin wrapping tomorrow as the weather is expected to be rainy and I want to avoid crowds, traffic as well as poor weather conditions.  

Time for bed. Will check in when I can.
 

[shanendoah]

Update: 5 NSD, 7 CSD, 13 Spend

Today will be a spend. There are only going to be three people in the office today- myself and two students. I'm going to buy us all lunch and have it delivered.
Turns out that what we thought was a pinched nerve in C's hip is really a shingles outbreak. He'll be at urgent care today to get his anti-virals.



We had a great Christmas with friends, and hope everyone else here (whether you celebrate or not) had a great day yesterday.

[moneysquirrel]

Update: 14 NSDs and 8 CSDs (not counting today)

I hope each of you had a great and peaceful Christmas filled with love and friendship.

Between the crowds and the weather I have  had no desire to get to the mall this week.  I did get to movies this week and hope to do so at least once more before my free time is gone.  I also had to place an order this week as my supply of some of the basic beads I need for projects was depleted.  I really don't count that purchase as I kept my bead money separate from my regular budget.  Whatever I make at the craft shows goes into this section of my spreadsheet and pays for my supplies.  I finally can pay for my supplies without touching my regular budget. 

Getting some things out of my house by going through closets and shelves and making a small -- really small-- dent in the stuff that I have to go through.  But every little bit helps.  I am also trying some new to me patterns in beading and that sometimes can be more complicated then it seems as I have to decode the directions for some of them.  I also have some of my usual pieces to remake.  Most of my stuff is one of a kind but I do have a few designs that I duplicate as they are basic and have sold every time I make one. 

Need to get lunch started.  It is nice to have more variety for lunches while I am off.  Once school is back in session I usually eat the same basic thing every day.  Need to add more variety there but at 6am I usually am operating on remote control.  Therefore the same each day.  

[forwardwego]

UPDATE 3 NSD 22 CSD 1 eating out day(s) as of Dec 27


just 4 more days til a fresh new year

[3catslady]

3catslady:  14 NSD, 14 CSD, 0 eating out days.

Another month of not eating out and I am happy.  I still want to get my NSD's higher than my CSD's but I can work on that next month.

Any suggestions on names?  Justified Savings/Spending January? Just Record It January?  

[ses]

I was talking with Moneysquirrel earlier today and she suggested we try an annual thread rather than a new thread each month.  Let me know what you think and I will set it up that way.  If we have just one thread name to remember we might attract more posters.
This just a thought, we can stay monthly if that is what you want.

[3catslady]

ses:

I think 1 thread for the year would be nice.  Like you said, only one name to remember.  We could combine all months and have a bigger thread instead of 2 or 3 pages for each month.  I would go for it.

[ses]

I will start a new 2015 thread instead of a January thread later this week if no one objects

2015 Controlled/No Spend Challenge----OK

[shanendoah]

annual thread works for me.

Update: 6 NSD, 9 CSD, 15 Spend


I have to remind myself that I knew this month would be a mess and stressful, etc, and that my goal was simply to track. So I am meeting my goal.
Today will be a spend. We're just going to a friend's house for NYE, but we'll likely pick up something to share. Can't be anything from our house because former roommie's GF is gluten intolerant to the point that cross contamination will make her sick.

I'm going to be buying YNAB today. It's on sale over at Steam (a site you can use to mostly purchase video games, but also some other software) for $15 just until like 10pm tonight, so I want to pick that up and try using it. (Even if I end up not liking it, I'm okay with having only spent $15 for it.)

I finally went through all of our credit card statements from the last year and itemized all of our spending, something I used to do, but stopped this year with the 9 month job loss. It was pretty easy to see some areas where we can cut our spending. I think we may want to pick up the Target card. I haven't parsed all the data yet, but just from typing things in, I think it wouldn't hurt us to be saving 5% every time we shop at Target.

I am so ready for 2014 to be done. I want to thank you ladies for still being here, ready to take me back, as I get myself back on the wagon and organized again.

[moneysquirrel]

Final December Update: 18 NSDs and 8 CSDs 

The last two days have been spent days -- some needed items but also some that were not.  Got the car serviced and all recalls taken care of, found two out of three items on sale yesterday,  finally got a few other needed items today.  Picked up another gift card for the gym today.  Last day of the special -- decided that this way I can pay for 5 personal training session and get the 6th one free.  I think I have purchased enough of these that I would not be paying weekly like I have been until the end of the school session.  I will continue to save for the sessions to built up a cushion for the summer and fall and also to take advantage of other deals like this one next year.  Can use the cards for my membership fees for other services as well if I want.Overall a win-win.

Earlier this month I also bought me a car wash gift card.  I usually delay getting the car washed until it is really bad and decided that I have to be better about that.  I knew that they had $5 washes but discovered yesterday that on Tuesday that they are only $3.  Guess that when the car really needs a bath it will have to be on a Tuesday.  


 I have at least two uncompleted projects that I want to finish today.  Want to start off the new years without anything craft wise incomplete.  Wish I could say the same for the housework that I keep delaying.  

I have been trying to rework my spreadsheets so that I can get everything set up for 2015.  I can't believe how fast this year has passed.  Have a few things to finish for school before I go back on Monday.  These two weeks have flown by.  

I hope to get to the movies to see Into the Woods tomorrow.  One of the kids gave me a movie GC so I plan to use it then.  Should have enough left on it to see Annie with friends later this week.  May also treat myself to lunch with another GC that I have been holding on to for a while.

I like the idea of the new thread being an annual one.  I hope that maybe some new embers will add to our group.  I guess that I will continue to do my monthly totals as it keeps me on track.  Maybe add in some type of summary line at the end of the month.  Will have to think about this.  

Shen -- we really are happy that you are back with us.  We wonder what happens when someone drops off for a while.  We know that life gets hectic and stuff happens that we have no control over but it is nice to come here and connect with people who understand this challenge we give ourselves. Because that is what it is a challenge not to spend needlessly.  To think about what we need and how we can get what we need without getting drawn into the enticements the retail giants want us to follow.

Need to get back  to work and off the computer in order to get a few more things finished before the day is done.    

Have a safe and Happy New Year to all of you.

[3catslady]

3catslady:  17 NSD, 14 CSD, 0 eating out days.

I got 3 more NSD but I want more.  I need to get my spreadsheet done for 2015.  I am thinking of joining the declutter thread to get my tubs cleaned out.  My granddaughter was going to help me but she can only help in the morning and I watch the kids in the morning.  So the only time I can do things is Wednesday afternoons/evenings, Saturday mornings and Sundays after church.  So far I have a list of 25 things that I want to get done and there is no timeline.  

As for financial matters,  I need to tighten the reigns on my grocery spending, especially the cat treat area.  My one cat thinks that the treats I buy are her food and is all the time pawing me to get more treats.  She was all the time going just outside the litter pan before her operation.  Now she goes in the pan and I give her 2 treats for doing that.  I have caught her just going over and scratching the litter and then coming over for her treat.  She didn't go but she made it look liked she went.

Looking forward to the new thread.  Have a safe and Happy New Year.

[shanendoah]

Update: 6 NSD, 10 CSD, 15 Spend

Calling New Year's Eve a controlled spend because the only thing I bought was YNAB, which I had been planning on buying, on a 75% off sale.

3catslady - an people say cats can't be trained Sounds like she's getting pretty good at training you.