2020 Controlled Spend/No Spend

[Iggy aka IG]

Friday payday came and went, and I did a majority of my Christmas shopping online.  I also had a bit of emotional eating via a few drive-ins.    Just $9.58, but still....  Year-end is coming to a close, and once again, I didn't contribute the max into my IRA.   Part of this is because sales are down this year.  I made some adjustments by cancelling my life insurance policy (my IRA will take care of final arrangements), and our umbrella insurance (we have $500K liability on our home policy).  I'll put the extra $100/mo into the IRA account moving forward.

Total MTD non-essential spending $719.26.  This includes the above referenced Christmas purchases, one liquor store trip, and the fast food.  I trimmed way back on gifts this Nov. vs. last by about $150.  I still need to buy a few small items next month, but will still spend less than last year.

[vetswife]

So far I've finished a lot of Christmas shopping; I'm always glad I've saved my CC points this time of year as they are paying for most of it.  There's a few smaller things yet but so far so good.

[vetswife]

I finally got the book donation to the library.  Today I have some clothing out to be picked up by a clothing drive by the Child Advocates in our county.  They can take worn out things too as that is recycled.    I sorted through a big box of keep sakes; got rid of some things but I guess the kids will have to go through it when I'm gone, as I couldn't let go of all of it!  Now I just need to sort through the sewing room and the garage.

[vetswife]

That was supposed to go on the declutter thread-sorry!

[Iggy aka IG]

Happy Friday!  I did a bit of Christmas shopping yesterday at Dollar Tree, and had a doc co-pay today.  The latter I'll consider essential.  Earlier this week I removed something from my Amazon purchase, as I knew I would find the same items, only more durable and less expensive, at the Dollar store.  Oh, and I bought myself a coffee after my doc appointment this morning. 

MTD non-essential spending $774.84

Have a fantastic weekend, friends.

[moneysquirrel]

Just got back from the grocery again.  Needed to get a few additional items for the Thanksgiving meal plus picked up a few items I was running low on -- like paper towels.  Also finally got some yeast as it is the first time I saw it in the stores. Definitely over the food budget this month but should have enough on hand that next month's should be lower.  Also had to replace a lot of what I had to dispose of when Zeta came through and knocked out the power for several days.

Checked out some dishwashers at the local store.  Still need to get to Lowe's to see what is available.  Didn't care for the ones that the local store had.  Will do that sometime next month as I hope to get that installed before the end of this year.  

Only have one more Christmas gift to purchase as my siblings and I agreed no exchanges this year.  Very relieved about that.  

Also have several things I have to order from Amazon so will be doing that early next week before the main push begins there.  I was waiting for a problem to be solved before ordering again.  Ordered a blouse that never arrived, money was refunded last week.  Now have no outstanding orders from them so will be adding to the shopping cart this week.  Recently diagnosed with HBP and need to order a monitor for that.  Waited to see which one the doctor recommended before ordering.  Will get a few other medical related items while I am at it.  

Keep up the good work all!  If I don't check in before Thursday I wan to wish all of you a very blessed and Happy Thanksgiving.  I am so grateful for my virtual friends.

[Blonde Granny]

I am done thinking about spending . Mine is so out of line I'm ignoring it until January 1st.

[nikiz628]

Nov 20, 2020 17:21:37 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

I am done thinking about spending . Mine is so out of line I'm ignoring it until January 1st.

Sometimes you just have to do that for your own mental well being. 

[shanendoah]

Update: November 14/16

Had a pretty good week. We did our CostCo shopping on Friday, and I did a quick grocery run on Saturday. No shopping on Sunday. I think there is some spending I am going to need to do today. But it looks like I am on track to make and do better than my November goal, which I am happy about.



Running Year
Jan 11/10 NSD
Feb 10/9 NSD, 1 spend
Mar 13/10 NSD
Apr 19/18 NSD
May 16/18 NSD
Jun 15/18 NSD, 1 spend
Jul 17/18 NSD
Aug 14/18 NSD
Sep 20/18 NSD
Oct 17/15 NSD

[moneysquirrel]

Nov 20, 2020 17:21:37 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

I am done thinking about spending . Mine is so out of line I'm ignoring it until January 1st. 

I am almost at that point.  However, I don't think January is going to get much better. 

*Discovered that someone backed into my car last week and left damage to the driver's side door.  I wasn't in the car and didn't notice the damage until a few days later.  Heard the noise first. Spent part of this morning on the phone filing a claim and getting that started.  Will not be taking the next step until after the next week as I have several appointments coming up.   
*Property taxes will be due before the end of this year
*Insurance premiums -- car, umbrella and house -- all due December and January-- with Flood due in February
*Need to order a new dishwasher -- the ones I looked at online will not be available until end of January at the earliest.  I have been without one since March.  Have been saving for one but may put it on a 0% cc if that option is available. 
*Getting the siding project started also in January

My accounts are going to be bleeding.  Sinking funds will be covering most of this.  Will need to pull from savings to get the siding completed.  Still don't like to see the numbers drop even if I know it is coming.  Good thing I am a saver.

[Blonde Granny]

Let's see Money Squirrel: using your list here

My car is seldom out of the garage, so it's usually perfect
Due to the VA I don't have to pay real estate taxes
I don't have to pay property taxes either
My insurance premiums are due in April and that money is escrowed
I just had a new dishwasher installed an paid for
I also just had a new GE refrigerator installed and paid for.
Fortunately my house is all brick. but I did have to pay to have a large tree removed

I have 3 credit cards, 2 have a -O balance
1 has balance of $550.00

My Christmas funds for 3 grandkids is also in my escrow account. 3 kids @ 150 each. No gift exchange with son or DIL.

2020 started off so well, I can only hope YNAB is kind to me and that my beginning balance this year will be easy on the checkbook

[moneysquirrel]

Blonde Granny -- My car is also in the garage.  I think someone backed into me in the parking lot when I went to get groceries.  Figured that they were not looking and bumped into my door and just left.  Definitely a white truck or car as I have white paint on the door of my silver car.  Not happy about it but I wasn't in the car so I was not hurt and the car door can be fixed.  The insurance money and the property tax money are in the sinking funds account.  Money for the dishwasher has been saved. I just have to go look at what is available -- have done online shopping and have narrowed it down quite a bit.  I have white appliances so even if I want one I will have to wait a few more months from what I have been hearing.  I can look at ones in the store that have different finishes to see the features and then get the ball moving on the replacement.  I have been doing dishes by hand since March when my old one decided to stop working and a few additional months won't be all that bad since it is only me.  Thanksgiving was done in disposable pans from the dollar store as well as disposable plates and utensils. I managed.   

[Blonde Granny]

I meant no criticism of your situation....it was just an easy way to keep track of what I had spent some money on. As of now, I have a few more items from QVC that will hit the credit cards then it's going to be OVER!!!. I did the no QVC last year starting in November and didn't buy anything from them until April. I should do so well.....

[moneysquirrel]

Blonde Granny -- No worries. No offense taken.  I think that both of us have similar habits -- both in lifestyle and in approaching finances.  What you refer to as escrow I call my sinking funds.  Different terms but similar meanings.

[Iggy aka IG]

Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend.

DH and I stayed out of town a few days.  He paid for the hotel, and I paid for fuel, meals, and housekeeping tip.  We also stopped at an ice cream store and vegetable stand.  On the return trip home, we went to a candy store so I could pick up a few Christmas gifts, and Starbucks.

Total MTD non-essential spending $988.58.

I decided to put the extra I was paying toward my truck loan and mortgage toward my IRA.  This amount, plus the amount I mentioned a few posts ago, will total about $200 a month.  I reallllllyyyy don't want to work for another 12+ years, but it is what it is, as is my retirement account.

[Iggy aka IG]

Me again.  Just calculated YTD through October non-essential spending:  $8,143.60.  The majority of that is entertainment, travel and gifts.  This just isn't going to cut it.

[shanendoah]

Final: November 17/16

There was some undisciplined spending this last week. Not so much that we didn't "need" the things (okay, we didn't need pizza for dinner on Tuesday and deviled eggs weren't a requirement for Thanksgiving), but more about not thinking ahead. We did a CostCo run on Friday, so that I could get a new tablet for under $100. But then we were back at CostCo on Sunday evening, and yet, in neither case did we really do a good CostCo run. We also didn't go actual grocery shopping.
Today was our one actual spend for the month. We decided to buy ourselves a hot tub as our Christmas gift to ourselves. (There's apparently been a pandemic run on them, and it won't be delivered for 4-5 months, but it's still our gift to ourselves.) We are going with the least expensive option that will meet our needs, so there's that, but it's still $3500 that we hadn't really planned on spending. But our recent trip to the timeshare with private hot tubs really reminded C that he's wanted a hot tub pretty much our entire marriage (so 17 years), and we're finally at a point where we can get one. We know the amount of work and expense for maintaining the hot tub. For us, its also an investment in our health. We both have chronic muscle pain/issues that soaking in the hot water really helps. But still, counting it as a spend.
I did start Christmas shopping for others over the weekend, too, but that was all planned for.



Running Year
Jan 11/10 NSD
Feb 10/9 NSD, 1 spend
Mar 13/10 NSD
Apr 19/18 NSD
May 16/18 NSD
Jun 15/18 NSD, 1 spend
Jul 17/18 NSD
Aug 14/18 NSD
Sep 20/18 NSD
Oct 17/15 NSD
Nov 17/16 NSD, 1 spend

[moneysquirrel]

November Totals: 13 No Spend Days, 8 Controlled Spend Days and 9 Spend Days


I ended the month with several no spend days. No shopping either in person or online for the last week. 

I always go over my food budget in November because I do the Thanksgiving meal. I always forget how pricey the oysters are.  That is usually the most expensive part of the menu but I only do it once a year and after years of attempts I think that I have finally nailed the recipe pretty close to my Mom's. 

Most of the CS Days were the usual monthly expenses and food. 

The visits to the craft stores and the online orders earlier in the months were my spend days.  Most of the items online were things I needed to get to monitor my health.  They are a one time purchase.  Needed a few skeins of yarn to add some additional colors to the afghan I am crocheting.  Most of the material in that project were things I already had on hand.  It is almost finished and I plan to use the last little bits and pieces for the fringe.  

The big bills will be arriving soon.  December through March are the months that I bleed $$$$.  Most of my large yearly bills come during these times. Money is saved for these.  Several will be placed on the CC so that I can get the points.

Christmas shopping is very limited this year.  My siblings and I have agreed not to exchange gifts this year.  Only a few more items to pick and several of them will be gift cards.  I can get them when I pick up my RXs.  Then a few little things to go with them.

I am going to try to eliminate as much unnecessary spending as possible this coming month.  Planning to stay in as much as possible to avoid crowds and people.  Tomorrow I have several errands and a medical appointment but the rest of the week should be mostly stay in place.  

Take care all! Stay safe and continue to wear the 

[Blonde Granny]

I returned a new iPad to Verizon yesterday.....let's just say it was about $700 and I hated the thing. In exchange I paid off my 4 month old iPhone 11. I have a few more QVC things to pay off and should have that done by Christmas.

My  3 grandkids each get a check for $150 and that money is already set aside, and already told my son I'm not driving to Nebraska for Christmas......no hotel bill, gas bill, etc. and no virus to worry about.  I'm staying home in my little brick house and watching Santa come down the chimney.

On edit: my neighbor came over this morning with her clippers and that facial razor thing......she used the clippers and the little razor thing on the back of my neck,  I haven't had my hair cut since perhaps May, but I digress...she did a great job on the back.  I plan to keep my hair growing out until sometime next year.  Seems as though in my life Im getting more and more unwilling to spend money.

[vetswife]

The November budget wound up in pretty good shape, thanks to credit card points which paid for most of my Christmas shopping and a big refund from the dental surgery office-my insurance finally paid!  I have just a few small Christmas gifts to take care of, already have cards and stamps from last year for the few people I send cards too, so my finances are looking better than they have for a while.

Blonde granny, I'm letting my hair grow too as long as I can.  I have had a couple of cuts since the pandemic started but with the surge have decided to wait it out.  

[Iggy aka IG]

Budget trimming continues.  Because it's open enrollment, I opted out of a life insurance supplemental for the upcoming year.  It made me nauseated as to how much my income was last year vs. this year.  Stupid virus.  Annual savings $77.

I asked DH to contact his cell phone provider today (we use the same company) and ask how much it would cost to add an extra line to his plan.  Hopefully it will save money if we bundle.  Then, I'll pay him for mine instead of the company.  Savings ?

I reminded him last night of how many long weekend trips we took this year.  He called them mental health breaks, which I agree.  However, I'll push for more camping trips vs. hotel stays in the upcoming year.  True, we couldn't camp for XX months this year because of his surgery recovery.  My two solo trips were a chunk of non-essential spending this year.  Reducing it to one will save approx $1,000.

Next, I'll reduce my trips to the hair salon in 2021 and tell the office window decorators I'm making changes in the upcoming year and will cancel their services.  These two combined should save $600 a year.

Oh, and I am trying to get a refund for some very expensive concert tickets.  The company won't refund unless the postponed concert is cancelled completely.  They gave me an option to resell them online, which makes me nervous.

[Blonde Granny]

I don't have a lot of places I could cut corners....well maybe I do and don't want to admit it.I don't need a monthly pedicure at $45 ea, I intend to let my hair grow so few if any $60 hair cuts. I can stop ordering from QVC and Amazon (right now I have no idea what much money I've spent.) I can still keep from having my cleaning ladies back at $142 each month. No eating out after choir each week since choir has been disbanded for now, same for eating out after church.

Verizon just lowered my phone by $5/mo since I paid mine off and took my new iPad back within the return period, so no money spent there.

Hhhhmmm, maybe I can do more to keep my budget in line than I thought. Thanks for the ideas and help Iggy.

BG

[Iggy aka IG]

It's my pleasure, BG.

Business wise, I don't see things getting better in the foreseeable future.  After consulting with my business mentor (aka Dad) I've made the decision to cancel one of our office phone numbers.  Annual savings $844.

[Iggy aka IG]

Checking in.

DH said the cell phone company representative needs both of us to be on the line in order to "relinquish" my account.  He didn't give DH a price, so we'll see.

Since this summer, I've been ordering monthly groceries, HBAs, and household goods online for pickup, so I know ahead of time how much the ballpark price will be.  I'll reduce that goal to a specific amount.  Total annual potential savings $1,800.

Totaling the changes mentioned on this page alone, not including the unknown cell phone change, has the potential of a $6,721 savings.  That's almost the max IRA contribution.  Nice. 

[Iggy aka IG]

Dec 1, 2020 18:25:17 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

It's my pleasure, BG.

Business wise, I don't see things getting better in the foreseeable future.  After consulting with my business mentor (aka Dad) I've made the decision to cancel one of our office phone numbers.  Annual savings $844.

Extra phone number successfully canceled.  I also reduced the main number bill by $26.45 a month for a $317.40 annual savings.

And, the good news is business is picking up, so perhaps commissions will swing back the other direction in 2021.

Other short term savings:  For New Year's Eve, DH and I will enjoy extra champagne purchased earlier this year, and chocolate covered strawberries I made and froze a few months ago.

Also, I must remember to use the remainder of a gift card we received last Christmas the next time we're in the big city.  I'm expecting a few more gift cards this year.  

Next up:  Call XM.  They are increasing the service by a few $$ again.   

[TheOtherMe]

Dec 2, 2020 17:49:10 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Dec 1, 2020 18:25:17 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Next up:  Call XM.  They are increasing the service by a few $$ again.   

Be sure and ask XM for the $5 per month deal and try to lock it in for a year.  Chiver's ended up at $6 a month and I don't know how long it lasts.

They always tell me that I've been a customer since 2006 and they are rewarding my longevity.  Until I heard about the $5 a month, I had paid full price for probably 10 years.

[Iggy aka IG]

~Balanced two checkbooks and found $31.61 in my favor.

~Needed a tire repair for $15, much less than buying a new tire.  I'll call this an essential expenditure.

~Bought a coffee this morning and tipped generously.

~Been watching old episodes of Til Debt Do Us Part during lunch breaks.  I love that show.

Total MTD non-essential spending $5.70.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

[moneysquirrel]

Paid two of the large expected bills.  Expect the next two/three in the next week or so.  

Christmas shopping have been completed.  Appointment for estimate for car repair is scheduled and I have been narrowing down the choices for the dishwasher.

Re: Hair -- mine is the longest it has been in about forty years.  I am beginning to like the longer length.

[TheOtherMe]

I have covid hair also.  I have cut the bangs but nothing else.  I haven't decided if I like it or not.

Read today that employees of Great Clips made an OSHA complaint about cleaning and number of employees working.   I think I'm glad I haven't been there.

[Iggy aka IG]

Yeah... speaking of covid.... I just had the conversation with my window artists to let them know we've made some changes to our 2021 marketing budget because sales are down.  The fact I looked at YTD sales this year vs. last year this morning helped reinforce my decision.