2020 Controlled Spend/No Spend

[TheOtherMe]

I did have two one time bills in the last two weeks.  They were needs not wants.  Lucy's dental and a new refrigerator.  I did not go high end at all on the refrigerator and it is keeping the food cold like it's supposed to.  

I thought about switching from black to stainless steel as appliances needed replaced but the price difference for stainless caused me to stick with black.  It serves the purpose and that is all I need.  

[laterbloomer]

Feb 21, 2020 16:43:04 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

I thought about switching from black to stainless steel as appliances needed replaced but the price difference for stainless caused me to stick with black.  It serves the purpose and that is all I need.  

My last set of appliances I went with white for the same reason. But now it's the only thing "dating" my kitchen. I"m making the investment next time.

[TheOtherMe]

I'm old enough that there won't be a next time.  I'm sticking with my black appliances.  The dishwasher, stove and microwave are fine and I wasn't replacing appliances that didn't need to be replaced.

[Iggy aka IG]

The house we live in now has black kitchen appliances, and our prior had stainless.  While they are both a PITA to keep clean, IMO, I find the black doesn't show fingerprints and smudges like stainless. 

[TheOtherMe]

Feb 21, 2020 17:08:39 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

The house we live in now has black kitchen appliances, and our prior had stainless.  While they are both a PITA to keep clean, IMO, I find the black doesn't show fingerprints and smudges like stainless. 

This was another consideration as I hear my sister and others complain about her stainless.  

[moneysquirrel]

Monthly Update:  NSD = 15 CSD = 4 SD = 3
Ran a few errands to various craft stores today.  Picked up items that I will need in the future but not as of this moment in time so I am counting it as a SD.   Also paid the last of the monthly scheduled  bills today.  Just have to paid for the few items I charged the last few days that I have already reported.  Can't do so until it hits the website probably sometime next week.

[Iggy aka IG]

Went to the liquor store last night, and the car wash today.  Total MTD non-essential spending $1,039.95.

Oh, and correction to a prior post:  There were 5 shrimp on the pasta, not 4.  Found one hiding when eating the leftovers last night. 

[jenpen]

Updating my week #3 total to add another $41.31 for cigarettes, car safety inspection, monthly Sierra Club donation, and a couple cans of soup on sale. And starting the current / final week with a whopping $1.07 for entertainment. It's an exciting life I live

Feb 1-7: 118.41
Feb 8-14: 94.16
Feb 15-21: 169.24

Feb 22-29: 1.07

Total thru Feb 22: 382.88 (goal <=$800)

One week to go and I'm a bit appalled at how low my spending can be, given that it is normally at least twice this amount. Hate to think about all the wasted $$ on who knows what. Although, I was all stocked up on most of my daily use items at the start of the month, so this may not be a sustainable amount.

[vetswife]

Spent $26 yesterday taking DGD2 out to lunch.  Also bought gas, about $24.  That was my spending for the weekend.  I was at a church retreat which was paid for last month so just enjoyed it.

[Blonde Granny]

I finally called my PCP this morning.  $55 later was 3 RXs and some Zyrtec and Flonase.....plus another 3 boxes of kleenex.  I must admit though, I'm feeling a little better since the awful coughing has subsided.  I do YNAB RXs and other medical items in my budget so that helps.

[shanendoah]

Update: February 8/9 NSD, 1 spend

Thursday was my only NSD last week. Friday was Starbucks (to celebrate finally getting my open position hired). Saturday we did CostCo for a few quick things. Sunday I got my nails done and did some small shopping for my trip.
Today should be an NSD, which will meet my goal for the month. Because the rest of the week is vacation. Tomorrow will definitely include some eating out. Probably eating out at least once the rest of the week, too, but we'll see.

[TheOtherMe]

Have not been feeling well and have not been spending or doing much of anything else.

[nikiz628]

Feb 24, 2020 16:35:20 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Have not been feeling well and have not been spending or doing much of anything else.

Hope you are feeling better soon!! 

[Iggy aka IG]

$47 in popcorn for the middle school fundraiser.  What can I say?  I like my popcorn. 

Total MTD non-essential spending $1086.95

I also took two clients out to lunch today, but I consider that an essential business expense. 

[nikiz628]

Feb 27, 2020 18:59:45 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

$47 in popcorn for the middle school fundraiser.  What can I say?  I like my popcorn. 

Total MTD non-essential spending $1086.95

I also took two clients out to lunch today, but I consider that an essential business expense. 

I spent $23 on Blondie's cookie dough this week for a fundraiser my best friend is doing at her work. Sometimes, we just need to be generous lol. 

**The funds they raise will be used to buy beds for children in our area who do not have them. I feel like my $23 was well spent. 

[TheOtherMe]

I spent $6 yesterday on a book about growing up on a farm in Iowa during the Depression.  I've heard both of my parents talk about it and the book was recommended in a genealogy group.  Looking forward to receiving it.

[jenpen]

Feb 28, 2020 9:09:07 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

I spent $6 yesterday on a book about growing up on a farm in Iowa during the Depression.  I've heard both of my parents talk about it and the book was recommended in a genealogy group.  Looking forward to receiving it.

Oh, that sounds interesting! My dad grew up on a farm in Ohio during the Depression. Mind sharing the title?

[TheOtherMe]

The name of the book is In No Time At All by Carl Hamilton.  It's out of print, so you have to find it some place like eBay.  I paid $6 for my copy but I saw 1st edition copies on sale for close to $1000.  

[Iggy aka IG]

Feb 27, 2020 21:27:47 GMT -5 nikiz628 said:

Feb 27, 2020 18:59:45 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

$47 in popcorn for the middle school fundraiser.  What can I say?  I like my popcorn. 

Total MTD non-essential spending $1086.95

I also took two clients out to lunch today, but I consider that an essential business expense. 

I spent $23 on Blondie's cookie dough this week for a fundraiser my best friend is doing at her work. Sometimes, we just need to be generous lol. 

**The funds they raise will be used to buy beds for children in our area who do not have them. I feel like my $23 was well spent. 

This is fantastic, nikiz628.  What a great cause. 

[moneysquirrel]

Update: 19 NSD, 5 CSD and 4 SD

I am not planning to go anywhere today so these numbers are as of today.  Only one more day in February -- this year seems to be flying by -- and it should be another NSD.  I really have done much better this month.  Of course, last month had a lot of annual or semi-annual expenses but still I am doing better.  I have limited my visits to the craft shops and that has helped a lot.  Still have a lot of projects to do but have most of the items needed to complete them as of now.  

I did add that extra page in the spreadsheet that I record the daily expenditures and that also has be interesting to see where the day to day money is spent.  Most of the items are needed -- gas, food, RX, etc.  A few are planned fun -- lunch with friends, etc -- but these are usually only once or twice a month. 

This month I only purchased a few craft items some of which I needed for my class and a few things that I was out of and needed to complete projects on my list.  Beginning to make items that I know I will need for the craft shows -- most are in the fall but we have at least two before the end of May and may have others before the onslaught begins in September.  Definitely trying to keep an eye on this area as I have two craft retreats before the end of June and know that I will be getting things there.  Have been putting money aside for them each month so the out of pocket is mostly saved for.  I am hoping that I saved more than I need then I will roll the extra into the sinking fund area for the following years' retreats.

Keep up the good work all.  You have made great progress.  We all slip a little at times but the key is to pick ourselves up, dust off and start back on the road. 

[moneysquirrel]

Update: 19 NSD, 5 CSD and 5 SD
DS was in the area so I met her and DBIL for lunch.  Wasn't planned so today became a SD.  Came  home afterwards while she went to the mall.  I had a project to work on for a donation so did that for a bit instead. 

[Blonde Granny]

I was home all day today, and don't plan on going to church either tomorrow. It's a very large church and sometimes not much room to move around. I decided I'd rather stay home than wonder how many people have shown up and are sick and should have stayed home.

Monday is a toss up for home or not. Have had 1 VA email so far with instructions. Maybe for Monday they will tell the volunteers to stay home. If they do, I'm all in for that.

money squirrel, it is really difficult to believe it's the first of March already. Where has it gone?

[laterbloomer]

$250 in non essential spending. That is excluding my vacation week.

[jenpen]

Goal <=$800

Feb spending: $661.65

YTD monthly average: $913.43 but an improvement over January

The last week got kinda spendy (279.39!) with autoship of 140 pounds of cat litter (I get enough to qualify for free shipping 3-4 times a year), end of month bill for pest control, and picking up some OTC meds to have on hand so I don't have to go out sick.

But that's the lowest monthly spend I've seen in quite a while -- possibly years!  Thank you all for being here to keep me accountable!

[shanendoah]

Update: February 10/9 NSD, 1 spend; March 0/10
I think this is right. I had a No Spend Day last Monday. Tuesday I bought lunch. I don't remember buying anything on Wednesday. Thursday was a t-shirt at the zoo and tickets to see a comedian. Friday was concert tickets and gas. Saturday was more gas (twice) and CostCo. Sunday was Walgreens and Safeway. This morning I've had Starbucks. It's really Wednesday I can't remember for certain. I went to the grocery store with my father in the morning. He paid. But I honestly can't remember what we did with the afternoon. I think we did nothing, just hung around my father's house, but I can't remember for certain.


Running Year
Jan 11/10 NSD
Feb 10/99 NSD, 1 spend

[moneysquirrel]

Today turned into a spend day . I manage to get to the grocery for needed items but did add in a few wants, got gas for the car and then I decided to go to the craft store. Most of the items were things I needed to get things finished.  But at least one or two were not.  Not too much $$ but would have been better if I didn't go.  Stopped at an estate sale but did not see anything I wanted or needed so walked out empty.

[vetswife]

So far so good this month.  I spent $207 to get some plumbing work done which had been needed doing for a while.  I also cancelled my gym membership which I had used only once in the past year.  I exercise on my on every day, and our HOA has a pretty good exercise facility which is paid for by our dues, so seemed silly to have the other.  I'm looking for other ways to cut expenditures.

[shanendoah]

Update: March 2/10 NSD
I had a couple of days where I did not spend much (Starbucks only kind of days), but still spent something. Today, I have Starbucks and I've ordered a refill on my Rx. It's an incredibly exciting life.


Running Year
Jan 11/10 NSD
Feb 10/99 NSD, 1 spend

[jenpen]

My weekly update is overdue. I don't want to look at my spending so far this month any more than I want to look at my retirement account balances.  

[Iggy aka IG]

Except for an ER and doc follow-up visit, was home sick Feb 29th through yesterday.  This resulted in no spending except for RX and a fast food stop.  We'll see what the co-pays amount to.

Total non-essential spending $12-ish for the fast food.  I'll count the RX as essential.