2020 Controlled Spend/No Spend

[Iggy aka IG]

Lately:

$27.94 liquor store

$13.95 non work-related postage

Added to Monday's total $115.30 non-essential spending.

I went to the grocery store earlier this week, stuck to my list, and used paper and e-coupons which included 2 free items.    The grocery store no longer tallies up the percentage saved on each receipt.  The bottom does say annual Card Savings $267.37.  Nice.

[vetswife]

Thank you all for the condolences.

[jenpen]

Mar 2, 2020 9:00:07 GMT -5 jenpen said:

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!

Thank heavens for that controlled, low-spend February, because March was out of control with all the stocking up!

March: $1,595.79 (double my goal )

April: 701.63

YTD monthly average: $1,031 / 800 goal

Spending so far this month: 340.54

[jenpen]

vetswife, so sorry for your family's loss

[shanendoah]

Update: May 3/18

Not a lot of spending last week, but it was spread out over many days.

Sorry for your loss, vetswife



Running Year
Jan 11/10 NSD
Feb 10/9 NSD, 1 spend
Mar 13/10 NSD
Apr 19/18 NSD

[Iggy aka IG]

Another lost weekend.  I come to the office to relax, LOL.

Last Friday I bought my mom some miniature roses, which I'll call an essential expenditure.  Yesterday I bought DH and I lunch for $26 rounded.

MTD total non-essential spending $141.30.

Received the 'not driving as much due to stay in place' auto insurance refund today, so that was a nice surprise.

[nikiz628]

May 11, 2020 14:36:43 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Another lost weekend.  I come to the office to relax, LOL.

Last Friday I bought my mom some miniature roses, which I'll call an essential expenditure.  Yesterday I bought DH and I lunch for $26 rounded.

MTD total non-essential spending $141.30.

Received the 'not driving as much due to stay in place' auto insurance refund today, so that was a nice surprise.

Ours is supposed to arrive any time now, if I read the notice correctly.

[Blonde Granny]

Thanks to the help of Gardening Grandma, I went off the non-spending edge yesterday. Since I've had very little fabric for making my quilts, GG told me that Joann Fabrics was OPEN. That was all I needed to hear.

$245 later I was checking out and I had a cart full of stuff. Coming home and needing to put it all away I was like a kid in a candy store. I couldn't stop giggling, looking at all the great fabric that will eventually turn into donation quilts for the Lutheran Synod, I couldn't be happier. I also had a phone tutorial yesterday morning on my new sewing machine and I ordered a special part from Amazon that the dealer didn't have in stock. I also made a stop at Hobby Lobby and spent another $42.

The thrill that comes with knowing eventually others will have the use of what was actually my happiness of making these quilts is worth every penny that I spend.

[ners]

Blonde Granny  Good for you.  Sounds like these purchases will greatly help your mental health.  

[moneysquirrel]

vetswife -- I am sorry for your loss.  

Blonde Granny -- I think that you will be happy making all the quilts and for such a good cause. So IMHO a very great move.

I have been doing a little more spending recently.  Most of it was for needs -- groceries, car service, vitamins. etc.  I have the semi-annual AC/heating maintenance scheduled for tomorrow.  I think that I am the first appointment of the day so I am happy about that.  Figured that with us going into phase 1 next week they will get busier and my time slot may be  after several other visits so I am glad that I scheduled it this week before that happens.  I was assured that the technicians would be masked, gloved and have sanitizing wipes with them as well.  Also we have already had a few 90 degree days so definitely want that checked out before it is the consistent temperature.

I also ordered several items that were on sale that I will need later in the summer.  Could not resist the 20% discount. I do have several items in the Amazon and Target carts but have not placed the orders for them yet.  Nothing that I need just this minute but things that will be needed in the not so distance future.

Also several of the teachers from the cancelled craft retreat is allowing us to purchase the kits for the class that we would have taken had the event happened.  So to support these artisans I submitted my info for several kits.  Have no idea when I will need to officially order them.  I guess that once they receive the information from the event organizer I will hear from them.  May not be until sometime next month.

On the whole nothing out of line and nothing that is not needed in some form or another.

[moneysquirrel]

Today I decided to finally order all the items that was in the Amazon cart.  Several have been there for weeks and are things I needed for the house or crafts.  Most of these were postponed several times but I just figured that I might as well get them now.  Should have most of them prior to the end of the month.  These were split into 6 orders and already received info that one of them shipped. Still have a few on the wish list but they can wait a little longer before I order them.

Also sent a little extra to the car loan.  Will be paying that one off asap.  Already knocked many months off the time and may just decide to get rid of it soon.  No later than next month if all goes as planned.  Just want to get rid of it.  It is my only monthly payment other than utilities and monthly expenses like food, gas and other.

[Iggy aka IG]

Let's just say more frequent trips to the store really take a dig at my budget vs going only a few times monthly.  And I'm making up for what DH usually buys as he's laid up for a few months with a reduced budget.

Recently:

$ 53.72 liquor store

$ 51.13 take out

$246.15 running total of MTD non-essential spending.  This has got to be it for the month.  Time to start "depleting" some of that stimulus money purchased wine. 

[shanendoah]

Update: May 13/18

Probably won't make my goal this month. Just lots of little things spread out over many days. And I expect there will be at least 2 days of spending over the next 6 days - Friday night takeout and one day of grocery shopping. But for the most part, we are spending less just from the lack of incidentals.


Running Year
Jan 11/10 NSD
Feb 10/9 NSD, 1 spend
Mar 13/10 NSD
Apr 19/18 NSD

[moneysquirrel]

Just paid the last of the monthly bills and have no plans for any additional purchases this month.  Not sure if that will happen but will try to meet that goal.  Should have enough things in the house to eat that I can postpone the trip to the grocery for a little longer.  Will have to renew a RX and hope I have enough to just get it in June but may have to get it earlier.  Other than that I have nothing else in the immediate future.

Keep up the good work all.

[Iggy aka IG]

May 20, 2020 14:48:49 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

[snip]

$246.15 running total of MTD non-essential spending.  This has got to be it for the month.  Time to start "depleting" some of that stimulus money purchased wine. 

Spoke too soon.  Took DH to the Big City yesterday to drive him around to doc appts. and other errands.  I brought iced coffee, water, and an Atkins bar for breakfast, DH bought lunch, but of course I had to stop by the chocolate store on the way out of town.     $43.27 on treats for DH, dad for Father's Day, and me.  I did stick to my list at Walmart, and will do so this evening at the grocery store.

Total MTD non-essential spending $289.42.

[vetswife]

A lot of unexpected things this month but at least there is still money in the checking account.  Loaned DS1 money for the funeral expenses; he should get the life insurance check in the next two weeks and then will pay me back.  Had several home expenses: AC check up, exterminator, and work on the yard.  My grocery bill has stayed in the budget, and I finally got a tank of gas, the first since early March.  Today I bought some plants and potting soil, unnecessary but something I've been wanting to do for a while.

[Iggy aka IG]

vetswife, glad you bought the plants and soil.  It sounds like they might lend themselves to some beauty and relaxation. 

[Blonde Granny]

Since I don't have my cleaning ladies and haven't since February, I did the master bed ^ bath this morning, and will do dining room and kitchen tomorrow.....oh boy. But I did visit Walmart late this morning. I'd say 1/2 the people had their masks on and not a container of hand sanitizer to be found. I bought some green and red cabbage to continue my weekly binge with sausage tossed in, but even then only spent $47.

My freezers are still looking good and maybe tomorrow afternoon I can get back to my quilting. I'm anxious for the first of the month to arrive since I have YNAB straightened out, but it should be a good start on Monday.

[moneysquirrel]

I did get the RX last week but that was a need not a want so does not count in my numbers as I only picked up the meds and nothing else.

May Final Numbers:
NSD = 29
CSD = 1
SD = 1

On to June.

[Blonde Granny]

I need to refill 2 RXs, but they both come from the VA, so that's not a cost to me. I have enough Voltaren to last me at least 6-9 months, and grateful it is now available over the counter.

Today is clean the great room and the sunroom, and my neighbor has come home for a 2 week jaunt so all enjoy spending time with her.

[shanendoah]

Update: June 0/18
Final: May 16/18

Missed my May goal by a couple of days, but that's okay. It was meant to be a stretch, and if it were easy, it wouldn't be a stretch. I am going to stick with a goal of 18 NSD for June, though it will definitely take some planning, as BFF's toddler and C have birthdays (1 week apart) this month, and I will definitely be spending something on each of them. So I will just need to plan to do that spending on the same days I'm doing other spending.


Running Year
Jan 11/10 NSD
Feb 10/9 NSD, 1 spend
Mar 13/10 NSD
Apr 19/18 NSD
May 16/18 NSD

[Iggy aka IG]

A new month!  Here we go!

Stopping by the store tonight, and have a list which I will stick to.  DH is home on medical leave, and it has changed my shopping frequency a bit.  He used to buy his lunch and munchie stuff on weekends, and that has changed to me buying things he can make while I'm at work.  Oh, and gum, sunflower seeds, etc. as he stopped chewing tobacco nearly 3 weeks ago. 

[Blonde Granny]

I missed putting a line item in YNAB for pedicures, so corrected that this morning. I had my first one of the summer yesterday and it seriously needed it. At my age I can't bend that way anymore so it's definitely a necessity every couple of month. Total was $40 + $5 tip.

[moneysquirrel]

I got tired of monthly payments on the car and since I had the money saver in a sinking fund I pulled the plug and paid off my car yesterday.  Figured that the amount of interest on the loan was more than the interest I was getting in savings. I have been paying additional on it since the beginning of the loan and basically cut the time in half.

Also ordered two kits with one more to go from the designers from the cancelled retreat.  Wanted to support the artisans and also needed a few new challenges.   Also had the money for these saved.

Expensive start to the month but well spent in my opinion. 

[Blonde Granny]

Congrats on the paid off car....it's it nice to have no payments?

[Iggy aka IG]

Great job, moneysquirrel.  Congratulations! 

Liquor store last night.  Bought something for me, and a thank you something for our neighbor.  She mowed our field since DH is down.  The latter I'll consider necessary.

MTD unnecessary spending  $21.87

[moneysquirrel]

Thanks all.  It had been several years without any loans of any sort before I bought the car and just owing someone was driving me crazy.  I knew that my plans were to get rid of it asap and I did so.  Using most of my tax refund and all of the stimulus check made it possible for me to eliminate several months off the total.  Once it got to a manageable number I said to heck with it and paid it off.

I was able to order the third kit from the cancelled retreat.  One has already arrived and the other two are due next week.  Will not be working on much this weekend as I am beginning to hear the feeder bands from Cristobal.  

Will need to go to the grocery soon as I am beginning to run out of the basics.  Think I can hold out at least one more week.

[Blonde Granny]

Money S. I told Rigby that I should go to the store (in straight line with Cristobal for now) just because isn't that what one does when the bad weather is predicted. Anyway, Bought some deli stuff at Fresh Market, and took taco salad out for dinner. I actually have more than enough, but just in case....

Hope you stay safe MS....

Looking at the weather channel for us now, it looks it will miss central Ark. or maybe the entire state.

[moneysquirrel]

Blonde Granny -- I usually keep a few things of canned chicken and/or tuna on hand this time of year.  Also usually have several gallons of water as well. I have enough snacks on hand as well.  Earlier this week Mrs. Smith jumped out of the freezer into the oven so I still have about half of the apple pie left. I made a potato salad today so that I can have that tonight,tomorrow and maybe have a little left for Monday at least.  Needed to use up the potato anyway. 


Starting in May I begin to eat out of the freezer (I have one in the garage) as much as possible in the attempt to get everything into the smaller freezer section at the top of the fridge.  Not quite there yet, partly due to Covid, as I didn't want to run to the store often and I stocked up a little more than I usually do.  I was able to move some additional items this morning so slowly progress is being made. I hope that I will be able to unplug that one in garage soon until the end of the season usually late October. 

I live in a suburb of New Orleans and you can see from the map that I will get some of the storm.  I do think that sections east of us may get more of the rain and storm surge but I will get something.  If you get anything at all it will be weaker by then.

[Blonde Granny]

Money, usually in the spring is when I start to empty the garage freezer as well, but due to being mainly isolated I've added to the freezer instead. I think there are 5 cans of chicken in the pantry, too many loaves of bread, too much canned soup and the list goes on. And yesterday was about $50 at the Fresh Market.

The worst storm we've had hit in NW Arkansas was hurricane Ike a number of years ago. We used to live in Florida, so certainly understand hurricane prep. Hope you stay safe and have little if any damage.