kcgal
Initiate Member
Joined: Dec 28, 2010 10:10:09 GMT -5
Posts: 73
|
Post by kcgal on Dec 28, 2010 10:30:33 GMT -5
I made it too. Now where ids the spell check?
|
|
|
Post by breezy on Dec 28, 2010 10:32:15 GMT -5
I'm new here. I like the idea of contolled spending thread to help me reach my savings goal for the new year. Hello to everyone!
|
|
dianartemis
Well-Known Member
God made me and started laughing
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 15:43:10 GMT -5
Posts: 1,722
|
Post by dianartemis on Dec 28, 2010 11:27:35 GMT -5
kcgal - don't go to the quick reply box, click on reply (there's an arrow next to it) and spell check is at the bottom of the reply box.
Welcome breezy.
|
|
shanendoah
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 19:44:48 GMT -5
Posts: 10,096
Mini-Profile Name Color: 0c3563
|
Post by shanendoah on Dec 28, 2010 14:50:22 GMT -5
Nice to see we're currently the most popular thread on the new board. Welcome to all the new folks. Its nice to have you join us. Please know that every person sets their own rules for what qualifies as a spend, controlled spend, or no spend.
I'm trying to make use of the new functionality and add one of my own pics for an avatar, and also link to my daily blog, but can't get the profile to save that information. I am going to have to keep playing with it, I guess, since I can see that at least one other person has gotten it to work. (At least the avatar part.)
edited to add: I got it figured out. Yay!
|
|
3catslady
Well-Known Member
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 22:29:16 GMT -5
Posts: 1,122
|
Post by 3catslady on Dec 28, 2010 22:28:37 GMT -5
I am going to start the new year with a new laptop, I think. I am also going to start buying a $10 gift card from Wal.Mart a week from my check. That way I will have at least $520 for Christmas next year. I may ever get a $10 gift card from a grocery store. That way I can use all of December's checks to pay another mortgage payment. I am going to put $10 a week in my one savings because I only pay mortgage from that account and I have about $75 left each month from that account. That gives me $35 a month to blow on what I want to.
|
|
redruby
Established Member
Joined: Dec 29, 2010 8:44:24 GMT -5
Posts: 270
|
Post by redruby on Dec 29, 2010 9:14:19 GMT -5
I'm here. I think it will all be ok. Our cheese just got moved.
|
|
|
Post by breezy on Dec 29, 2010 10:06:20 GMT -5
Hi! I was a lurker on the MSN boards. Finally decided to 'come out'.
|
|
moneysquirrel
Well-Known Member
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 13:12:39 GMT -5
Posts: 1,904
Member is Online
|
Post by moneysquirrel on Dec 29, 2010 10:43:30 GMT -5
Testing to see if my $ Squirrel showed up.
|
|
|
Post by breezy on Dec 29, 2010 11:33:58 GMT -5
How does this thread work? I have worked to set up a budget. Would a good Controlled/No Spend month be a month that I actually stick to my budget??
PS - I really like the idea of buying $10 gift cards each week - for Christmas 2011. I'm not sure where I will buy them from - my biggest gift giving is to my 17 yr old son. He was so disappointed this year w/the overcoat, hat, & gloves I bought him. I think next year, I'll stick to cash!
|
|
shanendoah
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 19:44:48 GMT -5
Posts: 10,096
Mini-Profile Name Color: 0c3563
|
Post by shanendoah on Dec 29, 2010 15:08:14 GMT -5
breezy: We all make our own rules. I'll tell you mine, and hope that helps. (But yes, a month where you don't spend out of budget is a good CS/NS month.) My goals tend to be to have 20 CS or NS days a month. That gives me 10/11 days a month to deal with unexpected expenses and not feel like I'm out of control. A No Spend day for me is a day where we do not spend any money via our debit card or cash. If it comes from a gift card, we're still NS. If its a bill that gets auto-deducted from an account, its still an NS. A Controlled Spend day for me is when we buy groceries or go out to eat (as long as we're still in budget for the month). Or, if an expense is planned. (All vacation days count, as long as we remain in vacation budget. I'm getting a massage Jan 15 - planned, therefore controlled, spend.) But just staying in my budget doesn't make every day a controlled spend day. Here's what disqualifies a day: - Vending machine purchase (my nemesis)
- Grocery stops for snacks for work
- Emergency house repairs (we just had to fix our furnace)
- Any other unplanned spending
DH and I each have a monthly "allowance" that we can spend on whatever we want. However, I tend to count the days when either of us spends our allowance in an unplanned purchase as a spend day. If I decide I desperately need a manicure in the next couple of weeks, that will be a spend, even if there is still money in my monthly allowance. If DH goes to the store and comes home with a random new game, that's a spend, but if he says Game X is coming out on this day and I want to buy it that weekend, then its controlled, because we planned it. I do things this way because an unplanned expense, even if its in budget, can mess the budget up. (All $ for the month don't appear on the 1st.) If we plan it in advance, so I know when the money will be coming out of the account and can make sure that there are no other issues caused by the purchase, then we're good. Additional notes: Ladies, I LOVE the character countdown box right below the posting window. It will let us know if we ever get close to being nitza'd. Speaking of nitza: Does anyone have her email so that we can make sure she can find us and tell us all about her wedding, once her life settles down. I can't wait to hear about Brazil. Spreadsheet geekdom: I was glancing over a post someone had made on YM about their excel spreadsheets and they mentioned doing graphs. I love graphs and couldn't believe I hadn't created them before. So, I am attaching my new 3 year graph set to this post. I think it tells a great story. Attachments:Checkbook.pdf.jpg (15.21 KB)
|
|
|
Post by breezy on Dec 29, 2010 15:23:20 GMT -5
Thanks Shenandoah for the explanation of controlled spend vs no spend. It's so cool that you have been tracking yourself for 3 years. Your spreadsheet is truly inspirational! I'm impressed at how you have gotten your spending under control. I'm going to start tracking myself starting 2011.
|
|
shanendoah
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 19:44:48 GMT -5
Posts: 10,096
Mini-Profile Name Color: 0c3563
|
Post by shanendoah on Dec 29, 2010 17:47:12 GMT -5
breezy: Remember, everyone sets their own rules. For some, a No Spend day is if they spend under $5. I can't do that because of my vending machine weakness. I've actually been tracking since 2003 or earlier. I just never did anything with the information until, well, exactly one year ago. (And I don't keep more than the three years on my active sheet. The older info is archived.) As you might be able to tell by the graphs, having a plan sure makes a difference in where the money goes!
|
|
ses
Familiar Member
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 14:18:37 GMT -5
Posts: 654
|
Post by ses on Dec 29, 2010 19:28:01 GMT -5
Shanen--I love your graphs. I have been spending the past few days getting my spreadsheets ready for the new year. I did one for 2010's irregular annual expenses(mostly to practice) and wow did the color coding make a difference! Si simple to summarize at the end of the year. I am also going to try to implement some of moneysquirrels ideas about setting goals and what percentage of attainment you have. That would be fantastic information. We will hope my excel skills develop that much.
|
|
shanendoah
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 19:44:48 GMT -5
Posts: 10,096
Mini-Profile Name Color: 0c3563
|
Post by shanendoah on Dec 29, 2010 19:56:23 GMT -5
ses: You have access to the internet. Anytime you want to do something in excel that you reasonably think can be done, type whatever it is you want to do and excel into google. You will find easy instructions on how to do it. Trust me on this, as it is how I've learned to do just about everything in excel
|
|
moneysquirrel
Well-Known Member
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 13:12:39 GMT -5
Posts: 1,904
Member is Online
|
Post by moneysquirrel on Dec 29, 2010 21:48:44 GMT -5
Update: 15 NS/CS Days -- Figured I transfer my numbers over here as well. Today was a spend day as well. I hope that tomorrow will be a little better. I do plan to get to Mich.aels to get some supplies that are on sale. They have a teacher appreciation day as well so there will be a discount on the entire purchase including sale items. shanendoah -- I love using the graphs in Excel. I have a 5 year record on mine. It is nice to see the differences in a visual matter especially when things are on the decrease. I do not like to see those increase that occur in the required areas of energy, car expenses (due to rising gas prices), or increased food prices. ses -- Glad there were some features of my spreadsheet that appeals as well. I like setting the goals and watching the percentages change. I had to add the spend column because if I sent money for insurance that I saved for insurance I wanted the pat on the back that the money was used for what it was planned. all -- still trying to get used to this board. For all the newbies many of us are still posting on the old thread as well. I expect that this will change once the old threads are shut down for good. For a good explanation of this group checkout the first page of the thread on the old board. I think that this will be transferred over to this thread soon. The major purpose is to be aware of our everyday expenses. Since we believe that anything that affects us also can impact our finances sometimes it seems we will get off topic but we always get back on track. Sometimes the thread will take off and other times it will be slow. I find that weekends and holidays are usually slow and that allows some of us to catch up on our reading of the thread.
|
|
moneysquirrel
Well-Known Member
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 13:12:39 GMT -5
Posts: 1,904
Member is Online
|
Post by moneysquirrel on Dec 29, 2010 22:22:07 GMT -5
coupon savings -- I saved close to $200 this week using coupons. Most of that was on the furniture I ordered (saved for and on sale as well) to replace my old set (I think it is older than some of our younger members of this board and has been planned for several years.). That will bring my yearly total to $650 (may be more but this much I am sure of). I think that I will continue to keep track in 2011. I have been transferring the amount every month into special place and will add the last bit in pieces (can't pull $200 from one paycheck).
|
|
munjoyhill
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 23, 2010 9:06:30 GMT -5
Posts: 181
|
Post by munjoyhill on Dec 30, 2010 8:40:43 GMT -5
Hi,
I have been with WIRR Northeast Region for a year and a half, racing my debt, now I want to tighten things up even more and have No Spend days. I also recently joined the WIRR Savers.
My definition of a "No Spend" day is simply not spending on things I haven't budgeted for (eating out is my biggest challenge).
I am still working on my budget for 2011, and will incorporate my No Spend days.
January 2011: 15 No Spend Days
Does anyone "reward" themselves for reaching your monthly goal? For example, if I reach my 15 No Spend Days do you have some available money in your budget to put away into savings, or open an Ing account? But not spend it, I don't mean a reward sort of thing to spend aimlessly.
Here's my thought process: I probably go out to lunch twice a week, and spend $5.00 per lunch, so that would be $10.00 per week in potential savings. If I don't spend that $10.00 per week ($40.00/month), does anyone take that saved money and invest it, or save it, or put it in a special account?
Peggy
|
|
|
Post by breezy on Dec 30, 2010 9:38:43 GMT -5
Hi All! Thanks for providing an explanation for us newbies.
I am going to set my goal for January 2011 at 20 No Spend Days. I like the idea of having a reward for meeting the goal - don't know what that will be just yet.
|
|
mrslynch
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 22, 2010 10:58:15 GMT -5
Posts: 176
|
Post by mrslynch on Dec 30, 2010 9:52:11 GMT -5
shanen--that's a great explanation of your cs/ns rules! i'm glad that you mentioned that we each make our own rules because that's important to note, especially for the newbies. what i like the most about this thread (besides the people) is that is makes me accountable but on my own terms. as each one of us manages our money differently, it would be hard to set down concrete rules for what constitutes a controlled spend vs. a no spend. for instance, i count anything that's planned and budgeted, like bills or groceries or gas, in my no spend category. if it's unplanned and unbudgeted but totals under $5, it's a controlled spend. anything else is a spend. take yesterday--i bought a copy of the girl who kicked the hornet's nest. i count that as a spend day since it was unplanned and totally spur of the moment. but today, since i forgot to pack lunch, i will have a controlled spend since my lunches when i go out are under $5. also, if my husband spends money out of his allowance, i count that as a no spend regardless of amount. but if he spends unbudgeted joint money, it's a spend. this method works for me, since i can see exactly where i'm spending money on necessities and how much is frittered away but in an uncontrolled and controlled manner. munjoyhill--i don't have a set plan with what i do with the money i save each month. my dh and i each get some money each month as an allowance and if i don't spend it, it just sits in my checking account. i kind of like watching my money grow in my checking account (even though there's no interest) because when i do spend my money, it tends to be on higher priced items (like mac makeup). i like knowing that the money is there if i want it. 2 questions--1)did anyone watch the extreme couponing documentary on tlc last night? i did and i was just curious what others thought of it. 2)i'm in dire need of a new laptop and i have about a $400 budget. i know that i can get one that fits my needs for that amount of money but i'm wondering what particular brands of laptops you all use and if you're happy with the brand or not. my old laptop was a compaq and it crapped out completely in 2 1/2 years. i'm not planning on buying a new compaq. any recommendations?
|
|
|
Post by breezy on Dec 30, 2010 10:34:30 GMT -5
[did anyone watch the extreme couponing documentary on tlc last night? i did and i was just curious what others thought of it.]
I missed it, but there is a discussion about it on the Grocery thread.
|
|
constanz22
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 14:32:17 GMT -5
Posts: 4,219
|
Post by constanz22 on Dec 30, 2010 10:57:26 GMT -5
mrslynch Yeah, I watched the Extreme Couponing show. I'm a BIG couponer and I thought it was awful. The first woman was a total wacko, or at least portrayed that way. The only one I even remotely liked was Joyce, the third one they profiled. I stockpile on a small scale, and even I think I go overboard at times, getting more than I'll use in a reasonable time. Most of them were just rediculous...no store is going to let you shop like that either. I really hope it was a one time show and not a series...I think it can give us couponers a very, very bad name.
I got a Toshiba laptop last Black Friday from Best Buy. It was under $300. I like it and haven't had any problems with it. My last "cheap" laptop was an Acer and that crapped out in about 2 years. I've heard good things about Toshiba, so, hope I have better luck with this one.
|
|
mrslynch
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 22, 2010 10:58:15 GMT -5
Posts: 176
|
Post by mrslynch on Dec 30, 2010 11:05:31 GMT -5
constanz--i'm going to have to get used to calling you that! that's pretty much what i was thinking, too, especially about the stores. i wonder if the stores had to sign some kind of agreement to allow that to happen. especially the first, whacked out of her mind, bordering on hoarding lady. i could not believe how angry she was getting. it was making me angry! i posted on the grocery thread about it, too, based on breezy's suggestion. thanks for the info about the laptop. i've heard people say good things about acer, so it's good to have a different perspective. at work, we use dell and they've been good to us (my dh has a work-issued dell laptop that is fantastic); i get a discount through the manufacturer. maybe i should check that out, now that i'm thinking of it...
|
|
shanendoah
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 19:44:48 GMT -5
Posts: 10,096
Mini-Profile Name Color: 0c3563
|
Post by shanendoah on Dec 30, 2010 11:30:22 GMT -5
Update: 12 CS + 8 NS = 20 of 20 5 of 10 MOAN This is my update line for today. I am hoping to get 1 more CSD (today) and 1 more NSD (tomorrow) but I have reached my goal for the month. However, I did have a bonus goal of reaching 10 NSD, and that won't happen. Last night was a spend for us because we decided to go to a movie and dinner with a couple of friends. It was all in budget, both allowance (movie) and eating out, but it hadn't been planned, so a spend it was.
MOANs (for the newbies) are Move Our Ass Now days, ie exercise. I find physical and fiscal discipline take a lot of the same set of skills, so I am grateful for the ladies here for being open to tracking both. Goals: Yesterday I was looking back at what my first goals were when I started on this board 11 months ago. I wanted to get 12 NSD - 3 weekdays, each week, where we didn't spend anything. That changed after the first month, and I went to the more achievable goal of a combined 20 CS/NSDs. It took me a couple of months to reach that, but I have now, and I think its time to stretch for a new goal. I am going to make it my goal for the first quarter of 2011 to reach 12 NSD a month. We (and many others) have been very lucky that Congress has kept extending UE benefits. It now looks like DH will have benefits through June (over 2 years since he was laid off, but he worked for the census this summer, extending the timeframe for benefits). We have been essentially living on my income for quite some time, with all of his UE money going toward paying on my graduate SLs. I've redone the budget for the first half of 2011, and now, all of the UE money will be going into savings to pay for DH to be back in school. But in June, DH really will be done with UE, so we need to make sure we have a cushion and are already living on the budget we need to be on in order to make it possible for him to complete 1.5/2 years of school without us taking out more SLs. That means we need to buckle down and get better at planning. Hence, my goal to get us to 12 NSDs a month within the first quarter (and then maintain that). It might be easier than I think, with DH in school 2 nights a week. Or, it might be much more difficult, if DH decides he wants to buy himself dinner or a snack on nights he's in class. Either way, planning is going to be the key.
Rewards: I don't use rewards for meeting my goals. In the most part, the reward is that we stayed in budget, and I never had to move around scheduled payments or savings transfers to accomodate for unplanned mid month spending. For me, simply feeling in control is reward enough. However, I'm pretty sure moneysquirrel transfers the money she saves with coupons to a savings account, and I think others might transfer any money they have left over at the end of the month to savings, as well. I think that's a great, fiscally smart way to reward yourself. And maybe once that savings reaches a set amount, you then invest it.
laptops: MrsL and 3Cats, finding laptops within your budget should be pretty easy. Besides Wally World, where I know 3Cats mentioned, keep your eyes on the Best Buy weekly specials. We almost never shop there, but my most recent laptop came from there over 2 years ago, for right around $300, and it was just a random mid-week special they had. Its an eMachine, and I think that by now, its lasted longer than my fancy Dell did.
|
|
moneysquirrel
Well-Known Member
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 13:12:39 GMT -5
Posts: 1,904
Member is Online
|
Post by moneysquirrel on Dec 30, 2010 14:27:12 GMT -5
One last post on this one before making the more to the January thread. Newbies -- We usually start a new thread each month. It allows us a start over time and prevents having too many pages to scroll through. Look for the January Thread which is now up and running. Shanendoah -- I decided to try to keep track of my coupon savings this year just for fun. I then started transferring that amount monthly to savings. I would have spent that money if I didn't have the coupons so this is a way to even things out. That extra money will be used as a treat for something special. Thinking about the next NS/CS meet-up for one. The only reason I saved so much this month is due to the furniture company running big coupons on pieces that I have been shopping and looking at for over a year. Finally decided to bite the bullet and spend the money already saved for the furniture and used the coupons to boot.
|
|
azmom
Established Member
Joined: Dec 21, 2010 12:31:41 GMT -5
Posts: 256
|
Post by azmom on Dec 30, 2010 18:30:19 GMT -5
munjoyhill: When I first started I couldn't afford to "reward" myself but I wrote our a calendar for that month on an index cards and gave myself a star or smiley sticker whenever I achieved a NSD...that was all it took for me to think twice about shopping. Anytime I was convinced I was going to spend money on an item (mostly books), go out to eat, etc. I took that money and applied it to whatever CC we were paying off at that time. If I am having a real hard time with eating out or staying within the grocery budget, I play the whatever money I have left over from the grocery budget is mine to keep!! It is important to set a reasonable and practical reward (i think)...there is no sense in achieving a certain amount of NSD to reach a savings goal and then go and spend all of the money you saved on NSD on a reward. You know? Anyhow, Welcome that was a great question. ALL: Make sure to join us on the January thread.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Mar 28, 2024 8:25:27 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2010 23:07:07 GMT -5
There isn't a New Year's Eve party this year?
|
|
ses
Familiar Member
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 14:18:37 GMT -5
Posts: 654
|
Post by ses on Jan 1, 2011 17:26:54 GMT -5
This is the first day of the new month and new year and I want to welcome all of the newbies to join us on the new January 2011 thread. We start a new thread each month. That way there are not so many pages to work through, and a chance to start anew if we have a not so successful month. I know you are out there, lurking won't help your bottom line as much as posting will. See you on the new thread.
|
|