2022 Controlled Spend and No Spend

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Welp, April is not going as well as I'd hoped it would. 
DH is contracted to begin his next job on July 1st. 
However, no one is steering that ship, so various staff keep calling him for guidance. 
That turned into several hundred dollars spent at restaurants to hold meetings. Sigh. 
I also splurged on tickets to Jim Gaffigan, and I waaaaaaaaay overpaid. I'm annoyed with myself, but I am excited to see Jim Gaffigan live in August. 
Clothing is a specific category I've decided to control this year, and this month has gone well for that. We've purchased one belt for DH for $7.99 and what I call "sleeping in bras" for me for $12.79. HOwever, I'd vowed to not purchase anything for our house as we are moving. I found a duvet comforter on clearance, so I bought that--$60. 

Anyhoo, the non-essential expenditures for this month currently total $1,813.68 and took place on 11 days.

[laterbloomer]

I'm not doing so great with NBS either. The big ticket things were my Mom's birthday at the beginning of the month, easter candy for everyone and a new tv So GW3 could have one in her room. I have not bought any clothing so that part is going well. I month down, just 11 to go.
Here's hoping May is better.

[azucena]

Chloe - seems like tickets for anything have way increased in price as have the fees.  I'd say a night out laughing at Gaffigan is just what the doctor ordered for you.

I spent way on theater tickets this year but they are worth every penny for my time with DD13.  And, I'm starting to become something of a theater buff myself

[catsareme]

April has been an expensive month with an unexpected death in the family.  

Next month the plumber will start correcting the mistakes made by the original plumber when he installed the water treatment system.  Latest estimate was ~$3,500. 

DH has a dental appointment the end of May with a substantial co-pay due at time of service.

The JD Gator is still at the repair shop.  I cringe to think how much it's going to cost to fix it.

My slush fund, home maintenance fund, rainy day account and emergency fund are all taking major hits.  Lots of spending but none of it frivolous.  

[Iggy aka IG]

catsareme 

[moneysquirrel]

Apr 25, 2022 18:04:32 GMT -5 catsareme said:

My slush fund, home maintenance fund, rainy day account and emergency fund are all taking major hits.  Lots of spending but none of it frivolous.  

 I am having similiar feelings as this plumbing issue seems to go on forever.  I think that I am in the middle of the process.  Now waiting for the plumbing inspection to be scheduled by the parish (county).  Once that is done then the area will have to be backfilled and then I need to contact my pest service to have the house retreated for termites.  Anytime so much soil is distrurbed I need to have retreatment done.  Hope that this will be the end of the major repairs for a while so that I can rebuild the home maintenance and the emergency funds. 

Picked up a few items at Home Depot this week.  A few herbs as well as an African violet.  I had a few of those but not with this color.  Saw a second one I want but resistence the pull yesterday.  I may still return to get that other color.

[Iggy aka IG]

Ah, yes, homeownership.  Our latest project was opening the oven to confirm the igniter failed.  Yep.  However, I'll take a $30 igniter over a $500+ new oven.    Next up:  Call someone to tend to our well.  Good times....

End of the month wrap-up non-essentials:
$192.69 liquor store, coffee, gifts and cards
$10.50 truck wash
$7.55 XM radio

Essentials:
$28 new hairdryer
$591.74 food, including $325 for the quarter beef
$123.45 health, beauty, and TP

I won't list business expenses, as I consider those essential and separate.

[catsareme]

Iggy aka IG - Thank you for the hugs, most appreciated!!

Thank you moneysquirrel and Iggy for the support.  It helps to know that I am not the only one slogging through home and family crises.  I fell into the Pity Party rabbit hole but I'm back up and ready to do what's necessary to get my various funds filled back up in preparation for the next OMG moment.  

moneysquirrel if you have the extra money buy the other African Violet.  A bit of natural beauty goes a long way in making life worth living.

[seriousthistime]

I posted this in the Savers thread, but it is just as appropriate here if not more so.

Twice this past week I stopped myself from shopping out of boredom.  

I need to be more aware of this. 

I was just going to say that a necessary expense was a new pair of walking shoes, now that my dog can walk longer distances and is better behaved on a leash. Actually, I DO need a new pair of walking shoes, but for today, all I need is a new pair of laces which I have on hand.

[laterbloomer]

I've managed one whole month not buying clothes. Go me! 😁

[countrygirl2]

I just paid $1369 for car insurance, $1186 for house insurance, $180 for umbrella coverage, and $2100 for property taxes, that is for a year for all those. All essentials.

$429 for scripts in a few days, going to cost $1098 for 3 months scripts. Add in $600 a month for my ins premiums, so almost $3000 a quarter or $1000 a month for MY scripts and premiums. My worry is how much more are the prices going to keep rising. 

And we are retired, fun and frolic.

[TheOtherMe]

Apr 29, 2022 13:10:37 GMT -5 seriousthistime said:

I posted this in the Savers thread, but it is just as appropriate here if not more so.

Twice this past week I stopped myself from shopping out of boredom.  

I need to be more aware of this. 

I have done this.  I can not always stop myself but I am so much better at stopping myself than I used to be.

[moneysquirrel]

Apr 28, 2022 16:38:59 GMT -5 catsareme said:

Iggy aka IG - Thank you for the hugs, most appreciated!!

Thank you moneysquirrel and Iggy for the support.  It helps to know that I am not the only one slogging through home and family crises.  I fell into the Pity Party rabbit hole but I'm back up and ready to do what's necessary to get my various funds filled back up in preparation for the next OMG moment.  

moneysquirrel if you have the extra money buy the other African Violet.  A bit of natural beauty goes a long way in making life worth living.

I do plan on getting the other one if they still have it when I go back nect week.  I was purchasing with cash and was not sure if I had enough with me for the 2nd one.  Did not want to use the CC for this small purchase.

[moneysquirrel]

Apr 29, 2022 13:10:37 GMT -5 seriousthistime said:

I posted this in the Savers thread, but it is just as appropriate here if not more so.

Twice this past week I stopped myself from shopping out of boredom.  

I need to be more aware of this. 

I was just going to say that a necessary expense was a new pair of walking shoes, now that my dog can walk longer distances and is better behaved on a leash. Actually, I DO need a new pair of walking shoes, but for today, all I need is a new pair of laces which I have on hand.

Like TheOtherMe I have also done this. I really don't shop out of boredom but I have to be careful not to pickup up something as an impulse buy.  Also the other questions I frequently ask myself is "Where are you going to store it?" and " How often do you plan to use it?" 

[nikiz628]

I am not even sure where April went- we've been so busy it just flew by. 
H and I are dubbing this "Mindful May" with the goal of being more mindful with money, life choices, health for the next month. 

[moneysquirrel]

April Totals:
NS = 20 Days
ES -- 5 Days
NES -- 5 Days

I hope that May will be better on the pocketbook.  I do know that I will have a little bit more to pay on the plumbing issue and that I have some routine maintenance items this month. 

catsareme -- You will be happy to know that they still had the plant that I passed over and that I got it and a few others as well.

 

[catsareme]

moneysquirrel - woohoo, lucky you!!  Most times if I pass on an item and then decide I really want it after all...it's gone.

I can't bring myself to write down how much money I spent in April except to say it was A LOT!!

My goal is getting through May in the black.  I will be a happy camper if everything is paid-in-full on the 31st.

[Iggy aka IG]

Because I won't see my mom this weekend, I ordered flowers a plant to be delivered tomorrow.  An online coupon saved me just over $19.  

I need ink cartridges here at the office, so I ordered them from Office Depot using the $20 reward from the recycled ink and toner I brought in a few months ago.  Their free shipping saved me even more.

Other than a trip to the liquor store, a hair product, and buying myself a $4.87 bouquet of flowers, I've been keeping a tight ship so far this month.

[catsareme]

Happy Mother's Day to me.  Treated myself to lunch out (using a gift card) and then went to a local nursery and bought four new peony plants and two bags of calla lily bulbs.  The nursery gives a 10% military discount, so I saved a few dollars on my purchase.    

[moneysquirrel]

The last few days have been spending days. Most of the items were needed and planned for -- RXs, gas, haircut, monthly/quarterly/annual premiums. I also picked up some chocolate, a new pair of shoes and a GC that I will use later.   Also I will be purchasing/ordering soon  the kits for the upcoming craft retreat.  I have most of the money for them in a sinking fund. Retreat has been paid for.  

I hope that this is the end of the unplanned spending for this month.  None of the monthly bills have come in yet and still waiting for the balance due for the plumbing repair.  

I hope to stop the bleeding soon.  

[countrygirl2]

We are keeping up, the ins and taxes I knew were due, getting back $4k because of solar credits was nice, so putting it in the MM account.  

But the ins and premiums for me is what bothers me, annual raises are bad enough, but this is getting hairy.  I have quite a few scrips that are zero with mail order then I have 3 or 4, ouchie. 

I'm trying to stop the impulse purchasing too. I did good yesterday, I knew I only wanted the new patio table at Ollies and I bought it, was $88. The one that just fell apart was very expensive but I had it for over 10 years yet still it just disintegrated. But it was a planned purchase.

I'm not spending for clothing or fabric and not for patterns unless they are a couple dollars each. I did get a navy blue pair of shoes, I haven't been able to wear fashionable shoes for years. I have a pink pair of canvas I haven't worn yet, they are good ones, then I found a yellow pair for $39, hope they are ok, very cheap for me. I have lavendar ones, I haven't worn yet, got them last year. I need to look through my closet. There are 3 pair of winter boots and I found 2 pair of sandals, these feel really good. I have fabric to sew to match my shoes also, love matching things. There are some purses that match too or neutral colors, not buying any of them either, have plenty of good leather purses.

$100 for a supply of cat food, let it get too low, hope this is enough for 2 months.

[moneysquirrel]

I ordered half of the kits needed for my classes this coming summer.  Still waiting for the info to order the last half.  I have money in the sinking funds to pay for these.

Scheduled the last two annual/semi-annual inspectios this morning for later this month.  Both of those will require a payment.

Still waiting for the last of the plumbing bills to come in and later this week I expect the monthly bills to start arriving.  

I do need to get a new pair of walking shoes as one of the pairs I have been using came apart on Saturday.  So will stop and shop one day while I am out running errands.  I think things will be getting somewhat back to normal soon.  

[seriousthistime]

I got the Skechers walking shoes. 

And then, because my blue sandals are showing a lot of wear and tear, I splurged on a new pair of Clarks. I live in a place where sandals are year-round footwear.  The sale was 50% off a second pair. 

The walking shoes and sandals are super comfortable. So, now, I need to purge the old ones. 

[Iggy aka IG]

seriousthistime, I Googled Clarks sandals and they look very comfortable!  Last fall I bought a pair of waterproof Skechers hiking boots and love them very much.  Lightweight and supportive, I love walking in them.  

[moneysquirrel]

Quick check in.

Waiting a week or so on the new walking shoes -- too busy to bother trying to go this week. I think next week will be better and I have an appointment almost directly across the street for the NB shoe store.

All of my kits for my classes have been ordered plus a few other things. Money in the sinking funds will pay for these and I might even have a little to roll over to next years' retreat.

Plumbing bill is paid.  Still have the AC maintenance contract to pay but have to reschedule the appointment. 

Hoping things calm down for the next month or so. 

[laterbloomer]

I've managed to not buy any clothes yet so that makes 2 months down, just 10 to go.

[catsareme]

Still waiting on the plumber... 
The JD Gator is still in the shop waiting to be repaired... 

It feels as though the sword of Damocles is hanging over my head.  With my luck both of these bills will hit at the same time.    

[Iggy aka IG]

Holy smokes, halfway through the month already.  And forget what I said at the end of March about not travelling for a while.  I have an opportunity to go to Hawaii and I am going for it.  Most things will be paid for, so I splurged for first class ticket upgrades.

Mid-month non-essential spending:  $2,203.11

Thank goodness for a decent bonus this year.  

[catsareme]

So far in May CSD/NSD:  12/31   Not one of my more stellar months but keeping my head above water. 

The plumber is now scheduled to begin work on 3 June.  I'm quite sure it's going to be a multi-day project.  The bill isn't due until the work is completed so a bit of breathing room for the time being. 

No word on the JD Gator.  I think like so many businesses the labor shortage is causing delays in getting the service work completed.  Well, as long as the UTV stays in the shop the repair monies stay in my pocket.

The settlement of the DS1's estate is moving along but very slowly.  Since he died intestate, all expenses have been out of pocket until I am officially named executor.  This experience has pushed DH and me to make sure all of our financial affairs are in the best order possible for our executor.         

[TheOtherMe]

May 19, 2022 16:36:35 GMT -5 catsareme said:

The settlement of the DS1's estate is moving along but very slowly.  Since he died intestate, all expenses have been out of pocket until I am officially named executor.  This experience has pushed DH and me to make sure all of our financial affairs are in the best order possible for our executor.         

My uncle lost his low income senior housing when he inherited all of her money, etc. when she died suddenly intestate.  He had been after all 3 of his kids to get wills, etc. but none of them did it.  She was single so it all eventually went to him and he had to move.  That senior apartment was where he had lived with his wife and he did not want to move.