Judicious June Controlled/No Spend Thread

[shanendoah]

I started off the month with an NS! Okay, so it was a Wednesday, and Wednesday's are almost always NSs, but still, I'm taking it as a sign of good things to come for the month.

red: Gald your friends and family are safe. When tornados hit NC a couple of months ago, I also had family with severe property damage, but luckily no one injured.

beachbum: Welcome!

The roomie moves to Austin, Texas this Saturday. I know he never really expected to be with us this long- over 6 months, but since he got the job offer, everything seems to be moving so quickly.
I will forever be grateful that he was with us for Smokey's last week, so that my baby never once had to be left alone. I realize that Smokey probably didn't notice (he slept on our bed when we weren't home, and had June in the room with him) but it did wonders for my peace of mind.
We, of course, already have the cousin, and my mom will be visiting the last week in August, and my Dad wants to come spend some time probably in September, so we won't really have our house back to ourselves until after that.
But we will miss the roomie. Still, he's moving on to a dream job, and Austin, by all accounts, is an amazing place (if way too hot for me).

[redwagon]

smokey - yeah I didn't really notice the issues with the back door until we moved in, and then it was tolerable for a while. But it's gotten bad, so I figure if we're doing the front we might as well do the back too. Excited to have pretty new doors that actually latch...

[973beachbum]

Okay for today I spent $56.36 at the grocery store today.

I am keeping a money diary. So half my money gone but for me this is half way though my week. Who knows what this will bring. ;D

[startsmart]

morning beautiful peoples I'm in a good mood since I didn't wake up to dog puke on my bedspread (unlike yesterday)!

Working and listening to iTunes, such a nice day outside too! I don't anticipate needing to leave the house, I might load up the Jeep for Goodwill but otherwise I'm staying put today and planning another NSD

[moneysquirrel]

Update: 1 NS and 1 CS day = 2 NS/CS days
Spent the day at home today so it was an easy NS day. Caught up on some of the chores.
Red -- glad everyone is ok after the weather event in the NE
Tired tonight so good night all!

[DVM gone riding]

0/2 right now, will hopefully do better on the weekend

[sheilaincali]

Update: 1/20 NSD.

DH and I went out for dinner last night (and brought a to go box home for DS). DH was in a mood and didn't want to have to cook. We ran into a friend and bought him a beer while he sat and visited with us. it was a nice and peaceful evening.

My brother is coming in to town tonight so there will be a command appearance at my mom's house. He lives 4 hours away but you would think it was a national holiday every time he comes down here. Wouldn't be so bad but he is kind of an ass. He likes to make rude statements and stir up trouble and then run back home and leave a path of destruction in his wake. His wife is nice and his kids are ok so it's not all bad I guess.

Insurance decided to total out DH's truck. Waiting for the settlement offer. They have known the repair amount since Tuesday and it's now Friday. Really hoping to hear something by the end of the day.

[redwagon]

Pretty sure I have 2 NS days already. Not too shabby. This weekend will be spendy since it's my five-year reunion and there's Red Sox game involved. We all know how pricey stadium food is. Psyched for my first trip to Fenway in almost five years. Ridiculous... then I'm taking Monday off to check out WMass and see the damage for myself. I see it on the news and everything and I recognize places I used to drive everyday but it's still not real. Need to see it in person. My mom's coworker's house is completely gone, and one of her students' moms was injured and is in the hospital. Feel so bad for all of them.

Thank you for all your kind thoughts. Truly lucky when I think how close it came to some of my loved ones.

[shanendoah]

WooHoo! 2 NS! Yesterday might have been a Gas Only NS (I forgot to look at the tank this morning to see) but still. Its nice to start a month out on the right foot every once in a while.
Tonight is the roomies last night in town. DH will be making Teriyaki chicken (roomie's request) for us and a couple other people in our core group. Since its not something he usually makes, there's a good chance we'll need to run to the store for a couple things, but we're otherwise going to be homebodies tonight. We'll take the roomie to the airport in the morning.

I'm not really certain what the plans are for this weekend. Due to how busy we were last weekend and DH's finals, we didn't take groceries to the MIL until Wednesday, so I don't know if we'll shop for her or not.

DC has an interview today at 11am. The job is pretty much a gimme. It will mostly be whether she can keep it (not certain if they have quotas or not) and how much she'lkl be able to earn. Its one of those jobs canvassing for specific charities, getting signatures on petitions, etc.
She keeps stressing about money in a way that didn't make sense based on the numbers she'd been throwing around before, so I made her do the math for me yesterday. If she makes the minimum at this job (which I don't think she will, but...), even with the $2k we already promised her, she'll be short another $1.5-2k. I need to talk to DH, but we don't account for my 2 "extra" paychecks in the budget, and one of them will more than cover what she's short. So we'll probably pledge to pick up whatever is left of her tuition. (And while I say I need to talk to DH about this specifically, we've had the conversation before, and he's more on board with giving her money for college than I am.)

DVM: Don't get too discouraged. I think we were all surprised, in our first couple months here, how often we spend on little things. Right now, your building awareness of your spending habits (in a different way than the Racers teaches you) and soon you'll be able to understand and take control of your spending patterns.

[startsmart]

Yesterday was a controlled spend out of my cash. I decided to do my monthly massage since my shoulders and arms were killing me (too much Wii bowling lol) and there was a tip but the base charge was covered. Then to save gas later I picked up groceries. Really happy that for under $15 I got:
2 pounds of red potatoes
2 pounds of cherries
2 cucumbers
1 mango
15 bananas
3 lemons
2 peppers
2 onions
2 pounds of tomatoes

I think the only thing OVER $1/pound was the peppers.

Came home, made dinner, rested my body until bed and slept really, really well.

I've got another 6 hours of work to do today and then I'm off for the chiropractor. As long as I pay in cash it'll be another CSD (and I usually stop for a coffee or at the Salvation Army to browse).

3 NSD

[3catslady]

1 NSD, 1 CSD. Today will be another NSD because I have to work until 11 pm. I need to stop going to BK after work every night and start getting something to eat at home even though 11 pm is a late time to cook something. I am almost out of oatmeal but I can't eat that every night because it messes with my system, ( yeah, I know, TMI, sorry).

[973beachbum]

I guess I would call today a CS day. I spend $20 for gas for my car. I really didn't want to have to walk.

[mrslynch]

hi y'all! i'm so excited that it's june. that means it's not only the start of summer but it's also my bday month!!! i'll also be tracking my controlled spends once again. i'm not really setting a goal but i'm just trying to get as many as possible. i did well last month with 22/25 controlled spends.

this weekend is all full of controlled spends. i'm using a gift card to a day spa to get a facial and manicure. i only need to pay the tip! we have a babysitter tomorrow night (planned) and i think we might go out to dinner on sunday for my bday since i received a coupon for a free dinner at a really amazing local restaurant.

on another note, i have recently started a money blog to go along with the empty kitchen (which is in a holding pattern right now due to a laptop crisis). it's really, really rough around the edge but once my laptop is fixed, i have some plans for it. i'll post the link if anyone wants it but please don't be put off by the name. i took something really dirty and made it really clean. i promise.

[singlemomky]

mrslynch: ooh ooh me - I want the link to the new blog when ready

[mrslynch]

smokey, because i love you so much, here it is. but be warned, it's not nearly the high quality you are used to with the empty kitchen (i wish sarcasm had a font)...

dailymoneyshot.blogspot.com

i told you the name was really dirty

[redwagon]

anyone see this? money.msn.com/family-money/allowances-welfare-for-kids-weston.aspx?GT1=33038

I think the key word here is "unconditional allowance." I'd have my kids have certain tasks and they'd "earn" their allowance, and I hope to instill good financial values... but this article makes it seem all for naught.

[startsmart]

Okay, I went out for an errand and spent $16 to have a box sent to the young lady I mentor - how in the WORLD did she turn 18 this year? She graduates from high school next Saturday and the box will arrive on Friday. I sent all the college basics, note pads, beauty supplies, crayons, a stress squish ball

I also picked up coffee for $3 because I need the energy so very bad right now. Still a CSD because I paid cash for those few things.

so. much. work. to. do.

[redwagon]

aww congrats to your mentee! Can't believe she's graduating!

[singlemomky]

Red - I saw that article. Lil' Smokey gets commission for his tasks (that we agree on together each week) and he also has a list of behaviors/attitudes that he can be penalized for. He also has some things that he just has to do b/c he is a member of the household.

[shanendoah]

DC has a job. Yay.

[spruby]

mrslynch - love the blog name! I'm surprised it wasn't taken though!

3 CSD

[3catslady]

2 NSD, 1 CSD. I spent $18.31 on soda, water, ice cream, and beef-a-roni.
One of the twins fell off the swing set and broke his wrist. He is the first in 3 generations to have a broken anything on my side of the family. We've had sprains and strains but not broken. I had a feeling it was just a matter of time until one of them broke something. They like to climb and swing off of anything high.
The twins will be 4 next month.

[startsmart]

red_wagon- I know, right? it seems like yesterday she was 14, so unsure of herself and so young. now she's going to college *tear* which also means my high school graduation was 9 years ago. I better start the wrinkle cream now lol

3cats- sorry to hear about DGS's broken bone, how is he feeling?

mrslynch- new blogs are so awesome, I love the fresh blog smell and the sense of promise and excitement....

I found yet another awesome black frame for my wall o pictures in the master bedroom. I know, I know, I already have eight but this one was $2.50 and it has a mat! It's a sickness I tell you, buying and painting picture frames. Again all my spending today was out of the cash stash so it's CSD. Woot.

A few things will be gifts, a nice heating pan for my parent's church - these things are wicked expensive and sometimes burn. Found one for $1. Also a glass pie pan for grandma for $1. Sometimes people forget to return her pans so she has 'the list' since she makes 4 or 5 pies a week.

I also found a great 8 cup pyrex measuring cup for $2 and that might go to my friend Eli because I didn't see one when we were unpacking her kitchen for her new house.

Also got a cool frame I'm spray painting silver, a fishbowl and some Disney movies for sbcaligirl's daughter. I keep the good ones on VHS at my house so when she comes over we can entertain her. Plus I really want to watch the Jungle book again.

Finally I got a second travel bag for under $2 - this one is black and wide rather than tall so I can take my new (bigger) laptop and still have room for a charger, cell phone and camera. Now I just need to plan a trip....

[DVM gone riding]

1NS!! proud of myself actually I didn't think I would be able to pull it off. I did put gas in the car but I don't think that counts. Plus gas is down so that is helpful!

[ses]

just a quick note before I go to bed. Onyx is hanging on to my knee telling me it is past our bedtime.

Smartstart--A friend of mine had a really striking wall arrangement that consisted of many empty picture frames painted black on a long wall interspersed with a few random favorite black and white photos. It was very striking.

[reeneejune]

Start - I took two Advanced Placement classes in high school and scored well enough to receive college credit for them... US History and English Literature. I was the only one in my year to pass the US History exam with a high enough score to get college credit (in my high school ;D) I'll look into those other exams you mentioned, though the only subjects I'd feel comfortable testing out of would be writing and literature, both of which I'm sure I have enough credits in. I started taking 300-level lit classes my sophomore year of college for a break from my hard classes.

[startsmart]

reenee- they do have books and really helpful guides on the CLEP sites. I tested out of so many things that are not my strength, especially math and humanities. Even with the $12 guide and a few hours of intense studying the week before the test I came out ahead All depends on your school though, some won't accept them so it's not a good use of time and money. Don't you love AP too? I transferred so many AP, CLEP and junior college credits that I started my freshman year as a second semester sophomore!

Wild Weather - I'm so tired of the rain. It's JUNE. I had plans to take in a donation to Goodwill and maybe my recycling to get some cash. Maybe I'll load up the Jeep in case there's a break. I also need to have my tires rotated (it's free where I bought my tires) and they'll install my new windshield wipers and air filters too. So much easier to get the wiper blades at Costco and the filters straight from a Toyota dealership than deal with upsells.

red_wagon - have fun at your renunion! I don't know if I'll go back to my college anytime soon, my brother is attending their online program so we might go back for his graduation but that's a big if.

[muttleynfelix]

Woohoo! I got my plants today. We spent $85! I will post a picture later. Right now I'm cooling off because it is freakin hot outside. I need to go back out there. DH is out there working by himself. Of course I was working by myself earlier and then he came and we worked together for a little while. Anyway, it looks so cool!

[startsmart]

I dropped off the Goodwill stuff and then started on painting projects at home. The bathroom is nearly finished, I just need to rehang the shower baskets, sweep the floor, wipe down the sink and then put up the decorations!

I'm also trying to do some of the cute DIY projects. Like paint and glass jars for the guest room and taking a tray and decorating it. I found this 50 cent tin tray that looks like a fancy silver platter and painted it to match my bathroom walls. Then I tore out an old page from a Rand McNally map from 1996. I'm going to cut around my city to fit in the bottom of the tin and modge podge it on

All this while folding laundry, packing for next weekend and doing dishes of course!

[DVM gone riding]

well for going to Costco I don't think I did to bad but today was definitely NOT a NS!