Spend Less in September-- how many no-spend days can you do

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gaylejackson2
Posts: 3172
Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2015 1:13 pm
Location: Utah

Spend Less in September-- how many no-spend days can you do

Post by gaylejackson2 »

I really do better at not spending if I post online. I didn't do so good last month, and I'm hoping to do lots better this month! I hope to have 16 no-spend days which allows me 14 spend days.

I'm also doing a track-my-spending for a month thing with this self-reliance Finance weekly class I'm doing with a church group. Really that won't be hard, other than writing it all down (I do need to make up a chart/ledger for my spending) as soon as I bring receipts home.

Today will be a spend day, and I may allow myself tomorrow as a spend day, just in case of needing to buy any extra canning lids while I'm doing beans.

Gayle
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2263
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Spend Less in September-- how many no-spend days can you do

Post by SandiSAHM »

It's September!!

And... Oh my goodness, it's SEPTEMBER. Of 2017. :o

Okay, now I feel old. :?

Today will be a no-spend day. It's a little bit of a funky earnings day, as whenever we drop off/pick up DH at the airport instead of having him store his car there for the duration, his co. pays us mileage. Even for short 1-week things, it costs them much less to pay us for the commute than it does to store the car.

Tomorrow will be a no-spend day. Sunday, there will be a little grocery run. Nothing major. I might walk through the Whole Foods, just to see what Amazon has wrought on us locally, because it's on the way, but I don't think I need anything from them.

So there's the plan, a 2-day jump start, followed early-mid month of a week of no-spend because DH will be out of the country again. I have a feeling that over the 3rd-5th, there will be at least one Lowe's run. For what? Who knows. Yard stuff? I keep my nose out of that. The man and children like to go to Lowe's. I stay out of there because I have a remodeling addiction. It's like a reformed alcoholic staying out of bars; it's just best for everyone.
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Spend Less in September-- how many no-spend days can you do

Post by alliesmama4 »

I do not plan on no spending days.. I just like to stay in budget and try to save where I can. The one exception is food. If for some reason I see a really good bargain that will save me money down the road I can buy it. I did buy some things on sale. Usually I buy what I call luxury foods when it is a holiday week-end.. Today it was potato chips and diet Dr Pepper...Junk food but sometimes you need to have a little bit of fun...lol Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
RecoveringDreamer
Posts: 346
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:00 pm

Re: Spend Less in September-- how many no-spend days can you do

Post by RecoveringDreamer »

I am in for low-spending this month. I'm not sure how many no-spend days I will have, but we are working hard to keep expenses low.

Friday 9/1 - I went to the doctor for my free annual exam. With the new job, I have to get my annual exam to earn enough points to get free insurance. I now just have to get DH to do his and we have to turn in our biometric screenings and we will save $140/month (insurance next year will be free for me and $1.50/week for him). I met up with my DM and DS3 to help with some finishing touches for DS1's wedding. I did buy lunch out (fast food for $2 which I hated) because I wasn't allowed to eat since the night before my appointment which was at 2, then when I got there DM called to ask me to meet them and the Dr was late seeing me, so it had been 18 hours since I'd eaten. Trucker and I made food at home and stayed in with a movie from the library. I made an extra payment onto the credit card with highest interest.

Saturday 9/2 - I stopped by the farm stand down the street and got: a watermelon, tomatoes, kale and sweet peppers. It is free, but they accept donations, so I gave them $10 to support the project. We went to my parents for their apple processing day. We helped them put up about half the year's apple products. They bought pizza for all of us (and wouldn't let me pitch in because we had helped with labor). I brought a watermelon and all of my preserving tools which helped a lot. My parents sent me home with a big bag of apples, a bushel of tomatoes and 10+ pounds of peppers. When we got home, we worked around the house, then watched a movie from the library. Trucker got a check from his agency that he wasn't expecting. It will be enough to cover his dentist appointment this week (he is using the dental college which costs about half normal cost; we will delay work past this initial exam until our insurance kicks in in November).

Sunday 9/3 - We went out for coffee and used our travel mugs to get a discount. After that, we hit a park to walk.

We have talked with a real estate agent and two loan officers and are planning on beginning house hunting in the spring, if all goes according to plan.

ETA: I have a portion of each paycheck go into my savings account and contribute 6% into my 401k (employer kicks in 8%). I also make several extra debt payments each month, as possible.
Last edited by RecoveringDreamer on Sun Sep 03, 2017 4:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Spend Less in September-- how many no-spend days can you do

Post by alliesmama4 »

So far doing well. I did buy some food items on line but they are necessary and in the budget. Hopefully I will combine these items with what I have in the house and will stretch things out more. Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
blondeinbuffalo
Posts: 939
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 5:37 am

Re: Spend Less in September-- how many no-spend days can you do

Post by blondeinbuffalo »

Happy to report that the first 4 days of september was no spend! today I will go grocery shopping with coupons in hand and only buying what is on sale!

my plan is to have 15 days no spend this month. more if I can! cj
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