No Spending for a Year?

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floridacatlover
Posts: 8056
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:21 am

Re: No Spending for a Year?

Post by floridacatlover »

I will be very interested to follow this thread and will watch my budget carefully. But like MrsCreative I'm hoping to travel a bit this year. In recent years I was unable to get away even for a day. I'm already thinking of two short overnight trips.
NoisyPorkchop
Posts: 183
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: In the middle of the Willamette Valley, Oregon.

Re: No Spending for a Year?

Post by NoisyPorkchop »

It sounds good to me!

All of 2017 has been a whirl for my household. My MIL became quite ill in the Spring and passed away at the end of May; I left a long-commute job in the big city and took a new job closer to home at the end of July then spent the next couple of months adjusting to my new work life; my 20 year old stepdaughter moved out in the middle of November and I began a sizeable remodel of the bedroom and attached bathroom that ran over budget due to circumstances such as uneven flooring in the bedroom and a visit from a plumber to fix a leaky pipe and then of course had to replace the rotten flooring around it. I went over budget by nearly $600.00. Then of course I splurged on new towels, shower curtains, rug, etc. I started to become quite the spendypants which is not like me at all.

Soooo....I do need to get my budget back in line and fly the straight and narrow. My Hubby is due for some sinus surgery in the middle of January and he is going to have co-pays and co-insurance and costs coming up. His birthday is tomorrow and I asked him for any ideas, as I couldn't think of a thing he needs. All he told me this morning when I asked was "I don't need anything, sweetie. I am ok. We need to just stop spending so much money." I know he was thinking of his costs related to his upcoming surgery. I am already adopting the Make Do And Mend mentality, and find that I really have plenty of clothes, shoes and accessories, kitchen gadgets and really don't have a "need" for anything so I am going to stick with it. I really need to beef up my savings again and plan on only spending money on things that are an absolute necessity such as car maintenance, necessary repairs, etc.

So count me in! Is there a plan on how to be accountable? Do we just check in here and post our progress?

PorkChop
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: No Spending for a Year?

Post by alliesmama4 »

NoisyPorkchop wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2017 10:06 am It sounds good to me!

All of 2017 has been a whirl for my household. My MIL became quite ill in the Spring and passed away at the end of May; I left a long-commute job in the big city and took a new job closer to home at the end of July then spent the next couple of months adjusting to my new work life; my 20 year old stepdaughter moved out in the middle of November and I began a sizeable remodel of the bedroom and attached bathroom that ran over budget due to circumstances such as uneven flooring in the bedroom and a visit from a plumber to fix a leaky pipe and then of course had to replace the rotten flooring around it. I went over budget by nearly $600.00. Then of course I splurged on new towels, shower curtains, rug, etc. I started to become quite the spendypants which is not like me at all.

Soooo....I do need to get my budget back in line and fly the straight and narrow. My Hubby is due for some sinus surgery in the middle of January and he is going to have co-pays and co-insurance and costs coming up. His birthday is tomorrow and I asked him for any ideas, as I couldn't think of a thing he needs. All he told me this morning when I asked was "I don't need anything, sweetie. I am ok. We need to just stop spending so much money." I know he was thinking of his costs related to his upcoming surgery. I am already adopting the Make Do And Mend mentality, and find that I really have plenty of clothes, shoes and accessories, kitchen gadgets and really don't have a "need" for anything so I am going to stick with it. I really need to beef up my savings again and plan on only spending money on things that are an absolute necessity such as car maintenance, necessary repairs, etc.

So count me in! Is there a plan on how to be accountable? Do we just check in here and post our progress?

PorkChop
Pork Chop.. I have asked for suggestions on how to do this but so far not one has said how they want things to go.. Do you have an idea? Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
blondeinbuffalo
Posts: 939
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 5:37 am

Re: No Spending for a Year?

Post by blondeinbuffalo »

I can commit to bare minimum spending. I need to save more money in 2018! great idea. cj
Momof2
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 4:42 pm

Re: No Spending for a Year?

Post by Momof2 »

Janet, I think we maybe post as we feel compelled to. I think that this may take the place of the monthly no spend thread, so some may want to post daily. I am hoping to post at least 4 to 5 times weekly to keep myself motivated. I have revamped my budget to bare bones for the first 6 months (and hope to keep it very low for the whole year), cut my grocery budget to almost nothing ($15.00 weekly for the first 4 months), made a list of my needs for the year and will only get those when I find a deep discount or nearly free and put a set amount on what I can spend on those needs for the year. I do not plan on spending any the first 4 months, and if I can meet my plan/goals, RM and I will be able to pay the costs of the flights, hotel rooms, rental car for all 4 of us (my daughter, son-in-law, RM and myself) with cash, along with spending money for me, a new dress for the wedding, and a gift for my son and his lovely new wife. The goal is to keep it low for the second half of the year and save for a new to me car or car repairs that are needed for my car I have now if possible to have it repaired. My greatest expense for the year will be items needed for my pets (2 cats and 2 rabbits). I have made a menu for the next year using what I have on hand, (will need to fill in some places in order to have variety) and have a list of meat needed for those fill-in meals I have listed to be made in order to buy when it is on sale. Fresh fruits and vegetables will be what is on sale at the time of shopping. I will buy staples as needed, or on sale as long as I stay within budget for the week, if the money is gone, I will try to make do with something else. I have a ton of bath items, shampoo, etc, but may need body wash and deodorant as the year goes on. I think I am set with clothing, but may need a new pair of shoes as time goes on. I am really looking forward to working on this goal and doing it with others will hopefully motivate me to continue to find substitutes for even those needs.
ChristmasTrees
Posts: 3982
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 12:53 am

Re: No Spending for a Year?

Post by ChristmasTrees »

Momof2 wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2017 10:28 pm Janet, I think we maybe post as we feel compelled to. I think that this may take the place of the monthly no spend thread, so some may want to post daily. I am hoping to post at least 4 to 5 times weekly to keep myself motivated. I have revamped my budget to bare bones for the first 6 months (and hope to keep it very low for the whole year), cut my grocery budget to almost nothing ($15.00 weekly for the first 4 months), made a list of my needs for the year and will only get those when I find a deep discount or nearly free and put a set amount on what I can spend on those needs for the year. I do not plan on spending any the first 4 months, and if I can meet my plan/goals, RM and I will be able to pay the costs of the flights, hotel rooms, rental car for all 4 of us (my daughter, son-in-law, RM and myself) with cash, along with spending money for me, a new dress for the wedding, and a gift for my son and his lovely new wife. The goal is to keep it low for the second half of the year and save for a new to me car or car repairs that are needed for my car I have now if possible to have it repaired. My greatest expense for the year will be items needed for my pets (2 cats and 2 rabbits). I have made a menu for the next year using what I have on hand, (will need to fill in some places in order to have variety) and have a list of meat needed for those fill-in meals I have listed to be made in order to buy when it is on sale. Fresh fruits and vegetables will be what is on sale at the time of shopping. I will buy staples as needed, or on sale as long as I stay within budget for the week, if the money is gone, I will try to make do with something else. I have a ton of bath items, shampoo, etc, but may need body wash and deodorant as the year goes on. I think I am set with clothing, but may need a new pair of shoes as time goes on. I am really looking forward to working on this goal and doing it with others will hopefully motivate me to continue to find substitutes for even those needs.
Momof2, You made a menu for a whole year? How did you do that? I have trouble making a menu for a week...not kidding.
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