Spend That Cash!

We spent a LOT of money yesterday. Especially for a no spend month, can you guess how much?

If you guessed $136, then you would be right.

I know, I know....please wipe that look of shock off your face. :)

You see, we also have another goal for this year: spend money on no more than 100 days. This is proving to be quite the challenge.

So, when Hubs said he wanted to take me to Texas Roadhouse for my birthday dinner, I knew I had to stop at the grocery store and pay the plumber (our water heater broke, and needed to be replaced).

That brings our total to $179/$250.

I knew our expenses would be slightly higher than our previous no spend month because my birthday with thrown in there, but I did not anticipate replacing the water heater.

Oh well, I am still quite hopeful that we will be near our $250 goal. It will be a challenge, but we plan to give it our best shot!

How are you doing on your no spend month? Am I the only one out there?

Blessings From A No Spend Month

Each and every time my husband and I do a no spend month, I am amazed at how blessed we truly are.

.......and another realization I have is, why don't I utilize this blessing each and every month?

Hubs and I received his paycheck this morning, so I paid/scheduled bills.  His paycheck was smaller than normal.  Huge bummer, but I began paying bills and was able to pay all our bills AND about $150 in addition debt.  AMAZING!

God blesses you in great ways.  Please do not waste/ignore the blessings he has showered upon you.  I know that I will try my best to use the blessings I have received for Him!

No Spend Month

We have entered our 3rd no spend month!  YEAH!

Hubs and I have restricted our spending to no more than $250 for the month, which is only about 25% of our variable spending during any other month.

It will be a challenge, but let's see how we do!

Here is an update on the last couple of days, I will try my best to update daily...but, things do get a little crazy around here. :)

1/1 - $0
1/2 - $15 (ice cream sundae toppings, ice cream, cheeries, milk)
1/3 - $28 (christmas presents, bread, bacon, soda)

So far, our total is $43/$250.  That number is higher than I would like, but....hopefully we will have no need to run to the grocery store for a while!

Although, I just remembered we are out of potatoes....oh well, meals will get creative this week! :)

Was the $43 ONLY for necessities, umm....no!  But, I justify the expenses.  The $15 was spent on an ice cream "date" with some good friends of ours (I fed 10 people ice cream sundaes for $15!).

Secondly, in order to comply with my goal for 2013, I have begun Christmas shopping with rewards/giftcards....all of which I got for free!  I have purchased 4 gifts, so far, and I have only spent $0.40 on gifts.  AWESOME! Oh, and I still have $29 in rewards/giftcards to spend on future gifts!  I will be shopping!!!  :)

And, the bacon is for my favorite Daddy!  He loves bacon wrapped little smokies, and I am making him some for our Christmas get together this Saturday!

Are you doing a no spend month?  Will you join me?  It's not too late!

Financial Success in 2013

I have been thinking a lot about our finances over the past few weeks, and feel more strongly than ever that we need to be completely debt free, including our mortgage.

Now, I know this isn't something that will happen quickly....but, we have a goal of having our 30 year mortgage paid off in 15 or less. Hopefully a lot less! :)

Anyway, while I have been strategizing ways to make this dream a reality, this question arose: How many "no spend days" can we have in one year?

I am going to challenge my family in 2013 to spend money on no more than 100 days (fixed expenses not included). Will you join me?

This includes groceries, gifts, clothing, etc. Basically, anything that isn't a bill (fixed expenses).

Trust me, you will force yourself to plan your meals, discover alternatives (for example, I was short one egg for banana bread the other day but I found an alternative online!), and in doing so.....you will spend less!

Do this exercise...bring up your bank statements for the last 3-6 months. Then calculate how many days in that time period you spent money. Once you have this number cut it by 1/3 or even 1/2....then adjust the number to apply to the entire year.

Everyone wants financial security, why not take steps to make 2013 the best year ever (financially speaking, of course). :)

Image was found via Google at this location.

No Spend Month

Our 2nd annual no spend month has come to an end.  Well, it comes to an end in 40 minutes...but, everything around here is closed so I think we are good.  :)

$243.13/$125 is what we spent on our no spend month.  Yeah...I know, we are over.

It was so easy to keep spending once we were over.  But hey, I am still happy.  We spent about 1/3 the amount we would have normally AND we were able to accomplish all our goals. :)

Three credit cards are now paid off, which means we have ZERO credit card debt.  :)  AND we are purchasing a 42 in flat screen tv for above our fireplace.  Z is happy!  Lol.

How is your no spend month going?  Are you on track to stay under budget, unlike us?  Any one signing up for an August no spend month?

Reducing Your Energy Bill

We moved into our house almost a year ago, and over the last year I have been doing everything in my power to reduce our energy bill.

When we first moved in, we signed up for the budget program through Alliant Energy.  We didn't know exactly what it would cost on a monthly basis, and wanted to be sure we allotted enough money in our budget.  The customer service representative informed me that the average energy usage was $194/month.  Okay, so...that was our budget, and our "starting line".

Over the last year, the following tips helped us save a LOT of money (I will share the exact number shortly).

1. During the winter, we kept our house at 65...most of the time.  We dressed warmly, and were totally fine.  It wasn't difficult, and my kids didn't mind at all.  My husband complained the most, but I would just throw a blanket at him and call it a day.  :)
2. When Spring arrived, Hubs turned off the gas to both our fireplaces.  This saved us $10/month.
3. And finally, during the summer we ONLY (unless we are having company and using our main level) use our air conditioner at night.  We lower the temperature to about 68 from 12a-9a.  Typically, electric companies charge more for electricity during "peak" hours (i.e. when everyone is using electricity)....so, we try to use energy during "off hours".  We also do most of our laundry and running of the dishwasher after 9pm.

So, after doing the above 3 things for the last year we have reduced our budgeted billing to $153/month.  But, last month...using the AC pretty much all month, our total was only $125.  I expect our energy bill to continue to go down, and I can't wait!  :)

How do you save money?  What steps have you taken to lower your energy consumption?

Extra Information:  Our ranch home is approximately 3200 square feet, and was built in 1999.  We also use "common knowledge" tips, like turning lights off when not in use, etc....which I didn't feel like reiterating to all your smart people.  :)

Image was found via a Google search.

No Spend Month Update

.....well.....

Let me start by saying that it is hard to have a no spend month when you are pregnant, and get these food cravings that will not go away.  Ordinarily, I might want a certain type of food...but the urge goes away pretty quickly or can be substituted with another food.  However, when I am pregnant....this does not work. No matter how hard I try.  It almost becomes obsessive.  Geez.

Anyway, our no spend month ends Friday.  Thank goodness!  And, hopefully we will not spend any more money.  :)

Our total, well....you don't want to know.  I plan on figuring it all out at the end of the week....but, right now I am choosing to ignore it.  We kind of slipped off the wagon.

I am hopeful we will still be able to accomplish our debt repayment, and new television....but, it all depends on the amount of Zach's next paycheck.  We are all crossing our fingers.  :)

And, PS - If you read Zach's facebook status yesterday....NO, I was not talking to him.  I was having a conversation with someone else and he was listening in.  It is truly astonishing, to me, that someone (who is significantly older than us) can live their life thinking living off the government is alright.  Blows my mind.

Disclaimer:  I have no issue with someone, who truly needs to use government assistance, using government assistance.  However, if you are more than capable of covering these expenses on your own....that is when I take issue.  Why should I have to pay for your insurance, energy bills, food, etc when you make more money than my family of 5?

Day 14, 15, 16, and 17

We are over half way done with our no spend month (which is actually only 28 days....which, by the way, is long enough, lol!)!!!!!

I am excited for this challenge to be over.  I didn't realize how much I like to escape to the store.  I don't usually spend much, but it obviously adds up, but it is nice to get out and take a little break from the our day to day activities.  Maybe I should find a new activity.....

Moving on.  :)  We decided how we will spend the money we have saved over this last moth! :)

1st we will pay off all our credit card debt, approximately $1500.  In April 2011, we had paid off all our debt....but, over the last year and a half we have accumulated a bit more.  Mostly related to purchasing things for our house.  We know we don't want to have credit cards with a balance, so this debt needs to go.  In fact, this morning we paid off more than half the debt with the funds we have currently saved, the rest will come from Zach's next paycheck.  :)

2nd, we will be purchasing a television for our family room.  It has been on our "to do" list for a while, but always fell to the bottom because it isn't a necessity.  I mean, we have a perfectly good television....it just wasn't able to be hung above our fireplace.   Now, our guests will get to enjoy a 60 inch tv from their bed, lol.

And now, on to the not so good news.  We are over our $125 budget for the month.  :(  We have spent $126.61/$125.  Which, really....isn't bad, but I am still disappointment in myself for not sticking closer to our budget.  We went to DeWitt last night to celebrate my Mom's birthday....which means I got Chinese!!!! But, last Friday we really didn't have to get that BBQ Beef pizza Zach has been craving.  Lol.  Oh well, I am excited to see how we will finish out the month.  :)

How are you doing with your no spend month?  What tips do you have for me and my family?  Any questions?  I would be happy help, if I can.

Day 13

My husband is trying to tempt me to spend money.  Lol.

Last night, we were watching an episode of "Suits" and the main character was eating Chinese.  He knows I have a weakness for Chinese, and started playing it up.  But, so far...I have resisted this now almost 24 hour craving for Chinese food.  UGH!  Man, I really want it!

Luckily, Zach has to work this afternoon so I wasn't tempted to drive to get some for lunch.  And tomorrow we have plans with some friends for lunch/dinner....the Chinese restaurant is closed Sunday, so the next day I will really be forced to deny the temptation will be Monday.  :)

Today we received our paycheck, and I am still excited to say the balance we started with this AM has increased, even after paying bills!  YEAH!  We have about $1000 left in the bank (about double what we are usually left with), with Zach's bonus check coming on the 10th.

We haven't spend any money today, so our total is still $62.98/$125.  :)  Maybe we will be able to make it after all.  That is, if I continue to be creative with our meals and deny any other pregnancy related cravings.  Lol.

How are you doing?  Please, share your No Spend Month stories (either provide a link in the comment section, or simply share your journey in the comment section).

Day 11 and 12

We have made it to day 12 on our no spend month, and I am starting to feel the urge to go shopping.  Lol.  Isn't that ridiculous?  I want to take my family out for dinner, make a stop at Target, and maybe top the evening off with a blizzard from DQ.  Yeah.  Sad.  I know.  So far, I have resided the urge....but we still have a long way to go.

Yesterday, we ran out of trash bags.  :(  It is my fault, I should have checked how many we had before we started the no spend month, but I failed to do so.  We do not pay the city for trash service, so instead the sanitation company requires us to purchase their trash bags (10 bags for $16.50).  Yeah....I am not too thrilled with this, but hey....what can you do.  So, this took up a sizable chunk of our $125.

So far, we have spend $62.98/$125.

Not quite half way and we have spend half our money.  Yikes!  I am getting a little nervous.

What do you think?  Can we make it?  How are you doing on your no spend month?

The image used above can be found here.

Day 10

We have completed 10 days!  YEAH!  It is harder than it might seem.  Honestly.

Our total is the same as yesterday:  $42.17/$125

We had leftover meatloaf, baked potatoes for lunch and a sausage pizza with grapes for dinner.

Tomorrow, my parents are planning on coming out to help celebrate the 4th of July and typically I would run to the store and spend $50 on, well honestly....unnecessary items.  But, tomorrow we are making due with what we have.  Hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, strawberries, and grapes is what's on the menu for tomorrow night!  :)

How are you spending your holiday?  Anyone else doing a no spend month?

Day 6, 7, 8, and 9

We are still doing alright on our no spend month, however we spent more over the weekend than I anticipated.

It all started Saturday, when we woke up later than I anticipated, so I ran out of time to make sandwiches (well, I suppose I could have made sandwiches....but after frantically running around getting ready I was in no mood) for our road trip....so, we stopped at a McDonald's a long the route.

Then, when we were at Zach's grandparents house his sister's boy friend held a cat so Jack could pet it (I had no idea they had gotten cats since our last trip and failed to bring Jack's allergy medicine).  Jack has a severe cat allergy, and needs Zyrtec ASAP, otherwise a trip to the ER would be necessary for a breathing treatment.  Poor dude.  So, we ran to Wal-Mart for some allergy medicine, and a few snacks (we are weak, what can I say?).

So, our total so far is:  $42.17/$125.


How do you think we are doing?  Any advice?  How are you doing on your no spend month?

Day 3, 4, and 5

Our no spend month has been going quite well.  Today (Friday) was the first day that I was truly tempted to have Hubs pick up take out on his way home.  I just didn't want to cook, we are leaving for the weekend in the morning and I had better things to do.  BUT, I sucked it up and made dinner (which included a ginormous pancake for Z!).

We have spent $16.49/$125, not so bad.  We purchased soda (less than $2/per 12 pk, I couldn't let that deal go!), crackers, milk, and some fruit/veg.

I have forgotten what we have eaten over the last couple of days, blame it on the pregnancy brain....but, today we had:

Lunch:  Soup, string cheese, banana bread
Dinner:  Pancakes, grapes

On Wednesday, we received a text message from Redbox...giving us a free rental.  YEAH!  So, Hubs rented "One for the Money".  It was pretty good.  Similar to "Bounty Hunter", but with more action.  Hubs liked it better.  :)  See, (*cough, Jess, cough*) there is such a thing as free entertainment!

Are you participating in a no spend month?  Do you have any tips for me?  Do you have any questions for me?

Day 2

Day 2 was easier than day 1 of this no spend month.  I wan't tempted to run to the store, mostly because we just recently did our larger grocery shop.  We will probably run out of milk by Thursday, so a trip to the store is inevitable.

$0/$125 has been spent.

Breakfast:  Cereal
Lunch:  Leftovers from Saturday night (pot roast)
Dinner:  Rice, chicken, and corn with a banana.

Are you doing a no spend month?  How is it going?

Day 1

Well, yesterday was Day 1 of our no spend month.

$0/$125 was spent, however apparently I wasn't clear with when we were actually starting.  Hubs really wanted to order BBQ Beef pizza before we started, little did he know the month started Sunday at 12:01 am.  He was quite disappointed, lol.

So far, I haven't been tempted to spend money (we stayed at home all day Sunday, and I just automatically deleted all the deal e-mails I received).  But, I am 100% positive that I will be.  Last year, there was a TON of sales during our no spend month and it was driving me crazy to not use the coupons/purchase clearance items.  Maybe this year will be easier since we live in the middle of no where.  :)

Another question I have received is what do you eat while on a no spend month?  So, I thought I would share our daily menu with you.  But, be warned.....we eat chicken, a lot.  Lol.

Sunday Lunch:  PB&J sandwiches, banana, chips, string cheese.
Sunday Dinner:  Grilled chicken, baked potato, green beans, grapes.

Frequently Asked Questions

I get a lot of strange looks when I tell people we are doing a no spend month.  Mostly, what is it?  HOW?!?  Did you stock up before?  What are you going to do with the extra money you will have saved?

So, I thought I would take this opportunity to answer some of these questions.

What is it? A no spend month is a way to boost your savings by challenging yourself to spend less.  Find ways to cut back.  For example, instead of running to the store because you are out of cereal make up some oatmeal, or bake some banana bread.  Yes, it is no big deal to run to the store for a $4 box of cereal....however, how often do you actually JUST walk out of the store with the cereal?  I am sure, like me, you make a lot of impulse purchases.  Just stay away.  :)  Use what is in your pantry, and get creative.  You have more food than you think when you stare into an "empty" refrigerator before dinner each night.

HOW?!?  How can we do it?  Well, I am not going to lie it is a challenge and requires some planning.  For example, we are heading down to Missouri next weekend to see Zach's parents/grandparents.  Normally, we would stop along the way for lunch or snacks, but I am having to make sandwiches, snacks, and drinks before hand so I am prepared for the hungry toddlers in the backseat!

Did you stock up before?  Not in the sense that I spent extra money, however I took my typical grocery budget ($300/bi-weekly, this includes toiletries, diapers, cleaning supplies, etc) and spent the money a little differently.  I bought more frozen fruits and vegetables, rather than fresh...because fresh produce only lasts about a week.  I also bought more meat with the left over savings from not buying as much fresh produce.  The rest was basically the same.  In my opinion, no I did not stock up.....but, did shop smarter.

What are you going to do with the extra money?  Good question, and Hubs and I haven't sat down to figure this out.  I like the idea of having an extra cushion for when the baby gets here.  That way if we need anything for him, or really any of us, the money would be available.  So, my plan at least, is to save all the funds until after Eli is here and then brainstorm some ideas on what to spend it on, if that money is still available.  Boring I know!  I wish I could say we were using it for something fun, but that isn't the case.  :(

Do you have any additional questions?  Will you be joining me on our no spend month?

Image was found via a Google search.

No Spend Month

Last July, Hubs and I did a no spend month and we decided to give it another go.  :)

Hubs isn't as excited about this one, he wanted to go buy fireworks for the 4th of July....but, with a no spend month that isn't going to happen.  Lol.  At least I know he won't burn down my house setting off the fireworks.  :)

Rules:  Each family can make there own rules, essentially the goal is to challenge yourself to save more money than you spend.  For our family, we will pay all our bills (obviously) and have $125 for unexpected expenses and fresh foods throughout the month.

We start tomorrow, and are super excited!  But, tonight we are out with some friends for dinner.  :)

Day #5, 6, 7, and 8 of our No Spend Month

Okay, so in my original rules.....I was going to include medical expenses in our $100, but I have realized that is not possible.  So, I am not including medical.  Easy enough, right?  :)

I purchased a bag of Skittles for my brave little boy on Wednesday.  He was tested for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.  It runs in my family, and he has been complaining about pain in his feet.  Poor boy.  The way to test is blood work, and they had to poke him 2 times because his veins "rolled" (like his Mommy's veins).

Anyway, he deserved some Skittles.  They cost me $1.06.

So, our total so far for the month of July is $2.55.

We are almost out of milk.....so, I know we will need to spend some money this weekend.

Day #2 of Our No Spend Month

Spent $1.49 on a bottle of water at a gas station on our "hometown roadtrip".  I will say that it was a very large bottle of water.  :)

It is only day 2 and I have already spent more than I would have liked.  Maybe this will truly be a wake up call as to how we are spending our money.  I need to get a grip.

Day #1 of Our No Spend Month

It is Day #1 of our no spend month, and I am nervous.

First of all, I am so disappointed.  There are a TON of great coupons, that I would have ordinarily used, but can't.  The JCP one and the Old Navy one are KILLING ME!  :)  Oh well, there is always the next time the coupons are available.

What really makes me nervous, is this whole house thing.  We received the application today, and in order to process our application they need $32.  Yikes.  That is 32% of the budget I have set up for this month.  Do they know what they are asking?!?!

Anyway, I hesitantly wrote the check....and keep telling myself that we can still do it.  Even if we only have $68 to last us until the end of the month.

Oh, and here is another thing.  Hubs went to refill a prescription yesterday and he was told he couldn't until the 5th of July.  Yippee.....another expense.

It is only Day #1 and I have already ear marked $42 of our $100.  Think we are going to make it?