lmgervais Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Interesting idea! Will have to think about this and see if we could make it a go, what with the kids home for the summer and all. Good luck to all those willing to try and hope that you succeed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLyn M. Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 OK,OK I'm ashamed...but do agree. I will hold off on the grout/spackle...which I'm no- where near needing.I do have a small house to do, LOTS of masking tape and Elmer's glue.'Nuff said! LOL. :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLyn M. Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 AHA!! I also have three egg cartons which I can cut into stones and bricks...should take about a month-and-a-half!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!No buying eggs either-we have a LOT!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elicia Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 sorry...I won't comment on anything in the future... Elicia LLonSSinSC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muriel Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I was trying to say what Elicia said... I meant, say I've got a birthday party planned for July 12th (my birthday!), to which I've invited people, so can't just cancel it for the sake of the experiment... but in some ways it is still an extravagance that under strict experiment conditions I wouldn't do. I could buy the stuff now, before the month starts, and therefore not buy extravagant stuff during that month, which is what Heidi seemed to be suggesting as far as I understood. (I may well have missunderstood what she was saying). What I was saying was that rather than buying the stuff now before the month starts, you may as well wait and buy it then because either way you are going to spend the money anyway, and if you buy it then you might find you either don't need something after all (maybe a couple people have cancelled and you don't need so much food) or maybe you can find a better deal in that time. I wasn't trying to criticise the experiment, because I think you would still make savings with not eating out etc, just saying that the buying before the month started didn't make sense to me if you were going to have to spend the money either way. I would like to say that for those that do the experiment and will actually make savings, I think it is a great idea, and good luck to you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Since our boys all went off to college, got married, and left, I had DH convinced that it is cheaper for two to just eat out. That worked until the kids moved back in with us and he discovered I can cook for 6, for less than we were spending to take two out every night. Now that they are going to be moving out again, he's probably gonna expect me to keep cooking-ugh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 This does not have to be just for July. I mean if some of us get the hang of it, and like it, we could try for August..and then maybe September..etc. It is going to take a bit these next few weeks for everyone to hammer out what they are going to not spend on. It is much cheaper for us to eat in. So I am definitely going to cook all of our meals. Muriel, You have planned the party so you go right ahead. This is an experiment that I am going to do and I wanted to see if others wanted to join in. It is not going to be full proof. We are going to come up against times when we are going to have to spend. It is how we handle it. Minime, You can be our cheerleader. You may have some excellent ways to save money that none of us have thought of. Monica, are you ready to tell your family yet? I told Fred and he is on board. Tomorrow he and I will break it to the youngins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa_F Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Okay, as long as we're not starting this experiment until July 1st then count me in! Next weekend Kelly & I are going to a dollhouse shop and no way would I give up spending money on Saturday that and a mini club luncheon the following weekend. But those two things are in June - so once I get those out of the way I can try to behave myself for at least the month of July! I already take my lunch to work so I won't be cutting any cost there; back when my boys were teens it seemed like I was always cooking for an army - and now that I don't have to cook that way anymore, there are some meals that I just can't seem to make a small amount of - things like chili, stew, etc. I always seem to end up with a big pot of it. Like today, I made spaghetti for dinner - and of course there's way too much for three people - so what I did was put 8 individual servings in small freezer containers - and those will be used for lunches over the coming weeks. This way I have ready to go, homemade lunches in the freezer and no leftovers sitting in the fridge waiting to be tossed out 'cause we're tired of it. Things I'll try to refrain from: mini purchases, including glues, tapes, paints, etc., trips to Michael's & Joann's craft stores to use the 40% coupons they keep sending me (everytime I get one I feel compelled to go use it!), take-out dinners and the lotto ticket I buy each time I fill the gas tank and buying stuff for the grand baby - that one will be real hard - I can't seem to make it through a store without getting something to send to her! Of course, you all realize, if the Brimbles gets released during the month of July and if it's a limited production run, then all bets are off 'cause I've been waiting far too long for a Brimbles!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_the_haunted Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 lol I told Russ and he said "Oh, good....um, what made you do that?" He's on board but, I'll have to remind him..probably daily *snicker* Now getting him to not spoil the kid...yeah wish me luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missymew Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Good luck guys! I'm going to follow your progress through the month of July. -Susanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin1056 Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 those of us 'watching' can be the cheer squad geeze at last i get to have pom poms :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellee Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Count me in.. Although I dont buy much of anything we dont have to have.!! When I go to the gas station it is gas only.. Too much in a hurry to go in and browse.. and I always have a bubba Keg of water that I take to work, and with me when I go anywhere !!! so no need to stop for a drink... When I go grocery shopping I buy Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner foods first. No junk food goes into the cart until ALL the major foods are in the cart and if my calculator says there is extra $$ then we get a snack.!! We dont eat out anymore.. used to have Pizza night every friday night, but about a month or so ago the boys made a homemade pizza and we all loved it !! so every friday night the boys make pizzas.. My boys dont drink soda, they usually drink water... So with just those few things we sve alot !! I dont buy any mini stuff anymore other than glue... Cannot afford to.!! Have had to really cut back on Everything, we have not ate out in 3 months.. we went to Cracker Barrel for Our Anniversary, we spent $20.00. We did have to get new windows, and we painted the living & Dining rooms. But those were both NEEDS!!! Kellee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 Lisa, I totally get the Brimbles thing. We will close our eyes..LOL. Kelle, you could probably teach us a thing or two. You could definitely be a cheerleader and our coach. You could slap us into reality when we are about to hit the Purchase button on the computer. Our problem is that every year at tax time we see how much HAD that year. Then I do a bit of rough math and get a big shock. Where did all the money go? Like I said, some of us could continue into August, then others could join in, then into September. I do not think I could be strong enough to give up giving birthday gifts. This year is Natalies sweet 16. I was reading other blogs about this and some people were really extreme. They did it for an entire year starting on January 1st. No presents meant no presents at all. For anyone..even on Christmas. I really do not think I could do that. I can be strong but not that strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I think to call this plan "no spend" is a bit misleading. This is all about reducing spending, not eliminating it, isn't it? It calls to mind the envelope method of getting from paycheck to paycheck back in the newlywed days. When the paychecks were cashed, each envelope got a certain amount of money, whatever was budgeted for food, rent, utilities, transportation, education, entertainment, etc. If the envelope was empty, the decision had to be made whether to do without or take money from another category. It made us think before buying. Here are some ideas I found on line when we were cutting back some time ago. Sorry, I don't recall the website. I think the most important one is the last one: have a budget and stick to it. -make a list. When you go to the store, buy ONLY what is on your list! -don't buy in bulk unless you have a secret hiding place for stuff, because buying more will only make your family use more of the stuff you buy. For example, if you buy a case of cookies, your kids will just eat more cookies. -get rid of the credit cards. Keep one for emergencies if you must. -watch less t.v. (no home shopping channels) and no buying online, no catalogs. All of these increase the temptation to buy, buy, buy! -don't go window shopping when you are bored or depressed. You will buy more than the window! -set dollar limits. If you are going to buy a second hand car, electronics or an appliance, set a dollar limit and stick to it!!! -buy generic, clip coupons, pinch those pennies!!! (roll them, too!) -sometimes buying name brand is good, because you get the quality, like tennis shoes or tools, but again, set a limit. If there is a $50 pair of Nikes or Adidas or whatever, and a $100 pair, settle for the $50 pair. -cook large amounts of food at a time from scratch, as well as several different meals. Prepackaged stuff costs a lot more and it's not as healthy, anyway. Freeze portions for meals later, during the week or when things in the pantry are scarce. This will also save time, and energy. Also, bake your own bread. -grow your own! Make a garden! Not only is it fun for the whole family, you can save alot of money on produce. -avoid shopping with your rich friends or friends who shop like they are rich! You will just try to keep up and end up buying things you don't really need and that you can't really afford. -don't bring the kids shopping. Kids always make you spend more than you can afford! -always think practical whenever you are shopping. Always ask yourself, "do I NEED this?", or ask yourself, "is this absolutely necessary?" If your answer is yes to either or both of these questions, then you are being practical, but you HAVE to be honest with yourself! -make a budget and stick to it! Putting the numbers down on paper will show you just where all your money is going! Chances are that your family is spending a lot on entertainment. Another mistake we make when making a budget is we don't figure in emergency money, such as a trip to the doctor or car repairs, and annual or seasonal expenses like pool supplies, school supplies and clothes or uniforms, and Christmas! Plan ahead! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beyondbaffled Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 David has been out of work for a while so we're already pretty close to this as is. We pay bills, we buy groceries, fill our gas tanks, and have very little for extras. I did buy a new pair of jeans recently though - but this was only b/c after two patches my old jeans were still so "holey" (sp?) that I couldn't wear them to work anymore. I love that walmart carries LEI jeans now I admit that the little I do have leftover I have spent on minis (mostly skinny sticks lately as I've been putting down flooring in my saloon). David's one extra would be his cigarettes, which I am trying to encourage him to quit because that would save a ton of money (and of course prolong his life!) David and I are truley a paycheck to paycheck kind of couple right now. And the occassional trip to Advance America to get me through until the next payday. This motivates me to pull my budget out again and see what else I can do with it. I am excited for the month of July though b/c the 3rd counts as our holiday and I volunteered to work so it will be double time and a half for pay!!! And even better July works out to where I get 3 paychecks. It won't get me ahead, but I'm almost certain to break even, which will be a relief. I'm excited to see everyone's savings ideas and what you find to cut out or cut back on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa_F Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Lisa, I totally get the Brimbles thing. We will close our eyes..LOL. Okay, as long as we all understand I need that Brimbles - it stopped being a "want" when I discovered it was going to be re-released and switched right on over to being a need! Lotsa great ideas there Kathie! I stopped using credit cards a loooong time ago. Still have them but never use them. Once upon a time I had a balance so high on more than one of them that I never had any money to spend because all my *play* money went to paying on them. Every month when I wrote out the checks to pay on those cards I always felt bad seeing what I was paying in interest - and thought about what I could've done with that money instead. Once I got those cards paid off I decided never again would I play that game. I have a running budget written down in a little notebook in my purse, it has all my monthly obligations - from groceries to car maintenance on it. Helps me keep track of where I'm at with the money from payday to payday. I even have line items for gift purchases and auto repairs and mini purchases on that budget - every payday I roll over the amount I have saved up for those things (but not yet spent, like gifts, repairs, etc) onto the new month's budget. That way I always know at a glance what I have available to spend for something. For things like gift giving & auto or home repairs I have to save all year round because although I make decent money, it's still not enough if I don't budget. So I pop money into those categories each payday and then when an emergency arises I've got a little to work with - or when something comes on sale I can afford to buy it & put it away for Christmas. One painless way (at least for me) to save for an emergency or spending money is everytime I write a check or use a debit card, I round up to the next dollar when subtracting the amount out of the ledger. If I buy something for $5.05 - I round up & deduct $6 on the ledger. Doesn't sound like much but I find by doing that I have a few hundred extra dollars at the end of each year. I also save all of my change in a large canning jar and then in December I take all of the change to one of those coin machines that are in many stores. I change in the coins for a amazon.com gift certificate & then use the certificate to do a little Christmas shopping. I buy in bulk (or large quantities of individual items) when they are on sale. It works for me - I find that once my cupboards & chest freezer are pretty full I can wait for things to come on sale before buying them again - so I end up saving money. My problem is that I usually take that *saved* money & buy take out too often! lol! Getting take out so I don't have to cook after a ten hour work day is going to be a tough one to give up in July! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynette Smith Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 My credit cards are only for emergency. They are not kept at my house and I don't know the exact spot in the place where my financial matters are handled. The only money I have direct control of is the food budget and babysitting. The babysitting money is supposed to go into a fund to build my studio shed, but I've been lax about spending it on minis lately. There is a store here that sells overstock, discontinued, seconds, and other items. They have a lot of food which is very cheap, most of what I get are institutional products, some of which have been repackaged into smaller quantities. As a single person, I do get the prepared salads quite a bit, because I couldn't make them that cheap. Six pounds of ambrosia salad for $3.99, seven pounds of cole slaw for $2.99, chicken fingers for $1.00 a pound, 3 pound salad in a bag 50 cents - these are all prepared foods, but because they were intended for restaurant use they are very cheap. As long as the food is cheaper than you could make it yourself does that count? I've never left that store without more pounds of food than dollars spent. Giving up junk food snacks and dessert are something I can do. Diet Mountain Dew, however, is medicinal! Since I have no funds until the first, I can't stock up until then, and I've already made a commitment to get that Beacon Hill (again, pickup on the 1st). Maybe I could start on the 2nd or 3rd? I solemnly swear not to look at what's for sale on ebay, only what I'm selling. My peas and cherries are coming on, so free stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 I also save all of my change in a large canning jar and then in December I take all of the change to one of those coin machines that are in many stores. I change in the coins for a amazon.com gift certificate & then use the certificate to do a little Christmas shopping. I have two change jars..umm sort of. I have a clay pig that we fill with just quarters. The only way you can get the money is by smashing it to bits. I am thinking of giving these pigs away as Christmas gifts this year. A rustic country decoration that will help you save money. The other jar is a very tall heavy glass pasta jar. We put all the rest of the change in there. I do have an old glass water bottle. The kind that used to go in older type water fountains. We used to fill it with change but it would change the color of the pennies on the bottom.(turn them green) Never figured out why it does that. So we just have the bottle just sitting in the corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 I budget out a certain amount of money to Fred and I each week for *allowance*. This will be a way for the two of us to actually see where that money is going. Dollar here, five dollars there..you do not really notice where it has gone. I think people have called it a No Money challenge because you are not supposed to spend any money on any extras beyond your base needs. It makes you actually see (without spending it) where your money goes. I could spend $20 really quickly without a thought. Gas, coffee, newspaper, a pack of gum..whoosh. All gone! You all know I live in CT so our standard of living is much higher then other states. We did do a good thing recently. We opted to buy a membership to BJs wholesale club. Usually I would only use the free 2 month passes they gave out. But they had a deal. $45 for 14 months (instead of 12), you can use a BJ coupon and a manufacturers coupon on one item (i didnt know that), gallon of milk is only $1.99!! Plus if at any time during the 14 month period you can say you do not want the membership anymore..they will give you full refund on your membership. Just the price of the milk alone is a big saver for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Basically we already live pretty much like that, but to do it takes a lot of courage and gumption. Fortunately we live in an area where there is no running out for much of anything! LOL there is little here in Seeley lake to run to but for the small grocery store, the post office, the library that is in the high school, churches of course, and two restaurants. And the vet.....we now have a vet here. They used to come to Seeley once a month and have a clinic, but now they are here 6 days a week. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesterfieldzoo Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 My daughter and I were just talking about this yesterday. I have cut back so far on spending that I squeak. I said that I look around at all the crap I bought because I could and want to kick myself because I don't want any of it any more. The thousands of dvds that I watched once and will never watch again and the ones I will never watch. Now, before I buy anything, I think real hard if I REALLY need it. I only go to the grocery store every other month though. We go out to eat once or twice a week, then do take out once or twice. It's just 2 of us and I often don't eat dinner. I seldom cook. Other than that, I don't think I can cut back any more than I have. I usually buy 20-25 hanging baskets for the yard, but since we aren't doing any garden tours, I bought 1. I bought 3 perrineal plants instead of the usual 15. No Hobby Lobby yet this year. Hmmmm. Well, I will play a little bit with you. I am actually having fun cutting back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLyn M. Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Oh,oh...I think I'm feeling sorry for myself again. I already buy just what we need at the grocery.South Beach Diet-you know.So I definately won't be going out to eat. No junk food-thick shakes-no chicken fried chicken dinners with all that gravy-no cakes,pies, cookies etc.I could cry.......except,I do love salads,poultry and fish-and I love the weight loss and NO HEARTBURN!I'm already down to 4/5 cigarettes a day.And I'm not working so an expensive updated wardrobe is not needed at the present. I do love E-bay,however and vow to not visit it all July.And I am going to make something for a DH. I don't know what just something...Should be an exciting/different month! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynette Smith Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Okay, here's a challenge: you need clothes? How about making them. I've been wanting some new shorts and tops and spend my money on minis instead. With summer coming on I need the shorts. I have tons of fabric, I have patterns, I have a sewing machine, I have time, so I should haul my fabric over to the gym in the middle of the night and cut them out on the floor of the spacious aerobics room in mass production style. They don't mind, and I can lay out 10 yards of fabric without having to fuss - it goes so fast! Before I discovered the gym, which is open 24 hours (though not for fabric cutting - the aerobics people need their turn too) I went to the auditorium at the community center, which is basically a gym with stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 What a great idea! If you picked the same color family, you can even sew them up mass production style, without having to stop and change threads! I ought to sew, but no place for it right now. Maybe in a few weeks I'll have my room back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minime Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I look around at all the crap I bought because I could and want to kick myself because I don't want any of it any more. I think real hard if I REALLY need it. I think that you are right on with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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