Debt diet - July 31

luvmykids wrote: How did everyone do over the weekend?

I wasn't too bad, spent more than I wanted but still better than usual.

Friday I took the girls to MDO and bought them Lunchables for lunch, $6.00 + $28 for the MDO so $34.00

Filled up the car, $50.93 OUCH! (But I did use a coupon for a discount of .15/per gallon)

Cigarettes $10.00 (3 pack special I need to quit again )

Kong and dog treats for Bogie $18.77

Groceries $211.29 .... more than I wanted to spend by $61.00 BUT I did stock up on meat.... they were having a sale where you could fill a brown sack for $1.99 a pound, regardless of the cut.

Yesterday, WalMart for $118.12 plus $100 cash back so $218.12 but the cash is for spending money this week. I bought a lipstick and some hair stuff that wasn't true necessities for $11.88 but other than that it was pull ups, dog food, batteries, and other misc household stuff that was "on the list"

Grand total, $542.00. I've started categorizing everything on a spread sheet just so that when I do go over I can see it on a paper trail instead of forgetting about it. I want to see how it adds up on paper instead of just in my head.

coasterqueen replied: Well I some how spent $82.50 only leaving me with $38.50 til Friday.

I know I bought the girls a pair of shorts on clearance for like $8.00
I bought a yard wastebasket for $5.00
I paid for dinner Friday night which was $35.00
I bought a newspaper, 2 bags of shredded cheese and peanut butter for $7.00
Oh, $20 at the health food store on Friday
$5 at BRU for a diaper pail refill
$2.50 this morning for a water and a bag of chips

Ok, so that is what I spent this weekend.

Dh bought dinner one night for our friends which was ~ $30, lightbulbs for $8, and the $10 tip yesterday for breakfast w/our friends.

Maddie&EthansMom replied: I spent $42 at the grocery store yesterday on much needed things.

I don't plan on spending anything today. And today is payday.

TheOaf66 replied:

not good

Found out fri that 2 tires on our van were shot so cost $155 to replace those

Tanner's b-day party cost 63 for the party then probably another 20-25 in supplies

We had to buy some clothes and such yesterday for tanner fall clothes and a couple of muscle shirts for me since Jennie says mine are getting ratty and that is all that I wear in the summertime

Gas

and then had to grocery shop yesterday

it was a pricey weekend

this coming weekend is our anniversary and Jen wants to go out to dinner so that will cost us

will it ever end?

AlexsPajamaMama replied: Saturday we went to the beach... that was $9
Sunday we went to walmart and got deoderant for dh and trashbags, I forget how much that was, not much though

Today we got coffees at D&D...$4.48
Got gas...$25

Brought rolled change to the bank... $62!!!!!!!!

3_call_me_mama replied: Saturday~ NOTHING SPENT!! (Stayed home all day and watched TV in the A/C)
Sunday~
Lawn mower gas $5
Church dinner (Pig Roast) $16 for all four of us
A pair of longies for the new baby (they are liek wool pants that are used as a diaper cover for cloth diapers, hand made and OH SO SOFT and CUTE!) $21 (reg price $60)
Church Tithe
Last of the diapers needed for hte new baby (the stock of mediums) $40
SO $82 plus the Tithe. Not bad for a weekend.

Paying bills this week, mortgage, car payment and credit card bills.
OH and i did play around with my quicken thing and have our budget almost done. And according to that I shouel be have abotu $250 of random money left over each month that has been going away uinaccounted for. (SO we should be saving at least $250. on top of the amount tha tautomatically goes into our savings from Dh's check. SO gotta get working on that as to figuring out where it's been going...

boyohboyohboy replied: didnt spend anything on sunday, had planned on going to church, and tithing with what was in the savings, but ended up talking myself out of that...and now have tons of guilt to live with too............
today went to rite aide and got the teething tabs, which were $6.29, however there was a sign saying that they were on sale, $2 off, didnt think to check at the register, and now got home and see that the sale price was not given to me! it would cost more in gas to go back then its worth!

Our Lil' Family replied: Today I only spent $5.53 at Dollar Tree for some treats for my and my 14 year old cousin that is here for the week. Yesterday I spent about $15 at WalMart for some odds and ends that we needed.

Done for the day! Not too bad.

Jackie012007 replied: Not bad, didn't spend ANYTHING yesterday and today I have to put gas in my car ($20) and pray that it works ok as I'm driving to Oneida... and I'm getting Panera for lunch because I am CRAVING it in the worst way... mmmm Caesar Salad with a baguette and a side of Cheddar Broccoli soup... gosh I love Panera!

luvmykids replied:
I have that problem too .... so I started a spreadsheet with no such thing as "misc" .... everything goes into a category so hopefully in a months time I can see where all those few dollars here and there are going.

3_call_me_mama replied: I took our bank statement form last month and went through with a highlighter and MAN AM I DEPRESSED!! Some of our budget was right on.. liek our gas for vehicles was $390 and ew budget $400. So that was great. but our MISC stuff (eating out, walmart, stopping for waters,soda etc) was out of control. It was like $580 for the month!!!! Seriously. We wasted $580 on nothing. SO DH and i really need to sit down now and get into a cash flow mode. basically what karen was saying when she gets her spending money.. when it's gone it's gone.
SO we're gonna start that this week and see how it works. Wish us luck!!

coasterqueen replied: Good luck Carrie. I do like the fact that we get spending money (cash) and when it's gone it's gone, but I wish it was more. Dh said it's made a TON of difference going to this method. Before we'd get a certain spending allowance but we used the checkcard to do it. We'd not keep track all weekend and when Monday rolled around and Dh entered in all the receipts he found we were spending WAY over our allowance. So using the cash makes us see things in a different perspective. My spending has definitely gotten under control doing it this way. Well better control than before.