No Spend October

74dragonfly · October 2014

Hi ladies!

This month will have some must buy things for me: Halloween costumes, a few more pants and shirts for Aaron, 1st birthday shirt for Aaron (that is a need right)?

My biggest challenge is grocery shopping. Need to spend less!

Ltpugs · October 2014

Ugh... Grocery shopping! Why does it have to cost so much?!!!! This is my biggest problem. I need to get my coupons organized and figure out a reasonable budget. What is reasonable for a family of three?

Caitlinh27 · October 2014

I notice that we spend way more on groceries when I'm making a conscious effort to eat healthy. Seems like all the produce and what not is way more expensive than junk.

ameegee · October 2014

Yesterday, we went out for our anniversary. It was really our first date night. So we spent quite a bit on a nice dinner. But that was planned.

We're starting to buy birthday/Christmas presents every week starting the month. And I need a new pair of boots. But these are all planned as well.

I agree that it is so much more expensive to buy healthy, fresh produce. It's actually one of the biggest reasons that lower incomes are associated with higher bmis. We have trouble with that as well. Ugh. I need to go grocery shopping today actually.

KFED103 · October 2014

For those of you talking about produce, you really need to shop the weekly grocery store sales to get the best prices. Usually I will go to 3-4 different stores in a week to get what we need depending on what is on sale at that store. Disclaimer: we don't buy organic. For example I go to Target for dry goods, frozen waffles, frozen veggies (all generic/market pantry brand). Then I will go to a store like Sprouts for all our produce. Everything else there has ridiculous prices but if on sale, their produce is the best price around. (For example their green peppers will be 2/$1 as opposed to the grocery store where they can be $1.29 each). I can usually get our weekly produce for 15-20 bucks.

Then I will go to another grocery store like Safeway/Kroger/ to fill in where needed. Sometimes Sams club to stalk up on meat to freeze. Also the grocery stores will have Managers specials on meat that needs to be sold. The other day I got a bunch of pork chops, Italian saugage and chicken thighs at 50% off and came home and threw it in the freezer

TL:DR. Don't eat out (or take out), shop sales, and meal plan.

KFED103 · October 2014

I will also say that it took my H and I a LONG time how to figure out how to make meals. The first 2-3 years of our marriage we ate out ALL the time. I cringe looking back at how much money we wasted.

ameegee · October 2014

If you all have a safeway near you, download the just 4 you app. You can add coupons to your safeway cards and they even have specialized deals for you based on what you buy. Also they will give you free stuff. Huge help! And it has the weekly ad right on the app. Big time saver.

Ltpugs · October 2014

We join a CSA in the summer. It ends up costing us about $20 a week for fresh, local, organic produce. I try to base my meal plans around what we get. We eat a lot a veggies so I think for us it's a savings. Unfortunately we've let some veggies go to waste this year.... We had an abundance of lettuce and radishes in the spring.

KFED103 · October 2014

JENILYNN85 said:
I'm in this month! I have a shopping addiction in general, but I've been getting better. We meal plan each week, but I'll forget to thaw meat or DH & I have a late work day so then we go out or order in. We need to stop, because I know we're wasting money there! I look at sale ads, but normally pick one store as a buy-all. I guess it would help me to shop around. So far I haven't bought anything this month, but 1 day in probably doesn't count.

A good plan is to have "late night" back up options in the freezer. Frozen entrees you can microwave, or a rotisserie chicken or take and bake pizza you can pickup at the grocery store deli section on your way home. Make a bag of frozen veggies, a salad and you are good to go.

Danicali · October 2014

We bought a Thule for our vehicle. It was $150 off, so a pretty awesome deal, and it was something we planned on getting. Technically that was still in September, but it was in this months "pay period" as my husband gets paid on the 28th of every month.

Another crappy thing is my MLT licensing fee renewal came. $400 later I'm licensed to work another year. I forgot that was coming this month. So that sucks.

Otherwise I haven't bought any extras. I signed up for a yoga class, but that is now paid for and goes until the end of December.

I have avoided buying extra stupid toys or clothing for my LO this week. Here's to another week!!!

2010weddinggal · October 2014

prettykitty2012 said:

People who shop the specials, please tell me your secrets. I never know what a good deal on produce is. I usually just know what I want or am planning to make, and then buy it regardless of the price.

if you have a sprouts go on wedsenday it is double ad, the ad from the week before and the current are good so you save lots of money.

lp0 · October 2014

I'm also trying to figure out a way to cut down on groceries. I just figured out we spend close to $1,000 on food every month! $200 of it is DH's lunch at work so is definitely cutting that out and packing his lunch from now on.

lp0 · October 2014

mcncheese said:

lpo198 said:
I'm also trying to figure out a way to cut down on groceries. I just figured out we spend close to $1,000 on food every month! $200 of it is DH's lunch at work so is definitely cutting that out and packing his lunch from now on.
Holy shit!

Right?! WTF? It's like I can't get a grocery order under $130-150 and that doesn't include meat because I go to the butcher for that. I only buy one or two snacks/junk food items too so it's not that.

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