pvp No-Spend Summer! (July 23 - September 2, 2023)

[Jarric]

On 8/11/2023 at 6:54 PM, Sovalis said:

Are you finding that the being of alcohol is changing anything other than pocketbook stuff for you? Better sleep or easier time sticking to your calorie plans?

 

On 8/14/2023 at 4:42 PM, Heidi said:

@Jarric, this is my question, too. I found that so many of the small irritations and inconsistencies that derailed my goals somehow were less present when I stopped drinking, which was confusing, but also wonderful.

 

Not particularly - I think I would have had to go more than 8 days to really see any effect. I drink a lot less than I did a few years ago anyway, but usually have a couple of drinks two or three nights per week. It was just a nice convergence of trying not to spend money and trying to keep my calories low. To be fair, I was particularly trying to keep my calories low because I knew I was having a boozy day on Saturday, so it wasn't a long-lived thing

 

On 8/14/2023 at 4:43 PM, Heidi said:

Final note for this week: One of the smaller credit card payments posted to my credit profile, so my credit score went up a notch. Go me.  Baby steps in the right direction!! ?

 

Congrats on the credit score going up!

[Jarric]

My running shorts broke today, and given how much I need them I've had to immediately buy some more. Other than that I've been doing ok on this challenge, it's certainly making me more mindful of not buying a bottle of coke at lunch time, and stuff like that.

 

I also bought a bunch of energy gels and some protein powder today. Not quite clear if I should be classing that as groceries or not, but today was a fail anyway so ?‍♂️

[Sovalis]

I classify my protein supplements as groceries, so that makes sense to me. Glad things are going well so far!!

[Sovalis]

Okay, Accountability post:

 

I am super frustrated with my boss right now. My pay is late again (for the second pay period in a row and the 7th instance in 20 months) and he isn’t giving me a straight answer about what is going on or when it will be fixed. I really want the dopamine hit of buying something to make up for this frustration and annoyance. I will not, because I am being aware of my goals. But I really want to.

 

It helps to say that out loud. Thank you. 

[Heidi]

19 hours ago, Sovalis said:

Okay, Accountability post:

 

I am super frustrated with my boss right now. My pay is late again (for the second pay period in a row and the 7th instance in 20 months) and he isn’t giving me a straight answer about what is going on or when it will be fixed. I really want the dopamine hit of buying something to make up for this frustration and annoyance. I will not, because I am being aware of my goals. But I really want to.

 

It helps to say that out loud. Thank you. 

What the even?

Super frustrating, and that it's all finance-based makes it even worse (since we all want retail therapy to soothe the feels).

 

Also, transparency note: I'm likely going to order food this afternoon since I'm having a full-on HeadIssues day.

That happens sometimes, and I'm very proud that I haven't done it in more than a month, but here we are.

[Heidi]

23 minutes ago, Heidi said:

Also, transparency note: I'm likely going to order food this afternoon since I'm having a full-on HeadIssues day.

That happens sometimes, and I'm very proud that I haven't done it in more than a month, but here we are.

Update:Nope, didn't order anything becuase nothing looked good. Had some nuts and cherries, a glass of milk and called it a day

[Sovalis]

For the record I think that ordering food when you are incapacitated is wisdom and doesn’t count against the spirit of the challenge. 

[Heidi]

On 8/17/2023 at 2:18 PM, Sovalis said:

For the record I think that ordering food when you are incapacitated is wisdom and doesn’t count against the spirit of the challenge. 

Absolutely agree. I only mentioned it because of transparency. 

 

Transparency: spent 75$ on yarn, a purchase i knew was coming but had hoped to hold off on. In the spirit of waiting as long as possible, I am now approaching the end of my available yarn for a third project. Ok, Universe.

 

Also, made my monthly tuition payment. Ouch. But happy to be able to do it.

[Jarric]

In terms of number of days, I'm doing alright this challenge. I ended up going out for a drink after work on Thursday, but that was a really nice evening and good to catch up with friends, so I'm not as worries as if I was spending just for the hell of it.

 

But I also spent money on Saturday. TomTom have just announced that they're discontinuing the software for my running watch, so it'll be functionally useless after the end of September. Given that I've got some big runs coming up I did need to replace it, so I ended up dropping £300 on a new one. To be fair I managed to get it second hand on eBay - it retails at about £400 new - and I am ridiculously excited about it. Still a shame to let the money go though!

[Loveable_Bouncer]

So... I have failed the "no spending" part of this challenge. But at the same time am following the spirit of this challenge. Hello Oppenbarbie... and MEG 2 in theatres.... 

With the "Rich Life System" I realized I'm not earning enough for my current living situation. 

So I've buckled down on what I spend on. It isn't perfect, but that's the learning thing. 

 

I've started to setup an envelope system. Digital numbers only do so much when I'm changing actions. It is hard not to go out to eat, and having to make the habit of packing food before I leave the home not just for work. Along with other stuff I want to buy but can wait a bit longer due to having the money for needed things is higher. Doing the envelope system comes in handy also when I'm tired due to needing to add more work hours to my schedule to help me be above the Red. I hope to learn exactly how many hours in my current 

 

By following my budget as well as I can, I am able to enjoy a guilt free outing tomorrow at an amusement park. I decided last year I would save up for our annual day not only for tickets but also for a meal plan/drinks. (Maybe next year I will get the fast passes for the long lines? )

I'm needing to buy a backpack, hat and smaller water bottle for tomorrow because that didn't cross my mind until I saw an "extreme heat" warning... I over budgeted for the park for "extras" and glad I did. I can say no to souvenirs, but a locker or two always helps us with water parks along with a backpack that'll make it easier to carry the needed things. 

 

For the last two weeks of the challenge I hope to keep following my goals. 

[Loveable_Bouncer]

On 8/17/2023 at 1:18 PM, Sovalis said:

For the record I think that ordering food when you are incapacitated is wisdom and doesn’t count against the spirit of the challenge. 

Thanks for this. 

I realize I need to put money aside for when I'm sick (I have a fancy Pho order I crave when I get my now rare "sick as a dog" feels) and my monthly killer cramps (they aren't killer every month but an extra 100 to feed myself easily would be nice). 

 

2 hours ago, Jarric said:

But I also spent money on Saturday. TomTom have just announced that they're discontinuing the software for my running watch, so it'll be functionally useless after the end of September. Given that I've got some big runs coming up I did need to replace it, so I ended up dropping £300 on a new one. To be fair I managed to get it second hand on eBay - it retails at about £400 new - and I am ridiculously excited about it. Still a shame to let the money go though!

May it last you a good while for the exciting new tech!

[Heidi]

19 hours ago, Loveable_Bouncer said:

I've started to setup an envelope system

I love envelope systems!

And that's really the spirit of this challenge, I think more about being mindful than about being depriving.  

[Sepherina]

On 8/1/2023 at 10:45 AM, Darciana said:

I was looking into the sparkling water/soda maker. If you invest, please let me know what you think! I feel I'd drink more of it if I didn't have to go through the trouble of buying (as you mentioned, the price adds up) and storing all those cans.

So we have had ours about 2 weeks.  I love it.  We bought the Drinkmate since we can use it to not just add carbonation to water but to other things as well.  So far we have used it with lemonade (this was a hit at a meal night with a large group of friends), grape juice (minion #2 loved making this) as well as just plain water.  Minion #3 also made a non alcoholic ginger beer syrup that we also added water to for actual ginger beer.  We have an Oktoberfest party planned for next month and we plan to use it there as well to make sparkling apple cider/juice for the kids.

 

So far we have saved around two weeks worth of not buying cans ($30 maybe) and I paid around $100 (had a gift card and a coupon code) for the unit.  I am estimating how long it will take us to use the CO2 tank and then shopping for a subscription based plan.  So far SodaStream seems to have the best prices. I will let you know what I find on that front as well.

[Darciana]

39 minutes ago, Sepherina said:

So we have had ours about 2 weeks.  I love it.  We bought the Drinkmate since we can use it to not just add carbonation to water but to other things as well.  So far we have used it with lemonade (this was a hit at a meal night with a large group of friends), grape juice (minion #2 loved making this) as well as just plain water.  Minion #3 also made a non alcoholic ginger beer syrup that we also added water to for actual ginger beer.  We have an Oktoberfest party planned for next month and we plan to use it there as well to make sparkling apple cider/juice for the kids.

 

So far we have saved around two weeks worth of not buying cans ($30 maybe) and I paid around $100 (had a gift card and a coupon code) for the unit.  I am estimating how long it will take us to use the CO2 tank and then shopping for a subscription based plan.  So far SodaStream seems to have the best prices. I will let you know what I find on that front as well.

Many thanks for the update and insight! I'm particularly interested in the sparkling apple cider. I'm the only one in this house that likes apples but I'm addicted to apple cider in the fall (it's my pumpkin spice since I'm not a big pumpkiny flavor person).

[Darciana]

Well, life took a sudden and dramatic turn. We are facing over $10k in legal fees due to a situation I'd rather not go into detail about. We'll know more this evening and hopefully it's not as bad as it currently seems. Our bathroom remodel loan may turn into legal fee/keep our heads above water loan and we'll have to figure out the bathroom later. Which is awful because we need to remodel the bathroom before we are going to be able to sell high enough to at least pay off the mortgage. The house is going to be too big here soon with the kids growing up leaving and we can begin to downsize to a more affordable place... Catch22 I guess. Stuck with a big mortgage until all this resolves and is paid down.... Ugh.

 

I'm still working on paying things off. I paid off the grocery credit card this month. Paid more than minimum on my other card I was hoping to pay off this year. I'll readjust budget after tonight's discussion on finances to see if we can manage without selling our right kidneys. I'm determining all my bills and adding them to a spreadsheet with my paychecks and dates. I may have to break things down by paycheck as it's bi-weekly and no set dates - each paycheck will cover different bills every month. It may be easier to adjust things when I know how much wiggle room I have with each check. For example, my last paycheck prior to mortgage, insurance, and utilities coming out will have little to no wiggle room. The paycheck that arrives after all that will have a little bit of wiggle room and excess can be used to pay down credit cards.

 

My No-Spend Summer, it seems, will be turning into No-Spend 2023 (what's left of it) if I want to keep a roof over my head and my job (internet/electricity as we both work from home)

[Loveable_Bouncer]

2 hours ago, Sepherina said:

We bought the Drinkmate since we can use it to not just add carbonation to water but to other things as well.

Ooh this is cool. I used to have a SodaStream but I found getting CO2 refills to be a headache (I lived in a rural area at the time and had to drive at least 30 mins to the closest store). It also could only do water (this was 6 years ago so the machine might have changed). I personally love the convivence of canned drinks to help me walk away from my pop addiction. But knowing I can make different things bubbly might help influence a drink area. 

 

48 minutes ago, Darciana said:

My No-Spend Summer, it seems, will be turning into No-Spend 2023 (what's left of it) if I want to keep a roof over my head and my job (internet/electricity as we both work from home)

Sorry to hear this, I hope things can workout to be lighter than perceived or handled in just the right way that you can get through this and still find joy!

[Darciana]

3 minutes ago, Loveable_Bouncer said:

Sorry to hear this, I hope things can workout to be lighter than perceived or handled in just the right way that you can get through this and still find joy!

Thank you. I'm determined to be optimistic as possible about this. Once we know more, I'm going to have a nice sit-down with the family regarding finances and how we can overcome this hiccup. I'm in charge of all the household bills (mortgage, homeowners insurance, vehicle insurance, utilities, groceries, etc) so I have the biggest say in finances as those are non-negotiable items. Everything else is pending the chopping block, my own whims included!

[Loveable_Bouncer]

2 hours ago, Darciana said:

Thank you. I'm determined to be optimistic as possible about this. Once we know more, I'm going to have a nice sit-down with the family regarding finances and how we can overcome this hiccup. I'm in charge of all the household bills (mortgage, homeowners insurance, vehicle insurance, utilities, groceries, etc) so I have the biggest say in finances as those are non-negotiable items. Everything else is pending the chopping block, my own whims included!

You do have this! Just knowing where everything is at helps greatly!

 

I'm personally learning to have these talks with myself, and glad it is only with myself!

[Loveable_Bouncer]

I wanted to say I was able to stay in budget yesterday! Even with some extras of buying things for the Amusement Park trip. I ended up not buying anything when I got there, where I ended up with some extra money that I put toward groceries to help me stay with my health goals. 

[Darciana]

58 minutes ago, Loveable_Bouncer said:

I wanted to say I was able to stay in budget yesterday! Even with some extras of buying things for the Amusement Park trip. I ended up not buying anything when I got there, where I ended up with some extra money that I put toward groceries to help me stay with my health goals. 

That's a great win! Even better that you could use the extra to stay in health goals -- to me that says a win-win! Great job

[Sovalis]

@Darciana We can keep this thread going the rest of 2023 if you want the solidarity and support. I know I could handle being on a mindful/reduced spending for the rest of the year (we want to save to go to Kansas City to see friends over the week between Christmas and New Years for my 40th birthday). I know not everyone will want to be dedicated for that amount of time, but there’s no reason not to keep the thread up if it will support a few of us. ❤️ 

 

@Loveable_Bouncer Good job!! I hope you had a great time!

[Darciana]

7 minutes ago, Sovalis said:

@Darciana We can keep this thread going the rest of 2023 if you want the solidarity and support. I know I could handle being on a mindful/reduced spending for the rest of the year (we want to save to go to Kansas City to see friends over the week between Christmas and New Years for my 40th birthday). I know not everyone will want to be dedicated for that amount of time, but there’s no reason not to keep the thread up if it will support a few of us. ❤️

I am absolutely okay with that! I could always use the support. I do believe I'll keep it as part of my personal 5 week challenge for the remainder of the year as well. I think when I switch to my September Silk+Sonder, I'll add it to my monthly tracker rather than weekly. It'll keep me accountable for the entire month since I will want a solid coloring by the end and no ugly gaps haha

 

I also discovered this, which I'm using in Google Sheets to help budget based on my paychecks: Bi-Weekly Budget

It's from Smartsheet because we must give credit where credit is due.

[Heidi]

5 hours ago, Darciana said:

My No-Spend Summer, it seems, will be turning into No-Spend 2023

Oof.

Sympathies, friend, and solidarity. I was going over the various balances of everything last night and I was thinking that I might need to extend this PVP for another challenge or three!

4 hours ago, Darciana said:

I'm determined to be optimistic as possible about this.

This is my approach too! I am embracing the opportunity to do some much-needed shoring up and paring down, all of which might be onerous right now but will leave a much more wonderful path forward.

 

35 minutes ago, Sovalis said:

Darciana We can keep this thread going the rest of 2023 if you want the solidarity and support. I know I could handle being on a mindful/reduced spending for the rest of the year (we want to save to go to Kansas City to see friends over the week between Christmas and New Years for my 40th birthday). I know not everyone will want to be dedicated for that amount of time, but there’s no reason not to keep the thread up if it will support a few of us. ❤️ 

I'm absolutely here for this, in whatever form makes the most sense -- a new thread each challenge or a continuation of this one.  

 

In a moment of brain fog last night, I made a large extra payment on a debt balance and was feeling great about it until this morning when a very large automatic payment that I set up last month to a completely different account posted. WHOOOOPS. That just about wiped out the savings, which was breathtaking, and I am so so glad that the account didn't go negative. I'm also glad that I'm paying the debt from a savings account and not from my 'monthly maintenance' account, which could in no way handle this sort of error. Whew. 

 

Anyway, thank you Universe for giving me a lower debt balance this month. May it post to my credit rating with all due haste.

[Darciana]

3 hours ago, Heidi said:

In a moment of brain fog last night, I made a large extra payment on a debt balance and was feeling great about it until this morning when a very large automatic payment that I set up last month to a completely different account posted. WHOOOOPS. That just about wiped out the savings, which was breathtaking, and I am so so glad that the account didn't go negative. I'm also glad that I'm paying the debt from a savings account and not from my 'monthly maintenance' account, which could in no way handle this sort of error. Whew. 

 

Anyway, thank you Universe for giving me a lower debt balance this month. May it post to my credit rating with all due haste.

In all honesty, I did this same thing this month, as well. Hence why I not only paid off one card, but ended up putting more than minimum (and more than I should have) towards the second card. Alas, I'm still in the yellow (AKA I had funds to cover which is why I have a color coded threshold of funds in the first place) and we now both have lower debt balance due to our silliness.

 

I thank you for the support. I'm content with keeping with this thread or starting a new one each challenge - I will go along with whatever suits the majority.

[Sepherina]

8 hours ago, Loveable_Bouncer said:

used to have a SodaStream but I found getting CO2 refills to be a headache (I lived in a rural area at the time and had to drive at least 30 mins to the closest store).

So sodastream has a C02 refill subscription now. That is what I am eyeballing for us. It seems they ship the tanks to you and you ship the empty ones back (postage included with subscription)