This is what we spent:
Aldi: $21.64Ferntree Gully Nissan: $21.60
Craft: $10.99
This is what we didn't spend (and what was moved into savings/slush fund/holiday fund):
Coffee: Wayne is still using the Keep Cup but this week instead of hot coffee, we've both been having iced coffee in the mornings, minus all that fake cream the cafes use. I've been making up Iced Coffee Syrup, using expresso from my machine and MOO vanilla extract. Total cost: $3.82 for 1 litre of coffee syrup, that makes 20 iced coffees (I use 50ml per drink). Our iced coffees cost just 40 cents each (200ml milk costs 20c, 50ml syrup is 20c). Between the two of us, over seven mornings, we didn't spend $52.50 on iced coffee this week!Petrol: No petrol needed in my car this week, I still have between 3/4 and a full tank, so I didn't spend $80 on petrol.
Meals: We didn't spend $376 again on takeaway this week - even though it was our anniversary and we had some very hot days and nights. I allow $50 a month for takeaway, but we rarely use it. Being the end of the month, I shifted $50 to our holiday fund.
Greeting cards: I've sent two birthday cards and a get well card this week, using cards I've made. Nice greeting cards cost an average of $7 each - that's $21 not spent. I left the $21 in the gift account.
Petrol: No petrol bought so as per my habit, $80 has been moved to the holiday fund.
Mechanic/Car Repairs: Wayne was able to fix the rattle in my car using his own tools and spare parts we had, and replace the missing grommets, saving on a trip to the mechanic and a hefty bill. We have a great mechanic, and we trust him with all our cars, but he's still in business to make money. He's not the most expensive around, but he's not the cheapest either. For us we feel he does the best work. I estimate the cost would have been around $200, including the parts. With Wayne doing the work, we didn't spend $177. I moved the $177 from the car service account to the holiday account.
Total spent this week: $54.23
Total not spent this week: $490.49
And moved to savings: $307.00
Remember, money isn't saved until it is safely in the bank. Until then it is just not spent - hence my "what we didn't spend" list and making sure I move money from the relevant categories into our savings accounts.
.jpg)
Posts
Hi Cath and we shall join you on the no spend month here as well and will only be spending on necessities such as food, fuel, bills, rent and gardening needs etc and good specials we can find for our pantry supplies.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear Murphy visited your household but it sounds like because Wayne is so handy that the cost was much less for repairs than having it done at the garage. I also have a wonderfully handy husband too :).
We are unable to give a number of days of no spending as that will depend on if we see good specials to build our pantry or not but we can definitely say Sunday at the moment.
We spent nothing in the 1st week at all so doing well so far and banked more money in our home deposit account.
Like yourselves we could have spent money such as on a shut off tap for one of our garden beds for the water but instead transferred all of the small carrots growing in there to our newly amended garden bed along with some beetroot seedlings from another garden bed and shut off the water to both beds.
Sewingcreations15
I am 68 so been living within or below my means a long while I agree with a lot you do. I have a budget if I am under that allows money for luxuries as I don't ever buy coffee out or would spend money on luxury goods there is no saving. By living below my income we can afford a Cruise in an inside cabin and to take our motorhome to Spain for the winter. Your system is more complicated than mine but if it works for you go four it. We have never been in debt and our friends think we are loaded, we are not. Enjoy your frugal life we each do it our own way.
ReplyDelete