https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:17:48 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2471606 Tue, 23 Feb 2016 15:35:29 +0000 brownepiano 2471606@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in! Well, I am going to a consignment sale the first weekend in March for LO 1 (and coming #2) but I've had money saved for that for a while and technically it was supposed to be this month but they changed the date! </p> <p>I need to save money in our food budget and household budget so that in a month or two I can start stocking up for post-baby. I also need to save for some big clothing expenses (new winter coat, new shoes...) We have a budget for this but sometimes I spend it each month and then it doesn't add up to enough for the big stuff.</p> <p>So:<br /> * No clothes buying (except what I already planned for the consignment sale day)<br /> * No eating out<br /> *Try to shop our freezer/ not buy convenience foods to stretch our food budget<br /> * Only buy the toiletries we really need (ie are actually running out of), and no misc. house stuff. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2471234 Tue, 23 Feb 2016 12:44:15 +0000 Mrs. Pink 2471234@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm game! doing this in a Facebook group I'm in too so double accountability! I'll factor Easter into our grocery budget since we usually bank what we don't spend- munchkin will probably be getting candy only anyways! And I know we have a ham or a roast (probably both) in the deep freeze to use for Easter Dinner. </p> <p>My commitment will be:</p> <p>* No online orders from Amazon etc. aside from our wipes on subscribe and save.</p> <p>* No purchasing random music or movies. Exception for one red box this month should that come up- but it usually doesn't.</p> <p>*No buying stuff for the new baby as we don't need anything else and she's not here until June. Exception made for the A+A group buy that I may be invoiced for on the 1st (but hopefully before)--- Taking a break from ALL Facebook co-ops and baby BST pages.</p> <p>* Only eating out once a week TOPS (unless it's on a gift card- we use CC points for Applebees gift cards) not counting husband's lunches on the road which we budget $25 a week for.</p> <p>* limit stopping for Sweet Teas/Diet Cokes to twice a week... otherwise I'll bring my handy dandy giant water bottle with me! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2471144 Tue, 23 Feb 2016 11:53:06 +0000 Bao 2471144@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@petitenoisette: We don't do parties after 1 year old, so the only thing we will need is a gift and an activity! I don't want to rob her of that. We don't go out to eat often, maybe once per month so we will cut that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2471096 Tue, 23 Feb 2016 11:29:57 +0000 gingerbebe 2471096@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@petitenoisette: Stupid HB ate my post! </p> <p>I was just saying I try to cook 3x a week, eat leftovers once or twice, and do takeout once. During the pantry challenge, takeout night was homemade pizza night using those storebought crusts and some odds and ends in the fridge. </p> <p>One way we get away with cooking 3x a week is to buy a little extra of the ingredients I'm cooking with and reuse elements of one meal another night. So a crockpot pork butt we'd cook with plain seasonings, eat as carnitas tacos one night, and then add BBQ sauce and slaw for pulled pork sandwiches another night. The fixings and buns aren't any work. Or if I'm making chicken and veggie stir-fry one night, I'll cook the chicken first plain, save half of it and some extra chopped veggies to add to tomato sauce another night for pasta - just have to boil spaghetti that night. By doing that, I've already had Asian, Mexican, BBQ, and Italian in one week. Then I have leftovers once or twice, and then one night the leftover pasta sauce, chicken, and veggie mix might get thrown on a pizza with some cheese. Or maybe it becomes BBQ pizza with bbq sauce, pulled pork, cheddar cheese, and onions drizzled with ranch dressing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2471052 Tue, 23 Feb 2016 11:09:00 +0000 travellingbee 2471052@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bao: yes us too- it's LOs birthday in March too but gifts and venue is paid for so we just need to pay for food. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2471045 Tue, 23 Feb 2016 11:05:04 +0000 petitenoisette 2471045@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travellingbee: I used to be able to do a week of groceries for ~$60! But since baby arrived I spend way more on convenience foods and also going out to eat because I am so tired by the end of the week. Lately it's been more like $100 which doesn't sound bad but I know I can do way better, and we don't eat much meat so in general our groceries should be cheaper than average. </p> <p>We usually go out once too and will probably resume that in April but I think we need to get back to that being a bit more of a treat and also not doing dinner out, take-out plus convenience foods (like TJs frozen dinners) every week!</p> <p>@gingerbebe: The pantry idea is great! I don't really like having a lot of stuff in the pantry in general so I don't have a lot to work with. Even less in the freezer, for some reason I really don't like having much in there. </p> <p>My problem lately is I meal plan and then don't end up making a couple of the meals, we go out instead and the meals go onto the next week's plan. So I have to be better about sticking to my plan..<br /> I talked to DH last night of being supportive and keeping me on track with this. It is totally not his fault but he does enable my spending and when I'm tired and suggest take-out, etc. he's totally on board of course. We are going to try to spend a couple of hours meal prepping together on the weekends (naptime!) so that things go more smoothly during the week. I'm also going to start doubling up on recipes with the idea that I'll cook, saturday, sunday, put together crockpot for Monday and then cook two bigger meals during the week that we'll eat twice. I don't think I could cook like that long term but for one month I think it will be a fun challenge. </p> <p>@Bao: Welcome! :) I think having a budget for the birthday too is a great help. I always spend whatever thinking it's a special occasion but it seems like those special occasions are constant throughout the year! </p> <p>@looch: Yea I've seen these threads pop up before when I was lurking :) I'm really trying to keep myself motivated and accountable though so I'll try to keep it alive ;)<br /> I think it's a great idea to try not go overboard on food on your trip - where are you going? Will you have kitchen access? That is definitely a problem I have that I do not stick to budgets when it comes to any sort of special occasions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2470749 Tue, 23 Feb 2016 08:30:50 +0000 looch 2470749@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always join these but then the thread kind of dies and I forget about it!</p> <p>We are going on our first family vacation in almost 2 years in March, so it will be a good challenge not to overspend on food! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2470747 Tue, 23 Feb 2016 08:26:35 +0000 Bao 2470747@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in! It is LO's birthday in March though, so outside of that... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2470621 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 22:54:59 +0000 gingerbebe 2470621@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travellingbee: it wasn't perfect because we were sick constantly in January - lots of juice and Gatorade and random stuff to try and pique DS' appetite during a stomach virus. And I always need to buy fresh produce, coffee creamer, and milk and eggs for DS. But we didn't need any carbs or protein, we ate through almost all our frozen veggies and canned beans and tomatoes, and used up a lot of cereal, oats, and dried fruit for breakfast. We hilariously spent a ton on clementines - DS would eat those and we were all trying to boost our vitamin C intake. I'd say overall we probably spent about $300 in January including all the cold related purchases. Before DS I've done it for like $100-150 but the organic milk and eggs and yogurt adds up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2470602 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 22:10:39 +0000 NavyRN2012 2470602@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@petitenoisette: ugh we REALLY need to do this, but March is a bad month. We've got A's first birthday, Spring Break, and Easter. I think we'll do this in April. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2470592 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 21:44:52 +0000 travellingbee 2470592@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: how much did you still have to spend on groceries? I'm pretty much doing that now, trying to use up all of these things in my freezer, and I've got dinners planned into March, but I still end having to spend for DS's lunch and fresh produce. Then also things like toilet paper etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2470565 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 21:19:52 +0000 gingerbebe 2470565@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just did a pantry challenge in January where you try to menu plan around what you have in the freezer and pantry and just fill in the gaps. DH mentioned on our lunch date on Friday that I had kept expenses way down in January and that he appreciated it - he didn't even realize we had been on a challenge! We even had his birthday in January and I just invited friends over and cooked dinner for everyone. Just wanted to say even small things like that can save a ton! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2470545 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 20:51:03 +0000 travellingbee 2470545@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@petitenoisette: Three of us- during the week we eat at home, but on the weekend DH likes to go out at least once. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2470229 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 14:40:44 +0000 petitenoisette 2470229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MoonMoon: I feel you! And you just reminded me that two of my nieces have March birthdays so I'll have to make exceptions for that!!<br /> @LuLu Mom: DD's 1st birthday is Thursday and party is Saturday so I feel like March is a good starting point since we'll have that behind us. A mini-version is great too!!<br /> @travellingbee: It's so hard because I'm already like hmm maybe two meals out for the month or take-out twice! It's so hard WOHM to get dinner on the table every night and going out is a great break from the daily grind. How many does $100 feed? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2470221 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 14:36:11 +0000 travellingbee 2470221@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in! We are trying to cut budget and I've gotten really bad about just buying without thinking about budget. I think I need a few months of being super aware to get me back to being conscientious.</p> <p>My rules:<br /> Groceries $100 per week or less<br /> Only 1 meal out a week (no meals out wouldn't fly with DH)<br /> No clothes or spending on "wants"</p> <p>Easter weekend we have a beach mini-vacation so I'll have to break that weekend. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2470213 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 14:28:48 +0000 LuLu Mom 2470213@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wish we could but March is DD2's birthday so we have a party and presents to buy! I might do a mini-version and say no to eating out/unnecessary shopping and stick to a strict food budget to help balance out the party costs! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2470196 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 14:17:29 +0000 MoonMoon 2470196@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love the idea, but I know I won't be able to participate because of a planned road trip, birthday and holidays in March. But good luck and I'd love to keep up with your challenge if you update! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/march-no-spending-madness#post-2470115 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 13:19:11 +0000 petitenoisette 2470115@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Anyone want to join my March No-Spending Madness?? </p> <p>After the holidays I said to myself, phew that's over and now we can reign in the spending. Well two months later we are still going over budget every month (with money we do have but at the expense of saving more). I think a serious part of the issue is the credit card grace period - I want to start paying the card off at the beginning of the statement period rather than the end because I think that will really help me better control spending. To do so though I need a really lean month!</p> <p>Also my husband and I are seriously considering him becoming a stay at home dad in the near future but first I want to practice living on the income that would leave us.</p> <p>Why not start this in practically the longest month of the year?! (Actually as a teacher March IS officially the longest month). </p> <p>Rules:<br /> Only spending on groceries, gas and regular household bills.<br /> Actually stick to grocery budget.<br /> Only free outings, no restaurants, take-out.<br /> No amazon (or any online) orders. I always feel that I "need" the things I'm buying off amazon but we know I wouldn't be buying as much if not for amazon prime and the crazy convenience of it.<br /> No clothes - hoping my daughter might get some stuff for her birthday this week but if not we have a couple gift cards that we could use if we really need new Spring stuff.<br /> No Target - too tempting. </p> <p>Anyway, these are just my personal rules that I know will help me spend less. Anyone else have any other tips? I'm thinking about deleting my saved credit cards from various online retailers but I'm not sure that's going to be necessary. Also hopefully the weather will improve - I definitely feel like the more time we spend outside the less I feel the need to self-medicate via shopping! I also need to make sure my husband is supportive - he really never buys stuff himself but he is always very encouraging of my own spending. </p>