Monday accountability post

hoffse · August 2015

Didn't see this yet today.

1) How MM was your weekend?

2) Any progress toward goals?

3) GTKY: What's the most spontaneous financial decision you've made?

CuriousKiddosMama · August 2015

1. Weekend was really good. Went to Costco and spent $80 but that was it.
2. Patio is finished!!!! I sent them the check last week.
3. This will sound insane, but buying our new house was about as spontaneous as I get with financial purchases. We decided to get our house appraised knowing it wasn't a place we wanted to stay long term. It was worth more than we though, so we listed. We had a contract in a week but had already found our new house. I had been looking for a while when dh was at work, but before ours was officially listed.

hoffse · August 2015

1) Sort of spendy, but otherwise good. My parents and their friends came to visit. We spent about $190 on combined groceries for us for the week and groceries/alcohol stock up to entertain them. The good news is we have a ton leftover! So I don't think we're going to need to stock up again any time soon. Other than that, we bought some supplies to patch some holes in our basement walls - but H had a gift card for that, so we didn't spend our own money on it.

2) Our power bill was under $300 this month! Seems silly, but it makes me feel like we made a great decision when we had our attic insulated. I think that will pay for itself within a year or two. We were cooling over 2000 sq feet in August in Alabama, and I didn't think a sub-$300 electric bill was possible this time of year.

3) To be perfectly honest, our most spontaneous decision was getting our first cat. I literally said, "I'm feeling spontaneous today" and H was like, "let's go to the pet store." We hadn't even talked about it. Buying our house was also pretty spontaneous. We had planned to wait a few more months until we knew H had passed the bar, but we were still looking just in case. Well "just in case" turned into making an offer on our house the day it went on the market. We saw it in the morning, saw it again in the evening, and then wrote up the offer. We didn't really even talk about it that much, and I don't think I even ran a mortgage calculation before putting in the offer.

Mustard76 · August 2015

1) How MM was your weekend?
- Not good. We're trying to get caught up on everything we can think of before we leave on Wednesday. $73 for our prescription dog food so we have some leeway in getting established at a new vet. $166 on gas/car wash/detailing for both vehicles. $32 for one last dinner at our favorite local restaurant. $13 at FedEx to ship something to my cousin. $20 tip for my waxer. $30 target run for toiletries.

2) Any progress toward goals?
- $6900 in our move money account. That's likely to be our last (and largest) deposit. We may be able to move some cash around on Friday, but we'll be living in a hotel all of next week, so it's not likely. $70 extra payment to H's truck loan. It's small, but I'm counting it!

3) GTKY: What's the most spontaneous financial decision you've made?
- I'm not really a spontaneous person in general, so it's hard to think of anything. I guess that makes me pretty boring. I'm too Type A to do anything spontaneously, I need time to plan. Whomp whomp.

simplyelise · August 2015

1) How MM was your weekend?

Good. $45 on date night for dinner and a six pack to enjoy at home. We've got $5 left in the date night budget for a sonic run! $72 on groceries which leaves us with $6 left in grocery budget for the month. $100 for oil change, tire rotation and 90k inspection for my car.

2) Any progress toward goals?

$1192 to student loans.

3) GTKY: What's the most spontaneous financial decision you've made?

I really cannot think of a single thing. I'm extremely cautious and methodical about financial decisions and I'm already a naturally thrifty person. I had issues with my wisdom teeth starting at age 18 but didn't get them out until I was 25 and finally had dental insurance and had put money into a cafeteria plan for it. So I am all about the planning.

vlagrl29 · August 2015

1 - Pretty awesome. We spent $35 on eating out for dinner on Friday, $6 on breakfast Saturday, and $44 at Target.

2 - none this week

3 - Probably all the furniture I bought before I moved back into the house back in 2008. Walked in a furniture store with my parents and bought an entire living room, bedroom set and living room rug all in the same visit. It was my very first home purchase and felt so awesome!

als1982 · August 2015

1. Not great on eating out, but otherwise okay. We have scheduled a small monthly home improvement every month for the next year, and this month was to have the tree roots augered from our pipes. This ended up being about $450 less than we expected, which was nice. Next month is to have our air ducts cleaned. Fun!!

2. $370 to H's student loan. We'll move more over later this week.

3. Ha - I'm too cheap to be impulsive.

cbee817 · August 2015

1) How MM was your weekend? Not bad- groceries ($120), gas ($40), school supplies for DD#1 ($68... she'll be in kindergarten in 2 weeks!)

2) Any progress toward goals? No changes for this month for savings. We made our last 2 children day care payment this month! Next month, we'll be down to DD#2's full time day care payment (averaging $992/month) and DD#1's after school care payment (flat rate of $165/month).

3) GTKY: What's the most spontaneous financial decision you've made? Probably our living room couch- it's semi-custom from Bassett and it was way too expensive for what it is (bought in 2009). We'll have it for a while though especially if we move in the next 1-2 years.

kelshaws1311 · August 2015

1. Not very great. $113 on groceries but stocked up on some much needed items, $56 in gas for the vehicles and $45 in eating out this weekend(habit trying to break). Good news is went out to MIL/FILs house on Sunday for lunch and MIL cleaned out her pantry so we brought a huge box home of food. My grocery money next week will be even smaller now so that helps.

2. Nothing extra this week

3. Lunches/Dinners out is about as spontaneous as I get. Big money purchases I am very frugal and do not like to waste money. If we could kick that one habit we would be so much better off.

vlagrl29 · August 2015

als1982 said:

1. Not great on eating out, but otherwise okay. We have scheduled a small monthly home improvement every month for the next year, and this month was to have the tree roots augered from our pipes. This ended up being about $450 less than we expected, which was nice. Next month is to have our air ducts cleaned. Fun!! 2. $370 to H's student loan. We'll move more over later this week. 3. Ha - I'm too cheap to be impulsive.

DH just mentioned that a couple nights ago. The house is almost 10 years old and we've never had them cleaned. Honestly I'm not sure how often they should be cleaned.

als1982 · August 2015

vlagrl29 said:

als1982 said:

1. Not great on eating out, but otherwise okay. We have scheduled a small monthly home improvement every month for the next year, and this month was to have the tree roots augered from our pipes. This ended up being about $450 less than we expected, which was nice. Next month is to have our air ducts cleaned. Fun!!

2. $370 to H's student loan. We'll move more over later this week.

3. Ha - I'm too cheap to be impulsive.

DH just mentioned that a couple nights ago. The house is almost 10 years old and we've never had them cleaned. Honestly I'm not sure how often they should be cleaned.

I'll ask whenever we have it done - and if we like the company I'll let you know. Our house was built in 1951 and I've been here for six years and never had it done.

vlagrl29 · August 2015

als1982 said:

als1982 said:

1. Not great on eating out, but otherwise okay. We have scheduled a small monthly home improvement every month for the next year, and this month was to have the tree roots augered from our pipes. This ended up being about $450 less than we expected, which was nice. Next month is to have our air ducts cleaned. Fun!! 2. $370 to H's student loan. We'll move more over later this week. 3. Ha - I'm too cheap to be impulsive.

DH just mentioned that a couple nights ago. The house is almost 10 years old and we've never had them cleaned. Honestly I'm not sure how often they should be cleaned.
I'll ask whenever we have it done - and if we like the company I'll let you know. Our house was built in 1951 and I've been here for six years and never had it done.

The thing we are doing this year is repainting the house. Got some good quotes. DH did the front himself but we don't have time to finish it off in a reasonable amount of time so we found someone to do it for $1,000 which is great. Next year I want to redo the front landscaping a bit and add some bricks/stones in front of the shrubbery that was put in when the house was built.

bridejl · August 2015

1) How MM was your weekend? It was ok...got $30 off of socks for both of us and a shirt for H at Kohl's, so we paid $20 total for items that were over $50 full price. ~$30 on a couple items for dinner (and wine) Saturday. The wine was definitely an impulse purchase, unfortunately.

2) Any progress toward goals? Not financially, right now we're getting ready to leave for our 2 week vacation so we're spending money on that.

3) GTKY: What's the most spontaneous financial decision you've made? Honestly, it would be our house. We didn't think we had enough for a downpayment, but then my mom tipped us off that 5% down was permissible. Then we looked at the numbers (although we were so naive at the time I'm sure our estimated costs were way off) and decided to look. We looked for awhile, but when we toured our house we knew right away it was the one, and put an offer in that night.

short+sassy · August 2015

1) How MM was your weekend?

Pretty good. I only spent about $80 at Home Depot. Supplies for putting in a handrail for the back steps. A small project I've been putting off forever. I'm sure my homeowner's insurance would have kittens if they knew the back steps are missing a handrail, lol. Though they never asked.

2) Any progress toward goals?

Alas, no. This was not a pay week for either of my jobs. Fortunately, that is unusual.

3) GTKY: What's the most spontaneous financial decision you've made?

I bought a car spontaneously when I was in my early 20s. My current car had broken down and I was freaking out about how I was going to get around. I did zero research ahead of time and walked to a nearby dealership. They must have smelled my desperation and I bought the second used car they showed me. Paid way too much for it...just a little below RETAIL Blue Book. So naïve! On the good side, although it was nothing fancy (Honda Civic), it was super reliable. I drove that car for ten years with very few problems. So, in the end, it wasn't too bad of a decision. I just wish I could go back in time with the wisdom I have now and have been a better negotiator.

Frugalmama2009 · August 2015

1) friday - date night 40.00 on dinner
Sat - nothing as I worked and my DH and DD stayed home.
Sun - 260 at Costco but I stocked up on back to school foods So 300, not great but not terrible. 2) we put 400 in savings on payday. Big thing is we are staying out of over draft and saving. When my daughter goes back to school next week and I am at work it should be easy to not spend! 3) probably a last minute Disneyland trip we really shouldn't have done.

blondie42107 · August 2015

1) How MM was your weekend?

$100 at Home Depot for the bathroom remodel, $75 for groceries, $60 for clothes for the kiddos (great deals though!).

2) Any progress toward goals?

Nothing out of the ordinary.

3) GTKY: What's the most spontaneous financial decision you've made?

8 years ago this month, we ran into a store to get cat litter for our furbaby and walked out with our second furbaby. A local rescue/shelter had an adoption event and we fell in love with Frizzy (who was promptly renamed)!

SmrBrd2012 · August 2015

1) How MM was your weekend?
Honestly, not great at all. We spent way too much on food:

Friday: Delivery for dinner ($20)
Saturday: Had our first date night since DS was born in May ($70)
Sunday: Lunch with my mom ($20) and pizza with the in laws ($44)

At least we had leftovers for a few days. Blah.

2) Any progress toward goals?
I started funding my retirement again. It's not at the recommended 15% but I'm working on it. Been toying with the idea of paying off our smaller car loan completely. It's doable but would cut our E-Fund by about half.

3) GTKY: What's the most spontaneous financial decision you've made?
I don't know how spontaneous it was but pretty much right after graduating and before interest even started accumulating, I started throwing double payments at my school loans. Didn't put much thought into it other than wanting them to go away as soon as possible.

KatieCutie05 · August 2015

1) How MM was your weekend?

Well after an ER visit for me and many doctors visits for me and baby... we stayed home all weekend but spent a lot on groceries because my doc told me i need to eat about twice as much as i am.... so we totally blew our grocery budget... I really think we need to just stop kidding ourselves.

2) Any progress toward goals?

Paid off my car!

3) GTKY: What's the most spontaneous financial decision you've made?

PP reminded me of this - I don't know how "financial" but 5 years ago my husband and I walked into petsmart for cat supplies (to adopt a cat the next day because a cat was the "responsible" pet for an apartment).... and there was a puppy adoption event. Walked out with my baby girl - Dakota. Best decision ever. Although she is a lot more expensive then a cat - thats for sure.

jessica490 · August 2015

We finally closed on our house last Thursday and I'm just getting back to work today. We spent a little less at the closing than we thought so that is a good thing! We've bought a bunch of things for the house already but paid cash. So far so good!

blondie42107 · August 2015

@KatieCutie05

Hope you are doing ok!

dragonstarjk · August 2015

1) How MM was your weekend? It was good. Friday night--$0; Saturday-$10ish on Amazon for movie rentals. H was out of town hunting w/ a friend and I was binge-watching lame movies that he wouldn't be interested in. Sunday--$140 groceries (budgeted)

2) Any progress toward goals? Same ol', same ol'

3) GTKY: What's the most spontaneous financial decision you've made? Buying my previous car. I had been looking at getting a new car for about a year and was being very diligent at doing my research. We went up to the nearest large town to do some shopping one weekend, and thought it would be a good idea to look at some of the different vehicles I had been researching. Well, looking turned into a test drive, which turned into the biggest impulse purchase of my life! I regretted it every single day until I traded that car in for my current vehicle.

formerlyGDaisy09 · August 2015

I'm way late to the game here.

1) How MM was your weekend?

I've resigned myself to the fact that things are just going to be a bit more spendy for a while. Friday: $100 on a wedding present for a dear friend Saturday: $60 at the grocery store, $4 on some craft supplies at Walmart, $330 at the furniture store for a 50% downpayment on a glider/recliner for the nursury ($329 due on arrival in about a month). The glider has been a major source of stress for me, but I feel good about our investment, I absolutely hate the wood-frame gliders (i find them extremely uncomfortable to sit in), so we'd been shopping for a nice upholstered piece we could put in the nursury and eventually transition to a different area of the home.

2) Any progress toward goals?

I'm going to call checking things off the nursery needs list progress. H has been helping with the basement renovation and has saved us about $1000 so far in labor costs from the contractor and electrician.

3) GTKY: What's the most spontaneous financial decision you've made?

Lunch or dinner out is about as spontaneous as I get. everything else is painstakingly planned, reconsidered, and researched.

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