Author Topic: 4 Complete Months of MMM  (Read 8849 times)

MooseOutFront

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4 Complete Months of MMM
« on: February 27, 2014, 11:36:52 AM »
Closing the books on February gives me 4 months of trying to curb spending in our house.  Almost unilaterally. 

Here is the Year over Year comparison for November-February:

Consumption:   
2012-13 = $9602 or $2400/ month
2013-14 = $6812 or $1703/ month

4 month total MMM savings: $2,790 or $697/ month!

Plus we were on a budget a year ago and saving at a decent 27% clip.  Now we're over 50% all told.

This doesn't factor in reductions in bills like cutting cable, switching the iphone plan from ATT to straightalk, dropping some insurance, and conserving electricity gas & water.  Also doesn't factor the tax savings of having switched both 401ks to be maxing out as of 1/1/14.

Sure there have been some grumbles from the wife about wanting to go out to eat, but other than that this has all been done without asking her to make any changes beyond the cable cutting.
« Last Edit: February 27, 2014, 12:53:25 PM by MooseOutFront »

jhartt3

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Re: 4 Complete Months of MMM
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2014, 11:49:22 AM »
Yeah i have to hold my wife back on the wanting to go out to eat thing too... and most if not all of our cut backs will come from me for the time being.  good to see you cut it down to 697 a month... i started this jan 1... will be a good comparison to see how far i have come next year. 

windawake

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Re: 4 Complete Months of MMM
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2014, 11:51:29 AM »
That improvement is impressive!

Does your $697/month include everything: housing, transportation, etc? Or are you only including certain categories?

MooseOutFront

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Re: 4 Complete Months of MMM
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2014, 11:55:52 AM »
That improvement is impressive!

Does your $697/month include everything: housing, transportation, etc? Or are you only including certain categories?
Just all what I call "Consumption" categories.  Grocery, entertainment, gas, lunches, diapers, household supplies, gifts, clothes, etc.  Just the things that involve making a conscious transaction as opposed to "bills" which are not included in the above figures.

Thegoblinchief

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Re: 4 Complete Months of MMM
« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2014, 03:28:47 PM »
I live with 3 kids on what you reduced your spending by (for those categories). Keep working ;)

MooseOutFront

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Re: 4 Complete Months of MMM
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2014, 03:35:46 PM »
Ha!  Indeed my hesitation of posting these numbers was the revelation of how much I still suck.

FrugalAussie

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Re: 4 Complete Months of MMM
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2014, 05:23:06 PM »
Well done!  A saving of $700 per month, $9000 per year is incredible.  It's amazing how painless saving money can be, despite what's often reported it doesn't have to be about depravity. We have a wonderful, enjoyable life enhanced by the freedom from worry about money.

Personally, we don't eat out hardly at all, to save money but mostly because the restaurants are noisy, the food unhealthy and the drinks ridiculously overpriced (In Australia one small glass of wine averages $10, almost the same price as a bottle of the same wine on special). 

My only regret is I didn't become financially clever sooner but if you are buying diapers you're young enough to get greater benefit from your wise choices. Excellent!

Nords

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Re: 4 Complete Months of MMM
« Reply #7 on: February 27, 2014, 07:06:32 PM »
Sure there have been some grumbles from the wife about wanting to go out to eat, but other than that this has all been done without asking her to make any changes beyond the cable cutting.
How much of her own hard-earned money is she willing to pay for the experience?

MDM

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Re: 4 Complete Months of MMM
« Reply #8 on: February 27, 2014, 07:36:46 PM »
Who does the cooking?

nyxst

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Re: 4 Complete Months of MMM
« Reply #9 on: February 27, 2014, 07:38:56 PM »
Outstanding! It is crazy to see how much money is just slipping through your finger when you aren't looking... I noticed that when I get stressed out in life, I get really lazy and just start throwing money around to make it easier (eating out and "buying" fun for the kids instead of making a fun life...). Only to realize later that its Way more fun to make everything into a fun event :) eating out.... Boring and expensive ($40ish at least) and stressful with 3 kids, and eating too much and feeling lazy and watching (expensive) cable TV... ...or.... Riding bikes for ingredients (fun), then having three helpers make a pizza (fun!) Then a trip to the park to wander the woods (super fun!) All for less than $10? Hell yeah! That is living :)

MooseOutFront

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Re: 4 Complete Months of MMM
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2014, 09:19:56 AM »
Who does the cooking?
We both do, but she more than me.  That said her desires to go out to eat more aren't about that; she just thinks it's fun.  But not if our 2 yr old comes, so toss in a sitter and...  My frugality sphincter tightens at that point.

How much of her own hard-earned money is she willing to pay for the experience?
We do each get a blow money allowance and she would be willing to use some of that, I just don't feel right making her.

We actually talked about this last night.  I let her know about the 4 month results of our "new initiative" and she was all "What new initiative?" which is a good and bad comment.  Good that we've made this progress without her feeling it too much.  I did November and December on my own so that I could lead by example.  But in January we talked about how the 401ks were getting maxed and how we had to make sure to not go over budget.  I guess the part about our 6 year plan to quit the day jobs, move to her parents home town, and work for ourselves didn't resonate the first time around.

All that said, the only deprivation she mentioned again was the eating out together thing, so I have to find ways to make that work more to her satisfaction.

somepissedoffman

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Re: 4 Complete Months of MMM
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2014, 09:32:04 AM »
My frugality sphincter tightens at that point.

frugality sphincter says what?

SwordGuy

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Re: 4 Complete Months of MMM
« Reply #12 on: February 28, 2014, 09:40:44 AM »
Go to the park with your foodstuffs and some charcoal and grill a great dinner in some nice scenery.


 

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