No Spend Month - Update

We are almost half way through our no-spend month experiment.  It has been so good for us to do this, even if we don’t make it at the end (but I’m thinkin’ we’re gonna make it!)

Started with: $250 
Spent: $158
Remaining: $92

Notes:

• Freezer and cupboards are stocked, so only milk has to be purchased through the end of the month.
• Last three days are moving days, and moving expenses don’t factor into no-spend month.
• Trip to NYC this weekend is separate, so the gas and food are not paid for out of the $250.

Things we have done to save money so far:

• Took advantage of triple coupons to get over $60 in free groceries
• Filled a new prescription at Target to get a free $10 gift card
• Won an iTunes gift card from MoneySavingMom. I used this to get a new Adventures in Odyssey for entertainment on our trip to New York City.
• Garage sale: $130 income.  Used some to go out to eat for Mother’s Day (along with a gift certificate I had).
• Earned two free Chick-fil-A meals for being a Facebook fan and completing a survey.
• Free ice-cream coupon arrived in the mail
• Two free movie rentals from RedBox using free codes
• Free moving boxes from Craigslist
• Won a free pizza coupon from a giveaway at The Deal Scoop
• Sold furniture on Craigslist and put it aside to purchase the dresser we will need for our new apartment.
• We are staying in our new apartment rather than rent a hotel during our trip to Brooklyn. (It seems like a no-brainer, but it took us a while to come up with this solution!)

Additionally, the Lord has blessed us in many ways as we prepare for our move.  Although he is working a new route, Ben is having a record month so far in income.  People at church have donated boxes.  My parents are coming to help us move.  Ben parents are giving us a set of matching bookshelves.  The hotel we need for moving day was given to us at a discounted rate (even though it is Memorial Day).  Money was given to us to help with moving expenses.  It is more than enough to cover the moving truck, gas, and tolls to get to Brooklyn.  God has truly been good to us in meeting our every need.  (Why are we always surprised at that?)