No money for a full week!

**Ima saver** · 07-23-2006, 09:02 AM

Re: No money for a full week!

I have about 100 rolls of toilet paper. I stock up. I do not think I could make it a whole week without spending a dime.

**sweeps** · 07-23-2006, 09:05 AM

Re: No money for a full week!

Look at the bright side, since you won't be eating as much, you won't need as much toilet paper.

If I knew in advance that I couldn't spend money for a week, I could do it, otherwise probably not.

**beebop25blue25** · 07-23-2006, 09:09 AM

Re: No money for a full week!

Gosh, It would definately be hard. I always need something whether it just be milk and bread. Having a large family is what is hard. I, myself, could be fine with not spending a dime in a week, but when you have kids, something always comes up, whether it be for school or milk for cereal, or whatever. Good Luck, i'm sure you can do it!!! Call him and tell him that you need to just spend $10.00 dollars for necessities. And make that toilet paper and whatever else is necessary, and maybe one treat, and stretch it for that week!

**Ima saver** · 07-23-2006, 09:10 AM

Re: No money for a full week!

Hate to say it, but I would not have spent a lot of money on a visit if I did not have some emergency savings. Your first priority is to fully fund an emergency fund.

**GoodBuyGirl** · 07-23-2006, 09:11 AM

Re: No money for a full week!

You can get 4 rolls for a $1 or less. You can probably fish that much out of your couch.

**Kris10Leigh** · 07-23-2006, 09:17 AM

Re: No money for a full week!

It's more of a difficult choice than a necessity. I have $30 cash and I do have savings, though not much. But having lurked here for nearly a month, I am motivated to do my best not to resort to savings or CC's. I certainly will go to the store for T.P. if I can't get through the week. I just don't want to be tempted by everything else in the store!

We had an awesome time in New York, and our boys learned sooooo much! They've never experienced a subway train or any other kind of train, and we did both. The trip cost us only gas and food since DH's hotel is paid for. Actually, I drove with the boys by myself and it was a 15 hour drive! I am very proud of myself for having done it! The most I've driven before is two hours! We could not have gone on this trip without DH doing it on business, so I don't begrudge the fact that we went. I can certainly go a week without spending anything in exchange for the wonderful experience of New York! What a terrific city!

**Ima saver** · 07-23-2006, 09:20 AM

Re: No money for a full week!

Sorry Kris, I think a trip like that was worth the money then. I did not mean to come down on you so hard!! I thought you were completely penniless. How about you go to a dollar store just for toilet paper and don't look at anything else?? When you get your husband's reimbursement back, maybe you can add that to your savings??

**Joan.of.the.Arch** · 07-23-2006, 10:18 AM

Re: No money for a full week!

Could I go a week without spending? In most circumstances, no problem. My husband does do most of the grocery shopping, so do we count that or not? But really, I think the last time I bought anything was about seven weeks ago when I bought some hairdye. Oh, I just remembered I did buy some garden seeds and bread about four weeks ago. I don't shop for entertainment and I have what I need right now. Kids need some clothes, but they are old enough that they shop for themselves. :-)

**34saving** · 07-23-2006, 10:39 AM

Re: No money for a full week!

I could do it no problem, but I'm not a big fan of shopping anyway! Two reasonably complete rolls should be fine for a week. What is it? The 3 square standard? If you have to go to the store to pick up some toilet paper, make the older of the two kids (or both of them if they're both old enough) hold you accountable. "Today when we go to the store Mommy is only going to buy toilet paper. Can you make sure that Mommy only buys toilet paper when we go to the store." (Or some age appropriate equilvalent

-- I have a 2-year-old. You can probably tell

)

**Kris10Leigh** · 07-23-2006, 11:21 AM

Re: No money for a full week!

Great suggestions! Yes, my oldest son would love to hold Mommy accountable. He's six, and he understands quite a bit.

I am not a shopper either. I do not enjoy shopping in the least, but the grocery store is difficult. It is just all the little things that add up to so much. For instance, last night as a treat I threw some ice cubes, milk and chocolate syrup into our blender and it came out quite like a Wendy's frosty. (If you try it, I actually used a "magic bullet". Not sure if it would come out the same in a regular blender.) Anyway, I'm curious to know if I used half and half instead of 2% milk, would it come out exactly like a Frosty? So if I went for T.P., I'd want to pick up some half and half. The half and half is right next to the yogurt which the kids would want and it is healthy, so why say no?

Anyway, I have been home five days now and have only spent $2.00 on milk. It's a fun challenge, really. We're trying to be as frugal as possible right now. The ultimate plan is to put DH's entire reimbursement check toward the CC, which will pay off half of one card. Prior to this trip, we were living over our budget. Now, I am rather pleased that we made it all the way to and from New York within our budget! That means we CAN live within our budget AND have some left over for debt.

Food is easier with DH gone. He doesn't mean to, but sometimes he sagotages my efforts to use up what we have. When dinner rolls around I mention what we're having, he gives me a look of "huh?" and I say fine, order pizza! LOL! We have to get better about that when he gets home.

**FrugalBachelor** · 07-23-2006, 11:26 AM

Re: No money for a full week!

i don't think I could make it a whole week. I'm always running out of something, coffee, milk..whatever.

**JoyJoy** · 07-23-2006, 12:42 PM

Re: No money for a full week!

I have lived a full week without buying something, but that was before I was married in 1996. I love to read and at times watch television. One week I read two books and watched all of the Halloween movies which were a free offering by the cable company to keep the trick/treaters off the streets for Devil's Night and Halloween. At the end of the week I realized I hadn't even gone out for anything and had to start my car to make sure the battery wasn't dead. It's much easier when you're alone, I think, not to spend.

Regarding toilet tissue, my brother-in-law actually takes a roll of two-ply tissue and rolls one-ply on an empty toilet roll and that makes him have two rolls of toilet tissue off of one roll. He reuses or recycles everything and has done it for years. He is frugal and very well to do.

**Bookie** · 07-23-2006, 01:38 PM

Re: No money for a full week!

A week without spending would be no problem for me, but I live alone now and stockpile most of my necessities as a result of frugal buying. The diet would probably be a little bland, but its certainly doable.

Actually, as the price of gas has stayed so high, I'm better stocked than usual because I try to limit my use of the car. Oh, the local Dollar Store is the low price on tp, $1 for a four-pack.

**jodi** · 07-23-2006, 01:53 PM

Re: No money for a full week!

I could probably go a week without spending anything. I only do big grocery shops about every two weeks, but we have to get milk several times a week (2-3 gallons every 3 days or so). Other than that, no problem.
Sounds like you'll be out and about a lot - make sure everyone goes to the bathroom before you leave the Y and museum and maybe that will cut down on the tp use at home

No money for a full week!