-
23
Jul
Thank goodness for Fridays …
My Spending Diet: No one ever wants to have to admit that they aren’t doing well. But folks, I haven’t been doing well with My Spending Diet. I took last week as a fluke … I was rusty. But this week? There was no mistaking that I’ve slipped. A lot. I’ve been spending without thinking, using the cash as a reason to spend. As a result, I have been running out of cash early in the week and using my debit card to make up the difference.
This is not the way I want to be.
I mean, seriously, who wants to overspend like this? It’s not like I’ve been out of control, but I have been spending more than I should be. And frankly, considering that I have a weekly CSA, I should be spending less now.
So, what’s the problem? For one, I’ve been getting take out from new places. It’s been so long since I could do that, so it’s felt good … except for the overspending part. Another reason? I have been purchasing more specialty items that I wouldn’t normally buy. Why? Because I had a little extra padding in the budget and took that a little too far.
The solution is obvious. I need to adhere to my budget. That means making a concise weekly shopping list, budgeting for a little take out and cutting back there. Furthermore, I need to be rigid in my spending. If I don’t have it, then I can’t spend it. That’s that.
How are you doing with your spending?
This Week’s Tips, Tricks and Deals
- Got eggshells? If you are really into gardening, then you will love this tip. Crushed eggshells are really good for your garden. They have valuable nutrients that will help your garden grow better. Learn more at Mama’s Health.
- Beach fun. Sure, it might be hard to find beach toys in stores now. But don’t worry. A great alternative is to hit up the kitchen section of your local dollar store for funnels, spoons and more. The kids will have a blast — and you won’t spend a bundle. (Thanks, dear cousin, for that tip!)
Photo credit: greenfinger from morguefile.com
- Published by sarah in: Frugal Fridays
- If you like this blog please take a second from your precious time and subscribe to my rss feed!
3 Responses to “Frugal Fridays: Beach, Garden and a Confession”
I’ve never been a huge fan of cash. If I have it, I spend it. So I hear you.
Have you ever thought about Peapod delivery from Stop and Shop? I’m a huge fan of that. Although you have to pay a delivery fee, I find it is easy to stick to a no-frills list and avoid impulse buys when I shop online – nothing really “calls” to you. I can use coupons and I don’t have to find a big block of time to do my shopping.
I know you’ve said that you need to focus when you shop – w/o kids – so it might be a way of achieving this too.
I’m just FIVE days away from finishing this month up. I’m so very nervous I’ll blow it but also more confident every day that I won’t. I’m almost out of gas so that’s the last of my cash but I’m postponing as much as I possibly can.
How are you tracking the spending you do? My excel spreadsheet really keeps me in check. There’s something about entering an expense in there that is similiar to entering a confessional. So I don’t have to do it, I don’t spend even though I really really really want to.
Have you considered that because the experiment is now open-ended you don’t feel you have to stick to it as much? In other words, you can always fix it later. I considered that myself and have decided that I’ll continue this on a monthly basis with a monthly budget and then see how I do and how I need to adjust the next month but that deadline– the end of the month– keeps me in line. No adjusting allowed until I review it next month! It helps me!
Leave a Reply