Spending Recap: August 16-22, 2010
Monday 16th
$138.27 groceries
Tuesday 17th
No Spend Day!
Wednesday 18th
$51 boot camp classes
Thursday 19th
No Spend Day!
Friday 20th
$35.02 gas
$7.60 lunch w/boss
$8.50 snack for BF and I
Saturday 21st
$33.60 PNE admission for BF and I
$40 miscellaneous PNE spending
Sunday 22nd
No Spend Day!
TOTAL: $313.99
Well, this week was a bit spendy. I bought 6 classes of boot camp, and we also went to the PNE. We both really enjoyed ourselves there, but I’m not sure if it was worth almost $75. Actually, I know it wasn’t worth that much. Of course we could have saved a lot of money and not had snacks or bought lunch there, but that kind of goes with the atmosphere of the PNE. I doubt we’ll be going again next year.
I also really want to try to get our groceries to around $100/week for the both of us. Every week we’re closer to $120-140, and while it’s not exactly a budget breaker, that means we’re spending around $500/month on food alone. And granted, we’re both quite active so perhaps we might eat more than others. And BF is a big guy (6’7″) who is always out and about doing volunteer work and school. Plus, food is kind of our form of entertainment. We don’t go to bars or spend much money on alcohol. We like staying in and making yummy dinners. BUT STILL. We’re just living off my income at the moment, and that’s a huge amount for me to be paying.
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Now this is an idea I'm thinking about, but up until the past month or so, I was totally ashamed to admit how much I was spending on various things! Kudos to you for the complete transparency. And for the no-spend days! Every small victory helps.
Also, do you make note of how you pay for things? For example, do you pay with cash, debit or credit for gas? I think it would definitely be helpful for me to make note of what I'm spending with. Actually, I think my bank already does that for me, using the FinanceWorks program (it might have been what gave me my blog-inspired wake-up call).
Food is super expensive, I might add. Especially good food. I was given the suggestion to have potluck dinners with friends for fun and to save money on entertaining. What do you think?
My recent post Quick Question
Yeah these Spending Recaps are something I just started to do this year. It was scary at first, but it really helps keep me accountable. It shows me all that I am spending on a daily basis, and what expenses I should have been able to cut.
I don't personally make note of how I'm paying for things, aside from keeping all my receipts. When I import transactions into my Quicken money management software, it does that all for me.
Also I think potluck dinners are an awesome way to be frugal and social at the same time, but I always find that I want to impress my friends so I buy more expensive ingredients, or things that I wouldn't normally buy to make a fancier recipe or something. I think potlucks only work if you make something you would normally make and not spend extra money on ingredients.
Now this is an idea I'm thinking about, but up until the past month or so, I was totally ashamed to admit how much I was spending on various things! Kudos to you for the complete transparency. And for the no-spend days! Every small victory helps.
Also, do you make note of how you pay for things? For example, do you pay with cash, debit or credit for gas? I think it would definitely be helpful for me to make note of what I'm spending with. Actually, I think my bank already does that for me, using the FinanceWorks program (it might have been what gave me my blog-inspired wake-up call).
Food is super expensive, I might add. Especially good food. I was given the suggestion to have potluck dinners with friends for fun and to save money on entertaining. What do you think?
My recent post Quick Question
Yeah these Spending Recaps are something I just started to do this year. It was scary at first, but it really helps keep me accountable. It shows me all that I am spending on a daily basis, and what expenses I should have been able to cut.
I don't personally make note of how I'm paying for things, aside from keeping all my receipts. When I import transactions into my Quicken money management software, it does that all for me.
Also I think potluck dinners are an awesome way to be frugal and social at the same time, but I always find that I want to impress my friends so I buy more expensive ingredients, or things that I wouldn't normally buy to make a fancier recipe or something. I think potlucks only work if you make something you would normally make and not spend extra money on ingredients.
Well you confirmed my descision not to go to the PNE this year. $75 is a lot of money to spend on one day!
I also spend a very large sum of money on food. For a while we were spending $160 a week ($640 a month!) and we've finally got it down to $120 a week.
Thank you for sharing your spending….Oh and I got a smartphone. Not a Iphone (I have a problem with apple products) but a knock off. So far, I'm very happy with it. Thank you for your opinion on my blog :)
My recent post Dads 70th Birthday Party
Well you confirmed my descision not to go to the PNE this year. $75 is a lot of money to spend on one day!
I also spend a very large sum of money on food. For a while we were spending $160 a week ($640 a month!) and we've finally got it down to $120 a week.
Thank you for sharing your spending….Oh and I got a smartphone. Not a Iphone (I have a problem with apple products) but a knock off. So far, I'm very happy with it. Thank you for your opinion on my blog :)
My recent post Dads 70th Birthday Party
What works is a meal plan for the week. I've been doing that since June and I spend between $80 – 90/wk trying to keep it close to $85. This is for a family of four. When you know what you're going to eat, the grocery list becomes smaller and smaller and you're less prone to buying things that aren't needed.
What works is a meal plan for the week. I've been doing that since June and I spend between $80 – 90/wk trying to keep it close to $85. This is for a family of four. When you know what you're going to eat, the grocery list becomes smaller and smaller and you're less prone to buying things that aren't needed.
Hmm, good point on the potluck dinners. I think I fell into the same trap until recently, but in a different situation: I'd go out and buy all sorts of fancy ingredients to cook dinner when my boyfriend (long-distance relationship) was coming to visit. I've since learned to be creative with the food I already have in my pantry and freezer. That, and I realized he's not too picky – any homecooked meal from me is from the heart, even if it is just scrambled eggs and pancakes!
One of my friends is having a party soon. I'm planning on doctoring a brownie mix that I purchased using some almonds and spices that I already have on hand, as well as cut them into little cubes to be served with the brightly-colored toothpicks I (once again) already have. Yay for improvising!
My recent post Quick Question
Hmm, good point on the potluck dinners. I think I fell into the same trap until recently, but in a different situation: I'd go out and buy all sorts of fancy ingredients to cook dinner when my boyfriend (long-distance relationship) was coming to visit. I've since learned to be creative with the food I already have in my pantry and freezer. That, and I realized he's not too picky – any homecooked meal from me is from the heart, even if it is just scrambled eggs and pancakes!
One of my friends is having a party soon. I'm planning on doctoring a brownie mix that I purchased using some almonds and spices that I already have on hand, as well as cut them into little cubes to be served with the brightly-colored toothpicks I (once again) already have. Yay for improvising!
My recent post Quick Question
That was a fairly expensive week for you. But you can obviously afford to spend on areas you enjoy, maybe just cut back on some other areas.
My recent post Day 22 No Spend August – Pantry Cleanout
That was a fairly expensive week for you. But you can obviously afford to spend on areas you enjoy, maybe just cut back on some other areas.
My recent post Day 22 No Spend August – Pantry Cleanout
We spend about 50-60/week on food for the two of us, but Hubby buys his lunch almost every day! Tsk tsk! He did stock up on lunch foods for two weeks recently, so we'll see how that goes :) We probably eat out one or two times a week on top of that so at the end of the week, we probably spend similar to what you and J do on food. I bring my lunch almost every day–the only thing that makes me crack is grabbing a coffee on extra sluggish afternoons.
My recent post False Alarm
We spend about 50-60/week on food for the two of us, but Hubby buys his lunch almost every day! Tsk tsk! He did stock up on lunch foods for two weeks recently, so we'll see how that goes :) We probably eat out one or two times a week on top of that so at the end of the week, we probably spend similar to what you and J do on food. I bring my lunch almost every day–the only thing that makes me crack is grabbing a coffee on extra sluggish afternoons.
My recent post False Alarm
I agree with Maureen. If you spend on food because it's your form on entertainment. I myself spend about 130-140 every two weeks for two people. I try to pack my lunch everyday and Rambo tends to get lunch on his way home, but I will admit alot of our food goes to waste. I hate it.
My recent post EMERGENCY FUND GOAL MET!!!!!!
I agree with Maureen. If you spend on food because it's your form on entertainment. I myself spend about 130-140 every two weeks for two people. I try to pack my lunch everyday and Rambo tends to get lunch on his way home, but I will admit alot of our food goes to waste. I hate it.
My recent post EMERGENCY FUND GOAL MET!!!!!!
It's was free admission at PNE last Sunday from 9am-12pm. You should have went on Sunday and saved $33.60. Heehee
I went on Saturday too but my friend has a free admission pass. =)
I can see how you spent $40 at the PNE. Probably on food. Bottle water was $3.50!!!
Yeah, we should have gone on Sunday, but we had friends in town who were going on Saturday for the Bryan Adams concert, and I wanted to see them. :) We pretty much spent the entire $40 on food, which is what we expected we would do. :)
It's was free admission at PNE last Sunday from 9am-12pm. You should have went on Sunday and saved $33.60. Heehee
I went on Saturday too but my friend has a free admission pass. =)
I can see how you spent $40 at the PNE. Probably on food. Bottle water was $3.50!!!
Yeah, we should have gone on Sunday, but we had friends in town who were going on Saturday for the Bryan Adams concert, and I wanted to see them. :) We pretty much spent the entire $40 on food, which is what we expected we would do. :)
I wish I could write like you as Margaret Laurence once said “When I say “work” I only mean writing. Everything else is just odd jobs.”
I wish I could write like you as Margaret Laurence once said “When I say “work” I only mean writing. Everything else is just odd jobs.”