Progress report:
In summation: fuuuuuck we need to clamp down on groceries.
I am pleased with our progress on reducing food waste, and our mindfulness around grocery spending has increased, it just… Doesn’t seem to have reduced actual spending??
Feeling confident about our takeaway and eating out spending.
Good news: I’ve explained to Mr H that we may at some point run out of grocery budget but still have plenty of takeaway budget left, and he accepts that if this happens we will have to eat takeaway for every meal to stay in budget.
I love my trophy. Thank you.
Here’s my week 1 update:
Summarised:
WEEK 1 Progress:
Spending:
Other spending to reduce stress:
Weekly Progress
Made a fresh start in YNAB and entering transactions daily/as they occur. I packed lunch most days this week - considering I was eating out EVERY DAY…down to 2 days is big progress.
This weekend will be doing some serious meal prep for the week - I’ve had really good luck when I prep a big healthy salad type thing for lunch or I realized my favorite eat out lunch is just a salad with hummus on it and totally easy to make myself for about $9/week vs $9 per meal.
I’m way under my monthly eating out budget, which is first ever and I’m feeling better than I have in months!
Thanks for bringing your update down for me. This thread is getting ridiculously long, largely due to me.
My goal: no convenience spending
80% successful
Ran out of food at work one day I ended up staying late on call, and my emergency peanut butter didn’t quite cut it.
An improvement over previous weeks, though.
Same goal for next week.
The gale force winds broke them! Not me! I swear!
Update on goals for the month:
Spend at least $50 on protein. Spent $8.62 on shrimp and tofu. I still need to buy fish today or tomorrow. Not Bad.
Make an appointment for an eye exam and buy new glasses. Not yet…
Make some decision about professional development. Ummmm errrrr.
Week one check-in:
I tracked my groceries vs. impulse snacks and eating out spending, but I really haven’t spent much on food yet this month in general: $12.50 on groceries, $9.35 on impulse snacks.
I’ve put $50 in savings so far.
My overall spending got a bit thrown by vet bills, having to get a new phone when I thought I could just replace the battery, and yesterday buying concert tix for a show in May I hadn’t know about until this week. That stuff isn’t tracked for this challenge though! Apart from paying tax on the phone, that will be an increase to my monthly bill rather than a single big hit. Anyway, new phone day was a very stressful day, but aside from that one morning I’ve been chill about it, and having a phone that works well and holds battery is a HUGE reduction in stress. Taking care of doggo’s itchy situation (cytopoint shot) has also been a huge source of stress relief (turns out we all sleep better when he’s not up all night scratching himself!) and Sweaty paid over half that bill as I’d covered a few other recent dog bills. Concert tix were pure indulgence, but you’ve got to do that sometimes!
Update for the week since I don’t feel like getting up and doing all (any) of the things yet. And the cat is asleep on my feet and also prefers lack of movement.
Gifts–$98/$600, two tickets to a show, actual cost was ~$80. I’m sure the non-optional ‘convenience’ fees were conveinient for someone.
Travel–$0/$0*, done and also goals 1 and 2 from last week complete (holiday tickets bought and paid for/covered with points)
Food–$22/$300
Home Improvement–$0/$100 (but third goal from last week also complete…given that there are about 40 projects on the list, those should probably get stuck in a journal or something)
This week’s goals
#1–Talk to one relative about going in together on a larger gift for a second relative that we know they’ll use and keep refusing to buy for themselves.
#2–Go to the hardware store, pick up supplies for at least two house projects, and complete them.
#3–Select 20 pieces for gallery sale and do the paperwork (and drop it all off)…not really tracking this money-wise, but on the off chance something sells it would be nice to offset some of the gift budget.
Also, apparently I moved my feet:
This week’s update:
Food: $51.78/$300. Very pleased with this so far, as I’d love to be closer to $200 for food.
Gas/transportation: $0/$60.
Recreation/health: $0/$9.99
Clothes: $208.59. Ordered a shit ton of nice clothes, here’s hoping they work well…
Household: $12/$50.
Total: $272.37/$701.99
It is most definitely not my altar. 
I don’t have an altar. That is the cluttered, dusty, messy mantel above the nonfunctional fireplace in my house. You don’t really want to see more of it. 
