Week 3, 10/16 - 10/22 (for 2 people)
Groceries: $37 (once again not including an unknown amount spent on booze)
Eating out: $120
Transportation: $20 ($10 Uber, $10 metro card refill)
Arabic class: $100 (paid for the rest of October classes + a textbook)
Other: $16 (pens + park entrance fee + bought a dress at a flea market)
Yikes, this was probably our most expensive week for eating out since we moved here. Although I guess $120 mostly just seems like a ton for local prices, but not all that much objectively for two people. Went out to dinner twice, brunch once, bar once, plus some snacks for both of us.
Friday we leave for a week of vacation so the last few days of the month wonāt get counted for normal spending. But Iām hoping we can have a budget meeting next week to fill in a few gaps and actually have a decent estimate of what got spent this month!
EDIT: Already remembered another grocery order and takeout meal that I forgot to include So letās say another $25 spent this week
wait, no. First we will fund the shadowy oneās TFSA in January (pulling from EQ if required to max things out), and then backfill the EQ bucket and rrsps.
Week 3! I spent $64 total on feeding myself. Only $23 of that went to the grocery store, and I backslid on buying āitās been a tough workday alreadyā treats - the prepacked cookies did not fully stave that off, and those ālittleā treats added up fast. But considering there was also an impulse trip to the fair with friends ($22 for fried dinner + a fried dessert), I am pleased that I came out where I did. After week twoās higher spending, Iām currently on track to meet my budget for the month. \o/
I want to track what Iām spending in order to see where I might be overspending or can cut back to make sure Iām ready for student loan payments to start back up.
I want to physically write down what Iām spending. Iāve noticed I tend to impulse purchase more when Iām anxious. I think stopping to write it down will help curb some of that- Iāll be forced to stop and think for a second.
try to avoid unnecessary spending.
Week One Check-in
Failed miserably. Itās be a rough week and anxiety has been through the roof. I forced my self to look at my statements and Iām so embarrassed. I think checking in to day has been a good wake up call because I donāt want to have this feeling next Saturday. I also realised yesterday that I should probably be saving my receipts while i try to figure out where my money goes, particularly at the grocery store and target. Having one total isnāt helpful when you bought beer, snacks, cleaning stuff, shampoo in addition to groceries. Also going to start carrying around a separate tiny notebook for this. Part of the reason I wasnāt writing anything down was because I didnāt want it in my bullet journal/everyday carry.
Week 2
Slightly better this week. Saved all my receipts this week, but havenāt looked at them yet. Spending $20 on matcha powder last week turned out to be a better investment than predicted, not only saving money not buying coffee when I go into the office, also not stopping anywhere else since āwell Iām out alreadyā. Still doing unnecessary spending, I think this week Iāll focus on unsubscribing to promo e-mails and taking a look at my patreon pledges. Most of my unnecessary spending came from seeing a promo e-mail about a sale. Last Sundayās live stream was very helpful for me, I want to go back, listen again, and take some notes. I watched a few Hannah Louise Poston videos too on impulse spending/doing a no buy that gave me a lot to think about. New goal for this month (in addition to the existing ones) is to set rules for a no spend in november.
Week 3
I was sick pretty much all week and had zero energy for anything. Sucks for being able to do things, but great for budgetober. I still havenāt gotten into the habit of writing things down or setting up a new budget in ynab. I had one big purchase this week, but it was planned- the new AnniePlans x AuraEstelle A6 planner and the zippy covers for the weeks. I have been saving for a wallet that could fit the weeks in it for almost a year at this point! I found a good writing prompt/exercise that I hope will help with avoiding impulse spending (from a fellow journal lover, the notebook therapy example really hits home).
Well at least Iām doing great in the groceries category. Iām going to wind up going over in gas, but thatās okay. I neglected to factor in two backpacking trips.
I bought the pants, but Iām technically still under budget in my misc categoryā¦for now.
Week 3: Since I stopped buying Stuff, my discretionary has flattened. Iāve spent 53.15 on 2 coffee trips not on my coffee bean card and on pizza at happy hour, shared w/ work friends. I normally would not count HH but I went alone since Spouse was on a trip and it feels right.
I also dropped a pair of pants for return which should bring me back 37.02. That feels right to cou t (even if it actually hits in?? weeks) since I did my part for it.
The spending train is finally in the station. Current game is trying to keep the exact same amount in my main current account for as long as possible. All the bills have already gone out. I need some cash in a couple of weeks, but thatās IT. And the mental busyness of it all has absolutely slowed down. Phew.
I still havenāt looked at my spreadsheet. Guess I need to gently and gradually lower myself into reality, rather than do the short, sharp, shock thing.
Plum is working well. It almost cleaned out my current account during the week, but I moved some stuff around to make it work, including putting some savings from one of the pockets into the instant access pocket, for emergencies. I have also worked out how much, in general, I need to put into my main savings account for each of the savings pots coming out of that next month.
In other words, all this is plenty enough busy-work to keep my jumpy brain interested and involved. Which will stop me spending.
Late! But apparently I canāt fail so that is a win
$100 carters order
$70 refund for size 18 coat
$90 for size 13 coat whatever it is bought
Managed to cancel some amazon size 18 clothes and a shapewear I wanted
Got the H&M refund
$35 and $27 onesies and pyjamas
$60 plantbox plus wxtras $80 best spend ever
Bulk barn $80
$50 birthday gift yesterday. About to drop $100 on todayās birthday
Drinking a tea I will call $2.50 because I didnāt hear how much
Dinner Friday $100 after tax and tip (I had portobello fingers and chips, diet coke and a strawberry banana fresh slushie)
Timing means we are going to hit superstore this week. Sorry visa
I missed the check in yesterday so no sticker for me
BUT I want to keep building on the momentum here so still going to finish out the challenge! I def noticed that in times of emotions like the end of my first week on a new job, or when I missed my partner who started up a WoW raid schedule Iād reach for online window shopping first but since I was paying attention Iād either fill the cart and start the āwaiting periodā or pick up my knitting project which totally helped!!
Week 3 Spending
OFFF fiber fest total = $220.70
Knitty Gritty an amazing yarn store $47.25
Crabtree fibers $30.00 for an amazing yak/silk blend
Purly Shell buy 3 get 1 free roving braids $72.00
Raspberry Vanilla Goat Milk Lotion from Nanaās Choice $15.45
Raffle tickets for a vintage wheel via Aurora Handspinners Guild $6.00
Amazing ginormous sunset roving braid $50.00
^ feeling really really good about my purchases here and getting to chat with the shepherds, dyers, and spinners
After OFFF my budget category had $39.92 remaining whichā¦I blew past during a baked shopping sesh for clothes for an upcoming work trip.
handmade shirt from Theif & Bandit $93.50
another shirt for an upcoming work trip $50.15
I am in the negative $103.73 at this point and will use the magic wand to bump my original budget from $500 ā $700 giving me $96.27 which I will stick to!
I am going to keep the ball rolling next month with this budget category and add in a new one which is investments into my fiber business (a deep rabbit hole I can fall into of āthis is a business investmentā justifying things that arenāt essentialā¦)
I accidentally deleted my tracking info, so this might be missing a few entries:
Oct 18 - 20.88 (coffee plus pastries)
Oct 17 - 10.00 (hoppy refreshers and pie)
Oct 18 - 30.xx - groceries
Oct 19 - 8.44 milstead
Oct 19 - 38.85 store
Oct 21 - 40.96 vita
Oct 21 - 16.35 milstead
Oct 22 - 46.06 (local mexican food/doordash)
So, total is roughly 211.54 for this week for food and groceries and related things.
Checking in with my non-food non-bill spending for the week.
Lesson learned: when going to a parade, verify that the parade route does not interfere with every possible method of public transport that you could take to get home. This resulted in a super spendy surge-price Lyft last night to get home. Though, driving wouldnāt have been a good idea either. I think I just need to plan for this when Iām at a big event.
Entertainment:
Drinks: $13.74
Drinks: $13
Streetcar fare: $1.25
Dinner out: $34.16
Coffee: $5.80
Ticket for renfaire (we wonāt go until Nov though): $29.80
Lyft: $35.75
Krewe expenses:
Stuff to decorate throws and headpiece (fake flowers, mod podge, glue, paint) $36.60
Glitter: $36.29
Things:
Tea: $46.84
Vitamins (90 daysā worth): 67.27
Pin backs (I was gifted a gorgeous pin that unfortunately had shitty backings so it keeps falling off my purse): $10.68
KN95 masks: $14.62
Plants: $11.49
Plants: $5
Checking in a bit late about my food budgeting. Iām still almost on track for restaurant spending, with about a fifth of my budget to go. Already went over my grocery budget for the month, will move some money around. But grocery prices are painful right now. Ouch.
So letās say another $25 spent this week
Iāve spent 53.15 on 2 coffee trips not on my coffee bean card and on pizza at happy hour, shared w/ work friends. I normally would not count HH but I went alone since Spouse was on a trip and it feels right.
$72.00
