Another month, another chance

This weekend was horrible. I spent sooo much money on things that I didn't need and felt like complete shit after.

I am hopeful since I am spending all of my check that on important things that I won't overspend. This should be an interesting month.

Check One/Feb.: $1078

Rent-$645-Already sent in

Groceries-$80

Phone-$16

Eye Doctor-$150

Dentist-$187

What is left-$0.00

I have both the Eye Doctor and Dentist tomorrow. These high cost appointments drained my budget for the next couple weeks. I am getting my federal taxes at some point in the very near future and that check is going directly into savings. I need to really do this-part of me would love to splurge and spend that check on shit I don't need. I am going to be strong. Last month was such a failure, this month has to be better.

Splat!

Well I went out and spent most of the money that I got from my tax return over the weekend. We went out to dinner a few times and I bought some things to help with my etsy shop revamp (sewingonlyfortattoos.etsy.com) which I am hoping to get ready for a reopening on Feb. 1st.
I also received a partial refund for the crazy expensive dentist appointment that I had this month. I am going to save part of the refund to pay for our hotel costs.

I really think that next month will be smoother on the not spending part. I have been going over my budget 8 million times to make sure that I have everything planned that I need. No spending next month could save $800+ towards our vacation next month! It would be nice to have a little money to spend while we are there....

Sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do

I broke down and bought a pair of Converse today. I passed on the purple and got a pair of charcoal ones that are a little sparkly. I could not pass up a $25 pair of shoes which will last me forever.... I just couldn't do that. I almost bought a pair before the shopping fast for $36 so I feel like this was an 'okay buy'. I promise no more shoes for the rest of the year.................

 Unless of course they are necessary or too cheap to pass up......

Well, hello there Thursday.

After a pretty hopeless day, I had a fantastic night. I did not buy anything besides a 75 cent snack before class. L (boyfriend) picked me up after class and took me out to dinner. He surprised me with new headphones. I was really appreciative of this!! I've been using these cheap ear buds for the past couple weeks after my headphones quit working... the new headphones are a vast improvement. Our dinner was great and it was nice to talk to L about some of the struggles with the spending fast that I have been having. A big part of me feel awful about him paying for me and buying me stuff. So, I decided that with this next check I would put a little aside for a date night, just as a thank you to him for all that he does. 

Enough sappiness, here is the budget for tomorrow's check:

Start Amount: $1078

Groceries-$100- I gave myself a little extra just because I need to supply dessert this weekend for my dad's holiday celebrations and I do not bake.

Haircut-$40-This is needed. The weather has made my hair huge.

Phone-$16

Susan G. Komen- $64- I care about boobs....

U of M Application Fee-$55- I am trying to keep this a secret since I am a little paranoid that I won't in, cross your fingers for me.

Birth Control- $50- Babies are expensive.....

Green Peace-$20-I care about Earth, I guess...

Netflix- $22- I have to watch something!!!

Apartment Insurance-$14- This is just logical, I don't trust my luck.

Late fees at the Library-$10- I suck and seem to not know how to return anything on time...

Leaves me with $687-

Unknown costs:

Target-I just need a few things. I have a list and I'm sticking to it!

Date night- I'm sure we can find something cheap...

Vacation costs- L's sister bought us a hotel stay in March for Christmas. There are a few costs that we have to cover (flight and we want one more day there), so I will be getting those out of the way now.

Night out with boyfriend’s sister B- L's sister is coming next weekend from London. I feel like we owe her a night out, especially after she bought us a hotel stay and we haven't seen her in months.

I will update you on how the budget looks after these costs. This morning, I transferred the $40 I had left from the last check into my "Moving Fund Savings"! Although I really wanted the shoes, it felt nice to transfer a little into savings. I hope that after the additional costs for the next check that I will be able to transfer even more.

Trying to stay positive

Yesterday I ended up spending $206 at the dentist... which is just crazy in my book but, since I may need teeth in the future, I paid it. This was far more than I was hoping to be charged. I ended up switching my hair appointment to next paycheck, which left me with $40 in savings. Here is the new budget break down

 

$167-Prespent

$645-Rent

$60-Food

$74-Books

$16-Phone

$10-Gym

$206 Dentist

***** Savings of $40

Looking at the small amount of savings for this check makes me sad. A part of me wants to say fuck it, it is only $40- let's buy something pretty. Yet, another part of me realizes that I would have paid for the dentist appointment whether I was on this spending fast or not. Before I would have eventually over drafted my account since I have nothing left in savings. So in a way, I guess I am okay with the fact that what I wanted to save was spent instead of me overdrafing.

I am hopeful that I can budget my next check in a way that gives the old savings account the boost it needs.

Until then I am going to stay positive that I can make this work....

So far, so good

Two days down of 2012 and I am doing okay on the spending fast. I did spend a bit more than I thought I would in my prespending splurge, which I knew would happen. I am not kicking myself for it... I've been surviving off of the food that I stored before the fast. Boyfriend (L) made us a great 'poor' meal using just things that we each had in cupboards and in fridge last night, which made me soooooo glad that I have his amazing cooking skills to help me survive this task...

 I have noticed that anxiety has been getting the best of me. It's so hard for me to think of all the things that 2012 will bring and not get anxious. Yesterday, I got a case of the sads just thinking of all the things that I may miss out on by taking part in this spending fast. Winter already makes me a homebody, I started thinking about how sad life will be with me just laying on the couch all year watching movies.... so I made a deal that I can spend money on certain events because being social is important to my happiness. I realized that events may come up that I will be spending money on, in instances where it is necessary I will spend. Yet, as long as I keep normal everyday spending down and not make this idea that everything is a 'special social event', everything will be gravy and saving will be much easier. I think this will be much better.

I'll let you know how much the dentist bill is for today--crossing fingers that insurance covers most of it!!!

Freaking out

This morning as I sipped my last coffee from a coffee shop and bought my school books, I realized that I had overtime money. Thank goodness for overtime!!!!!!! So I revised my budget, giving myself $100 for prespending and $40 for a haircut.
The closer the fast comes, the more that I am freaking out!!

Here is the list of cravings that I definitely need to get before the fast....

-Shorts (Screw the fact that it is January, what am I going to wear come summer!)

-Shoes (I want to hoard them, need shoes bad)

-Sequin Jacket (This has been an odd obsession of mine- I know I would never wear it, but I want one)

-All of my favorite foods (Knowing that I will not be eating out at all next year, except when other people buy me food, is making me want to purge more on food than I had imagined)

Most of these things, I don't actually need.... so I am going to try to use the money that I have set away for prespending to spend on things I actually need- wish me luck!

January - Budget (Check One)

Today, I took some time to budget out my first check of the month.

 I am hopeful as this experiment progresses, that I will be able to look at what is necessary based on budgets for every check.

Check One
From overtime
$40-Haircut

$100-Prespending allowance (I am allowing myself a little bit of shopping mayhem before the 1st, plus I need some money for New Years Eve drinks)
Rest of check

$645-Rent

$60-Food

$74-Books (this is my last semester before graduation from this school- no books again until Fall!!)

$15-Phone

$10-Gym
I have a dentist appointment on January 3rd, I am not sure how much they will charge me yet.

***** Savings of $274 before dentist

In the past I would have spent the savings amount (and then some) on eating out and clothing.... it seems like such a high amount now that I see it!!

I am really nervous/anxious/excited about this spending fast. I can't believe that as of now, we are only days away until the New Year.... I can't wait!!

What is this about?

"Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." This quote has been sitting in my cubical for the past year. I put it up to inspire me to make a change in my life, but the more it just sits there, the more it taunts me. I live a life of excess- not to the point where I am chilling on fancy yachts, with sexy men feeding me grapes, while I throw hundred dollar bills everywhere... but still.... I’ve let shopping, eating out, drinking, etc. become a big part of me. This is not the lifestyle that I want for myself. I have made it my resolve to make dramatic changes in 2012 in order to have the life that I want. I’ve decided to be content with what I have by creating a life without excess. I am taking the Spending Fast Challenge from "And then she saved" (here is a link to http://andthenshesaved.squarespace.com/spendingfastguidelines/)

What does this mean? No more lavish spending, except that which is absolutely necessary.

What I will have to spend money on:
Rent (I don't want to live on the street)


Bills (obvs)


Household items (cleaning, tp, etc.)


Cell phone (Pre-paid $30 per month)


Food (off brands, in season fruits and veggies, no fancy stuff- that includes fancy cheeses)
Gym membership (through work only $10- plus gym= healthy)

Bus pass (I walk most of the time, but like most humans I do get lazy)

Haircuts (I know these may not seem necessary, but my hair is really thick/unruly and impossible to deal with if I don't get regular haircuts)


 What I'm NOT spending money on:

Internet

Clothing (of all kinds)

Makeup
Eating out

Drinks at bars

Shoes

Gifts

Coffee at coffee shops

Etsy stuff
New music from itunes, amazon, or any other pay for music site



Will my journey be hard? Of course... already I feel like my mind is racing as I prepare myself for this challenge. Knowing that on January 1st, my life is going to change dramatically is scary. Part of me wants to take this time to hoard and binge while I still have the chance. Being able to see these feelings is making me understand more clearly that this is something that I need to do. For now, I am going try my hardest to keep my emotions in check and use this time to ease into this lifestyle. I know these emotions are only popping up from fear.