Spending for January
One of my goals this year is to keep my spending on clothes/extras/makeup/socks/shoes to only $50 for the month. I'm a great bargain shopper (if I so humbly say myself). I love bargains and often forget how much I'm actually spending because of the 'deals' I'm getting. I refuse to pay full price on everything except Mac makeup. That's one area I bend that rule on because it never goes on sale and it is amazing.
I'm tracking my spending on my phone using an app called Numbers as well as writing it in the blog for accountability. I'm not a huge spender... or so I've thought. Jeremy pointed out to me how I nickel and dime and spend more than I think I do. I recently bought the girls new winter coats for only $20 instead of $80, matching shoes for $11 instead of $45 and leggings for $4 instead of $16. Great deals for sure! But when I do that repeatedly over a week, month, year - it adds up. So I'm watching to see where I spend my money and how wisely I'm actually using our resources in the hopes that I can still purchase bargains, but keep them to the actual need of the items and not just the wants.
I went exactly two days before purchasing something. Wow. Not very long into the month and here's where I stand:
$50 to start for the month per person ($50 Julia, $50 Riley, $50 me)
January 2nd spent:
$16.24 - on M.A.C. brush cleanser (completely out and haven't worn makeup in two days because I didn't want my makeup left on the brushes)
$12.96 - on six new pairs of socks. Two of which are Jeremy's. Clarks has this amazing policy where once you buy socks, you get free pairs whenever you are either tired of them, they wear out or get holes. No need to buy socks again! Doesn't matter if you buy them on clearance or full price. (By the way, I only buy them on clearance.) We're building our sock collection up. I have a few pairs already and went into the store to exchange my socks for new ones which I did.
The man at the counter pointed out that all socks on clearance are not only half off ($3.99 a pair instead of $8.00), but if you buy three, you get three more free. A total of six socks for $12 and tax. Sold. I'm including Jeremy's two pairs of socks as free socks because if I start justifying my spending based on what I purchase him, I'll start making excuses and giving myself more money to spend. Trying to be real about what I am actually spending and see if we can't crack down on it!
TOTAL SPENT THIS MONTH: $29.20
TOTAL LEFT THIS MONTH:$20.80
DAYS LEFT TO SPEND THIS MONTH: 29
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: http://www.daveramsey.com/blog/20-things-the-rich-do-every-day
January 11
Riley has her first gymnastics meet next weekend. Finding out that she needs quite a few things for it so I set out to get a deal. Had a Justice card for taking $25 off a $50 purchase.
Purchases today:
Water Bottle - $5.97
Flip Flops - $20.22
Sweater - $12.86
Also got two sparkly red stockings with their initials on it. One for R, one for J.
$4.10 each ($8.20 total)
So the total spent today at Justice was $32.79 for one receipt and $18.78 for the second one.
Riley: $47.47
Julia: $4.10
MY ITEMS:
Had to go get new piano books for students so I took Julia along while Riley was at gymnastics and got them. I also picked up an Alto Recorder for myself as I will need one for the summer course and truly need to figure out fingerings on it before the class as I'm not one of the most amazing recorder players you will ever hear. I can do it okay, but not awesome. Also picked up some flashcards for my piano students during lessons.
Recorder $18.86
Flash Cards $5.56
Total: $24.42
I had $20.80 left to spend and am over it by $3.38.
I'm learning fast that $50 a month on essentials and items is not much at all! I am finding I am thinking over every single purchase and very aware of what I am spending so much more than I ever have been.
Days left in January: 20
Money left for me: None
Money left for Riley: $2.53
Money left for Julia: $45.90
I'm tracking my spending on my phone using an app called Numbers as well as writing it in the blog for accountability. I'm not a huge spender... or so I've thought. Jeremy pointed out to me how I nickel and dime and spend more than I think I do. I recently bought the girls new winter coats for only $20 instead of $80, matching shoes for $11 instead of $45 and leggings for $4 instead of $16. Great deals for sure! But when I do that repeatedly over a week, month, year - it adds up. So I'm watching to see where I spend my money and how wisely I'm actually using our resources in the hopes that I can still purchase bargains, but keep them to the actual need of the items and not just the wants.
I went exactly two days before purchasing something. Wow. Not very long into the month and here's where I stand:
$50 to start for the month per person ($50 Julia, $50 Riley, $50 me)
January 2nd spent:
$16.24 - on M.A.C. brush cleanser (completely out and haven't worn makeup in two days because I didn't want my makeup left on the brushes)
$12.96 - on six new pairs of socks. Two of which are Jeremy's. Clarks has this amazing policy where once you buy socks, you get free pairs whenever you are either tired of them, they wear out or get holes. No need to buy socks again! Doesn't matter if you buy them on clearance or full price. (By the way, I only buy them on clearance.) We're building our sock collection up. I have a few pairs already and went into the store to exchange my socks for new ones which I did.
The man at the counter pointed out that all socks on clearance are not only half off ($3.99 a pair instead of $8.00), but if you buy three, you get three more free. A total of six socks for $12 and tax. Sold. I'm including Jeremy's two pairs of socks as free socks because if I start justifying my spending based on what I purchase him, I'll start making excuses and giving myself more money to spend. Trying to be real about what I am actually spending and see if we can't crack down on it!
TOTAL SPENT THIS MONTH: $29.20
TOTAL LEFT THIS MONTH:$20.80
DAYS LEFT TO SPEND THIS MONTH: 29
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: http://www.daveramsey.com/blog/20-things-the-rich-do-every-day
January 11
Riley has her first gymnastics meet next weekend. Finding out that she needs quite a few things for it so I set out to get a deal. Had a Justice card for taking $25 off a $50 purchase.
Purchases today:
Water Bottle - $5.97
Flip Flops - $20.22
Sweater - $12.86
Also got two sparkly red stockings with their initials on it. One for R, one for J.
$4.10 each ($8.20 total)
So the total spent today at Justice was $32.79 for one receipt and $18.78 for the second one.
Riley: $47.47
Julia: $4.10
MY ITEMS:
Had to go get new piano books for students so I took Julia along while Riley was at gymnastics and got them. I also picked up an Alto Recorder for myself as I will need one for the summer course and truly need to figure out fingerings on it before the class as I'm not one of the most amazing recorder players you will ever hear. I can do it okay, but not awesome. Also picked up some flashcards for my piano students during lessons.
Recorder $18.86
Flash Cards $5.56
Total: $24.42
I had $20.80 left to spend and am over it by $3.38.
I'm learning fast that $50 a month on essentials and items is not much at all! I am finding I am thinking over every single purchase and very aware of what I am spending so much more than I ever have been.
Days left in January: 20
Money left for me: None
Money left for Riley: $2.53
Money left for Julia: $45.90
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