raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on May 30, 2012 8:25:57 GMT -5
Or at least it's killing our budget...
We have gotten into REALLY bad habits of getting take out, coffee, soda, etc. whenever we feel like it. It's been an issue for quite a while, but I've started using YNAB, and seeing that red label of how much we overspent is so much worse then just seeing the total on a spreadsheet. Not to mention the categories that I need to get better about actually budgeting since we obviously spend there.
I'm thinking I may have to stop carrying my debit card entirely except on payday to get gas and preplanned expenses. I'm also going to ask dh to stock up on convenience food at the store this week and make June a no eating out month.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2012 8:27:25 GMT -5
I always make my own coffee and carry a cup with me when i leave the house. If we eat out, we get water. I keep soda at home so if i want a nice cold Pepsi, i have one on hand to take with me or have. You just need some new habits.
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Formerly SK
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Post by Formerly SK on May 30, 2012 8:44:12 GMT -5
I agree it needs to be about habits. I received a Starbucks gc for xmas and I still haven't used it. I bring a mug of coffee wherever I go (mostly due to health as I like rice milk in my coffee and no one carries it). Remember: commercial lattes are akin to milkshakes when it comes to fat/sugar/calories. Think of your kitchen as where you eat and your errands as where you run errands. It helped me tremendously when I suddenly became intolerant to dairy/gluten at age 36 - I had to make sure I left the house full because I couldn't get food anywhere. It radically transformed my lifestyle. Granted, I never run errands for hours on end where you might genuinely need a lunch break, but everyone could/should be able to go 2-3 hours without snacking. All else fails, carry a granola bar in your purse. And read Fast Food Nation. Seriously...if you really want to quit eating out, educate yourself on what you are actually eating. That may win you over vs the financial arguments.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2012 8:49:48 GMT -5
rae,
that is awesome! You are using budgeting to change your habits and make decisions about spending. Exactly how it is supposed to be done!
Congrats!
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Angel!
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Post by Angel! on May 30, 2012 9:15:45 GMT -5
Yea YNAB!!
I learned a lot about my spending when I started using that program too. It is amazing how a few dollar here & there add up to so much money.
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on May 30, 2012 9:18:48 GMT -5
We do cash only for snacks/sodas/eating out/take out. Then when the money is gone, it is gone. Tough luck wait until next payday. DH was "cheating" and buying snacks when he bought his cigarrettes and putting them on the CC, but we just went cash only for groceries. So he is no longer "allowed" to use the CC for cigarrettes.
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on May 30, 2012 9:22:24 GMT -5
Yeah, I had to fight the snack-factor by carrying my own snacks with me. I buy nutrition bars while grocery shopping and toss them in my desk, my purse, my briefcase, etc. I also started carrying water bottles to avoid the urge to buy a soda or iced tea. You definitely overpay for convenience store food!
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alabamagal
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Post by alabamagal on May 30, 2012 9:40:24 GMT -5
My DH is terrible about iced tea. He will stop at a fast food store on the way home and get two larges for ~$4 almost every day. I can make at home for proably $0.25. Trying to get him to change, but not always easy.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on May 30, 2012 9:52:28 GMT -5
Doesn't sound healthy, nutritious or financially prudent.
Yeah annoying people like me!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2012 9:56:00 GMT -5
what's YNAB?
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on May 30, 2012 9:57:49 GMT -5
You Need A Budget
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8 Bit WWBG
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Post by 8 Bit WWBG on May 30, 2012 9:59:48 GMT -5
DW and I eat out a lot for convenience and fun. We spontaneously went out last night just because, and that is after spending $50 on brunch on Sunday. Its not killing our budget (though the money could be used for other things) but its caught up with us health-wise.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on May 30, 2012 10:15:21 GMT -5
I think it comes down to just being lazy/overwhelmed, and not having good systems in place. We make plans to cook dinner, and then feel too tired so I get something on the way home instead--and extra trips to the grocery store almost always end up with more than just what we need that night.
Hopefully summer will be a good time to make the transition.
I'll look into a coffee maker for dh. Maybe an early birthday present.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on May 30, 2012 10:18:55 GMT -5
I suggest a Keurig or something like that. It is so easy to make the coffee. It is easier to make the coffee AND clean up then to stop somewhere.
As for dinners - the good news with me is I HATE stopping on the way home - that never seems easier than boiling up some pasta. At some point you just have to man-up and force yourself. Believe me, as a working mom, I know how hard it is, and I am not perfect. You might want to consider putting together a casserole, or even a meatloaf and potatoes on Sunday, and that would cover you on Monday and Tuesday. Then on Wednesday do a crock-pot meal. Thursday have scrambled eggs, and Friday get take-out. See, easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy.
The point is to get into a habit and routine. After you do that for a while, it won't seem so overwhelming to do something fresher.
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on May 30, 2012 10:19:38 GMT -5
I think it comes down to just being lazy/overwhelmed, and not having good systems in place. We make plans to cook dinner, and then feel too tired so I get something on the way home instead--and extra trips to the grocery store almost always end up with more than just what we need that night. LOL, rae, tell me about it with the 'grocery store creep'! I was so overwhelmed last night that I accidentally drove to the grocery store and went in. Once inside, I realized that I had meant to go to the dollar store next door to buy a card. But, as long as I was inside, I remembered three things I had been meaning to buy and bought them. 'Grocery store creep' happened to me and I wasn't even supposed to be IN the freakin' grocery store!
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busymom
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Post by busymom on May 30, 2012 10:24:16 GMT -5
I remember a few years ago, Suze Orman had a 3-step challenge, which included NOT eating out for 1 month. Now, I don't consider myself one of her followers, but I did borrow a good idea from her here & there. So, since we were still working on credit card debt at the time, we gave it a try. It was hardest on the kids, since I wouldn't even stop at McD's for french fries. But, by the end of the 3rd week, I was feeling pretty good about the experience. And yes, we made it to the end of the month. I agree with the other posters to stock your fridge at home with pop and your pantry with the types of snacks you would normally pick up when you're on the run. Weekends are a great time to make double portions of meals, and freeze them, so they're handy for a last-minute dinner at home. Good for you for paying attention to your $$$. And yes, leave the debit card at home, & put a set amount of cash in your purse each week. Once it's gone, it's gone....
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amishgal
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Post by amishgal on May 30, 2012 11:05:38 GMT -5
I keep a little soft sided cooler in the kitchen so when we run errands or go to kids events, etc. I can throw in a few bottle of water and some soda. That at least keeps us from spending $2-$3 per bottle when we're out and about.
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on May 30, 2012 11:34:24 GMT -5
For dinner, I make up things in the crockpot the night before. Then the crockpot gets put on in the mornind and we have a meal waiting for us when we get home. There is no temptation to do anything else.
It does help that we live the boonies are homebodies. Once I get hom from work, I have no desire to leave the house again.
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Peace77
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Post by Peace77 on May 30, 2012 12:01:12 GMT -5
I keep protein bars in my purse and car. I carry a Flylady water bottle with me at all times. The water bottle keeps drinks cold all day even in the heat and does not sweat. This really cuts down on the temptation to stop and overspend.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on May 30, 2012 12:17:35 GMT -5
I always have a water bottle with me. I bought a purse big enough to carry it, always. The other day I went to pick up my daughter and she complained of thirst 5 times in the 7 minute drive home. I think she was totally flabberghassted that I didn't have any water.
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Formerly SK
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Post by Formerly SK on May 30, 2012 12:41:53 GMT -5
Don't underestimate the power of a sandwich. Dinner does NOT equate cooking...it means food. And if the other option is take out, IMO a sandwich is more healthy anyway. Don't set the bar for yourself that either you're cooking a 4-course 1000% healthy meal or you're doing take out as that is what creates the "I'm feeling too lazy/overwhelmed to cook" emotion.
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Post by maryjane on May 30, 2012 13:16:14 GMT -5
I keep a little soft sided cooler in the kitchen so when we run errands or go to kids events, etc. I can throw in a few bottle of water and some soda. That at least keeps us from spending $2-$3 per bottle when we're out and about. I also keep some put some half filled water bottles in the freezer. That way I have instant, no mess ice. Two frozen water bottles will keep drinks cool for hours and hours.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 30, 2012 15:08:00 GMT -5
When speaking about consumerism, there are some YMers that believe that if you pay attention to the large stuff (homes, cars, etc.) you won't need to sweat the small stuff - the latte factor. It's true that a Starbucks here or takeout there is not going to make a whole heck of a lot of difference to your personal finances, but when those expenses become habitual (the latte factor), they can add up to a whole lot of something which is exactly what the OP is referring to. The trick is to find any way that you can that helps you hold on to more of YOUR MONEY without having to greatly sacrifice lifestyle. I like a lot of the suggestions given by posters in this thread. If drinking Starbucks is your weakness, brewing really good coffee at home and taking it with you does not take a lot of time and costs a lot less. I especially like the comment about making a sandwich for dinner instead of getting fast food. It's not that much different and would be a lot healthier and cheaper. If it doesn't seem like dinner because it is cold, make it grilled!! Another huge one is brown bagging lunch. Can you imagine the money saved in brown bagging over the length of a career as opposed to going out to lunch every day? A lunch out here or there is no big deal, but when it becomes a daily occurrence it really adds up. It seems to me that it is just as easy to establish habits that save a little money everyday as opposed to ones that spend it.....think of it as a reverse latte factor and it does add up.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on May 30, 2012 15:28:47 GMT -5
My daughter said she wanted to buy her lunch yesterday. The deal is, she is going to daily practices with her gymnastics squad. The gym is next to a small grocery store that sells a lot of prepared stuff. A lot of the girls go over, and she wants to join them. She likes to buy the cesear salad and eat the chicken and such. With a drink, the total is less than $6. I told her that $6 was a lot. I could see she wasn't getting it. I said, well, if the 4 of us each spent $6 every week day that would be $30 per week - each, times 4 that is $120 per week. If we did that every day for a whole year, we would have spent more than we are going to spend on our vacation. We could take 4 or 5 trips to Disneyland or we could spend $6/day on lunch.
It was a real dilemna for her. LOL.
And before you all ask - I don't know if we gave her the money or not. I went to work, and my husband got to decide if lunch was going to be bagged or bought. And I didn't ask.
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svwashout
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Post by svwashout on May 30, 2012 16:07:22 GMT -5
I guess if food's a large part of your budget it makes sense to look at alternatives, but I'm more worried about my waistline than my wallet. We get free brewed coffee at work and I learned to take it black. I figure the long term return on this part matters a lot more.
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sbcalimom
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Post by sbcalimom on May 30, 2012 16:34:10 GMT -5
rae: We are also tackling this issue right now. I started using YNAB at the first of the year so it was really eye opening to realize that I was far exceeding our relatively generous grocery budget. The month I decided something had to change was when we spent almost $1K on food (between groceries, eating out etc). I had always resisted a meal plan and cooking since I detest both but figured I had tried everything else so I might as well try both.
I started by getting some relatively simple pre-cooked main dishes from Costco (frozen fish, frozen meat etc) and just adding pasta/rice and veggies. We've been doing it now for about a month and I think it is making a huge difference. Our grocery budget is far, far better and I feel like we actually have more food. For some reason, having the meals planned makes it much harder for me to cop out and buy food plus it takes away the indecision of "what should I make tonight?"
I know we could save even more if I made everything myself but I am trying to be realistic with my expectations and slowly get there. For now, the fact that we only exceeded our budget by $50-60 this month (and that was mostly due to stocking up on soda while it was on sale) is a HUGE success.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 30, 2012 16:51:37 GMT -5
My daughter said she wanted to buy her lunch yesterday. The deal is, she is going to daily practices with her gymnastics squad. The gym is next to a small grocery store that sells a lot of prepared stuff. A lot of the girls go over, and she wants to join them. She likes to buy the cesear salad and eat the chicken and such. With a drink, the total is less than $6. I told her that $6 was a lot. I could see she wasn't getting it. I said, well, if the 4 of us each spent $6 every week day that would be $30 per week - each, times 4 that is $120 per week. If we did that every day for a whole year, we would have spent more than we are going to spend on our vacation. We could take 4 or 5 trips to Disneyland or we could spend $6/day on lunch. It was a real dilemna for her. LOL. And before you all ask - I don't know if we gave her the money or not. I went to work, and my husband got to decide if lunch was going to be bagged or bought. And I didn't ask. Actually, it was a good lesson for her....if it had time to sink in. It's pretty easy once you realize that you can have almost anything that you want, just not everything that you want.
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2012 16:55:24 GMT -5
I'm also going to ask dh to stock up on convenience food at the store this week and make June a no eating out month.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on May 30, 2012 17:09:55 GMT -5
That's what I figured. Even if it didn't totally sink in - it won't be the first time she will hear the math. I didn't really care if she spent the money or not, but I want her to be a person that can see how $6 really does equal $6,000. She can make her choices from there. At least I've given her the information. I can imagine the near future of the eye rolling ("Here goes Mom again, $6 x 5 x 4 x 50, compounded at 8% interest equals a trillion dollars!!") But one day she will be staring down her own budget, and she will know I was right. That's what is really important - is that everyone knows that I was right.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on May 30, 2012 19:48:20 GMT -5
Good ideas--thanks everyone! I find it amusing that people assume that eating out is eating crap. Dh and I are both in agreement that June is a no eating out month. We're more concerned about our 'drinking out' (coffee for him, soda/tea for me). For those that have the keurig--do you know about how much per cup that ends up costing? I'm sure that is the machine we would get. He had a regular coffee pot, but never used it. I'm also thinking about a soda stream for myself. I've already cut way back on soda, but I am really liking the flavored carbonated waters, so that could help kill 2 birds with 1 stone. I'm going to make a bunch of paninis and freeze them for my lunches. We have a toaster oven which rocks! Planning dinners is in the works. Sam sent me a great link for once a month freezer cooking, and I'm going to list out other ideas here. It's too hot to turn the oven on, so dinners should be fairly simple for the summer. Meat and veggie thrown on grill. Add a starch as needed... So we'll see.
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