2018 Controlled Spend/No Spend

[shanendoah]

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
July 30-Aug 5	Y	$20	3/3
Aug 6-12	N	$160	3/2
Aug 13-19
Aug 20-26
Aug 27-Sept 2

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Starbucks		Dinner(?)	Starbucks	Pop Tart visit(?)	Lunch	Groceries Lunch
Actual	Starbucks			Starbucks Dinner	Birthday Play ($150) Groceries	Canned Air ($10)

We went out to dinner on Thursday, but I'll call it planned since I had 3 other 'eating out' events on the plan, and we only ate out the once.
I did go ahead and buy tickets to a musical being put on by one of the high end local theater groups for my birthday. No, my birthday isn't until just before Christmas, but the tickets went on sale last week, and were almost sold out by the time I bought (for me, BFF, & BFFIL - they'll pay me back for their's). So while I hadn't planned it for this week, it was still planning in advance and saves one big expense from the holiday season.
Saturday, after looking at 8 open houses, we stopped by Fryes to get C some canned air to clean out his computer. Sooner or later he's going to need a second hard drive and a new video card, but he wants to wait a little bit on those. So just the canned air this weekend.
On Saturday night, Junebug was in a mood and chewed on C's phone case. We thought she got just the phone case, but it turns out she got a tiny corner of the phone screen too, and while the phone is usable (if C remembers roughly where the touch screen buttons are), it's not really usable. So he'll need to look for a replacement phone. We do have a pretty big Amazon gift card balance though, from another friend paying us back for something else, so might not end up spending anything there.

[shanendoah]

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
July 30-Aug 5	Y	$20	3/3
Aug 6-12	N	$160	3/2
Aug 13-19
Aug 20-26
Aug 27-Sept 2

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned			Starbucks Sweets Dinner(?)	Starbucks	Groceries CostCo Gas	Lunch Movie	Lunch
Actual

Wednesday may be an impulse buy day. I have a legal meeting in which we'll be discussing Pop Tart's future (I'm likely going to be signing an open adoption agreement here soon, and while it is the best option for all us at this point, it still kills me), and if I feel the need for some emotional candy buying/eating that day, I'm going to be okay with it.
Trying to plan a movie outing with BFFIL for this weekend. She wants to see The Meg (which I'll happily go see with her) and BFF does not.
Otherwise, open house looking, which means possible lunch out (though this week I managed to pack us sandwiches).

[TheOtherMe]

shanendoah      You are a strong woman.  

[Iggy aka IG]

I ran across this new-to-me blogger earlier today.  The following reminded me of this thread:

Money Diaries #1

[shanendoah]

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
July 30-Aug 5	Y	$20	3/3
Aug 6-12	N	$160	3/2
Aug 13-19			2/0
Aug 20-26
Aug 27-Sept 2

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned			Starbucks Sweets Dinner(?)	Starbucks	Groceries CostCo Gas	Lunch Movie	Lunch
Actual			Starbucks+

So far, today's emotional eating has been salty, not sweet. I bought a breakfast sandwich at Starbucks along with my chai. But I am allowing myself this today. I both don't want 2p to come (when the meeting is), and just want it to be over and done with. 

[wvugurl26]

Aug 15, 2018 11:14:05 GMT -5 shanendoah said:

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
July 30-Aug 5	Y	$20	3/3
Aug 6-12	N	$160	3/2
Aug 13-19			2/0
Aug 20-26
Aug 27-Sept 2

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned			Starbucks Sweets Dinner(?)	Starbucks	Groceries CostCo Gas	Lunch Movie	Lunch
Actual			Starbucks+

So far, today's emotional eating has been salty, not sweet. I bought a breakfast sandwich at Starbucks along with my chai. But I am allowing myself this today. I both don't want 2p to come (when the meeting is), and just want it to be over and done with. 

Take care of yourself today and going forward. It can be right and still be incredibly hard and unfair to you. I know you are acting in her best interest but it still has to be so hard for you.

[TheOtherMe]

Shane, please do take care of you.  I can't imagine the emotions you must be having even if you have determined you are doing the right thing.  It still has to be very difficult to do.  

[moneysquirrel]

This week was pretty uneventful. We had lots of rain which still continues and will do so for the next few days.  Much of what I spent this week was planned and all items will be used and/or consumed.  I know that I will be getting gas and need to pick up a few items at the grocery this week.  Still holding off on a big stock up since the height of hurricane season is just ahead us. 

[shanendoah]

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
July 30-Aug 5	Y	$20	3/3
Aug 6-12	N	$160	3/2
Aug 13-19	Y	$0	3/4
Aug 20-26
Aug 27-Sept 2

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned			Starbucks Sweets Dinner(?)	Starbucks	Groceries CostCo Gas	Lunch Movie	Lunch
Actual			Starbucks+ Dinner	Starbucks	Movie Dinner		CostCo Gas Groceries

Thanks for the good thoughts everyone. I'm doing okay. We had Dominoes for dinner on Wednesday because I decided I really wanted their parmesan bread bites.
We did the movie on Friday afternoon with BFFIL and then went out to dinner. And while that wasn't planned, we did not eat lunch out on either day of the weekend, so I'm calling it in plan spending.

[shanendoah]

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
July 30-Aug 5	Y	$20	3/3
Aug 6-12	N	$160	3/2
Aug 13-19	Y	$0	3/4
Aug 20-26
Aug 27-Sept 2

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned		Breakfast	Starbucks Dinner(?)	Starbucks	Rental Car Hands free set Pop Tart birthday gifts Dinner(?)	Starbucks Gas Pop Tart visit Fast food	Groceries
Actual

Busy week. Tomorrow I'm meeting a group for breakfast here on campus. The university hosts an annual banking convention, and the bankers pay extra for better than average food. But since it's still in a University owned restaurant area, it is open to everyone. And we pay the normal price ($11 for all you can eat).

Next Tuesday is Pop Tart's birthday. She has unofficially moved to another state (officially they are vacationing there, until a judge signs off on the actual move). I am driving there on Saturday for a visit. It's a bout a 5 hour drive. I'd fly, but the airport is served only by one airline, and return flights on Saturday afternoon/evening don't exist, so I'd have to pay for a hotel, in addition to plane tickets and a rental car. So for this visit, I am driving over. (Future visits, which will have a bit more planning in place, will likely involve flying and an overnight, but this one was scheduled with only a week's notice because I hadn't realized they wouldn't be back here in the next couple of weeks.)
For driving, I will listen to an audiobook on my phone, but I'll also need my phone for directions to where ever I am going to meet the family. So I want to buy an easy to install/remove hands free setup I can put in the rental car (and future rental cars).
I went ahead and joined one of the rental car frequent renter programs, since I am probably going to be renting a car probably once a month for the next 4 years. I'll sign up for the credit card for the airline that serves the airport I'll be flying in and out of once I start booking flights. (In a couple months at the latest. The drive involves going over mountains, and I don't want to drive the passes in winter).

[debthaven]

Hugs to you shanendoah. Like the others have said, even if you are doing the right thing, it must be incredibly difficult. I am glad that you and C can be together again.

[TheOtherMe]

shanendoah  I'm happy you will be seeing Pop Tart for her birthday.  It makes me smile to read that you are planning visits with her.  I hope the two of you can continue to be in each other's lives.

[shanendoah]

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
July 30-Aug 5	Y	$20	3/3
Aug 6-12	N	$160	3/2
Aug 13-19	Y	$0	3/4
Aug 20-26			1/0
Aug 27-Sept 2

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned		Breakfast	Starbucks Dinner(?)	Starbucks	Rental Car Hands free set Pop Tart birthday gifts Dinner(?)	Starbucks Gas Pop Tart visit Fast food	Groceries
Actual

Used credit card points to get one gift card for Pop Tart. Mom is sending me money to get a different gift card for Pop Tart from her. 
I need to swing by a local book store and a local pet store for the other things I plan to get her.
About to head out to meet the group for breakfast.

[shanendoah]

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
July 30-Aug 5	Y	$20	3/3
Aug 6-12	N	$160	3/2
Aug 13-19	Y	$0	3/4
Aug 20-26			1/0
Aug 27-Sept 2

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned		Breakfast	Starbucks Dinner(?)	Starbucks	Rental Car Hands free set Pop Tart birthday gifts Dinner(?)	Starbucks Gas Pop Tart visit Fast food	Groceries
Actual		Breakfast	Starbucks Dinner

Hanging out with BFF, BFFIL, and Baby Boy last night was good. They had planned to make dinner, but were making a larger batch than their recipe called for, and cook time was longer than they were expecting, so we grabbed to go food from a taco place after Weight Watchers.
Today should be pretty quiet. Pop Tart has asked for funny socks, so might grab her a pair from the bookstore today. 

[moneysquirrel]

Last week was a little spendy as I have enrolled in a class and needed to buy some tools.  Most of them were less than $10 dollars and I used a 40% off coupon on all but one of them.  Still need to pick up a few more basic supplies and only one of them is pricey and I don't need any of them this week so they will be in next month budget. I hope to learn some new skills as well as have a nice decorative piece when I finish.  I am continuing work on my beading projects and making progress on them.  The beading is keeping me out of stores.  I have several craft shows scheduled in the next few months so I need to get a few new things made and I am attempting to be creative out of my stash of materials.

Stopped and picked up a few items at the grocery this morning which should hold me until after Labor Day,  I will need to fill up the car this week sometime as well. 

I need to refine my Excel spreadsheet for next year.  Now that I have of year of retirement under my belt I see that some areas are not as well planned out as I wish so I need to take a good look at it and see what changes need to be made.  The change in income makes a big difference in how I need to approach things.  I have a few months to try to work out something difference  and to see how it succeeds or fails. 

[moneysquirrel]

The spending continues as I did pick up a few more items that I need for the class.  Think I still have at least three or four more and then the money bleeding for that should slow to a trickle.  Other than that I have been doing a little better.  I do have to mail off a check for my high school reunion this coming week.  Trying to continue to work through the freezer and have a lot of it cleared out.  Think that once the hurricane season is over I will have to spend a bit to restock some of the usual items.  

[shanendoah]

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Sept 10-16
Sept 17-23
Sept 24-30
Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Starbucks x2 Plane tickets Rental Car Hotel Reservations		Dinner(?)	Starbucks Dinner	CostCo Lunch Groceries	Lunch(?)	Lunch(?)
Actual	Starbucks Plane tickets Rental car Hotel Reservations

I think I need to start writing down spending on my calendar again. I keep really good track for a few weeks, and then I have a day where I don't come in here and report, because it was just a little something (often in plan), but then I forget what my spending was, and so I just don't come in and then I don't track for a few weeks, and I'm not holding myself to the plan....
So, maybe if I start writing my daily spending on my calendar again, even if I don't report every day, I'll have it written down and can still report it when I do come in.

Today was a lot of spending. I am going to go see Pop Tart's last two volleyball matches in October. Today I booked the plane tickets, car rental, and hotel reservations. I get a discount if I pay for the car and hotel today (instead of waiting until I'm actually there), so I did.

Fiscal academic year starts next Monday. Actual academic year starts 9/26. I'm pretty busy between now and then, so may not be updating a lot, which is another good reason to start writing things down again.

[moneysquirrel]

Keeping things under control.  Only need to get a few more items for my class but will get those only with coupons when I get to the craft store.  Only other spending was for food and gas.   

[shanendoah]

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Sept 10-16	N	$73	2/3
Sept 17-23
Sept 24-30
Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Starbucks x2 Plane tickets Rental Car Hotel Reservations		Dinner(?)	Starbucks Dinner	CostCo Lunch Groceries	Lunch(?)	Lunch(?)
Actual	Starbucks x2 Plane tickets Rental car Hotel Reservations		Starbucks Appetizer	Dinner Pants ($13)	CostCo Gas Groceries Lamps ($60)		Lunch Fruit Stand

Writing things down definitely helped me keep better track last week.
I had two spend days. I've been down to only black work pants, and I really wanted a greater variety, so Thursday after dinner, we stopped by Value Village and I got a pair of khaki slacks and a pair of gray ones.
On Friday, we hit Home Depot and picked up a couple of floor lamps for the house. The one real comment we've gotten is that the living room was dark (and it was), and with the weather becoming grayer, we decided to add some light there.
I am happy with how last week went.

[shanendoah]

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Sept 10-16	N	$73	2/3
Sept 17-23
Sept 24-30
Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Parking	Dinner	Starbucks Groceries Dinner(?)		Groceries	Parking Dinner	Lunch(?)
Actual	Parking

This is a bit of a crazy week. Yesterday was our department all staff & faculty off site retreat. I drove instead of taking the bus, so I paid for parking. 
Tonight, we are going out to dinner for BFFIL's birthday. 
Also, the Best Man from our wedding is in town, and so we'll be hanging out with him tomorrow, possibly going to dinner.
Thursday, we're doing a Cheesecake Potluck at another friend's house. The groceries on Wednesday are to get the things we need to make the cheesecake we're bringing.
Saturday, we have a concert, and will likely get dinner beforehand, and also need to pay for parking.

[shanendoah]

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Sept 10-16	N	$73	2/3
Sept 17-23			1/3
Sept 24-30
Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Parking	Dinner	Starbucks Groceries Dinner(?)		Groceries	Parking Dinner	Lunch(?)
Actual	Parking	Dinner	Starbucks Dinner

So far we're in plan for this week, though I'll likely go a little out of plan today and get something from Starbucks.

[moneysquirrel]

Pretty much staying the course.  Food and gas needed this week and late dinner after event one night this week as I didn't like the offerings at the event itself. 
I think that this coming week will be pretty much the same.  I will pick up one of the remaining needed items for the class if I go to the craft store but that is planned spending.  I don't foresee anything else at this time.

shanendoah -- I use a notebook to track activity and I list expected spending in it similar to your calendar method.

[shanendoah]

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Sept 10-16	N	$73	2/3
Sept 17-23	N	$60	2/3
Sept 24-30
Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Parking	Dinner	Starbucks Groceries Dinner(?)		Groceries	Parking Dinner	Lunch(?)
Actual	Parking	Dinner	Starbucks Dinner		Starbucks Groceries	Dinner Parking Concert Ts ($60)	Pop Tart visit

Alright, in addition to getting Starbucks on Friday (and this is a lesson I should have learned by now - if I am in the office all 5 days, I will get Starbucks on at least 2), I also forgot to  plan for getting concert t-shirts on Saturday, even though I know we'll get them. 
Sunday, we did not go look at any houses, so didn't get lunch out. However, Pop Tart was unexpectedly in town for the weekend, so I had a last minute visit with her, and ended up spending about what I would have on lunch.

[shanendoah]

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Sept 10-16	N	$73	2/3
Sept 17-23	N	$60	2/3
Sept 24-30
Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Starbucks Plane tickets		Starbucks	Starbucks	Groceries Gas CostCo	Lunch(?)	Lunch(?)
Actual	Starbucks

This is going to be a busy week, with a few late evenings at work. Today, we have an event with industry that will go until 6p. Wednesday is first day of classes, and a meeting from 3-5 that I am 99% sure will not end on time. Thursday is our annual Alumni BBQ until 8p, which means I'll be working until 9p or so with clean up.
We may or may not go look at houses this weekend, but I've decided it's better to plan on eating lunch out and not do that, than to think somehow that we won't eat while we're out looking at houses.
Also, my mom is turning 70 this year. Her sister is planning a surprise birthday party for her, so I need to get my plane tickets to fly down for that.

[Iggy aka IG]

Jan 2, 2018 19:09:44 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Similar to TheOtherMe , I didn't leave the house yesterday so no spend. 

What I do is look at my total expenses at year end kept in an Excel spreadsheet.  I track every personal and business penny I spend.  Some are fixed expenses such as office rent, utilities and insurance as well as my part of our home mortgage, utilities, and insurance.  (I understand we can tweak certain behaviors to reduce electricity use as well as call our agent to reduce insurance costs, but that is a different subject.)

Line items I will focus on this year:

Gifts/Holidays/Birthdays/Vacation (boy was I generous last year!)
Food/HBAs - This was up an average of $100 a month last year
Entertainment (including booze!)

So far this year I've spent $1 as a tip at Starbucks.  Though I had a gift card, the person in front of me paid for my coffee. 

The end of Q3 approaches.  My spending this month on the above three categories was the lowest since January.   I spent $6 in tips, bought one coffee, and went to Arby's once.  I did spend $90 for food/booze on a long weekend away, and the section for alcohol at home is still a bit higher than I'd like.  I'm working on it.  And I am way off kilter in the food/HBA/cleaning supply category this year.  Like, $130 more per month.

The overall goal is to finish paying off my CC debt, and then save like a madwoman for retirement.

[moneysquirrel]

Doing pretty well this week.  Still have not made it to the craft store for that item maybe next week.  I know that I won't need it this coming week as I have several steps on the project before I need it so there is no immediate need.  

Iggy aka IG -- I am also considering new wheels.  Will start looking at the end of the year. Waiting for the end of the year sales and I want to finish this craft show season with the old car before I purchase a new one.  My current car is almost 15 years old and as I am alone I want reliable wheels and at the age of my car things will start costing more.

[Iggy aka IG]

Good luck, moneysquirrel!  I paid off $8,400 credit card debt since June in anticipation of this deal and researched (coveted, LOL) the vehicle I wanted for several months.  My current pickup will soon be 18 and has been fantastic.  This new one is a SUV, something which will carry me to retirement.

[moneysquirrel]

Needed to get my moisturizer and since it was bonus time I got it today.  Also got a few items for the neighbor kids for Halloween at the dollar store.  I don't give out that night but usually fix a little gift bag of toy like items for a few little ones a few doors down from me. 

Iggy aka IG -- Thanks I also have been doing my research.  Have it narrowed down to less than a handful and strongly leaning toward one.  Don't want to be pestered by over eager salespeople this early as I know that I will not be ready to purchase until the very end of the year. Figured that I will actively do things like test drives during the middle of December. I have been saving for this for a while and am pretty much debt free so I am ok there.  Just don't want to break in new wheels during the craft show season.

[shanendoah]

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Sept 10-16	N	$73	2/3
Sept 17-23	N	$60	2/3
Sept 24-30	N	$225	1/4
Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Starbucks Plane tickets		Starbucks	Starbucks	Groceries Gas CostCo	Lunch(?)	Lunch(?)
Actual	Starbucks Plane tickets Dinner		Starbucks	Starbucks	Krispy Kreme Water Heater Permit Papa Muphys	CostCo Gas Safeway	Trader Joes

Last week was mostly going to plan until I got a text from the roommate on Thursday night that the water heater  was leaking. She turned off the water to it, which prevented serious flooding. When we went to see it on Friday, we realized it was 14 years old. Naturally, the day after my house falls off the market, the water heater fails, and we're having some leakage from pipes under the sink. 
Spent Friday running around, finding a water heater and someone who could install it soon. We're going with a local place, and they require we pay for the permit up front.

[shanendoah]

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Sept 10-16	N	$73	2/3
Sept 17-23	N	$60	2/3
Sept 24-30	N	$225	1/4
Oct 1-7
Oct 8-14

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Dinner Movie Dessert(?)	Starbucks	Water Heater Handyman(?)	Starbucks Plane/Car snacks Dinner		Safeway	Lunch(?)
Actual

My Neighbor Totoro is playing as part of Ghibli-fest, and I'll be meeting up with my current host for dinner, the movie, and possibly dessert tonight.
Given how slow moving I am this morning, I suspect Starbucks for tomorrow (but I might skip it).
Wednesday, they'll be coming to install the water heater. I'll pay them when they are done. I put the handyman on there, since I'm hoping to get him out to fix the pipes under the kitchen sink, but I haven't heard back from him, so that's really just a guess, but want to capture it.
Thursday afternoon I fly out for Pop Tart's volleyball game and come back early Friday. Truth is, I'll get Starbucks Friday morning, but I'll get it from a regular store (vs on campus), where I can use my free drink.