2018 Controlled Spend/No Spend

[shanendoah]

And Welcome Poptart!

[TheOtherMe]

Mar 9, 2018 17:30:12 GMT -5 shanendoah said:

Talked to the vet's office again this morning. They will be giving me a credit for the test run Wednesday, but yeah, it was the wrong test, so I've got to get the Bug back in for one more blood draw tomorrow morning.  

Poor Bug.  I don't get how the wrong test was done.  At least you will not be charged.  I know how much animals do not like being at the vet all day.  

[TheOtherMe]

Unplanned spending for me is a new washing machine.  Have to call Lowes to get it delivered next week.

[shanendoah]

Okay, made it through the weekend. I got groceries 2 times, which I prefer not to do, but I still spent only half of what I'd budgeted, so I'm good there. Used club card points for the snacks at the movie with Pop Tart and kept that price down. Mostly I'm calling last week a success.

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Feb 26-Mar 4		UNTRACKED
Mar 5-11	Y	$4	2/4
Mar 12-18
Mar 19-25
Mar 26-Apr 1

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Starbucks		Starbucks Dinner		Vet(?) Gas Groceries ($100)	Starbucks	Pop Tart Visit ($50) Movie(?)
Actual	Starbucks		Vet Dinner   Parking ($4)		Gas Groceries ($10)	Starbucks	Pop Tart vist ($35) Groceries ($40)

[shanendoah]

This week will likely be a mess. I'm putting Moving/House Prep Supplies on the schedule for today, and Yard Service and Handyman on the schedule for Thursday, but who knows for certain what days things will actually happen, and I might be making multiple runs for the Moving/House Prep Supplies. 
I found a house I want to put an offer in on this weekend. My original timeline had me finishing getting the current house prepped for pictures this weekend, but I may need to step things up a bit due to making an offer, and try to have it on the market by this weekend. 
So, a WAG (wild ass guess) week when it comes to spending.

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Feb 26-Mar 4		UNTRACKED
Mar 5-11	Y	$4	2/4
Mar 12-18
Mar 19-25
Mar 26-Apr 1

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Moving/House Prep		Lunch	Handyman Yard Service	Run CostCo Gas	Movie Maid Service	Starbucks
Actual

[shanendoah]

Mini-breakdown last night, and I've decided I will not be listing the house for another couple of months. My stress levels have been too high - the point where, in wanting to make an offer on a new house, I forgot about a little thing called earnest money - you know, that 2-5% of the purchase price that you need to be able to write a check for the same day your offer is accepted...
Yeah, I don't have $10k sitting around right now. (At one time I did. I just don't right now.)
So, decided I am going to slow down on that front. I'll list the house this summer. I'll get everything in order to purchase (probably do a loan from retirement accounts for earnest money, which will be paid back as soon as I close on houses) then, and just reduce my stress levels.

But, I slept like crap last night, and forgot to take my thyroid med, so I had to take that this morning, which meant I couldn't eat at home, so I got Starbucks when I got to work. Since I will almost certainly still get Starbucks on Sunday, today is a spend.

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Feb 26-Mar 4		UNTRACKED
Mar 5-11	Y	$4	2/4
Mar 12-18		$11	1/0
Mar 19-25
Mar 26-Apr 1

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Moving/House Prep		Lunch	Handyman Yard Service	Run CostCo Gas	Movie Maid Service	Starbucks
Actual		Starbucks ($11)

[Iggy aka IG]

Hugs shanendoah. 

[Poptart]

Ugh, the universe is against me! I've been trying to use Uber and Lyft less, and I have managed to cut down a lot but this week is going to be tough because we are getting rain ALL week. I took 2 Ubers on Saturday, I had a promo for one so that was free, but yesterday morning I over slept and had to take one to work, so I've taken three Ubers in 5 days which is massive for me. I hope I can walk home but I think at this point I really am going to risk getting rained on. Booo, hiss.

Thank you all for the warm welcome.

[debthaven]

Poptart I don't generally post on this thread but I read it (and am inspired by it). This may be a really dumb question but if you're walking distance, might it be good to invest in either a really waterproof raincoat or an umbrella? Either (or both) might make it easier for you to walk to or from work when it rains. 

Hope you don't mind me suggesting that.

Hugs shanendoah. Anything that lowers the stress levels is a good thing in my book.

[TheOtherMe]

shanendoah 

[Poptart]

debthaven, that's not a stupid question at all. I live in southern California and rain is rarely an issue (plus I was so used to doing Uber) that I was totally unprepared for the crappy weather. I could have walked home on Saturday but not to my boyfriends because by that point it was pouring. 

So an observation, I am seeing a huge difference in my bank account, it seems that when I limited my Uber/Lyft use I also curbed a lot of spending. I could do better, I still buy my lunch at work every day and if I limited that I could probably save $60.00 a week. But for now I'm doing one thing at a time.

[debthaven]

Poptart in a former lifetime I used to buy my lunch every day too (although it was often at the subsidized, cheap staff cafeteria). Now that I teach, I literally don't have the time to both buy it and eat it. (I changed jobs and there's no cheap staff cafeteria at my main job.) I have 50 min to eat, but I also need to talk to students/pee/have coffee and the lines at the local places are insane at lunchtime.

I agree, one thing at a time. You're absolutely right, because that's how you make lasting changes. But maybe you could try to bring your lunch just ONE day a week? Even if you buy "ready meals" ... they're still much cheaper than buying lunch out. I admit, I buy frozen "ready meals" to take to school. I don't consider that buying lunch because they are $2 each, so if I add a fruit and a yogurt, that's an easy and cheap lunch. If I really do buy lunch out, it's easily $10.

It's also possible that all your colleagues go out, and that it's part of your corporate culture. We all eat together in the staff room, because everyone generally has the same 50 min for lunch, unless we happen to have a rare free period before or after. At this point I only "buy lunch" (per my definition) once a week, but it definitely took me a while to get there.

Good luck! I'm glad that you can already see the results in your bank account.

 

[Blonde Granny]

I make my lunch the late afternoon for the next day. Even though the VA provides lunch for the volunteers....I ate there 2 times when I first started....no one can tell me hospital food is good, as most times you don't even know what it is. Working 3 days per week I alternate my lunch: 1 day veggie loaded salad, next day prepared pecan & cranberry chicken salad. I add grapes, baby carrots/radishes and a Baby Bell cheese & prepared boiled egg. Third day is back to a loaded veggie salad.

Prep time for both is less than 10 minutes. I have a cute lunch bag and take my own coffee from home. I have at times, like debt taken a frozen meal and used the micro in the employee lunch room.

[shanendoah]

Thanks for the support everyone.
Nothing beyond Starbucks on Tuesday. Lunch on Wednesday was kept to $14.
Yesterday I took a "mental health day". The dogs and I walked to the post office and back to put the paperwork for early dispersal of one of my smaller retirement funds in the mail. That was about 6000 steps (so about a medium length walk for us). The yard guy came by to take a look and should be sending me an estimate. But no spending. (For the record, the plan for the early dispersal is to use it for earnest money to buy a new home, and then once the current house is sold and everything is closed, I'll be putting the money back in to retirement savings, ROTHs or traditional IRAs, depending on what makes the most sense for the amount we have. I would have preferred to borrow against my retirement savings at the current job, but the state won't let you borrow unless you are contributing over what they think is the minimum, and I have not been doing that.)
Today will still be a run, CostCo, and gas. Probably Trader Joes, too, as the bread I bought last week was already moldy, but I don't want to buy the 2 loaves I'd have to at CostCo. 
Tomorrow roomie is paying for the movie, but I still might get a snack. I have not contacted a maid service, so that won't be happening. (And the handyman will be by on Monday.)

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Feb 26-Mar 4		UNTRACKED
Mar 5-11	Y	$4	2/4
Mar 12-18		$11	2/1
Mar 19-25
Mar 26-Apr 1

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Moving/House Prep		Lunch	Handyman Yard Service	Run CostCo Gas	Movie Maid Service	Starbucks
Actual		Starbucks ($11)	Lunch

[moneysquirrel]

I have been MIA for a while.  Forgot to update last weekend. 

I did have a few spend days since my last update.  Most of it was for the usual -- food, gas and RX.  I did get two items that I "wanted" but that I will be putting to constant use so no regrets except on the timing of the purchase. 

Haven't heard from the guy I contacted but he did tell me that he was busy and that it may be a few weeks.  Figure I will contact him sometime in the not so distant future. 

[moneysquirrel]

Poptart -- Welcome.  Also like debthaven and Blonde Granny I also packed a lunch when I worked.  Before I retired I had a lunch break of about 40 minutes between my classes.  I could have eaten in the cafeteria but I valued the time I saved, the quiet of eating in the classroom and the money I saved by carrying my lunch with me.  I also had a few provisions in my file drawer for those days that I forgot my lunch at home.  These were -- crackers, peanut butter single serve containers, a few of the lunch to go items.  I stored them in a plastic shoe box and replaced the items as I used them.  Also a small container of chocolate. 
 

shanendoah -- Hope that you take some time for yourself in this time.  I know that you have things planned out and will make the decisions that you need.  I also know that you will research everything to the nth degree before you make the move.  Good luck.

[TheOtherMe]

I had unplanned spending this week to attend my uncle's funeral.  Two tanks of gas and some eating out.

The next two weeks I will be spending extra as I will be attending two concerts.  I will be seeing Graham Nash next week and the Eagles the next week.  My hotel for Graham Nash was all paid for with points.  Part of the hotel for the Eagles was paid for with points.  There will be gas to get there and food while there.  I don't buy t-shirts any more or any other concert souvenirs.   I bought the meet and greet for Graham Nash and souvenirs come with that package.

Otherwise I've only spent for groceries.  

[shanendoah]

I have no regrets about my spending this week. Truth is, the $308 on shoes and insoles wasn't really unplanned - just unplanned for this week. But as I was looking at my upcoming schedule, I realized that this Saturday was the day I had time (and my preferred local shoe store is not open on Sundays). So, I got my shoes.
There was $45 unplanned at CostCo as I got myself and Pop Tart really cute t-shirt dresses ($10 each), and picked up CoCo (which is an amazing movine) for $24.
It was a funny week for groceries, as I'm still trying to get back in the proper rotation after the trip to Hawaii. So Trader Joes and QFC I am not counting toward the unplanned $, because I did not spend much at either, and really did just pick up some needed items.
Yard guy came out on Thursday - I should get an estimate today. Roomie paid for the run on Friday. BFF got the snacks at the movie on Saturday. And the handyman is coming to take a look at my leaking wall today.

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Feb 26-Mar 4		UNTRACKED
Mar 5-11	Y	$4	2/4
Mar 12-18	N	$364	2/2
Mar 19-25
Mar 26-Apr 1

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Moving/House Prep		Lunch	Handyman Yard Service	Run CostCo Gas	Movie Maid Service	Starbucks
Actual		Starbucks ($11)	Lunch		CostCo ($45 unplanned) Gas Trader Joes	Shoes & Insoles ($308) QFC	Starbucks

[shanendoah]

Spring Break on campus. Doesn't really mean anything other than the Starbucks lines will be shorter. I am going to try and organize a lunch with a few on campus friends.

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Feb 26-Mar 4		UNTRACKED
Mar 5-11	Y	$4	2/4
Mar 12-18	N	$364	2/2
Mar 19-25
Mar 26-Apr 1

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Starbucks Handyman Counseling		Lunch		Safeway	Starbucks	Hair Appt Lunch Pop Tart visit ($40)
Actual

[Poptart]

Happy Monday everyone!

 I was bad over the weekend (but a lot better than I have been in the past), I took at Uber Friday night to Pollo Loco and to my boyfriends house, one Saturday morning because I over slept and did not have enough time to walk to work and another late Saturday night/Sunday morning for a beer run. That's still a lot better than a normal weekend for me but still...I could have avoided at least the Saturday morning one if I had just gotten up on time, but I've been having such a hard time waking up since the time change.

I'm gong to try and be better this week by not taking any Ubers until maybe Saturday night when we are going to the movies, to make up for that I'll try and bring my lunch two days this week which should cover what I'm spending on the Uber, I've already put away $20.00 to cover my ticket and snacks. Wish me luck!

[shanendoah]

It turns out I don't have a pipe that broke a couple of Fridays ago. I have a slow leak from a pipe, a slow leak that's been there a long time, with water finding different ways down, and last week was the first time it had found it's way down/out through the door frame. Large chunk of ceiling and wall had to go due to water damage and mold. I can't use my master bath toilet until this is fixed. (Luckily, there's another bathroom very close, so it's really only inconvenient in the middle of the night). Handyman will be back with his apprentice on Friday for about 5 hours of work. He expects he'll need to come back the following Friday to finish up. 
Moved lunch from Wed to Thurs, because we have a plan. (I'll be going to lunch with friends who also work on campus, since this is Spring Break, and everything is a little slower.)

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Feb 26-Mar 4		UNTRACKED
Mar 5-11	Y	$4	2/4
Mar 12-18	N	$364	2/2
Mar 19-25			0/1
Mar 26-Apr 1

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Starbucks Handyman Counseling			Lunch	Handyman Safeway	Starbucks	Hair Appt Lunch Pop Tart visit ($40)
Actual	Starbucks Handyman Counseling

[moneysquirrel]

Popping in for a quick update.  Since my last update only on unplanned spend -- lunch with a friend after an activity.  Other than that just gas and a monthly service bill.  May run to the craft store this afternoon but have a GC if I do find something.

[shanendoah]

No spend yesterday. Hope for another today. I am going to go to Weight Watchers at Work over lunch today, instead of going to my normal meeting after work this evening, in the hopes of making my day a little shorter.

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Feb 26-Mar 4		UNTRACKED
Mar 5-11	Y	$4	2/4
Mar 12-18	N	$364	2/2
Mar 19-25			1/1
Mar 26-Apr 1

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Starbucks Handyman Counseling			Lunch	Handyman Safeway	Starbucks	Hair Appt Lunch Pop Tart visit ($40)
Actual	Starbucks Handyman Counseling

[shanendoah]

I need to be realistic with myself. I have been trying to cut down my Starbucks, and I have been pretty good. But only one during the weekdays? What was I thinking. I am getting Starbucks this morning.

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Feb 26-Mar 4		UNTRACKED
Mar 5-11	Y	$4	2/4
Mar 12-18	N	$364	2/2
Mar 19-25			1/1
Mar 26-Apr 1

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Starbucks Handyman Counseling			Lunch	Handyman Safeway	Starbucks	Hair Appt Lunch Pop Tart visit ($40)
Actual	Starbucks Handyman Counseling			Starbucks

[Blonde Granny]

Sometimes we all just need a little joy in our lives. Getting a Starbucks falls into that category. You've been doing a great job under some difficult times this past year, so don't beat yourself up over the little stuff once in a while.

So says BG....and you can't argue with a mod, we have waaaaaaay to much power....

[shanendoah]

So far, so good. 

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Feb 26-Mar 4		UNTRACKED
Mar 5-11	Y	$4	2/4
Mar 12-18	N	$364	2/2
Mar 19-25		$5.62	2/1
Mar 26-Apr 1

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Starbucks Handyman Counseling			Lunch	Handyman Safeway	Starbucks	Hair Appt Lunch Pop Tart visit ($40)
Actual	Starbucks Handyman Counseling			Starbucks ($5.62) Lunch

[moneysquirrel]

Had several days of spending -- out of town with family.  Came to less than I thought in total so I'm ok with the amount.  Also had the money in my travel budget.    I will try to continue to limit the impulse items but I do try to plan for known upcoming expenses. 

[shanendoah]

On Friday, the handyman did not finish - he'll come back this Friday, so we agreed I would pay him this week, and then my roommate did the grocery shopping (because I only needed a couple of things - things that we both use), meaning that the only thing I got on Friday was gas. (Which I forgot to put on the weekly spend plan this week, but weekly gas is part of the plan, as I do a 250 mile trip every weekend.
Saturday morning I decided to have McDonalds instead of Starbucks, but spent about the same amount, so that would have been in plan. But I had a headlight go out on the car, so on my way home Saturday evening, I hit Fred Meyer for a new headlight ($13) and saw that they had very boring 5x7 area rugs on sale for $35. Since getting my very nice area rug cleaned, it has remained in its wrapping and went straight in the Pod. This will let me put an area rug down in the living room when the house goes on the market that will be clean and a neutral beige. That puts me over my allowed $50 in unplanned spending for the week, but headlights are a necessity and that was really too good a deal on the rug to pass up.

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Feb 26-Mar 4		UNTRACKED
Mar 5-11	Y	$4	2/4
Mar 12-18	N	$364	2/2
Mar 19-25	N	$61	2/3
Mar 26-Apr 1

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Starbucks Handyman Counseling			Lunch	Handyman Safeway Gas	Starbucks	Hair Appt Lunch Pop Tart visit ($40)
Actual	Starbucks Handyman Counseling			Starbucks ($5.62) Lunch	Gas	McDonalds Headlight Rug	Hair Appt Lunch Pop Tart visit

[shanendoah]

I worked from home yesterday, which always throws off my posting here. I promise you, everything I spent yesterday really was in plan. Junebug was back at the vet, this time for an ultrasound of her liver. I'll know in a couple of days how that looks. Then I went and had dinner and a movie with a friend. We're doing the Ghibli-fest movies, and last night was Ponyo.

WEEK	IN PLAN?	UNPLANNED SPENDING $	NS/CS DAYS
Feb 26-Mar 4		UNTRACKED
Mar 5-11	Y	$4	2/4
Mar 12-18	N	$364	2/2
Mar 19-25	N	$61	2/3
Mar 26-Apr 1			0/1

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Planned	Vet Dinner Movie	Starbucks		Starbucks	Handyman CostCo Gas	Movie?	Starbucks
Actual	Vet Dinner Movie	Starbucks

[Iggy aka IG]

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

[snip]

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. 

Welp, as Q1 draws to a close (already!  Sheesh!), I'm reviewing my income and expenditure spreadsheet.  Let's just say it has been an expensive start to the year!

~Gifts/Holidays/Birthdays/Vacation:  I had a milestone birthday for which I traveled out of state to celebrate.  Also, I gifted my niece some money for college expenditures (both of these were planned).  I do have at least one more planned trip later this year, but will keep frugality in mind.  This trip happens to be going to visit a fellow frugal friend, and we are good at keeping food and entertainment costs down. 
 
~Food/HBAs:  Need to trim some more.  Have spent an average of $47 over my budgeted $300/mo.  However, I have saved an average of $98.85 a month by buying sale items, and using paper and e-coupons. 

~Entertainment:  March was high, but that's because I bought tickets for several concerts and 2 comedians for this upcoming year and paid for a hotel room for the first show earlier this month.  The way I see it is except for booze, these purchases will take me to the end of the year.