Wisconsin Beth
Distinguished Associate
No, we don't walk away. But when we're holding on to something precious, we run.
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 11:59:36 GMT -5
Posts: 30,626 
|
Post by Wisconsin Beth on Jun 2, 2011 8:39:32 GMT -5
I started a thread in early April about putting myself on an allowance to cover booze, lunches out and vending machines. Frozen lunches come from the grocery fund as does granola bars and fruit that I can bring in for lunch. It's been interesting and here's some followup for anyone who cares. ;D
April was really hard as I had to lean to say "No." to myself again. It's been a while and while I don't think I was spending a ton of money, I did eat out for lunch frequently with my office. So I had to start saying not today and debating how badly I really wanted that deli special. DH helped me in April by buying me a bottle of wine. I ended April waiting for May's allowance.
May was kinda weird in that I used my allowance money to buy milk and pay house dues at work. Then I got reimbursed for the house dues but not the milk and after a while, it just seemed petty to want it and I let it drop. We have booze in the house because we had DD's 3 b-day party. DH and I agree that I can drink that. I ended May with $7.
I had a dire need for comfort food yesterday so I blew $4 on the deli sandwich special. So right now, I have $3 in cash. I need to either swing though the bank and make a withdrawal or wait until Sat. when DH does the grocery shopping to get June's money. I'm leaning towards waiting because a. I don't expect to need it before then and b. if I don't have it, I can't spend it...
So I'm getting there. I know I want wine this month so I'll talk to DH about where he's been buying wine as I know he's gotten some cheap but decent wine recently. I want wine more than I want lunch out and I can't have both. This is turning out to be a really good learning exercise for me. I've gotten spoiled/lazy/something over the last few years.
|
|
yogiii
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 19:38:00 GMT -5
Posts: 5,377
|
Post by yogiii on Jun 2, 2011 9:46:34 GMT -5
Nice work. A lot of that stuff is just boredom/habit ... well not the wine, but the work snacking. You can get into a groove about wanting a snack at a certain time, or wanting a break = soda, snack at a certain time. Seems like you're doing really well disciplining yourself slowly to not feel like you're totally cut off.
|
|
|
|
Post by stl76 on Jun 2, 2011 9:54:48 GMT -5
Well done! One suggestion though. Make sure you are not limiting yourself too much at first. I agree with waiting til saturday to get the money...
|
|
dancinmama
Senior Associate
LIVIN' THE DREAM!!
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 20:49:45 GMT -5
Posts: 10,659
|
Post by dancinmama on Jun 2, 2011 9:56:38 GMT -5
I started a thread in early April about putting myself on an allowance to cover booze, lunches out and vending machines. Frozen lunches come from the grocery fund as does granola bars and fruit that I can bring in for lunch. It's been interesting and here's some followup for anyone who cares. ;D So I'm getting there. I know I want wine this month so I'll talk to DH about where he's been buying wine as I know he's gotten some cheap but decent wine recently. I want wine more than I want lunch out and I can't have both. This is turning out to be a really good learning exercise for me. I've gotten spoiled/lazy/something over the last few years. I must have missed the original thread, but I LOVE what you're doing. Would you mind sharing how much your allowance is compared to what you were spending on average before? I think that there is a lot more leakage in people's day in and day out spending than they probably realize. It's just a little drip, drip here or a dribble there, but I would venture to guess that at the end of the month it adds up. I think posting the details regarding the money savings might help others think more about where the leakage is in their own day to day spending and may really help them....if ya don't mind sharing.  |
|
zippy478
Initiate Member
Joined: Dec 23, 2010 10:58:20 GMT -5
Posts: 86
|
Post by zippy478 on Jun 2, 2011 10:04:07 GMT -5
I agree with Dancinmama and if you care to share either a link to your original post or the details again, I'd much appreciate it.
|
|
|
|
Post by illinicheme on Jun 2, 2011 10:09:58 GMT -5
We've had good luck at Trader Joe's, Costco, Cost Plus World Market, and Target for reasonably-priced wine (booze of all types, really). But I'm also REALLY spoiled because I live just south of Sonoma County.
|
|
Wisconsin Beth
Distinguished Associate
No, we don't walk away. But when we're holding on to something precious, we run.
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 11:59:36 GMT -5
Posts: 30,626
|
Post by Wisconsin Beth on Jun 2, 2011 10:14:54 GMT -5
Wisconsin Beth: I must have missed the original thread, but I LOVE what you're doing. Would you mind sharing how much your allowance is compared to what you were spending on average before? I think that there is a lot more leakage in people's day in and day out spending than they probably realize. It's just a little drip, drip here or a dribble there, but I would venture to guess that at the end of the month it adds up. I think posting the details regarding the money savings might help others think more about where the leakage is in their own day to day spending and may really help them....if ya don't mind sharing. We started tracking every penny we spend roughly Jan. 1. We determined that I was spending about $40 a month on lunches out and the vending machines, with a guess on booze at $10 (I don't drink much and DH can't right now.) And I HATED reporting the lunch and vending machines to DH for the spreadsheet. I thought it was fair to give me $25 a month or roughly half of what I was spending. DH was surprised I suggested it and then agreed it to. I think he had problems originally with reconciling "we're tracking every penny." and "She's got money we're not tracking." Now I think he likes it because it's NOT money he needs to track... There was a fair amount of leakage in our budget. This was one drip. |
|
Wisconsin Beth
Distinguished Associate
No, we don't walk away. But when we're holding on to something precious, we run.
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 11:59:36 GMT -5
Posts: 30,626
|
Post by Wisconsin Beth on Jun 2, 2011 10:26:54 GMT -5
Ok, I found the original thread and bumped it. It's called Baby Steps.
Illini, yah, I know DH has a coupon for a certain brand of wine so I'll check on that with him. And I've seen wine on sale at Target but since DH does the grocery shopping, he's got a better idea of what's a good price for a Riesling than I do right now.
|
|
IPAfan
Familiar Member
Joined: Jan 1, 2011 16:17:11 GMT -5
Posts: 890
|
Post by IPAfan on Jun 2, 2011 10:28:54 GMT -5
You need to come to California for a visit. You can buy a drinkable bottle of wine for $3 here.
EDIT:
Wow, I just noticed you were only spending $40 a month BEFORE your budget? I'm ashamed to admit I've had work lunches that set me back $40 in one sitting.
|
|
saveinla
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 2:00:29 GMT -5
Posts: 5,260
|
Post by saveinla on Jun 2, 2011 10:36:21 GMT -5
You need to come to California for a visit. You can buy a drinkable bottle of wine for $3 here. EDIT: Wow, I just noticed you were only spending $40 a month BEFORE your budget? I'm ashamed to admit I've had work lunches that set me back $40 in one sitting. Agree on both points. My husband went to lunch with a friend last week and spent 40$  |
|
Wisconsin Beth
Distinguished Associate
No, we don't walk away. But when we're holding on to something precious, we run.
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 11:59:36 GMT -5
Posts: 30,626
|
Post by Wisconsin Beth on Jun 2, 2011 10:39:34 GMT -5
My boss really likes a particular place (he's a foodie.) They do a lunch special for between $4-$6 a pop with soup in the $2-$5 range. I'd guess he eats there 18 out of 20 days a month. And it was really easy to go with him or be included in the order. I'd started cutting back on lunches out when we went from free dcp to $1000K a month on dcp. I was eating there just as often as he was during both pregnancies. We did visit California in 2004. We had a bunch of wine shipped home. |
|
Wisconsin Beth
Distinguished Associate
No, we don't walk away. But when we're holding on to something precious, we run.
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 11:59:36 GMT -5
Posts: 30,626
|
Post by Wisconsin Beth on Jun 2, 2011 10:42:16 GMT -5
You need to come to California for a visit. You can buy a drinkable bottle of wine for $3 here. EDIT: Wow, I just noticed you were only spending $40 a month BEFORE your budget? I'm ashamed to admit I've had work lunches that set me back $40 in one sitting. Agree on both points. My husband went to lunch with a friend last week and spent 40$ Oh, I can easily spend $40 on a meal out. And I have. That stopped immediately when we started having to pay for dcp. We were running in the red to the tune of $400 a month at first. |
|
Tiny
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 29, 2010 21:22:34 GMT -5
Posts: 13,399
|
Post by Tiny on Jun 2, 2011 10:42:44 GMT -5
Keep in mind that the previous $40 a month may have some additional 'hidden money' in it - WisconsinBeth said she was buying food for breakfast/lunch (fruit/granola bars, frozen meals) and then NOT necessarily eating them because she was snacking/buying lunch. Sure granola bars and frozen food don't go bad quickly - money got spent on stuff that didn't get used.
FWIW: I give myself an Allowance (every paycheck). Some pay periods I'm "destitute" several days before payday, sometimes before payday I'm still rolling in the dough. The times I've been 'destitute' I've never been inconvienced by my lack of cash. This was a tough payperiod and I've had $1.83 in my wallet since Tuesday. My allowance will magically replenish on Saturday so I'm toughing it out. I'll fess up to having counted the loose change in my desk drawer at work because I kinda sorta felt the need for snack on Wednesday - but it passed and I still have all my money!
|
|
Wisconsin Beth
Distinguished Associate
No, we don't walk away. But when we're holding on to something precious, we run.
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 11:59:36 GMT -5
Posts: 30,626
|
Post by Wisconsin Beth on Jun 2, 2011 10:47:51 GMT -5
Keep in mind that the previous $40 a month may have some additional 'hidden money' in it - WisconsinBeth said she was buying food for breakfast/lunch (fruit/granola bars, frozen meals) and then NOT necessarily eating them because she was snacking/buying lunch. Sure granola bars and frozen food don't go bad quickly - money got spent on stuff that didn't get used. FWIW: I give myself an Allowance (every paycheck). Some pay periods I'm "destitute" several days before payday, sometimes before payday I'm still rolling in the dough. The times I've been 'destitute' I've never been inconvienced by my lack of cash. This was a tough payperiod and I've had $1.83 in my wallet since Tuesday. My allowance will magically replenish on Saturday so I'm toughing it out. I'll fess up to having counted the loose change in my desk drawer at work because I kinda sorta felt the need for snack on Wednesday - but it passed and I still have all my money! Yeah, I'd ATM lunch, get cash from DH or swing though an ATM to get cash when needed. Now I'm thinking more about what I want and how badly do I want it. And the frozen dinners would stay frozen. Eventually I'd eat them. And when there'd be a stack of them in the freezer, we wouldn't buy any that week at the grocery store. |
|
|
|
Post by illinicheme on Jun 2, 2011 15:12:30 GMT -5
Ok, I found the original thread and bumped it. It's called Baby Steps. Illini, yah, I know DH has a coupon for a certain brand of wine so I'll check on that with him. And I've seen wine on sale at Target but since DH does the grocery shopping, he's got a better idea of what's a good price for a Riesling than I do right now. Mmmm.....riesling. I've found lots of decent rieslings in the $6-10 range. But my wine palette wouldn't exactly be considered sophisticated. So maybe the ones I like taste like bad grape juice to everyone else. ;D |
|
Deleted
Joined: Jul 6, 2024 17:19:02 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2011 15:16:08 GMT -5
Booze in the house leftover from DD's birthday party? Darned kids! At least they left some for you  |
|
|
|
Post by BeenThere...DoneThat... on Jun 2, 2011 15:21:06 GMT -5
...good job... we have a similar allowance system... if we don't want to pack a lunch from home, we have to spend allowance on that lunch order... big gulps at 7-11, and stuff like that, allowance... impulse buys on personal wants, allowance... it's a very workable system... you work it long enough, it becomes a very helpful habit... ...good job!  |
|
Wisconsin Beth
Distinguished Associate
No, we don't walk away. But when we're holding on to something precious, we run.
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 11:59:36 GMT -5
Posts: 30,626
|
Post by Wisconsin Beth on Jun 2, 2011 15:38:16 GMT -5
...good job... we have a similar allowance system... if we don't want to pack a lunch from home, we have to spend allowance on that lunch order... big gulps at 7-11, and stuff like that, allowance... impulse buys on personal wants, allowance... it's a very workable system... you work it long enough, it becomes a very helpful habit... ...good job! Yeah, I used to keep myself on a cash system of sorts, back in the dark ages when DH and I were dating. |
|
