However, It wasn't so fantastic for the budget and no spending money thing... Of course the temple is free. But we took the kids so we could't drive the prius we took my van and that cost us $68 in gas vs the Prius which is like $20 bucks round trip. And of course I didn't pack a cooler, with lunch and snacks. {Next time I will} So we ate at Chick Fil A
spending $17. Well then I thought it would be cool to go to the bookstore and let the kids pick out a picture of the temple or a book about Jesus... $70 later... not the best idea I've ever had. They have these scripture figurines
and Blake LOVES them. He has a couple of them that my mom handed down to us, and of course Mike pointed out the BIG ones to Blake, and he wanted the big ones and some small ones, and anyhow... they aren't cheap to say the least. But he does play with them and they seem to be helping him learn the stories. So we start our journey home and well, We make it all the way home without stopping for food. That was an accomplishment. (The kids were asleep.) But as we pull into town, Mike wanted Chipotle and well, I didn't want to cook dinner, so there was another $10 bucks that could have been avoided had I just felt like throwing something easy together at home. Well, Then being the pregnant nut that I am, I needed some pecan pralines.
So $18 and a pound of pralines later... {I could have just made them and saved that money} But it doesn't stop there. We get home and get settled, and 9:00 pm rolls around and its time to get Kynzi to bed and Mike notices that we don't have any milk... So off to Target I go. That was probably mistake number one. I should have just gone to gross dirty Wal-mart. So a trip to the store for milk, ended up being $50! Milk, butter, hand soap, bread, a Dr. Pepper and Mtn Dew for Mike, and I couldn't help myself but buy new kitchen towels. Did I need them, Yes, could I have probably found cheaper ones, Maybe, I didn't look.
SIGH..... Oh well, what's done is done, and today is a new day. A spend NO money day. I feel like Mike and I are all or nothing people. We do really good when we say "okay we aren't buying anything, even if it's a need" and we don't. We make do and do without. And most of the time, I couldn't tell you what I'm missing out on, I don't really notice a difference in our lifestyle. But when we spend just a little, It's a downward spiral. There is NO stopping it. Oh it's frustrating! I have no self control. My spirit is indeed willing...But my flesh is weak. Just ask Ashlar, I got her some pecan pralines yesterday and couldn't even control myself enough not to eat hers before I got them to her house... Like I said, I have no self control. I just have to prevent myself from spending money. I don't carry a debit or credit card in my wallet, {I have a SMALL amount of emergency cash in the car.} I use a list at the grocery store and have the amount already calculated out and I take cash. That way, I CAN'T buy things I didn't go for. And I try to avoid Target in most situations. I can't help myself from wandering to the clothes or clearance, So I just don't go. Yesterday is a prime example, I used a plastic card to pay and I was at Target} Costco is dangerous too. I just have to limit myself to one trip a month, and I stock up on the things we NEED that are ON THE LIST! Anyone have any other tips that help them save and not spend?
We are doing the same right now! A few months back we decided that we would no longer use a credit card and that we would make sure to stick to a budget and do no unnecessary spending. It goes well majority of the time, but I think we tend to be all or nothing people as well....if we are not careful. Something that helps us is (almost) every Monday night after Family Home Evening we scheduled a finance meeting that we have with each other to review our spending, budget, etc. for that week. When we do this we tend to stay more focused and on track because we are reminded of our goal.
ReplyDeleteGirl! I feel you. I told myself I was going to get cash out for groceries, but I just haven't had the time or energy to coupon.... in fact I have 3-4 weeks of newspapers still in the bag! I like Gladys' idea of the finance meeting... maybe we will try that. I keep making excuses... "after we move", "once the baby is here"| "when Bailey starts VPK"... ya know... it's just so darn easy to make justifications for "needs". We should start a support group or something lol!
ReplyDeleteDitto on the Family Counsel suggestion. Just like weight loss, and weighing-in every week. We take a brief evaluation of our progress--routinely--to congratulate ourselves and gain motivation to keep heading in the right direction. It's important to do that with financial goals, too. :) And, I guess my one suggestion is to use unforseen extra money on something appropriate, before it goes to an extra shirt at Target, an extra night of babysitting, etc. I.e. if you notice an extra $200 in the budget on the 10th of the month, and know you aren't even planning to pay bills 'til after another payday--go ahead and spend the $200 on something that you'll need to pay/buy anyway. Like, make an extra $200 car payment that month, stock-up on pantry items, go buy the kids some clothes in the next sizes they'll need, or buy a gas giftcard for your own personal use. I try to do this whenever the extra money comes up, or else I'll be right there in the hand towel, clearance clothes, and cute storage idea sections of Target with you, spending what COULD have been gas money!
ReplyDelete