Expensive Week And I'm OK With That

The last week will not go down as frugal, but I have no regrets. My family  has been blessed with good health, family and friends, and jobs that pay the bills and then some.While I tried not to squander money, I made intentional choices for my money and a few deliberate splurges. For my friend and my friends daughter, there are Go Fund Me pages. I made contribution to both. I don't live near enough to either to be part of a Meal Train, and besides, meals were already taken care of with sign ups through May. Same for my nieces family, but I dropped off two bags of paper and household goods. None of these were part of my budget or spending plan heading into April, but irrelevant in the scope of things. 

We made contributions towards the show choir directors and team mom's gifts. Again, worth every penny and probably not enough to say thank you to all three. DD2 informed me that we hadn't purchased her school year book. Ouch! That was a pricey purchase at $85. However, hopefully in years to come she will be happy to have a total recap of her school days. Though, I doubt either of my older kids have really looked at theirs since. However, it isn't the recent memories, but the ones decades later that they might want to later look back on. 

Meals out in the last eight days included drinks and apps with our friends last Saturday, DH taking his mom out for breakfast one morning, lunch out on Thursday-just DH and me, DD2 Chipotle on an early release day before play practice, and my coffee date with myself Thursday afternoon. Time with my girls was precious, and we did a little shopping damage. I took both girls out Friday night for supper, and lunch Saturday before heading home. I bought DD1 a few groceries and splurged $9 for three gourmet cupcakes at a cute little independent cake maker in my daughters town. I bought DD2 a new dress and sweater set for her banquet next weekend and to wear to her cousin's wedding plus a new pair of Asic shoes and a hoody, but these were nearly 70% off original price through my daughters company. I spent $41 on fruit for Easter.

Some weeks are just like that with more expenses for showers, weddings, DD2's play, and Mother's Day to come. Life can't always include saving money-the last week was about family and friends. There were some moments that cost us little or nothing, where we saved in the week. We hit a couple thrift stores and I was able to get two shirts for $7.00, the basic black I was looking for in different styles. We capped off Easter with a free walk along the river, wearing a happy pup out in the process. There's a ton of leftover fruit for lunches, snacking or smoothies. I'll reign in my spending on things that just don't matter, but I don't regret these costs a bit.

Onward and Upward in August

As I suspected, we are in the negatives for July in making efforts towards our December 31 savings targets, but not quite as bad as I had first thought it was going to be, ending at  -$633. On a more positive note, I am pleased to say we ended August in groceries at $298.77. Not bad at all, and if I really wanted to play Mother Hubbard, I think I could scrape together meals for another week, bizarre ones, but meals all the same. So with knowledge of what we have in stock, I am aiming for August again to be under $300. To add to the challenge, I want to keep household (personal, cleaning, laundry etc.) at under $50, and meals out, not counting the vacation meals, at under $100. I won’t count DH’s lunches-no control there on my part, and I won’t count a few activities DD2 has with friends that will need lunch money. 

I’m not even going to try and figure out what we spent beyond groceries this month on entertainment and meals out. Eating out was as much as ever, and I can’t even remember where and what we might have eaten. I splurged well beyond my per diem in New Orleans, and last night, we had planned and did end the month with pizza because DH was going to be at the cabin most of the day. But hey, August 1 is a fresh start. 

I checked our suit cases and one of our large ones still has some life in it, and we use the large so infrequently, it didn’t make sense to splurge on a new one. However, I found a carry on size, largest that will pass, with the 360 turning wheels, for $50 at Gordman’s with another 20% off. It seems as good a quality as the one I purchased for DD2 before Spain at Kohl’s for $100, plus 30% off and $10 Kohl’s cash, so I guess a better buy once all discounts and earnings are applied. All our carry on size have handles that won’t extend, or are ripping in seams. I really abused them the years  I traveled for work. I  found some light weight knit dresses, perfect for layering with tights and sweaters, to refurbish my summer to fall, and cruise appropriate wardrobe. These were not originally in my plan, but with some of my purging, I am realizing the sorry state of my work wardrobe. I really have purchased very little in the last year, and these seemed practical, not indulgent, except perhaps the black one, as I already have two black dresses. 

So that was July. August has us going on vacation, with a firm budget, and back to school expenses. As much as DD2 has clothes galore, it just feels like a fresh start to a school year to let her get a couple new things. Then there is school supplies and the list; I wish I had stock in three ring binders. I'm not sure how to pack for the trip. It could get downright cold at night out on the Alaska coast, but I’m thinking items that can be worn in layers and swapped and switched out. I need to get DH’s suit to the dry cleaners-ouch that will eat 1/3 of the household budget right there! Guess we’ll be using up the dribs and drabs of our cleaning supplies, but the last of the laundry soap went in the washer this monring. How are you all gearing up for spending to close out summer? Are splurging or cutting back, or like me, do you have a mix of both going on?

Tenner Week Day 7 -$0.74

I came very close, and I almost didn't count $2.00 of my spending, but those are the rules.  I made it to Saturday night with no personal spending, then used $13.73 of my USD converted 10 British pounds this morning in church, the folks who organized past mission trips into Juarez Mexico were collecting loose money in the collection plate to buy diapers for the orphanage and other infants.  Juarez is the border town hit particularly hard by the violence of the drug cartels.  My two older kids went on those trips yeas ago when in high school-DS twice.  DD#1 worked in the same orphanage.  The dangers there have stopped those youth trips, but not the caring about and for the people. While not part of my $15, I had two $1 bills in my purse, that quickly went into that plate when it passed to me with no hesitation.  

The remaining penny was the difference in using a $5 Target card for drain unclogger and cleanser-very glamorous purchase. So I could have finished with a $1.26 balance, but think I made the better choice. The $2 was in my purse from change my daughter gave me back from her own outing. Had she spent every penny on herself instead of just what she needed for her project, I wouldn't have had the money for the donation. except the loose change.  I think that is the real purpose of Tenner weeks, to get participants to think about where their money goes and for what ends. The additional daily challenges, while not a good fit for my life, did make me think about being creative with what I have and not pine for what I might wish I had. 

Here are a few trade offs I made his week, no deprivation involved.  I passed on ordering take out pizza and made a delicious one at home.  I walked with a new colleague over to the Target deli, but didn't buy soup and coffee for lunch on Thursday, but still walked and talked and then heated up my desk drawer soup in two minutes. I didn't pick up a coffee and a scone through the drive thru, but made my own at home, with muffins, enough left for this morning and tomorrow morning. Never mind that I forgot the sugar, they are good with jam. I took extra walks with pup, borrowed library movies with DD#2, and used some bonus rewards points at Kohls for Godiva chocolates that I think will be gifted to someone else who needs a pick me up. I made planned meals and used up food that may have gone bad, a terrible waste when so many people go hungry.  I got to experience improv with my daughter, and supported a friend who is brave enough to show this whole other creative side of herself to the world. 

I'll resume regular habits, I'm sure.  I do hope I can make what should be the easy choices. DS will be coming home for three days to see his grandpa.  We splurged for the air fare.  We have no way of knowing if this health crisis means weeks, months, or maybe longer, so in any case DS wants to make sure he gets some time with him before too late.  DD#1 got to spend some time with her grandpa a couple weeks ago when she was in Arizona for work. DH will also be back on Tuesday night, having wrapped up what he needs to out of state. The world keeps turning and I'll just keep doing my best to move with it.