March Spending Forecast

     DD2 got home late afternoon, early evening and we had a quiet night at home, watching a movie and just relaxing. I'm sure today she will hang with her bestie, who goes to school only 25 miles away and is home most weekends. Her sister goes to DD2's schools and was her ride home. Her mom is one of my soup mom friends, so kind of a second mom to my kid and vice versa. DD1 heads home from Chicago some time today, but doubt I'll see her until perhaps trivia Wednesday if it works for her schedule. We are planning a call with DS later as well. New month, and we'll be figuring out how February landed. I'm setting my sights to make March financially manageable.

     We added a few dollars to the H&G as last week went on. DH bought a frozen meal and the pizza we ate Thursday at Aldi, and I added a few thigs from the Dollar tree, so another $11, so I lied to myself when I reported the final  tally as it really ended at $361.55, $61.55 over my $300 challenge. I'm not attempting that this month. I still will back track and see where we maybe changed lunch spending. Despite missing my target, we had to have spent less in fast food lunches than the past year. That's a research project of itself. I'll shop carefully and track spending, but am not setting a target, other than for the year, I want to be at $5,000 or less. With what I spent in January and February, and allowing an extra $200 in December, I'd need to average $393.80. Some months that might be better than doable. When you read my next  words though, you'll see I set myself up for a March feat to now spend under $47.30 a week to stay on average. Womp Womp.

     I shopped both Trader Joe's and Aldi run yesterday, only because I intended to first pop into several clothing stores in the same vicinity and look at dresses. The area is an outdoor shopping center, trying to look like a traditional downtown, but it looked crowded and not conducive to trying on items, so I just drove on by and parked at TJ's. The damage at Trader Joe's was under $43, mostly on specialty items I don't find elsewhere like their spinach dip, palak paneer, and mandarin orange chicken. I also grabbed naan there as Aldi is often sold out-they weren't this time but price was the same. They also carry salt free chips and salsa and DH's favorite vanilla almond cereal. I few other things  went into the cart as well. It was Aldi that things went wild with me spending $161! Granted, that included laundry soap, a big package of toilet paper, and some items we don't buy every month like olive and vegetable oil. It was a big stock up as we had let just about everything run out, but I was shocked. Looking over the receipt, there weren't really any individual shocks, prices seemed about the same. Savings and spending add up! I didn't even buy that much meat, just some county ribs, chicken, and breakfast sausage.I'm already therefore into March spending at $204.60. 

Besides the steep grocery bill, we'll spend most of our eating out budget for the month this week with DD2 home. Plans are to do a fish fry on Friday, and I know we'll fit in a Panera lunch when we are out and about. I'll leave DH and her to spend some one on one time Thursday, which I'm sure will included a movie and a meal. Otherwise, unless we use DH's gift card again, I'm hoping we avoid eating out after this week is done. OK-maybe one more towards the end of the month with friends! 

     I am buying a new or at least new to me dress for the wedding. I'll see what DD2 wants, as she has several suitable in her closet so may just decide to wear something she already has. DH needs a new button down shirt. I must have had a very low Kohls spending year as I think I lost MVP status. I haven't gotten quite as many perks mailed to me. We'll check out other stores, so many are clearancing out winter, and it will still be cold on March 14th. Other additional costs this month:

• Cash for DD2's car pool driver
• Four more tanks of gas to go pick her up and return her to school the wedding weekend, or a bus ticket if the timing works
• Travel/meal costs for me that go above my work per diem
• Wedding gift
• Copay, and deductible for DH's colonoscopy, my next round of follow-up labs, and DD2's x-ray and follow-up visit (though I'll get medical reimbursement to cover the out of pocket)
• Dry Cleaning
• End of season buying for future gifts

     There is a lot of extra spending, that while is in our overall budget, the cash flow is much higher this month. I'll make use of what I stocked up on and further spending will be loss leaders and meal plan as best I can. I'll maybe use some of our Target cards towards some household spending to help with the cash flow, as that is what the little  perks are for. So far, DH's job has not slowed down. We need to be vigilant to watch spending as changes can come without warning. We are preparing to live entirely on my salary, whether that is 3 years, 10 months from now as planned, or within 6 months if we have no choice.