Ok, so it’s been a while since I let you take a peak into my wallet…Some good things, some bad. Let’s lead with the good:
Yay File
1) The $1,000 check cleared on the credit card. Click here for the update.
2) My light bill in March was $62.09. That’s less than the $66.47 bill from February. And WAY down from January’s $107.50 light bill
3) Cell phone bill was $76.78. The month before: $85.83 (I get a $40 allowance from the company, too!)
Groan File
So much for that $50 per week spending on food. This is what I’ve spent so far this month:
$5.25 Chinese food lunch
$7.48 Dinner
$10.55 Cuban lunch (shrimp creole)
$5.57 Chinese take out
$8.43 Thai lunch
$14.98 Publix run
$17 Atlantic Bar and Grill (I took a new coworker out for drinks. She had bought dinner)
$11.15 Publix run
$14.93 Dinner at Pasha’s (This was during the time I was homeless and staying with a friend)
$25.14 Dinner at Pasha’s (I bought my friend a gift as a repayment)
$7.37 Cuban lunch
$4.19 Chicken lunch special
$15 Lunch at Starbucks
$15 Three different pizza runs
$20 (estimate on gas station runs)
Not so bad
1) $16.04 Arden B. blouse I wore on a dinner date Friday
2) $20.30 Banana Republic dress I’ve worn to work
3) $20.30 Banana Republic dress (I bought the same dress as a birthday gift for a friend because I loved it so much.)
Whew! That was a lot. Please let me know what you think about my "budget" And please let me know how you are doing financially!
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I know food costs are waay up. Yesterday, I spent $53 at Publix and I found two items that were priced wrong. I always take five minutes after I shop to review the receipt. I’d say half the time I find a mistake. So, I got my money back on those items. $5 off. You have to keep an eye on those prices. Also, for coupon fanatics, Winn-Dixie offers the self-checkout counter. I’ve noticed a loophole: The machine will accept expired coupons. I guess that’s the price companies pay for reducing jobs.
Nat, Nat, Nat. You disappoint. By my tally, you spent $180.04 on food — mostly eating out — and $56.64 on clothes that I’m certain you could have done without (a dress for a friend just because?) — all in the first 14 days of April?
Where’s the restraint? Where’s the frugality in that? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe in completely eliminating discretionary spending, but it appears you’ve thrown caution, and your financial chastity belt, to the wind.
You’ve opened up and let the retailers have their way with you again.
Keith, my friend/mentor had a birthday. Is it a crime to buy her a $20 dress? I know I get a “Bad Nat” for the grocery budget, but cut me some slack on the clothes. I haven’t bought clothes since January.
I know you are trying hard, but you gotta cut back on eating out. It’s a money sucker. I started saving lots of money when I stopped eating out. Trust me on this one.
Another way to save: if you do eat out, order water. Just a soda sets you back $2. Five times a week = $10. So go for the water. It’s always free. And don’t let them sneak any bottled water on you, which does cost money.
Well….like the others I would say the food is your biggie! I know giving up on going out to eat is a lot to give up…but maybe start with giving up one meal a week! Also, skip appetizers (eat somewhere where they give you free bread) and soda! Soda can run up to $3 at some restaurants!
The clothes stuff wasn’t bad at all…especially if those were your first purchases since January! That’s actually really good….I can’t get out of Banana Republic for less than $500 (which is why I’ve stopped going!)!
Wow – I can feel the groan with you…I don’t want to stop and think about what I spend on dining out. I can’t live without my Cafe Colata from Dunkin Donuts, large size Auughh – $5.++ every morning and my $6 – $7 lunches. I would save a small fortune if I cut back on this expense. Thanks to your blog, I am aware of my dining out spending habits. Now I have to do something about it!
First of all I am LOL at Keith’s comment “you’ve thrown caution, and your financial chastity belt, to the wind. You’ve opened up and let the retailers have their way with you again”
Now that I have that good well deserved chuckle out of the way, clearly eating out is not your friend Frugalista. You should really pack a lunch. Get your lunch going the night before and have it ready to go, maybe just cut back to eating out once a week and you will be amazed at how much you save. Oh and check the state health reports of the places that you frequent I bet that will cause you to cut back on your eating out.
SMH!!! I’ll write you a pass for a few dinners or drinks out with friends – they’re not that expensive and you deserve a social life. The rest look like take-out runs (bad for your wallet and your arteries)
Could you closet shop for that dinner date? If he’s a new guy he hasn’t seen the bulk of your wardrobe – it’s all brand new to him.
Sweat God, it’s truly unbelievable how much money Americans spend on food
In Europe there is a common feeling, that our colleagues from behind the ocean are the fattest people on the planet. Don’t you feel bad with this consumption, which makes you poorer, fatter and more and more stupid… ?
I consider your society as a great nation in 1%. In general, ordinary American is ignorant who doesn’t know what European Union is; a country, federation or simply an organization?
In other hand, there is minority of Americans who may didn’t lose their mind; they don’t spend all day by watching tv and eating fast food.
I hope you will change because there ain’t no way for us to see America which consist of this type of people, as global leader and protector of world peace. This is my point of view : )
In addition, I am happy that new kind of activity is taken place in yours country – frugality in spite of consumerism it’s nice way.
Best regards,
Seeing your expenses is why I NEVER write all mine out…it would probably scare the bejesus out of me. BUT I’m also not a daily spender…when I spend it’s big…meaning bills and travel…so I don’t allow myself little purchases like candles (see 4/23 frugalista blog post.)
Like some people buy a shirt here, a pair of shoes there and divide up their shopping every month for clothing and accessories. I shop when the notion hits me, maybe 4 times a year, probably not even that much…and when I do it’s in bulk. I find a shirt I like…buy it in at least 2 colors.