Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Should I continue doing this? I don’t know! I can’t believe this is my 7th month of recording all of my discretionary spending.
July 1 – Saturday – $20 movie tickets for No Hard Feelings, $8 popcorn, $227 Costco (mostly Tom’s protein shakes)
July 2 -$55 Captain’s Quarters lunch – tried to go by boat but it stormed so went by car, $14 Paul’s Fruit Market (just a couple of things for burgers)
July 3 -$113 Kroger, $29 Captain’s Quarters lunch with friends we had to reschedule with so we did get to boat there
July 4 -$35 pizza delivery (so tired from river all day) We spent day on the river with my sister and her hub and brought all of our own food
July 5 – $5 coffee in Madison, $85 Kroger a “few” things we needed to make dinner
July 6 – +$27 Sassy Fox consignment sales, $0 library, $0 J.Crew blouse with part of my earnings
July 7 – $11 coffee shop with M, $22 Trader Joe’s wine, $95 Trader Joe’s food
July 8 – $10 car wash, $40 Ulta, $14 Bath and Body, $7 Total Wine, $17 Barnes and Noble, $54 Alchemy, $10 Gelato Gilberto
July 9 – $133 Kroger, $22 Taco Bell
July 10 – $5 coffee shop with former student – wanted to buy hers as well, but she had already paid!
July 11 – $20 Mexican supermarket (Summer List item), $59 blouse that I could not live without from Tunie’s local boutique, $13 tickets to see Barbie on sneak preview night!
July 12 – $17 Liquor Barn – Tom’s beer cheese, one bottle of Apothic rose wine
July 13 – $10 breakfast with Beth at Biscuit Belly(supposed to go to pool but weather – ugh), $17 Lotsa Pasta, $22 Rainbow Blossom (cocktail mix and stevia drops), $22 Napa with Elizabeth (last minute happy hour invite on her way home from work) , $147 Kroger pick up
July 14 – Trader Joe’s $40, $40
July 15 – $0 anniversary dinner (gift card), $20 tip
July 16 – $90 Kroger run
July 17 – $22 CFA dinner for T and A – salads and a bag of ice for $1.59 – J and M had leftover alfredo because they were home later than we were
July 18 – $16 pool entrance fee (up from $10 last year), $60 Kroger for a French dinner Mason wanted to cook with me
July 19 – $25 Cafe Classico with Victoria, $50 Nordstrom Wit and Wisdom pants
Clothing – J.Crew blouse new with tags from consignment Sassy Fox ($13 but paid with money earned and still received +$27 in more earnings)
July 20 -$156 Kroger pick up, $30 in store at Kroger, $13 movie concessions for Tom – not me!, $13 movie ticket for Barbie for Tom (I already ordered mine)
July 21 – $44 Mexican, $125 Costco (Tom’s protein shakes)
July 22 – $28 food truck food at outdoor concert
July 23 – $126 Kroger pick up
July 24 – Omni Day – You don’t even want to know! Ha! I think all said and done it was $120 for the resort pass, valet parking, lunch, and a couple of cocktails
July 25 – $60 Fresh Market – went in for the 2.99 chicken and came out with more
July 26 – $25 Lunch with Erica at the Goose
July 27- $20 coffee shop, $12 canes,
July 28 – $211 Kroger pick up – couldn’t make it until August, $51 dinner out – met Tom at The Goose on his way home from work. It used to be Goose Creek Diner and now it is more upscale and closer to our house. It makes a great meeting spot for us. We arrived at 5:30 and had no trouble getting a table on a Friday night.
July 29 – $50 met Tom for dinner at The Goose
July 30 – $0 boat lunch with a couple Tom has been trying to treat – he rarely does the inviting so this is big for him and they ended up picking up the tab because they were quicker than Tom!, $70 dinner out before Jack’s opera program
July 31 – $0 Spend Day – packed a picnic for the boat
$0 Spend Days – 1 – I have realized this is very hard to do in the summer. I am able to do it quite a bit when I am working!
Groceries – $1203 – if you read my Share 4 Somethings, I learned that a moderate family grocery budget in 2023 is $1300 so I feel better.
Meals out including happy hours – $516
Clothing – $193 – I started getting ready for back to school and addressed some needs like black pants and basics and teacher friendly shoes so I am ok with this amount. I did less shopping for recreation this summer, for sure. I am subtracting what I made from my consignment store and not counting the Shein purchases.
Clothing Summary –
J.Crew blouse new with tags from consignment Sassy Fox ($13 but paid with money earned and still received +$27 in more earnings)
$59 Tunie’s hot pink animal blouse
$44 Shein order:
two fun earrings in a rattan type material
crochet headband
orange blouse
pink red floral blouse
lighter pink patterned blouse
My sister Molly has recommended Shein and had really good luck. I have only worn one shirt and one pair of earrings and the headband. I don’t love the fabric.
$13 Barbie t shirt – of course one must have one to see the movie, right?
$50 Wit and Wisdom pants
$50 tanks and tees re-stock at Old Navy to wear under things
$5 Vintage 7 Eight shoes
$43 Crocs Brooklyn sandals
Thoughts:
I am really proud of myself for reducing the huge grocery spending I did in June. I am also happy with less food waste. I feel like going to the store more frequently might help me in the future. Maybe I should take a twice a week approach because I lose a handle on what food we have that needs to get eaten. I don’t know – that could also cause me to spend more.
The meals out/happy hour/take out is ok with me because that is for four people and I enjoyed those opportunities. There was very little fast food or take out and mostly meals eaten in places with people I care about.
I may take a break in August, but it might be interesting to see the difference when I am busier. Part of me thinks – heck – I might as well do the whole year now!
Amy
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 
Might as well! LOL. I bet it will be fun to compare various months. We definitely seem to go through months where we spend much more than others.
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Right? I have kind of just gotten in the habit of starting a blog post and filling it in!
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Always fascinated to read this- I think I am scared to look at mine- ha!
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I get that! It is scary for me each month!
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Last year when I tracked all of my clothing spending it was very helpful to me – sometimes it felt like a drag but I committed to finishing the year. I’ll probably do it again. I admire your discipline – it’s hard to track all spending for me!
xo,
Kellyann
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So helpful! I know you learned a lot!
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Great accountability!! I find, when I am at home, that I spend way more money than when I have a busy work week. What is killing us is eating out – just a meal at Firehouse for one is fifteen bucks! You totally deserved that day at the Omni though – look at the $$ you saved by not traveling out of town for the same experience – ha!
I think more frequent grocery runs help keep food waste down. Since the store is on my way home it’s not a big deal to pop in for what we need. Plus, I don’t meal plan for just the two of us….idk if that helps or hurts or food budget.
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Totally! Thanks! I am able to do many zero spend days when I just go to work and home.
I think you are right – if you are super disciplined about sticking to the list.
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I don’t know really how this has happened, but I’ve been spending less than $100 on groceries for the week. I am still cooking at least three nights a week and we’re eating leftovers on the other nights, or things in the pantry. I guess I’ve just been more mindful at keeping the pantry clean and knowing what’s in there. I do think that makes a huge difference, being mindful of what I already have. We also have big Costco trips for protein drinks/bars for all of us, but mainly for Todd. I also pack lunches for the guys who live here, and that happens every day. I pack them things like protein drinks, a regular drink, fruit, salsa with chips, or cheese and crackers, slim Jim’s, protein bars, and other things that are similar. Who knows how I make this happen with the five of us here? If I don’t cook dinner, they eat something here that we have in the freezer or that they find in the pantry, like pasta with butter and parmesan. Maybe I’m finally getting smarter and figuring out this whole grocery shopping thing? 🤣
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Teach me your ways because that is seriously impressive! I am channeling your energy making a brocooli quiche this week or next!
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I was going to say…stick it out for the year…would be interesting to see a year of spending. Your Omni day looks fabulous!
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Maybe I will! It would be interesting!
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I have enjoyed your spending posts and commend you for doing such a great job. I tried for the month of May and lost interest so quickly. I have been at the beach for over a week now and have done well at keeping my spending down. I only purchased a bra and a 3 pack of bomba golf socks from the Nsale. I enjoy not having to do returns!
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Thank you! I hate doing returns so honestly that is also a big motivation for me. Good job at the NSale getting things you need and know you will use!
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These are really interesting blog posts for me to read! Maybe I will try one this month. I think our groceries will go down after the kids go back to school. And Michael is travelling a lot right now, so it’s just me!
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Thank you! You really don’t realize until you write it down. I have learned a lot. It would be interesting to compare two months of 4 versus 1.5 (Michael is .5!)
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I enjoy reading your budget breakdown. It motivates me to keep track of my own. We go in spurts of cooking at home and then eating out too much. We are empty nesters and after 32 years of cooking dinner, I’m just sick of it! 🙂 I hate it all-the meal planning, the grocery store, the cooking. Also, I need to stop buying clothes b/c I do end up running around for returns too much. I’m 5 ft. and always in search of the perfect jean (doesn’t exist) and there are so many cute things out there. More discipline is definitely needed on that for sure!
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Thank you! I can see that – we sometimes go in spurts, too. It may seem cheaper to eat out with just two. You get to have a break!
I agree – I hate doing returns. That would be hard at 5 feet. I know – it’s a hobby to look for the perfect things for me, though! I do enjoy it sometimes!
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Counting down until college football starts!! 31 days and Fresno State opens up at Purdue. We leave Sept5 for Maui and I cant wait! Our weather has cooled off here in the Central Valley ( I had to come home from the coast today) and I have golf outings planned with my golf friends and a few other things happening over the next couple of weeks. I think August is my least favorite month- along with February. The weather will heat up again but enjoying the low 90’s for now!! Our kids start back next week…..
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True start to fall is football season when you are in a school! August stinks! I am always so relieved for September. This year not so much because my kid will be leaving, but I am so excited for him.
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