Tuesday, December 5, 2023
November was a fast and full month! I started the month off with a birthday and a new refrigerator! Ha!
Nov. 1 – $151 Costco – Tom’s protein shakes, tissues, and a couple of random things, $17 Felina leggings two pack, $34 Paul’s Fruit Market for a few odds and ends
Nov. 2 – My bday! Goodwill drop off, UPS return +44, Target return + 63 (like the girl math?), Starbuck’s $7.20 (I had not been in months – why/how is Starbuck’s so darn expensive!), $61 new dress (black cougar) that also came with free poncho for spending over $30, $15 Target lightweight turtleneck, $25 Bath and Body, $38 my Kendra Scott half price piece, $100 Steak and Bourbon with Tom
Nov. 3 – Big Kroger re-stock $199 – had to fill up that fridge!, Birthday dinner out at Mexican restaurant with friends this time $70
Nov. 4 – $60 Gas (had not gotten gas in a long time) to drive to hometown
Nov. 5 – $0 spend day
Nov. 6 – $0 Spend Day
Nov. 7 – $33 lunch, $50 Kroger
Nov. 8 – $47 Kroger pick up
Nov 9- $0 spend day
Nov 10 – $0 spend day
Nov 11 – $31 TJ Maxx, $38 Target, $25 CVS
Nov 12 – $44 Sunday Funday pizza place
Nov 13 – $0 spend day
Nov 14 – $0 spend day
Nov 15 – $0 spend day
Nov 16 – $49 Torchy’s after funeral visitaiton
Nov 17 – $28 Chick Fil A after funeral (treated my friend who drove)
Nov 18 – $5 Bourbon tasting, $14 food truck, $25 biergarten
Nov 19 – $55 Aldi small shop, $9 Dollar Tree, $110 Target order because could not brave another store/parking lot
Nov 20 – $0 spend day
Nov 21 – $0 spend day, last day before Thanksgiving break and Victoria came over for the truffle popcorn, wine happy hour but brought some yummy snacks, too!
Nov 22 – $39 Trader Joe’s Liquor store, $44 regular grocery (KY law says you must have a separate store front to sell anything more than beer or hard seltzer so there is a separate entrance/cashier for alcohol) , $0 library, $38 Shiraz take out (do not cook on night before Turkey day!)
Nov 23 – $0 spend day
Nov 24 – $149 Amazon Black Friday deals on some things I needed for trip that I had been waiting on – did get some good savings!, $60 Chick Fil A to take to hometown with my side of the family
Nov 25 – $52 Waldo’s Chicken and Beer to watch the game
Nov 26 – $70 Kroger pick up, $31 Target
Nov 27 – $0 Spend day – no energy to spend after first day back!
Nov 28 -$0 Spend day – same!
Nov 29 – $40 on three pairs of Walmart pajamas at Walmart.com for myself. I want to take one on the trip and I literally have no winter pajamas. I only have a pair of Gap sleep pants that I love that are 5 years old? I want to wear these around the house and then sleep in my tank and shorts combo.
Nov 30 – $0 Spend day
I almost didn’t record this month! I skipped recording several days and then had to go back and see what I had spent. The beginning of the month was pricey with my birthday, but the month was so busy I don’t think I had time to spend much. Also, I could have made some errors this month since I was definitely less careful and, on the fence, if I wanted to record.
Tallies:
Zero Spend Days – 13! Is that my record?
Groceries – $536 – is this possible?
Meals Out/Take Out/Happy Hours – $525 – this included two birthday dinners and the Chick Fil A platters I took to my hometown for Thanksgiving
After doing this for 11 months, I have learned a lot! I am not going to do December, but I am continuing to try to be frugal by shopping at Aldi, using up leftovers, not buying too much (after getting a new fridge I really like my fridge not being so stuffed!), and continuing to make eating out/take out/happy hours feel like a treat by not doing it too much.
My goal in 2023 was to be mindful of my spending and to be frugal (while still enjoying my life!) so that we could send Mason for his semester abroad and take this trip to meet him. I feel pretty happy with how I did. I still spent too much sometimes, and I still made some shopping mistakes (clothing!), but I am also happy with what I learned.
Amy
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 
I definitely became more aware of my choices. At point my 14 year old said, is it necessary? It also may have raised my anxiety a little about how can we continue to spend like this.
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Totally! I think for me it was just about being more intentional and really thinking about where my money was going.
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Oh I am so glad I don’t track my spending; November’s diary would make me cry… between Ian’s spring tuition, our new stove, my new laptop, and our trip expenses November was a brutal month– though somehow the money spent on the trip doesn’t make me at all sad. 🙂 December is looking to be much the same with our property taxes and a bunch of other big bills (like life insurance) that are always due around this time of year- so fun when it’s mixed in with Christmas (not!).
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I hear that! I’m really only including my spending I have control over, so I would really cry if I included all of that, too! January is always a good time for decluttering and keeping the budget lighter than December.
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This time of year is the most challenging with spending/saving for sure. You are not alone!
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Totally! I actually am enjoying a break from so much consumerism. I’m even clicking away from blogs with shopping links, ideas, etc.
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You did have a lot of $0 spend days – wow! This really is a great exercise; like journaling food with WW!
xo,
Kellyann
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Thanks! So true – now if only I could get back to that! 2024 hopefully!
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Whether you’re keeping up with your spending, eating, or exercising, it’s amazing what comes to light when you write things out and really start paying attention. I love cleaning out my fridge from time to time to pair things down. We had to do that a while back because of a giant mess that needed cleaning, and I’ve tried to maintain it since. I love not having it too stuffed! Have a great day, my friend!
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So true! I agree about the fridge not being too stuffed. I think we do better with food waste when I don’t buy as much. I think part of me was still in the pandemic hoarding mode!
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As I was reading, I was thinking that you were having lots of zero spend days! I very rarely have those…but I do try to have a few every month
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I really did! I guess that is what being so busy does for you. I cannot say the same anymore, because I have been ordering trip stuff and things I have put off. I am ordering something pretty much daily.
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I am so impressed with your zero spend days. I would like to get better about consolidating my shopping into one grocery trip per week. Since I don’t have as much of a set schedule, I tend to stop in whenever I think of something I need. Making a list would reduce trips and save money. Your trip to the UK is coming at an ideal time when the dollar is strong. When we lived there, the conversion was 1.7 dollars per pound. So I basically doubled the price that I saw in pounds to get the “real” price. Now it is much closer to equal.
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I was kinda shocked, too, but that is what being busy does to you. And, for those I also mean no online spending. I have started spending online like crazy for stuff for the trip. Why does a trip reuire so much spending beforehand? Ha!
Don’t be to hard on yourself, because I am also like you describe during the summer. I don’t have to plan ahead as much and find myself in the stores way more.
Oh – good to know about the dollar – I had no idea!
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Hmmm…you are making me rethink this whole tracking my spending. I think I may try it as an exercise in seeing where I spend/waste money. I doubt I will blog about it because I am a bit of a spendthrift! But, my husband loves to eat out so I can blame that on him! I think he’s just tired of my cooking after all these years.
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
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Yes – you don’t have to blog it! It can be your personal record. But, if you are fine and don’t have a reason to, there’s also that. I felt like we should have more in the bank and really wanted to see where our money was going.
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