Monday, December 4, 2006

Frugal Check In #1

Alright- so this wasn't an entire week (remember, I started Wednesday!), but I feel like I did a great job for me!! I started out by removing all of the plastic out of my wallet (including both debit cards) and I also removed my checkbook from my purse (I'm one of those people that thinks if you have checks, you obviously have money. Shame, shame on me for that). I carried only cash, and I feel like I used very little of it. I'm almost positive Carly is going to put me to shame, but regardless I am still pretty proud of myself! Here's the break down:

Wednesday:

QFC:
Coffee creamer (saved me from buying starbucks)
Stamps (An essential really. Although, Carly informs me that if you do online banking, you save $50 a year in stamps).
Total: $10.15

Sunday: (notice no spending on my part between Thurs and Sat. Amazing!)

Starbucks (note: I have no drip coffee pot at my house and was going to die without coffee)
One drip coffee (very cheap- I did not get a venti flavored mocha!!)
Total: $1.47

Walmart (please forgive me- I do hate walmart, but their organic baby formula is half the price as anywhere else. And fyi, I don't formula feed exclusively- and certainly not by choice).

Organic Baby Formula
Free range eggs
Pepperjack cheese
Total: $20.62

Total since Wednesday: $32.34

Now, Carly and I have gone back and forth a few times, because we're not sure whether or not to track or significant others spending (please post a comment if you have a thought on this...)
I think it would be good to make sure that they're not eating up all of the money themselves, but I don't know if there's anyway for me to know how much money Jake is actually spending. I highly doubt he would bring me receipts for everything. From what I know this is Jakes spending:

Saturday:

Smoke shop:
Can of tobacco- this is equal to ten packs of cigarettes (much cheaper than a pack of smokes in the long run, however not as frugal or healthy as not smoking altogether.)
Total: $17.98

Chevron:
Soda
Raspberry iced tea
Total: ?? Maybe $3?

That puts Jake's total at $20.98. That puts our combined total at $53.32 in 5 days. That doesn't sound as good :(

Believe it or not, that's actually amazing for us. Especially being that we both had pay days on Friday.

And just to note, so far in the last five days (not counting today, Monday), I have saved between $20 and $34 from not buying Starbucks. That is counting that I bought a drip on Sunday, and I did deduct that amount. Go me.

On another note, Jake would have spent $60 on 10 packs of cigarettes, and spent $17.98, so that saves $42.02. We wont see that extra cash flow until about next week though.

So with coffee and cigarettes this week, we ended up saving a ballpark total of between $62 and $76. Wild!!!!!
My oh my, how vices will suck the money right out of you!

Stay posted next week and we'll see if we can do even better!

(If you have any great frugal ideas that pertain to me, please feel free to post them in comments.)

1 comment:

Carly Fay said...

Good job! Think of all the money you DIDN'T spend! I think this challenge is a fantastic idea because it makes being frugal more like a game than a chore.