Three weeks ago I decided that I needed to do a big time spending freeze. Even though I had more money than normal in savings, I wanted to be able to keep it that way. Plus, I have a trip to Denver coming up in June that I wanted to make sure I could still afford come then. I decided to do the spending freeze over 2 pay periods because I had hurt myself big time within the first week of the first pay period because of 2 concerts & because I wanted to come out ahead, not just break even.
So the first part of my spending freeze spanned March 30 - April 19 & allowed for 3 exceptions: Big Texas Beer Festival, my Houston trip, & eating out on nights I had grad school. Here's how I did.
Week 1: 3/30-4/5
Thursday March 30: I spent $0.
Friday March 31: I spent $13 at happy hour & $7.57 on beer for kickball. I spent $20.57
Saturday April 1: I spent $28.05 on Uber. That's also all I spent at all of the beer festival. I also spent $2 at the airport dropping my friend off. I spent $30.05
Sunday April 2: I spent $18.40 on groceries.
Monday April 3: I spent $0
Tuesday April 4: I spent $0
Wednesday April 5: I spent $7.55 at Old Chicago because I won a free calzone but then felt bad not paying for something so I got a beer. I also spent $21.83 on groceries & $30.44 on gas. I spent $59.82
Total: I spent $128.84 (70.67 was on necessities, 28.05 was 100% an exception, 28.12 was questionable adjusted exceptions, & 2 was just unplanned.)
I had made eating out before/going out after class on Thursdays an exception. I did not spend anything on Thursday so I justified the going out Friday & the beer with my free calzone Wednesday.
Total: I spent $128.84 (70.67 was on necessities, 28.05 was 100% an exception, 28.12 was questionable adjusted exceptions, & 2 was just unplanned.)
I had made eating out before/going out after class on Thursdays an exception. I did not spend anything on Thursday so I justified the going out Friday & the beer with my free calzone Wednesday.
Week 2: 4/6-4/12
Thursday April 6: I spent $7.76 on supper before grad school
Friday April 7: I spent $21.35 on going out after kickball, but got $10 in cash for it from a friend, & justified it because I didn't go out after class on Thursday. I also spent $33.47 on an oil change which was not planned but 100% necessary because I realized it had been 7000 miles since my last one. I spent $44.82
Saturday April 8: I spent $25.27 on groceries & $ 11.41 on gas. I spent $36.68
Sunday April 9: I spent $0
Monday April 10: I spent $0
Tuesday April 11: I spent $0
Wednesday April 12: I spent $0
Total: I spent $89.26 (70.15 was on necessities, 7.76 was 100% an exception, & 11.35 was a questionable adjusted exception)
Just like with the first week I didn't go out after grad school on Thursday so even though I did eat supper before class, I justified going out after kickball on Friday because I didn't go out after class Thursday.
Total: I spent $89.26 (70.15 was on necessities, 7.76 was 100% an exception, & 11.35 was a questionable adjusted exception)
Just like with the first week I didn't go out after grad school on Thursday so even though I did eat supper before class, I justified going out after kickball on Friday because I didn't go out after class Thursday.
Week 3: 4/13-4/19
Thursday April 13: I spent $0
Friday April 14: I spent $29.07 on gas, got $20 out of an ATM with a $2.95 fee, $2.21 at a gas station getting water & a snack, & $78.42 eating & going out in Houston. I spent $132.65
Saturday April 15: I spent $28.84 on gas, $10.52 getting food & drinks at gas stations, $35.69 eating out & on souvenir type things in Houston, & $6.62 on groceries. I spent $81.67
Sunday April 16: I spent $27.68 on groceries
Monday April 17: I spent $9.07 on eating out
Tuesday April 18: I spent $31.38 on gas
Wednesday April 19: I spent $0
Total: I spent $282.45 (123.59 was on necessities, 149.79 was for Houston which was an exception, & 9.07 was flat out not allowed)
Full disclosure: I also spent
$89.50 on a hotel room in Dallas (but it came out of my Houston Savings)
$296.40 on a plane ticket (but it was for a wedding I'm in & because it's over a holiday weekend I was too afraid to wait until the end of May to book it...it came out of savings)
$216.45 on new brakes which came out of savings
Overall I don't think I did too bad. I didn't go insane with my exceptions, I ate out a lot less than I normally do, & spent less on eating out when I did go out. Of course the brakes were definitely unexpected & the plane ticket is not a normal expense. I know those are the things that my savings are for but it still hurts to pull from there.
Total: I spent $282.45 (123.59 was on necessities, 149.79 was for Houston which was an exception, & 9.07 was flat out not allowed)
Full disclosure: I also spent
$89.50 on a hotel room in Dallas (but it came out of my Houston Savings)
$296.40 on a plane ticket (but it was for a wedding I'm in & because it's over a holiday weekend I was too afraid to wait until the end of May to book it...it came out of savings)
$216.45 on new brakes which came out of savings
Overall I don't think I did too bad. I didn't go insane with my exceptions, I ate out a lot less than I normally do, & spent less on eating out when I did go out. Of course the brakes were definitely unexpected & the plane ticket is not a normal expense. I know those are the things that my savings are for but it still hurts to pull from there.
You're doing great! Spending freezes are NOT easy! I did one in college and am not sure I could do one again, LOL.
ReplyDeleteYou are amazing! This takes diligence and you are so strong when you set your mind to something!
ReplyDeleteThank you! The same hasn't been true since my last paycheck... :/
DeleteGood for you! This is so not easy to do and I've only semi-successfully done it once
ReplyDeleteDoing well, keep it up! Look at all those $0 days, that's awesome.
ReplyDeleteYou did great! Look at all those days you spent nothing. I so need to do a shopping ban or a spending freeze. My shopping has been out of control.
ReplyDeleteYou did such a good job! I need to do one of these!
ReplyDelete