WSR – 2/11/13

So the last time I did a spending report was January 21!?!  Frick. 😦  Where does the time go?

Alright let’s get the party started.

Jan 21 – No Spend Day

Jan 22 – No Spend Day
+2.02 this is what was left for vision care for Diva’s glasses

Jan 23 – No Spend Day

Jan 24 – No Spend Day

Jan 25 – +12.37 returns to Michael’s
$60 gas
$4.24 postage

Jan 26 – $3 sushi lunch tip
$59.89 dinner
$2.26 windshield washer fluid

Jan 27 – $2 parking
$35.41 detox
$22.23 groceries
$10.16 clay mask
$113.67 groceries

Jan 28 – No Spend Day

Jan 29 – No Spend Day

Jan 30 – $57.01 gas
$33.88 contact lens solution
$158.43 groceries

Jan 31 – No Spend

Feb 1 – +$3 survey payment

Feb 2 – $7 parking

Feb 3 – $78.39 birthday gift

Feb 4 – $32.56 groceries
$12.78 groceries

Feb 5 – $22.11 groceries

Feb 6 – No Spend Day

Feb 7 – No Spend Day

Feb 8 – No Spend Day

Feb 9 – $6.15 groceries

Feb 10 – $74.74 groceries
$3.94 magazine

Grand Total: $799.85 – $17.39 = $782.46 NET
9 No Spend Days

Man I spend a lot on food.

In January I was doing well until that last week.  I need to figure out how to make the momentum last.  I seem to be able to stay on track for the first 3 weeks of the month, then it’s like I rebel and break loose. 😦

So far this month I am on track.  I went to cash only and my hexie wallet is getting used. 🙂  I took out most of what I needed for last week and only some grocery money for this week.  Don’t ask.  My thoughts were why am I taking out money when I haven’t spent all of the money from last week yet?  I can already see problems with this line of thinking but for the moment I will go with it.

I have to take the kids to the dentist tomorrow so I will be kissing some more cash good-bye. 😦  Can’t wait until the braces come off.  Thankfully Princess’ braces came off.  So only one kid to pay for. 🙂

On the food front, I bought another hunk of salmon from Costco and baked all of it yesterday.  Diva is really enjoying this fish.  She asked me to continue making it even after I have finished my cleanse.  My “hates anything organic and healthy” child is eating salmon and quinoa for dinner.  It’s a wonderful sight to see. 🙂

This week’s menu looks like this:

Salmon and brown rice/quinoa & broccoli
Salad with salmon for me / cheese pizza for the kids
Chicken, salad, sidekicks & broccoli
leftovers until the fridge is empty

 

 

WSR – 1/21/13

Jan 14 – No Spend Day

Jan 15 – $10 CPR course for Princess
$13.32 drug store

Jan 16 – No Spend Day
+$146.22 refund from Princess’ glasses

Jan 17 – $17 sushi lunch

Jan 18 – $8.5 magazines
$26.84 groceries
$99.98 glasses for Diva

Jan 19 – $0.21 dinner at South Street burger joint
$14 beef patties

Jan 20 – No Spend Day

Total: $189.85 – $146.22 = $43.63 NET
3 No Spend Days

Not bad. 🙂  I actually thought it would be worst.  I still have yet to hit 4 “no spend days” in one week.  Maybe this week.  I am trying to stop randomly running errands.  I am determined to “shop” my freezer this week.  I still have 2+ bags of milk which is over 2.75 liters for those of you who don’t buy milk in bags.

Tonight’s dinner was salmon and accordion potatoes.  No broccoli or corn as I forgot. 😦

Tomorrow’s dinner will be meatball subs on home-made rolls with broccoli.

WSR – 1/15/13

Jan 7 – $57 gas
+$22.50 credit from NSF
$4.36 groceries
+$2 lottery win (from when I was feeling lucky)
$6 bus fare

Jan 8 – $15 sushi lunch
$256 dentist

Jan 9 – No Spend Day

Jan 10 – $180 Diva’s grad trip (part 2 of 3)

Jan 11 – No Spend Day

Jan 12 – $10 lunch with friend
$3.98 lunch at Costco for Princess
$239.98 glasses for Princess (a portion of this will come back to me)
$104.54 groceries
$42.11 drug store

Jan 13 – No Spend Day

Grand Total: $918.97 – $24 = $894.97 NET
3 No Spend Days

Well there goes the no/low spending for last week.  I have not decluttered.  I am spending money like a “baller”.  I have taken my eye off the prize.

I was attempting to do 4 days of no spending in a row but then an old co-worker passed by and we went to lunch on Tuesday.  I semi-forgot about the latest instalment for Diva’s trip.  I knew that the next payment was due, but it wasn’t until Monday.  I decided to pay it early while I remembered.  I really want her to go on this trip.

As for the glasses … well Princess got a new prescription back in September.  When we went looking for glasses we did not find frames we both agreed on.  I bought her contacts at the time which she refuses to wear.  I mistakenly believed that my benefits were $200 each calendar year so I waited until January to get her glasses thinking that the coverage would start fresh.  It doesn’t.  It seems like it’s for each 12 month period. 😦  So I will get money back just not the whole $200. 😦

The saddest part for me right now is that $100+ for groceries did not include any meat. *silent tears* 😦

I am going to take a minute and get back on track.  We will be eating out of the freezer and other than milk and produce I am going to try to stay out of Costco and the grocery stores.

As for the decluttering … during the week is not the greatest time for me.  By the time I come home, work out, fix up dinner then spend time with my kids … it’s relax time for me I have no interest in doing anything else.  So this week-end I am going to have to step up my game.

WSR – 01/07/13

I am still writing 2012 when I am not looking.

OK I am a little in shock as I just realized that my last spending report was 3 weeks ago!?!  I’m blaming the holidays.  They got me all turned upside down. LOL

Since it’s a new month/year, I think I’ll just start fresh with January 1.

Jan 1 – No Spend Day

Jan 2 – $1.13 construction paper

Jan 3 – $2.05 dinner out with Princess (gotta love group buy deals!)

Jan 4 – $45 NSF 😦 (until my account is credited I am recording the full amount)

Jan 5 – No Spend Day

Jan 6 – +$10 pay out from market research company
$19.70 groceries

Total: $67.88 – $10 = $57.88 NET
2 No Spend Days

If I take out the stupid tax then this was a pretty good week. 😉  I have come up with a weekly budget amount of $195.  This includes groceries and gas and anything else not budgeted for.

My plan is to go grocery shopping today and fill up my car with gas and see if I can do a fiscal fast until … I was going to say next Monday but I believe I have a lunch date with an old co-worker on Saturday … so Saturday it will have to be.  I think this is actually better as I will most definitely need milk by then.  Diva drinks it like it’s going out of style.

I think this month will be the start of meal planning for me.  This way I can ensure I use up what’s in my fridge/cupboards.  This year will be the year we reduce food waste, come what may.

Monday: curry chicken and rice
Tuesday: leftover spaghetti sauce and pasta baked with cheese, cause everything is better with cheese 😉
Wednesday: chicken strips and potatoes
Thursday: any leftovers from past nights
Friday: frozen pizza
Saturday: potato and Costco chicken
Sunday: chicken soup

My co-workers and I started doing soup/salad Mondays where we take turns bringing in soup with/without salad for all.  There are only three of us participating so it’s not too overwhelming.  Next Monday is my turn.  I am leaning towards chicken noodle.  Today’s soup is spicy Thai carrot.

WSR – 12/17/12

I can’t believe I am 2 weeks behind. 😦  Oh well, hopefully the end total will not be too shocking.

Dec 3 – $14.67 chocolate

Dec 4 – $14.41 Christmas gifts
+$16.80 Old Navy returns
$22.58 Christmas gifts
$28.66 groceries
$59.50 gas

Dec 5 – No Spend Day

Dec 6 – $14.45 groceries

Dec 7 – $17 dim sum lunch

Dec 8 – $9.48 burger lunch
$7.56 groceries

Dec 9 – $0.57 bristol board

Dec 10 – No Spend Day

Dec 11 – No Spend Day
+3 survey payment

Dec 12 – $0.88 groceries

Dec 13 – No Spend Day

Dec 14 – No Spend Day

Dec 15 – $20 ear-piercing for Diva

Dec 16 – No Spend Day

Total: $209.76 – $19.80 (returns & survey) – $36.99 (Christmas budget) = $152.97 NET
6 No Spend Days

I can’t remember when last I have spent such a small amount in one week much less two!!!  I am doing a little dance as I type. 🙂

The ear-piercing for Diva was an unplanned expense.  My sister wanted to go get her ears pierced for the first time.  Diva has expressed some annoyance over the fact that the piercing on one of her ears was too high.  So I figured why not see if she can get her ear re-pierced.

WSR – 12/03/12

Nov 25 – No Spend Day

Nov 26 – $13.97 groceries

Nov 27 – No Spend Day

Nov 28 – No Spend Day

Nov 29 – No Spend Day

Nov 30 – $17 sushi lunch

Dec 1 – $14.58 dinner with my kids
$54.24 Christmas shopping
$41.42 old navy
$12.66 bulk barn
$47.74 shoebox project
$52.10 groceries

Dec 2 – $51.16 grocery
$45.11 Christmas shopping
$15.02 contact lenses solution

Grand Total: $363.00 – $147.09 ish Christmas shopping = $215.91 NET
4 No Spend Days

I am pretty much done with Christmas shopping.  I was able to fund my shoebox project from my Christmas budget. 🙂

The elevator in my building will be out of service from today until Wednesday.  I am not sure if that means it will be operational on Wednesday but I stocked up a bit on groceries just in case.

WSR – 11/26/12

Yes I know I am overdue with this again. 😦 Maybe I should start calling it my bi-weekly spending report. lol

Nov 12 – No Spend Day

Nov 13 – No Spend Day

Nov 14 – +3 survey payment
$10 lunch with co-worker
$150 dentist (I can’t wait for this to go away)

Nov 15 – $53.73 groceries

Nov 16 – $30.50 Popeye’s

Nov 17 – $5 allowance to Diva to pay for her library fines 😦
$2.12 baking soda in bulk to clean with
$9.02 groceries

Nov 18 – No Spend Day

Nov 19 – $57.50 gas

Nov 20 – $15 sushi lunch with co-workers
$10.82 groceries

Nov 21 – $72.77 oil change
$92 chiropractor visit for all 3 of us

Nov 22 – $184.32 Christmas presents
$48.40 groceries

Nov 23 – $24.34 Lysol wipes & nutella for friend

Nov 24 – +$30 payback for the wipes and nutella
$13.78 groceries
$80 wagjag deal for South St burger joint – treats for us 🙂

Grand Total: $674.98 + $184.32 – $33 = $826.30 NET
3 No Spend Days

No bad.  Not great.

I need to take $185 from my sealed pot to cover off my Christmas shopping.  I have a bad habit of saving up money for a goal and then using money out of my regular budget to cover it and then falling short on my budget or feeling very tightly squeezed. 😦

WSR – 11/12/12

Nov 6 – No Spend Day

Nov 7 – No Spend Day

Nov 8 – +22.59 Costco return
$17.86 socks & a book for Diva
$49.59 groceries

Nov 9 – No Spend Day

Nov 10 – $10.47 took my sister to Taco Bell
$1.13 cupcake liners
$2.31 sandpaper
$8.95 groceries

Nov 11 – No Spend Day

Grand Total: $90.30 – $22.29 = $67.71
4 No Spend Days

YEAH!!  A week where I spend less that $70, YES PLEASE!! 🙂

I wonder if I could repeat this … often!?!

WSR – 11/05/12

Nov 1 – No Spend Day

Nov 2 – $1 library fees 😦
$20 hair chalk for Diva’s Xmas present

Nov 3 – $36.03 dinner out
$10 gas to get me to the border
$52.09 “cheap” American gas
$114.17 Target
$19.95 movie – The man with Iron fists
$11.25 popcorn & drink at the movies

Nov 4 – $20.59 Friendly’s
$80.89 hotel accommodations
$38.43 Walgreen’s
$45.23 Target
$18.43 more “cheap” American gas

Nov 5 – No Spend Day

Grand Total: $468.06
2 No Spend Days

Wowsers.  Thank goodness I don’t leave my house too often.  This out and about stuff really adds up.  I don’t know how people spend every weekend shopping and eating out and still afford to eat during the rest of the week.

Sadly I did not see any great ideas for any of the folks on my Christmas list.  I would say $30 of that total is for Christmas gifts. 😦

 

 

WSR – 10/31/12

Well this is another spending post that is way overdue so I might as well finish off the month.

Oct 15 – No Spend Day

Oct 16 – No Spend Day

Oct 17 – $10 school function for Princess

Oct 18 – $100 Heart & stoke lottery ticket

Oct 19 – $61.76 groceries

Oct 20 – $57.01 gas
$73.36 groceries
$49.35 Costco

Oct 21 – $3.43 groceries
$95.28 – vacuum

Oct 22 – No Spend Day

Oct 23 – No Spend Day

Oct 24 – $60 chiropractor

Oct 25 – $204 dentist
$6.28 groceries

Oct 26 – $28.19 Winners

Oct 27 – $17.26 The mall
$14.73 Tim’s

Oct 28 – $23.56 Walmart

Oct 29 – $20.43 cleaning supplies
$49.57 groceries

Oct 30 – $2.10 stamps
$27.73 groceries

Oct 31 – $2.99 fish sauce
$6 lotto max ticket

Grand Total: $923.03
4 No Spend Days

Well the end of this month certainly seemed to be a spend fest.  I think I thought I might be a long-lost Kardashian. 😦

The justifications

1. I always buy a Heart & Stoke lottery, I figure I have a heart might as well participate.  The money goes to funding research and I get a change to win a prize. Win-win in my book. 😉
2. My old vacuum didn’t break but it was limiting so I sprang for a new one with attachments so I could vacuum up the cobwebs near the ceiling.  Since I have laminate flooring I should not have been using an upright as the brushes could scratch the floor.  Who knew?
3. The dentist and I are now current so no more super huge bills after months of not paying.
4. As for the lotto max, well it’s still a grand prize of $50 million …

As for the groceries … I have no excuse.  There is lots of food in my house now.  Maybe I have a grocery store shopping addiction … lol

It’s always the groceries that gets me. 😦

I suppose it could be worst. 😉