March 1, 2008

Ok, so I wake up this morning, go get a haircut, buy some mouthwash, it's like the floodgates are open...or not.

But let's take a look at the past month and figure out what it all meant.

Well, to be honest, I was hoping to spend around $550-600. I was $300 over that, so I really didn't get anywhere close to my goal. Yet, I wouldn't say I was curtailing anything, I just had hoped it would all end up around there.

Why $550? Well, I had budgeted around $250 for any Valentine's Day stuff and that would leave me with $300 to spend. And if I really didn't buy other crap, $300 for gas and food should have been pretty reasonable, or so I thought.

Eating out means lots of $20 and $30 expenditurs. Gas is about $55 a fill-up and still rising. So, really, either a conscious effort to reduce everything or just live with it.

The sad part was the accompanying credit card bill. I may not have used the plastic at all this month, but my cash-only month isn't aligned with my credit card cycle. Thus, the lingering charges from January were much larger than I remembered. And that meant I saved nothing this month, and if anything, spent more since things weren't offset by a month on the credit card.

However, if I really wanted, I could extend the credit card non-use to this month and really drive down the charges. Not sure if I'll do that or just decide to decrease all spending to crazy amounts.

My rent takes up about half of my monthly income. So to really save and make any progress, I'd have to decrease spending to the range I stated earlier, $550-600. And that's the end goal I guess.

Thanks for playing along for the month. I'll check you later.

February 29, 2008

Stupid leap year, an extra day to spend money. I was home free if it was any of the three years before or three years after. So, Friday was Korean BBQ night. Good lordy lordy lord, Kal Bi and Bul Go Gi, serve me up.

Daily BBQ Meat: $18
Monthly Done: $843.60

And there you have it, checking in right under $850. Hmmm, what does it all mean? A bigger analysis is coming tomorrow. But I will say this, $850! Dammmnnn!!

February 28, 2008

Sorry for the late one. No spending. Good to go.

Daily: $0
Total wompage: $825.60

February 27, 2008

And the confetti drops, the balloons fall, and the music plays. No, it's not my presidential nomination, it's my spending celebration! Say good-bye 700s, hello 800s!

Dinner at BJs: $35 - why do I keep going there if I don't order the Pizookie??
Gas: $40 - it didn't even fill up

Daily Spend: $75
Monthly surrender: $825.60

I have no car today, spending should cease. But tomorrow is the last day of the month and Friday, that makes $900 possible. Oooof.

February 26, 2008

No spending, good. But gas is calling. And hair product is at a smudge. And mouthwash is at a spit. Last one was gross, I know.

Daily Spend: $0
Monthly Spend: $750.60

The end is over there. To get to it, a line of Target and gas stations must be crossed.

February 25, 2008

Yesterday was a really long day. So long that it flowed into this morning. That means this morning will get pushed back to this afternoon. And everything is all jacked up in my to-do-list.

But, it allowed me to spend nothing. Yippee.

Daily spend: $0
Monthly divesting: $750.60

So in just a couple days the month will be over. The question will be whether I go over $800 I guess. I'll give a big postmortem on the month and let you know exactly what it got me. The results may surprise you.

February 24, 2008

Well, Oscar night mean Oscar party. A veggie platter here, a loaf of bread, boom, the floodgates open. Then a quick a game/gift at Target. More than I expected for a Sunday.

Safeway: $11.78
Target: $27.69

Daily Total: $39.47
Monthly Hurting: $750.60