Friday Fiscal Wellness Check

     


     I apologize for not responding to comments yesterday. I was a bit overwhelmed with the kind words and also the firm words that I'm paraphrasing, telling me ( gently) I need to get on with it and learn these things. It was also a chaotic few days at work. I appreciate the community and you all taking the time to leave a comment. 

      I'll summarize Sunday, I attempted a low spend week. (Preview: epic fail) I want to keep on with my  Friday Fiscal Wellness Check so recapping here too.  

Avoiding Spending/ Saving on Needs

  • Broke down the rest of the boxes from document destruction and took cardboard to the free recycling bins. They were nearly full again, but just managed to get them all there.
  • Minimal groceries bought ( ok, this is a lie) and meal planned ( mostly) with what we have in the house. There were a few odds and ends needed. 
  • My daughter brought her laundry and I sent her home with multiple ready to heat meals and baked goods. Her building laundry costs $4+ ( extra time needed depending on load) for wash and dry per load and she did two loads, plus her bedding. Bulking up some batch cooking cost hardly anything more to send home with her.
  • In a sad and stressful moment, I played on the Orbitz app for last minute deals. I almost booked a one night get away at a Casino Hotel about 90 minutes away, just to " run away." My thinking is I'd treat myself to dinner, a drink in their club with live music, and maybe use the free slot credit that was part of the deal. I had in my cart ready to click in the cc numbers. I paused and decided while I needed a break, casinos in general to me are depressing places. I decided I might treat myself instead to using the cabin for a weekend with nothing but books and comfort foods, good walking shoes, and pup. He could use a break from all the young pets. 
  • Consistently keeping furnace at 66, even down a couple degrees at night. I sleep better and during the day, use sweaters and also blankets on my lap. There's plenty of cozy places for the pets when they're not running around. 

Spent Intentionally

  • I had one co-payment for PT, down to just one time per week. I'll be done completely by the end of November. 
  • Went ahead and paid for a 20 day doggie daycare package, savings $7 session. I did not count in my low spend week as it's a shared cost with my daughter and not  really a discretionary spend. 

Opportunities to add Funds/Windfalls 

  • Received a $10 Kohls cash voucher for my birthday month. I'll use towards Christmas, helping with my goal to preserve 10% or more of what was put away for gifts and other Christmas shopping. 
  • I ended up not going to trivia as friends all had conflicts, but used  $4 CVS Extra Care bucks on two bags of on sale popcorn to bring along. No out of pocket cost and will use the next time. 
  • Deposited the check received for medical reimbursement. It's easy to look at expense reimbursements as "extra" but I find it I deposit right away I remember it's just offsetting expense I already had and need to replace. 

     Then, there were other things that impacted my check book.

  • I have a second trip of the week into the office today, increasing my gas consumption.
  • I just really felt like pizza so impromptu went ahead and picked up the $12 Tuesday Papa Murphy's chicken bacon artichoke. Son had leftovers for lunch so three meals, so not too crazy. When you want pizza, you want pizza. 
  • The boat storage invoice just happened to come this week, but that's a one off cost, set aside in my sinking funds. I paid it, and while a pleasant surprise, it was hundreds lower than they quoted me, it still was a chunk of money. Last year they waved the storage fee as mechanic was doing a major steering overhaul boat repair so kept in the shop so I hadn't really seen a charge before. While I'm planning to sell it, it still needs proper storage. 
  • I had a work gathering very close to my daughter's. I decided to pick her up dinner and got an extra hour visit with her and her cat. She'll have leftovers for today's lunch, so that's good, if an additional spend I hadn't planned- in a supposedly low spend week. 
     This is just for my personal accountability of my cash flow. I'm trying to be intentional, but not restrictive. Periodically I'll do low spend weeks to both save a bit and also stretch my imagination of how to live well without compromise to my goals. Let's hope they work better than this last one. 

Comments

  1. AprilNovember 22, 2024 at 8:32 AM

    I think your philosophy of be intentional but not restrictive makes for a well-balanced approach. Absolutely I agree with your stretching your imagination of how to live well with compromising your goals. I suspect you are doing better than you are giving yourself credit for--and all of us can see that, Sam.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SAMNovember 22, 2024 at 10:20 AM

      You're being to generous with that credit. I'm still a mess most of the time except at work.

      Delete
    2. TreadersNovember 23, 2024 at 3:22 AM

      You're absolutely right April. While being careful is great, there needs to be some give and take too. Little treats, kinda thing!

      Delete
  2. AnonymousNovember 22, 2024 at 8:59 AM

    I really like recapping how things went as well. We are in a very expensive life season, but focusing on the things we are doing to save money helps. We are traveling, spending plenty to make sure the kids have what they need & enjoy high school & college without breaking the bank, and we help our family when possible. But, we keep an eye on opportunities to save where we can, which makes me feel good. I just did a mini trip that included a night in Las Vegas & we had an incredible time, but I'm guessing that a casino solo would be pretty depressing. My friend can gamble all day on $100, which is even funnier - it's not like a lot of money is being spent for a day's entertainment. (Hawaii Planner)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SAMNovember 22, 2024 at 10:21 AM

      It's good to see where the little things, good or bad, add up. I don't mind spending, I'm not a skinflint. I just don't want to be wasteful.

      Delete
  3. ElleNovember 22, 2024 at 9:07 AM

    I echo the cabin weekend. Going away by myself with books and walking shoes restores my soul! I wish the same for you :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SAMNovember 22, 2024 at 10:22 AM

      A good walk is better than pulling the the slot machine arm...or I guess it's all just pushing a button now with electronic slot machines.

      Delete
  4. LindaNovember 22, 2024 at 9:26 AM

    Oh my. I hope I said nothing to impress on you that you should start learning to do things.
    I had a head start because I remembered things I learned from my parents as they repaired things. My problem when I was single was that I only had the hammer Daddy gave me that we used during my marriage. Ex only bought tools at Dollar store, so they were mostly useless. I made no effort to learn things I did not know. I just learned what I did not know as the need occurred.
    You probably have good tools and enough.
    I called my mechanic friend to clear up little points I was unsure of the procedure. You may be alone but not really. Some friends helped me. Some things were too hard for me. I think you are doing great.
    A day with books sounds better than a casino to me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SAMNovember 22, 2024 at 10:27 AM

      Well, to be honest, you commented a second time so must have felt some sense of need to impress upon me the importance of doing/ learning to do for myself. I actually probably could have been doing things all along, but we were a team, my husband and I, and just had our niches. It's part of my sadness to know I truly don't have my teammate yet, things still have to be done. I can't let the house fall down around me and can't call for help for everything.

      Delete
    2. LindaNovember 22, 2024 at 4:10 PM

      I commented a second time because I forgot to say I like for my daughters to see women could do typically guy things. I think I commented only that thing a second time. I never set out to learn, just learned as things came up. I see no problem being a team. I see no problem with one being better at some things. You are doing fine in my opinion if it counts.

      Delete
    3. SAMNovember 23, 2024 at 10:48 AM

      All encouragement is appreciated.

      Delete
    4. LindaNovember 23, 2024 at 3:49 PM

      I was trying to give you encouragement I often did not get. When I was saying to an acquaintance that I needed to get the oil changed and the oil pan fixed because it leaked, she told me to go take a class at a junior college so I could do things myself. Jerk!!! I pointed out that I made all my clothing--panties, slips, bras, coats and things to wear for dress and around the house. Did she?
      Another time, I asked very friendly neighbor behind me to please change a tire since I had a blowout right in the driveway and it was Sunday. His wife said if I were going to be single, I needed to learn to take care of things myself. When the guy came over, he told me she had never changed a tire or had done half the things I did. She had told him all the things I did at my home.
      There were other instances where the same type things were said to me.

      There is no way I would suggest you just go and learn things.

      Delete
  5. CelieNovember 22, 2024 at 2:11 PM

    I had a laugh at your parenthetical comment re minimal spent on groceries! It's my biggest expense that I fail to reign in but surely could if I really tried. I think a couple days away, doing something you enjoy, is a reasonable expense. The cabin sounds nice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SAMNovember 23, 2024 at 10:49 AM

      My gosh- things just add up so quickly. I'm.tryingvto develop other strategies for reigning in the budget, but refuse to succumb to cheap, poor quality food.

      Delete
  6. KathyNovember 23, 2024 at 6:03 AM

    I don't think your low spend week was a fail at all. You blessed others. And I think 3 meals off a $12 pizza is a pretty good deal. I probably wouldn't have enjoyed a casino trip by myself, but the cabin might have a lot of memories? Maybe a sister's trip?
    Our area dinner theater is closing, and I would love to go there since we have never been, but
    I need to rein in my spending a bit. Aldi is my downfall too as I bought cheese and chocolate calendars and their peppermint cookies plus other treats. Argh I have definitely failed at a low spending week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SAMNovember 23, 2024 at 10:50 AM

      At least Aldi keeps the basics down in price. My recap by day is tomorrow. Ouch!

      Delete
  7. Anne in the kitchenNovember 23, 2024 at 10:58 AM

    Each week has its own ebb and flow that you just have to go with. About the time I decided to have a no spend week, the washer will break of a light will go out on the car and there is nothing to do but suck it up and fix it.
    And sometimes on a self imposed no spend week an opportunity will come up that I just HAVE to do. I like that you are trying to be accountable yet not restrictive. I think allowing yourself some leeway ( as available) is what keeps people in a better mental place.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SAMNovember 23, 2024 at 5:07 PM

      I figure if I'm at least intentionally spending, that's half the battle.

      Delete

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