WIS in the Week, August 15, 2026

      As shared last week, I have big ticket bills and then holiday shopping before the end of the year. I'm tracking my variable, discretionary spending to get a better grip. While boring blog content, it'll give me a good view of where my money is going not including the regular bills required to maintain my life and home like utilities, insurance, and taxes. Its not intended to be no or low spend, but personal awareness to tweak my priorities in terms of where my money is going.

Saturday: $16

BIL found cheesy cruise shirts and I bought one too.Not a need or even a high want, but three BIL's love planning cruises and all the kitsch that goes with them. My husband would have been right with them for the cheese.  


Sunday:$4

 For research (curiosity) I ordered a $3.99 Too Good to Go surprise bag. Curiosity quenched...will pass on future though someone else might have thought this was a good buy. I ate the sandwich and grapes for my lunch and froze the sweet treats and will take out for coffee sometime with someone. 


Monday: $0  

It was my husband's birthday. I really just wanted to avoid people, so I did, keeping to the back yard with dogs. I talked with both girls, each also having a harder day. I didn't hear from anyone else, nor reached out myself, though have plans with son coming to dinner tomorrow and lunch with my MIL on Wednesday.

Tuesday: $72
I've been thinking about lasagna, but needed the ingredients, along with some fresh food items, and pet supplies. This added up quickly but should really have minimal HH&G for rest of the month. $66 and got a couple greeting cards and gift bag at Dollar Tree $4. I thought I was getting a freebie Diet Coke but there was an issue in the app so $2.

Wednesday: $40

I took my MIL out for lunch as her birthday is Sunday.  I'll see her on the day too along with the kids but its quite loud and I don't plan to stay long. See my post back a few weeks about the inflated cost of eating out. I tipped well, 22% rounding the bill, as we stayed an hour and a half though there were open tables. We both had leftovers ( which I ate for a lunch.)

Thursday: $12

I tackled a couple storage spots and filled two boxes for donation. I scheduled a charity pickup for later in the month and motivated to have more cleared by then. Seeing free space is motivation to not buy more stuff! I met a friend for the free concert by the river and also was treated to a beautiful sunset. I brought Bubbly waters and popcorn for us. I had $2 for the tip bucket and made a $10 contribution to a youth fundraiser. 


Friday: $130

This includes my $35 copaynent, $82 in birthday gifts for my MIL and two BIL's on my husbands side including cards and gift bags at Dollar Tree that I forgot earlier in the week, and adorable shirts on massive clearance for myself and each daughter $12. I need to stay out of Marshalls (like TJ or TK Maxx) because I found tons of cute stuff that would be perfect vacation wear on clearance. I'm also patting myself on the back, but also have regret for not buying the Michael Kors tote bag I've been eyeing for a decade. But, I'd prefer it in a color other than black or dark blue which was the deciding argument to leave behind.

Grand Total: for the week $274

     All in all, nothing to change in my habits. I ate decently including a few meals with my kids. I took advantage of free and low cost activities and didn’t isolate myself which I think can be easy for me to do. If you track, were you on or off plan in your spending?




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