So Girl Ninja and I had a family meeting last night. We do this every so often so we can catch each other up on life happenings, this time in regard to our finances. We sat down in front of the computer, looked over our budgets to check our spending, and logged in to Mint.
Turns out, we’ve been on a bit of a spending spree as of late. What’s done is done. We can’t really go back and un-spend, so we’ve decided to try something new next month. Goodbye spending spree. Hello spending fast.
This is going to be new territory for me. In fact, I even wrote a post once called “No spend challenges are for wussies” a year and a half ago. How the times have changed.
The only way we can mitigate our recent spending binge is by being more judicious in our spending decisions next month.
For Every Lavish Dinner, Do a Cereal Dinner
This doesn’t mean we won’t eat out at all, nor will stop driving our cars to save a little more dough. Instead, if we eat out with friends one night, we’ll do a cereal dinner the following. We’ll drive the SUV a little less (mpg’s in those things suck…haha). I’ll work some overtime. We’ll entertain ourselves by going to parks, throwing the frisbee, and working out together.
The Bottom Line
It’s all about the checks and balances my friend, and hopefully, with these corrections, we’ll be sitting pretty come this time next month. We’ve identified a concern and are actively working towards a solution. If that’s not considered sexy I don’t know what is!
In your defense, you didn’t say you’re about to do a “no spend challenge”, you’re just tucking it in a little for the next month. So don’t worry, you can still say no spend challenges are for wussies and know that you’re not being a hypocrite. 🙂 And dude, a little warning before slamming me with a picture of carrot top woudl be great next time. Haha 🙂
At our last “family finance” meeting, we realized we’d spent a RIDICULOUS amount of money on food the last few months — not even just eating out either! When we take several small trips to the grocery store, it adds up. So we set a limit on how much we can spend per week at the grocery store and per week on eating out (restaurants and fast food). So far, I see it as a kind of challenge, and I have to win!
What I need to do. Didn’t Nordstrom have a big sale? I warned ya about those SUVS. Anyhow, good luck in mitigating expenses, as for me I see another huge wave of looming expenses on my horizon :'(
I was wondering how GN’s Nordstrom shopping appointment went, too.
Oh I know all too well what this feels like! At least you’re in it with someone else. I think there is always strength in numbers.
We are doing the same thing for august because of some extreme overspending in July. But with both of our birthdays being in July, my husband’s 10 day vacation, and family visiting for 3 weeks of the month I think all the overspending was necessary and much needed. I don’t regret spending a single penny but we will be extra strict in August to get back on track.
Can totally understand the spending spree. Nordstrom had their sale. :] Anyway. It always frustrates me to see more go out than come in. Granted I budget for those months to some extent but it still hurts to see the outgoing exceed the incoming.
In reference to yesterday’s post, I saw this and thought of you: http://cheezburger.com/6456138496
With the sale of our condo and purchase of our townhouse (move date is Sept. 7); we will be hemorraging money in a month’s time… in fact, it’ll start tonight when we purchase the new appliances! We’ve got the money saved up; we’ll just need to transfer it over to our Visas as soon as we get home. With my birthday in 2 days, hubby’s in Sept., and our 10 year anniversary in Oct., we already knew our move would be our gifts for the year (yep, including Christmas), but it’s fine, because this is our affordable “dream home”…. we’ll get our bearings down in November, I’m sure 😉
No spend challenges are a waste of time! It is a little like fasting to lose weight. After you stop fasting, you will make off the deficit.
It doesn’t seem like you are on a spending fast, more like a spending diet since you are still spending money 😉 Also, it is cool seeing how people change their perspective on things in a year. good luck on your diet!
Seems like you are just balancing out this month. Being aware of when you are going overboard and having a plan to cut back.
It must be summer! We are reigning in our spending in August too. The moment paycheck comes in, majority will go straight to savings to avoid overspending.
My husband and I often pack a bag and play sports at the park…it’s a great idea to reduce expenses but still have fun. Recently, we have started finding other couples that like doing the same. +1 for the waists and wallets 🙂