No/Low Buy Update – Page 2 – JOURNEY TO RETIREMENT

Every Monday during 2022, I am posting an update on what I spent for the week as a way of keeping myself accountable for my No/Low Buy Year. Also, in order to see my true savings, I am also tracking items I was tempted to buy but didn’t.

Well, what can I say? An upcoming trip, weight gain, clothes that don’t fit, a constant search for shoes that work with my broken foot, and a son who is deployed. I shopped both online and in person. I was a little stressed this week.

I have come to realize that when I’m stressed not only do I over eat, but I over spend. I am becoming keenly aware of it and caught myself…sort of. The purchases below do not reflect what I originally spent, but only the things I kept and actually wanted/needed.

What I spent February 21st – February 28th:

RED t-shirts: $79.76. (If you are so inclined, please pray for my son’s safety as well as all those who are deployed. He is a on a naval destroyer ship and with things going on in the world as they are, it’s been a stressful time for this Mama.)
Clothes & Accessories: $447.53 (includes shoes, undergarments, jeans and summer wear for both my husband and myself). Ouch.
Groceries: $118.83
Eating Out: $62.30
Household/Personal Care: $45.99
Spontaneous Giving: $144.26
Pets/Auggie: $49.65 (replacement prong collar and latch — this pup needs continual training!)

Total spending for the week: $868.56

Okay, so that was a lot lower than I thought, but still high for a No/Low Buy Year. I’ll have to reign it in a bit in March to stay within my budget for the year.

Things I almost purchased but didn’t:

Wooden food storage bag containers: $49.99
Pajamas: $50.00
All the clothes I returned: $431.00!

Total: $530.99

I’m kind of laughing at the things I almost purchased. I don’t need pajamas at all. In fact, my pajama drawer is already too full. And the wooden food storage bag containers? So cool, but so unnecessary. Besides, they were on Amazon, and I’m not doing Amazon. I came to my senses and returned most of an online clothes order.

FEBRUARY SPENDING

Total spent: $3,761.74 ($1,468 was Auggie’s surgery, and misc. stuff needed for him)

Total I almost spent: $785.00

My takeaway for February:

WINS:

I stayed under my food budget.
I continued to bless others with giving.
I had the money already set aside for neuter surgery.
I could have spent way more on clothing/shoes, etc. but held off.

LOSSES:

I spent way too much money on clothes and eating out.

I don’t like my impulsive behavior when I’m stressed. I’m hoping in March I can start walking my daily 3 miles which always makes me feel better, and less likely to snack and spend.

How did you do in February?

No Buy/Low Buy, No/Low Buy Update, Spending

No/Low Buy Update: Week 7

February 21, 2022February 21, 2022 Sharon

This last week dragged. Perhaps it was the dark dreary weather, or just the fact that I’m not getting outside very much (darn foot!). It seemed that I had had too much time on my hands and fell into old patterns of browsing stores online. Items magically found their way into online carts! Thankfully I came to my senses and completely clicked out before buying anything. Well, except for some sandals…but I’ll explain that below.

What I spent February 14 – February 20th:

Groceries: $29.06
Household/Personal Care: $82.00 (another replacement fry pan, and misc. personal care – all replacements)
Gifts: $81.19 (more birthdays/baby shower)
Sandals: $43.00 (sandals)
Eating Out: $56.00
Auggie the doggie: $471.72 (yearly pet insurance premium, dog food and dog walking)
OTC Medical: $18.95 (compression socks)
Road trip: $89.95 (gas, tolls and food)

Total Spent: $872.41

What I almost bought but didn’t:

Sweater(s) from The Loft: $100.00 (a gorgeous sweater was on sale, and a couple of other things that needed to be added to cart so I wouldn’t have to pay for shipping.)
San Diego Hat Company: $40.00 (a foldable sun hat for my upcoming trip)
Kitchen mats: $48.00 (Actually purchased, but returned! Ugh, an ugly pattern of mine rearing its ugly head – but I prevailed!)

Total: $188.00

The Takeaway

Although it seemed like a spendy week, a big chunk of the spending was for the annual pet insurance. I’m truly hoping that this is the last large pet expense I will have to make (at least for this year 😉 )! It’s a good thing he’s cute because he’s been a very expensive addition to our family.

We did get away for the weekend to see my parents, and we brought a few meals. Gas was a bit high, but other than that, we didn’t spend much.

My foot issues continue, and finding the right shoes to wear has been difficult. Caring for my feet has taken precedence over saving money and finding supportive, high-quality shoes is a must. Stores don’t usually carry my size so I have to purchase online and hope for the best. After returning three pairs of shoes, I finally found one that was comfortable. I’m hoping by the time I take my trip next month, they will feel even better — it’s hard to tell right now with my foot not quite right.

I wish I spent less this week, but I did resist some purchases. In that regard, I do think this no/low spend challenge is working. I’m controlling my urges (for the most part) and not adding extra clutter to my home. There is always room to improve, of course, and every day I keep reminding myself of why I’m doing this in the first place. And that is WAY better than anything I could possibly buy.

So, how was your week? Did you stay on budget?

Living for TODAY, No Buy/Low Buy, No/Low Buy Update

No/Low Buy Update: Week 6

February 14, 2022February 11, 2022 Sharon

Happy Valentine’s Day! Hope you have a day full of love and chocolate. 😉

This week was a lot better than last as far as my spending. I would have loved to spend $0, but under $200 is pretty good (for me!). I stayed within budget on gift-giving, which is HUGE. I splurged on a ‘donut’ for Auggie, instead of the large cone he was given by the vet. He liked it a lot better.

What I spent February 7 – February 13:

Starbucks (breakfast): $6.00 (on my way back from early drs. appt)
Dog Collar: $31.94
Birthday gifts: $60.21
Groceries: $24.23
Valentine’s day goodies: $18.20
OTC meds: $8.00
Take out: $40.00 (Italian for dinner)

Total: $188.58

What I almost purchased but didn’t:

NOTHING!

In all transparency, I did re-book a cruise this week. I originally canceled the cruise when I thought foot surgery was imminent but decided I really wanted to get away, bad foot and all. So we are cruising in March – 7 days instead of 10, so I actually received money back. If I end up needing surgery, I will schedule it when I get back.

This looks like a perfect setting to heal a broken foot, right?

How was YOUR week?

No Buy/Low Buy, No/Low Buy Update, Retirement Journey, Spending

No/Low Buy Update: Week 5

February 7, 2022 Sharon

Another week has passed, and this one was a doozy. I think all of my February spending was done in the first 7 days! At least I’m hoping….

What I spent February 1st – February 6th: (I don’t list my normal bills, i.e. mortgage, utilities, etc.)

Medical: OTC $37.99 (A new heating pad)
Groceries: $319.95 (Two weeks’ worth)
Pet Expenses: $875.68 (Neutering, meds)
Gasoline: $77.66 (Two fill-ups)
Spontaneous Giving: $260.27 (Sam’s Club delivery to my parents)
Household: $19.05 (Office supplies)
Gift: $50.00 (Parents 66th wedding anniversary)
Misc.: $23.30 (New bible)**
Charity: $103.29 (Granddaughter’s fundraiser at school)
State Tax Filing Fee: $40.00 (includes my son’s taxes)
McDonalds: $25.00 (a weak moment — for me, my husband and daughter)

Total: $1,832.19

Oh my. That is a lot of spending for one week. The pet expenses were expected, saved for, and ready in the bank. The groceries surprised me a bit, but then again, I didn’t shop at Aldi. Both cars needed gas. I will ALWAYS have a spontaneous gift category for my parents. The two ‘questionable’ expenses were McDonald’s and the new bible. I have a bible that I use every day, but it is large. I wanted a more compact one to take with me when I travel. In my world, taking a bible with me on a trip is a need. The McDonald’s lunch? Ugh. A complete and utter fail. Not only for my wallet but for my waist. I anticipate next weeks’ expenses to be a lot lower.

Things I was tempted to spend money on this week but didn’t!

A planner perfect subscription: $44.00
Ordering in dinners 2x: $100.00
An exercise bike: $400 – $1500

Total: $544.00 – $1,644.00

The first two items were normal ‘wants’ for me. I’m getting used to them, and getting better at ignoring them. However, the exercise bike was new. I went to the orthopedic surgeon this week and my foot is not healing – it is still broken. He is giving me another 4 weeks to see if it will heal, but if not there will be surgery. It’s already been twelve weeks. Twelve weeks of no exercise. Twelve weeks of lying around. I’m gaining too much weight and I need an exercise program. I thought maybe an exercise bike would be good. I even had my husband research them, but the prices were ridiculous. I decided to search exercising with a broken foot on YouTube. I found several videos that featured ‘chair’ aerobics. In fact, I now have a whole playlist of exercise videos that I can do with a broken foot. That will have to be my jam until I can walk again. Expense diverted.

Unexpected/Expected Money Received.

Sometimes I receive extra money during the month that I wasn’t expecting, or expecting but not knowing the exact amount. I thought I would include it in my updates. Here is what I received in February so far:

Rakuten: $88.00*
Chase Rewards: $80.22
Celebrity Cruises: $261.37 (port tax refunded from a canceled cruise. 😦 )

Total: $429.59 (A nice bump to my savings account!)

I hope next week is more on the low spend side. Even though I’m staying within my approved spending categories, I would like to stay below $1800 in variable spending each month. It didn’t happen this month, but given that I had a large vet bill, I should be okay going forward.

How was the start of February for you?

** Rakuten is an online cash back program. I signed up years ago – it doesn’t interfere with my online spending — it just gives me money back for the purchases I make. I know it’s not going to make me wealthy, but the checks have been a nice bonus. And with prices on the rise, this is an easy way to get some of the money back. RAKUTEN is running a new program — if you sign up, you will get $30! If you sign up using my link here, I will get $30 too! There is no obligation on your part, just an easy way to get more money in your pocket. ;). Please note that I will never suggest something that I don’t wholeheartedly believe in. If you are an online shopper, this is a no-brainer. 😉

Thank you in advance to all those who would like to try it!! xoxo

Goal Setting, No/Low Buy Update, Spending, Spending Freeze

No/Low Buy Update: Week 3

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Sharon

Consumer Spending Update: Economic Confidence Down in January - Rasmussen Reports® — Via

Well, well, well. After looking at my spending, Week 3 proved to be a bit more spendy than I thought it was. My daughter and her entire family came down with Covid so I helped with their meals all week. I also purchased meals for my parents and had them delivered. These expenses come out of a ‘spontaneous giving’ account, which is my very favorite to fund. I get so much pleasure out of blessing others. It is money well-spent. However, the extra eating out for us? Not so much.

I also purchased a pair of sneakers that were recommended by my orthopaedist to wear as my foot heals. They were expensive — but I consider that a medical purchase. Normally I would have gone directly to Amazon, but because I banned myself from using them, I searched and found another company that sold these specific sneakers. The bonus? They were $20 cheaper with free shipping! I’ve found this to be true on many items that Amazon sells — they do not have the lowest prices on everything.

What I spent (January 17 – January 23):

Spontaneous giving: $257.12
Take Out: $106.00
Medical: New Balance shoes (for my broken foot): $152.96
Personal Care: $15.93

Total: $532.01

I’m disappointed that I spent so much on take-out again but other than that, not a bad week. Since half of this spending was for a really good cause, I’ll call it a win! 😉

But, this week was not without its challenges and temptations!

On Saturday, I had to pick up an item at Walmart. BJs was right next door and I thought I would just go in and look around. I thought it would be a good way to do some walking and stay out of the cold (bad idea). Dang if three items didn’t end up in my hands. I carried these items around the store for about 20 minutes. When my foot started to hurt, I had to make a decision. Do I take these items home? (All on my NO BUY LIST, mind you). Thankfully I had all of you in my head as I was making the decision to purchase, and I ended up leaving all three items in the store. 😉

Here are the items I was tempted to buy this week but didn’t:

McDonald’s breakfast sandwich: $5.00 (I was out early in the morning for a doctor’s appointment)
Happy Planner Stickers: $21.00 (a pop up add on my computer….)
Book: 55, Unemployed and Faking Normal, by Elizabeth White: $21.00

BJ’s temptations:

Book: Enough Already, by Valerie Bertinelli. $17.59 (This is the second time I almost bought this book so it is going on my wish list.)
Travel mugs (set of two): $20.98
Book: The Bible in 52 Weeks, by Dr. Kimberly Moore $8.99

Total: $100.23 (including tax)

Isn’t it amazing how much impulsive purchases add up if you succumb to them?

This challenge is working. 🙂

How did you do this week?

If you missed it, here are my weekly No/Low Buy Challenge Updates:

Week 1

Week 2

Category: No/Low Buy Update

No/Low Buy Update: Week 8 (the week everything falls apart….)