The Happy Homeowner

Weekly Spending, 11/20-11/26

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Jen

Saturday, 11/20

Lunch Out: $18.00
Dinner Out (baaaad!): $31.00

Sunday, 11/21

No spend day!

Monday, 11/22

Gas: $31.99

Tuesday, 11/23

No spend day!

Wednesday, 11/24
Job-related expense: $21.23
Spent $$ on trip home for Thanksgiving (gas/tolls), but it was already a budget item for the month

Thursday, 11/25
No spend day!

Friday, 11/26
Technically spent $$ for Black Friday/Xmas shopping, but it’s all budgeted!!!

Total: $102.22

While this total is peanuts compared to recent weeks, it doesn’t include budgeted amounts for my trip home ($198–it’s a long trip!) and shopping ($297.57). However, these items were already worked into my monthly budget and therefore will not count towards my miscellaneous spending. Here’s hoping for a new leaf being turned over in the spending department! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Lessons Learned

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Jen

Learned this week:

The “head in the sand” approach is much more dangerous than it appears to be. I’ll admit it–I’ve sabotaged my own spending this month. What began as a simple “off” week has spiraled into a month of spendapalooza tendencies. It’s so very easy to write off a dinner here and a drink there as QT with the friends, but it’s far more difficult to balance a healthy social life and spending. This will be worked into December’s goals.

The best things happen when you least expect it. Again, I’m still in reeling from the amazing set of events that has been unfolding over the past 5 weeks or so. While this has contributed to my influx of miscellaneous spending, I will be more cognizant of my choices moving forward.

Complaining about spending does no good unless said complaints are used in a positive manner. See above.

Weekly Spending, 11/13-11/19

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Jen

Saturday, 11/13

Gas: $40.99
Taxi: $17.80

Sunday, 11/14

Dinner out: $22.91

Monday, 11/15

No spend day!

Tuesday, 11/16

iTunes: $13.47

Wednesday, 11/17
No spend day!

Thursday, 11/18
Drinks w/ a friend: $13.50

Friday, 11/19
Target: $19.73
Marshall’s: $27.98
iTunes: $35.58

Total: $191.96

Better than last week, but still on a “spending bender.” Must. not. purchase. music. from. iTunes! Ugh…I need spending re-hab. This month is a total bust with the miscellaneous spending, but I’m owning my behavior and using this mess as a catalyst to shape December the way it should be!!

Lessons Learned

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Jen

While perusing other PF blogs, I stumbled upon a lifestyle blog where the author lists weekly “Lessons Learned.” While I’m not sure that is the avenue I’d like to take with my blog, I do like the idea of sharing random tidbits of newly-acquired knowledge; whether it be money or life related. I’d like to incorporate something like this here, so look for a new, periodic addition.

Learned this week:

Money doesn’t buy happiness, but sometimes spending a bit with friends can make a world of difference in your life. Simply put, I’m the happiest I’ve been in recent memory. I have a thriving career, friends & family who support & love me, and a positive outlook on life. While it’s sometimes easy for me to stress about every dollar spent, I’ve literally thrown “caution to the wind” (relatively speaking–I still have some control!) over the past weeks with regards to my spending. The influx of social commitments, despite some that have cost more money than I typically spend, has increased my quality of life tenfold.

The best things happen when you least expect it. More details on this at a later time. Let’s just say that life is crazy, yet amazing!

When one door closes, five more often open–it’s up to you to recognize and seize these new opportunities.

Smiles make the world go round.