I figured this month would be a good month to participate in the Don’t Go Over in October challenge.
It’s been…not nearly as challenging as I thought.
My goals? Let’s review…
*No shopping
*No unnecessary eating out
*Limit drinks out
So far?
I had one slip up that resulted in a sweater that was on sale at ATL ($24.50 down from $49.50) when I went to buy khakis for work (that were $29 on sale from $69.50 – Go me!). I immediately confessed, and felt guilty. Since then? No online browsing. No window shopping. Nothing. I’ve been good.
Other than that, Hubs took me out for dinner/drinks after my praxis exam on Monday – $50 for 2 drinks and dinner for each. $10 burger and he got the special for $10. I had a cider and the second one – that I was STILL charged for – was flat. I was hoping she wouldn’t charge me – i ordered it because she had mentioned they were changing out the keg and that it would be a few minutes but it still came out flat. I felt that was…rude, our previous bartender wouldn’t have charged us for it so I was slightly disappointed.
Tuesday I met up with Liz from Liz in DC who was absolutely FABULOUS. I had three drinks for $20 with tip. Drunkenly, I had called Hubs asking to meet me at a bar close to home. But instead, he called me convincing me to go home and he’d cook me dinner. It was velveeta mac and cheese but no harm no foul. Tasty, cheesy goodness.
At work this week, I didn’t buy anything except for Wednesday morning when I was in a rush and forgot my AM diet coke (what? I don’t drink coffee!) so I bought one for $1.60. Later, on our drive up we stopped twice – once for gas, and once for coffee toward the end of the trip since Hubs had been driving for a while. But we packed dinner, and then ate when we got up to his parents. Additionally, we took a different (slightly longer-ish) route through PA instead of through DE/NJ which saved us close to $20-30 in tolls, and we didn’t stop as much as we usually do in Jersey. So my diet coke for $1.60 wasn’t entirely horrible since we saved probably close to $50 between the stops we usually make and the tolls. Go us!
Shopping hasn’t been bad this week, today I met up with Vanessa in Stamford for coffee but I didn’t buy anything and even though I did window shop and saw a few things I would have bought, I’m fully aware of our declining financial situation so refraining wasn’t a struggle as it would usually be for me. Not to mention, I haven’t had the time to shop online, we’ve been out and about – 4 1/2 hour test, errands, and then a 6 1/2 hour car drive. Not to mention I’ve been just…tired. I get home from work at 10a and I’m tired. I’m readjusting to getting up before the sun and it’s not going so well.
All in all, aside from our celebratory dinner at Molly’s on Monday, things went well this week and I’m quite proud of myself. Let’s see if I can a. keep it all up b. be better. The eating out part has been killing us since we’re in that transition state – we know we don’t want to be in DC but we’re bouncing back and forth and I haven’t been motivated as much as I should be to cook…it’s just not pretty. I can’t wait til we’re settled in to our tbd
This weekend we’re trekking up to Vermont to visit friends and family then back to CT till Wednesday or so. Pup’s with us today though so we’re saving money in that respect also. We tried her at a possible daycare if we happen to move to Stamford area – a free trial day – she did…okay…her separation anxiety got the best of her since they put her in the play area with the other dogs while we were still there – something the place we take her to in DC didn’t do when we first brought her. She’s also been there so many times in the past two years that she knows everyone and it doesn’t phase her anymore. So we’ll see. Either way, we’re saving $400 by not boarding her down in DC this trip. Go us?
Don’t forget, one more day to enter my Fitness subscription giveaway!
