As expected, the second week was not nearly as easy as the first week.
On top of the second week doubts, I went from a wonderful holiday Thanksgiving where I had my evenings free back to night school where the only easy food is the local over priced gas station.
I try to plan for these moments, but for some reason apples and carrots do not sound that filling at 8 o'clock at night, especially after a full work day.
I spent a total of 14.95 on gas station junk. As for the rest of my money... I actually have no idea. It had to have gone somewhere else because I only had three bills in my wallet by the end of the week.
It's not easy to budget.
If I've learned anything over the years, it's to keep trying anyway. When it comes to recording and planning my budget, I've gone from ledger, to Excell, to cash envelope, and back to ledgers in the last five years. It works for me. Each week I like to re-evaluate and if I need to tweek what I do or how I do it, I do it right then. This makes it easier to keep regular records that fit into my current lifestyle instead of feeling locked into a method that doesn't fit anymore. The point is, it doesn't matter how the information is recorded, so long as it is recorded and you keep your priorities straight.
This week, I also learned that even if you have good intentions to keep all of your receipts, they do have a habit of getting lost, hence the missing twelve dollars.
So, this next week I'm doing a couple of those tweeks. I'm going back to ledger. What I like about ledgers, is that you just take a notebook, make customized columns for your expenses, needs, income, total value, etc, and then update it every week. It keeps me honest and I can see how well I'm doing at a glance.
I'm also going to keep a small notebook in my purse instead of a pile of receipts. Small notebooks are only a little less likely to get lost. Instead of hoping my bag retains all of my receipts, I will write down the purchase before I even leave the store. This will help me to keep better records.
I already feel really good about this project.
Even though my rent situation is less desperate now that I know where I'm going and that I can afford it, I like knowing that I can handle emergencies. You know those rainy days where your car needs a sudden $500 dollar fix, or those moments when you're slapped with the knowledge that you'll be without a roof over your head if you can't come up with at least $1,000 in two months? This is why savings is amazing. When you have an egg that can handle things like that at the drop of a hat, the world feels so much more secure.
Some people might chaff a little at the restraint of only $35 a week as I did this last week. Really, I do like the restriction because it fits my goals. At this time of my life where I'm moving at least three times a year, I want to be able to just throw everything I own into my little Subaru and go. Buying stuff would be counter productive to that goal. I like the feeling of letting go of stuff. I like not having to dig through piles of "someday" usefuls to find the one thing I really need. I like my shelves, boxes, and drawers to have only what I love and use, not regrets.
When you think of it that way, $35 a week is really just buying me food and the occasional need like toothpaste. That's it. $35 could surely stretch that far and then some.
Then again, I'm not like everyone else. Stuff really is the bottom tier of my five love languages, while for other people, giving and getting gifts is their very top love language.
I guess, it really is just all about what you value the most.
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