Every so often, I come to the realization that I need to budget my money better. And by every so often, I mean all the time. I am guilty of daily stops at places like Target and CVS to "pick up a few things" or to remind myself if there is anything I might need that I've forgotten about. These usually end up in $60 or $70 gone at checkout.
Back in January, I created a Google Spreadsheet using a template I found online. With with wonderful intentions, I entered my balances and my bills and created an idea of how much money I could save over the course of 2016. I might have revisited that sheet once or twice, and then I didn't think about it for a couple months.
I am again inspired by another blog post I read recently, by someone who committed to cutting out the extras. This person still allowed herself to visit restaurants and bars, but by eliminating coffees and extra things, she was able to save a few hundred dollars in just a few weeks.
So now, on March 1, I plan to begin Spend No Money March. I will pay bills, buy groceries while grocery shopping, and allow grocery stop-ins for ingredients only (e.g. bananas and milk). I've incorporated a few cheats into my plan - I can buy beer from the liquor store for weekend consumption only, I can keep my March 5 hair appointment, and I will sign up for another semester of pottery class. Other than that, no spending.
By keeping a log of everything I think about buying, I hope to be able to create some summary stats at the end of the month. What do I really want. What was a passing trend. And what should I get immediately on April 1!
Here goes.
Back in January, I created a Google Spreadsheet using a template I found online. With with wonderful intentions, I entered my balances and my bills and created an idea of how much money I could save over the course of 2016. I might have revisited that sheet once or twice, and then I didn't think about it for a couple months.
I am again inspired by another blog post I read recently, by someone who committed to cutting out the extras. This person still allowed herself to visit restaurants and bars, but by eliminating coffees and extra things, she was able to save a few hundred dollars in just a few weeks.
So now, on March 1, I plan to begin Spend No Money March. I will pay bills, buy groceries while grocery shopping, and allow grocery stop-ins for ingredients only (e.g. bananas and milk). I've incorporated a few cheats into my plan - I can buy beer from the liquor store for weekend consumption only, I can keep my March 5 hair appointment, and I will sign up for another semester of pottery class. Other than that, no spending.
By keeping a log of everything I think about buying, I hope to be able to create some summary stats at the end of the month. What do I really want. What was a passing trend. And what should I get immediately on April 1!
Here goes.
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