Hi y'all!
Since my last post a couple days ago, I've set the plan into action. I made a copy of the budget and tacked it up over the calendar and also put all my debit and credit cards in my hubby's wallet. Yesterday was grocery shopping day, so I had to go to Christopher's store and have him paged to the front (I can never find him on my own.) and asked him for the debit card and showed him the budget paper I had taken from over the calendar (I still need to put that back up there.) Then after running the girls around to see their friends and go to sleepovers, I went grocery shopping. I went to two stores to get the best deals and still went over the grocery budget by about $30. The problem was that since I'd been so bad with the money the last month or so, I hadn't done a big grocery shopping trip in forever so we weren't stocked up on anything. I made the decision that knowing I had food for the table for my family was more important than the possibility of another overdraft fee. That's a decision I've had to make countless times in my life.
I also put $15 in gas in the Explorer, leaving $5 for gas for the truck in case he needs to take it. Then I came home and put my debit card down next to my computer. I noticed it was gone this morning and I asked Christopher tonight after work if he took it and put it back in his wallet and he said he did. YAY! I know that sounds weird to be excited about, but it means he's serious about keeping his side of the plan. So, since I had no money and no access to money, but the Iris festival was in town and Zoe wanted to go see stuff, I made us each a bologna sandwich and a bottle of water and grabbed some flavor packets and a baggie of carrots and took off for the festival. We ate in the car on the way there, and had nice cold water to drink in the hot sun as we watched the dancers on stage and looked at the booths. It's pretty much the same stuff every year. It felt actually kind of freeing to not have any money. I didn't have to feel bad about telling Zoe no to something when I *could* have gotten it with money budgeted for something else... because I COULDN'T have gotten it. Did that make sense? I didn't have any guilt because it was totally out of my control. I had zero money available so therefore I didn't have to feel bad about telling Zoe she couldn't have a snowcone (which she didn't need of course). She had a cold bottle of cherry limeade water and a baggie of carrots. She was fine. Reading this, it doesn't sound right, but really I just felt such a burden listed off of my shoulders. I think this is going to end up being easier than I thought - of course I'm on my UP days right now, and even found a bottle of St Johns Wort which will hopefully keep me up for a while - but eventually the Down ones will come back... THAT's when the true test will happen.
Since my last post a couple days ago, I've set the plan into action. I made a copy of the budget and tacked it up over the calendar and also put all my debit and credit cards in my hubby's wallet. Yesterday was grocery shopping day, so I had to go to Christopher's store and have him paged to the front (I can never find him on my own.) and asked him for the debit card and showed him the budget paper I had taken from over the calendar (I still need to put that back up there.) Then after running the girls around to see their friends and go to sleepovers, I went grocery shopping. I went to two stores to get the best deals and still went over the grocery budget by about $30. The problem was that since I'd been so bad with the money the last month or so, I hadn't done a big grocery shopping trip in forever so we weren't stocked up on anything. I made the decision that knowing I had food for the table for my family was more important than the possibility of another overdraft fee. That's a decision I've had to make countless times in my life.
I also put $15 in gas in the Explorer, leaving $5 for gas for the truck in case he needs to take it. Then I came home and put my debit card down next to my computer. I noticed it was gone this morning and I asked Christopher tonight after work if he took it and put it back in his wallet and he said he did. YAY! I know that sounds weird to be excited about, but it means he's serious about keeping his side of the plan. So, since I had no money and no access to money, but the Iris festival was in town and Zoe wanted to go see stuff, I made us each a bologna sandwich and a bottle of water and grabbed some flavor packets and a baggie of carrots and took off for the festival. We ate in the car on the way there, and had nice cold water to drink in the hot sun as we watched the dancers on stage and looked at the booths. It's pretty much the same stuff every year. It felt actually kind of freeing to not have any money. I didn't have to feel bad about telling Zoe no to something when I *could* have gotten it with money budgeted for something else... because I COULDN'T have gotten it. Did that make sense? I didn't have any guilt because it was totally out of my control. I had zero money available so therefore I didn't have to feel bad about telling Zoe she couldn't have a snowcone (which she didn't need of course). She had a cold bottle of cherry limeade water and a baggie of carrots. She was fine. Reading this, it doesn't sound right, but really I just felt such a burden listed off of my shoulders. I think this is going to end up being easier than I thought - of course I'm on my UP days right now, and even found a bottle of St Johns Wort which will hopefully keep me up for a while - but eventually the Down ones will come back... THAT's when the true test will happen.
They say it takes 21 days to make a new habit. :) I am glad that day 1 went so well for you. My mom swears by St.Johns Wort. I hope you find it helpful. I need to have a few zero spend days this week too and plan to stay home and focus on my to-do list. Wishing you a peaceful and productive week. :)
ReplyDeleteI'll be adding you to my prayer list Patty (hugs)
ReplyDeleteThanks to you both!! So far the St Johns Wort is doing well. I do think I notice a difference from when I take it and when I forget. Hoping this bottle lasts til the weekend heh.
ReplyDelete