Confirmation and Temptations

home made deodorant - feels and smells so good!

It has been surprisingly easy to not spend any money this month, for the following reasons:

• It's only a month, how hard can that be? Makes me feel like taking on other monthly challenges on things I've been meaning to improve on.
• I've travelled for work a few times this month which had me eating out - which I do a couple of days a week at work normally and would have missed.
• I already have everything I need anyway.
• I watched Zeitgeist, wow, major confirmation.
• Natural Grocers opened in Denton and I got some great snacks and groceries, which have made home made lunches awesome
• When I ran out of deodorant and laundry soap, I had so much fun making my own!

Here are temptations that I managed to resist:

• One dollar donuts at Denton Square Donuts - "donuts" does not do them justice, they are kolache type pastries, and absolutely delicious!
• A second pair of Puma sneakers
• A vacuum cleaner, I've been in my digs for a year...it's time...
• $10 ticket to theater production of O'Keefe
• A can opener - will probably have to get one now, but I borrowed and met a new neighbor!
• An iron for crafty projects (you don't think I iron my clothes do you?) - I put the word out I'm doing an exchange with a friend, her old iron for some handmade earrings! 

True confessions time, here are the temptations that I have NOT resisted:

• Postage on mailing some Valentine goodies to my sweeties
• A LARGE Starbucks Misto on a rainy drive from Austin to Dallas
• $3 car wash, which may not have really been cheating but it felt like it so it probably was
• $35 for technical assistance for Toshiba to fix my TV signal (should that "count")?
• $15 for lunch - a lunch meeting for work that had already been set up long ago

I had several breakfast/lunch meetings that had been set up before I decided to go frugal in February. That's where it gets interesting - as mentioned, one of them I went ahead with and spent about $15 on and that was fine. The other two I went ahead with and the other person insisted on picking up the tab! That was so generous of them, and normally I would have put up more of a fight, but I thought it was so cool that they took care of me like that. (No, I didn't mention to any of them beforehand that I was being frugal in February). I will definitely be paying it forward!

Bottom line on the savings: $428. How did I calculate this? Well, in January I spent $681 in various expenses other than bills, but including groceries (I couldn't tease that out because I use cash for groceries). I had $400 in cash that I was supposed to use for groceries and miscellany and  I used that plus $281 in things such as shoes, gifts and eating out once the cash ran out. In February I spent a total of $253 including groceries and the $51.25 in miscellany that crept in. 

What have I learned from this? Well, I've learned that I am pretty frugal already. To get even better I think I need to get a little more cash to spend every month, and then when it runs out it runs out. I'm going to try that and not use the debit card at all if possible. If I can do that, and save some cash on the side for extras, I think I will do better on the miscellany. And, I am going to continue to bring my lunch to work every single day, rather than eat out. I have plenty of opportunities to eat out when I travel for work, I'll make the best of that, and I will save eating out for weekends with the girls and friends. Other than that, I feel like I'm on the right track!