“No Spend” results

 Ok, so, listen. I am going to share what I actually spent on my “no spend” week,  and I am pretty sure you are going to think it sounds pretty spendy. BUT I SWEAR IT WAS NOT AT ALL. It is pricey to have five freaking kids, you know?

This does not include any bills that we auto pay or any subscriptions (I get my shampoo and conditioner and my night cream and all of our random Amazon things via subscription, so lots of time, stuff just appears on my door at the exact right moment and I don’t even notice it. LOL).

 It also does not include anything that Ben spent, and he also got gas twice, ate dinner out, ran to Hyvee for apples and other things, bought groceries for Friday and Saturday night at Whole Foods (also more apples— we are in an apple era), did a random Target run, bought wine and coffee, and paid for Coop’s bday party (lunch for 10, plus golf for 10).

Sunday: $305

Target: $124 (random cleaning stuff, some prepackaged snacks and Naked Juice smoothies for after school/ pre-sports, random grooming products from all the bathrooms— I add what’s running low to my online cart when I am cleaning)

Metro Market: $178 (groceries— only cheap because I spent a million dollars at Trader Joe’s on Saturday before I started “not spending.”)

Google $3: I ran out of storage and had to up my plan real fast

Monday: NOTHING!!

Tuesday: $70

Whole Foods: $30 (none of this was essential except for a $7 gallon of milk. I was just killing time until the Amazon return station opened but then the person was late and I ended up using the self-serve kiosk which I could have done at the outset and not bought anything)

Culver’s: $21 (we all got kiddie meals— Culver’s broccoli is better than their fries)

Target: $9 (Naked Juice and face masks. LOL)

Car wash: $10 (forgot I was not spending)

Wednesday: $15

Copay at the doctor’s office: $15

Thursday: $70

Mobil: $4 (gum)

Greenbush: $37 (donuts for a work meeting)

Target: $29 (assorted bullshit and also Cheez-It’s for Minnie)

Friday: NOTHING!!!!!

I did have a PSL, but I used points!

Saturday: $71

Mobil: $51 (gas)

Amazon: $20 (ballet shoes for a certain someone who most definitely lost hers)

Grand total: $537 (but this includes groceries!!)

I want to beat this number for the week ahead— and by not getting my car washed, trolling the aisles at Whole Foods, and buying donuts, I am pretty sure I can… Ben is also tracking what he spends this week, too, since I am pretty sure he out-spent me last week, and I know he has about $150 worth of pressed shirts and dry cleaned suits to pick up. ON THE OTHER HAND, I think groceries will cost more this week. But! If I can avoid the midweek shops, then maybe not?** 

I think I need more immediate rewards. Like, we need to do something I can see with extra money each week— stuff it in an envelope under the mattress maybe? (KIDDING). Also extra money LOL— Harry’s tuition is due this month, and dance just sent their September bill. THERE IS NO EXTRA MONEY, silly.

Minnie now wears last year’s Costco holiday finery any old day— love that for her.

**Between the food portions of my Target runs, the wine and coffee store, Hyvee, and Whole Foods, I am pretty sure groceries clocked in around the $600 mark…I think it is better to spend more on the big weekly shop because every time I go out for “one quick thing” it becomes also lots of random stuff, too. BUT ALSO, groceries just sort of cost what they cost, and I don’t expect to really save in this category.

NO SPEND WEEEEEEEK

 I don’t know about you all, but for us, the beginning of the school year is SO EXPENSIVE. Every time I turn around, someone needs clothes or shoes or shoes for a specific activity or that one more supply on the list, etc etc etc. SO. This week! We are not buying ANYTHING. Well, erm, anything EXCEPT:

• Gas
• Dinner out for Ben on Tuesday
• Dinner out for me and the girls on Tuesday
• Pizza of some kind for pizza Friday
• Grocery needs that might arise (this one is a slippery slope, though, because I can spend A TON on specialty groceries and “need” is subjective)

CAN WE DO IT? Yes, I am sure we can. Will we like it? Probably not.

And you might be thinking DINNER OUT, is that not totally counter to the idea of a no spend week? I mean, yes. And I guess I could pack us a picnic to eat between dive drop off and Dorothy's one and only 45 minute dance team class of the night, but I think not dealing with all of that is money well spent. Last week, even though dance hadn’t started yet, she had a photo session in that same window of time and we ate Mod Pizza at the dance studio, and it was so easy and low stress. And I need more easy, low stress things in my life.