Oops, sorry for the late posting, folks. I basically somehow managed to just completely forget that I hadn’t scheduled this for Saturday. Still getting back in the groove, I guess.
For those who are new, my style of “spending” is a little convoluted. I have two checking accounts. I keep the majority of my money in the secondary account, transferring $240 a week into the main account. But I charge everything to the card to maximize rewards. As charges accrue, I transfer money out of the main account into the secondary one. Then I make a weekly payment on my credit card.
A tad confusing, perhaps, but it works for me. Anyway, here’s how spending went this week.
Thursday
I woke up and got through emails and a bit of other work. I got a message from a guy I’d been talking to the day before. We’d agreed to have drinks that evening.
He agreed with the bar I’d suggested the night before, but he asked if he could let me know the specific meet time around noon when he saw how some things shook down. I said sure.
I messaged my friends to say I allegedly had a date but, with my recent terrible luck (men flaking/ghosting/turning out to suck at the last minute) I would believe it when the date actually happened.
I putzed around a bit and checked in with the guy around 1:45 p.m. Aaaaand he wasn’t feeling well. He’d mentioned being tired earlier, and apparently it’d only gotten worse.
I cursed my luck and said okay. But I was busy Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. And he was busy Friday. So we agreed I’d let him know if I ended up cutting out of a birthday party (which started mid-afternoon Saturday) at a reasonable hour, and we’d meet up. But I warned him I’m doomed lately, so not to expect much.
I went and worked out after work, then stopped by Fry’s to pick up some strawberries and a couple other items. I was sticking to my diet pretty well, at least! The total was $10.55.
When I got home, I messaged the gal who had gone to the show with my the previous Sunday to see if she wanted to see a play on Sunday that looked interesting. It’s called Mojada Medea, and it’s the Medea myth but the characters are undocumented immigrants. She said yes, so I bought us tickets. Since she’ll pay me back, I’m only counting my ticket for $22.50. Yay Goldstar!
I watched some TV until bedtime, and I fell asleep around 11 p.m.
Total spent: $33.05
Friday
I woke up feeling pretty good — but still dreading my workout. The first several sessions are always the worst.
I got through the workday pretty quickly, and left for the gym directly afterward.
After my workout, I was craving protein, so I picked up some teriyaki chicken for $10.02. It was a bit over my calorie count for my diet, but I made sure to not eat all the rice if I didn’t need to (which I didn’t). I did end up having more food after that, but by and large I’d done pretty well on my diet that week. So I wasn’t too concerned.
I watched TV and chilled out until bedtime. I was ready for bed around 10:30 p.m .but it took about an hour to fall asleep. Sigh.
Total spent: $10.02
Saturday
I still woke up before 8 a.m. (blah) but rested a bit and then did a small amount of tidying before leaving for my haircut.
I go to a beauty school, so cuts are only $20, but the gal showed me something to help protect hair from heat. And I live in Phoenix. And it’s about to be triple digit temperatures. So I bought that too. The end total was $55.18.
I found out the birthday girl was running late — the party was supposed to start at 4 p.m. but she was now thinking 5 — but she hadn’t reserved anything. So I offered to have my friend Trivia Buddy (TB) and I still go at 4 p.m. and stake out as many seats as possible. She said yes, that would be great.
I ran out and got a few groceries ($14.37). I also picked up some balloons from Dollar Tree for $6.79. I’m counting all birthday party-related expenses and other carousing we did that night as not coming out of weekly spending because… it was a lot.
I rested up until it was time to get ready. TB showed up and we took an Uber down. (Price will be at the end, since we also took an Uber back.)
We got to the hotel and pushed three tables together and tied up the to some chairs so other party attendees would know to come over.
The party was enjoyable enough. I got to talk with a gal who was a lot of fun. But it was a rooftop bar of a nice hotel, so the drinks turned out to be $17, and we were there for around four hours, so both TB and I got three drinks each. So after tip, my bill was $61.39. Ouch. But I didn’t have much say over the venue.
Both TB and I were hungry, so we stopped by a place that has bars and restaurants. I got a pizza ($17.30 after tip, ouch) and a drink ($15.03). We chilled out there chatting for probably an hour, then we decided to make one last stop. Thankfully, it was indoors because we’d been in 90 to 98 degree heat for the past eight hours.
I got a drink for $13.03. We were going to catch an Uber directly after but despite being only 11:30 p.m., it was $54. So we caught the light rail up to the park ‘n ride near me, then took an Uber to my house. I had to use cash, as the light rail’s ticket-dispensing machines wouldn’t put the transaction through with my card. The cash is accounted for in other spending diaries, so isn’t counted as weekly funds.
The Ubers to and from downtown were $36, so TB sent me half for a net cost of $18.
I came home and messaged a little, passing out around 1 p.m.
Total spent: $201.09 ($69.55 out of weekly funds) owwwww
Sunday
I had planned on getting up, working on a blog post and working out a bit before meeting a friend for dinner and a play. But I didn’t feel up to a workout, so I just worked on a blog post for a while and ran to Fry’s for a couple of munchies ($6.48).
I came home, finished the post and got ready for the dinner/play. Dinner was a painful $27.19 after tip and tax, considering I just got a large salad (plus chicken). But that’s Scottsdale for you.
The play was a hard watch, but really good.
My friend and I parted ways, and I got home around 8 p.m. I was in bed by 10 p.m. but didn’t fall asleep until about 11.
Total spent: $33.67
Monday
I woke up having had plenty of sleep but feeling pretty logey. I caught up on work and attempted a nap. I dozed a bit but nothing substantive.
I saw a cool candleholder I thought would be perfect for my goth friend. I sent her the link, and it turns out it’s been on her list for literal years. It was only $16.99, so I got it in preparation for her birthday. The end total was $18.45.
I got through the workday, and I was still kind of weary. But I went to my beauty service appointment, taking $40 out in cash to pay. Unfortunately, there was a mixup on one our ends and the aesthetician wasn’t there. We agreed I’d come back the next day.
I was annoyed and had been craving frozen yogurt for several days, so I stopped off at a place. It was $9.14.
I came home and tried to rest for the board game night MeetUp event I’d signed up for, but it quickly became clear I wasn’t going anywhere. I was once again hungry for teriyaki for some reason. I ordered two bowls to help amortize the cost, which was $31.79.
While I didn’t love the amount I was spending on food this week, I have to admit that it really hit the spot.
I watched TV for a while and chatted with a new dating app guy. But given my luck these last few weeks, I wasn’t optimistic.
I called it a night around 9 and was asleep around 10:30.
Total spent: $81.27
Tuesday
I woke up on time for once and decided to be productive. I put in three phone calls — one to set up an HVAC semi-yearly inspection, one to check on whether my new eyeglasses place had gotten the fax from my old one, and one to my gynecologist about IUD options. (With the recently leaked draft and some states’ politicians not saying no when asked about potential bans on Plan B and even IUDs, I decided I should get the best protection available.)
I had to leave messages for two of the three, but set up the HVAC appointment.
I got to work, but emails were light. So I was able to catch up and then update this spending diary. I also started my next post, which was a belated spending/saving report for the previous month. Oops.
I also called the mechanic, since my car had been bugging me for a couple of weeks that it was about time (and then actually time) to get the transmission flushed/oil changed). I set it up for Thursday morning.
Around 11 a.m., the new dryer got here, and they carted the old one away. Hooray! The one is incredibly quiet and seems pretty cool, even though I stayed pretty low-end.
I got an Amazon return all boxed up and printed out a couple things (including one for a Macy’s return) and then ran to Fry’s to take advantage of the last day of $0.97 strawberries. I got a couple other things, so the end total was $13.75.
It was 1 p.m. at this point, and I was feeling kind of wiped. I texted the lady asking if we could push the beauty service til the next day. She said sure.
After work, I just rested/relaxed and watched TV. I called it a night around 9:30 p.m. and was asleep by 11.
Total spent: $13.75
Wednesday
I woke up and got through emails, then lay back down for a bit. My friend was in from San Diego for a conference, so I was picking her up at the airport to have dinner before dropping her at her hotel.
I did two loads of laundry, enjoying the new dryer, so $7 went to the Washer/Dryer fund.
I got through the workday and then went to my beauty appointment.
I came home, rested a bit and then got ready to go. At 6 p.m. I took off for the airport, then my friend and I went to dinner. Except the branch of the restaurant near the airport turned out to close quite early (7:30 p.m.) so we ended up driving all the way back to the one near my house, which was 17 miles.
But worth it. My friend loved the food like I knew she would. We sat and chatted for probably an hour or more. My bill was $36.37.
Since we were close to my house, I brought her back to check it out briefly. “Briefly” because she’s pretty allergic to animals, and Josie is a constantly-shedding fuzzball.
I drove back to her hotel which was by the airport, then back home. It was close to 10 p.m., and all the driving had me pretty beat. So I got ready for bed as soon as I got home and was asleep around 11.
Total spent: $43.37
Total spent: $416.22 ($284.68 out of weekly funds)
Well, not a very frugal week, however you count the money spent. I do want to trim spending some, but I’m also at least happy that a lot of the money is spent on socializing and having a life. Rather than sitting at home alone (after a day spent alone) watching TV. But I still wouldn’t mind lowering the amount of takeout/food app delivery, and maybe hold off on another night of pricey specialty drinks for a little bit.
Related reading:
Of massages, puppets & board games: A spending diary
Of bars, movie rentals & surprisingly little takeout: A spending diary
revanche @ a gai shan life says
I’m glad you’re having fun! Sure it costs a bit but surely this is part of enjoying your present?
revanche @ a gai shan life recently posted…Living in the time of pandemic: COVID-19 (102)
Abigail says
Yuuup. Socializing is important for mental health, so it’s definitely bringing value to my life and making sure I’m not always living for the future. It just still stings a bit when you add it up haha
Donna Freedman says
Inflation, man.
Also: teriyaki! Now I’m hungry.
Donna Freedman recently posted…Anatomy of a frugal meal.
Abigail says
It’s pretty tasty, as you may recall.
Sandra J says
Thanks for sharing! Would you mind also sharing the logistics of your diet? I’m a month into counting calories and can use some good ideas. Is your teriyaki a National chain?
Abigail says
I don’t know that I’d recommend my diet per se, haha. It’s not the healthiest in that I don’t get nearly enough vegetables. But basically, I have four small meals two hours apart during the workday:
* Pure protein (because it’s about as low in sugar as you can get and still be affordable) twice
* A serving of no-sugar-added peanut butter twice
The large amount of protein is good for hunger in general but also keeps my blood sugar stable. If I let my blood sugar drop, I crave carbs and/or feel tired and more hungry.
After work, I either have a small snack so I can go to the gym or (if I’m not working out that day) I may eat dinner abysmally early when I get off work at 3. At any rate, dinner is just a Healthy Choice frozen meal — literally the only veggies I get, so again… not sure how closely you want to emulate.
A little while later — if my sweet tooth can handle waiting — I have 1/3 of a Cadbury bar. If I went to the gym (and didn’t have my snack first or if I burned more calories than the snack) I’ll have 200 calories of something. Might be another protein bar, might be strawberries or other fruit that was on sale that week.
I feel like the first four small meals of the day aren’t too bad, but most people would likely want to add in more veggies. Which you totally can because this is an extremely low calorie diet. It’s only about 1,200 calories overall. Which is why, if I work out, I make sure to add more in. From what I recall in all of my reading years ago, 1,200 is about as low as most people should even think about going. Less than that (if you’re not tiny) will generally make your body freak out and lock onto fat. But when I stick to the diet, it’s about 7,000 calories less a week than I burn, which means I generally lose right around 2 lbs a week.
Oh, and if you try Pure Protein: I eat the flavor “chocolate deluxe” and if any of the other flavors are like that then you really want to refrigerate them. The chocolate deluxe is incredibly mediocre at room temperature. It taste much closer to regular chocolate when it’s cool.
Sandra J says
Thanks so much! Some great ideas here.
Abigail says
Glad it might help!
Karen says
Don’t you only need to put in $3.50 for a washer fund now? 🙂
Abigail says
Haha technically I suppose that’s true.
Teinegurl says
So is the washer getting replaced? Now you get to use the washer/dryer fund?
Abigail says
I did use the washer/dryer fund for this, yes. My washer still probably has a fair amount of life in it yet. So I’m debating whether I want to actually replace it or just see how long it lasts.