Okay, ya'll so I don't know where I was during the lesson about budgeting, but it is a concept that I super struggle to grasp! I have tried for years to find a budget that I can stick to or let alone make sense of. I have tried all different types of ways, incentivizing myself, planning things out and estimating the cost of said things, and using separate bank accounts. I have even tried giving myself an allowance, but I could never seem to stay within my budget or my budget was always so unrealistic. This year I made a "new years resolution" per se, and I said I was going to be super strict with my budget and take it so crazy serious. What I have found that works for me are eliminating unnecessary spending habits. I'm sure you're like well yeah that's what budgeting is, but I really had to sit down and take a look at what was going on. I spend money like crazy! I eat out a lot. I mean like all three meals a day, and roughly each of those meals is somewhere that you can sit down and spend no less than 15$ and no more than 40$, keep in mind that's for one person multiple times a day! This is for sure my biggest unnecessary spending habit. I am an impulse spender, I will buy something off the first impression, knowing that I may be able to find the same thing somewhere else for less money and same quality but I'm here now so might as well get it... right? Lastly, I give myself too much wiggle room within my budget. Not being strict and disciplined enough to stay within the budget I set is so counterproductive and queues my vicious budgeting cycle!
Living overseas has made me such a food snob! Nashville is constantly opening new restaurants and I must try them all. I do know how to cook and eating out isn’t because I’m too lazy or lack the skill. It’s simply because I enjoy the experience, and I am willing to pay for that experience. Everything can be done in moderation and I was truly eating my way through my budget. On a regular day, I might go to brunch, have a couple mimosas, and a decently priced entree. Let’s say that cost 20-25 dollars. I am not typically a three meals a day type of gal so we’ll skip to dinner and let’s say that’s between 25-30 dollars. Now already I have already spent close to 50 dollars on food in one day. Oh and I don’t eat leftovers, so whatever I don’t finish goes to waste. When I took a look at how and where I was spending the most money, eating out was the culprit. I tried to set an allotted amount for eating out expense, and it just wasn’t logical. So I decided I would eliminate it altogether! It takes 30 days to stop an old habit and form a new and hopefully better one. I decided to give up eating out for 40 days. I completely eliminated the expense from my budget and committed to cooking at home 7 days a week for 40 days straight. The first week was the worst! I know how to cook but I don’t think I’m the best at it. My menu options are pretty basic and I get bored easily. The first week I went through the regulars. I made homemade hamburgers, chicken Alfredo, and chicken breast with roasted vegetables. I asked some friends to send over some of their favorite recipes so I could try them and I also jumped on Pinterest for inspo as well. I noticed that I was still being very wasteful even though I was cooking the food at home. I put together a grocery list and would think of three things I wanted to have that week. Lamb chops, shrimp tacos, and salmon. With those three things I would need to find one or two other ways to multipurpose those items. Lamb chops with a strawberry field salad and asparagus one night and the following night a romaine lettuce salad with cucumber, feta cheese, avocado, and shredded lamb with Greek dressing! I would do this for the other two items on the list as well. Having pre-planned meals took out the guesswork and provided lunch and dinners for most of the week. I was enjoying trying new things and preparing and cooking the meals became fun and exciting. I wasn’t getting bored repeating the same variations of meals and I was seeing the change reflected in my bank account. I have been very strategic when forming my grocery list. I don’t take into account household items in my budget because that’s not a reoccurring expense for me. I do however make an adjustment if one week I am buying more organic or fresh items opposed to another week where I didn’t need those items. I also don’t deviate from the weeks set meals. Of course, switch the order of meals so I don’t have to have chicken three nights in a row, but If I’m craving fresh lobster and that’s not what I planned for the week then its got to wait till the following week. This was a big way I eliminated being so wasteful being strict and disciplined within the parameters I have set. I also am a terrible grocery shopper. The kind that spends 300 dollars and comes home with pop tarts two cases of water and a box of Mac and cheese. It took me a hot minute to really learn how to grocery shop. I am not an avid couponer but I do pay attention to the sales prices and what’s going to be the best value for my money! I am not cheap, although there’s nothing wrong with that, I just have learned to be more resourceful with my spending. I go to the grocery store once a week, that’s easiest for me but some people go every two weeks. I think whichever works but it’s easier for me to focus on one week at a time. It’s officially been 26 days into my 40-day journey! 4 days shy of the 30-day mark. I can honestly say how much I have enjoyed cooking at home. Learning new recipes and experimenting with some things. There are some days I miss eating out and the ease that comes with it. When my 40 days is up I don’t know for sure if I’ll adjust my budget again for eating out( in moderation), I guess we’ll see!
Impulse spending! First I never knew there was ever such a thing! Stores like target get me every time! I go in to buy a card for a friend and see two tee shirts, a set of kitchen knives( I already have some, but these are sooo cute), and a host of other trinkets and such that I DONT NEED. I get to the register and a 7 dollar trip to target is 125 dollars. Oh well right I’ll just adjust my budget(eyeroll). That never works! So I bought all these super cool things get home and they sit. Most of the time don’t get used never opened or weren’t even needed in the first place! So why not just fix it right? Well, when you have done something for so long it’s hard to start doing something different! I have clothes with tags on them that at the moment I absolutely NEEDED, but months later have yet to wear! This one was all about the discipline that was lacking from maintaining my budget! I make such a conscious effort now to determine if I need it, will I actually use it, is cost-effective to my budget and can I find something comparable for less money. I am not saying don’t splurge cause WHAT I love a good splurge but splurging can’t be every day when you're trying to formulate good spending habits(unless of course, you got it like that).
With anything new, you have got to put your best foot forward and I was giving myself too many chances to operate outside of my budget that I was failing each time to stay on track. Eliminating bad habits one by one allowed me to focus on one thing at a time and be stricter and more rigid with my routine. I don't play the game of 'spend it now and replace it later' because 9 times out of 10 I don't. I am still learning, improving, and making adjustments as needed. I am so proud I found a way to make budgeting work for me and its gotten so much easier along the way.
Xo,
Jasmine
