What I bought - Week 3

Well, this was the worst week by far. I see a growing trend....it seems to be getting worse by the week. My realization is that it is impossible to not spend money.

I am consciously trying to only buy the things I need, but I tend to throw that out the window for convenience. Living a minimalistic lifestyle seems almost impossible if you are constantly filling your days with stuff to do.

This upcoming week, my goal is to try and SLOW DOWN. There isn't a need for such a hectic life. I need more motivation to make more food at home and eat lunch at my desk!

Wednesday:
HEB
groceries - many needed items - $140

Alamo Drafthouse
dinner and a movie (Nick and Norah...was so cute) - $41

Thursday:
Exxon
gas for Eric's car - $43

Wal-Mart
needed office supplies - $10

Sam's Club
baby formula, bulk groceries and frozen foods - $182

Friday:
Chili's
dinner for the fam - $5
I had a $25 gift card, won that day from a work party

Saturday:
Sweetberry Farms
Took the kids to the pumpkin farm for horse rides, corn maze, and pumpkin painting - $20

Sunday:
Austin American Statesman (newspaper)
A guy came by the house selling the paper, since I need the Sunday paper for coupons, I decided to subscribe for a year - $60

Jo-Ann Fabrics
bought a new sewing machine -$216
the belt on my old one needed replacing. It's old and hard to find, so I decided to buy a new machine since they were on sale and I needed to finish Lauren's costume quick!

Monday:
Linens 'N Things
needed to buy "Fridge It" for my car (had 20% off coupon) - $14
this needs explanation: So I went to the grocery store last week and bought milk. Eric was helping me unload the groceries from my car and there was a whole bunch of baby clothes and crap from the consignment sale that I hadn't taken out. Well, a jug of milk somehow slid under all those clothes and blankets and he thought he grabbed everything. I assumed he grabbed the milk and put it in the garage fridge (I always buy 2 and put one out in the garage). So the entire week went buy and I didn't notice it missing. We carpool and so I didn't drive my car that week. When I went to grab something from my car it stunk so badly. Eric found the root of the smell and it was the milk that had gone sour in the car. it also leaked onto the baseboard of the trunk. So in order to get the smell out of the car I washed the baseboard as much as I could, but it still stunk. So I bought some Fridge It to try and get rid of the stinky smell.

Tuesday:
Mighty Fine (restaurant)
had lunch with Eric - $16

M.A.C
foundation - $25
darn it! I couldn't go one month without hitting the MAC makeup counter. I thought I could, but I was weak. I needed to change my foundation because it was too orange and I couldn't stand it!



Wants: $681
Needs: $435 (I counted the paper as a need...for the coupons)

What I bought - Week 2

Sadly, I didn't do so well this week. I had anticipated spending less this week as a result of spending so much last week...and because I set a goal for myself. This anti-consumer challenge is much harder than I expected.

I am looking back on the things I spent my money on and trying to understand what happened. It looks like I ate out alot more this week than last week.

Maybe I am not considering "food" as a consumer-related product. I had alot of cravings, social events, and was on the go more.

Wednesday:
Exxon Mobile
coffee (got a free water with purchase) - $1.50

Thursday:
Kerby Lane (restaurant)
was craving pumpkin pancakes, so went to lunch with Eric - $25 (for both) only $7 for myself

Friday:
Thrift Store
My co-worker took me to this amazing thrift store. I bought a purse and a blouse :(
hey, it's recycling right?- $14

Twin Creeks CC
Lauren attended "Kids Movie Night" at the club. We had dinner and drinks with some friends during that time. They put the charges on their member number, but we still participated...so I am counting it. $30 food/drinks, $15 Lauren's activity - $45 total

Saturday:
Home Depot
Eric bought some screws for the fence - $10

Sunday:
BW3's
They opened up a Buffalo Wild Wings in Cedar Park! We were dying to get some since we haven't had it in over a year and a half! - $24

Monday:
Freebirds (restaurant)
running errands during lunch - $7

Jo-Ann Fabrics
need supplies for Lauren's Minnie mouse gloves and ears - $14

Exxon
gas for car (I actually paid $2.99/gal can you believe it! Something positive has come out of this whole market crash) - $40

HEB
groceries (mostly meats, dairy, bathroom supplies) - $140
got two free movie tickets as a result of some shampoo and toothpaste I bought (and actually needed)!

Tuesday:
Exxon Mobile
coffee (plus free bottle of water) - $1.50

Sonic
breakfast (forgot my lunch that day and wasn't going to have time to go out to lunch)- $4

BW3's (restaurant)
Eric and I went to lunch. It was "Wings Tuesday" so 35-cent wings! - $19 for both

Wants: $137
Needs: $204

What I have bought - Week 1

You will be seeing weekly updates about what I have been spending my money on and what big business I am sadly supporting...

This also give me a visual insight to how much I am spending and on what...I am being completely honest with you guys (and myself) and putting every penny down! We may both be shocked :)

Wednesday:
Walmart
Batteries, Safety Pins, zip ties - $12

Thursday:
Whole Foods
Groceries (salmon, baby veggies, hummus, teriyaki sauce) - $40

Friday:
Bone Daddy's (restaurant)
It was a co-worker's bday. Split a meal with a friend - $11

Chick-Fil A (fast food)
It was the last day to use my promo coupon for 24 nuggets. So I used that for dinner (bought fries only) - $5

PetSmart
Dog Food for Dax - $43

7-11 (convenient store)
Slurpee - $2

Saturday: My mother came into town. She's a total over-consumer, so I got sucked into spending money, but it was not mine..it was hers. Still I feel I have to annotate the expenses, even though it wasn't my money, because I participated in the purchases.

Babies R Us
Bottles for Kaeden and Booster seat for LT - $ 93

Regal Cinemas
Lauren and Kaeden's first movie (Igor) - $30

Sunday:
Exxon Mobile
Newspaper (for coupons) - $1.60

Whataburger (fast food)
Drink and FF - $3
I have to explain this one...So I put a bunch of LT's clothes in a consignment sale over the weekend. I was supposed to pick up my leftover stuff at 6:45pm. I got there at 6:40 and they told me to turn around and come back in 5 mins. I didn't want to just drive around so I went across the street to get some fries and a drink...which took 5 minutes exactly! Although I spent 3 bucks on fast food, I made $315 by consigning all of LT's old clothes. Not bad, huh!? Good thing about it all is that LT's clothes are being re-used instead of just sitting in a closet taking up space.

Monday:
USPS
Shipping costs for returning a router - $12

Sonic (fast food)
2 corndogs and a diet cherry limeade (forgot my lunch...yea, this was real healthy ha!) - $2

HEB (supermarket)
Groceries (fruits, veggies, and turkey to make Kaeden's baby food; meat; cheese; yogurt; milk) - $60

Tuesday:
YAY! My first day of not spending money!!!!
no biz
no items

The final tally for Week One:
Needs: $261.60
Waste: $ 53

So it looks like the total for needs is much higher than expected. That's only because we had to buy another carseat for Lauren so Kaeden could have hers. I also spent a lot at Whole Foods, when I could have gotten those groceries cheaper elsewhere I am sure. Dax had dog food and that's a monthly expense, not weekly (so it added to my total). My waste amount doesn't seem that bad, but it actually is!! I would like to try and cut that down to $25 next week, which will be my goal.

Confirmation of my cause

So I was watching some of my backlogged Oprah shows on my DVR last night because my usual Thursday shows were bummped (VP debate). I ended up watching Oprah's "Recession" show with guest Suze Orman. I don't know if you guys watched it, but it just further confirmed my cause to go Anti-Consumerist this month.

She came on and explained how the recession was worse than ever (even the great depression). And she went onto talk about how to recession-proof your family. Wouldn't you know it...the biggest way to save yourself from being affected by this recession and what is happening to this market is to...STOP SPENDING MONEY.

Suze explained how the economy fell apart and what the key factors were in contributing to this downfall. One of the points she made was that companies made money by selling investments (like mortgages and credit cards) to people who couldn't afford it. People who wanted to live in a facade of having a big home, new cars, and all these "things" they needed when they truly couldn't afford them. The big companies that lent out the money were just trying to make more money for themselves -- to pay themselves more compensation. You see...it's all about money and people wanting to make more money so they stick it to the consumer...and look at us now -- the people who are suffering the most are The People, you and me!

Anyway, the solution was to stop spending...and stop putting things on credit. Basically, don't buy what you can't afford just to live a life you think you need. This facade that we are all living in is truly what is causing this collapse.

To read more about the show, click here. It's a long read, but really eye-opening. If you can get a hold of the show, it's better to just watch it :)

Anti-Consumerism Month

This month I have self-announced "Anti-consumerism Month". For the entire month of October, I am going to be a minimalist. I will buy groceries, gas, and cloth to make clothes...but I am protesting any major consumer purchases.

For those of you that read my iphone post...you will know that I grudgingly had to make a large purchase and that was my LAST ONE!

I know. You are thinking...what's she doing? Well, I have finally realized that I don't want to be an over-consumer. I have been buying stuff left and right because I feel I needed it or wanted it. I am wastefully spending money on stuff I don't really need. Yes, I have watched a few Oprah shows that have opened my eyes to what is going on out there in this world today (the Freegan episode, and the wasteful family episode)... But for me, I finally just realized that I waste money on stupid stuff....$200 jeans, $300 purses, fast-food/restaurants, knick knacks for the house, over-priced coffees, tons of toys and clothes for my kids (that don't ever even play with them or wear them).

For those of you that know me well, I have been trying to lead this minimalistic lifestyle for sometime now. However, I don't think I am being extreme enough. So this is my one month to try and really DO IT! With the holidays coming around the corner, it will give me fresh insight as to what the holidays really mean...it's not about buying present for everyone...it's about caring for people and loving them. (So for those of you that might be receiving presents this year, it will most likely be hand-made. I have already arranged for card-exchange with some of you. Where we agreed not to buy any presents, but just send cards).

So here's where I outline what I can/cannot buy:

I will not be making any purchases that are not absolutely necessary for myself and my family. Groceries, gas, utility bills of course are on my "can buy" list. I am even going to go as far as trying not to buy any packaged food items. I wanna keep it fresh to just meat, veggies, fruits, and breads. So no snacks or anything that is sold via commercial. I can't help but buy milk and orange juice and formula and stuff. I am also not going to eat fast food or dine at restaurants, as much as I can help it.

No clothes, shoes, stuff for my hair, expensive MAC makeup (or any makeup at all...I have enough to last me for a month!), electronics, dvd's, etc. Anything that can be in a commercial...I am forbidding.

So if you have any questions about my list or have any suggestions...or simply want to join me in my quest...feel free to comment!!

I will be posting weekly updates on what I have spent my money on for that week, just to keep me accountable...and also for your viewing pleasure!! So start subscribing to my post (click here) and you will get updates when I post new blogs!