Last Week’s Goals

Hi everyone! I’m still finishing up the data collection for last month, but in the meantime, wanted to update you on my goals for last week. In short, Food Spending was perfect, but I only got my butt to the gym once. I also ended up having wine on Wednesday night. The boarder staying with me had some drama (a former employee vandalized his truck and stole both sets of keys) and after the police left, everyone wanted a drink.

There was one grocery store trip mid-week for $28 worth of supplies. All in all, I did okay financially but I’m disappointed in myself for not getting my schedule organized and not prioritizing fitness. I strongly believe that I need to have free/affordable distractions if I am going to be successful.

This Week’s Goals

This week, I want to be frugal. It’s my brother’s birthday on Friday, and I’ll budget $50 for that between gas (he lives about 90 minutes away) and some food/drinks to bring. I’m seeing my grandparents for brunch the morning after, and that should be at their place (fingers crossed, I really hate spending money on breakfast food because it’s so cheap to make at home). Beyond those two calendar items, it’s going to be a quiet weekend. Following that, I’ll be on vacation! I’m going to take a staycation to catch up on house organization and cleanliness, and then spend a few days at the cottage with friends.

Shop the Pantry and Freezer

I have three meals prepped for this week already including a big batch of homemade butternut squash soup. Once those meals are depleted, I’ll shop my own cupboard and chest freezer. There are lots of frozen food and pantry items to consume! In my pantry, I have curry paste, rice, chickpeas, tuna, and more. In the fridge, there is tofu and loads of fresh vegetables. I didn’t get much shopping done this weekend as it was Labor Day and I was busy all weekend, but I should be able to get through the week without adding to my grocery bill. I enjoy the exercise of emptying the freezers seasonally – it’s like a fresh start!

All Food From Home

Once again, no spending on coffee, snacks, lunch, or takeout dinners! No spending on food that isn’t from home. This will be a habit soon, and I won’t have to add it to my weekly list any longer.

Gym or Running x 3

I have a history of leg and foot injuries from adding mileage too fast. I’m going to aim for three fitness sessions this week, and four next week. None of these will cost money and as a bonus, I spend a lot less when I’m on track with fitness.

Setting Myself Up for Success

I want to make sure I meet each of these goals, so that’s it for my goals this week. They mirror last week’s goals except this time I’m not allowing for a grocery trip. I have to get some cat food and have a couple of house keys cut today, but beyond that I should not be spending this week.

To be honest with you all, I am still struggling quite a bit with impulse control and spending. I know my spending is down, but it’s wild how much guilt and anxiety are tied to my bank account. The adjustment is rough. Simply being aware of where my money is going is making me anxious. Then there are the mental battles of what I “deserve”, what is a “normal” amount of money to spend, how many life-altering changes can I make at once without feeling suffocated… It goes on and on. I know I can’t compare myself to others. I have to measure my success against myself and my own goals, and that’s really hard to do.

Monthly goals will be posted by Friday, along with The Reckoning (an account of my actual spending in August, and my takeaways).

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