Do something every day, big or small that will help me save money

Today I took home some fantastic leftovers from the Chinese restaurant with my Dad & others ($10). So I put some of it into a lunch container for tomorrow. I also received some soups (yay!) ($10) and cleaned out the coffee press so that I can use it in the morning ($2). Didn’t buy any drinks last night ($15). Baked my own breakfast & snacks yesterday ($4). Went out & was social but didn’t buy anything! ($4)

- tracked expenditures from the past week
- budgeted for the next few weeks
- wrote down a grocery list with items listed by store
- brought my lunch to work (every time)
- mostly resisted coffee & spontaneous food

Saw K, and didn’t feel the need to make a big night of it. Healthier and a few dollars richer as a result, and left the gang while I was still having fun. :)

Made a new challenge for myself: I can only buy one “alone” coffees per week (Sunday-Saturday), not including scheduled get-togethers and private lessons. Also only buy alcohol ‘out’ once a week at most.

Last week, this was on Friday. This week, unfortunately, this happened already with my killing-time coffee before the shop opened yesterday, but it was quite lovely since I got some good reading in at the same time.

If I don’t feel like going home to do whatever sedate activity I could probabaly do just as well there as in a coffee shop, it’s probably because I’m dreading the mess and should clean it up!

- bought very practical, more timeless items with the help of my giftcard
- made a bit more food today
- plan not to drink very much tonight
- filled my water bottle
- about to grind coffee for tomorrow
- bought the least expensive frames & pic holders
- got earring fixer thingies

- brought my lunch and coffee thermos all week, only spent $1.25 on coffee all week!
- planned my weekend cooking (cookies, soup, granola, quail, salad, egg salad, tuna salad)
- did my grocery shopping with a list
- went out for coffee instead of beer last night, spent $5 instead of $10-15ish
- paid off my credit card purchase on the same day, plus a bit more
- started to plan more regular food swap with roommate
- went halfsies of some food with roommate

Brought my lunch today and yesterday, along with coffee. Didn’t spend any money on Saturday or Monday (just groceries on Sunday).

Unfortunately, a trip to the drug store turned out to be a lot bigger than it really needed to be. Damn drugstore impulse buys!

So far this weekend…

- Immediately paid off yesterday’s credit card donation
- Did lots of veggie chopping to make meal prep easier
- made my lunches for (most of) the next week
- Started planning my meals…

Tonight:
- chicken, beer bread, cookies

Monday:
- granola, orange, yogurt
- leftover chicken & sweet potatoes, cookies
- veggies & hummus
- soup & beer bread

Tuesday:
- granola, orange, yogurt
- tuna sandwich, cookies, leftover veggies
- ants on a log, apple
- egg white omelet with toasted beer bread

Wednesday:
- Granola, banana, yogurt
- tuna sandwich, cookies
- apple, ants on a log
- soup with beer bread

Thursday:
- granola, banana, yogurt
- tuna sandwich, cookies, apple
- ants on a log
- pesto, tuna & leftover veggie pasta

Friday:
- cookies, apple
- curry soup in can
- quail! (find recipe)

Saturday:
- make chicken soup

- had a big breakfast
- brought coffee with me in a thermos=hot coffee all day
- brought a lunch too

- Cleaned out the fridge and freed up a LOT of tupperware, which means it’ll be that much easier to store leftovers and bring a lunch.

- made my lunch for tomorrow!

- did (and doing) as much as possible to prepare for tomorrow, which means easier, time for breakfast, no taxi, bus, or bought coffee

- only bought a half litre tonight, because, really

- made TONS of granola! breakfast!!