re-acquainting myself with my inner penny-pincher

Holy spending, Philosophotarian! Someone needs a budget and fast! Where is the hero who will save me from my spendthrift ways?

Since mid-January, I've been very consistent with exercise. I am currently armed with a reading plan for the next ten weeks. Now, it seems, I need to strengthen my discipline in another area of my life: my budget.

I have been allowing myself quite a few splurges: I've ordered a lot of books from Amazon lately (those I don't feel too badly about); I had that little spree at the Gap (underwear! slacks! pajamas! I've been wearing these things all the time. still ...); then there was that indiscretion at Lush (it smelled so nice! and they gave me a goody bag! and a lady has to exfoliate!); let's not forget yesterday's decadent debauchery (strawberry-rhubarb cocktails that weren't too sweet! and "Miss Iowa" is back at Uncommon Ground! and one must eat while imbibing); there are groceries going bad in my refrigerator as we speak (I would have cooked last night, but I was out all day).

Looks like I need to go on a Cash-Only diet. I'll probably start by giving myself $100/week (starting next week). That's for everything: groceries, fun, I-ran-late-so-need-to-buy-lunch-out emergencies, cat food, toilet paper, clothing, makeup - everything. I can certainly get by on about $25-30/week on groceries, especially when I plan my menus. This will leave me with about $70/week for everything else. What I don't spend, I'll set aside, in a separate jar or something. At the end of next month, we'll see how much I have left.

In fact, dear readers, I will keep track of my spending this month and report at the end of each week and at the end of the month. With the money I hope to have left over, I'll plan, right now, to put some into my savings account, spend some on books at Amazon (I'll just put that money back into checking), and then see where I am.