july 21, 2010

OMG

This is the end of my blog!

I can't believe I did this for a whole month! I am pretty proud of myself. I think that this experience will make me look at the price of everything I will buy from now on, and truly try to get the best bargain. The amount of money I've saved this month was AMAZING! Thanks for watching everyone! <3 <3 <3

Love,
April

July 20, 2010

Hi!

Tomorrow is the last day of this blog. :O

I spent $7.50 on coffee, a cookie, and lunch!

$26.54
+$5.00
______
$31.54
-$7.50
_____
$24.04

July 19, 2010

Looking back on this month, I spent five dollars a day. I sold a painting for 100 dollars and added that to my allowance. Either way, no matter how much I spent it really cost me 150 dollars this month.

There are going to be three more days (including today) of my blog. I am going to spend the rest of my money allowance within these last three days, which means on average I will spend about ten dollars a day.

Looking at my bank statement, I cannot believe the amount of money I've saved. I didn't realize how much money I used to fritter away on crap food and transportation. The bus alone used to cost me four dollars a day. I couldn't imagine! I used to be frugal, but now I know how frugal one can actually be and still be happy. I know my savings account is happy!

BTW, I just did laundry in my sink. It washes undergarments like a charm!

(update)

I spent ten dollars on laundry, which rules because this time I didn't have to do it in the sink. HA! :D

$31.54
+$5.54
______
$36.54
-$10.00
______
$26.54

July 18, 2010

What uppp? I spent 30 dollars today on groceries, but I got a killing's worth!!

I went to the 50 percent off section and bought a bunch of pasta, flour (the bag had a tear...oh well!) cookie dough, cheese, and wheat thins.

I also spent $2.25 on lunch, and got some ice cream afterwards.

All of this = 30 dollars, and I'm still within my budget! What's awesome is that I found my checks had more money on them than I had anticipated. Sweetness!


$56.54
+$5.00
______
$61.54
-$30.00
_______
$31.54



Only three days left of my blog!!!

July 17, 2010

Hi blog!

Today I spent $1.50 on coffee, $2.00 on a soda (lol what a ripoff!), and $1.10 on lunch.

$2.00
$1.50
$1.10
______
$4.60

Thank you McDonalds dollar menu! I am one frugal mother***ker! >:D


$5.00
-$4.60
_____
.40

$56.14
+$00.40
_______
$56.54

July 16, 2010

How much did I spend today?

$0.00

Awesome! :D

That's what happens when you buy a lot of food. Night guys!

$51.14
+$5.00
______
$56.14

july 15th, 2010

Yesterday I spent $4.00 on breakfast and lunch (dim sum rules).

Today I am going out to eat. I assume the bill will come to around fifteen dollars. I am still ahead of the game by a good amount of money!

-Aprils :3

(update!)

So I'm awesome and only spent $5.00 for lunch. I went to Shalimar (awesome Indian food) and got chicken tandoori, naan and dip. It was amazing, and totally filled me up for only five dollars. The one I go to is on Polk Street, because it rules.


I spent $25.00 at the grocery store today. I know that's nutso considering my usual budget, but I only bought things that would contribute to a larger meal. For instance, I bought a bunch of walnuts, sugar and bananas for banana bread. I also got carrots, a 5 dollar chicken, celery, peppers, and an onion for chicken soup. I got tomatoes and Italian sausage to make spaghetti. I have enough soup stuff to make about two servings of soup. If I save all of the chicken and boil the soup stock, I'm sure I'll have enough for a HUGE pot of soup which will last me a long time since I can freeze portions. I'm going over budget because I made extra money, but in the long run it's going to last me a long time. I guess what I have learned from doing this so long is that junk food is a great way to lose a lot of money, and the food only lasts for a few minutes. When you go grocery shopping and know what you're doing, food can last you weeks or even months if you freeze stuff!

$76.14
+$5.00
_____
$81.14

-$5.00 (food)
-$25.00 (shopping for food)
___________
$51.14

July 13, 2010

I SPENT NOTHING TODAY!!

I made some Ramen with an egg in the daytime, and cooked up some rice, a sausage I had in the freezer, onions, and spices up at night. Yummo.

Also, my roommate Don was telling me about CDs and compound interest in such a savings that has an interest rate of more than a negligible amount per month. I wanna look into it so I'm not a total broke-o when I'm old.

My back hurts. Time to clean my room!

$71.14
+$5.00
_______
$76.14


BY THE WAY...

I'm going to clean my room and bathroom tonight. I'm telling myself that whatever random change I find under things, on my drawers, etc is added to my fund. This will give me the incentive to actually clean like a pro! :D :D :D :D <3

July 12, 2010

My hair diffuser cost me 20 dollars!!! However, my hair is looking mighty sweet because of it. :)

Yesterday:
Hair diffuser: $20.00
Dim Sum: $3.00
Coffee:$1.50
_______________
$24.50

Today:
Coffee:$2.00

$92.64
+$5.00
______
$97.64
-$24.50
_______
$68.14
+$5.00
_______
$73.14
-$2.00
________
$71.14

July 10, 2010

Hi all! Catch-up time!

Two days ago (8th):

$7.00 Nuts
$1.25 Bananas
$2.00 Coffee
$4.00 Tons of ramen (rounded up)
___________________
$14.25

$120.62
+$5.00
______
$125.62
-$14.50
______
$106.12

Yesterday (9th):

$2.50 Dim sum
$7.00 BART ticket
___________________
$9.50

$106.12
+$5.00
_______
$111.12
-$9.50
_______
$101.62

Today (10th):

$1.25 Gatorade
$2.75 Dim Sum
$10.00 headphones
___________________
$14.00

$101.64
+$5.00
_______
$106.64
-$140.00
_______
$92.64


I've been spending more than five dollars in the last three days, because I have actually made money to add to my budget. SPLURGE! I need to not continually spend more than ten dollars a day. I could if I wanted to, but the idea of saving up for something important instead of convenience seems like a better idea to me.

Though I have used a higher budget during these last few days, I have still cut back. For instance, when I went to Walgreens I almost a bunch of junk food. I mean, I had the money! However, my newfound miser habit made me refuse to buy crap and at least buy stuff that is full of protein (nuts), that would fill me up and be used with other stuff (peanut butter and bananas or banana bread, and egg drop soup for the ramen). Yes, my 36 eggs are still lasting me! Whoo hoo!

Keeping track of everything you spend your money on makes you very aware of what is and isn't going to last! :) I think that I'm gonna buy a hair diffuser tomorrow, because I know I'll totally use it!

July 9, 2010

Going to a party tonight if I'm not too zonked. I'll make an entry tomorrow night! <3

July 7, 2010

My hometown is full of chickens running around. I always wanted to take one.

I spent the last two days of my break in Sacramento. My aunt drove me home, and paid for my train trip back. Awesome!

I saw my best friend Jenna before she was going to leave for Southern California, so that was completely good and worth the trip itself. We had a BBQ and played rock band all day. I really wish I could have seen my parents this time, but I was only down there for a second and would have wanted to spend more than an hour or two with them. Next time! :)

I spent 10 dollars on a gift, but received 40 dollars for the trip home from my gracious aunt. The train ticket came to 28 dollars, but I might do a BART transfer in Richmond which would cost be about another five dollars, but I would for sure make It to work by 3:00 (I ended up not buying the five dollar ticket).

Becky told me that I could get some food with the rest of the money on the train, but I’m going to pocket it instead and use it for lunch today. (later edit - lunch was $7.29 and it was a soup bread bowl at Boudin. SPLURGE-O!)

I actually sold a painting! My awesome friend Alex bought my painting for 100 dollars. I was going to get my blankets dry-cleaned with the money (it would have been about 20

dollars per blanket) but Ruth gave me some sheets that apparently dry-clean your blankets in a dryer. If it works, that saves me 40 dollars!!!

I made 100 dollars, and was given 40 dollars. When I started this blog, I said that not only does unused change from the five dollars roll over and add up, but if I made money outside of my job I got to use it in my budget. Excellent! :D

$20.91

+$40.00 (from aunt)

+$5.00 (daily)

___________

$65.91

$28.00 (train)

$7.29 (lunch)

$10.00 (gift)

_________
$45.29

$65.91
-$45.29
_______
$20.62

+$100.00 (painting sold)

___________

$120.62

July 5th 2010

I R in jail!



Hi guys! I worked on the 4th until wtf am, so tonight is a double post!

Yesterday I spent nothing, and my awesome aunt Becky took me to Alcatraz and bought be a sandwich. I went into "The Hole," which is solitary confinement. After that, I felt lucky to go to work! I spent nothing yesterday. Whoo hoo!

Today I spent $3.78 on drinks at Taco bell. Man, sodas at Taco Bell are HUGE!
SOOOOO

yesterday + today:
+$10.00

$24.69
-$3.78
_____
$20.91

I might go buy a gift tonight.... :)

I spent three dollars on dim sum for breakfast and lunch, and that's it! AWESOME.

$12.69
+$5.00
______
$17.69
-$3.00
______
$14.69

July 2nd, 2010

Reclaiming my awesome organization

YEAH soooo that weekly post thing I was gonna do? I think I'm still just going to post every day, but just make this blog less awesome (sorry). I don't wanna spend an hour a day on a blog that focuses on just me, because that would make me some sort of manglomaniac narcissist. I will just record what I spend so I'm organized, and I can keep on the 5 dollar a day ball. Posting this weekly is going to pull me to the dark side of "Oh a chowder bowl sounds awesome. Frugality can suck it!" My heart and wallet must be strong, and so I have to make a daily post.

Totally good cookie: $2.00
Lunch (McDouble & 2 apple pies): $2.19

$4.19

$11.80
+$5.00
______
$16.80
-$4.19
______
$12.69


:)

june 30th, 2010

Hi everyone! I have decided to make this blog a weekly thing because updating every day is kind of a rush job and a pain in the butt.

Here is what I've done so far:

June 28th -

$8.87 groceries (chocolate, sugar, onion, bell pepper, tomato paste, tomatoes)
$2.00 bus fare
______

$18.00
-$10.87
_________
$7.13

June 29th
$2.19 lunch

$7.13
+$5.00
_______
$12.13
-$2.19
_______
$9.94

June 30th-
$2.40 - groceries (cherries, bananas, apples)

$9.94
+5.00
______
$14.94
-$2.40
______
$12.54

July 1st-

$1.38 coffee
$1.36 envelopes
$4.00 monster drink
___________

$6.74

$12.54
+5.00
_______
$17.54
-$6.74
_______
$11.80



<3,
April