03 March 2012

We've gone spend crazy!!!

We started spending money again, as normal, on March first. We will be logging every dollar we spend this month, and oh man did we blow a bunch of money on the first! As you know from the previous blog, we get a little over $1500 each pay day. Well, here is an account of what we spent just on the first day of the month.

$175 - Jocelyn's preschool tuition
$100 - cell phones
$40 - internet
$8 - Netflix
$20 - Menehune water delivery
$405 - groceries (for the entire month except extra milk/eggs/fruit/etc)
$110 - gas for both cars
$400 - my plane ticket to San Diego for next week
$62 - spent at the NEX on breast milk storage bags($32 two boxes @ $16 each), diapers and wipes for Brad while I am in San Diego ($15), and underwear for Sam ($15 - 3 packs @ $5 each - little boy chonies are expensive!!)

All of that, except Jocelyn's tuition, was paid for using our Giant's rewards VISA...yeah the one Brad got on accident at a Giant's game 7 years ago when we were trying to get free beach towels. That is the first and only credit card he as ever had/used (besides the Star Card he got to buy our new furniture for 10% off, then paid off before interest and canceled). We use it for everything because it earns us points. I think right now we have enough points to do all of our Christmas shopping this year. ANYWAY, at the end of the day on the 1st, he made a $1065 payment to cover everything we spent that day
(the plane ticket was actually purchased a couple days before).

Brad gave me my $200 allowance, and I spent $15 on lunch at McDonalds for myself and the kids, then I tipped the bagger at the Commissary $3 (loading the van with that many groceries took some Tetris-like skills). I spent $18 of my allowance, and have $182 remaining.

Brad got a $1560 deposit, transferred me $200, paid $1065 on the credit card, and now has $295 remaining. YIKES! how did that happen so fast? Haha.

It is now March 3rd, and the only money spent yesterday was $5 at the mini mart. Brad stopped by the mini-mart on his way home to pick up some soda. I didn't buy any at the commissary on the 1st because it was $6 for a 12-pack, eek! He grabbed a 12-pack of Mt. Dew (ew), and a large fountain Dr, Pepper for me. I am going to search the island for the cheapest Dr. Pepper tomorrow! :)

Today, Brad went to see Act of Valor with some buddies, and spent $20 on a movie ticket, popcorn and a soda.

So, we currently have about $450 between the two of us until next payday, and the $277 from last month's cash envelope is still on our fridge. We still plan to save as much as we can for our move, so Brad plans to take lunch to work every day, and I am planning on avoiding taking the kids out for lunch, smoothies, shopping, etc.

The hard part is going to be that I am going to San Diego for a week, and there IS a Chick-Fil-A there, so I will have to practice some serious self control to not eat there every day! :)

I will keep track of our spending over the next week and a half and update when I get back from San Diego. I don't expect many people to read this...but putting it out there is going to help with the whole accountability factor for us! So, thanks for reading and helping us out! :)

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm reading it!

We were surprised at Brad's take home pay being so low (it's only like $100 more than mine)... do you guys have a lot taken out for taxes or something?

Team Hayes said...

We have like $500-$800 taken out in taxes, a $525 allotment that goes into his hometown savings account, $700+ goes into TSP every month, and another allotment for $75 goes into an account in Nebraska to cover the mortgage payment on our rental property there.

Fabulous Fitzhugh's said...

I read it too!