I have recently been trying to clean up my act– physically, emotionally, financially. Not to brag, but I make pretty good money for a young single gal living in a sprawling metropolis. I have a nice, new apartment, drive a late model car, have high thread count sheets and I wear Tiffany (thanks Green Eyes– she has a light Tiffany habit. I benefit from it. Hell no, I ain’t doin’ no Intervention!). I have a family that loves me, and on occasion, when I can get my brother on the phone, a close relationship with my sibling. Joe and I were pretty close, too. So, I live a pretty good life, which is why I feel weird complaining, but hey. When things are outta whack, they’re outta whack.

So I couldn’t figure out why, at the end of the money, I had more month! I was spending it on SOMETHING, besides living expenses. I don’t wear designer clothes or shoes, I don’t shop for purses, I haven’t bought an electronic item since last fall… where’s all my money going? Did it run away with the mate to EVERY SOCK I HAVE (and therefore why I hate socks)?

I did a review of my finances, to set my goals this year. I want to do some traveling, and for the first time in years, I feel like I can do that. So I set out to see what I could shave, to get more into the bank and have more to use for travel. My expenses go a little something like this:

Rent

Car

Utilities

Bank fees

Food

Internet site fees

Food

Gas

Food

Offerings/Tithe, etc

Food

Food

Food

Random store to buy crap I don’t need, including food

Food

FOOD

My blog readers are smart people– I know you’re sensing some kind of pattern. So I sat back to review my habits, the things I do subconsciously without even realizing it and I’ve found the culprit:

I SPEND TOO MUCH MONEY ON FOOD. I KNOW, IT’S LIKE… DUH.

Yeah, I eat out a lot. And when I’m not eating out, I’m buying food to bring home and eat. Or I’m ordering in. Or I’m going to lunch.  That all equals HUNDREDS of dollars that I waste on FOOD.

I decided, from the 15th to the 31st to spend considerably less money eating out. I made a grocery list and I went to the store. And when I ran out of things, I went back to the store. I’ve eaten out maybe 4 times in the past 2 weeks. That certainly beats twice a day, everyday, 5 days a week!

I’ve seen a difference in my bank account… as in I still had money in there when payday came on Friday! it’s amazing what a little curbing of spending will do for the wallet! I’m going to keep going, keep grocery shopping and cooking, bringing my breakfast and lunch to work and not swining through Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks or the Cafe` in the building next door.

Because, the other thing eating out was doing was making me FAT. We’re going to transfer that fat to the wallet and the bank account, and be svelte and thin on our travels this year! And by we, I mean me. Ya’ll aren’t invited.

Counting my pennies,

Curvy Jones