The Problem Expense

During the course of my personal finance journey thus far, I've identified two problem spending areas for me. These are the areas in which I KNOW I should spend less, but continue, almost every month to go overboard. Curiously enough, these are also two of my biggest stumbling blocks to better health. Both showed up in yesterday's wallet contents*, and one shows up again today. The most expensive of my two bad habits is dining out. I'm good about breakfast; spending money on breakfast is --well, I was about to say non-existant, but it occurs to me I spend $1.08 almost every morning on a bagel with cream cheese from the grill in our building, however, I already have that money set aside in the form of a "lunch allowance". At the beginning of every month I cash a check for $3/weekday. This money goes in an envelope in one of my desk drawers and can then be used for any of my work day expenses, be it breakfast, lunch, snack, or a spare coke. My almost-daily bagel comes out of this. Otherwise, it's a V8 brought from home, or a glass of OJ at home. But back to dining out. Last night after the last home soccer game of the season, of course we ate out again. Actually we picked up Bueno on the way home and ate together at the table, so the good part is it still involved family interaction. The funny part? BG is the one that wanted Bueno. A month ago she would have strongly balked at the suggestion, but LG and I finally talked her into just trying it and now she loves it! Who knew a seventeen year old girl could actually CHANGE? The other expense that's kicking my butt and my health? The smokes. I didn't buy any yesterday, but I'm out now, and will probably pick up a couple packs on the way home. I am kind of proud that I've switched from one of the big brands to a local brand that's free of additives (or so they claim), however, I need that not to be an excuse or a pat on the back. I still need to quit. Wallet Expenses

• $16.22 Taco Bueno receipt

Non-wallet Expenses

• $5.00 cash
• $179.50 Insurance
• $1.88 work day food

I forgot about the cash expense. BG's boyfriend came to the soccer game last night, but didn't have any cash to pay his way in. I actually did have cash for a change, so I paid his $3 entry fee and then gave him the remaining $2 to buy a drink. I don't feel bad about this for a couple reasons: 1) he never asks me for anything in the way of money, and 2) I'm rarely able to do even little things like this for people I like. I definitely don't feel like it's a case of me being an overindulgent sucker parent, nor of him being a whiney broke teenager. This was still money left over from my Arts Festival cash, so I feel even less bad about it than I might otherwise.

The car insurance payment left the bank today, but this was expected. I love automatic withdrawals, and even better, I love the emails I get alerting me they're going to happen!

From the work-lunch envelope I spent $1.08 on my morning bagel, and then $0.80 on two slices of garlic toast to go with the leftover balsamic chicken I'd brought for lunch yesterday.

Totaly spending for yesterday: $202.60. Planned expeneses: $181.38 Unplanned expenses: $21.22

Eh, not too bad, but I can do better.

hh.

*Yesterday's wallet contents included receipts from several days back.