Trudging Along…

Chitown is trudging along. I have another week before I get paid again on the 29th and it feels like a really long time away. LOL

I have another NO SPEND day planned today and it feels good. I cannot believe that I made it almost ½ a week with NO Discretionary spending. Yeah!!!

I have a wedding shower to attend this Saturday. I have a Visa gift card for $25 from Christmas so I am going to use it to purchase another $25 gift card to Victoria Secret since it’s a lingerie shower. I think I already have a card at home. Her wedding is next month so I am also going to need to get her a wedding gift as well. I usually just write a check.

As for the next week, I think my primary expenses will be related to transportation. The weather is supposed to be pretty crappy here in Chicago this weekend so I hope that it will be a rather chill weekend with minimal spending. I need another 10-ride train pass ($40) and I need to fill up my gas tank since it is very close to empty ($40). I am going to focus on bringing my lunch next week as well so keeping my food & dining expense down will be key to minimizing the damage this month.

I have a lot of stuff planned for May.

My best friend is from Kentucky and she invited me down to Derby the first weekend in May. I asked her if it was going to cost a lot of money and she said everything was already paid for so my expenses would be minimal. We are staying with her Mom so lodging is also taken care of and they are cookers so I hope food expenses will also be minimal. We’ve been best buds for 14 years and I have never traveled down to KY so I am excited to see her world.

Mother’s Day weekend is going to be rather relaxed this year. I am only budgeting $50 for gifts for about 4 Moms so I am going to have to be creative. Any ideas??? I am also running a 5k fundraiser for the Black Alumni Association at my alma mater that will cost $25. I’ve been training for it a little and running so I hope the weather will be nice because my school and the running trail is right along Lake Michigan. Beautiful. =)

I need to get a prescription filled that is not covered by insurance. I can’t remember how much it cost before but I think it was close to $175. Ugh!!! I burned myself really bad when I dropped a curling iron on my chest about a year ago on vacation. The fade cream that my doctor prescribed does not come in generic nor is it covered by insurance. If the burn was anywhere else I would say forget it but the medication is working and I need to keep up with the regimen.

So….keeping my food/dining and grocery expense down in May will also be key to staying within budget.