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Okay, I tallied all of the damage last night. Here is my progress report for the month. I also provided a more detailed breakdown in an effort to provide fuller transparency.So far, my Efund is down $600 and I don't have any funds in my checking account so any additional spending comes from the Efund the rest of the month.
Returns will boost my checking account. Everything has been paid for with cash.
Clothing & Shopping - $291:
Clothing and shopping is going down at least $120. I need clothing and undergarments (badly). I can't get everything all at once so I did buy ONE undergarment set on Saturday for $85.
I also bought two dresses from Macys with the idea that I was going to come home, try them on and decide which one to keep. Once I return the one dress, clothing and shopping will drop ~ $130.
Here is what I think I am going to do about the dress situation. I have a black dress (albeit a size 10) from about 5 years ago that I think I can squeeze into. I am going to go home tonight and try it on. If I can fit it, then I will also return the other dress. It cost $165 (with 10.25% Chicago sales tax) but I had a $100 gift card to Macy's that my parents gave me for Christmas so I only paid $65 for the coral dress. I do hate wearing Black to a wedding. I look more like I am going to a funeral.
So there you have it, Clothing and Shopping could drop by $195.
Personal Care - $225:
I got my hair chopped off...close to 2 inches. Due to stress and too much heat, my hair was badly damaged so I went to the hairdressor and she had to cut it. In an effort to never have that happen again, I purchased additional curly hair products so that I can wear my hair natural more often. I spoke with my sylist and she knows I will only be coming in on occassion just to get my ends clipped. I may go in every 8 weeks but she won't wash and condition it, just trim the ends so the cost should be around $20 every 8 weeks compared to $50/month.
I needed proactiv and I got a pedicure. Yes I did...I got a pedicure for $33 with tip. I am going to have my toes out this weekend in Tennesee for the graduation and the wedding. I won't go again for the rest of the month.
So, I made steps to reduce my hair appointments and monthly personal care budget by $50/month.
Miscellaneous - $1,312:
Here is the breakdown for miscellaneous:
- Car repair - $615 (paid for by my parents)
- Mother's Day - $209 (includes gifts and food)
- Graduation Gifts - $100
- Birthday Gifts - $193
- Prescriptions - $178
My prescription was not covered by insurance but the cream should last at least 6 months. This was for the bad burn that I got last year.
Birthday gifts includes $25 for my little cousin's birthday and $168 for concert tickets to see Erykah Badu. I got the tickets for my boyfriend's birthday next month and it is also my June entertainment. His birthday is June 6th and I didn't plan to buy anything until next month but the notification for the ticket sale came out and he is a huge fan. So, I thought it would be a perfect birthday gift and entertainment for June. I just had to pay for it in May because the tickets would have sold out by June.
The Rest of May:
- Wedding Gift - $150-$200
- Car A/C Repair - $475 (getting it done tomorrow - dealership cost $700)
Here is the detailed breakdown:
10 comments:
$85 for ONE set of undergarment?? Please say it is not what I think it is (bra and panty set) because you do NOT have the money for that. You could buy multiple bras and panties for that amount.
You completely overspent on gifts. I agree with other comments. You need to gift what you can afford and not what you "think" is proper. True friends/family will understand. When I give gifts I never expect a gift back or the person to spend as much as I do.
I am going to be real blunt here and say you really need to change your thinking of want vs need. Other than your car repairs everything else was a want. You WANT to give good gifts, you WANT a new dress, you WANT a new rediciously expensive undergarment set, you WANT a pedicure.. Etc.. No one NEEDS a pedicure regardless of what you think. I paint my own toe nails and they look just fine. I really hope that the b/f does not become a bad influnce on your spending. In my opinion he should have told you he would get his sisters a gift and sign ur name to the card.
Sorry for the tough love. I do think you have already come a long way but with that said you have a ways to go.
Hi Anon!
The $85 was for a bra and 3/$30 for the underwear. I got it from VS. I haven't bought undergarments in almost a year.
I will probably take both dresses back as long as I have one that fits. I will try it on tonight and make sure I can breathe and it won't burst open. Otherwise, I really did need a dress.
I think that the BF would have put my name on the gift and that I shouldn't have offered to add to the gift. He didn't ask me and I shouldn't have offered.
I DO have a long way to go...
I buy panties at VS too. You could have gotten 5 for $25. Saving yourself $5 and getting 2 extra pairs. That's the way my brain thinks now that I am a more frugal shopper.
Seeing that you had $100 gift card the dress purchase isn't too awful.
WCB,
It is true that you won't get anywhere thinking the way you are thinking. You cannot keep up with the Jones.
You are broke. You are 250K in debt. That is one-quarter of a million dollars! Do you understand that? You can't even make the minimum payments on your loans - most likely now slated to go for 30 years!
I don't care how much you need underwear - spending $85 on underwear is NOT a necessity, nor is buying a new dress, nor is a pedicure. All of these things can be done for a lot less money (or none!) - you have just chosen to spend more than you can afford.
Chitown - people here are giving you very good advice. Listen to them!
Good to calculate the damage! Now do something about it!
As for me, I haven't bought any wedding gifts/b-day gifts/mother's day gifts AT ALL. I have had people over for dinner, told my mom I loved her and thought she was the best (she said that was better than any gift) and also am available for any chores she needs to get done. There are all sorts of things you can do for people when you don't have money. Just be creative! When you don't have money you have to be creative - you aren't given any choice.
Kris
I agree with the comments of others.
TJ Maxx, Ross and other discount stores are good places for clothing that is needed. Especially things like underware and work clothes that never go out of style.
Try not to dip into your Efund unless it is truely an emergency for the month. I know your checking account is empty, but now is the time to make the behavior change.
I know your situation is not favorable, but luckily you have room in your budget to cut spending. You are not someone who is eating beans and rice and barely making it.
good luck
Is the boyfriend that you've posted about in the past few days the same one that broke up with you at the beginning of April?
Okay, guys, BF is back in the picture. Let it go. Worse things have happened, and if they're happy, we're happy.
Second, thank you for now requiring me to get my honey tix to EB when she's here in DC! He LOVES him some Badu. Early birthday present to him (his isn't until August).
Third, I'm convinced that you're killing yourself. What you're doing reminds me of what I do when I've busted my ass for SO long that I can't think straight, I need a little relief, and I go batshit in the process. You, my dear, have gone batshit. GET IT TOGETHER!
This isn't even about keeping up with the Joneses. This is about keeping up with your prior self (which may have in fact been keeping up with the Joneses, but whatever). Here's reality. You DON'T need a pedicure. You just don't. When I won my trial a few weeks back I decided to get a pedicure as a reward, and still ended up doing it myself (and my toes look FLYYYYYY).
Not saying anything about the bra--I spend the same amount to find garments that have no latex on them, damn allergy. But the 3/$30 is a bit much, especially when we all know you can get the 5/$20-$25. You just want the cute ones. I feel that, but you can't afford that.
And regarding said BF, he has to understand and be on board with what you're trying to do. I just spoke with my honey about said EB concert here, and his response (for she whom he loves and might be the only woman, with Sanaa Lathan, that he'd leave me in a heartbeat for) was "well don't do anything yet. We'll talk about it when I get home." That's called being on board. If he's not on board, you won't get ahead. Just remember that. It's always true in marriages, it's true in other relationships as well.
Thank goodness people are speaking up. I got really fed up with your post the other day about the gifts. Honestly, at that rate you might as well just throw in the towel and spend to your heart's content because if you go on in the same vein, you will NEVER EVER GET OUT OF DEBT!!!
Feeling a little black and blue here guys from the verbal beat down. I know I deserve it so I am just going to go and lick my wounds. I am returning both dresses to Macys today. Have a good day. Thanks for the honest feedback. =)
Chitown, I think folks are being a bit hard on you. Sometimes you need a little luxury in your life. It's not like you went out and bought a new Mercedes. It's a pedicure, a little lingerie, and some dresses, people! Lighten up!
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