Budget Month - Day 5

I'm only 'off' from my budget about two days now. Meaning if I don't spend any money for two days, I'm back on track. This is possible, but I could also, y'know, just spend less for a lot of days instead. Considering this is including rent, electricity, trash, internet, phone, car, some groceries and health insurance, I really don't think it's fair to say I'm behind. Everyone has a lot of bills in the begining of the month (though I changed that and next month should be smoooth sailing!).

Today I was feeling a bit lonely, as my husband is away working to make extra money for our family to save up and I really wanted to get out and go shopping. Now "going shopping" is a very very bad thing to say. Obviously it's not "going to buy new clothes" or "going to buy something I need", it's "I really would like to purchase things with no thought as to how they fit into my budget". That's what "going shopping" means to a woman.

However, I was determined to spend very little, come home with things I needed or could use AND spend a lot of time doing it, because otherwise spending $100 on clothes in an hour is just depressing. Whereas what I really did - which was spend sixteen dollars in 5 hours was so very much better!!

How did I manage that one?

I went yardsale shopping! Driving around takes up heaps of time, plus with my iPod it's kind of fun. I got to blast Porn Academy and Metallica and Pantera and it was great. Driving in the sunshine with lots of open roads (I live in a rural-ish area) and singing and dancing and bartering.

Here's how my spending broke down:
$2.50 for one necklace (turned out to be the most expensive thing I bought for the value)
$4 on ALL those glass homebrew bottles, and the guy said I could come back for another 2 dozen for free
$1 for the five ice-cream bowls, which look PERFECT for taking photos in for my other blog, nothingbutanapron
$1 for the top
$2 for each pair of shorts
$1 for the video game
$1 for the awesome geeky bunny figurine
$1 for another necklace

That's right - two necklaces, 27 glass bottles, 2 pairs of shorts, a top, five bowls, a video game and a figuring for 15.50. I was SO proud of myself! I think I learned the trick to yardsales.

Don't bring more than $15.

If you find something more expensive you can go to the bank and get money for it. If it's not worth going all the way to the bank and back - it's not worth it. (Though the $50 for the entire set of Guitar Hero drums/guitars/games was SO TEMPTING)

At one point I spent around $12 I had and went to the bank and got another $20. Of course I didn't end up spending much more than that, but it was a DAMN good way to budget my yardsaling. Plus the, "Oh it's $6? Damn I only have a five," works really well for haggling.

My next bill due is next week and is my Foxtel. Also, rent. And electricity. My food bill is paid. My groceries are up to date and so are the rest of my bills. If I spend like I have today for the rest of the week, I should be about $500 ahead.

Also, I popped another $30 into my savings, having already saved $110 for the month! And it's only day 5! For reference, my budget is not my income. My budget is far below my income, but I really have the ability to live way below my means and I'd like to.

It's time to grow up.

I'd cry, but I have no onions.