Quote:
Originally Posted by 2000cs
As a financial person, I too once kept detailed records of the sort RunSilent was able to post. I did it for the first year I was independent, tracking every penny I spent and summarizing monthly. I’ve maintained an awareness of what I spend (but no longer an accurate detail), and a close eye on my bank accounts ever since. That exercise proved so useful that I recommend it to newlyweds and newly independent folks. Those that do it are surprised to see how much they spend, and pretty quickly get control of it. Eating out (Chipotle!), movies, games, streaming, cell phones. The stuff adds up real fast!
Since I joked about alcohol being on the list, let me add that having been very close to a real alcoholic and some other very heavy drinkers, I have become a very infrequent drinker and never to the point of a buzz any more (I actually like the taste of bourbon and scotch, both neat). Alcohol abuse is no laughing matter and addiction is incredibly difficult to break. So my apologies to anyone struggling with that.
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I count all pennies even, and since in Europe the groceries go bad in a week, I plan each meal so I can do them as cheaply as possible.i enjoy it. I love making the calculations and when my kids will be poor students, they'll appreciate the skill of knowing how to plan a week worth of meals.
I'm shopping for a family of 2+4+2+1+1 (two adults four kids, a dog and a huge rabbit, one elderly dog, and one elderly aunt). It isn't that I couldn't spend more, I can. I just really enjoy the planning and preparing meals.