I just wrote about how there are things I’ve been buying for my new place and how I need to make sure I don’t buy too much. I did mention how I wanted to be careful about what I spend because I could see how things could get out of control. And because I’m trying to buy quality products, those tend to be more expensive. I know that buying something that costs a bit more will be worth it in the long run because things will last longer, but it’s tempting to buy something cheaper just to save some money.
I also have written quite a bit about budgeting and how I’ve gotten out of my habit of using different budgeting apps. I do still need to figure out what will work for me because I’m not sure if any apps I’ve used before will be the right thing. I might just have to do something really basic like using a spreadsheet or even handwriting stuff. I just haven’t felt as motivated because I’ve been in a better financial spot than I was in the past and I haven’t had to worry about affording things the way I have in the past.
But I think those things combined have really come to a head this month. I have had some new recurring expenses to deal with that I think I’m still getting used to. I also had to pay my property taxes and I decided to pay for the full year at once instead of splitting it into 2 payments. I also have a few other big expenses this month such as my homeowner insurance that I haven’t paid for. All of that plus my shopping has made my expenses this month significantly higher than normal. But because I’m not doing my usual budgeting work, I don’t think I was aware of how much higher it was until I had to log into my bank and I saw the numbers in front of me.
I’m fine and I have the money to cover what I need to cover, but I’ve realized that what I felt like I had saved up wasn’t as high as it used to be. I know that paying the property taxes was a lot of this (which is almost like paying a year of rent at one time), but it was also some of the things I bought this month that I might not have thought as much about. I used to be a lot better about comparing prices for things that I buy and being willing to buy from different places if it will save me enough. I don’t drive around and waste gas to buy stuff, but if something is cheaper at CVS than on Amazon, I would drive those few minutes to get it even though ordering from Amazon is easier. I’ve gotten lazy with buying stuff and just buying things wherever it’s convenient. I know that saving a few dollars here and there won’t make a huge difference, but it will make some difference.
I think this was the reality check that I needed. Even though I knew my expenses were higher than normal, I don’t think I knew exactly how much more it was. And it really made me start thinking about what I really need versus what I want and can wait for. And I want to be more aware of the random things I get because $20 might not seem like a lot but if I have 5 random $20 purchases a month, that’s $100. I don’t think I’m buying frivolous stuff that I didn’t need, but I do know that I have been buying stuff that I could have waited a bit longer for.
Of course, I’m saying all this before I do some furniture shopping with my parents. I know there’s a good chance I’ll be spending more than I would like this weekend because we are looking for some bigger items that I haven’t been able to get yet. But I’m also really thinking about what I really need at this time and what I might be able to spread out purchases over time. For example, I know we will be looking at patio furniture, but maybe I could just get one thing that I want, and then at a later date, I can buy something else to go with it. I’m not sure if that will end up happening, especially since I’m looking at sets of things. But at least I can be a bit more mindful of what I’m getting.
And as I’ve said multiple times already, I need to find a new way to do some budget planning and this was another gut check that I really need to start trying new systems even if they only last a month or two because I don’t want to be this unaware of my spending again. I’m lucky now that it’s not going to cause me any issues, but if this happens again I don’t know if my financial situation will be the same. And I know what it was like before and I don’t want to repeat that situation.
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Working on Budgeting (or Spending Money To Save Money)
Really Seeing What I Need To Buy Now (or I Need To Cut Back On Spending Again)
Going Back To An Old Habit (or Finding Control With Budgeting)
Finding New Money Issues (or Looking At Doing A Fresh Budget)
Getting Back On Track (or Happiness and Budgeting)
