Sticking with the budget [story inside]

[Rekreativc]

A couple of weeks ago I got a parking ticket - pretty silly of me to be using a car, I know. Bear with me. Since I budget pretty ruthlessly and because Slovenian parking tickets are ludicrous (The legal minimum monthly wage here is 584,29 € while a parking ticket will cost you 120 €. I'm not earning minimum wage, but it's a good indicator of how high the fines are.) that meant I wasn't going to make it until the end of the month.

I can be pretty stubborn so I decided that instead of just going over the budget (dipping into my emergency fund) I will do my best to avoid such a "disaster." At first that just meant avoiding any unusual purchases, but I'm pretty frugal as it is and there wasn't much to cut.

My fiscal month lasts from 15. - 15. in the month so I have two days left. I haven't gone over budget and to avoid spending any more money I am now eating everything out of the fridge. Haven't bought groceries in a week and I'm just combining weird stuff I've forgot are frozen months ago :)

By the looks of it I will make it, it appears I have enough food to last me until Saturday. But it's still a funny feeling walking around with more money in your wallet (only change left now) that your budget will allow you to spend :)

Thank you for listening to my story. Hope I didn't bore you, I just wanted to tell someone since my SO can't understand why I'm doing this ("But you have money, what is the point to wait until Saturday if you need food now?").

[kiwichick]

Good way to use up pantry items. This kind of behaviour can soon become addicting! :-)

[Adventine]

I totally understand the burning desire not to go over budget. If you allow yourself to dip into the emergency fund for something like this, it becomes easier to justify using the EF for other unexpected expenses. That can become a habit really fast.

Hey, only 2 (or 3?) days left til Saturday!

[Rekreativc]

I totally understand the burning desire not to go over budget. If you allow yourself to dip into the emergency fund for something like this, it becomes easier to justify using the EF for other unexpected expenses. That can become a habit really fast.

Hey, only 2 (or 3?) days left til Saturday!

That's exactly what it is: I figure if I stick to the budget this one time I will always be able to look back on this month and say to myself "Well if I could do it back then, surely I can do it now too." While not sticking to the budget this time will (in my mind) open the gates and I will always just go over if something unexpected comes up.

[PJ]

Well done!  I have been doing very sparing grocery shopping for several months now, and am surprised how much food I still have in cupboards and freezer!  A package of oatmeal, a big bag of rice, a stash of pasta, etc - these all go a looooong way, and are the basis for a variety of meals. 

[arebelspy]

("But you have money, what is the point to wait until Saturday if you need food now?").

I'm in this camp for myself personally (we don't budget), but I admire your spirit.  I picture you as plucky and scrappy, and I mean those as compliments.  :)

[Rekreativc]

("But you have money, what is the point to wait until Saturday if you need food now?").

I'm in this camp for myself personally (we don't budget), but I admire your spirit.  I picture you as plucky and scrappy, and I mean those as compliments.  :)

Usually I would be the same, I don't budget food and stuff like that - I only have a monthly budget and a alcohol one (thanks to MMM's blog post). But in this case I really want to stick with it because it is my fault I'm in this situation...

My GF is usually a great sport about the whole saving thing and is really on board with all of it. She just doesn't quite grasp why the date "15.12.2012" is so important :)

[Rekreativc]

UPDATE: I did it, I ended my fiscal month on budget!

[Adventine]

Congratulations on exercising the self-discipline muscles :D

[arebelspy]

Well done. :)

[kiwichick]

Sweet, way to go! :-)

[JT]

Great to hear and I reckon stick with your ways!  Groceries can be expensive.

That said, I'm doing something similar this week and it looks like I'll make it to Saturday/Sunday.