For REAL

This is going to sound really stupid.

So I've tried to do this "Pauper Month" thing multiple times in my life. It usually happens when I heavily overspend and feel guilty about it. Usually since I still had a pretty decent amount of disposable income, it would never actually work, not really.

Interestingly enough, for the first time ever I am actually more likely to have to follow Pauper month.
What's changed is that I've moved out. I've had a ton of expenses, and I'm not depending on my family for much of anything, really (ok, save my phone bill which, yes-- I know, I really should be paying myself but it's part of a package plan with them).

Anyway, so summary of this month so far:

Nov 1st:
230 $ - Condo Fees
47 $ - Winners home stuff (wire rack, postmail, garbage bag dispenser)

Nov 2nd:
32 $ - Gas

Nov 4th:
$220 - Groceries and Groceries as debt repayment to mom

Nov 5th:
64$ - Groceries and baking stuff

November 8th:
43$ - Dinner with Sanam

Nov 9th:
10$ - pitch in for a poker night
8$ - pho noodles (same night)
30$ - Chinese Groceries

Nov 10th:
74$ - Gas

Nov 14th
58$ - in a moment of weakness, i bought contact lenses for 6 months on super special

So far, how am I holding up as a "Pauper"? Not great... This adds up to about: $816..

Not that bad, though, considering $650 was either debt repayment or necessities (gas and groceries) so actually, in reality I only "splurged" $166 this month in non-essentials. Let's see if I can keep it up...

Oh Man.. Pauper month is so impossible.


Gas on Thursday (when it was cheapy thursday! 133/litre) - $33 to top-up.
Flowers for Mom & Pau Pau - still costed an extra $23
Replace the scarf I bought and left at the cottage - $17
Dinner & Party Platter for Ferdi's - $23
Groceries for Saturday cocotte night - $50
Misc from pharmacy - $24
And I'm getting my hair done tomorrow... 
$50?


Total weekend: $220


Thankfully when I went shopping for sandals today, they were FREE! :)

Let's try again

Okay-- so I quickly read over the last post from last year (when I didn't get my expected raise).


I want to give this another go/try. My family and Martin are away this week, so I'm totally on my own. I've been watching a lot of "Princess" lately and I want to see if I can live on a $50 cash diet (for now, that's not so bad. I haven't had to buy any food).. yet.


It should be perfectly easy-- however, once gas gets into the picture, we'll see. Let me think... Normally I spend about 75 litres of gas. If price of gas is about ~1.35-1.40 a litre and I need to fill up twice, my gas budget should be... $215 a month if I'm taking regular.


That's already my entire $50/month budget. :/ Damn.. If I want to stick to $50/month everything in, I can't drive. A bus pass is $75.50 (or about $18.88 a week).


What should I be left with for entertainment and food? 


Technically when mom is home, I don't need to pay for food, so it's all: Entertainment & Food. I don't think I should spend more than $50 a week on variables. (Coffees, snacks, entertainment, dining out..) 


Have to think about this.

Pauper Month

So yearly reviews have come around, and suprise suprise-- I don`t end up getting what I wanted. I`ve also been overspending since I stopped using my spend-tracker, and feel financially in the dumps. What happens now? I've been rethinking about how I manage my money, and to be honest-- I can't say that I have been really looking at it at all lately. That is about to change.

Reality has set in, and I so I've decided to perhaps do something radical.

1) Don't spend anything other than what is absolutely necessary. This means gas, and perhaps some money for 'outside foods', but not much. I'm going to try giving myself $20 for the entire month. This is going to be intense, considering I can normally spend 800-1000$ a month. Considering gas, as well as my 20$ outside food splurge, that puts me maybe at a $220 spending limit for the month. I'll refine as I get closer.

2) Start managing my money and deciding where to invest. Start investing. I've put about 5 Gs into a TFSA to fill up my remaining limit for this year. I'll have to read up a bit more on the start date of the new year-- ie: when we're given an extra 5k space.

3) I'll probably have to find out a bunch of things that I can do to pass the time (and still enjoy it!) without having to chuck out dollars. Hopefully my boyfriend will be able to put up with me for this month.

So that's it! I'll try my best to stick with it. I'll write whatever comes up! I'm expecting this to be very hard, but also a great learning experience.

Wish me luck!