I wrote recently about participating in the Pantry/Freezer Challenge over at Money Saving Mom and Life as Mom.
I’m doing it because it’s something I was already thinking that I needed to do, and their challenge was a good push.
One of the main things that I put in my goals was to use cash, getting out 50 for each week this month, and using only that.
I didn’t do it this week. And I checked my debit balance last night and I was about 11.00 over what I thought I had spent. I’m still 9 dollars under the 50$ budget, but if I hadn’t checked, I’d probably have gone over.
I’m feeling like a hypocrite. One of the main pieces of advice that I give to people just starting to use a budget is to use cash. We started using cash for our eating out budget more than 5 years ago, and it has made a huge difference. But for some reason I’m scared to use cash for groceries.
I have a separate checking/debit account where I put my monthly grocery/household money and I use that for groceries. But there are months (and not just occasional ones) when I spend half of the monthly amount in the first week.
We started using cash for eating out after realizing the hard way that we weren’t good at estimating how much we had spent. We would put the month’s budget in an envelope. In our heads, we knew how much we could spend per weekend, but most months we would have barely enough left for a few tacos on the last weekend of the month. About a year ago, I changed our eating out cash system. Instead of one envelope of the month’s cash, I divided the same amount of money into 4 or 5 envelopes, depending on the number of weekends between paydays. It felt like we had tons more money. It felt so good on the last weekend to go get an envelope with the same amount of money in it that we had on the first week. I’m hoping that using cash for groceries will have the same effect.
So I’ve already messed up on the challenge, but today is officially the New Year, so I’m going to go from here. My financial goal for the year is to use cash for groceries. I won’t be able to always do 50 a week like I am for this challenge, but even when I go back to our normal grocery budget, I need to stick with cash. Kind of like an experiment where I’m pretty confident what the results will be.
So what does this have to do with me being a slob? The pantry/freezer challenge definitely has a lot to do with my organizational issues, and the cash/money aspect has a lot to do with my lack of organization as well. I’m a cheapskate, but I’m also proof that it’s totally possible for an ultra-frugal person to overspend.
Making a separate household account for me several years ago was a very positive step. It keeps me from overspending for the month’s budget. Since I’ve accepted that I will never balance my checkbook, it allows me to stay on track by being able to check my balance with my debit card so I can always know how much I have left for the month. I also had overdraft “privilege” (whatever that is) removed and set it up to deny my card if I didn’t have the money in the account. This is to protect myself . . . from myself.
But now I’m going to go a step further and do the cash thing. I’m scared to death of this commitment, but I know from the eating-out-budget-experience, that it will automatically make me more aware and purposeful.
Check out other’s financial goals on Frugal Friday at Lifeasmom.com.
Amy Lynne says
Good luck, it sounds like you have a great plan to keep yourself on track!
Anonymous says
Oh my goodness!!! I just found your blog through a link on Life as Mom's frugal friday post. I spent the last 30 minutes nursing my daughter to sleep and reading your blog. It's like reading myself. I have had neater phases and messier phases, but the phase I am in now is horrifying. There is garbage on my floor. That's the kind of phase it is. I got my home really neat back in August in anticipation of a visit from my MIL. I maintained it for about 6 weeks with FlyLady-type routines. Then I fell off the wagon and for the last 3 months, the house has been circling the drain. Many of my New Year's goals have to do with my home and its (lack of) order, so I plan to follow along with you as you work through your all too similar issues. Good luck and happy new year!
Lenetta @ Nettacow says
I've eyed the "cash only" system and find it interesting . . . but I always seem to come up with an excuse as to why it won't work. :>) Know what I mean? One of these days, I'm going to follow through.
Thurston Family says
The cash approach for groceries works well for my family. I hope it helps yours as well. My son goes to a private school, and they have a program called script that we buy a gift card from the school for our local grocery store (kroger) and then we refill it and then a small percentage goes to the school. The school then takes that money and puts some towards his tution for the next year. So we put x amount on the card when we go into the grocery store and we stay on budget, help cut the tution cost, and helps his school. Also we round up the cost of each item in the grocery store and add it up as we shop. It's been a great Math activity for my 9 year old.
Hope the cash approach for groceries helps your family as well.
Mar says
Cash for groceries – I'm impressed and may add that as a goal later in the year, but I've got enough goals right now. I'll be interested to see how this goes for you – maybe you'll inspire me! No pressure, though! 🙂
mom2priceboys says
I also have done the all cash thing and it does work what we are doing now is all the money goes into my bank account then all the bills come out.This is the one main benefit on getting paid once a month – thank you school district! What I have left over is what we have to spend.I totally understand this concept but DH thinks if there is money on the card then he can spend it. He is taking a bit more training time hahaha.
Mom of the Hillians says
We use cash for all of our purchases. Each pay period I allot so much money for food, clothing, hair cuts, gas, gifts, etc. I cash a check and put the cash in a coupon/index card holder that has each tab labeled w/ a category. Once the money is gone, the spending is over. We have 7 kids (ages 15, 13, 6, 4, 3, 1 1/2, 2 months), and we spend $300 every two weeks on groceries. You can do it! It just takes a little discipline on your part to stick w/ it.
By the way, I love your blog. Your battles are also battles that I fight daily. Right now, my house is a complete mess and is driving me crazy. I know what I have to do, but just can't seem to will myself to do it. I am praying that this year God will change my heart and give me the willpower to work through my issues. I want my house to be a home… warm, loving, and inviting.
Anonymous says
One thing I have noticed is that everyone in my house seems to blame another and thinks they do not have to help if they did not make the mess. I cannot do it all by myself and have told them that as long as they live there it is their problem too. It works sometimes but it is hard. Thanks for the great site and for your honesty. I almost felt like I was alone.
Courtney says
I’ve made it to 2010! And it’s almost 2014! Haha. I just had to get that out. I stayed up late tonight just so I could enjoy your blog a little bit longer. I’m feeling super-inspired & I hope I can do some non-negotiables. I’ve managed to clean the kitchen AND sweep the last two days. I’m very proud of myself for that. I also folded AND put away the mound of laundry I had washed the last couple days. I really do feel like there’s hope for me with the new year starting. Thanks again for sharing your journey.
Andrea says
Noni, you’re much too hard on yourself. We all know what we “should” do but we don’t do it all the time. And we could all preach about it too!! So why would you feel like a hypocrite for not doing the right think?
I so enjoy your blog and it has inspired me so much. I started at the beginning on Jan. 11th and am up to here. When I know I should and don’t want to, I come read and you motivate me. Thank you!!!
SaraAnne says
Summer Resolution 2019: Keep reading this blog, but stop reading it without implementing anything!