Dollars Up with Holiday + Petite Shopper

$ MONEY OUT OF POCKET

• Met a friend--our older daughters were second graders, Brownies and Girl Scouts together--for breakfast at Bluestone Coffee in Montclair. My part + $3 tip, $15.76.
• Parking in lot from about 4:15 to 7 p.m., $2.25.
• With Punch in tow, went to Little Bear Poke for dinner, right after our weekly appt. We used $5 coupon emailed to us. Food and drinks, with discount, $27.86 + $3 tip in jar, $30.86.
• CVS, to get valentines for Dan, two daughters and to Dan from the two daughters. Oh boy, at 6 p.m. on the night before Feb. 14, the Hallmark aisle was busy. A lot of men were in the "wife" section. I had two $3 coupons, but the nice cards were $6.99 each. Yikes. Then I got a three-pack of $10 Starbucks cards--one to put in Dan's card, just because, and one each for Punch's schoolbus driver and aide. I'm grateful that they keep her safe. Plus bag of wrapped val candy for Punch to hand out on bus; one dark Kit Kat bar; two little val gift bags for the bus ladies. Then P. said she needed a math notebook, and I got a giant Listerine on sale. Add $1 American Heart Association donation at checkout. $73.80.

TOTAL: $122.67

NOTE TO SELF: I DIDN'T TRACK $ EVERY DAY IN JANUARY; I THINK IT STARTED RELIGIOUSLY ON JAN. 3. 

I DIDN'T RECORD ON THE JAN. FRIDAY I LEFT FOR WOMEN'S RETREAT, BUT THAT DAY I TOOK AN UBER AND HAD OTHER EXPENSES. 

MY TOTAL RECORDED FOR JANUARY IS $2,228.32. A LOT OF IT WAS FRIVOLOUS BUT A LOT OF IT WAS NOT [GROCERIES, DONATIONS, LUNCH WITH COLLEAGUE, GIFTS, ETC.] 

I WILL REALLY FACE THE MUSIC THE DAY I CATEGORIZE AND ADD UP MY ACCESSORY AND COFFEE SPENDING. ACCESSORIES HAVE LONG BEEN MY WEAKNESS. COFFEE IS NEWER, AS I TRY TO STEER AWAY FROM SUGAR.

JANUARY HAS 31 DAYS. THIS IS AN AVERAGE OF $71.88 DAILY. THAT IS A LOT.

TAKING STOCK OF WHAT YOU OWN HELPS YOU PEEL FEWER BILLS FROM YOUR WALLET. SO DOES BEING SPIRITUALLY CONTENT.

I'M WORKING ON BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.

GOOD NIGHT TO YOU.