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Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Turtle Back Zoo šŸ¢

P.'s spring break week is picking up a little....we went [with every other family in New Jersey, apparently] to the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange. It was fun to see snow leopards, lions, monkeys, prairie dogs, giraffes! and more. We were with P.'s friends, the twins [girl V. and boy F.] and their Dad. It was so hot.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET 
  • Admission to zoo, 1 adult + 1 child, using a pair of $1 off tickets from KidStuff coupon book, bought as school fundraiser, $25. [Please note, I have bought that book for years, when Fig was in elementary school and during P.'s years. I think this is the first year that I've been organized enough to use it, bring it, check expiration dates, etc. At zoo and Subway, I had coupons for other Dad/our friend to redeem, too.]
  • Lettuce to feed the giraffes, $3.
  • Subway, again using KidStuff coupon book, buy one sub/get one free. Punch and I were both hungry and each got a foot-long, mine with grilled chicken and a lot of vegs + 1 small bag jalapeƱo potato chips, 30-oz. Dr. Pepper for P., small bottle of lemonade for me, and $1.70 jar tip, $14.
  • Williams-Sonoma, direct-trade Chocolate Truffle flavored coffee, marked down from $14.99 to $3.95, and two nice gifts for Punchy's Mimi, who celebrated her 55th birthday and whom we are going to visit tomorrow in Atlantic City, $25.25.
TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $67.25.
MONTHLY SPEND AS OF APRIL 23: $2,591.41.
AVERAGE DAILY SPEND SO FAR THIS MONTH: $112.67.

Big-ticket April spends so far, 23 days into the month:

Lamp, $79; luxe hand cream, $55; Giotto dinner to go + jar of imported Italian artichokes, $46; dog groomer/beauty salon, $75; vet for hamster, $157; necklace extension/repair/new clasp, $128; blowout, $55; Over the Moon, bday gifts for Punch friend + book for me, $60; Kings groceries, $132; liquor store, $32; bra/underwear/tights, $126; Joyist, $39 one day while working on assignments there; second blowout w service tips, $52; Punchy, Lululemon, $28; Justice, bday gifts and gift bag/pink tissue for Punch friend + shorts for Punch + $2 donation at register, $58; Kings groceries, $63; Joyist, $25 one day while working on deadlines; bike delivery, $35; Whole Foods, $69; CVS & Kings, Easter gifts/basket treats [counting lemon curd for tarts], $97; zoo day and lunch, spring break, $42. Steep subtotal of $1,453.

MONEY THOUGHTS: Glad I had KidStuff coupon book!

keeping my eye on
SO FAR: TOTAL APRIL SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $2,591.41.
MY TOTAL MARCH SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $4,128.41.
TOTAL FEBRUARY SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $3,159.25.

4 comments:

  1. Oof, coupons and gift cards. SO easy to have them and not use them! Glad you got to use these on such fun things!

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    1. Hi Kim, yes I was glad.....keeping this money log is a good impetus in many ways.....and again, your suggestion that I keep a running log of money spent for the month has been immensely helpful, too. Hope all is good. Love Alice

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  2. Alice, you want to know a secret? I am HORRIBLE about using those coupons. Using them more consistently would be a nice little boost for our personal finances!

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    1. Exactly, Eileen....I'm glad I could inspire you for a change! LOL. The book seems much more user-friendly and less limited this year, but maybe I'm just imagining that. In the past, there were so many restrictions and maybe they are still there but....I would be like, yay, an Auntie Anne's coupon! And then it would be only for my county and maybe I was at a mall in Bergen County, etc...Love Alice

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