Cash-only check-in

This past Friday I successfully made it through one week as a cash-only girl. It was an interesting experience with lessons reaching beyond whether I could possibly make it 7 days on a tight budget without transferring money from savings or breaking down.

Most notably, I was surprised by how acutely aware I was of prices of items at the store, even those I "needed" and planned on purchasing. I took so much longer to shop for just a few items.  I browsed carefully, looking at the clearance sections and comparing smaller sizes for overall value. Needless to say, shopping felt a lot more like work and another chore, rather than an enjoyable way to pass some time on a Tuesday night.

And I was much more conscious of how it must feel to do this all the time, be forced to choose the smallest, least expensive item, instead of stocking up because it is cheaper in the long run. When the money isn't there, shopping for value is a LOT more difficult.

This isn't going to be a terrible situation for me. I'm shopping for 2 adults, really, and I'm lucky to have a well stocked pantry and live and work close to several stores, making frequent small trips feasible. People on strictly limited budgets may not have this same proximity, and they also are less likely have large quantities of staple items like olive oil, vinegar, spices, cheese, etc.

So did I make it? Well, sort of.

See, I hosted my book club on Wednesday night, and I didn't exactly include the food I'd be making in my budget. I figured I could go over my $100 budget pretty easily if I took the easy route and bought things ready-made, but maybe I'd be able to stay within, or close to it, if I cooked from scratch. I searched my recipe books and the web, came up with a simple but tasty menu, and made my list. Unfortunately, I wound up over my grocery budget by about $30. Not all of this was attributed to book club, but I'd say at least $20 of it was. But I don't want to worry too much about entertaining. It's a rare opportunity and I'm happy to extend the hospitality my friends have shown me.

But no question about the lesson I learned. For one, I could have saved a bit by just doing more planning - using more of what I had on hand instead of needing to make that last trip to the store. And also, not surprisingly, doing the planning somewhere prior to the very last minute. Things ALWAYS become more expensive that way.