Making Changes - Confessions for Week 1

I think I'm going to confess weekly regarding my changes. If I don't, I'll forget.

I did buy 1 bottle of pop. Purely out of habit.

My groceries for the week came in right around $120. I did pay with cash. Also, Jacob threw my grocery list out the window. Wow! That limits the spending right there! (Where's mommy's paper? "I 'frowed' it out." Out where? "I don't know!")

I also bought food, treats, and a leash for the dog. The food and treats we'll give to my brother for his dog. Katie, we think was allergic to beef and corn. That was $40 that could have been avoided. I really was trying to do something good. I guess, compared to what the cost would have been to get Jacob a dog and THEN find out about the allergies, we did save money! Feeble attempt, I know.

Speaking of Katie - there was a $20 unplanned expense for cleaning my carpets. Don't get me wrong - I'm not at all angry about that. The carpet did need to be cleaned. (Let me also say this - I am very sad she didn't work out for us. I really liked her and I did enjoy having her.)

I did use my canvas shopping bags for my groceries at all three stores - I did forget them at Target.

I did buy my Christmas and birthday gifts for Jeremy's nieces and nephew. I was under my limit for 2 birthdays (1 to go) and I found a huge score at Wal*Mart for Christmas for the 3 of them too. Which we had a gift card for!

I made about $150 on my garage sale. I do have a few more items to sell on eBay. I did Freecyle a bunch of the leftovers. AND I gave my picker-uppers some bonus items too! The stuff for Goodwill is in my truck to drop off tonight. I might also try this Craig's List thing...we'll see.

We did eat out quite a bit this weekend and went for ice cream twice! With the dog, the sale and I kept forgetting to take that hamburger out of the freezer! And to be quite honest - cooking wasn't anything I wanted to do.

I bought 1 coffee from work last week and 1 bagel too.

We did have extra trash this week.

I had 4 bags out for recycling (all those yard sale boxes).

We also had 4 plastic take-out containers. Shame on Jeremy!

I did buy a new calendar for 2010.

I also bought 2 prs of pajamas for Jacob (2 pr. for $19 - 1 pr. was $14). Those were on my need list for this fall. I had already cleaned out his drawers for the sale. I was feeling very guilty about this purchase. My consignment store didn't have anything decent in his size. I do still feel a little guilty. I'm not sure why.

I also bought our tickets for the Tractor Pulls at the county fair.

And, I am down another hole on my belt since this started...I'm not sure what's caused it nor am I complianing!

Of course, there is room for improvement but, I don't think that's too bad for my first week.