If I could find it in my heart to really, truly, finally, permanently give up my diet Coke. I could save an average of $2/day. So, about $60 a month is paying for my habit. We won't really add up Kyle's day to day Coke, because he doesn't drink much. BUT, I estimate that if we both drank water (vs. lemonade, gatorade, etc.) ALL the time, even when we're out to eat, we could save another $30. Overall savings = $90
Its terrible to admit, but fast food is another huge drain. There is a McDonald's right by the kids' school. Due to the odd eating hours of this culture, at 1:30 when I pick the kids up, they're starved. Of course, Sullivan and I are fine because we ate lunch around noon - but the kids' "lunch" break is at 10:30 a.m. so they're ready to eat. A few times a week, I'll grab them a nugget meal to share so they can make it until dinner time. At $5 , a few times a week; that could be as much as $60 a month!
By eliminating these splurges, we could save about $180 a month. It doesn't seem like much, but if we take into account the 8 months remaining this school year, that's an extra $1440. That is the equivalent of almost 3 months tuition for the kids' school. Or 6 months worth of gas for the car. Or plane tickets for our whole family to go home and visit at Spring Break. And the best part is that they should be relatively easy to cut out.
I really don't NEED diet Coke. I just love it. Fast food is total laziness on my part because I don't want to go home and make snacks just to turn around and make dinner again. And the pewter. . .well, the pewter is just pretty and fun and a keepsake of Mexico that I'd like to take with us. But, it would be perfectly reasonable to tell myself to buy 1 or 2 pieces over the next year and call it good.
So, there you go. Its in writing. I *can* be thrifty, even though I've never really tried before. Think how healthy we'll be in this family without soda or fast food!
4 comments:
THANK YOU!!! I just have to show my gratitude for your money saving ideas. I just recently stopped drinking diet coke ...sob:(... and I have been looking for ways to be more frugal. Limiting McDonald's crappy food is another good idea (I just wish I didn't like a good BIG MAC every once in a while). Any way, just thought I'd let you know that I share your same views. I just have to keep telling myself that although I LOVE Diet Coke, I just don't NEED it.
Although I am not a diet coke drinker, I could save money on not buying chocolate or icecream-those are my issues. I definitely need to cut back and of course we all could do better without a greasy burger from MCD'S-but it is soooo hard to do! :)
I loved that post. I am TOTALLY with you. There are things I could cut out too. It's so hard to do though. I'm such a fast food junkie....especially being pg. I wish I could cut that out.
I am Shanda's friend. I don't always leave messages on people I don't know but I just had to say THANKS! I have been needing to cut back on my spending BIG TIME and this has motivated me by starting with the little stuff that adds up! I think I will start with Mc Donalds and work my way up to Diet Coke though..... that one seems too hard to takle right now.... (oh crap, I must have a problem!!)
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