Tag: mindful spending

It still feels a bit unfamiliar, and I have this kind of uneasy feeling about it.

Not because being on benefits is a bad thing, but because I worry that something might get messed up…and that the payments will not come on time.

I have been on benefits once before, and in a way my body still remembers all that mess from back then.

Payments that did not come on time,
payments that were wrong and ended with me having to pay money back (even though I had not done anything wrong),
and my benefits being stopped in the middle of an education I had been told was supported and that everything was in order.

Yes, I know 🙂 it was many years ago, and it does not have to happen again, but…

Every 14 days I have to fill in a form and report on the activities I have agreed to, and then I receive the payment a couple of days later.

In March I received two payments, but they were not the same amount.

The first one was $557 / €514, and the second was $1,113 / €1,029.

It is a bit uneven this month because I received sick pay from my employer the month before, so my first payment in March only covered one week.

From now on, I will receive payments every 14 days.

I also received a small payment from my employer.
It was $110 / €102 🙂

I think this was my last payment from my employer, apart from holiday pay that will come in May.

My employer will soon be my former employer, because they have ended my employment after I have been sick for over a year, and there is still no clear timeline for when I will be able to return to work.

It is actually okay, because I am too sick to work right now – and I have also realised that it was not a good place for me to be.

I knew it, but you see it even more clearly when you get a bit of distance – but that is something I can talk more about another time.

When I went through my expenses for January and February, I was actually most surprised by how much money I spent on food.

I love healthy, clean, protein-rich food, and that is what I buy, so I do not spend money on takeout or unhealthy food (at least very rarely).

I think consciously about everything I buy, and it is very rare that I make impulse purchases, and if I do treat myself to something extra, it is still something healthy.

For example, a really good dark chocolate, fresh berries, or high-quality meat.

I also keep an eye on offers and coupons, and try as much as possible to shop where it is cheapest.

And you know what?

When I go grocery shopping, I feel rich and happy – it actually brings me joy 🙂

I love walking around, picking fresh fruits and vegetables, and choosing everything else I need 🩷

Do you know why? 🙂

It is because I have had very little money before, much less than I have now, and I could barely afford to buy food, so I had to be very creative with what I could afford.

I still chose healthy, clean, protein-rich food.

Food means so much to me.

Being able to afford healthy, clean, protein-rich food – being able to give myself good nourishment.

It makes me happy🥰

I really enjoy cooking and eating – and yes, I make sure that what I eat looks good and inviting – even when I am sitting alone on the couch in front of the TV 🩷

I am the most important person in my life, and it is important to be kind and take good care of yourself 🩷

Yes, I know – I am a mom too, and I of course love my children, but to be a good mom, it is also important to be kind to yourself.

In March my food expenses were actually even higher than in February.

That was not exactly what I had planned, but that is just how it turned out.

I do not often order groceries for delivery, only when there are good offers or when the items are heavy.

Grocery overview

1 pack of baking paper
1 pack of toilet paper (18 rolls)
1 pack of prunes
1 cucumber
1 pack of chocolate truffles

13 tubs of cottage cheese (13 × 400 g)
6 packs of minced beef (6 × 400 g)
6 packs of frozen vegetable mix (6 × 500 g)
2 packs of eggs (2 × 15 eggs)

3 × 8-pack of Cola Zero (1.5 L bottles)

Bottle return: $7 / €6
Packaging: $2 / €1.50
Delivery: $4 / €3

Total: $150 / €138

If you look at my overview, you can see that I have spent less on transport and public transport this month 🙂 but again, I have spent more on doctors and medication.

I have been to both my GP and a lung specialist, and even though the GP is “only” $22 / €20, the lung specialist was almost $46 / €42.

I have a category called clothes, but I think I need to change it to clothes, shoes and accessories.

This month I bought:

A pair of pink sweatpants on sale (50%) = $14 / €13
A pink and a grey workout tank top, 2 × $9 = $18 / €17
A blue denim jacket and a blue linen-style pair of pants, 499 + 399 = $23 / €21

You might wonder how 499 + 399 ended up being only $23 / €21 :)?

It does not sound right, but the thing is there was an offer – buy 2 items and get 25% off the whole purchase, and I also had a store credit of $37 / €34 and a coupon for $2 / €2, so I ended up paying $23 / €21.

When it comes to skincare and haircare, I have spent less than in February 🙂

I have bought a hair dye and a Babor cleansing set.

The cleanser is a bit expensive, but it is worth it and lasts at least 3 months.

I love skincare, and good products are important to me.

By good products, I mean products that are good for my skin, not necessarily expensive or exclusive ones.

I have also bought some contact lens solution this month, and I am a bit unsure where to place it.

This month I placed the contact lens solution under skincare and haircare 🙂

I have spent $0 on hobbies this month.

When I think of “hobby” expenses, I think of things like knitting and crochet🧶

Working out is also a hobby, a passion – but I feel that expenses for workout clothes and shoes belong in the category of clothes, shoes and accessories.

I have spent $2 / €2 on café / restaurant this month.

Did you know that you can buy cheap coffee at IKEA?

No, this is not a sponsored IKEA post 🙂 just a good tip.

There have not been many “other expenses” this month 🙂

What are “other expenses”, really?

They are the kind of expenses that do not fit anywhere else, at least not right now.

For example, repairing my Garmin watch, birthday gifts, bedding, candles, things for the house, and so on.

Should I have more categories than I do now?

Feel free to share any good suggestions 🙂

I have actually saved $28 / €26 this month.

I started doing that in January 🙂 and I hope I can continue and also save more money over time.

March

Income: $1,788 / €1,651

Expenses

Hobbies: $0

Coffee / restaurant: $2 / €2

Other expenses: $104 / €96

Savings: $28 / €26

February vs March

Income

February: $2,930 / €2,680
March: $1,788 / €1,651

Expenses

Fixed expenses
February: $1,935 / €1,770
March: $1,658 / €1,532

Groceries
February: $522
March: $500

Public transport
February: $68
March: $35

Doctor / medication
February: $75
March: $143

Clothes
February: $30
March: $51

Skin & hair care
February: $229
March: $50

Hobbies
February: $0
March: $0

Coffee / restaurant
February: $28
March: $2

Other expenses
February: $347
March: $96

I have set myself a goal to spend a maximum of $322 / €298 on food / groceries in April.

At first I thought about setting the goal at $276 / €255, but I am not sure if I will manage it.

Food is so expensive, but at the same time both my fridge, freezer and kitchen cabinets are full of food.

I have also stocked up on toilet paper, and the only things I can think of that I need now are laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, and Greek yogurt.

Maybe I will just say that my goal is $276 / €255.

Do you have a food budget?

How much do you spend on food per month?

If you have any good frugal tips on how to make your money stretch as far as possible, feel free to share them 🙂

Love,

Fiffibelle 🌼