Money Monday!
It's said that pride goes before a fall. My series of events was a little different.
8 days ago, I sprained my ankle whilegetting out of the van snow skiing.
It felt better by the next day, so I didn't think much of it.
I went to the grocery store like normal on Thursday and did GREAT. I had only spent 65% of the grocery budget!
The girls and I decided to run a few errands on Saturday morning. We got everything we needed, and I was thrilled that I was able to buy Coralynn a new booster seat- one with straps- with the money I had left.
(She was less than thrilled with being unable to climb out of her seat)
By the time we got home from the errands, my ankle was huge and ugly.
We had a wedding to attend so on the way there, we stopped at the local CVS-esque store (Arrocha), and I bought an Ace-esque bandage to wrap the ankle.
By the next morning, it was clear that we needed to head to the ER.
$244.00 later, I had been to the ER, had x-rays, consulted with an orthopedic, gotten an aircast and crutches. (And for the record, people who are so uncoordinated as to hurt themselvesgetting out of the van snow skiing are going to struggle using crutches.)
My excellent budgetary week was gone.
Now, I get to find $244 in the budget. Yikes.
We run a zero budget which means that every dollar is budgeted. And $244 is a lot to have to find.
From hero to zero in one ER trip. So frustrating.
I've had to cut the month's dining budget in half. And cut the grocery budget by 25%.
That will cover the ER trip and the follow-up appointment I'm supposed to schedule. And leave some extra give room for a follow-up appointment Coralynn needs from her Christmastime illness.
Boo. Hiss.
There are still budgetary victories in this mess, and they are important to highlight.
1. I was able to go to the ER and all that jazz for ONLY $244. In the world of medical care, that's not outrageous.
2. We behaved this month so even though January is half over (January is HALF over???), we still had areas we could cut.
3. I'm choosing not to throw up my hands this month. To be super honest, by reaction to all of this is to go shopping and out to eat. Since the crutches put a serious dent in the appeal of shopping, I just wanna go out to eat. It's my toddler-throwing-a-fit reaction. At this point, I've been able to fight that off. (Although Tony did get dinner out for us last night.) I have easy meals planned for the rest of the week because adding to the budget issues isn't worth the temper tantrum of eating out!
4. Because of past responsiblity (mostly on Tony's part), this isn't a life changer for our financial goals. Even if we have to pull it from savings, nothing more than $244 is gone. Our goals are intact.
SO, how about you? How did you do last week? On track? Or did you fall, too?
8 days ago, I sprained my ankle while
It felt better by the next day, so I didn't think much of it.
I went to the grocery store like normal on Thursday and did GREAT. I had only spent 65% of the grocery budget!
The girls and I decided to run a few errands on Saturday morning. We got everything we needed, and I was thrilled that I was able to buy Coralynn a new booster seat- one with straps- with the money I had left.
(She was less than thrilled with being unable to climb out of her seat)
By the time we got home from the errands, my ankle was huge and ugly.
We had a wedding to attend so on the way there, we stopped at the local CVS-esque store (Arrocha), and I bought an Ace-esque bandage to wrap the ankle.
By the next morning, it was clear that we needed to head to the ER.
$244.00 later, I had been to the ER, had x-rays, consulted with an orthopedic, gotten an aircast and crutches. (And for the record, people who are so uncoordinated as to hurt themselves
My excellent budgetary week was gone.
Now, I get to find $244 in the budget. Yikes.
We run a zero budget which means that every dollar is budgeted. And $244 is a lot to have to find.
From hero to zero in one ER trip. So frustrating.
I've had to cut the month's dining budget in half. And cut the grocery budget by 25%.
That will cover the ER trip and the follow-up appointment I'm supposed to schedule. And leave some extra give room for a follow-up appointment Coralynn needs from her Christmastime illness.
Boo. Hiss.
There are still budgetary victories in this mess, and they are important to highlight.
1. I was able to go to the ER and all that jazz for ONLY $244. In the world of medical care, that's not outrageous.
2. We behaved this month so even though January is half over (January is HALF over???), we still had areas we could cut.
3. I'm choosing not to throw up my hands this month. To be super honest, by reaction to all of this is to go shopping and out to eat. Since the crutches put a serious dent in the appeal of shopping, I just wanna go out to eat. It's my toddler-throwing-a-fit reaction. At this point, I've been able to fight that off. (Although Tony did get dinner out for us last night.) I have easy meals planned for the rest of the week because adding to the budget issues isn't worth the temper tantrum of eating out!
4. Because of past responsiblity (mostly on Tony's part), this isn't a life changer for our financial goals. Even if we have to pull it from savings, nothing more than $244 is gone. Our goals are intact.
SO, how about you? How did you do last week? On track? Or did you fall, too?
Comments
Well, I definitely faltered, fell, stumbled, blew it, etc. last week! Variable income provides little opportunity to budget in advance...we just know what the bottom line necessity is to pay everything that we have to pay for (and by the hand of God, that has ALWAYS worked out!!!) but sometimes I get tired of waiting for oreos, date nights or steam cleaners to make it into the budget!
So, last week I enjoyed some oreos (immensely) and a few other unnecessary things...I'm still waiting to see if giving into my flesh was worth it...
I don't know how to have wiggle room when I don't know how much room I have to begin with. But I am learning to wiggle carefully! ;-)
A.