THIRD WEEK- things are getting easier 

Seems like adapting to not being 'credit card swipe happy' is going well, my brain muscles are adjusting to this new reality. It usually is said that it takes 3 weeks to form a habit, I have not yet formed the habits to spend wisely but they have adapted to 'spending cautiously'

I actually feel a lot calmer!
Sometimes you see kids that are totally out of control settle down when there is an authority figure that they respect are introduced into the picture. Guess my brain was the kid who was out of control - I am suspecting the reptile brain - overriding my prefrontal cortex or maybe bribing it with the promise of immediate 'feel good' hormones was taking over for its insatiable immediate gratification needs, leaving the responsible part to deal with the aftermath and suffer.
Knowing that I should not be buying everything that I 'think I should need'- being fed by the community and ads -   put a barrier between me and the multibillion dollar consumer economy.

Highlight of my week: A close friend of my father had an Acura about 15 years ago and my father was always picking on her saying that she should sell the car before it caused problems and she kept on saying that until it costs 300$/month to fix she will keep it. My father passed away 9 years ago but apparently the car was still rocking it as I saw her Facebook post on saying goodbye to it at 350k miles. She is my inspiration and I trust my wonderful Rav4 will perform that way, we are at 140k now! 

 Buying a new car sounds lovely the toxic wonderful new car smell, the ohh and ahhh's of friends and neighbors in the first month is dizzyingly satisfying but after that first month what you have left with are the monthly payments for years! No thank you I would rather pay that amount to other things that I truly enjoy as long as the car is in good shape and is safe.

Lowpoint of my week: Due to a series of unfortunate coincidences - leaving the car key on top of the car, my husband moving the car using the spare key and me then not realizing that it was the spare key driving away probably hurling the key that was on top of the car somewhere. I heard it is very expensive to get spare car key. Now I have to decide whether I should get one of not. On one hand if I lose, misplace  or lock the only key I have inside the car (this has happened) will be stuck somewhere which will cost me more in the end.

Next week I will take car to service and ask about replacing the duplicate key. Crossing fingers that it will be just a regular service and not something where the Service Advisor will need to sit down with a pitying face in front of me  carrying a bunch of papers.

SECOND WEEK - budget busted by 50%

During the second week I had to take an advance (put coins back into the Budget box from the Spent box) which was really painful, until I realized that there were several recurring monthly payments that I had entered in this 2 week period  which will not be in the next 2 week period and I had also purchased the rehearsal dinner and shoes for our daughters wedding coming up in 3 weeks.

You might say why I chose this time to start my experiment? I would justify my decision with the fact that this is life, there will always be stuff popping up good or bad and I have to actually learn to ride the wave of spending. I am also hoping this will reeducate my brain into saving for emergencies and unexpected expenses and not living hand to mouth.

One bad decision cost me 30$.  The county had not gotten to remove the dead tree trunks/branches after hurricane Irma and a couple of guys were doing cleanup asking for 30$. Since the heap had been quite impressive (a beautiful Mango tree and huge oak branches) we decided to hire the guys and get the curb cleaned up. You probably guess what happened right? the next day county showed up with 'the claw' cleaned up the whole street. GRRRR... That hurt. Beforehand I would have said oh well, that was bad luck/timing but now that I am tallying everything it really bummed me.
Lesson Learned: Patience Jedi

I busted the budget by 50% !! This is not a good indication, however although it was quite tempting to readjust the budget - slapping hand for even thinking about this - I chose to stick with it to see how I will survive the second 2 week period in which I will have 50% less funds than I did initially.
When I was doing the finances for the family loonnggg time ago since I liked numbers it was like a game balancing, reconciling and comparing. My husband has taken finances the last 18 years to help out and this caused me to be disengaged from reality. I know it is shameful but it is the truth.
Lesson learned: it is not enough to budget to what you usually spend in any period, but you have to take into account other payments that are scheduled. 

Survived the 1st week!

However because I had not explicitly defined which expenses were supposed to be in the budget I underestimated.
 I modified my budget which was initially supposed to be monthly, to a 2 week budget. And at the end of the first week I had spent 60% of the whole not too bad considering that this is the adjustment period, and I did splurge on a beautiful handmade mug by Chandra DeBuse whose handbuilding/decorating course I took past weekend, and I ate out twice.

There was one purchase that I regretted and the reason was FOMO (fear or missing out). There was a team order for a pullover for those who are going to Hooch and I tagged along not really thinking. (my old brain at work) There was a problem with the order and I had a chance to back out of the purchase that was a close call. I have to be careful of these tendencies, I got lucky this time.

While grocery shopping I find myself to be more price conscious. At home I am trying to make use of the groceries I have instead of trying to follow a new recipe to the dot and shopping for each ingredient that I might not actually even use again.

It indeed is fun to place the chips from Budget to Spent and counting the chips for someone anal like me. Actually not shopping is giving me a satisfaction. Hoping that the second week I can hold on and maybe just maybe make it within budget although I only have 40% left instead of the 50%.

At this point I am not keeping track of actual spendings and categories this is something I might look into to see where I am falling short or overindulging.