Month One – Ups and Downs

So I haven’t been writing much lately. We’ve been super busy with school starting this week, but I think it’s been more that I’ve just been feeling a little down about 18MTTC. While I felt we made some significant changes this month, as referenced in some of our other posts, the end result wasn’t as “big” as I expected. At the end of the day, we probably cut out between $600-$1000 from our typical monthly spending. As I write that, I realize that it’s pretty significant. What was I expecting? I don’t know but I think I know the source of my disappointment. Here’s the bottom line –

With our lifestyle, no matter how much we try to cut things out, we’re still going to be spending an above average amount of money on things each month. That’s just the way it is. Some things to us are just not expendable. For example, my hair. I get my hair highlighted about once every 8-10 weeks, so about 5-6 times a year. Each time, it’s between $150 to $200 (includes cut). Over the course of the year, $1,000 doesn’t seem that bad, but I just dread spending the nearly $200 each time. But at the same time, I’m not willing to give it up and go Clairol. So with 18MTTC on my mind, how can I feel good about dropping $200 for my hair? I can’t and that’s why I haven’t made my next appointment although desperately needing it – it’s root city right now.

So I decided to discuss my frustration/disappointment with Bryan. I guess I was also looking for some reassurance that he feels the same way and agrees that some things we just don’t want to change. He does share my thinking and also pointed out that over the last month, we had several out of the ordinary expenses come along:

• $350 to fix the Saab
• $170 for bridesmaid apparel

Without those two expenses, our savings would have looked even more impressive. All in all, he assured me (and I look to him for this because he is our family CFO and knows more about our spending patterns than I) that we’re doing well. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m also an instant gratification girl, so keeping my chin up will be challenging for me. I need the reassurance that I’m doing a good job, even as I continue to spend on things that I feel are necessary, but in the grand scheme of things (outside our little world) really aren’t.

This weekend, Bryan and I are going to sit down and take a good look at how we did in August. Identify some wins (ugh, that sounds so corporate) and see where we can continue to improve. Oh, and I’ve come up with a fun new rule...$100 a month per person (just Bryan and I, not Noah and Owen) for miscellaneous spending. Things like lunches out, a magazine here or there, ice coffees, maybe a new shirt, etc. We were finding ourselves feeling it necessary to divulge every $10 spent to each other, which is just ridiculous. So instead of trying to sneak my new scrapbooking magazine into the house, I don’t have to feel guilty, as long as I count it towards my $100 a month. This isn’t really extra spending, we were doing it anyway, but now there’s a bucket for it and a limit to it. I’ll try not to spend it all in one place ;-)