Lately, in an attempt to be more… conscientious, I’ve been writing down everything I spend. I already keep a balanced checkbook (it’s called online banking), and I figured the next step would be to know not only how much I’m spending, but where. The results have been interesting. Here’s what I’ve learned:
I spend as much money on late fees at Blockbuster as I do on coffee.
I shouldn’t be allowed to carry large amounts of cash. This leads to impulse spending.
I don’t necessarily get more bang for my buck drinking in Brooklyn.
If you’re spending the afternoon with Sarah Brown, you will add margaritas to your list of expenditures. You just will. Budget for it.
I spend more money on food related items each month than I do on shoes. While, this is probably how it should be, I’d like to see what happens if I reverse that.
While Lean Cuisine is terribly middle America (you’re absolutely right, darling), it cuts lunchtime spending in half. HALF. I’m thinking, shoe money.
I need to turn either my air conditioner or my computer off. Seriously, one of the two has to go. I’m paying tuition for the children of Con Ed employees. I just know it.
Even thinking about Morocco is expensive. And so very worth it.
While itemizing expenditures, jotting down Toys in Babeland – $25 makes me giggle.
I knew that living in New York would be more expensive than Boston. But I didn’t take into account that most of that would be due to the fact that spending temptation here is simply unparalleled. Forget that everything costs just a bit more… it actually calls out to you in sultry voices, enticing you to partake as you pass by.
It’s pocketbook seduction. And I’ve never really been one resisting temptation.
Isn’t itemizing your spending depressing? It just reminds me exactly how much I DON’T make!
itemizing sucks. i started it yesterday mornig and already i’m depressed.. grumble. as for phone or a/c – i suggest LOADS of iced water.. personally while i don’t talk much on my phone, without it, i would just die. of course, if you don’t have a phone, then you can’t as easily meet ppl for drinks, which cuts your margarita spending, which means more money for shoes… hmm..
netflix TOTALLY cuts down on the late fees. there have been all sorts of articles on how Blockbuster and other video stores are trying to change their policies to compete, since it seems they really can’t. but if you spent about $23 a month on dvd rentals and you watch at least 3-4 movies a month, netflix is worth it. don’t be a slave to blockbuster!
i think if you spent less on food and more on shoes you would probably wind up having one of those wobbling, tipping, falling, fainting scenes enabled by your being in manolos. but if you time it right, it could happen while you’re enjoying margaritas in brooklyn with sarah b, and she’d totally catch you. she’s so that girl!
The thing with electricity is even though you’re not actively using the A/C, as long as it’s plugged in – it’s still using electricity. Less, yes, but criminey.
When I learnt that I started unplugging my clothes washer, except when I’m actively washing; the lamps in the living room that we only use when my parents visit…
Every little bit helps for the shoe fund!
New York is the epicenter of American consumerism. It is re-invented and recast as the next “new” there every day. They must have told you.
You must flee. Think Vermont ice cream store — $9,000 a year, all the ice cream you can eat and no need for anything but a pair of Birkenstocks.
But they probably have Blockbuster there, too, so shape up!
a girl can never have too many shoes. Whatever the methods used to acquire them.
I guess killer heels are worth the Middle America freezer-food-horde label. Microwave & eat on. – R
Trying living in London if you think NY is pricey.
I remember walking past “Toys in Babeland” when in NY and thinking what a smart name for a shop.
Although now I have to try figure out what you spent $25 on.
When I lived in New York, I subsisted on tuna, generic mac&cheese and Haagen-Dasz so that I could afford …
… well, that would be telling. But still.
When I lived in NYC
Um, not sure what happened there. When I lived in NYC, we always said there was a $100 tax every time you walked out the door!
But don’t you save money by not having a car? Help me continue fantasizing about getting rid of that thing!
I thought about itemizing once. Then I realized how much I spend each year on cigarettes and decided to stop…itemizing not smoking.
What Adrian said…Living in London was the hugest wake-up call for me. It makes New York look like some kind of bargain-basement sale.
After living in San Francisco for a while, I know EXACTLY what you mean. Granted it’s expensive because you can’t go out to lunch without spending $10 (Unless you have a friend who knows this GREAT Chinese place) But the stores. Oh MY, the stores…And I don’t mean just Macy’s and Neman Marcus. It’s the boutiques that get me, with their windows full of tempting wares that draw you in, and once your inside it’s even better then you imagined while standing on the outside. You can’t simple walk out. Not without trying on a bit of that, or look at that hat, it’s begging to be brought home and promising to be good and only wet on the newspapers! *sigh* I still miss living in San Francisco. And to think I almost took a job in Manhatten – I can only imagine it would have been worse!
One needs the margaritas if one is going to really get one’s money’s worth at Babes in Toyland.
Toys in Babeland. Whatever. I still can’t figure out what the light is for.