I made the decision to go to the grocery store last night. We are celebrating Halloween with my parents and making homemade pizza. And I had in my brain that I wanted lasagna. I spent $54! I didn't have $54 to spend. It was a bad decision. I spend more than I have. I made the lasagna and will be able to eat it for several days. And my mom contributed $10 for the pizza. But I should have been smarter. How do you all stick to a budget?
Bad decision
October 29th, 2025 at 02:34 pm
October 29th, 2025 at 03:01 pm 1761750080
I will say this though, I try to balance it out overall. So, maybe one day, I'm over-budget, but the next day, I try to hit under. I basically struggle like this every day until, at the end of every month, my monthly averages out to staying within budget.
October 29th, 2025 at 03:10 pm 1761750616
It's good that you're noticing this trend in yourself. You should brainstorm ways to prevent this from happening again. Every time you catch yourself screwing your future self, make a plan to prevent it next time.
October 29th, 2025 at 03:23 pm 1761751420
October 29th, 2025 at 06:53 pm 1761764006
Leave credit/debit cards at home.
If your store has order pick up, you can use that to price out what you are going to buy. Of course produce that you need to pay by the pound can throw that off, so leave a little wiggle room.
Otherwise bring a calculator and add up as you go. If you are over, you leave behind the least important item.
I think you said you had watched Gail VoxAuxkley. Her envelope system works for many people to stay on track.
If you are in credit card debt, it definitely makes sense to do discretionary spending in cash - when the money’s gone it’s gone.
November 1st, 2025 at 04:45 am 1761972322