Receipts

As part of my plan for 2013, I am entering all of my daily expenses into a budget manager on my phone. This has proven to be a bigger challenge than I expected. Instead of entering the expense as it occurs, I find I am sticking the receipt in my wallet telling myself I will enter them at the end of the day. That of course doesn't happen so on Sunday I end up with a large pile of receipts to enter. It is good that I am keeping them but I need to get better about entering at the time of purchase.

How are things with you?

The Rules

Below are the rules I developed for the year. These were built for me and to be an improvement to my current circumstance. 

Austerity rules

1. In 2013 I will not spend my own money on the following:
- books
- magazines
- watches
- flashlights
- messenger bags / backpacks
- pens / fountain pens
- movies/DVDs
- guns
- video games

2. I will buy only one knife and that will be at the blade show if at all. Max cost $100.

3. I will not eat out unless it is at Spouse request.

4. I will still be able to spend money at Starbucks but only $50 a month max.

5. Business needs (clothes, travel, meals, entertaining) fall outside of this.

6. Drink/dinners/movies with friends will be at their request and costs kept to a minimum. Need to stay social.

7. I will keep a daily record of all expenses to track against.

8. Gifts for Spouse and Son will still be allowed

9. ITunes - I will only be allowed 20 songs and 2 TV seasons for the year (walking dead and game of thrones)

10. Gift certificates and credit card rewards are outside of these rules.

11. Housing/car repair are outside of these rules.

12. Alcohol - I will be allowed one bottle of scotch/bourbon/rum every 3 months. Max spend $55 each purchase.

13. Electronics will only be bought to replace a broken item.

So far, so good.

Granted it has been only one day, but so far I am on the path. I took lunch to work and when I went grocery shopping on the way home I stuck to items on the list and didn't pick up any magazines or other reward type objects.

Tomorrow I will be posting the rules I developed for 2013.

Thanks.

ASE

2013 -It Starts

Hello. It is a new year. 2013. And with this new year comes a change. I spend too much money. I am not in debt, but I need to change my spending habits. So for one year, this year, I am going to dramatically change the way I manage my money.

I read a quote that has stuck with me. The quote was "It isn't how much you make, but how much you can save." This year I really want to take that to heart and focus on increasing my savings while seeing. It will be my mantra.

I have developed a set of rules to follow and I will be tracking my spending with an app on my phone and monthly finance reviews. I will post the rules later to help me not forget them.

I don't think of this as a new year's resolution. I think of it as a personality change. An upgrade.

This is also just an initial step so know I approach this humbly knowing it will be difficult and that there are others out there who have to make similar decisions out of necessity instead of in the spirit of self improvement.

Hoping it will be a good year for all of us.

ASE