Ok, today is the first day of my 3rd week of the $20 Challenge. This is what I have to report.

1. I am noticing that I REALLY, REALLY have to control impulse buys. This week I was horrified how I just switch to autopilot when I am out, and buy stuff without thinking about it. Examples:

* Took my daughter and her best friend shopping for bathing suits on Thursday (we were going to a friends' house on Friday who has a hot tub and both girls have grown out of their bathing suits and needed something they wouldn't be hanging out of around all the teen boys that are there). The friend bought $25 and my plan was to go to Wally World to get them something cheap and sufficient for our needs. However, I noticed I had a $10 off a $25 purchase coupon for Fashion Bug, which expired that day so I thought, maybe I can find them something there and use the coupon and maybe save both of them some $$. We went there, and all the bathing suits were TOO SKIMPY and TOO EXPENSIVE besides. So I decided to check the clearance/sales racks to get $25 of products so I could use the coupon and only spend $15. I found 3 really cute tops for myself at $3.95, $3.95 and $6.95 respectively. I found 2 T-Shirts for $8 each I was going to get for the girls, which took me up above the $25 limit (so I thought). I went to the cash register, and lo and behold the T-Shirts were not included in the coupon (the T's had a special tag on them called "Priced Just Right" and those Priced Just Right things weren't included on the coupon). I didn't have the heart to not get them for the girls after I told them they could get them, so in order to use the coupon I needed to find more things to bring up to the $25. I bought a pair of earrings for $8, and although it wasn't up to $25 she still let me use the coupon. My total expenditure at Fashion Bug ended up being $31.31 AFTER the coupon, instead of $15 like I had intentioned.

THEN I STILL had to go shopping for the bathing suits!

My total expenditure for the bathing suit at Wally World was $25.19. I was planning on spending a bit less than that, but I ended up having to buy separates because my daughter is tiny on the bottom and big on the top. I had to buy her a size 3/5 bottom and a 7/9 top. Her best friend has the opposite problem, she had a 7/9 top and a 11/13 bottom. They had to have matching bathing suits. I admit, they were REALLY cute, and although my intention was that these suits were just "junky" suits and not the actual suit I was going to get for our trip to the beach, they ended up being so cute that they are the final bathing suit for both I think. So ultimately I think I actually saved money there by not buying my daughter 2 bathing suits for the summer.

Although I love the shirts I bought myself and the earrings, I'm still bummed about the Fashion Bug incident. I should have just put everything back and left or told the girls sorry about the t-shirts.

* Another example of my spending without thinking - I am involved in a book group at my favorite bookstore. I LOVE THIS BOOKSTORE! However, every time I go in there I find so many things I want, and I end up buying more than I should. I have gone to this awesome book group two Saturdays in a row, and each time I spent $50-60 on books (totally unrelated to the book group and not part of the book group). Next weekend my goal is not to buy any new books. I finished most of the books I bought already, I wonder if they would take them back for their resale section and give me a store credit. Hm...

On the bright side, here are my weekly savings:

Rewards for Sticking to
my health plan: $11.00
Unexpected funds: dividend check - $2.99
Rounding up in my checkbook - $16.99
Coupons/Discounts: Kroger - $6.46
Fashion Bug - $10.00

Total weekly Savings: $47.44
New savings balance: $100.65

To close, I have made a new rule for myself. I only am keeping $20 in my wallet, along with ONE check for emergencies. I am leaving home my debit card (my only card) and my checkbook whenever I go out now. My husband usually takes my car to fuel up for me when I need it, so I don't have to keep my card with me normally.

We'll see if that helps me with the overspending thing. If I have to, I might have to even not have the emergency check. I am really open to any suggestions you all have on this.

Sorry so long winded!

MizLizzy