I started thinking that all spending was bad except food. Uh, no. As you may remember, I decided a week and a half ago to curtail my grocery spending. I paid cash for our groceries and didn’t go shopping during the week. We ran out of a couple of things, but nothing was desperate enough to make me spend extra. Today was round two. I had the grocery money that I’d set aside, and off I went. Since I used up the last of the butcher’s bundle that I got, I’m having to shop for meat as well as the rest. My goodness but meat has gotten expensive! The tax return is going partly to the butcher I think. The end result was me going $14 over. Most of that overage was meat, but I got enough to last a while, so I don’t consider it a bust. Not bad for my first time actually trying to stick to a budget.
The other thing I spent money on this week was joining a gym. I had cancelled our membership to the YMCA because the kids are in school and none of us were using it. This membership is just for me (so it’s literally $60 cheaper), and I really feel like investing in my health is a good use of money. I know there are ways to work out at home that cost less, or even nothing, but I really like lifting weights and that’s just not something easily or cheaply done at home. If I enjoy it I’m more likely to stick to it and, if I stick to it, I may even be able to avoid the diabetes that runs so heavily through my family – or at least hold it off for a while. Health is worth the money. Not only that, but the kids need to see both their parents staying fit and healthy, how else will they learn? Right now their father is in the best shape of his life, and Mom is overweight and sedentary. Not cool.
All spending is not bad. You just need to decide where your priorities are. Yes, saving money is a priority, but I’m not willing to do that at the expense of my other priorities. Balance is the key. While I’m getting my priorities straight in other areas, this one needs to get straight, too.
Green and Thrifty 