Writing Down Everything You Spend..to the penny!

[sabrelvssammy]

Yikes! Sorry guys...I've been at work and we're not allowed to use the internet for non-business purposes, so I am just reading your comments. Honestly, I didn't know this would get so much attention!! But I'm glad.... Given that this has sparked so much interests into turing this into a challenge, it sounds like everyone would prefer to post all their purchases on a daily basis?? Am I understanding you all correctly?? If so, it would not detract from my original thoughts which were to jot down things that you spent money on during the day. Or, we could check in everyday with a message that we kept an account for everything. Please let me know how best this can work for you, and I will adapt. Again, I apologize for my delayed response.

jilly....it really makes NO difference to me how we do it...so you all decide and i will follow suit....(i'm not helping much- am i ?)...sorry....

[Determined]

I'm learning a lot in terms of how to manage my money on the whole, but I've been doing this exercise (writing down every penny) since 1/27/08 and it's made a world of difference in the way I view my finances.
At first it was annoying carrying that little notebook w. me and stopping to write down every little thing (I find that I forget if I don't do it immediately), but now I don't feel secure until I've recorded the transaction in my notebook. I make the transaction, hand over the money, and give myself a record of the transaction in return. It's a way of making my money accountable to me. It's a way of keeping myself sane and accountable in the outgoing of cash and is my way of reasserting power over my money.

For the challenge, maybe it could be a personal decision as to whether we post in every day, weekly or monthly with the ultimate goal being to record everything and then be accountable to each other to show the numbers that we record, with whatever frequency we decide. Does that sound do-able?

[Jilly]

For the challenge, maybe it could be a personal decision as to whether we post in every day, weekly or monthly with the ultimate goal being to record everything and then be accountable to each other to show the numbers that we record, with whatever frequency we decide. Does that sound do-able?

Hey "Determined", I think you have a good plan.

1. Check in each day and let us know if you recorded your expenses
2. Optional to tell us the total amount spent
3. Optional to use the create a month-by-month budget worksheet

Over a certain period of time, this may no longer be necessary if it serves the purpose to help to identify good/bad spending habits. I personally transfer my data into a spreadsheet that I created for myself. I like to see, from a broader view, how I'm doing.

[marjorie]

I've been recording daily...

[Determined]

Sounds great.
Here's mine. (Writing it down, I realize that it's a bit high... This challenge is definitely a good thing.)

4/1- Gifts - Krispy Kreme dounts for dentist's office 11,000.00
4/1- Health - Dentist 72,000.00
4/1- Personal Care - Hair Dye 8,000.00
4/1- Snack- Kumquats and Crackers 3,500.00
4/2- 0.00 0.00
4/3- Snack- Pretzels 900.00
4/3- Restaurant- McDonalds 4,600.00
4/4- Personal Care - Hair Dye 11,000.00
4/4- Groceries - Home Plus 6,800.00
4/4- Snacks- ice cream, crackers, noodles
4/5- 0.00 0.00
4/6- Home Plus- Groceries+Personal Care (Contact Solution and Listerine) 41,570.00
4/7- Home Plus (hair care +snacks) 15,110.00
4/7- Transportation - Cab 5,000.00
4/7- Restaurant- Lunch 4,500.00
4/7- Petty Cash - Snacks 1,000.00

[Jilly]

Sounds great.
Here's mine. (Writing it down, I realize that it's a bit high... This challenge is definitely a good thing.)

4/1- Gifts - Krispy Kreme dounts for dentist's office 11,000.00
4/1- Health - Dentist 72,000.00
4/1- Personal Care - Hair Dye 8,000.00
4/1- Snack- Kumquats and Crackers 3,500.00
4/2- 0.00 0.00
4/3- Snack- Pretzels 900.00
4/3- Restaurant- McDonalds 4,600.00
4/4- Personal Care - Hair Dye 11,000.00
4/4- Groceries - Home Plus 6,800.00
4/4- Snacks- ice cream, crackers, noodles
4/5- 0.00 0.00
4/6- Home Plus- Groceries+Personal Care (Contact Solution and Listerine) 41,570.00
4/7- Home Plus (hair care +snacks) 15,110.00
4/7- Transportation - Cab 5,000.00
4/7- Restaurant- Lunch 4,500.00
4/7- Petty Cash - Snacks 1,000.00

Wow, I'm really impressed Determined. I had a no spend day. Yesterday, I paid $2.27 for lunch. I've really been frugal lately.

[Pamela]

I have just sarted doimg this since I am on a fixed income...

[Determined]

Jilly: Props on your "no spend" day. I try to have one a week, but it doesn't always work out that way... Still, it's thrilling when it does.

Pamela: Welcome to the wonderful world of record keeping! It can be fun once you get going. :thup:

~~~
Forgot to mention that I'm in SK so the decimal places are a bit off. Just knock off one "0" and it's roughly equivalent to $1.
Had a "field trip" w. some people from our church. Tons of fun and totally worth the money.

Here are the numbers

4/8/09 Restaurant- Dinner (dak galbi) 9,000.00
4/8/09 Snack- Ice cream 4,200.00
4/9/09 Personal Care - Hat 16,800.00
4/10/09 0.00 0.00
4/11/09 Transportation- Bus to Gyeongju 4,000.00
4/11/09 Entertainment - Bike Rental 7,000.00
4/11/09 Personal Care- Tissues and Gum 1,000.00
4/11/09 Snacks - water and sports drinks 2,800.00
4/11/09 Snacks- Water and mints 3,200.00
4/11/09 Entertainment- ATV Rental 10,000.00
4/11/09 Transportation- Bus home from Gyeongju 4,000.00
4/11/09 Groceries - Home Plus 20,130.00
4/12/09 Snack - Hot Dog@ Costco 2,000.00
4/12/09 Transportation - Transit Card 10,000.00
4/12/09 Groceries - Home Plus 22,320.00
4/13/09 Snack - Chocolate 1,000.00