Thursday, March 3, 2011

February Project Wrap-up

I've survived my second month of not making daily trips to Stuff Mart. I've also learned a few more things this month.

It is possible to run out of Stuff Mart plastic bags.

We can get what we want/need without running out to the store every time we have a need. Bean and I learned this lesson because he can wear sunglasses to school tomorrow. He asked if we could go to the store to get a pair, I told him we could go on Wednesday. Having a plan seemed to defuse the urgency for him, and frustration for me, he didn't ask every day if we could go. Wednesday came, we went to the store got the shades, it's all good!

Using a calculator helps me re-think my need for those extras that run up my total.

Where my butt goes, so does my mind and my money. At home I make the shopping list of what we need and some of our wants. Then when I'm walking around the store, things I didn't know I needed at home end up in the cart. Sometimes I do remember something we need, most of the extras are just that extras.

The total trips to Stuff Mart for February are 4! Honey 1, Me 3! We eliminated 10 trips this month. The store didn't have to close it's doors and I don't feel the pressure to go just because some one wants something.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

WOW! Keep up the good work. It's fun following your project!!!

Karen said...

Jen, I just read your last post about family budgeting. We are trying to do the same thing, get our total budget under control and I am specifically working on the food/grocery "stuff mart" as you so cleverly call it! This is sooo true. I love what you said "where my butt goes, so do my mind and money." I LOVE that! I have been limiting my trip to T*rget and C*stco (where I stock up) to once a month, and it really helps.