Between yesterday and today I had to buy a few things to eat at work. Not so much lunch but snacks because I didn't plan well and was still hungry after eating. Hungry as in I am going to get a migraine if I don't eat hungry. Somedays are just like that. So, I am combining yesterday and today's food expenses into 1 day of not bringing my lunch. And I am considering 1 day as bringing it. So, I am still doing good with my lunch challenge.

I am down to $90 until payday, which is next Thursday. I already have the cash to pay for dinner tonight so I don't have to worry about that. We don't have too much going on this weekend so I am thinking it will be a fairly inexpensive weekend.

I am debating if I should make an additional payment to my Visa with some of the $90. On the positive side it is one more payment and I won't be spending that money on something foolish. On the down side I might need to buy groceries or the kids might need something for school between now and Thursday and I would hate to not have the money. Decisions, decisions.

I have worked out my schedule for next week and will be picking up 5 hours of overtime. It's not a ton but I think it is a good start for me. With the kids schedule and DH's schedule I am surprised I could find the time to do even 5! I am going to shoot for a minimun of 5 additional hours each week.

I am very tired today and have been fighting a headache all day. I am looking forward to the fancy dinner tonight but would be just as happy going home and putting on my sweatpants! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

So I am doing OK with the lunch challenge. Brought my lunch with me yesterday. Forgot it today but am not really eating lunch since this is my early day. I had some pretzels and cookies stashed in my desk that I ate. I can wait until I get home to really eat.

Next month I think I am going to challenge myself to not buying coffee everyday. I am perfectly capable to making it at home and bringing it with me. I always seem to be in a rush and don't make it. We will see how that challenge goes...it will surely be a challenge.

Staying steady with the left over cash in my checking account. Haven't really needed to buy anything this week. I get excited to see the money still in my checking account. Last month I was excited if I saw money after bills left because it meant I could spend it. Now, after working to to change my mindset I am exciting because that is money I can use to pay towards my Visa bill. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you set your mind to it!

Tomorrow night may be expensive. All the women and girls in the family are taking a great aunt out to dinner for her 80th birthday. She didn't want any gifts and arranging this dinner was the only thing I could think of. The restaurant is fancy and yes, expensive. But when I am 80 I hope someone thinks enough of me to take me to a fancy place. I will be paying for me and DD and we will all be splitting the aunts dinner. I think it will be about a 5 way split so thats not bad. I told DD that we are only drinking water with dinner and that I would appreciate it if she picked something off the kids menu. I am bringing $50 to cover our dinners, aunts, tax and tip. I don't think it will be that much but I don't not want to have enough. It will be a nice night of good food and great company.

Anyways, I am proud of how I am starting to look differently at my money. I am going to start working some overtime next week. I think I will put my overtime pay towards my Visa bill and see if I can't beat the year goal I have for myself.

Joining the June lunch challenge and off to a good start!

My goal is to bring my lunch 14 out of the 19 days I am working this month. I am a chronic unorganized mess so this will be a challenge!

I am going to be starting to work some overtime next week so that will be an extra challenge...making sure I have enough food with me for the extra hours. I am sure with enough planning I will be fine.

Today I brought a yummy spinach salad with tomotoes, chicken, and sunflower seeds on it. I also had some nuts and a fruit crisp bar for snacks. One day down, 13 to go...woo hoo!

So I managed to stay within my $20 budget on Friday night at the ball game. I had to pay to park (which I forgot about) and bought the kids each an overpriced ice cream and a fried dough for me. I walked out with $3 left over...yeah me!

Saturday was another story...I did better than I usually do but not as well as I had hoped. DD and I went to Old Navy for their $1 Flip Flop sale. Although DD is only 10 she wears the same size shoe as me. We got 3 pairs to share and spent $3.21.

Saturday night was girls night at the Comedy Club. We went to dinner first and tried to use a coupon but they wouldn't accept it. Seems they are changing ownership and couldn't take the coupon unless it had the new name on it. Anyways, we drank water and and my portion of the bill was about $16. Tickets to the show were $9 and I got 2 drinks during for a total of $6. So, the night came to $31. I had budgeted $30 once I found out we were going to dinner so I did well. Still when you don't go out often, even $31 seems expensive!

Sunday I went grocery shopping to stock up on fruits and veggies. I spent $51 and that should get us through the week. I breaded about 6 chicken breast to have on hand for dinners and lunches this week. I had a delicious spinach salad with some of the chicken for lunch today...yum!

I have to pick up one of my medications today which will cost $10. That will leave me with $37.81 in my checking account until Thursday. If I transfer the $14 I had planned to transfer to my savings account I will have $23.81 to add to my Visa bill I am trying to snowball. Plus the $20 cash I have sitting on my desk at home. That's $43.81 which I think is a good first step.

I am going to try really hard this week to bring my lunch everyday and eat breakfast at home. I ate breakfast at home this morning and only spent $1.25 for coffee. Normally I send $3.51 for coffee and a muffin. One day of breaking my breakfast tradition down, lots more to go!!!