Days 2-5

So here I am Day 5 plugging numbers into my spreadsheet. So Sunday after attempting to run 16 miles and only completing 14 I really wanted a Subway sandwich and GIANT Diet Coke plus I found a ten dollar bill in the laundry and decided that would cover my splurge. That $10 paid for one $5 footlong, two large Diet Cokes and a cookie. Sure, logically, I could have bought a case of Diet Coke for about $6 but at the time I wasn't feeling too logical and couldn't brave Wal-Mart. Not only that, that was a free $10 (my friend let me keep the return from the beer pitcher he paid the deposit on) so I don't feel bad. I also spent Sunday evening liking my "Usual Suspects" on Facebook and signing up for their newsletters in hopes of acquiring more coupons. I don't want coupons to dictate what I buy and end up buying things I usually wouldn't so I thought about the things I buy/use on a regular basis i.e. my Usual Suspects: like Loreal face wash, Aveeno body wash, Superfloss, Skippy peanut butter, etc.
Daily Total: $10.00

Monday: the usual $10 is transferred out of my checking account to my Mastercard account.
Daily Total: $10.00

Tuesday: I just manage to get to work with the fuel light on the whole way. I stop after work on the West Side (cheaper) and fill up. At $3.09/gallon that cost me almost $40 on my check card. However this may be the last time I buy gas for a while because next week I start taking the Metro.
Daily Total: $38.45 (including 1 DC)

Wednesday: It's my best friend's 32nd birthday. He gets to eat at Denny's for FREE. At my kind of joking suggestion we end up going. After running 4 miles I try to be somewhat healthy and order the Tilapia Ranchero with a salad and mash potatoes plus I, of course have Diet Coke to drink. Total (just for me, J's soda and the tip): $19.35. I pay cash and pocket the 65 cents to buy a soda from the machine tomorrow. (That reminds me... major downfall Diet Coke. I've already bought 3 cans from the vending machine this week. That's $1.50.) So the roomie wants the 'Gotta Have It' from Cold Stone Creamery. I ask him if they have a birthday special he says, "I don't know. Ask her." But I'm too afraid they'll just break out in song and not get a discount so I don't ask (I hate that place with their schticky singing and whatnot). I, myself, feel it's his birthday and I ate well at dinner so I get the 'Like It'. Total: $9.66 (out of cash so use the check card - Dang it!). J suggest we buy a lottery ticket and since my right hand has been itching all day I agree even though I spent my last single on a soda out of a machine. Stop at Moto Mart buy two bottles of Diet Coke (2 for $2.50) and one Powerball ticket (potentially $155 million) $1.00. Total: $3.68 on the check card.
Daily Total: $34.34

So far I've learned... if I'm going to pay cash for everything I need to carry more cash. That will be a hard habit to get into. Also I really need to cut back on the DC or at the very least buy it more wisely. Like buy a case and take a couple of cans to work instead of spending $.50 - 1.00 every day.

I'm not being too hard on myself this week because one, this is new and I'm still figuring things out and two, it is my best friend's birthday so I splurged on a week day when I normally wouldn't have. I feel confident that March will be better.

Today I'm going to try and not spend any money.