Expect Less

I’m going to try something out to cut back on another aspect of my life - I’m going to try to make it until the end of August without using my credit card. I’ve been lucky in my financial situation in that I’ve never carried a credit card balance over from month to month.

Still, I know that the ease with which I use my credit card has affect how much I can save each month. My credit card, especially when used to eat out and go to bars, has been a huge factor in this. A quick glance at my statement from Discover Card shows that I spent $330 at bars and restaurants last month, and that’s just at the places that took Discover.

So here is what I will do. I will take my credit card and put it in a drawer. I’ll stop taking it out with me, and when I’m going out for food, I’ll pay with cash that I withdrew before heading out. I’ll keep a tally of everything I spend eating out or drinking, and see how that keeps me in check.This will be tough, because I love going out with my friends. All the same, I know this will be a good thing to do, and a good test of self control.

Unchecked dining out is not one of my largest expenses, but it’s one of the easiest to curtail at this time, and one that’s entirely unnecessary. I know how to cook, I have a great place to have a friends hang out, and I can make the change today.

A different post is that I feel like my apartment has become an unnecessary expense - not that I don’t need a place to live, but I don’t need the place that I have. That, however, is something I can’t address until my lease is up next year.

I’ll try to make a point to provide regular status updates regarding these cut backs. Here’s to hoping it works well. Since tonight’s a friend’s birthday night out, I’m going to be challenged right off the bat. This should, however, have the added bonus of keeping from drinking too much. Double win!