Emotional Spending and Monthly Goals

After my craptastic day last week, I figured out what it was that made me so unhappy and in need of wasteful retail therapy: sleep-deprivation and the need for solitude and sanctuary.

It sounds strange, but all I did for most of the weekend was spend time with me.

I slept in and napped. I cleaned my apartment and decluttered. I had a nice coretto latte from the Second Cup (yum!) while I read part of the paper on Saturday and Sunday morning. I read a few books. I did my laundry. I watched some tv (though not today, why do they program such lousy tv marathons on Labour Day?). I worked out a little. I just relaxed and chilled. I feel much better. I think my spending breakdown on Friday was just me needing to declutter my head and reorient myself. I felt fine by late Saturday morning, so much so that my weekly flyer perusal didn't generate any 'must buy that now' urges. I guess I need to do more with myself from an emotive relaxation standpoint than externally validating myself through 'I can have thats'.

Reviewing loads of other blogs, I figured I should set some monthly goals for myself. I've never been really goal-oriented, per se, so this should be interesting. I decided to start off on the things I can control and move on from there.

I spent the weekend thinking about the forthcoming month and I figured that the following are achievable goals. I'm focusing on the variables rather than the fixed expenses this month.

1. Transit - estimate of $95.00. It will cost me $86.75 to get to and from work this month, and the $10 extra should cover any other trips. Luckily, I can walk pretty much everywhere I need to get to except work.
2. Groceries - estimate of $150.00, including dining out. A linked goal on this is to clear out my cabinets and my fridge/freezer. In order to try and be more successful at this, I am going to try to do it with cash rather than by debit card, like I usually do. I have this funny not-phobia-but-extreme-dislike of breaking $20 bills. It's not that debit represents 'unreal' money or anything like that. It sounds silly, but I just hate trying to get loonies and toonies out of my wallet, so I try to avoid using real cash in places where I know I'll get lots of loose change! I'm interested to see if I spend less at the grocery store this way.
3. Savings - minimum of $100.00 to go into general savings account. Any leftovers will be allocated to other savings goals accordingly.
4. Personal Care - I'm budgeting precisely $125.00 towards clothes and $75.00 towards a haircut, waxing and some new make-up. HOWEVER, part of my goal is to not spend up to half of that $200.00 I've budgeted, if that makes sense. I just want to see if I can do it.
5. CREDIT - I pay my balance off in full every month since I hate the idea of paying interest on something I'm not renting. But this month's goal is TO NOT USE MR. CARD at all.

A personal goal is to hit the gym 3 times this week for cardio and some basic strength training on the machines, then four times each week for the rest of the month.

Wish me luck!