Who Knew Groceries Were This Expensive?! | How Much Did I Spend Last Week? Nov 28-Dec 4, 2022

I don't even LIKE Nascar!

I have to say, I expected our first proper week as a single income household to have a lower total than it did, but I guess you really rack up the grocery bills when you eat every single boring meal in the house, huh?!

A comment on last week’s money diary, where I outlined the whole sorry ordeal of Brandin losing his job, assured me that I shouldn’t feel like I have to continue the money diaries while they’re less… fun than usual, which I really appreciate.

We're a One-Income Household Now | How Much Did I Spend Last Week? Nov 21-27, 2022

But honestly? I feel as though the money diaries are a part of the Substack contract, so to speak. People expect them! Without the money diaries, I suspect a lot of you would disappear – and I need you now more than ever! (Only half joking…)

So for now, the money diaries will continue. If nothing else, it may help keep me accountable for my spending – as well as giving you a little insight into what happens when the spendiest spendthrift you know has to finally grow up, very fast.

Monday

Today’s the first day in the New World Order, and we’ve agreed that Brandin will be home – or, at least, will be with Atlas – from 9am-3pm each day, to facilitate my getting as much work as possible done.

So on Mondays and Tuesdays he’s going to go the gym at 8am and be back by 9.30am so that I can get to work, although of course by the time I’ve got the baby up and made – and eaten – breakfast, it’s closer to 10.30am. I may have to start getting more regimented about all of this.

I’d forgotten how hard I find it to be creative when I’m under any kind of pressure, and I’m feeling more stressed this morning than I have in weeks, maybe even months.

Of course it makes sense that I’d be stressed, but when I’m feeling like I need to really get the finger out, rustle up some more freelance work and “hustle” (ugh, hateful word) to get more sponsorship for the podcast, among other things, feeling a sense of immense panic and inertia is most unhelpful.

I decide to write my daily to-do list and get to tackling the most manageable tasks first: responding to some emails I’d been putting off; uploading and scheduling this week’s podcast episodes; and following up on an email I sent a few weeks ago to an immigration lawyer about starting my Green Card application (his fee is $2,500, which is a worry for another day…)

I break for lunch and nurse Atlas before his nap, then go down to the kitchen and have some Mexican street corn I got from Costco with leftover rice and half an avocado.

Brandin goes to get groceries at Walmart while Atlas is sleeping. We’ve written a rough meal plan for the week so the list is pretty specific and I’m hoping we won’t end up throwing out 16 soft bell peppers and two cucumbers, like we do most of the time. ($193.45)

After lunch I sit down to write my money diary and get such a fright when Brandin shouts up that he’s going to get the boys – it’s 3.30pm. I’m nowhere near finished and will have to do a few hours’ work after dinner, which I try not to do at all, but especially on days we have the boys, cos I always think it’s a bit miserable for them when I disappear up to my office (bedroom) straight after dinner.

We have spaghetti for dinner and I go back to my office while the boys watch some TV before bath time – Finn, our eight-year-old, has a bath with Atlas, which is very cute (they’re little besties) and William has a shower – and bed.

Brandin and I watch an episode of House of the Dragon before heading to bed by around 9.30pm.

Daily total: $193.45