#51: Not eat out for 1 week.

When you haven't received a paycheck in 13 months, been spending money on classroom materials, and need gas to get to and from school daily, this one is pretty easy to do. Forget one week. I could probably do this for the next month! That's a lie. The occasional Sonic never hurt anyone!

Not dining out or even getting fast food (wow!) is an actual blessing. Living with a relative usually means free homecooked meals, which is FABULOUS. My aunt is a wonderful cook. For example, she cooked a steak dinner last Friday night. Well needed after a long week. If I was living on my own, Ramen would be my three meals. Then the next night we had some amazing salmon. And forget junk food. She cooks some of the best healthy meals I've ever had. And now I've (kind of) become a healthier eater. With the exception of a breakdown one day after working seven hours in my room on a Sunday (Wendy's $1 small Frosty's are the bomb), I have not had ice cream since moving here. That's a big deal for this lady with the sweetest sweet tooth. Granted my coffee and Diet Coke consumption has increased.

Source: wholeliving.com via Mrs. H on Pinterest

What my aunt's fridge basically looks like...times 2.

Anyway, I love coming home after a long 11, 12, or even 13 hours at school and eating some of the best leftovers a starving and broke teacher could have. Seriously, our fridge is always stocked. Always. Even if I wanted to buy my own groceries, it would not only be unnecessary but there would be zero room for it.

So yes I'm not totally independent yet since I'm living under her roof and eating her wonderfully home-cooked food. But I am still determined to be as frugal as possible as the next two paychecks come in so I can save up for my own little place.

Which leads me to my next reflection on how much I've learned about saving money. This summer, especially towards the end, has been very difficult when it comes to personal finances. It doesn't take a genius to create a budget, but it takes a disciplined genius to stick with it! I am trying. Definitely trying to become that disciplined genius. Some things on my monthly budget I need to make room for:

• Insurance (I have my own insurance now...what??!)
• Gas
  
• Saving up for new apartment
• Saving up for furniture
• SMALL amount for teacher apparel
• Rainy day fund
• Future roth IRA
  

So I am learning that part of being a grown-up now is having that consistent and substantial income. With that comes the challenge of saving up money for short-term and long-term items. I remember back in college when it was so easy for me to go out every weekend and "blow money" on shopping, going out to eat, road trips, going out to eat, movies, going out to eat..., and now I need to become more serious about saving up for future expenses or investments.