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Have you ever had one of those days when you need to pinch a few pennies but just don’t want to? I had one of those days yesterday at our house.
My husband was working late, I took the kids out to run some errands, and every single ounce of me wanted to splurge and take them to their favorite Ice Cream Sundae bar . . . which even after a coupon would easily cost us $15-$20.
But, we’ve been spending a lot lately. There have been extra activities that we’ve enjoyed this summer, we went on a huge vacation last month ago, are heading out on another short trip soon, my kids all are involved in several different sports, and back-to-school clothing shopping is just around the corner. After my husband looked over our budget last week, I knew it was time to reign things in.
So, instead of a trip to Zen Beri (our family’s ice cream place of choice right now), we made a stop at McDonald’s and spent $4 on hot fudge sundaes ~ a savings of around $16 which is enough to stock up on quite a few school supplies if I shop wisely! It wasn’t my favorite choice at all, but it was a better way to be a good steward of them money God has entrusted to us, and my kids handled it really well.
Here’s the thing: I don’t want my kids to think they always have to have everything (which is such a struggle in the world we live in!) Thankfully after years of penny pinching we have plenty of wiggle room in our budget, and it wouldn’t have been the end of the world if we’d spent that extra money. But, I’m called to use wisely what we’ve been given, and some days that means making a decision that isn’t necessarily our favorite choice. (But we still did get some ice cream!) 🙂
Have you had to choose a more penny pinched route any time this summer? I’d love to hear how it’s gone for you . . . it’s so worth it in the long run and such an example for our children, but not always the easy choice!
New to budgeting and don’t know where to begin? Here are a few posts that might help you get started:
- Don’t Sacrifice What You Really Want For What You Want Right Now
- How Much Should A Family Spend On Groceries?
- Budget Check Up Week One: Have You Determined Your 2013 Grocery Budget
- Are you on an all cash budget?
- New to couponing? Here’s where to start.
- How Does Your Grocery Budget Look?
- Extreme Coupon Fraud: What You See On TV Isn’t Always Real
- Are You Spending Within Your Budget?
- Save the Way You Can Save: Penny Pinching Is Not A Competition
- Are You Satisfied With Your Penny Pinching?
- You Do Have Time To Coupon (But You Don’t Have To Do Everything. . .)
- Are Coupons For Everyone?
- How to Save on Organics
McDonalds has 69 cent cones here in Minnesota right now. That is my splurge for the month! On an extremely tight budget. No frills.
Hey Laurie! Great choice, and no need to feel so guilty. 😉 McD’s has recently shared that they’ve nearly phased out all artificial flavors, preservatives, and colors from its vanilla ice cream treats.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2017/05/18/mcdonalds-ditching-artificial-flavors-preservatives-vanilla-ice-cream-treats/329636001/
I am a wife and mother to a 7 year old boy, and we have not HAD to pinch pennies this Summer, but we WANT to. We are looking at medical bills, and needing our A/C replaced in our house to the tune of at least $5,000, so we have already begun to save for that major expense. My main thought here is that I don’t want to give my child everything he wants just because it’s Summer. I grew up in the 1970s/80s, and the only time you got toys was on Christmas and birthday. We went out to eat once a week with friends from church and you shared a meal with your sister. We were the preacher’s kids so money was tight. I’ve worn hand me downs my whole life, and now so is my son. Just trying to show my 7 year old “money doesn’t grow on trees.” We need to have some disclipline in our lives and make the most of what God has blessed us with! Focus on what we do have.
It’s so worth making those choices Wendy – so often we forget the blessing in simplicity! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
I have to penny pinch every day! I don't have a choice. I'd love to go to go on vacation, but I don't have the money. If we want to eat out it is the $1 items on the menu. We can't afford the $5-$6 meals on the menu. I do things online that make me a little bit of money here and there. When things are really bad, like when my husband had 2 surgeries in less than a year, I used the extra little money to pay bills. Our splurge and major form of entertainment is our Directtv. I use coupons regularly on the items I use most often. When things are really bad I will cut out the Directtv and the phone. I have been without what most people think of as necessities these days, such as the phone. I have had to live on $500 a month in the past although I could not do that today, but I can live on $1000 a month, if I had to, which really is not that much less then my husband and I get combined today. We have gone a whole year without eating out, not even the $1 menu, so I can pinch pennies.
yesterday we finished up an Inservice early and I realized I would be able to hit the local Sonic during Happy Hour. The Rt.44 Peach Mango Unsweetened Tea for the Happy Hour price. Little thing I know, but it's the little things that add up. Gave me a mid-day boost. I love pinching pennies and saving dollars!
I love that Sonic deal Karen ~ definitely one of my favorites! 🙂
These kinds of choices are not only NOT easy, they are often NOT fun either. As you wrote, at least everyone was still able to enjoy some ice cream! I am aware that there are many, even here in my own community, unable to do even that.
Something similar that bugs me is the neighborhood ice cream truck. I know the driver is trying to make a living, but when I can get a whole BOX of treats for less than the price of just one of his, I cannot justify spending any money at the truck. My husband likes to treat our kids once in a while and will almost always agree if they ask to spend their own money there. I think it is a waste and don’t allow it (if Dad hasn’t already agreed to it). I am the “mean” one! c:
I’d like to believe making these kinds of choices will have a lasting impact on our kids and pray it is a positive impact (not that our kids will go overboard and splurge on any- and every- thing when given freedom). Guess time will tell on that one!
I’ve never allowed my kids to get ice cream from the ice cream truck either! 🙂 While I do think sometimes it’s fun to splurge (and we do love some ice cream…) I just hate to be wasteful with what we’re given. Like you said, the driver needs to make a living too (and I respect that they do that!) but the problem is that if I give in once my kids might just beg every single time.
I hope also that they understand the impact of it too ~ watching my kids it seems like one of them “gets it” but the other two struggle so much with there being limits to their money. Hopefully it will help ~ or they’ll be in therapy forever! 🙂
But…as I always tell my kids, we are making sacrifices to ensure that daily you are getting a good education and will continue to get you a good education. That way, you can afford to pay for the therapy!
Absolutely, Staci! 😉
I heard about a man who told his children the ice cream truck only plays it’s music when it’s out of ice cream. I thought that was hilarious!