Dollars Make Sense: Every little bit matters
By Faye
@FayeHazel (40230)
United States
March 21, 2017 12:40pm CST
Every little bit counts with finances. After balancing on near 0 for awhile, I decided to take a look at where my money goes. I wrote done every purchase. And I mean every purchase other than a normal monthly bills. What I discovered was that I didn't splurge on big things. It's small little things that kill the budget. The bag of chips and soda while getting gas. The fast food meal out. The impulse buys in the check out lane. The extra, un-needed gadget or trinket from the dollar store that gets tossed aside seconds after buying it. These are things that add up.
I think it works the same as the "fun sized" candy bar dieters dilemma. You want the candy bar, and it's small, so you figure it won't hurt your diet. So you eat one, and the another, and another....
18 people like this
17 responses
@JudyEv (382008)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Mar 17
@FayeHazel I have cleaned out every cupboard I think. Heaven help us if nothing sells! 
If that happens we'll take the stuff to the one they have a bit further away.
If that happens we'll take the stuff to the one they have a bit further away.2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
22 Mar 17
Nothing like decluttering to point out impulse purchases. I hope you do well at the sale - you can enjoy a little extra pocket cash and the items will find a new home.
2 people like this
@DianneN (254926)
• United States
22 Mar 17
@FayeHazel That's what I was thinking
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
22 Mar 17
It's amazing to think I may as well have bought a few larger items and skipped the silly little things.
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
23 Mar 17
@DianneN Sort of like the diet routine -- I may as well eat 1 large candy bar instead of 15 small ones... lol.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20363)
• Fairfield, Texas
22 Mar 17
I am so broke all the time after paying bills that I barely have enough to buy food @FayeHazel . I can't even tell you how many years it's been since I went to a fast food restaurant. I eat once a day and that's usually a can of hamburger hash (which is 2 meals) and 2 pieces of bread with butter. When you only get $16 in Food Stamps, that ain't much.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20363)
• Fairfield, Texas
24 Mar 17
@FayeHazel There's no VA here in my area but a local Food Bank. Their foods however are all so loaded with cholesterol and salt. I have to take meds for that as it is. I use to have an organic garden but my physical condition has deteriorated so much that I can't tend to it.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
23 Mar 17
Ow, that isn't much at all. Is there any other help available? Perhaps you could start a garden? (seeds are fairly cheap) - another favorite trick of mine is ramen noodles , not healthy, not good for every day use but inexpensive and tasty if I say so myself. Also -- I don't know if they do it all of them - but - the local VA hospital. If you volunteered a 4 hour shift they would give you a meal at the mess hall or canteen. But I don't know if it works with your schedule or even if all VA hospitals do that.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
24 Mar 17
@nanette64 That's a shame. Too bad we weren't closer distance wise -- I am looking for someone with land for a garden - I live in an apartment. I'd tend yours, and mine.
1 person likes this
@princemaxp (2027)
• Bhubaneshwar, India
22 Mar 17
yes...but I always have a plate full of candies while thinking about diet
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
23 Mar 17
@princemaxp Ha ha, well - better ration them out, I might eat a scary amount if I had a whole bucket to myself.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
22 Mar 17
A plate of candy sounds good right now.
1 person likes this
@amitkokiladitya (171988)
• Agra, India
21 Mar 17
Yes true it is always the small unnoticed expenses that spoil the show
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
22 Mar 17
Human psychology is so interesting like that, isn't it?
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153544)
• India
22 Mar 17
I could help you with one more "Drops make an ocean" (lol)
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
22 Mar 17
Again so true. I am also convinced that this is where I go wrong dieting. I don't over eat a large amount at one time , but little nibbles here and there...
1 person likes this
@shaqziad1610 (506)
• Malaysia
23 Mar 17
Yeah, I totally agreed with you. I refrain myself from buying big things like a laptop, but then I realize I lost money in frequent visits to cybercafe and kopitiam that provide free wifi. It's the unaccounted expense that chipped out our money little by little. I also told myself now to shop wisely, and bring just enough money for things I need to buy.
1 person likes this
@shaqziad1610 (506)
• Malaysia
24 Mar 17
@FayeHazel It took me seven months saving up then. But I have been using the laptop for nearly five years now, so I guess it's a good move.
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
23 Mar 17
I wonder how long it would take, the savings from not having the buy things at cybercafé, to buy laptop? Just a thought. It is very smart bringing only enough money for needed items
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
22 Mar 17
Ah, thank goodness I'm not alone -- I like shiny objects!
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
23 Mar 17
There was a point in our life when were we drowning in debt, we cut up our cards, contacted all the people/businesses we owed and watched every penny we had, it took a while to be debt free but from that day on we have not owed anyone anything, we do use credit cards but we have never paid interest - it all gets paid every month..It was a learning curve for us, now old and semi retired we have the stash of cash we need...
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
23 Mar 17
I am so happy you were able to get free from debt! Good for you. I know I got my credit cards as "just for emergencies" well, that turned into fashion emergencies, going out to eat emergencies, trip emergencies... all my own fault.However 1 should be paid up next month. Yes!
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43586)
• Denver, Colorado
22 Mar 17
I should do this. I am terrible with money.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43586)
• Denver, Colorado
22 Mar 17
@FayeHazel - I'd be an all pro.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
22 Mar 17
Me too with money. I could be a professional spender if there were such a thing, lol.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
23 Mar 17
@teamfreak16 They should make it a sport. I can hear an announcer now... "Up now in competitive shopping..."
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99367)
• Atlanta, Georgia
23 Mar 17
@FayeHazel It's just my nature, I hate wasting money, food or anything.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
23 Mar 17
@RubyHawk Food waste particularly bothers me, esp. meat where the animal gave it's life..
@Happy2BeMe (99353)
• Canada
21 Mar 17
All the same things really do add up and you don;t even realize it.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
22 Mar 17
Thanks! It's so true, too - I once polished off a bag of mini candy bars and realized that it was probably like eating... 4 or 5 of the big ones. Ha!
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
22 Mar 17
To so many different aspects of life... it's interesting like that
