$20 a day challenge - week 1

Inspired by journalist who tried out the challenge and survived, I too want to try and succeed. Last year, I overspent. So this year, at least for 2 months, I want to spend as little as possible. That is doing a no buy and spending as little as possible in a day to day basis. 

Disclaimer: I work for a trading company. I have lots of food samples and biscuits on my desk. So if need to, I can always snack on them. My morning coffee is free as the office aunty will make them. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to go for events thus settling my lunch/dinner. I take the company transport to work. So if I don't go out at all, my transport cost is only to the pickup point. I am also still staying with my parents, meaning no rent, free dinner, and no utility bills. 

R said that $20 is too much, which is probably true. But $20 a day is $600 a month, which includes hand phone bills, shopping, meals and entertainment - is actually quite a fair amount. Work days should be able to save, but weekend I am not sure. I don't have much of a life, but I do love to shop and eat. So we shall see. 

Day 1 - 4/1/2016

Missed my bus, seriously those bus apps are such liars. The next bus supposed to come 9 minutes later, but no it came 18 minutes later. So tempted to take a cab, but I didn't. 

Ate minced meat noodle for lunch, drank hot tea from office. Tea bags were bought before hand, should I count it to the challenge? 

Went home by company transport. It will pass by my area, so I will get drop off. Drank Yakult (mom paid for it), ate some Pika Ambon (also free) for tea break. For dinner, cooked some veggies and meatballs (free). 

Transport: $0.88

Food: $3.00

Total: $3.88

First day a success! Cause everything is pretty much provided by mom. I think housewives are the only ones who should do this challenge. They are the ones who actually do the spending. 

Another thing, I'm kind of confused. My ezlink card is prepaid, but I take note on the daily expenditure instead of the day that I top up my card. Does that mean I'm suppose to divide everything up according to my usage or I should just take it as face value?

Day 2

R told me I should included all the things I didn't pay too. In that case, I will bracket the value I should have paid. Day 1 total should have been ($11.58). 

Kelly bought me porridge for breakfast. If I were to pay for it, it will cost me $3. My colleague gave me a piece curry puff, which I will not take into account cause it's a gift. 

I had fish slice beehoon for lunch, and used 2 sachets of tea bags for my drink ($1.00). 

Mom cooked dinner. Just a simple stirfry veggies and rice ($3.00 maybe less, but the prawns are quite ex). There was also watermelon. I ate maybe half of a quarter, so maybe a dollar worth. 

Transport: $0.88

Food: $3.80 ($11.80)

Total: $4.68 ($12.68)

Summary: $8.56 ($24.26)

Day 3

Ate granola bar, given by colleague for breakfast. Lunch time was spent with colleague who participated in the soccer match. They had $100 and they decided to spend it for lunch and was thankful enough that they include me. 9 of us, so the total is more, which will come to about $7 per person. But they were nice enough to just pay for it. 

Dinner was spent with family. So if I were to pay my share, it will be about $10.

Transport: $0.88

Food: $0 ($17)

Total: $0.88 ($17.88)

Summary: $9.44 ($42.14)

Day 4

Started the day with a breakfast set for $3.40. Is it me or everything getting more expensive? Normally it wouldn't bother me, but now I have to note it down, it made me realized just for breakfast, 20% of my daily spending is gone. Lunch and dinner, $3 each. 

Transport: $0.88

Food: $6.40 ($9.40)

Total: $7.28 ($10.28)

Summary: $16.72 ($52.42)

Day 5

Ate some crackers for breakfast. Bought them for market research, so it's free ($.25) and made some tea ($1). Lunch was a bit pricey at $6.50. R paid for dinner ($6).

Transport: $2.48

Food: $6.50 ($13.75)

Total: $8.98 ($16.23)

Summary: $25.70 ($68.65)

Day 6

Had roti prata for brunch ($2.50) and spend the day watching movie and window shopping. Dinner was with family, so that's a free meal right there. 

Transport: $1.48 

Food: ($2.50)

Total: $1.48 ($3.98)

Summary: $27.18 ($72.63)

Day 7

Watched movies online. Those sappy Halmark Christmas movies. Basically just ate one meal at 3pm at Parkway. Mom paid for it and she bought some bread for breakfast, but I ate it for dinner.

Transport: $1.78

Food: ($31.70)

Total: $1.78 ($33.48)

Summary: $28.96 ($106.11)

I think it's quite a successful first week. But you see how unfair life is. My week consist of "free" meals, that's why I am able to save. Plus the fact I restrain myself from shopping.