And then she splurged

You know how when you have a really stuffy nose and then it clears up you end up getting this wonderful sense of delight just from being able to fully breath through your two nostrils? You know how when you're really really thirsty and you get to a tall glass of water practically your entire body says "ahhhhhh" as you indulge in the simple clear liquid? You know how when you have a horrible headache, or sore throat, or aching back, the kind of pain that won't allow you decent sleep, sits on your mind at almost all times, and picks away at you like torture, when that pain lets up and your head feels normal again, your throat has no ache in it, your back regains its strength you feel like a million bucks just from feeling normal?

The $10 a day challenge was really good for me. I WAY held back on spending during it and I am very happy that I got the overall average daily spending for the year down a good bit. Yesterday our kitchen cupboards, freezer, and refrigerator were wiped! I went to the store hungry (which my mom always says you should never do) AND after having just spent maybe 20 minutes on pinterest (this of course means that I was interested in trying out the recipes for cinnamon roll pancakes, pineapple bars, and pumpkin cheesecake monkey bread I had just pinned). I did not have a shopping list written up and I was planning to splurge.

After 10 days of really limiting my spending I came away from the grocery store with Oregon chai tea mix and almond milk (to mix with it), a bin of mint chip ice cream, candy corn (FINALLY) and store brand oreo cookies (to put in the ice cream). I think it's been a few years since I bought that chai mix. I NEVER buy almond milk. Of course I bought other things too like food and tissues that my husband requested because his nose is stuffed up right now. Little Abe specifically asked for bacon which I thought was crazy since we basically never eat it. Apparently he had some at his aunts house the other day when him and my husband were visiting over there.

I was terrified as the cashier was ringing up the groceries. I mean like imagining the total would be close to $200. When the total came to a whopping $46.46 I was not only relieved but impressed that although I was totally splurging I had also apparently practiced an unknown to me large amount of restraint. Yay! When I got home I heated up the almond milk and chai mix on the stove. Now, I'm a really big fan of hot beverages. Hot cider, hot coffee, hot cocoa, hot tea; these are the sort of little pleasures in life that make everything vastly better in my world. I don't think I've ever enjoyed a hot beverage as much as I enjoyed that cup of hot chai. I drank it feeling proud to have accomplished my mission with the challenge, proud to have not spent $200 at the grocery store, and really happy to be treating myself with absolutely no guilt associated. ahhh.

Average daily spending for 2015: $17.91

It's up again BUT under $18. I bought dog food today and spent money on Christmas. I'm very okay with a $17.91 average right now.