I did a little experiment in January ~ I made myself a funky little piggy bank, where money could go IN but not OUT lol. Each Friday I would put in the money I WOULD have spent on my daily breakfast sandwich and coffee I used to eat faithfully. I would subtract the money I spent on cottage cheese and fruit for the week, as I still have to eat right? So the leftover cash I put in this box.

Here it is 4 months later, and I cracked it open to see how I'm doing.

I was agonizing over buying a gorgeous new shower curtain for my bathroom as it costs 60$ But now I have the money!!! I had close to $80 in there?!

I'm SO going to keep doing this LOL

Wow! LOL I may have to do something like that with my cigarette money I'm not spending on cigarettes anymore...

What a clever idea...

That is a great idea! Have you priced Haagen Daas lately? I'd be rich!

Trazey,

I am not surprise and think that it is great that you put that money aside! Here on 3 Chicks and other places, I keep hearing about the high cost of eating healthy. I acknowledge that some things like fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meat can be expensive. Yet I spent so much money on junk, pure junk, that I have saved lots of money.

I calculated how much I was spending on picking up my Hardee's breakfast and at the vending machine at work, about $25 a week. I have been putting that aside like you did and when I get to goal, I am buying a piece of jewelry. It should be something nice!

Wow, what a great idea, maybe I need to do that!

Great idea!

What a great idea! Well done!

I do this daily myself but merely out of habit. I love having a little extra every six months or so to splurge with. It's definitely an idea I'd recommend as well.

Wow, good idea!

Somehow when me and my BF cut out all of the restaurant meals and lunches, it seems like we've had more money for lots of other things, including healthy groceries. You never realize how much is going out everyday but it does sure add up!

I totally agree with time2lose, I know I could've easily spent $10-20 on junk on a bad day, which at one point in my life was almost daily. I think it absolutely offsets the costs of eating well.

Great experiment!

Skipping vending machine sodas and snacks, late night trips to 7/11 and random candy bars in the checkout line at the grocery store has probably saved me so much money lately! I used to spend all my "change" (which included one dollar bills!) on these things, and for a few months now, I've quit using change or small cash. I make myself use my credit card or break a 20 for anything I want to buy - it makes me think twice before buying something for a few dollars!

great idea!

This! This is why I'm happy to have left my work study job as a night security guard for the university. Because I was seriously sitting alone all night right next to the vending machine! I worked there 2 years, my willpower wasn't cutting it. I ended up with soda and chips and so on pretty much every night. I could probably buy a computer or something if I'd saved all that money.

Good idea though, and I want to do this now. The money I would have spent on vending machine JUNK and pizza, mostly. And soda. Would be great to buy something nice (and nonfattening! haha) with it!