It was not always conscious, but in the second week, we pared way, way back on spending to balance out the first week. My groceries from the first week lasted more than two weeks, so I ate all the fresh items as quickly as I could, and I’m saving some frozen items for the future.
Travel and transportation
$150 value – 7 days of a borrowed car – We continued to borrow my in-laws’ car. I don’t exactly know when or how we’d compensate them for the gas used, but we have been treating the in-laws to food on a regular basis (which I don’t count here because I mainly wanted to document costs for myself and husband)
$4 – parking. We paid for street parking while visiting Huntington Beach pier for this beautiful sunset
Lodging
$1,200 value – 7 days of lodging – We continued to stay at the neighbors of my in-laws. Huge, huge thanks to them. Currently we’re trying to think of a great hosting gift for them. Ideas welcome!
Food and eating out
$113 all spent on eating out or takeout. Some of the highlights are as follows
Fruit snow at Crave
Ramen at Ryu Ramen. We got the chicken one but really they’re known for their tonkotsu pork broth
I’m already jumping ahead with poke cravings. This is the ahi bowl from Surf City Fish and Grill. It was spicier than I’d have liked but very fresh, and we paid with a Groupon that gave us $20 off the menu so got lunch for 3 there for $11, with $20 value realized
Other
$53 on two dresses for this trip – I posted about my clothes shopping in the last blog. The two dresses are absolute wants – I have dresses already, and they’re bought specifically for this trip. Thus I’m counting it. Hubby also got some clothes but they’re mostly for daily life.
$16 value, paid with gift card – We watched Star Wars and purchased the tickets using a prepaid gift card I received for switching our internet
Week 2 totals: $170 cash spent, $1,386 in free value realized
