Found $18 in unspent grocery money from my meal prep routine

I went to Aldi last Tuesday with a list for 5 days of lunches and dinners. I had budgeted $60 but the total came to $42 even after grabbing a few things on sale. I put that extra $18 straight into my emergency fund jar when I got home. Has anyone else had that feeling where a small leftover amount feels bigger than it actually is?

3 comments

3 Comments

martin.jamie23d ago

@julia92 I get the impulse to track it, but that jar's been doing fine as a mystery box for me for three years. Not knowing the total keeps me from treating it like a second checking account.

william_miller23d ago

That $18 probably felt like a win because you beat your own expectations... but I'm curious about the emergency fund jar. Do you actually keep a running total of what's in there or is it more of a "break glass in case of emergency" mystery box situation? I've got a coffee can for coins myself and I've got no clue how much is in it after two years. It feels like free money when I crack it open though.

julia9223d ago

Wait wait, do people actually NOT track their emergency fund? I count mine EVERY week because I NEED to know if it's growing or if I'm just fooling myself with a jar of spare change. Two years without counting seems like asking for a nasty surprise when you actually need that money. At least give it a shake once a month and guess the weight or something.