Day Three

8:45 a.m. — Manage to make a cup of coffee before church this morning. My mom’s friend, who picks us up sometimes, brings us pastries from this bakery in the Bronx. Thank you, Jesus.

2 p.m. — It’s such a nice day out; I treat mom and myself to helados (a frozen, sorbet-like treat), from one of the pushcart vendors while we walk home from church. I get a rainbow/mango mix, she opts for plain coconut. $2

4 p.m. — I decide to make this stew I saw online. It seems like it would yield enough portions for a few lunches and dinners. It consists of sweet Italian sausage, corn, black beans, zucchini, bell peppers, and onions. It turns out yummy!

9:45 p.m. — Against my better self-imposed retail judgment I check out Lord & Taylor’s website. It’s the last day of the Family & Friends sale. I see a cute jacket for my mom. Mother’s Day Gift? Check! $28.45

Daily Total: $30.45

Day Four 6 a.m. — Coffee at home.

6:45 a.m. — I buy a couple more songs to get me through my commute because I’ve played the other three to death over the weekend. $2.58

10:15 a.m. — It’s that special time of month. I’m not really hungry, but after popping a few Advil, I grab a cup of coffee and a piece of toast from the office kitchen. The yogurt I brought for breakfast has lost its appeal.

1 p.m. – I eat the lunch of chicken, sweet potatoes, and broccoli I prepared on Day Two.

2 p.m. – I make a cup of tea in the office to soothe my cramps.

7 p.m. – I stop by the grocery store on the way home, since I’ve run out of my favorite French Vanilla creamer I use for my morning coffee. I grab a bag of sweet plantain chips at the checkout line. $6.48

8 p.m. — I’m still not hungry, so I make a multi-ingredient baked omelet that I cut up into squares for my breakfast this week. The smell of the bacon makes me second-guess my plan to forgo dinner completely; I throw in a few extra pieces to put on a piece of toast. #Dinner.

Daily Total: $9.06

Day Five 6:30 a.m. — Coffee at home.

7:30 a.m. — I forgot to bring an omelet square for breakfast. My appetite’s still on its monthly fritz, but I grab a bombolini, one of my favorite pastry treats, from the restaurant next door to my job to go with the latte I plan to make when I get in. $2.18

10 a.m. — One of my coworkers has on a really cute white button-down. It reminds me that I’ve been meaning to purchase a wrinkle-free one. I find one on Nordstrom’s website. It’s not exactly the style I had in mind, and they only have it in a bigger size, but for the price I’ll make it work! $35.44

12:30 p.m. — My coworker sent an earlier email about pastries near her desk; I decide to check them out. I take two mini cupcakes, vanilla and red velvet. I go to the office kitchen to make a latte to go with my mini cakes. I happen upon some slices of rye bread and a hazelnut spread from a breakfast meeting. Don’t judge me. I consider that lunch.

2:30 p.m. — Mid-day boredom kicks in. I “happen upon” DSW’s website and “happen” to find some cute loafers for work. Don’t give me judge-y eyes. Yes, I know I’m addicted to sweets, sales, and shopping. They’re needed though! My favorite leopard loafers have lost some of their faux fur, and I don’t know how much longer they can last. Added bonus: DSW always has free shipping over $35. $39.95

5:20 p.m. — Third latte of the day. Hey, I need energy for the gym tonight.

6:15 p.m. — My favorite store ever is CVS. Ask my mother, and she’d tell you I go in there at least once a week, armed with coupons, because that’s the best part. THE COUPONS. I’ve run out of tampons and I have a $1-off coupon for a particular brand, so I grab those. I call my friend who I’m working out with tonight; he plans on grabbing water but I tell him I’ll grab one for the both of us. I scan my CVS card to see if I have any relevant coupons and to my surprise I HAVE FIVE EXTRA CARE BUCKS! Woohoo! Night. Made. I grab a pack of gum in the checkout line because I also printed a coupon for 50 cents off. I throw in a fig bar at the last moment, too. I check out with my Extra Care Bucks, coupons, and surprise sale items. $3.54

9 p.m. — After the gym, I head home and have some leftover stew I made on Day Three. Mom’s clearly been enjoying it.

Daily Total: $81.11

Day Six 7 a.m. — I barely slept last night, because I was anxious about a meeting I’m having today with my new boss. My stomach’s feeling the anxiety, too. I don’t want to eat anything, so I just grab a coffee at work to hopefully counter the bags under my eyes.

11 a.m. — Meeting with the boss went well, and my anxiety has lifted. I heat up an omelet square I made on Day Four, along with a piece of toast and sausage I had stored in the fridge. There’s also a smorgasbord of pastries and fruit leftover from a breakfast meeting — I grab a mini whole wheat bagel and smear it with peanut butter and butter. I also make a latte.

11:45 a.m. — I guess my anxiety was masking how hungry I really was. I go back for a second bagel, more peanut butter, more butter.

5:30 p.m. — I grab some grapes, a bag of bananas, and bag of gummy worms from the supermarket. The bananas are only 49 cents a pound; I get about six for 98 cents. Win! $8.01

8 p.m. — I pop some frozen pot stickers and a veggie egg roll in the microwave for dinner. I’ll regret this in the morning.

Daily Total: $8.01

Day Seven 6 a.m. — Regret Land. My stomach is not agreeing with the frozen apps from last night. Maybe I shouldn’t have had so many. I’m a sucker for dumplings and Asian appetizers. I still make coffee at home because…sleep.

7:30 a.m. — The skirt I had altered on Day Two is super tight. I grab a yogurt from my snack stash. It’s the 50-cent one with M&Ms I picked up on Day Two. The yogurt itself is definitely not great, but the candy makes it satisfactory.

8 a.m. — Why are my eyes burning?! Total sign of caffeine deficiency. I make a double espresso.

12:30 p.m. — I heat up my leftover stew. There’s also a quinoa salad in the kitchen from a lunch meeting; I throw a few tablespoons in with my stew.

1:10 p.m. — My coworker alerts me to a snack-pocalypse in the kitchen. I eat a snickerdoodle cookie.

9 p.m. — Go to my niece’s school recital; she plays the drums in the jazz band. I’m truly not saying this because she’s my niece, but she is THE BEST out of all her peers, a Sheila E in the making. Afterward, we stop for a snack. I make a beeline for the Dunkin Donuts. I order an apple fritter, a Dunkaccino (Dunkin Donuts’ version of a cappuccino) and a chicken salad sandwich on a bagel. $8.63

Daily Total: $8.63