Day Three 6:30 a.m. — Wake up and contemplate making a smoothie to save money on breakfast, but the sound of a Vitamix this early in the morning is unbearable. Pick up an iced coffee on the way to the subway, instead. ($4 with tip). Subway ride to work ($2.75). $6.75 12:30 p.m. — Go out and grab a turkey sandwich with avocado, potato chips, and pickles. And because I can't resist, a cookie at the checkout. $7.75



2:30 p.m. — Realize I need a coffee to make it through the afternoon. Grab a friend from the office and run down to Starbucks. Grande iced latte and snacks for the office comes to $22.50 (reimbursed by work). 6:30 p.m. — Pick up dry cleaning on way home from work ($68). Subway home ($2.75). $70.75 7:15 p.m. — Stop to pick up some groceries. Buy cherries, grapes, watermelon, blueberries, cereal, matzo, cream cheese, sugar-free Jell-O pudding, rotisserie chicken, chocolate syrup, marshmallows, butter. I'm always amazed at how much cheaper it is to buy groceries instead of ordering in every meal. I could probably save if I ate at home more often or paid enough attention to prices at the grocery store, to be honest. I don’t cook so much as assemble snacks. Eat some rotisserie chicken, piece of matzo with cream cheese and dried apricots, and a Jell-O pudding with whipped cream for dinner and dessert. $35.89



8 p.m. — Have call from 8 to 9 p.m. tonight, so am stuck at home and can't go out with friends, thus saving at least $40 (average cost of two cocktails and a shared snack at my favorite local bar). I count this as a win. 11 p.m. — Heat up some pizza I made earlier this week for a late-night snack. Waiting for emails to come in on a deal, so I browse Sephora and, since it's 8% back on Ebates, decide to splurge on some lipstick, moisturizer, sunscreen, and highlighter. $139.36.



Daily Total: $260.50 ($283, $22.50 reimbursed)