Spending Report: September 2012 Week 4

It is hard to believe that September is almost over.  Time just flies!  Keeping track of our weekly spending habits has been fairly successful.    Looking back on Week Three,  there were some large and noticeable purchases related to gas and groceries.  And this week is NOT much better.  I have got to make improvements in the Grocery category. Gas is always going to be high.  I just don't think I realized how much we actually spent on gas. Sheesh...
 
 Sunday:  Eat Out  21.00

Monday:   No Spend
                  

Tuesday:  4.00 Coffee ( Yep, Starbucks)

Wednesday: Gas: 52.00

Thursday:  Gas:  58.00  
                           4.00 Starbucks

Friday:  Grocery:  65.00 ( This was primarily milk, bread, beer and wine. )  
Take out Pizza  5.00

Saturday:  Grocery : 57.00
         
                                  
Operation Christmas Child       20.00

The grocery category is maxed out at 625.00 I did budget 600.00 for the month ( and yes that is high) and we still went over budget.  Have to make some changes in that category.  We both took our lunches to work again this week.   We did eat out twice last week, 110.00 total was spent for the month.   We budgeted 200.00 .True confessions... I have spent some of that eating out money on Operation Christmas Child. 

Gas  is a necessary expense.  I budgeted 500.00 for the month and so far we have spent 538.0 this month.  We definitely exceeded our budget.  I just don't think there is much we can do about it.   Unfortunately we both live about 25 to 35 miles from our jobs, but on the plus side, we at least both have jobs :)

For personal spending, I have gone over the set amount.  I budgeted 100.00 and I currently have spent 140.00 .
 

How was your week?  Did you stay on course with your budget or do you have to make adjustments?  

Controlling the Chaos

Subscribe by Email | Subscribe by RSS | Follow on Twitter

Browse my eBay store Happy Girl Thrift 

Spending Report: September 2012 week 1

This week has been going smoothly with regards to spending and keeping track of where the money is going.   It actually feels pretty good to know where the money is going and how much I actually have on hand.  It was not always like that :)


Monday:    Target    42.00    Grocery
                 Target    21.00     Labor Day Picnic



Tuesday:      Aldi           29.65
                    Publix:     110.00   includes personal care items shampoo
                                           
                    Gas:         10.00

Wednesday:  Gas:        56.00



Thursday: 

                                   Misc:        6.00     Toy for Grandson
Operation Christmas Child        9.00


Friday:       No Spend!  woo hoo!!

The grocery category is a little high at  152.00.  I did budget 600.00 for the month ( and yes that is high) but we did not eat out one time this week!!  We both took our lunches to work and there were no drive thru dinners.   We may treat ourselves to a dinner out this weekend, but that is okay.

Gas  is a necessary expense.  I budgeted 500.00 for the month and so far we have spent 66.00 and my husband still has to fill up his truck today.  I think this category is going to be a close one. 

What is the best way for you to keep track of your spending?  Do you feel more in control when you do track your spending? 


Subscribe by Email | Subscribe by RSS | Follow on Twitter

What I Spent $100.00 On

 Yesterday started out great!  The weather was perfect, the grandson spent the night and he was picked up after lunch.  My husband and I decided to go to the store and pick up some milk.  On the way, we passed by the ......................

As a fairly new resident of this community, I did not even know that this cute little place existed.  There were bunches of cars parked around the building and of course I had to slow down and see what was going on.   

 We did stop because they were having a book sale at this schoolhouse/library.  We had to stop, you understand, don't you?  I mean I was driving.... and I just had to!

 The library was having a book sale, fill a bag for a $1.00.  It is amazing how many books you can actually get into one of those plastic grocery bags!  ( about 10, in case you need to know)

There were also local people with their own wares to sell.   (Here is where I fell off the financial frugality wagon)

It was a table in the side yard of the schoolhouse/library that was beckoning me.  Seriously.   But before I go on, I think I can justify this $100.00 spend.  It is an investment!   

 My husband and I invested $100.00 into his Ebay store.   One of the vendors had a huge amount of Stampin' Up stamp sets.  44 to be exact.  She was ready to get rid of them and gave us a great deal! 

Along with the 44 stamp sets, she threw in the "Creative Memories" tote....

 

And about a bajillion loose individual stamps.  Most of which are Stampin' Up stamps.  When I actually count them out, I will let you know how many are in there. 

When we came home, we listed half of the stamp sets, and will finish listing the rest of them either today or tomorrow. 

That is how you spend $100.00 at a Library book sale. 

Grocery Budget Reality

Since I have been using Spending Diary  to keep track of my expenses, It has been a real eyeopener for me. I now document everything I spend with Spending diary, where as before I would kinda keep track, only now and again would I enter my purchases into the diary.  Why did I do this?  Because I did not want to face the real truth about my spending habits.  I only wanted to know the good parts of my spending habits, (which were few).

For instance, the grocery category.  In my mind, I would always be close to my budgeted amount, not ever really going over that much.  Hello reality.  My budgeting and spending  are definite areas for me to work on.  Seriously. 

Since my layoff, I readjusted my budget for grocery spending.  In my mind, I thought I could keep it around $400.  Easy enough, right?  Two adults in the house, I would be able to cook more,(almost all meals) it should be a piece of cake.


Wrong.  Here we are at mid September and  I have already realized that I am going to have to readjust my grocery budget.  As of today, I have already spent $237.00 dollars.  No way I am going to meet my $400.00 goal.  So, I am now adjusting my grocery budget to $500.00.  What I did not take into account is that I am also packing my husband's lunch everyday.  This does save us money, but I do have to have a few more things on hand that he likes. 

		GROCERY     2011-09-04 7-11 coke and candy $8.78 2011-09-04 fruit (roadside vendor $15.00 2011-09-05 Publix $8.82 2011-09-05 Wal Mart $28.41 2011-09-06 Aldi $45.35 2011-09-07 Winn Dixie $4.58 2011-09-08 kmart $6.50 2011-09-11 CVS coke aspirin $4.91 2011-09-11 Wal Mart $63.00 2011-09-12 Winn Dixie $16.71 2011-09-13 Aldi $35.75 TOTAL FOR GROCERY   $237.81
		Now, I am pretty darn proud of my eating out budget this month.  As of today, it is under $25.00.  Remarkable.  Absolutely remarkable.
		RESTAURANT     2011-09-02 mcdonalds lisa $7.00 2011-09-04 Chick Fil A caleb $7.19 2011-09-04 Kmar Pizza $4.27 2011-09-09 eating out TIP $6.00 TOTAL FOR RESTAURANT   $24.46
		Using Spending Diary (and using it all the time, not just when I want to) has really kept me aware (sometimes painfully) of where my money is going.  This is one of the pluses of my layoff.  I am really becoming aware of my spending and saving habits.