I get that its not Friday, but tomorrow's gonna be a bit crazy for me so I figured I might as well get this habit started. Today is going to be a bit painful, as we're not doing too well at all on the budget, but here we go...
Eating Out: Budgeted $75 - Actuals to date $60.31
This has been a lot of casual dining. I wish we would go on one or two really nice out to eat excursions, but we that tends not to be our style. With the Easter holiday this weekend and nothing else planned, we should come in under budget on this item.
Groceries: Budgeted $150 - Actuals to date $123.18
Yesterday I spent $18 on strawberries, feta cheese, orange juice, and laundry detergent. Two tiny little bags. It made me sick to my stomach, but also very thankful that I have a pretty good size food stockpile. I like keeping a good base of meats and staples, then shop the sales as they come around. The food budget is so low because I do stock up on those months that ground beef or another commonly used items are on sale.
Jay and I have discussed buying an organic/grass fed cow from my boss, but I don't think we could use that much meat before it went bad in our freezer. We also can't find anyone here locally willing to split it with us.
Personal spending (Brooke): Budgeted $125* - Actuals to date $123.14
So it looks like I'll be going over budget this month. Oops. Personal spending includes clothing, lunches (or fast food purchased when alone), race registrations (if not to a charitable cause, when its for a charity it goes in the "giving" category), books, fitness equipment - pretty much anything that's not a necessity that doesn't benefit the whole family.
*If I decide upon an IPhone, this will come down to $100 so that our phone budget can be increase by the $25 monthly service plan it requires.
Personal spending (Jay): Budgeted $100 - Actuals to date $99.59
I've offered to let him bump his spending up to $125 but he likes to keep it at $100. That won't stop him from going over this month. He mostly purchases beer and tobacco with his money and I know that he won't go the rest of the month without buying more dip, so he'll be over by at least $20.
Our budget is super tight, so I usually have to over budget on categories like electric, water, and gas to make sure we have enough. Anything extra is usually spent on fast food or a movie. My goal for May is to stick to a budget, and so that means I'm going to try and put some money in a fast food budget. We eat out, and like Dave Ramsey says, we might as well put it in the budget rather than over spending in another.
ReplyDeletei always go over on groceries. we do it by month, and i'm consistently $50-$100 over...even when i try to be good! at least i hardly buy clothes.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you're doing so bad! At least if you go over it won't be by much! Silly Jay! He won't increase his budget, but he'll go over it?! :D
ReplyDeleteI'm so impressed with how closely you keep a watch on your money! I really need to do that. Used to but somehow I just got away from doing it.
ReplyDeletei am such a stock piler of food also. when i get it on sale or cheap, i buy a ton of it also. my husband gets annoyed when he sees me walk in the door with it, (he has this weird thing where he thinks I am becoming a hoarder...weird) but when it comes time to eat it, he likes it.
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