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Made It

February 21st, 2017 at 11:18 pm

Today was the last day in my pay cycle, and I did not spend a penny. (And I won't -- until tomorrow.) So I did my February recap:

Car Repair/Maintenance - $975
Property Tax - $970
Housing - $695
Utilities - $162
Medical/Health - $121
Gifts/Charity - $108
Groceries - $98
Vacation/Travel - $85
Eating Out - $84
Fees/Services - $60
Clothing/Accessories - $54
Gas - $53
Phone - $52
Personal - $27
Furnishings/Equipment/Decor - $24
Household Supplies - $19
Laundry - $15
Vet/Pet Supplies - $9
Fares/Parking - $4

Total - $3615

It was a high-spending month, but that was mainly because of the car repair and the property tax. Everything else was in line. I spent 98% of my variables budget.

Next month's challenges will be paying the federal & state taxes. I also have a lot of things coming up -- a tune-up and oil change in March, and in April I am scheduled to see the dentist and the eye doctor. And I do believe the cats are due for check-ups at the vet in March. It never ends, does it?

3 Responses to “Made It”

  1. Michelle Says:
    1487720633

    Great job. U must be ecstatic. That's what i say all the time lol... Its always something. Take care.

  2. snafu Says:
    1487733253

    Well done! It's a challenge to make all the expenses fit into income . You're terrific grandmother, always supporting and encouraging their diverse activities. Would you find it helpful to review 2016 monthly spending for intermittent activities and 'escrow' them into the budget just like condo fees and utilities? I liked using an electronic version of the old 'envelop' system with sums taken off the top each pay for variables like annual home/vehicle insurance, vehicle maintenance, entertainment, clothes allowance, gifts, furnishings/equipment, pet care etc. Since you have savings, it's merely re-naming allocation, not actually withdrawing funds. It certainly reduces stress and builds [financial] self confidence.

  3. CB in the City Says:
    1487801535

    Well, here's what I do. I have fixed expenses that must be paid every month. Plus I have big annual and semi-annual expenses like taxes, insurance, etc. I subtract these from my income (in the case of the big expenses, 1/12 of the annual cost). What is left comprises my variables budget -- this is what I can spend each month. If I stay under, I will always have the money for the fixed and semi-annual expenses. The catch is that sometimes a huge expense -- like a car repair -- comes along. It doesn't fit into my variables budget, and it's not a fixed expense, so it has to come out of my emergency fund. But that's what it's for. I use my museum money for the EF, and I also sweep any money left over each month into it.

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