It wasn't a big-spending month, though it felt like it at times. The last few weeks I really struggled to come in under 100% with my variables. I actually spent 102%, but I felt that was pretty good. There were no big ticket items this month, and that kept the grand total down.

The car and my wardrobe were most expensive this month. I had an oil change and also replaced several filters. In the clothing category, I bought some short dressy boots and a zip-up hoodie.

In the FED category, I logged the replacement battery for my cell phone. I wasn't sure where to put that, but in the end decided it was an equipment expense.

The gifts were Halloween candy and cards, and food that I took to a friend's funeral.

My grocery bill was so ridiculously low because family members of the man who died, who had traveled some distance for the funeral, had bought groceries to use during their stay here. They didn't use them all, and they gave the surplus to me. So I really didn't have to buy much.

This coming month I have three birthdays, and the second payment of my property tax. So, yeah, another challenging month.

The phone battery cost more than I expected -- I don't think I was really listening when the price was quoted. Anyway, after the deposit was deducted and tax was added it was $65. When I went to pick it up, I pulled up in front of the shop and reached for my phone to pay for parking -- of course, it was in the shop. Duh. I could have paid the old-fashioned manual way, which I figured would take more time than I would spend in the shop, so I took a chance and skipped it. When I came out, of course, a parking patrol vehicle was pulled up nearby. There was no ticket on my car, so I quickly pulled out and left. But I will bet anything I'll get a ticket in the mail.

I went to the grocery store this morning to get tomato paste for spaghetti sauce. While there, I saw that Breyer's now makes a non-dairy ice cream from oat milk. I bought a carton, which was expensive, but among the groceries my friends gave me there was a carton of root beer. I thought it would be fun to make root beer floats with some of those, as I am not a big soda drinker. Well, the ice cream wasn't that great, so I rather regret the purchase, but now I know.

I spent $7 for those two items.

I still have plenty of food, so I should be fine if I don't make any more impulse buys.

I got a notice that another $30 bill was added to my medical account. I'll pay that on November 1.

A couple of updates -- I made a math error and it turns out I have only spent 83% of my variables. That is more comfortable. And it includes a modest grocery bill of $18 that wasn't in there before.

It also includes a $20 deposit to the cell phone repair business. They have ordered a new battery for me, which will be about $75, but the $20 will be deducted from that. I am hopeful it will come in tomorrow, but that would be the earliest possible date. I am a bit worried because a swollen battery is dangerous. I didn't realize that until after I had made the decision to get a new battery rather than a new phone. Had I known that, I probably would have opted for the new phone, as the safer option. But at least this option is cheaper, as long as my phone doesn't blow up!

I still have two and a half weeks to get through with only $124 (not counting regular bills). I should be able to do this, but I sure do get tired of this.

I went to my grandson's volleyball scrimmage last night, which lasted three hours! And the only seating was hard bleachers! Still, fun to watch, even though my grandson was disappointed in his team's performance, and his own. To make this financial -- my grandson managed to lose track of his own personal volleyball, which cost $80. Luckily, we found it at the end, stuck in the bin with all the balls belonging to the sports center. And guess who found it? Moi. It surely must have been my thrifty radar.

I dawdled over my entry too long, and forgot to copy it, so it's lost. So now it's the short version.....

I have spent 90% of my variables, which is basically my spending allowance for the month. It's been a crazy beginning to the month. I won't go into all the details again, but I was involved in helping friends with a death in the family, and a lot of fallout from it. I wasn't home very much and that led to unusual spending patterns.

Things are back to normal again. The good part about the above is that the friends gave me a lot of groceries they couldn't use, and this will really help me get through the month.

I'm not done spending yet. Later today I'm going to see if I can get my cell phone fixed. The back is separating from the phone, which I think is due to a swollen battery. It can be fixed with a new battery, if that is indeed the problem. We shall see.