It was a spendy month, but most of it in a few categories.

Home Repair/Maintenance: $1000

Housing: $795

Vacation/Travel: $492

Utilities: $151

Fees/Services: $140

Gifts/Charity: $129

Groceries: $74

Phone: $52

Eating Out/Takeout: $48

Medical/Health: $33

Gas: $30

Furnishings/Equipment/Decor: $17

Entertainment: $16

Laundry: $16

Car Repair/Maintenance: $6

Grand Total: $2999

Variables: 103%

Big Ticket: $1233

The $1000 spent on home repair is the down payment for refinishing my table.

Vacation costs included part of my Oregon vacation and a short trip to Michigan.

Utilities are low because my gas bill did not hit this month.  I'll pay it twice next month.

Fees/Services were license plate renewal and delivery fee for getting my table to the refinisher.

Gifts/Charity: Several graduations and various little gifts.

Groceries:  Very low because I focused on eating from my freezer.

Furnishings, etc:  A set of mixing bowls with lids.

There were no costs this month for Vet/Pet Supplies.  That's unusual, but I was stocked up.  I also didn't buy any clothes, I didn't get any household supplies, and didn't spend anything on personal grooming.

In other news, I had a good day yesterday with my family.  Since it was cold, we had an indoor cookout, with hot dogs, brats, hamburgers and chicken.  Many leftovers!  My ex-husband always buys too much.  I came home with some of those leftovers, which will help me with my grocery budget this coming month.

My ex also offered to pay for re-tiling my kitchen floor.  He is in his last year of employment before retirement, and I think he is trying to make amends.  Since the choices he made in the past pretty much impoverished me, yes, I am taking the money.