I won't be doing any spending today, so I did my July recap:

Housing: $795

Insurance: $710

Utilities: $219

Groceries: $145

Vet/Pet Supplies: $126

Vacation/Travel: $63

Medical/Health: $53

Phone: $52

Household Supplies: $52

Gas: $34

Eating Out/Takeout: $28

Furnishings/Equipment/Decor: $17

Entertainment: $16

Laundry: $16

Gifts/Charity: $12

Clothing/Accessories: $12

Fees/Services: $5

Grand Total: $2355

Variables: 79%

Not much to comment on -- the insurance was my semi-annual auto payment.  Groceries were a bit high -- my average is $107 -- but prices are creeping up.  I'm still working hard to stretch my food as much as possible and to eliminate waste.  Eating out was lower than usual, so I guess that makes up for it.  Pet supplies were pretty high, but I am in catch-up mode after two months of spending little in that category.

My big splurges this month were a new baseball hat and a new fan.

Just going to be hanging around home today.  The weather is cool, so it will be open windows instead of air conditioning.  No laundry to do, nothing to cook.  I'll be reading and writing!  I am 45 pages into what I think will be a novella.  We'll see.  I am a very slow writer!  I rewrite and polish a lot!

Yesterday I took a walk to the mailbox and then to Walgreens, where I bought a birthday card ($6).  It was pretty hot, but VERY humid, and I was soaked with sweat by the time I got home.  Last night storms rolled through, but so far I am not feeling the promised change in humidity and temperature.

I'm going to the gym today and I plan to going to Sam's afterwards for creamer and raspberries.  My grocery spending for the month is already higher than usual, but these are two items that are important to me.  Variables are at 77% with only two days left, but after my shopping today that will change.

Yesterday I ventured out into the heat -- went to the gym, then to the vet's office to buy more fluids.  I got two bags this time, plus a dozen needles; total cost was $28.  Then I went to the senior center to make a deposit into my travel account.  I could only put in $63, which topped my usable dollars at $150.  I'm not allowed to go any higher than that (didn't know that before -- I'm sure I was told but didn't take it in).  I was hoping to use this account for an Amtrak ticket, but with the $150 cap that won't be possible, so I guess I will continue to use it for Uber, though I rarely need it.  Or find out if Amtrak will accept a split payment.  Anyway, it will be a while before I decide how to use it.

I also got lunch at the McDonalds drive-through.  This is starting to turn into a bad habit.  I was quite hungry, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.  Anyway, it was $6.

I am still not able to park on my block.  They are doing extensive road work.  Yesterday they took up all the old pavement and I'm waiting for them to put down new.  It will be nice after it's all done, but it's a pain trying to find a place to park.  It was complicated today by sweeping on the other blocks, so parking spaces were essentially cut in half -- will be the same tomorrow when they sweep the other side of the street.  So tired of moving my car to ever more distant places, but I guess I can appreciate that I'm getting some extra exercise.

We're supposed to turn off or turn down our electricity this afternoon to conserve it -- it's a bad day to have to do that, but I do get a credit on my bill if I do.  Right now I'm letting the cool air build up and this afternoon I'll lie down and read during the off hours.  If it's unbearable I won't let myself suffer, because, actually, the credit is never that large.

Hmmm.  No one has made an entry since mine three days ago.  I wonder if people are having trouble on the site again, or are people losing interest in posting?  I hope not!

Yesterday I went to Sam's after my gym session and bought probiotics for $9 and apples for $8.  Then I stopped at Burger King and bought an Impossible burger lunch for $10.  Variables are at 62%, which is good.  However, a large chunk of money went to my semi-annual auto insurance payment, so the overall spending is getting close to my income.

We are entering a steamy hot period, so my AC is on, and will be for a while.  So far my electric bill has not been much higher than usual, but this month might be different.

I decided to get my driver's license renewed this morning.  It took all morning.  I had to stand in line outside the facility for about an hour -- they are not letting in as many people at a time as they used to.  Once I got in, it took a couple more hours, but most of that time I could sit.  The fee was a whopping $5.  I assume that was a senior benefit in action.  I got the Real ID license, even though as a passport holder, I don't really need it.  I may need it when my passport expires.

On the way there, I got breakfast at McDonalds for $4.  And afterwards, I went to the Jewel right there in the same plaza and bought some things I can't get at Aldi.  Total cost was $20.  Variables are now at 57%.  Oh, that includes an Amazon order I made this morning for more pet supplies, pellets for the litter box.  $35.

It's pay day, so I also transferred funds for my mortgage and paid my two credit cards in full.

Baseball tonight -- the first playoff game in the season's last tournament.  Who knows, it may end tonight.

I made a run to Aldi's this morning, spending $34.  Variables are at 42%.  In the afternoon I went to the library and checked out 8 books.

Tomorrow is a gym day, and then I'll go to Sam's and pick up some cough drops.  

Wednesday is a baseball day.  The game is not until 5:30, and I'm toying with the idea of getting my license renewed in the morning.  But it might be a long day at the DMV, and maybe it would be best to wait for a day when nothing else is going on.  I tire easily these days.

I started a Piyo routine yesterday, but I'm quite sore today, so maybe I pushed it too hard.  I thought I was being pretty easy on myself!  I'm going to rest today.  Tomorrow is strength training, and then maybe I can try Piyo again on Thursday.

For once, the weather was beautiful.  After many days of gray skies and rain, and, alternatively, blistering heat, we finally had a day that was cool, breezy, sunny and fresh.  Loved it.

I went to the gym in the morning and then to Sam's to buy dishwasher pods ($22).  While there, I found a baseball hat with a bee logo and "Bee Kind" written on it.  I love bees, and I loved the hat.  It's a pretty butter yellow.  I paid $11 for it, and wore it to my grandson's game, which was awesome.  Once again, the team won, and GS1 made two great hits resulting in two RBI's, made a spectacular catch, and just did a good job all round.  He was very happy.

I was very tired when I came home.  I made a meal of leftover mac and cheese, and the last of the salad.  I watched a couple of episodes of "McCartney" on Hulu.  I should have done some laundry, but I decided to put it off till tomorrow.

Tonight I am finishing a book.  The windows are open and the breeze is wonderful.  I hope tomorrow is as nice as today.

FYI, the parking ban I mentioned in my last post was lifted quickly.  The city was trimming trees, and they got it done in the morning.  Parking is easy once again.

Today our whole block is under a parking ban -- cars will be towed if they are parked on the street.  Not sure what's going on -- some kind of public works/construction thing, but no action yet.  I found a spot last night further down the street, where there is no ban.  Hope this doesn't last too long.

Yesterday the little fan I use in the bathroom to fight condensation gave out, so I ordered a new one on Amazon.  $15.  Variables are now at 32%. 

I do not plan on going out today, unless it is on foot.  

My birthday is coming up next month, and that means I need to renew my driver's license soon.  I have to apply for the Real ID license (in person) because I didn't get it done before the pandemic.  I have researched the ID requirements and have printed off a checklist.  I'll take care of it next week, but I think first I'll get my hair cut.  I don't want my current head of tumbleweed to be the image on my driver's license for the next four years!  My hairdresser is in Greece, visiting his family, so I might just sneak back to Supercuts and hope for the best.

Yesterday, after my workout at Planet Fitness, I went to Sam's, which is in the same plaza.  I bought a bulk package of Kleenex -- 12 boxes -- for $15.  They did not have my preferred cube shape; instead, I settled for flat boxes.  I assume it is another one of those supply chain issues.  

Variables are at 30%, and I'm approximately halfway through the month.  That's good, but with the huge semi-annual auto insurance payment, the monthly total will be high.  And if my table is done during this month it will be very high.  I am still waiting to hear that I need to bring in a chair to match the stain.  Any day now.

I'm going to spend the day reading, in order to finish one of those "most wanted" books.  One I won't get to, but I will have finished three by the end of the day.  As soon as I'm done I'll go drop them in the outside return bin.

Tomorrow starts another round of baseball games, three in a row.

Two more baseball games, and they were both amazing.  One was a decisive win, 16-1, and the other was a close win, 9-8, an incredible comeback -- and my grandson made the winning run.  I tell you, this free entertainment is the best!

Today I made an Aldi run and spent $37, then popped over to PetSmart and bought cat food for $15.  This is another attempt to get Iggy to eat wet food.  This time I bought Friskies packets with gravy.  If he won't eat it, I'll give it to my son's cat.

I also bought gas for $34.  The tank was pretty low.

I got an email notice from the library that four of the books I have checked out are due on Wednesday and they can't be renewed.  I was getting comfortable with the relaxed rules during the pandemic, but they are back to original rules.  The reason the four books cannot be renewed is that they are "Most Wanted" -- cannot be put on hold and cannot be renewed.  This ensures a ready supply of popular books, but you sure do have to read fast because the loan period is only one week.  Had I known the rules had changed back, I would not have checked out four of them.  So I'm reading like crazy!

I attended GS1's baseball game last night.  It was very exciting.  Our team came from behind in the last inning and won.  In celebration, the team went to Culver's for dinner.  I went along and I spent $7 on my meal.  I wasn't going to spend anything till Monday, but I paid cash, which will make less of an impact on my budget than charging it.

There is another game tonight and one on Saturday.  I trust there will be no food costs.

After some really hot days the weather has cooled off and I am able to get along without air conditioning.  Not only does it save money, but it is such a relief to cut off that noise!

Well, it happened again.  Like my electricity bill, the gas bill was not automatically taken from my new bank account.  I don't know what happened there -- did I actually forget to update my utilities with the new account?  It's possible.  Anyway, I fixed it -- I think.

My auto insurance payment and my Medicare Advantage premium went through okay.  My checking account is under $1K now, which I don't like to see.  I'm going to try to make this a no-spending week.

This is going to be a quiet day for me -- other than the fireworks I'll hear all night!  I'm not going to a show; I may watch fireworks on TV.

Yesterday I went to GS1's baseball game, and afterwards the whole family went out for brunch.  Yeah, it was a very early game.  I was treated, so it was no cost to me, and I even had enough leftovers for supper.

Tomorrow we are getting together at my ex's house to play games, and I'm sure there will be food involved, as well.

I spent $49 at the vet's office the other day.  Most of that was for a big bag of kidney diet food, but I also picked up a fluid bag and needles.  Variables are at 14%.

I'm expecting my semi-annual auto insurance payment to be withdrawn from my bank account on Tuesday.  That'll be $710.  Seems like it just keeps going up; I guess it's my age.

This morning I went to the bank to close my frozen account, and learned that it cannot be closed until 180 days have passed.  If I was told that, I don't remember it.  I was going on the idea that it could be closed when I had updated all my autopays and direct deposits.  So it was a waste of time, especially since I couldn't make an appointment online -- the site wasn't working right and insisted that there were no appointments available for the rest of the month.  So I just popped in, and had to wait for two other people to finish their appointments.  And I wasn't allowed to leave and come back!  What's that about?

I did take the opportunity to order a box of checks.  I doubt that I will need them much, but every once in a while you do need to pay by check.  The cost was $14.

Afterwards, I went to Aldi and bought 15 items for $31.  And then did a load of laundry for $2.

Tomorrow I have two baseball games to attend, and another one on Saturday.  I will have to stop at the vet's office on the way to pick up fluids and needles.  I'm getting low, and the office won't be open again until Tuesday.

It has cooled off considerably, and I'm enjoying the break from the air conditioner.  I wish my Oregon son would get a break, heat-wise.  At least they have central air, and they have been going swimming at the local pool every day.  But still it must be hard, dealing with temperatures over 110.  I can't even imagine it.