Checking In
April 1st, 2026 at 10:45 pmAnother month has gone by. I am still watching my spending very carefully. Here is how it went in March:
I spent $850 on housing -- that's mortgage and assessment fees. Utilities I track separately, and they came in at $257 because I paid for gas twice (timing thing). It was time to pay my semi-annual property taxes -- $523.
I spent $132 on gifts and charities.
Only $59 on groceries. I surprised myself. I have to wonder if I forgot to count something. But I can't figure out what. I do know that I have been eating from the pantry and the freezer religiously.
I spent $53 on medical and health-related things. My phone was $50, as it always is. Entertainment was $44, and that was mostly for streaming. I got a haircut that cost $41. I spent $37 on gas. I also spent $37 on eating out, the bulk of that one meal with family. I spent $33 on various household items and supplies, $24 on aquarium supplies, $20 on laundry, and $6 on clothing (a pair of leggings from Goodwill). I also spent $17 on items that I thought I might be able to resell on eBay. I have sold two items so far, and haven't quite recouped my investment. Yet.
Altogether it was a pretty low-spend month, especially considering the property tax.
I don't even want to look at my retirement fund. Another day.