Tuesday Sundries - Budget Categories - Finally

Besides being scared to actually confront my debt, I had never actually totaled up what I spend by category. For October, I started separating my tracking into 6 areas to figure out how much I needed to budget for these non-debt/but necessary areas.

As an aside, I did get a promotion at work. And it comes with health insurance. So I feel my raise will be taken up with paying for insurance. At least I know I can count on 40 hours a week. But I won't know for sure what my raise was until Wednesday when I get paid.

Ok...

Categories.

I selected 6 categories to 'dump' things into and this is how it has come out so far this October. I know I have another week to go, but I don't think it will alter my plans any.

• Food - $234.61
• Gas - $120.80
• Personal - $105.03
• Entertainment - $133.07
• Eating Out - $35.00
• Lady K - $51.50

Taking it category-by-category...

FOOD - $234.61

I am going to set my budget for November at $225.00.

Actually, I would like to see my food budget go down to $200 a month (or lower). I really need to ramp up on two things - packing lunches and menu planning. I want to make November "take your lunch to work" month. While I do pretty good, when I don't bring my lunch I hit the wing bar at work and that turns into a $6-$8 bill.

GAS - $120.80

I am going to set my budget for November at $150.00.

I know I have another trip next weekend to take Lady K to meet up with her dad, which means about $30 in gas. The amount I have spent in October also includes a trip to/from the zoo which was almost a full tank of gas. I will see about dropping my gas down to about $120.00 a month, but I also want to figure in doing something special every couple of months which will possibly mean a bit of driving, so I will have to monitor further.

PERSONAL - $105.03

I am going to set my budget for November to $50.00.

I know this category will go down in November for sure, mainly because I am not a clothes or toiletries person. Well, maybe Bath & Body, but on the norm, no. What made it so high in October was the fact my old purse (actually 2 old purses) had bitten the dust. One literally lost its strap and the other one, which was even older, was getting so tatty and it was a bit large for my locker at work. So I bought a purse. And I bought a new pair of super-duper compression socks. Another item is this...

from Amazon, a zippered wallet which also will hold my 'cash envelopes', something I am going to try in November. The envelopes are held in with rings and they can be easily removed. Besides, my old wallet was also at the end of its Target-lifespan.

I also bought $18.00 worth of yarn for a baby blanket I am making for someone to present in November. A trip to Michaels with my percentage off coupons kept it under $20. And I also bought a birthday gift at Bath and Body for $3.75 after I used my 'free' gift.

And while I should include my Hobonichi purchase in November in my personal category, I consider it a necessity. So deal!

ENTERTAINMENT - $133.07

I am setting my budget at $50.00 for November.

I paid for the zoo trip with the girls a couple of weeks ago. This amount does not include the breakfast before we left out or the gas for the trip. I still want to plan on doing something 'special' every couple of months, but probably not paying for it all myself. I know there are some movies coming up during the holidays I want to go see for sure. But normally I don't actually go out for 'entertainment' all that often, so I will hopefully be rolling over money from month-to-month and can pay for bigger events in the spring.

EATING OUT - $35.00

I will be setting the budget at $25.00 for the month.

I don't actually eat out all that often, as in going to a sit-down restaurant and eating. I might as well say this is my Starbucks budget! So I will see how this goes in November.

LADY K - $51.50

A monthly budget will be set at $25.00.

She is in school and it seems there is always something to be paid for. October was the Scholastic Book Fair and the school fundraiser. I gave her $20 for the book fair and I spent $31.50 on the fundraiser, buying some Alium bulbs (big purple ones) and a set of reusable straws. The straws come with a couple of straw brushes for cleaning them, which is what sold me on them.

And while there isn't always a book fair or fundraiser going on, I want to set aside a bit every month in order to have a 'fund' set up to help out with things as they do come up.

ALLOWANCE - $50.00 

This will be per paycheck during the month.

My allowance I am going to use for all the little extras during the month - like yarn and books and stickers - or saving! But knowing how I operate if I don't have 'me money' I will be like someone on a diet who is told not to eat cookies - I'll eat the whole bag in one sitting!

I will continue to track every penny spent to see how my categories line up in November and will be using cash envelopes for those categories rather than pulling out the old debit card.

A couple of items I know coming up which I have been planning for and will continue to plan for (and set up a 'fund' for similar purchases in 2020) are my Hobonichi planners and the Bath and Body candle sale.

However, in spite of all this 'spending', I have managed to pay off one little debt and I can see others on their way to dropping off the budget sheets. It is a slow, but steady process. While I was ostrich-like and refusing to look at my money situation in the past, once I took that first step it has been enlightening.

And actually becoming a bit fun - planning and strategizing - like a game. But with real money!