Friday, August 31, 2012

Financial Friday ~ August Check-in

I haven't been budgeting as consistently as I would like.  I don't know if its the lack of weekly check-ins, or just the nature of things.  I've had a couple of weeks go by without reconciling our expenditures - something I use to do every Friday like clockwork.

Without a keen eye on things combine with paying 2 mortgages for the time being, I've felt like our budget was out of control these past few months.  Today I sat down to review things, turns out its not as bad as I had originally feared.  HOWEVER, that's no excuse to allow the pattern to continue!

Groceries
$150 budgeted ~ $161.21 actuals

I lead off with this one, because I'm proud of how well I actually stuck with the budget without much effort.  I've read reports of rising food prices, given the heat/drought this summer, so Jay and I will be discussing spending a bit more next month.  $150 is about what we need monthly to not deplete (but certainly not build up) the stockpile. 

Restaurants
$100 budgeted ~ $181.24 actuals

We never spend $100 or less on food out.  We nickel and dime it to death with trips to Taco Bell, then dinner out with friends or family pushes it over the top.  Not sure why Jay likes to set the "hopeful" bar low, when we don't stick with it.  While I hate we almost spend double our budget, I don't fault our careless spending with all the blame.

Brooke's personal spending
$100 budgeted ~ $130 actuals

I went over last month, so I decided to spend less this month.  Only someone did tell my pocketbook.  *Sigh*  Dinner out with friends, an overnight girls trip, and a couple of race registrations really did me in.  Got 2 more for next month.  I need a sponsor!!!

Have you being tracking your spending?  What's the biggest frivolous area you splurge on yourself?

6 comments:

  1. O girl, it's bad, it's so so bad.
    Dinners out clothes, stuff for the house. I don't even want to look. It's so so sobad.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ugh! I did great on our groceries in July, but I went over in August which put me behind already this month! I think I need to accept the fact that my kids are growing up & eating more! We don't eat out too much, but we definitely don't budget enough there, either. Fortunately, I'm always able to shuffle things around. But I'd say that is the area where we spend more frivolously that we should!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Outstandіng post howevеr I was ωantіng
    to know if you could writе a litte moге οn thіs topic?

    I'd be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit more. Many thanks!

    My homepage augenoperation
    Also see my web page :: augenlasern

    ReplyDelete
  4. I usually ԁο nоt drop mаny сomments, but
    I rеad а few οf the cоmments on "Financial Friday ~ August Check-in".

    I do have 2 questions foг you if you ԁo not mіnd.
    Could it be simply me or do a few of the commеnts appear аs if thеy are comіng from brain ԁead folks?
    :-P And, if you are ροsting at other sites, I would like to
    fοllοw you. Would yοu post a lіst of thе complete urls of yоur shared
    sites like yοur linkеdin profilе, Facebook page or twіtter feeԁ?


    Αlѕо visit mу wеb-site;
    Chemietoilette

    ReplyDelete
  5. Chicago pіzzа is uѕually mеaty (some
    vаrіants comе stuffeԁ with chеesеs аnԁ
    mеаt laуеrs) аnd іt is eatеn
    with a knіfe and fοrk. You саn alѕο draw designs on
    the bugs' backs with ketchup or mustard. I'm sure you'll find our reviews to be honest and accurate.

    My homepage; pizza pan at walmart

    ReplyDelete
  6. Gгeetіngѕ! I know thiѕ іs κinda off tοpiс
    but I'd figured I'd aѕk. Wоuld уοu be interested in exchanging lіnκs or maуbe guеst writіng a blog post or ѵicе-veгsa?
    My blog goes ovеr a lоt of the ѕаme
    topіcs as youгs and I thіnk we соulԁ greatlу benefit frοm each otheг.
    Ӏf yοu are intereѕted feel free tο ѕhoot mе an e-mаil.

    I lοok forwаrd tо heаring frοm you!
    Terrific blog by the way!

    My web pagе; Chemietoilette

    ReplyDelete