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Archive for July, 2013

Taking a chance

July 31st, 2013 at 01:35 pm

I'm planning on a NSD today. In anticipation, I'm going to post how I did this month.

Item---Budget---Actual
Rent---550---550
Cell---67---66.60
Donation---50---50
Student Loan---366.04---366.04

Gas (car)---100---100
Household (including cats)---86---211 (to the vet!)
Grocery---355---391
Entertainment/Restaurant---87---87
Car Maintenance---0---0
Clothes---135---135 (bought my yearly pair of running shoes)
Personal Care---88---97.95
Gifts---25---29

Extra Income---278.24

My extra income is more than enough to cover my shortfalls in my categories, but I'm still disappointed that I can't seem to keep my grocery bill under control. I really need to work on that. Next month will be spendy. Big Kitty goes in for his teeth and I anticipate that to be at least a few hundred dollars. I'm buying pro football tickets as early Christmas gifts for a few people. I am also planning on a Mom visit in September--including going camping! I'm very excited!

End of the month is in sight!

July 30th, 2013 at 09:55 pm

Thank goodness.

The internet at our house has been out or spotty at best and we've found out it is because we have an old modem. But our internet company will be glad to have us rent a new one from them for $5/month and that should take care of the problem. We'll see. Something about how our lines are now getting crowded and our old modem is getting kicked off the system first. Gotta upgrade.

Just like my poor phone. Verizon isn't going to update towers on the old system, so eventually, I'm going to have to get a new phone, even if I'm happy with my old phone. Planned obsolescence.

I'm over on my budget in groceries this month, but what really got me is that one of my cats started falling down while just walking around, so off to the vet we went. He is somewhat better now, but still a little off-balance. It is just something that sometimes happens to cats and often happens in the summertime. They don't know what causes it and don't have any way of treating or preventing it. My other cat was fine, but I went ahead and made arrangements for her to get looked over as well. Then, I knew the first kitty has some dental issues, so I'm going to take care of those now too. Boom goes the cat budget.

It is totally worth it though. I was actually sick to my stomach when he was weebling and wobbling around. My cats are pretty much kid-substitutes and I was very worried about him.

I hope to spend no money the next two days and I need to get back on track for August because it already looks to be spendy with cat dental, football tickets, and campground reservations to be made!

What I tend to do

July 19th, 2013 at 02:58 pm

I tend to start a new month by going "Yay! New Budget with lots of money in my categories!" By the end of the month, I'm watching my money more closely. Guess I'd better learn to do that at the beginning of the month too. My NSDs are adding up again, now that I have to watch the amounts I spend. I did have to rejigger the budget a little again--needed more in grocery and less in gifts. I'm slowly learning this.

Even with how tight the money seems right now, I have managed to put a little bit in savings. I'm rebuilding after draining all my savings and then some earlier this year. I have paid back the "then some," now I need to rebuild my savings. Baby steps, baby steps. I am so very glad that I had the savings to take care of the problem. It was the first time in my life that I had savings to take care of an issue and it was an awesome feeling. Now to get back to where I was.

I think I might have a chance to breathe this weekend. It looks like SO has some plans that don't include me, so I'm able to get some home-y stuff done. Also, the heat is supposed to break, which makes me very happy. I ran this morning at 6 AM and it was already 80 degrees. Urg. There was a breeze, so it wasn't horrible. I prefer to run in 65-70 degree weather.

On my way to work, I stopped at a house that had a free sign on a table full of squashes. I picked a ginormous zucchini and a small yellow squash. We didn't do veggies in my house growing up, so I'm trying to experiment with new to me veggies. I know that the zucchini will be good for bread, but I'm unsure what to do with the squash. I'm going to look for recipes for what to do with it. I believe I've had it before, just cut up into chunks and sauteed. It was pretty good. I love the price!

I believe I can extend my NSD streak into the weekend. I can't think of anything I need to buy. I will need to go grocery shopping at the beginning of next week and I'm hoping it is the last time to grocery shop for the month of July.

So far, so good

July 18th, 2013 at 02:41 pm

As many others have said--it's HOT! I'm not a fan of the heat, so I'm going to be very glad when this heat breaks this weekend. I'm thankful that I have air conditioning at work and that we have a window air conditioner in the bedroom window. SO goes back and forth on putting in central air in the house and I keep lobbying for not--and use the money elsewhere. We just don't get the oppressive heat to need whole house air. Would it be nice? Of course. But we have a TV in the bedroom and if it gets really bad, we can hang out in there. So far I'm winning!

This week has been productive, even with the heat. Monday and Tuesday I spread grass seed on the yard. We're still trying to grow grass. We do have some, but there are a few bare patches. So we hit those. Not sure if its smart to try to seed in the heat, but we'll give it a shot. Last night I was able to clean the house for the first time in two weeks. Our tub really needed a scrub after all the yard work we've been doing. I'm trying to tell myself that I'm getting the benefits of a sauna when I'm working like I am in the heat. I drink lots of water, so I'm not worried about that.

So far, I've stayed within my budget in all categories. I realize that we're just over 1/2 way through the month, but I'm optimistic that I can do this. I think I have $46 for groceries and $13 for out to eat/entertainment. Luckily I only have to worry about myself. I have lots of food in the pantry, and there is enough money for one more Chinese take out run, if I need it.

Unfortunately, a couple of my goals are not going well this month. I have a standard goal of exercising 20x per month. I'm not going to get that this month. I bruised up my leg pretty good, so haven't been able to run like I like to. Also, I have a goal of a new recipe a week and that's not happening either. Not sure what it up with me, but I'm just not feeling it. Is there such a thing as summer doldrums? I just don't feel inspired to work on those goals. We have been busy, so maybe when I'm not busy, I just don't feel like working on those goals.

Hopefully, I'll get back on the wagon and work on those things. Once this heat wave passes us by, I'll be ready. What can I do? I can figure out a schedule of exercising and get on it. I can create a list of meals to try. Here we go!

Keeping up

July 11th, 2013 at 03:39 pm

With no internet at home and a big project at work, I haven't been able to update my blog. I tried to post something the last week of June, but it was right before the site had some issues and the post was lost.

That's OK, because it was a whiny post anyway.

I pretty much went over on all areas of my budget last month. That's pretty much what my whiny post was about. But July is a new month! So far, it has been a bit of a spendy month, with new running shoes. It was in the budget, but it does something to my stomach to pay $125 for shoes.

I have also been having a hard time having NSDs. Even when I think I'm going to have one, I end up spending money for so's lunch. Big change from last month when I seemed to go days and days without spending. It might only be spending $5, but I'm definitely spending money.

Hopefully, I can get back on track today. I don't forsee any spending today and hopefully tomorrow. I will try to save my spending for Saturday.