Put it in a ziploc bag first. USUALLY it doesnāt damage the card 
3 Likes
Yeah, I was thinking a zip-loc bag. Or maybe two 
Thanks!! 
So with tracking number of times eating out do i cound ordering 2 entrees per person for leftover purposes as eating out once or twiceā¦ I am not tracking money spent on that since my husband usually pays and i donāt see his finances.
3 Likes
Great news! My October budget is saved! The dental office phoned to say I needed an appointment with the dentist before they could get me in for the scans for my tooth implant. Said appointment wonāt happen until November!
And, after talking to Hubby again, he declared the weather far too nice here in October to do maintenance and put on winter tires. Heās leaving it until early November.
So thatās two biggies off my budgeted expensesā¦postponed until a future month. $2250 + $1500 = $3750 out of Octoberās budget! Yay!
3 Likes
Woot!! Great news indeedā¦ 
1 Like
Updated October budgetā¦
I added the Home - Miscellaneous category because it seems we always have something. Today it was buying sheet protectors. I want to rip apart two old copies of a cookbook and hopefully find a good page from one of the two to preserve in sheet protectors in a used 3-ring binder.
One of the things Iām noticing this month is I am spending more out of my personal allowance than I am earning. I hope to turn that around next month. I am putting my credit card away for Christmas. It will be hard, but it is necessary.
2 Likes
Spent my therapy appt today chatting about ~money feelz~ and how to curb overspendingā¦
which lead me to a couple insights:
- impulse purchases seem even more shiny and exciting if I do not have specific dollar amounts for savings goals. so instead of ābuy a house and land to set up an alpaca farmā I should at least napkin math the numbers so I have something concrete to measure proggy against
- Sales and vintage/used items have a special pull on me especially when it comes to fiber art equipment because it feels like if I donāt buy that specific item I may never get the chance again (looking at you vintage sock knitting machine in my Craigslist faves)
11 Likes
very belated updating:
so-I did one thing so far. I also stuck $300 into savings, so I am on my way to saving something this month, if not quite on track to hit $1k.
3 Likes
If I got myself steel toed boots, which I have been eyeing for years, but pulled the trigger on because I might need them for work this month (but no one specifically said, be sure you have some, but as a professional I know such a need sometimes comes up) and I definitely got much nicer ones than I strictly need, but can also double as motorcycle boots (if I ever learn to ride or spouse gets good enough for a passengerā¦)
ā¦ does this count in my āpersonal discretionaryā budget I am tracking? I would not have purchased them (now) if not for possible/likely work need. It may be partially reimbursable but also more like a computer bag or home desk chair than work computer, for my roleā¦ (ie if I buy my own I can pick out a better version)
- Yes. Count it.
- No. Itās a work need (or other category).
0 voters
1 Like
This totally makes sense to me. Not having specific dollar amounts - and also deep down not really believing that things like homeownership or retirement will happen for me - leads to me saying F it and buying things I do not need.
2 Likes
Ugh! Quote came in for maintenance on the heat pumps. It will start at $350 CAD and go up from there. Over $100 more than last year!
Also, had to buy a new aero chamber for my asthma meds. Insurance didnāt cover itā¦$35.
Soooā¦Iāll be over in both those expenses this month.
3 Likes
Okay, Iām doing another check in. I am honestly shocked I was able to be consistent week over week in a thing. Getting a new badge was a super big motivator for me.
UM so yeah weāre still dealing with the after effects of a health incident with my husband, the handling of my dead FILās estate and also got some big surprises, like the $$$$s we still owe in university health ins fees 
Iām just going toā¦ Subtract those out? Like, they are big, but out of my control. HOwever even if I do thatā¦
Total spent:
Survival Expenses: $4,336 / $4,805 (That rent and that daycare lolz)
Small Pleasures: $47.34 / $180
Outsourcing Drudgery / Buying Time: $519.07 / $519.07
Experiences: $168.15 / $274
Learning & Growing: $151.74 / $165.99
Irregular Expenses: $0 / $170
$5222.3 / $5779
ā¦ we are definitely going over budget. The āmagic numberā I wanted was $500 in e-fund. We did get an unexpected contract windfall from MrM. But that is just NOT gonna be enough.
So maybe the goal is now, donāt exhaust the e-fund. 
Not a fan of how this year is going financially.
10 Likes
2nd week check in!
Groceries - $117 / $300
Gas - $28 / $100
Misc - $34 / $100
Emergency ice cream - $3.50 / $0 
So my gas actually went down because I forgot that my friend Venmoed me for driving the other weekend. It was a good/quiet week on the spending front, but Iām about to get hit with some bike maintenance stuff next week because I messed something up on one of my bikes. Iām also going backpacking this weekend (more gas!) and will probably stop on the way home for more emergency ice cream. Itās pumpkin shake time, after all. Next time we do this someone remind me I need an ice cream category.
Still eyeing up a new pair of pants, which are not supposed to be in the budget.
3 Likes
I probably wonāt have time to do a checkin over the weekend so am doing so now.
My goal is to track non-grocery, non-bill, non-cat expenses.
Eating out:
Beignets for me and Boyfriend - $7
Lunch out last weekend (me only) $13.20
Krewe expenses:
horns for costume: $20
chainmail rings (for costume/throws, not for business): $20.46
Things:
4 streetcar fares: $5. (I only used 3 of them, ended up walking home the 4th time)
Museum of Death admission: $18.75. Completely not worth it.
Weather stripping for drafty doors since weāre forecast to start getting lows in the 50s: $11.72
Gas: $18.65. My turn to pay.
I have to send a fedex today, I donāt know what that is going to cost.
3 Likes
Like I said before, my allowance is out of control. However that expense this month covered my new website.
The quote for the heat pumps ranges from $250-350, probably closer to $350. So we will be over in that. But they are booking into mid December now. So thatās another expense postponed to another month.
Utilities donāt get paid until close to the end of the month, so I wonāt know until the last checkin how we did.
3 Likes
Budgetober Checkpoint
Saturday, October 15th is the second weekly check-in. Nothing has to be perfect! Just check in by posting on this thread and mention where youāre at with your budgetober objectives.
This can be posting how much youāve spent this week, what problems you ran into with your plan, or asking for help if you need it.
For most of you, October 15th is tomorrow! (If youāre on the other side of the international date line, then today is check-in day!)
After you post your check-in, myself or @Smacky will get you a special-edition week 2 budgetober badge. If you still havenāt gotten your badge by Sunday, please bat signal me (@ me) and Iāll make sure you do!
9 Likes
Iāll check in tomorrow afternoon after I finish all the grocery shopping.
3 Likes
shiver the spookiest of errands these days
6 Likes
I already spent $42 just at the meat market (well Mom and Bro went with my card while Iām at work). Still gotta go to Food Lion and Wal-Mart.
3 Likes
I did another thing!
Though really its likely partial credit, because it was a prompt to log in to Bitdefender ( password manager) that had expired so even though I found it and created an account it had expired and so my partner had to resend it and Iāve successfully used the new invite but he has to confirm it so I still donāt actually have access. But I am so close!
4 Likes