- To start tracking our finances again.
- Fortnightly wages, so monthly budgeting is weird, but we have some regular payments that are required and some that are monthly. So I’ve got to nut out a new spreadsheet of what and where for the month. Generally it’s $2200 a month on rent, $450 mortgage, $300 a week on groceries, $90 a fortnight on fuel, $410 a fortnight on childcare plus a bunch of other stuff.
- Biggest challenge for this week will be to juggle insurance payment for our house that is rented out so that I don’t breach the mortgage requirement of having insurance. Just can’t afford a yearly payment of $2500, so have a call pencilled in to the insurer to work out a monthly or fortnightly payment going forward.
- Best thing about Spring is the flowers, especially the bulbs. Tulips, Daffodils, Grape Hyacinths, Ixias, Friesias.
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I can already tell that my challenge is going to be deciding whether I can use my spending money. Since I have all spending in one bucket, what if I buy something frivolous now, but then later in the month something else comes up? Like running out of some toiletry that I need.
Or - I didn’t even think about this when putting my plan together - Lyfts. I don’t have a car. I try very hard to force myself to use public transport at all times no matter what, but sometimes I will cave if it’s freezing cold or thunderstorming (ETA: or if the route is completely shut down, which seems to be happening a lot lately due to, I’m sorry to say,
tw suicide
people committing suicide on the tracks
). Or, I’m ashamed to admit, it’s simply late and I’m tired or not mentally up for fending off some of the folks who ride public transport late at night - who, yes, I KNOW have mental illnesses so I should be compassionate but sometimes I just cannot handle being screamed at by a stranger, you know?
Hm. What do? Separate Lyft budget? Am I even going anywhere this month that would require a Lyft?
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I would say usually I would do a separate lyft budget so you don’t feel super stressed about taking one if you need one (as in you don’t worry about it taking away from TP later) but if you think you won’t need one this month, maybe recast the budget if it comes up?
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Yes! I almost forgot how constantly I drink tea in the fall and winter. It’s not really cool enough for it where I am today, but I broke some out at work in honor of October all the same.
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I’m in! I actually ended up staying late last night to finish my budget, and I think I’ve got my spreadsheet just right. I’m hoping to tackle some student loan debt, and rein back the yarn shopping. Its hard when your favorite social event is knitting with the peeps at the yarn store. And my favorite halloween objects are white pumpkins! I just think they look friendly.
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Now I have one, too. (Glad that they don’t really exist out here… the only way I can get them is to make them.)
@Yarnie, yes, please join us in the WIP thread! And this could be a great month for some stash busting. 
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Stash busting is right! I also actually sat down last night and calculated out how much my next project is going to cost. I’ve never actually done that before, since I’m such an impulse yarn buyer. But, I actually feel more committed to the project now that I’ve bugetted for it.
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Okay! Even though I’m not participating, I still did a budget related productive thing.
I went through Mint and put together all of my yearly recurring fees- credit card service fees, Costco and amazon memberships, Portland’s art tax and tax filing costs, yearly outdoor permits and licenses, renters and auto insurance, and so on. Then I divided the cost by 12, so I know what my “sinking fund” really is- although I don’t budget that way or that tightly. It’s just nice to know the number, since I felt like SO many things hit in September (two card fees and renters insurance).
In case anyone else wanted to do something similar, it’s nice knowing that number for me.
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Isn’t that so cool? I’ve totally had this happen before. My budget gives me permission sometimes to do things I want to do. Self care like acupuncture is the main one I’ve seen this apply to for me, but also for a couple months it was setting aside money to go and read a book in a nice coffee shop!
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I love when this happens. 
I’ve had happen with yarncrafts, and for stuff like going to see a play. Once I explicitly budget for it, it’s like – it’s happening. It’s really happening! (I imagine this is huuuuge for folks getting married.)
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I definitely cried the first time I was able to use the “Kids and Babies” category on mint. 
how to know you’ve been tracking too long maybe? Lol!
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This is how I got back into figure skating, too! I was like “okay, if I budget for it, I guess I can go back.”
(And how I feel about trips.)
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Of course you did! I think anyone who’d been through what you guys have gone through would cry at that. <3
(And pssh, no such thing as tracking too long)
(Over here hiding my ledgers from 2008)
I need to learn how to do this one.
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I’m going to be tracking our food budget which is $400 a month. Goal is to keep the processed and expensive foods low, one time eating out (husband’s birthday), and no candy. Desserts will still be consumed but must be made.
I’m also adding in an entertainment category of $50 to do some pumpkin farm stuff with baby and other Halloween events that might creep up.
I’m not tracking every dollar for the month because we are spending about $10k on the house siding, our annual insurance costs are due, and husband and I both need warm weather clothing. I’m still going to avoid spending money as much as possible though.
Biggest challenge this week will be the same every week and that is not buying convenience foods.
My favorite thing about fall is everything! I love the crisp air, bundling up in the mornings (once I have clothes to bundle up in lol), the increase in time spent outside, and being cosy with a latte. Oh and pumpkin flavored treats!
After two PSL from Starbucks already, I learned there is milk in it. So I already spent money this month and ordered milk free pumpkin pie syrup and to get free shipping I got a Christmas flavor so we won’t be tempted to spend money on Starbucks Christmas flavors when the time comes 
.
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Oh man. I have historically not been very good with budgets. I did okay with tracking, but budgets…
This month is kind of hectic, though, and I am prone to stress-buying things. I’m going to throw out some budget categories that I struggle with, because my mortgage/insurance/utilities/bills don’t change from month-to-month. These are for ONE person (me):
- healthcare copays etc: $158 - 2 planned appts
- transit & gas: $60
- groceries: $150 (I’m just going to half our household grocery expenses) - need to get creative with what to spend on hosting & what to bring when visiting friends
- restaurants & bars: $250 - this is actually challenging (for me) because I’ve got friends visiting from out of town and planned outings to celebrate multiple birthdays.
- clothing/personal care: $100 - I’ve got some conferences coming up that makes me want to get new biz casual clothes & restock make-up, but I don’t want to go wild
- hobbies/entertainment: $100 - budgeting for fun things
- non-fixed costs misc.: $150 - because there are always some unplanned expenses so we gotta plan for them.
In total, this adds up to $968 for flex spending portions of my life!
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- My goal is to get a better handle on what the food budget should look like as a one-income/one-SAH household.
- So the only budget category is food. Which includes eating out, coffees, etc. $125/week, $500 total for the month.
- Biggest challenge this week is that we’re going apple picking with the family, and we will be picking up a bag of apples and walking past all the other wonderful prepared foods. We will also likely be picking up lunch while there, which needs to be managed. Overall, it’s the coffees I feel I need to pick up for work discussions.
- favourite thing about autumn is being able to wear my handknit fingerless gloves. I have several pairs, and it is such a short season to wear them.
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Am I too late to join?
Do I need budget amounts for every category? Or can I have specific goals?
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Not too late to join! The rules are in the first post on this thread, but it’s flexible. It’s meant to be something you feel will help you - so one goal overall, one category, or specific amounts budgeted for every category - whatever works for you!
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Spider expenses totaled $12.69:
$4.79 black yarn for the bodies
$2.39 pipe cleaners for legs
$4.79 googly eyes
Plus 6% sales tax.
Edited because I realized I mathed wrong. I bought some other things in the same purchase that go in a category I’m not counting for this challenge.
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