I’m still trying to digest our expenses for the month of February, because it honestly doesn’t feel like we spent that much money. Once I looked closer at the expenses, there’s actually nothing we purchased the will last longer than what’s in our fridge/cupboard. In fact, w
e spent a total of $438.83 on groceries, and another $278.77 eating out. We also spent $170 on charities. But we were frugal in other ways, my $20 haircut and we only filled the gas tank up once (still have a half tank too).
Now I can better see how Hubby’s common saying is that “we are hemorrhaging money!” It does make it seem more real to
type it all up and share it with you
…here it goes:
Feb 1st
- $60 – boot camp classes – cash
- $60 – paid remainder of birthday party expense – cash
- $4.50 (+ .50ct tip) – Fuego burrito cart – cash
- $41.17 – Spud – AmEx Costco card
Feb 2nd
- $1,954 – Childcare tuition – automatic debit
Feb 3rd
- $66.90 – Turbotax – debit card
- $9.45 Hubby’s lunch – debit card
- $65.49 Electric utility – automatic debit
- $47.21 at Whole Foods – debit card
- $47.91 at Trader Joe’s – debit card
- $14.70 Philadephia’s – debit card
- $12.50 Southpark Wine – debit card
- $15.00 The Nines Urban Farm – debit card
- $17.85 Paradise Bakery – debit card
- $45.81 gasoline – debit card
- $50.00 Water for People charity donation – debit card
- $1,624.98 Continental Chase card payment in full – debit card
Feb 8th
- $3.75 Hubby’s coffee – debit card
- $3.99 my lunch – debit card
- $10.00 OPB member donation – Continental card
- $4.38 my lunch – debit card
- $26.28 Rite Aid – no recollection – debit card
- $2.75 Hubby’s coffee – debit card
- $9.99 Netflix – automatic debit
- $146.24 – NW Natural Gas – automatic debit
- $37.58 – Spud – AmEx Costco card
- $21.99 Sparky’s pizza – debit card
- $103.10 Freddy’s – debit card
- $34.99 Clear wi-fi – AmEx Costco card
- $18.90 breakfast out – debit card
- $7.55 overdue library book fines – debit card
- $15.47 IKEA (meatballs, etc.) – debit card
- +$48.87 IKEA returns – (wine glasses and shoe rack)
- +$15.00 Target return (sweater dress for Girly)
- $87.83 Allstate Insurance – automatic debit
- $36.00 Hubby paid for lunch with co-workers – debit card
- $401.00 Subaru car payment – automatic debit
- $15.00 2 tickets to Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly – check
- $125.00 EcoMaids cleaning service – Continental card
- $7.75 lunch out with friend – AmEx Costco card
- $10.37 date with kiddos – AmEx Costco card
- $47.74 – Spud – AmEx Costco card
- $11.68 Burgerville – Hubby – debit card
- $110.00 Church tithe – Continental card
- +32.98 Costco return of wine glasses
- $156.04 Costco purchase – AmEx Costco card
- $91.91 doctor’s bill – Continental card
- $136.37 doctor’s bill – Continental card
- $18.00 Milagro’s – 3 cloth diaper liner rolls – Continental card
Feb 20th
- $28.75 Cup and Saucer breakfast – debit card
- $14.00 Oregonian Fri/Sat/Sun home delivery – Continental card
- $0.40 Parking tab – debit card
- $7.50 Hubby matinée – debit card
- $10.75 Kettleman’s bagels – debit card
- $46.91 Safeway – debit card ($40 cash for Hubby)
- $800.00 Costco American Express (early payment) – debit card
- $5.47 snacks for co-workers at mtg – debit card
- $48.35 Spud – AmEx Costco card
- $17.90 Lunch date for Hubby, Big Guy and I – debit card
- $28.50 Mississippi Pizza night out – debit card
- $5.99 ice cream ($40 cash back) – debit card
- $20 haircut – cash
February 28th
- $13.97 – healthy work snacks – debit card
- $288.00 – student loan – automatic debit
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Have you written out your expenses lately…or ever?! |
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Sustainable Family Finances
The story of a family creating an abundant and sustainable life.
wow – I bet this was a fun post to write and share with Hubby! From 2004 to 2009, I tracked my expenses to the dollar. What a great experience! The first couple months were such eye openers. But ultimately, knowing what I spent meant I was more informed and could make smart changes. I had a good handle on what was fixed and what was discretionary, and could adjust what I spent to match priorities. By 2005, I opened and was maxing out my ROTH. At the end of 2009 we deliberately went to one income some my hubby could stay home with our newborn, knowing that we could make those financial choices to make it work. Knowing what you spend is smart because it helps inform the decisions to align finances with priorities.
That said, I had my own “money honey” date this week. I felt like our credit card bill was inching upward and wanted to look at it jointly. And since I do all our finances, I got to give hubby a primer on where things were, in case I got hit by the proverbial bus.
Stacy
Really interesting how much you can spend without any out of the ordinary expenses. Imagine if you’d done any shopping!
I definitely agree that knowing your expenses makes a big difference in being able to adjust your expenses to align with priorities.
I tracked everything about about three years and it really helped. My expenses are pretty sporadic with my travels, but still good to pay attention to my habits.
Thanks for sharing!
Miel
I tracked all mine personal and our family expenses for about 6 months last spring and summer. What an eye opener! It really helped and although not as good about it now, it helped.