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Aug. 14th, 2006 11:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
As some of you may know, I've been keeping a diary of my expenses in my planner. I figured I'd get around to actually inputting the data into a spreadsheet while my boss was on vacation. Must have been some vacation as I know that she got back Saturday and yet still isn't in today. Anyway, I went ahead and put in some of my expense data to see what I got. I'm currently done with April and May of this year (I only started the diary in April), and what I've learned so far requires a little input from others (just want to see how badly/well I'm doing since I have no way to measure this except 'don't spend more than I get'). Who'd like to volunteer?
-I spent about $300 a month on food both months. That includes groceries, but the number is high because of eating out at restaurants. Is that about average for most people?
-"Entertainment" includes movies and my DVD-addiction, and that came out to about $100 for each month. I'm surprised it wasn't worse. April included my vacation in Hawai'i, which I largely didn't pay for since my parents were along for the trip and it was my birthday (wheee, I need to find my shark-diving photos!). What say you to $100 on entertainment? Okay?
-Diet Pepsi gets its own entry apart from food (though, in cases when DP was bought at the grocery store with other groceries, I did cheat and just list it as food). Damage done? Under $20 for both months. I'm floored. Frankly, I don't believe it's so cheap. With DP being $1.50 a bottle up at the hospital and anywhere from $1-2 at the stores for 2 Liters, I have to wonder how I drank so little, money-wise. The food bill must make up for it.
-Alcohol was surprisingly low (perhaps because the three-four trips to Dallas BBQ absorbed that cost), which I am fairly proud of. I don't really like spending copious amounts of time or money in bars, so that helps, but I really am glad just to see that, in general, I don't drink that much alcohol.
Next, I move onto June, home of the hideously large moving expenses and furnishing expenses. That's also where I had no fridge for a while, so food/diet pepsi (yes, I equate the two in my "needs for living" category) consumption ought to rise. And, if I'm really a big girl after all (despite the sprinkling of freckles I picked up from the sun this weekend, ugh), maybe I can actually set a budget for these things for September. Use the six months before it to plan out how much I spend so I don't overspend. Frankly, I need to save like the blazes because I'm moving into the "Birthday Blitz" period, where everyone I'm related to has a birthday coming up, as does about half of my friends. Crazy!
-I spent about $300 a month on food both months. That includes groceries, but the number is high because of eating out at restaurants. Is that about average for most people?
-"Entertainment" includes movies and my DVD-addiction, and that came out to about $100 for each month. I'm surprised it wasn't worse. April included my vacation in Hawai'i, which I largely didn't pay for since my parents were along for the trip and it was my birthday (wheee, I need to find my shark-diving photos!). What say you to $100 on entertainment? Okay?
-Diet Pepsi gets its own entry apart from food (though, in cases when DP was bought at the grocery store with other groceries, I did cheat and just list it as food). Damage done? Under $20 for both months. I'm floored. Frankly, I don't believe it's so cheap. With DP being $1.50 a bottle up at the hospital and anywhere from $1-2 at the stores for 2 Liters, I have to wonder how I drank so little, money-wise. The food bill must make up for it.
-Alcohol was surprisingly low (perhaps because the three-four trips to Dallas BBQ absorbed that cost), which I am fairly proud of. I don't really like spending copious amounts of time or money in bars, so that helps, but I really am glad just to see that, in general, I don't drink that much alcohol.
Next, I move onto June, home of the hideously large moving expenses and furnishing expenses. That's also where I had no fridge for a while, so food/diet pepsi (yes, I equate the two in my "needs for living" category) consumption ought to rise. And, if I'm really a big girl after all (despite the sprinkling of freckles I picked up from the sun this weekend, ugh), maybe I can actually set a budget for these things for September. Use the six months before it to plan out how much I spend so I don't overspend. Frankly, I need to save like the blazes because I'm moving into the "Birthday Blitz" period, where everyone I'm related to has a birthday coming up, as does about half of my friends. Crazy!
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Date: 2006-08-14 09:36 pm (UTC)