Another month, another budget update! I’ve been thinking about whether or not I want to continue these monthly budget updates in 2021. Is it really necessary to list out everything I’m buying in such a detailed way? While it’s helpful for me to see my spending habits and all of this data will be used to create a much more robust budgeting system that actually works for my lifestyle (for example, budgeting $250 a month for food is LAUGHABLE), I am not sure I want to continue with this style of budget updates. Maybe I will, or maybe I’ll figure out a different way to talk about my finances in 2021. We’ll see!

For now, let’s dive into the numbers from November!

Housing (34.6% – $1,271 compared to $1,094 in October) – This will be my more normal housing budget going forward. Rent, electric, water, Internet, and Netflix.

Home (15.9% – $584 compared to $20 in October) – A much more expensive month on the home front. I bought a new dining room table and bookshelf, as well as a candle.

Groceries (9.7% – $357 compared to $298 in October) – I spent a lot on groceries this month, much more than I have been spending lately. I’m not quite sure why! Perhaps I did more grocery store visits this month than usual? I tend to go two times a week, but I think I was going more often in November for some reason.

Christmas Home (9.3% – $341 compared to $0 in October) – I’ve never, ever kept track of my Christmas purchases so good thing I’m dissecting my spending habits this year! I spent $341 alone on just decorations. Of course, $215 of this was my Christmas tree, which will last me for at least a few years. I also spent $25 on new stockings (I finally have stockings for the girls!), $13 on a holiday doormat, and nearly $80 on ornaments. (Oops. My new tree is so much bigger than my old one that I needed more! Eighty dollars worth of more? Probably not.)

Restaurants (8.3% – $307 compared to $334 in October) – Another spendy month for restaurants. But that’s just the way it goes for me!

Christmas Gifts (6.6% – $242 compared to $0 in October) – I am nearly finished with my Christmas shopping! I think I’ll maybe spend $100 more? Like I said, I have never kept track of how much money I spend on Christmas (which means I’ve never had a Christmas budget). I’m glad I’m doing that now so I can actually start a sinking fund for Christmas in 2021!

Shopping (5.1% – $189 compared to $84 in October) – I bought a handful of books (three e-books, four print books), five pairs of underwear, a coloring book, some face masks, and two Chatbooks.

Phone (2.9% – $108 compared to $108 in October) – Fixed expense.

Auto (1.9% – $69 compared to $31 in October) – I filled up my gas tank twice and bought new windshield wipers.

Gifts (1.1% – $39 compared to $60 in October) – A friend’s baby turned one so I bought some fun gifts for her! 🙂

Spa (1% – $35 compared to $78 in October) – Tips paid to my massage therapists (I got two massages in November).

Toiletries (.9% – $34 compared to $50 in October) – I bought mouthwash, shampoo, deodorant, and a few bottles of body wash.

Subscriptions (.9% – $33 compared to $70 in October) – Just Patreon, Spotify, and PicMonkey this month!

Entertainment (.8% – $31 compared to $10 in October) – Parking downtown and way too many credits on Candy Crush.

Beauty (.7% – $24 compared to $0 in October) – I bought an eyeshadow palette, a new hairbrush, and a blending sponge.

Pets (.4% – $14 compared to $50 in October) – A small toy and a set of disposable litter boxes (panic-bought when I was worried about needing to evacuate due to Hurricane Eta).

$0 categories in November: household supplies, health, donations, travel, savings, and debt payments.

Happy Friday, friends! I am FINALLY recapping my budget for the month of October. (Super delayed!) It’s been quite a crazy November already (I can’t believe it’s only the 13th; this month has felt three months long). October was way less spend-y than August and September, so woohoo for no more crazy moving expenses! Here’s how my budget broke down in October:

Housing (44.6% – $1,094 compared to $1,623 in September) – Housing took up a much bigger slice of the pie this month, but I spent much less overall. I received a credit on my rent, so I paid about $200 less than I was expecting, so that was a really nice surprise! However, I did have to pay a lot more for my electric bill, as I was paying for the electric at two places for about 9 days. (Around $137 in total, so not too bad!)

Restaurants (13.6% – $334 compared to $298 in September) – Y’alllllll. I can’t believe how much I spent on restaurants this month. This total includes several $30+ meals plus spending $25 to fill up my Starbucks card, but damn.

Groceries (12.2% – $298 compared to $280 in September) – You guys! I forgot to account for this category last month. Oops! My grocery budget has remained fairly steady over the past few months, though, so that’s a plus! Ideally, I’d love to get this number lower but I’m just not certain I’m willing to make the sacrifices to do that. #realtalk

Phone (4.4% – $108 compared to $108 in September) – Fixed expense.

Debts (4.3% – $105 compared to $105 in September) – Fixed expense.

Shopping (3.4% – $84 compared to $129 in September) – I bought a book (I technically bought it in September, but I didn’t get charged until October), a set of Etsy prints, and paints from Michaels.

Spa (3.2% – $78 compared to $216 in September) – A tip for my massage therapist, a pedicure, and a haircut.

Subscriptions (2.9% – $70 compared to $69 in September) – Patreon, Spotify, PicMonkey, and my air filter subscription. I also got dinged for another Daily Burn payment, after which I canceled my subscription.

Gifts (2.4% – $60 compared to $94 in September) – Two birthday cards and two gift cards for two friends. 🙂

Pets (2% – $50 compared to $117 in September) – An easy month for the girls! I bought litter, treats, and a toy.

Toiletries (2% – $50 compared to $42 in September) – I bought a new toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, and MANY bottles of body wash for my bubble baths.

Donations (1.3% – $31 compared to $25 in September) – My donation to the kitty catfe to pet kitties!

Auto (1.3% – $31 compared to $18 in September) – I filled up my car with gas once and went through the car wash.

Household Supplies (1.1% – $28 compared to $73 in September) – Nothing crazy here. I bought two bottles of dish soap, toilet paper, and Scotch tape.

Home (.8% – $20 compared to $670 in September) – Ahh, now that’s more like it! I only bought Command strips to hang up my gallery wall.

Entertainment (.4% – $10 compared to $25 in September) – I paid for parking downtown and bought some coins on Candy Crush.

 

It’s time for September’s monthly budget update, and I was very nervous about putting this post together. September was a very spend-y month with the move and figuring out what I needed to buy for the new place. There were some furniture purchases and lots of odds-and-ends. It was an expensive month for sure. So, let’s look at the damage:

Housing (39.5% – $1,623 compared to $1,105 in August) – Whew. It was a big month for the housing category. My rent was nearly $400 more since I was paying for two apartments for an eight-day period and my annual payment for renter’s insurance was due.

Home (16.3% – $670 compared to $641 in August) – Another insanely expensive month on the home front, as I bought a lot of new things for the apartment. The bulk of this total is my new dresser, TV stand, and desk. Other items include a ceiling fan, throw rugs, a doormat, organizing baskets, a silverware sorter, a dish drainer, a lamp… I could go on, but let’s leave it there.

Moving Expenses (12.1% – $495 compared to $26 in August) – The bulk of this total is made up of the pet fee I had to pay to move into the new place. I also paid my brother for moving all of my furniture.

Restaurants (7.3% – $298 compared to $311 in August) – Honestly shocked that I spent less on restaurants this month than last month. I am A-OK with this total.

Spa (5.3% – $216 compared to $0 in August) – I thought it was weird that months had gone by without being charged my monthly fee for my massage membership. Turns out, my card had expired. Whoops! I had to play catch up with my subscription this month, which equated to three payments. I also got a pedicure.

Shopping (3.1% – $129 compared to $121 in August) – Most of my shopping was directed toward home purchases, but I still racked up a bit of a total this month. This total includes books and an Old Navy online purchase (two shirts, a pair of shorts, and a packet of face masks). I also bought a new laptop stand and wireless keyboard (but I maaaay end up returning these since I just found out that my work may be allowing us to bring home our work computers—finally!)

Pets (2.8% – $117 compared to $0 in August) – It was an expensive month for the cats after not spending any money on them in August. This category includes food, treats, litter, a new mat for one of their litter boxes, and a mat for their food/water.

Phone (2.6% – $108 compared to $108 in August) – Fixed expense.

Debts (2.6% – $105 compared to $105 in August) – Fixed expense.

Gifts (2.3% – $94 compared to $0 in August) – A big month for birthdays! My brother, my nephew, and a good friend all celebrated birthdays.

Household supplies (1.8% – $73 compared to $56 in August) – I bought trash bags, dish soap, toilet paper, laundry detergent, hand soap, and some other supplies.

Subscriptions (1.7% – $69 compared to $49 in August) – Patreon, Spotify, PicMonkey, and Book of the Month. I also spent $20 on a subscription to DailyBurn that I didn’t use (have since canceled).

Toiletries (1% – $42 compared to $37 in August) – Mouthwash, shampoo, conditioner, and maaaaany bottles of body wash.

Entertainment (.6% – $25 compared to $22 in August) – I went a little crazy with Candy Crush this month. Oops.

Donations (.6% – $25 compared to $32 in August) – I donated to the Biden/Harris campaign!

Auto (.4% – $18 compared to $591 in August) – Ha, what a difference! I only needed to fill up my gas tank once this month.

$0 categories in September: beauty, health, travel, and savings. Hoping I can get back into my savings goals in October!

Well, well, well. August was a doozy of a month in terms of my budget, as I had my bi-yearly car insurance taken out and went a little crazy buying stuff for my new place. It happens! I knew August and September were going to be very spend-y months (and saved accordingly for that in previous months) and will hopefully get back to normal in October. But let’s look at what went down in August, shall we?

Housing (31.4% – $1,105 compared to $1,085 in July) – A little higher this month due to an expensive energy bill, which always happens this time of year with my AC running extra hard to compete with the 100-degree temps. This is my last month with a three-digit rent bill, too. I enjoyed it while it lasted!

Home (18.2% – $641 compared to $189 in July) – Eeks! This category got a workout this month, thanks to a new dining room table and a ton of other items for my new apartment, like some organizational systems and an electric drill.

Auto (16.8% – $591 compared to $46 in July) – My bi-yearly car insurance payment was due this month, which accounts for the higher-than-usual amount for this category. I also filled my car up with gas twice.

Eating Out (8.8% – $311 compared to $316 in July) – Well, at least my eating out budget was stable from July to August! There’s that silver lining, perhaps?

Groceries (7.8% – $273 compared to $278 in July) – Again with a nearly identical budget! Maybe this is my sweet spot for my food budget? I’d still like to get my food budget to a more reasonable number for one person, but eh, it is what it is.

Shopping (3.4% – $121 compared to $103 in July) – I bought a new pair of workout shorts, a nightgown, a new iPhone cord, a dry-erase board that I’m going to hang up in my office nook, a book, and some goodies from Bath & Body Works.

Phone (3.1% – $108 compared to $108 in July) – Fixed expense.

Debt (3% – $105 compared to $105 in July) – Eventually, I would like to start making a bigger student loan payment but just doing the minimum right now.

Subscriptions (1.9% – $67 compared to $49 in July) – Patreon, Spotify, Book of the Month, PicMonkey, and my bimonthly air filter subscription.

Household Supplies (1.6% – $56 compared to $43 in July) – I bought a plunger, dish soap, toilet paper, hand soap, and some containers.

Donations (.9% – $32 compared to $52 in July) – I donated to an Internet friend’s classroom wish list.

Moving Expenses (.7% – $26 compared to $0 in July) – Hopefully I won’t have too many moving expenses! This month, I bought four boxes and some packing paper.

Beauty (.7% – $24 compared to $0 in July) – My beauty category has been silent for months, but in August, I bought a new hairbrush, a makeup bag, and a pair of headbands.

Entertainment (.6% – $22 compared to $9 in July) – Candy Crush coins and I bought the ad-free version of another game I play constantly. I also had to pay for parking while downtown last week.

$0 categories in August: spa, pets, health, travel, gifts, and savings. I can’t believe I didn’t spend any money on the cats this month! That seems crazy to me, but the facts don’t lie. 🙂 I’m surprised (but not shocked) that I didn’t put any money into savings but it’s an expensive time right now. I imagine September will be similar as I get settled into my new place, but hopefully in October, I can get back to my savings goals.

Hello, friends! I have the last of my monthly wrap-up posts for you today, going over my budget for July. I feel like the next few months are going to be spendier than usual with the move, but it’s all good! That’s what savings are for. 🙂 Let’s dive into my budget breakdown:

Housing (31.1% – $1,085 compared to $1,065 in June) – Rent, electric, water, Internet, and Netflix. Nothing too crazy to report here!

Blog (10.9% – $378 compared to $0 in June) – I bought a new blog design and then had to pay my hosting fees. I make a bulk payment every three years, which amounts to about $10 a month, which is pretty sweet. (I use HostGator and I recommend them!)

Savings (10.3% – $360 compared to $450 in June) – Another good month of saving for me! I put money into my no-spend fund, my car fund, and my emergency fund. Yay!

Eating Out (9.1% – $316 compared to $249 in June) – Oof. My eating out budget is always one of my highest categories and it was no different in July. Just so easy to scroll through Uber Eats for something yummy to have for dinner rather than cooking myself!

Groceries (8% – $278 compared to $242 in June) – Eeks, went a bit overboard with groceries this month. I’m not sure why! More convenience foods, maybe? I’ve gotten soooo lazy in the cooking department. It’s a problem.

Pets (5.7% – $198 compared to $51 in June) – I bought litter, treats, and a toy for Chip that he destroyed in five minutes. Eloise was also due for shots.

Home (5.4% – $189 compared to $0 in June) – Bring on the purchases for my new apartment! Whew… this category is going to get a workout over the next few months. Some of my purchases: a set of three Mixtiles, two of these divided organizers, a new filing box, and a new set of water glasses.

Phone (3.1% – $108 compared to $82 in June) – I believe $108 is going to be the standard monthly price for my phone bill now. Who knew that trading in a phone and getting a new one would result in so many credits on my account?!

Spa (3.1% – $108 compared to $0 in June) – A pedicure and hair appointment.

Debts (3% – $105 compared to $105 in June) – Monthly student loan payment.

Shopping (3% – $103 compared to $99 in June) – I bought some books, face masks, office supplies, markers, and another Chatbook of the girls.

Charity (1.5% – $52 compared to $0 in June) – I donated to the Loveland Foundation, which provides financial assistance to Black women seeking therapy services, as well as the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, which helps pay the fines and fees of returning citizens (formerly incarcerated people).

Subscriptions (1.4% – $49 compared to $65 in June) – Patreon, Book of the Month, PicMonkey, and Spotify. A little less this month since I didn’t have my bimonthly air filter payment.

Auto (1.3% – $46 compared to $18 in June) – I filled up my gas tank once and also got an oil change.

Household supplies (1.2% – $43 compared to $17 in June) – I bought toilet paper, batteries, and dish soap, as well as a new Brita filter.

Gifts (.9% – $32 compared to $49 in June) – I bought a gift bag, a card for my mom’s birthday, and a gift card for a friend’s birthday.

Toiletries (.7% – $26 compared to $20 in June) – Lots of bottles of body wash and a bottle of mouthwash.

Entertainment (.2% – $7 compared to $9 in June) – Candy Crush! 🙂

$0 categories in June: beauty, health, travel, and tech.