One week of January has passed and it's time to assess just how little spending I did.
So here goes. On January 1st I withdrew $100 from my account plus I had $10 left in my wallet from last month so I started the first week with $110.00 for misc spending. I spent the following:
- $15.00 for firewood while winter camping (Jan. 2)
- $3.60 for a coffee and a muffin at Coffee Culture on the way home from the Pinery after winter camping (Jan. 3)
- $1.80 for a coffee at Tim Hortons (Jan. 5)
- $6.34 for Globe and Mail and the National Post (Jan. 7)
- $13.26 for my Sealed Pot (oooh I like THAT one!)
Total money spent during Week One - $26.74 plus $13.26 into my Sealed Pot!!
Not bad, not bad at all!
Money remaining in my wallet - an even $70.00!! I am issuing myself another challenge - I'm going to make that $70.00 last the rest of the month!! I won't be buying any snacks that's for sure (see The 10 Pound Challenge!)
Other Spending:
$211.88 for Steam Canada re The Flood - instead of taking this amount out of the Emergency Fund I am going to take it out of my Misc spending which means things will be much tighter than usual this month - hence wanting to make that $70 in my wallet last for the rest of the month.
The $301.07 that I have to pay for the up-to-code "pipe" for the new hot water tank won't be coming off until February's Reliance bill so deferred for now.
Gas - budgeted til the 15th $100.00; spent so far $0.00 (my awesome family has been helping to pay for gas!!)
Groceries - budgeted til the 15th $200.00; spent so far $168.34 leaving $31.66 in the food budget. I just did my first grocery shopping of January 2012 yesterday and a bit more today. I foresee spending more for milk, bread and salad possibly before the 15th rolls around and another $200 is added to the food budget. Doing great!
Other expenses: condo fee ($208.00); Line of Credit interest and payment ($602.76); various savings accounts ($750.00)
I'm happy with how the month is going so far. My heating bill came via email and is only $59.00 - last year it was $91.14 for the same period!! That just shows you how warm it has been this year! Right now I have the back door open a crack, the front door is open a bit and windows in the basement are open and it's freakin' January the 7th!! What little snow we had when this picture was taken is GONZO! (That's the lovely Carla, daughters Mya and Maria and me just 3 days ago!)
Above and beyond the $70.00 in my wallet I have $315.00 left in Misc spending. Maybe, just maybe if I can hang onto that money I can use it to pay for the "PIPE"!!
Hope that's not just a pipe dream hee hee, couldn't resist!
How is YOUR NO/LOW Spend January going so far?
WOW!!! You have got the whole hanging on to a dollar deal going on this month. So far so good here but we have to fill up the cars tomorrow so we will be spending some $$ for sure. Good luck on your pipe dream!!
ReplyDelete@ Debby - thanks...as long as my food and gas purchases stay within their allotted budgets then I don't count them. It's more about discretionary spending for me - trying to make do with less entertainment, eating out, alcohol that sort of thing. Keeping my fingers crossed for my pipe dream!
ReplyDeleteway to go on your spending! that's awesome! and i'm so excited you've joined the challenge!!
ReplyDeleteYour really doing great! This weather is just crazy though, I had the windows open today.
ReplyDeleteGood thing your not getting "hosed" on your water heater :)
You are doing SOOO good!! Awesome! Good luck with your $70! I'm really hoping for a low-spend week again here!
ReplyDeleteWOW Jane! you are doing AWESOME!!! See we all just needed a jump start to want to get saving!
ReplyDeleteI like that despite everything, you're still staying focused! Good luck and keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteNot bad at all Jane! Especially after what you've just been through!
ReplyDeleteI'm starting tomorrow...we'll see how it goes..