Monday Musings: Week 44 and October Monthly Report

Week 44 Spending (Oct. 27-31)
Groceries	$137
Benevolence	$6
Miscellaneous	$14
Gifts	$27
Toiletries	$39
School	$20
Total	$243

October Spending Report

Category	Spent	Budgeted	Savings
Groceries	$667	$700	$33
Miscellaneous	$109	$120	$11
School	$20	$50	$30
Entertainment	$50	$75	$25
Toiletries	$110	$50	-$60
Piano Lessons	$25	$80	$55
Clothing	$58	$60	$2
Gifts	$27	$75	$48
Hair Care	$30	$30	$0
Benevolence	$6	$35	$29
Discretionary Cash	$20	$25	$5
Total	$1122	$1300	$178

Something about the cooler weather makes me want to store food. It’s not like we’ve ever been snowed in for anything more than a few days, but I just want to know that there’s plenty of food on hand to feed an army. With my little iron problem, I’ve had to buy lean beef which is quite pricey these days. Combine that with the beginning of traveling for basketball games and needing foods for packing meals on the go, and the grocery bill went way up this month.

I did save $178, but that sure isn’t much when compared to other months. This shows me how careful I need to be in two months when the spending challenge is over. In the past, I’ve used a cash envelope system, so I was able to visually track my spending and know when I needed to slow it down. This year, I’ve switched to a debit card. I’ve been so careful with my spending that I never worried about going over budget. For the upcoming year, I will have to devise a running budget that I update at least once a week, but preferably as soon as I make a purchase. My super budget-savvy daughter, Rachel, suggested I try Goodbudget. I think I will get set up with it this month and give it a test run, so I can hit the ground running on January 1, 2015.

Only two months left for the spending challenge. I’m trying to decide what to do in 2015. Do I take on another “challenge,” such as decluttering; do I change the direction of the blog; or do I bring it to a close? Posting here has taken much more time than I ever thought it would, but the discipline has been good for me. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I had to reduce my posts from my original 3 per week to two. On the other hand, it has also been a good outlet for me to express my thoughts and experiences. I’ve had some feedback that indicates that there are people who enjoy what I write, and that it blesses them. A few people have told me they’ve tried some of the recipes and enjoyed them. This blog has been a good way to keep in touch with family and friends, and let them know what’s going on in our lives on a regular basis. In the next few weeks, I’d love to hear your thoughts on whether I should carry on and if there is a direction you’d like to see this take.