Incidentals

So, after 2013 was gone, I looked back and thought, "What did I do with $2600? What do I have to show for it?" That is the primary reason for blogging about what I do with my fun dollars. I want to be able to look back and see what exactly I spent my money on. Have you ever tried doing that? It's harder that it sounds, keeping track of expenses. Never mind keeping track of what is necessary to pay each month, like rent/mortgage, groceries, gas, phone bills; those can all be tracked. But have you ever kept track of what you spend "just for fun"?

How much do you spend on eating out, whether it's McDonald's or Cheesecake Factory? How much do you spend on clothes, just shopping for fun? How much on alcohol? How many bottles of wine or drafts at the pub? I invite you, as you journey with me on my spending to also keep track of what you spend. Save receipts, or jot it down in a notebook, or a calendar and see what you are spending on. Don't change or judge it, just observe it.

Today, after stopping by the bank, this is what I bought:

$12.00 at Walgreen's on:
-A three pack of chap stick
-Three rolls of clearance Christmas wrapping paper
-a box of Christmas lights (also on clearance)
-candy for the movie tomorrow (I plan to save some cash on the popcorn)
-and a beverage for the road while running errands.

I also set aside $20 to jump start my earmark fund. I'm thinking of saving up for something fun for my birthday.

Balance for this pay cycle- $68

Happy Spending!