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Pets (27.2%) - This is a horrifying number. We spent more on the girls this month than feeding ourselves. Ridiculous. Each of them got food and Zelda go wet food AND dry food (we only order that dry food about once every six months). I got Hannah a thundershirt (turns out that she's scared of the shirt itself and starts shaking as soon as we put it on her, so that was a waste), she needed her expensive flea/tick/heartworm medicine and I got a six-month supply, and they each got regular medications. Pets are so expensive!!!
Groceries (20.4%) - You know, we gotta eat. We did go to Costco once, but it was Dr. BB's turn to pay, so next month it will be my turn.
Bills (10.4%) - Water bill, home and car insurance.
House (11.6%) - Remember when I paid a guy to come and deal with our yard when Dr. BB was in the hospital. That was this. No regrets.
Clothes (8.1%) - I'm still trying to figure this out. I am probably going to buy a pair of cross trainers and another dress or two next month.
Savings (8.9%) - At least I did this.
Health (4.3%) - Everything I bought for colonoscopy prep went into this category, as did some cold and flu medication I bought so that we'd have some in the house.
Personal care (2.7%) - I got a haircut. This is going to go up in August because I'm going to get a pedicure AND I've already spent $100 at Ulta this month on skincare and makeup.
Gifts (1.8%) - Retirement gift for a colleague who is retiring.
Cars (1.8%) - I put gas in our old car a couple of times. Like, we sort of think the car might die at any second, so we only put $20 worth in at a time. This is going to go way up next month because the new car is getting an oil change and new tires and I need to take the old car in to have it looked at to see what the mechanic says about if we should fix it or get rid of it. And it may very well need a lot of work, too.
Fitness (1.4%) - I bought a pass for a yoga class at the community center.
Eating out (1.3%) - I went out to eat with friends twice and got ice cream twice.
I hate spending money and I honestly think this is the part of pet ownership I'd find the hardest to swallow. I know once I had and loved my pet I would spend whatever it took, but I have to admit I appreciate seeing people go through the checkout line with kitty litter and giant bags of dog food and know that I only need to get things for humans :)
ReplyDeleteHaving someone else deal with a long-term issue (your "jungle" yard) is such a great use of money and it feels like such a relief to have it done. Gold stars to you.
They are SO EXPENSIVE. I am never getting a dog every again. LOLOLOL. (I'm a big talker. I can't imagine my life without either of my girls.) The personal finance people who say that you should get rid of pets to save money are absolutely right. Just don't get them to start with!!
DeleteThe money spent taming the jungle yard was definitely money well spent! It would have been so much work to do that yourself and not at all enjoyable (or not enjoyable for me, personally... I don't enjoy that kind of yard work!).
ReplyDeleteOur spending on our kids is always a huge line item since daycare is expensive. But it's also worth every penny - and more. So I can't complain. It is just kind of eyebrow raising to look at it in comparison to other line items!
It would have taken me SO LONG because he took three pickup truck loads to the compost. I would have had to make so many trips to the compost. Just removal would have taken me hours, let alone actually tearing it all out!!
DeleteYeah, kids are expensive. I don't know how people do it.
Well, the pet costs should be much lower for the next six months! I agree, it can be expensive. But worth it!!! It is funny that you spent more on your pets than on your own groceries. I think part of that is that you're very frugal with your food budget. Oh, and electric bill- ours is insane. Our AC is running 24/7 to keep up with the Florida heat.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that we're that frugal with our food budget. We don't shop sales or anything. I think we just don't eat out much and that's a real win. And the girls are PRICEY.
DeleteYES! Our AC was running like crazy. It's cooled down and only getting into the 70s for the last few days and it feels awesome.
What if you put the Thunder Shirt on before you take her for one of her walks so that she doesn't associate it with unpleasant conditions? (But you probably tried that already.)
ReplyDeleteI hate the amount I have to pay for cat food (wet and dry) and cat litter. It's all gone up so much in the past several years. We simply have to pay it and consider it a Necessary.
We can't put the Thundershirt on for walks because it doesn't work with her harness. We've just been putting it on while we eat dinner or watch tv (the Olympics!), but she just sits there and shakes in it, so...that's sad.
DeleteVery interesting to see & reflect on my own spending. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteAfter this year, I am never doing these posts again. They're so much work!
DeleteYour reply above made me laugh out loud! Yes, pets are expensive, but so worth it! ❤️
ReplyDeleteI guess I'll have to start eating less so the girls will be fed!
DeletePets are so expensive, and dogs are especially so. My cats haven't really been money pits just yet, but man, I remember how much I spent on Dutch on a monthly basis. It was a lot!
ReplyDeleteEven Zelda's cat food just keeps going up and up. *sigh* Pets will soon be exclusively for people with money.
DeleteLol, rueful laugh at Hannah and the thundershirt - reminds me of me and getting anxiety from the drugs I tried to take to help my anxiety.
ReplyDeleteWe have a van we were hoping to get another year or so out of that would not even deign to get us to the end of our camping trip, so that's going to be a bit ouchy. A few months after the unforeseen dog surgery expense. It's only money right? *whimper*
Ha ha. I have a friend who recently tried some meds for ADHD and they just made her anxiety skyrocket! Best laid plans, etc., etc.
DeleteI guess you can't take the money with you when you go! Might as well use it now.
I love that you paid someone to take care of the yard and don't have regrets about it. That's the sort of financial priorities that are necessary sometimes in our lives!
ReplyDeleteEngie, the best money spent is the money that saves your sanity. See also: yard work. Seriously. Think of the time, trouble, and frustration that saved you. Priceless. So glad you invested in yourself in a month that was... how can I put this? A bit of a crap show with the whole, you know, hospitalized spouse thing. Go, you. (Oh, and second best? the ice cream with friends. I mean, of course. It's ice cream! :>)
ReplyDeleteWow pets are expensive....
ReplyDelete