Just as a reminder, my husband handles the "big" bills like the mortgage, cell phone, and electricity. I mostly pay for groceries and the pets. This division works for us. Until it doesn't. *cue ominous music*
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The above is what the pie graph ACTUALLY looked like. Our cat, Zelda, did a treatment to cure her hyperthyroidism (did it work? things aren't looking great from our end, but we to need to follow up with blood tests) and it was honestly more than my monthly take home. I put it on my credit card and paid for about half of it out of savings and half of it out of my paycheck. So I'm going to redo this and take out the cat's treatment - still including all the other pet expenses, but I want you all to know the truth. Pets are expensive.
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Groceries (33%) - There was a trip to Costco.
Pets (23.5%) - This is just Zelda's regular annual vet appointment, some medications for both, and a scale for weighing Zelda.
Savings (9.1%) - Whistling past the graveyard with this, aren't I?
Donations (8.2%) - I did a fair number of donations that were a bit unusual this month.
Personal care (5.9%) - Shampoo, some makeup, some lotion. It's expensive for me to look like an average woman.
Cars (5.5%) - Gas for both cars a couple of times. I was annoyed because we basically wasted an entire tank of gas to get the recall done. Oh, well.
Bills (5.3%) - Home and car insurance.
Clothes (3.6%) - I ordered new cross trainers. I actually ordered like five pairs to try and I'll send most of them back. The rest of the shoes will get billed next month, so that's a preview for November.
Eating out (2.4%) - I did sort of eat my feelings this month. With every new vet appointment, I'd get coffee and a pastry. I had lunch with a friend. I had coffee the first day I went back to work after COVID. I just...coped.
Gifts (2%) - I bought some greeting cards.
Entertainment (1.6%) - I had a fun day out with Anne and spent some money there. #noregrets
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What was your biggest expense last month?
I had mostly usual expenses, but I spent $200 on two Lego Tuxedo cats for presents. This is very out of the norm for me. But we were going to see these people at a family wedding, and both had expressed their desire for a tuxedo cat. And they were available! I also spent too much putting an auction basket together for a fundraiser. I had some big things in October, and I used retail therapy to get through. I can't fix what is going on, but I can make someone else happy, so $$$.
ReplyDeleteI am now invested in buying a LEGO tuxedo cat kit. New goal unlocked!
DeleteOuch- that is a HUGE expense for Zelda's treatment- and you're not sure if it worked? That rough. Our expenses were about normal last month. We spend less on groceries when my son isn't here, but then we bought a plane ticket for him to come home for Thanksgiving so it all evens out.
ReplyDeleteWe don't know if it worked. I guess we'll find out someday when she's not radioactive and I can take her to the vet for follow-up!
DeleteI am really sorry about Zelda and her ongoing issues. I really do hope that this round of treatment helps! However, I am glad that you are responsible and you have an emergency fund for this kind of thing! Can you imagine if you didn't? I actually did a good job on my budget last month, and will be posting it soon, but I can give you a preview and say that my biggest category, as it always is, is the place I lay my head. The good thing is that when I was in Oakland, it was 50-60% of my spending, but now it is more like 40%, so it has actually gone down since I started traveling! Yay.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes! Thank goodness for having a robust savings account. I know a lot of people do not have an emergency savings fund, but we're lucky enough that we do. We also don't do a lot of things (travel, entertainment, etc.) that other people do and that allows us to save a bit.
DeleteHousing is such a big chunk!
I very much hope Zelda turns a corner and this treatment was just the trick to fix her thyroid problems.
ReplyDeleteI really do think pets are only slightly cheaper than children (if we're breaking it down to cold, hard math). It blows my mind how much vet services, medications, special food etc can cost!
Oh, man. I imagine there are plenty of children who are less expensive than my pets. LOLOL. At least I don't have to keep them in shoes!
DeletePets are not cheap if you are a responsible and loving owner. I'm keeping good thoughts for both of your girls.
ReplyDeleteWe were pretty lucky last month and didn't have any major expenditures. Of course, now that I've said that, I've cursed November.
Oh, I hope you haven't cursed yourself. May November expenses be normal!
DeleteLove and hugs to you and Zelda. And thank you for teaching me "whistling past the graveyard" - I did not know this saying. I've been spending waaayyy too much. Need to pull it back.
ReplyDeleteWe're using whistling past the graveyard a lot these days!
DeleteGahhhh we had an expensive month. The biggest expense? probably taking out dead trees in our back yard. $1200?... I don't wanna think about it. New front car tires, a farm stay for two nights (not necessary but I've always wanted to see Dutch county, PA).
ReplyDeleteTaking trees down is SO MUCH. We had two removed a couple of summers ago and it was thousands of dollars. We have two more we're keeping an eye on and I just don't want to do it. But I guess I don't want the trees falling on our house, either.
DeleteAs someone who neither has pets or children, who managed to save quite a bit over the covid lockdown, my finance pie chart would probably looks so different to most. My biggest expense so far this year $1500 for a crown. That was my holiday fund poleaxed.
ReplyDeleteDental work is crazy expensive! I hope there are no more surprise dental costs in your future.
DeleteOh my heart hurts about Zelda. She is such a sweet, beautiful cat. I really hope that the expensive treatment works. You know I speak from experience when I say I understand exactly what you're going through (except Mulder was never radioactive...but the expensive treatment that made him sick and may or may not work? I get that. The low level (sometimes not low) anxiety and fear the entire time, that sucked the joy from my bones? Check.) Hang in there.
ReplyDeleteOur largest expense last month was the new washer and dryer, which were not in the budget, and had to come from our new car savings, which means our cars will now have to hang in there even longer. I think we'll have a birthday party for the Camry next year, she'll be 20.
Do you LOVE the new washer and dryer, though? If you love them, it was worth it.
DeletePets are expensive. Wow....
ReplyDeleteI hope it will get better for Zelda and for you. How stressful.
Yeah, pets are expensive. But when I walk in the door to a cat twining between my legs and a dog doing a little dance of excitement, it's worth it.
DeleteOur past couple of months have been crazy expensive (thanks COBRA!). But we've finally kicked that to the curb and can hopefully have a little quieter (but not much, thanks Christmas!) spending month.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed that Zelda's treatment worked,
Yeah, I think I'm going to splurge on holiday cards and then really scale back holiday spending this year. Although I say that every year, so I might not be telling the truth.
DeleteI still think if we had pet insurance we would have spent more over Lucy's lifetime than we did on her surgery, but it would have been spread out, so I don't know. I hope Zelda feels better - you've had such a rough go of the pet situation lately.
ReplyDeleteI am never getting a pet again without signing up for pet insurance THE SECOND I bring them home. Before I even get the microchip in my name, I'm getting pet insurance. Lord, the money I would have saved.
DeleteI'm laughing at 'it's expensive for me to look like the average woman'. I don't spend much on makeup - rarely wear it, and other self care stuff. But I did stupidly pay to see the dermatologist twice ($80 copay a pop) last month, because I forgot/(didn't think it was a big deal to) to mention the irritated skin on my hand. Big time kicked myself for that one. Buying an unlocked phone for Reg today . . . well, I guess that'll count for next month - but that hurt and I will not rest until Walmart reimburses us. I hope the treatment helps Zelda.
ReplyDeleteI am jealous of people who can not wear makeup and look normal. LOLOLOL. I kid. I look normal without makeup, but I look just enough better with makeup to make it worth my while. Also, I am vain.
DeleteYour cell phone saga is intense. I hope it's settled soon!
Wait, is it going to work!? Will I be able to leave a comment?! I kinda don't want to write too much until I know it will work, so I'll just say I love Costco even though I spent probably $700-$1K there a month. I have the Executive membership, so I get a check for 2% back every year and I always do some quick mental math of how much I spent if I 2% was the amount on the check and it's TERRIFYING. And yet I love it...
ReplyDeleteIT WORKED!!!!!!! WOOO HOOOO!
DeleteWe don't spend that much money there, but it is usually $300-$350 a month and we also have the Executive Membership. We have purchased big items (a laptop, a washer and dryer) in the last couple of years and if you make even ONE big purchase, that membership pays for itself!
DeleteYay for getting comments to work!!!!
Yep, anytime we take a trip to Costco, the grocery slice of the pie grows exponentially!
ReplyDeleteHa! It lowers our overall grocery budget by a fair amount, but my husband and I trade-off who pays each month, so on months when I get to pay, it shows in my pie.
DeleteOh Zelda. That's such a big expense! Thank goodness for savings. I hope the treatment works - it must be frustrating to think it hasn't worked!
ReplyDeleteMy biggest expense in October was the down payment for my car. Definitely wasn't expecting that!
If this treatment doesn't work, I will SCREAM. And probably cry a lot.
DeleteHopefully the hurricanes stop! No more hurricane-related expenses for you!
I'm behind on commenting since work has been nutty... but I'm taking a little break to read/comment for a bit. Oof, that first pie chart makes me want to wimper. I really hope the treatment work for your sweet kitty! Gah!
ReplyDeleteBiggest expense is ALWAYS childcare but worth every dang penny.
Things are not much better in November. The fourth quarter of the year is proving to be verrrry pricey!
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