As a reminder, my husband pays the "big bills" like mortgage, phone, and electricity. I pay for groceries and the pets and that somehow evens things out.
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Groceries ($804, 31.9%) - On the high end, but not unreasonable for us.
Pets ($391.20, 15.5%) - Food for the girls and lots of medicine (we're switching Hannah to a fancy new probiotic, Zelda needed her steroids and joint supplement - we are weaning Zelda off her steroids so she's only getting half a tablet every other day, so that's good news, right?)
Clothing ($289.35, 11.5%) - I bought two new dresses (the place I like to buy from was having a sale and they only have this sale once a year, so...) and some sandals. Getting ready for summer, yo.
Savings ($200, 7.9%) - It's like spitting into the wind.
Travel ($144.30, 5.7%) - I was in Michigan and had to get a hotel room for a night.
Fitness ($131.33, 5.2%) - I paid for fitness classes through July or so.
Bills ($117.09, 4.6%) - Insurance was all I covered this month.
Cars ($107.87, 4.3%) - Because of the trip to Michigan, I had to get gas more than I normally would.
Personal care ($100.36, 4.0%) - A pedicure (summer! it's sandal weather!) and some other miscellaneous items. #noregrets
Entertainment ($67, 2.7%) - Joann Fabric is going out of business, so I did go and get some items on their clearance. I also paid $5 for parking in Madison when I had some adventures there.
Eating out ($61, 2.4%) - A couple of coffees and I did eat out once when I was in Michigan and paid for the tip when I had breakfast with Maya. So far Maya has fed me three times and I have fed her zero times, so I have a karmic debt here!
Donation ($45.25, 1.8%) - A couple in town had a terrible housefire. They lost their dogs and you know that's what set me over the edge.
Gifts ($30, <1%) - Our student worker is graduating. He's FABULOUS and I gave money for his card.
Technology ($29.99, <1%) - Yearly cloud storage.
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What was the most celebratory thing you paid for in April?
I paid for Easter candy and shipped a huge box to my daughter in college. There had been a rough time in the middle of term, and she and her friend group needed sone love. Then I had to send a second box because the first was damaged in shipping - I imagine Hershey Easter kisses strewn all over a postal depot somewhere!- and disappeared forever. I did get reimbursed for the destroyed package at least!
ReplyDeleteI've never actually heard of anyone using the insurance at the post office. Good for you for getting reimbursed!
DeleteI bought a number of gifts in April as I have three friends' birthdays coming up. I'm sorry about the housefire, what a terrible thing for those poor people to lose their dogs.
ReplyDeleteYes! So much happiness in celebrating birthdays!
DeleteNoooo! That is so, so sad- the dogs. How awful.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question, April was Easter so I bought things for my daughter's Easter basket, and also sent some stuff to my son (Is Stephen King's The Shining a good Easter present? I hope so!)
Jenny! I think Stephen King is a good present anytime. Well done!
DeleteHa ha ha! The Shining! I even think of it as a winter book (there's a scene in the snow, right? or am I making that up?), not spring!
DeleteI feel like I spent VERY little fun money in April. I guess my favourite way to spend fun money is for meeting friends at a coffee shop. I did that a few times in April and it is always a highlight of my day/week/month.
ReplyDeleteHouse fires terrify me. Full stop :(
Okay, I'm laughing out loud at Jenny sending The Shining as a gift! Hilarious.
House fires are so terrifying. It's one thing if you're home, but imagine just coming home to find everything gone? Ugh. This poor family.
DeleteI feel like if I put my female cat Marlowe on steroids, she'd be an even more disdainful bitch than she is right now, and no one needs that.
ReplyDeleteSam's birthday was in April, so there were a few gifts bought. I also hosted Easter dinner and it became a far more bountiful feast than I originally planned because I could not stop adding side dishes and snacks. No one eats veg and dip, I knew this, yet I made it anyway. Sigh.
Adding to your savings is never like spitting into the wind. It's a good thing!
Zelda on steroids is crazy because she keeps gaining more and more weight and we really are struggling to figure out a way to manage her weight. In the meantime, she is constantly hungry, poor thing.
DeleteNo one eats veg and dip!! YES!! It's true. It's such a waste when people put out a veg tray.
what?? We DEVOUR veggies and dip. I want to party with Nance, for that and many other reasons just from her comments.
DeleteOh, thank you, Bibliomama, for such a lovely comment. I'd lay out a veg and dip tray just for you (and I make awesome dip)!
DeleteOh, I feel sick about the dogs. House fires are among my biggest fears, and the house across the street AND across the back yard from us have burned. Does that statistically make me safer or more at risk?
ReplyDeleteWe are going to visit Angus! for the most celebratory thing we are spending money on this month. Oh, that was for April? That would be the t-shirts I got made for Eve and her housemates to give them before they all moved out *sob*.
Oh, man. All those house fires! Why did they catch fire? Do you have a local fire department?
DeleteYay for celebrating big kids!!
An overnight getaway to Sheboygan for my birthday. Totally worth it!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. It's never a waste to see other places.
DeleteOh no -- they lost the dogs. That is so terribly sad.
ReplyDeleteI can't even imagine. If I came home, my house was destroyed, and my girls were in the house...I literally can't imagine.
DeleteI thought you lived in the Midwest - how are you already experiencing summer like weather that requires a pedicure? What am I missing? Hey, being prepared and anticipating great weather is a great idea. Let's manifest some good weather, since IT'S MAY. Thanks for sharing the link to the dresses you like. Really cute stuff. With pockets? Awesome. I love pockets.
ReplyDeleteMost celebratory thing I spent money on in April was probably the days of our Italy trip that landed in April. I also transferred 1K to Mini when I noticed she was low. (like really low, and why didn't she speak up?) I wanted the end of her study abroad to be light and relaxing - so I celebrated thru her.
ERNIE!! I wore my Mephisto sandals ONE DAY and then it sandal season. I'm rocking sandals and a winter coat and hat most mornings these days. I'm wearing sandals RIGHT NOW.
DeleteTravel does seem to be a popular most celebratory thing. AND! Next month I'll have some of that, too!
Just keep spitting (and helping a neighbour when possible). Insert fist bump here.
ReplyDeleteI'll do my best!
DeleteYou only spent $29.99 on cloud storage for a year? Who is that through?? How many GB is it? Also, spring deserves a new dress or two and sandals. I think May is going to be a shopping heavy month for me as the hoodie and capris I'm wearing are from my cycling days! I know, I know. İt's time.
ReplyDelete200GB through Google? Is that too much? Too little? I don't know the answers.
DeleteYes! I am always a supporter of new clothes.
OMG, Engie, I can't believe you put all of our business out there for the internet to see, haha.
ReplyDeleteI want to see the dresses you got.
After months of austerity, I bought myself new red Danskos and a backpack to replace my worn out Danskos and backpack. I hope I get many, many years of use from them!
Oh, maybe I should do a post about my summer work wardrobe. That's a good idea. I'll make my husband take photos of me modeling. LOL.
DeleteI have a pair of red Danskos that were NOT clogs that look like cool kids Vans and they don't make them anymore and they have holes in them, but they're amazing and I want Dansko to bring them back. Can you make that happen for me?
The most fun things I bought in April were a trip to LA that is coming up with my husband to see a concert, and some book shopping. Future spending will include a new bathing suit and new capris for a vacation I’m taking with 2 of my cousins in June. I also bought some nice wine to drink at my husband’s 60th birthday party, which was delicious.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think $200 into savings is spitting in the wind. That consistency is so important, and you always do it. Good on you.
Ugh on the house fire and the dogs, that was a fear I had for sure. How heartbreaking.
Yes for fun things! Concerts and books and new clothes for vacation! I heartily approve.
DeleteThis is really interesting -- you motivate me to look monthly.
ReplyDeleteUgh. I hate doing it every month, Jeanie. I must hold myself accountable for all my dumb spending, though.
Delete"most celebratory" might be happy hour with the team at work. And I did buy tater tots for the Ask Me Anything I had with the interns. Frozen ones, which I made in the work toaster oven.
ReplyDeleteI went to our Joann's and it was kind of sad. Also not necessarily any more of a good deal than if I had gone before closing and used coupons. Which I guess might have been a flaw with the business model?
It was sad at Joann's. All the good fabric was gone and there was NO THREAD. I was hoping to stock up on thread because I don't know where I can buy thread now. BUT. I was able to buy some racks for cooling cookies (can you believe I didn't own any?) for 50% off and that seemed like a deal on something I really needed.
DeleteMy April splurge was a big one. Finally got a new iPhone moving from 8 to 16. I am thrilled but a little intimidated by it.
ReplyDeleteThat is a big jump up! I hope it's amazing and not too intimidating.
DeleteThe house fire is terrifying. It's one of my biggest fears, especially losing the cats in a fire. That's why I double and triple check my stovetop and hair tools before leaving, but sometimes things are out of your control. I don't like that!!
ReplyDeleteThe most celebratory thing I spent money on in April was flights to London. Well, my mom bought the flights and I paid her back in installments since Apple cash didn't like me doing it all at once for some reason, sigh.
Flights! Woot woot! I bought some plane tickets early in May, so that will be my celebratory thing in May!
DeleteMy best purchase in April was a Kitchen Aid Artisan Mini mixer with a cheese grater attachment! I'm having so much fun with it!
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I just googled the mini mixer and I will be honest with you, I had no idea that a smaller size was possible. I'm quite happy with my 5 quart, but if someone had a smaller kitchen, the mini would be a delightful addition. I clearly need to do more KitchenAid research!
DeleteAdd me to the list of people indebted to Maya. She made a delicious meal for Jeanie and me in April! She does have a friend that lives in Mpls so hopefully I will see her again and return the favor!
ReplyDeleteThe more fun purchase I made was plane tickets for Will and me to go to Chicago! I used points for the hotel room and had a $200 voucher for airline tickets so it wasn't too expensive overall. We are going to spend 2 nights in downtown Chicago so we can see the sights and then we'll go out to the far-away burbs for a night to see my nieces before flying home.
Yay for a trip to Chicago! If you're ever in Chicago and you have extra time on your hands, let me know. I can zip over there quickly enough. I know you're usually jam packed on work trips (and it sounds like this trip with Will!), but if you're ever around, let me know!
DeleteAs always it is interesting to see in such nice graphs and comparing to last months. Every time I read I tell myself I should be doing this too. I don't and right now I am in the reds more than I like. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteBest thing spend in April... can't even remember. Only thing that comes to mind: expensive low sugar chocolate bars. Yum but maybe not necessary?
I should do better about actually comparing from month to month. Alas, I just put it out here for everyone to see and judge.
DeleteHm. Maybe I need to consider Dansko sneakers... That's what I got out of this, LOL. :)
ReplyDeleteYes! Danskos are super comfy.
Delete