Overall, June’s expenses were not too bad. The biggest expense was for our quarterly property rate/tax. The big increase in fuel consumption is due the changes in the way we are travelling to work. We are now driving more than taking public transport, it is actually about the same maybe even a bit cheaper (now that we converted our car to gas). Also the biggest advantage is it cuts our travel time, we get to go home almost an hour earlier. We are spending more fuel but have cut down on our public transport expense.
The usual suspect for over spending were quite good this month; grocery exp was reasonable and our entertainment spending was not bad (especially compare to last month).
First 6 Month Analysis:
We are at the half way point of our challenge so I thought I should analyse our progress thus far. Well the biggest worry is the Entertainment category - we are WAAAAAYYYY over, bloody hell we are over. We spent $720 in the last 6 months, which only leaves us less than $280 for the rest of the year. That’s $46 per month! It will be mission impossible to get this category under budget. Good thing we got our Allowances to fall back on. We are way under in these, especially DH’s side. I should have been worrying about our entertainment budget more than the grocery budget. But it is just so hard when friends got a get together, it is impossible to avoid spending. We can’t just sit there and watch everyone eat, could we? Plus there are two of us, so it doubles the expense. Ultimately I don’t regret the time we spend with our friends and really the experience is worth more than any money in the world. But in saying that I hate being this much over our budget, maybe the budget was too low to start with. Last year we spent $1,750 on entertainment, so maybe I was just too unrealistic. Or I’m I just trying to justify our over spending? Argh...
The other categories are very reasonable most things that are over are only over by few dollars. The mobile phone budget is way over but I’m not that worried about it, our usage (for 2 mobile phones) is ridiculously low compare to most people. In the old days I used to spend $150 in a month on my mobile phone! My how I’ve changed my ways – I guess I was very young and stupid then. Even our grocery bill is only $20 over, which I’m very happy about. Overall, we are under by $600+! I can’t wait until the end of the year.
Edit: Opps! Clothing is actually over.
So here's to the second half of 2008. cheers!
June’s $20K Challenge & First 6mnth analysis
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:57 pm
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:59 pm 1215125999
Or . . . See if you're friends would be willing to do a potluck - you could take turns at people's homes - or even do a picnic in the park. That way you control how much you're spending, and can socialize with your friends without worrying about the cost of the meal.