*NOTE: This budget is for shopping/food/gas only, or expense that I can control fully. I’m not including fixed expenses (mortgage, utilities, medical bills) because they’re fixed and honestly pretty boring to talk about. My TOTAL spending is not reflected in this budget. “Food & Dining” = Eating Out + Groceries *
Blown Budgets:
1. Gas & Fuel (Hawaiian gas is expensive!!!)
2. Food & Dining
3. Toiletries/Cosmetics
- Shiseido Curler pad replacement from Nordstrom – $6.56
- Stocked up on Mario Badescu toner (review here) from Gilt, with free MB shampoo & conditioner with purchase – $31.95
- 2 Zoya polishes (Avril and Petra) during the free-with-shipping event – $6.95
- 4 sets of Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail strips plus a $10 CVS cash card (see how I did this with coupons here) – $17.70
Overall budget:
$-10
The Verdict?
Pretty good. But. For 9 days I was in Kauai and of course the food, car rental and excursions cost a lot of money. I already paid for the hotel a few months back. At the very least I can take comfort in the fact that I didn’t go crazy shopping before and after my vacation. Every little bit helps!
Next months plans?
- More LASIK consultations. I’d ideally like to get the surgery done at the end of February or end of March.
- Meet up with more friends in the area!
- Clean out, and sell / donate more things! Blog sale!
- I’m in the process of refinancing my mortgage… it’ll shave off 5 years off of my loan, and it’ll only be $80 more per month.
- Now that I don’t have an official vacation planned, I’m going to figure it out! Potentially, it will be a nice road trip to LA. Disneyland? Santa Monica? Venice? Let’s see, shall we?
♥ E&I
wow!! good job and thanks for posting, i use mint also but i never categorize my things properly
OOooh how about a road trip to SAN DIEGOOOOOO! Seaworld? Zoo? I’d be glad to come hang out with you haha
I’m new to your blog but i love this budget idea – what did you use to do it?
ie. program or app?
I use Mint.com and they do have an
app as well
Super good budgeting report. One thing I do to control spending is when at a restaurant I try to order water, it is free. I use to work in a restaurant, and drinks were the thing we made the most money on, the drinks cost very little to the restaurant and have the greatest mark up the highest margin for profit. Oh sure I will have a fancy drink every now and then, but generally I stick to water.
For sure fuel is a huge expense, easy to see and understand how you went over on that in a place like Hawaii, most people have a hard time keeping to their budget no matter where they are, especially when prices suddenly go up. Anyhow I just want to say this is a great blog you have, hope to read more about your other travel adventures soon, all this talk of Hawaii made me eager for travel, after all I am in Canada and it is winter.