My Frugal Miser - August Expenses: $3,889

I am really looking forward to when I finish work on our new home.  With no mortgage and more normal expenses for repairs and such, our monthly spending will noticeably decline.

We added Internet ($20 a month) but offset that expense by downgrading our Republic Wireless plans (a temporary reduction from $80/month to $15/month).  However, the electric bill is going to be higher because we are running the A/C more.   Some of the ceilings and walls are uninsulated, and by noon the inside temperature passes 90 degrees without A/C.  I'll be working on making this home more energy efficient.  Another way we are saving is by not paying for trash service.  The community recycling center is a mile away, so we recycle the majority of our trash.  What remains we will dispose of at the other house until it gets rented.

We are leaving for Ecuador on Thursday.  I don't think our three week vacation there will add any substantial expenses in September.  In fact, some of our costs (food, transportation, housing) may go down.

August Expenses:  $3,889

$119 Auto ($12 for tipping the valet at the conference we worked in California, $107 for gas)

$3 Bank Fees

$23 Clothing

$0 Computer

$97 Entertainment (movies, gambling, alcohol)

$398 Food

$17 Gifts Given

$1,584 Household/Housing/Home Repair
$0 Home Insurance

$245 Health and Dental Insurance

$0 Investment Expenses

$514 Medical/Dental

$0 Miscellaneous

$143 Personal Care

$0 Subscriptions

$0 Taxes

$196 Utilities

$551 Vacation and Recreation

Notes:

• The only gas I had to buy was during our work in California.  I had enough stored from mystery shopping to cover our local needs.
• Much of our food expense was also from the California trip.  I did have a stocking up trip to Wal-Mart when we moved to the new house.
• An old crown broke, and it cost $513.50 to pay for a new one.  My dental insurance only pays half of my costs for this kind of work.
• Personal care expenses will be going down soon.  I spend $100/month on Healthy Wage (a bet that I would lose weight) and $43 on Weight Watchers.  Unfortunately I'm using neither of these but will stay on until the 6 month wager is over.
• Home Expenses were generally for repairs.  I bought a new stove and a router for Internet.  The balance was from a variety of things I had to buy.