My Frugal Miser - January Expenses: $1,621

January was a decently frugal month.  There were a few large expenses:  I bought a discounted gas gift card ($240) and prepaid for a year of satellite radio.  I also started tracking a new category that added to my expenses.  I also bought a new pair of work shoes.

New this year I added a category for unreimbursed employee expenses.  Last year, the primary company I worked for meeting jobs paid me as a 1099 contractor, and I could deduct expenses like hotels and meals.  Now I am a W-2 and if I choose to take a job that doesn't provide meals or hotel rooms, I am responsible for the expense.

January Expenses:  $1,621

$272 Auto ($240 for gas, $32 for service)

$0 Bank Fees
$159 Clothing

$0 Computer

$223 Entertainment (movies, gambling, alcohol) - gain this month

$272 Food

$0 Gifts Given

$50 Household/Housing/Home Repair
$0 Homeowner's Insurance (annual payment)

$28 Health and Dental Insurance (prepaid a portion of 2018 health insurance)

$0 Investment Expense
$14 Interest Expense*

$4 Medical/Dental (income)

$0 Miscellaneous

$0 Personal Care

$0 Subscriptions

$0 Taxes
$52 Sharing Economy Expenses (tolls, car washes, etc.)
$176 Unreimbursed Employee Expenses

$397 Utilities

$0 Vacation

*Interest expense includes student loans and the loan on my car.  As both rates are below 2%, I am completely comfortable paying the interest each month and investing the money that I would otherwise use to pay off these loans.  In December, I paid $38 to E*Trade for "hard to borrow" interest on a short sale of stock.