July was much spendier than usual. I paid $335 cash for Kohls purchases, mostly BTS and two bedding sets for my girls. I also paid $500 for textbooks for older daughter. To rent would have saved me 1/2, but I'll have a freshman next year to use the books. I did save $99 by telling my parents about D's need for a graphing calculator and they had an extra one laying around. I also spent $500 on furniture: $200 for an antique dining room table and five chairs, plus $300 for the two Ethan Allen sofas. All in all, I don't feel bad at all about spending those funds, might inexpensive way to spruce the place up (my mom gave me $200 toward the sofas).
I've realized that my family spends about $100 a month on entertainment and outings. I budgeted $60, but that is low. We spent $100 in June on the annual trip to our town's festival (preview night ride wrist bands are $20 and the kids fund their own snack money). July we had two trips downtown (one for Nationals and one to visit my daughters' cousin) and that was a bit more. I spent $100 for discount tickets for five to our state's largest water park (Raging Waves) so the budget is spent for August.
All in all, it has been cash out the window, nothing on credit. Not a satisfying feeling to see the debt level staying at what it is (though 0% interest), but it is satisfying to see it not go up. Needed to retrain my thinking on this stuff.
Made the big tuition payment for high school. Glad about that. In July I returned for $70 school uniform pants in size 3, and found a pair of size 1s for $5 at the used uniform sale.
Quiet weekend ahead. Hope everyone is enjoying summer! I'm feeling sad about BTS
Hello August!
August 3rd, 2012 at 05:36 pm
August 3rd, 2012 at 08:40 pm 1344022836
August 3rd, 2012 at 09:01 pm 1344024107
BTS = Back To School
August 3rd, 2012 at 10:42 pm 1344030165
And great job on not adding more debt!
August 4th, 2012 at 02:35 am 1344044149