(Another old one from Nov)

We're half way though November and so I figured it'd be a good time to check in and see how on track we are. We're doing okay. The highlights:

Shopping: $454/$500
Entertainment: $109/$300
Groceries+ (includes misc things too): $626/$1200

While not included in the total above, we just finished grocery shopping for the week of Thanksgiving and still managed to keep the weekly total within $200 (no big box warehouse visit this week) so that's a good sign! I eventually want to lower the grocery budget a bit, but next month just happens to be another month with 5 grocery days instead of 4, plus Xmas, so I don't think it will be happening that month. Jan. for sure though!

Our shopping budget looks a little sad but it should be clarified that about $120 of that is for the Apple tv and antennae that have allowed us to cancel our cable service as of last Thurs. (Woo hoo!) Still a splurge, but one that will pay for itself within two month. Also, another $214 of it was from hubby's new iPhone 5 splurge, which he got $98 back for by selling his old phone. Though only as an amazon credit so we'll be using that for Xmas rather than credit cards.

The only number of here that really irks me is the entertainment budget. Despite that being the only flexible category we're not over in. What irks me is that hubby and I are each supposed to get $100/month individually do do with as well will ($20/wk), plus another $100 for joint splurges. Its half way though the month so that should be about $50 each individually at this point. Looking over the transactions though, I would say about $8 of that is mine, maybe $30 is joint and the rest is his. And that's just the things that weren't paid with by cash. And I wouldn't say this is atypical. I minded less when we weren't being so serious about this. But despite how pissy he gets sometimes about lack of funds, clearly I am sacrificing more here than he is.

Regardless, these next two months are going to be a lot of sacrifice for both of us. I have only 1 1/2 child support back pay checks left! That is about $500 less a month we are going to have to adjust to during a period when my home business is making about $500 less per month than usual as well. I have one big job that often comes in just before Xmas which I am anxiously waiting to hear on next week. If that doesn't come through though, Xmas is going to be rough this year and we may not be getting new tires for the SUV after all. I may even get a second part-time job soon. Just not sure how to meet the Dec/Jan gap otherwise. Gonna be a rough couple months until the tax return comes in, but we are not giving up!