Day 15: Mid-month budget check

Mid-Month day of reckoning:

Let me see how well I am doing with my budget at the mid-point of the month. I am nervous about our progress.

Budget...............................Actual Expense.......Money remaining

$150 Gasoline............................$40.........................+$110
$900 Groceries.........................$586........................+$314
$53 Eating out..........................$82..........................-$29
$200 Clothing/personal..........$77..........................+$123
$50 Entertainment..................$26..........................+$24
$75 Babysitter..........................$0...........................+$75
$50 School Expenses...............$306.......................-$256
$100 Miscellaneous.................$136.......................-$36


(Utilities and Phone I will not know about until I get the bill next month. Vacation, gifts,medical, and car maintenance will accumulate)

Gasoline is great. We have been using the fuel efficient car for all the errands, and the kids are walking to and from school. It has really made a difference!

Grocery budget is on target. I have a lot of food in the pantry, and enough money to make one more major grocery run.

Eating out is over. I will take the little bit left in entertainment and apply it to Eating out, so no more restaurants or blockbuster.

Clothing personal needs to accumulate. That will roll over into next month.

Babysitter can roll over as well. No point in paying a babysitter when we are out of entertainment and eating out money.

School expenses are going to have to take the 6 months to re-accumulate.

Miscellaneous is way over! I know we are still going to have more costs in that category, so I might have to increase it's budget. Maybe I can take some from Gasoline since our use has gone down.

Overall I am pleased. I think with a few tweeks this budget will work for us. Yea!