• About Me
  • Disclosure
  • Shop

Making Cents Matter

  • Home
  • Resource Library
  • Budget
    • Budgeting Tips
    • Our Monthly Budget
    • Meal Planning
    • Free Printables
  • Debt Free
    • Debt Free Tips
    • Our Debt Free Journey
    • Free Printables
  • Saving
    • Ways We Save
    • DIY
    • Free Printables
  • Recipes
    • Recipes
      • Breakfast
      • Lunch
      • Dinners
      • Instant Pot
      • Slow Cooker
      • Soups
    • Meal Planning
    • Preserving Food
  • Garden
    • Gardening Tips
    • Preserving Food
  • Shop

October 7, 2016 · Leave a Comment

September 2016 Budget & Debt Update

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience.
Click here to read my disclosure policy.

Budget· Debt Free· Our Journey· Our Monthly Budget

0shares

This month was the first full month with the boys back at school, but we’ve also spent most of the week running around between soccer practices on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, soccer games on Friday and Saturday, and piano lessons on Wednesday.  There were even a few Sunday birthday parties and skating parties in there giving us three straight weeks of non-stop action.  Throw on top of that that I was having asthma issues for two weeks of this month, I can honestly say our budget looks better than I thought it would.

september-budget-debt-2016-update-pin

 

september 2016 budget debt

Income

Salary: $4,709.19

Monthly Expenses

Mortgage**:  $500

Cell Phone:   $44.72

Home Phone / Internet:  $75.43
The majority of our bill is for internet service.  One of my goals for for remainder of the year is to look into other internet providers for us, to see if we can get this bill any lower.

Credit Card 1:   $87.98
The payments on this are reoccurring bills whose payments are made online, that we don’t feel safe enough leaving our bank information in their account records.  This month’s is a little lower because we’ve paid on pending charges the last few months as well that have finally caught up.

Credit Card 2**:   $300
This is our current snowball, although it hasn’t felt like it.  Soccer ends next month, and I’m already plotting how we can get this amount down so I can reach my goal of slashing this in half by the end of the year.

Student Loans**:  $160

Electric:  $143.12
Another high bill with the heat we’ve had this summer.  Good news is we’ve closed up the pool, the air conditioners are finally out, and I’m ready for some cooler weather and lower electric bills!

Insurance:   $246.77
Our insurance payment includes the car, house, and five life insurance policies.

Piano Lessons:  $0
Bookworm’s piano lessons are a generous gift from my mother-in-law.

Newspaper Subscription:  $13.45
Our monthly, weekend only subscription.

Additional Expenses

Groceries:  $578.12
I feel that I had a better handle on our grocery bill this month, even though I was sick for a few weeks, and our total shows it.  I try to aim for $500-$600 per month, depending on how many weeks and what all we have in our pantry, and this is pretty spot on.

Household & Personal: $25.31
This month I bought Hubs razors and some lavender essential oil as our household items this month.

Gas:  $153.77
During months where I’m not driving an awful lot, like when school is in full swing and we’re just going through the usual schedule, I spend around $70-$80 a month on fuel, depending on the price per gallon in our area.  With soccer practice, Friday and Saturday games, piano lessons, and multiple doctor’s visits for my asthma this month, I spent a lot more time in the car than I did in the house.

Lawn: $9.98
We got some more fuel for our lawnmower at the beginning of the month.  Now that it’s getting cooler, it doesn’t need mowed as often.

Pet: $0
Since our rabbit is outdoors for the summer, she doesn’t go through as many pellets and hay as she does when she’s indoors in the winter.  Next month we move her back indoors, and she will need a new litter pan, some hay and some pellets.

Eating Out: $99.53
Only $30 of this was anticipated and planned for.  I had promised the kids that if they had good checkups while at the dentist this month, I would take them to Moe’s for lunch.  Well, they all got wonderful reviews on their brushing habits and lack of buildup from the dentist, and so we went to Moe’s.  But with being sick earlier this month, I had spent two days between different doctor’s offices and the Emergency Room.  I was not prepared for my diagnosis to take that long, so I didn’t pack any lunches for Lady Bug or I, nor did I make it a priority to have dinner started before leaving.

School: $40.92
Expenses this month for school include some supplies for Bookworm.  As a mom, I love to know what my kids need for school so that I can plan accordingly.  I also like to know in advance what supplies their classrooms would prefer to have donated.  As a teacher, I love to let my students know what they may need so that their parents can plan accordingly, and what we may need as donations throughout the year.  This is not the case with all teachers in our district, who prefer to stress donations and then sprinkle in required supplies throughout the first month or two of school.  Trying to find specific items when Target is already cleared out is a real hoot I tell ya!

Band: $11.61
This month Bookworm was required to get a lyre and flip folder for his trumpet so that he can participate in some parades and football shows.  Now the trouble is finding time in his soccer and piano schedule to participate in such happenings.

Soccer: $11.99
This month Lady Bug was responsible for team snack at one of her games, so we grabbed individual trays of carrots and ranch dip for simplicity and convenience on the sidelines of a soccer field.

sept-budget-debt-misc

Miscellaneous/Fun:   $70
Part of my fun money for the month went towards a book with new canning recipes.  I do enjoy canning, and while canning single ingredients does help our budget immensely, this book is filled with some more advanced canning recipes as well as some recipes that utelize what was canned.

 

Savings

Annual Savings Account:  $1,120
Every week I put money aside into this account, and on months with an extra paycheck, I put even more into this account.  To read more on how much we try to put aside and what we use it for, you can check out this post.

Trash:  $34
Our trash is picked up every other week, and we’re billed quarterly based on the number of bags we have throughout the quarter.  We very rarely will go through more than one 33 gallon bag a week, making two bags of trash that we have picked up every two weeks.  This bill is what we owe based on the number of bags we used between June and August.

Clothing:  $348.94
Some of the clothing expense this month went towards some fall pieces for myself, base layer clothing for the kids during soccer in the cooler weather, and some pieces for school for the boys.

Medical:  $62.74
Earlier in the month I had caught a cold that turned into asthmatic stasis.  I had gotten so caught up between keeping up with the garden, canning, soccer and school schedules, that I neglected to put myself first.  A big no-no.  This is the cost of the prescriptions to help me breathe again; I won’t know what I owe the offices until I get the EOBs in a few weeks.

Dentist: $38.00
The kids and I had our 6 month dental checkup this month.  This is our out of pocket portion for our visit.  Hubs goes next month.

Peaches:  $40

School Pictures: $80.56

Gifting Savings:   $240
I also add money to our gifting account each week.  It helps us to stay on budget each month and still have funds available for when birthdays and holidays come up.

Birthday Party:  $23.18
Monkey was invited to a birthday party at a skating park earlier this month, and this is what we spent on the present, gift bag, and cash for the skate rentals.

Soccer Fundraiser: $119.78
One of the requirements for the soccer league is that the kids each had to sell 2 items.  For me, that meant 6 items total.  Since their fundraiser was through Yankee Candle, and was their winter catalog, I took the opportunity to buy some Christmas gifts.  As Bookworm said, “two birds, one stone.”

Debt Savings:   $0
Since this was the first month we were back into our school schedule, and the first full month we had with soccer activities, I didn’t know how much I would be spending on fuel to get to and from town.  Or even on food after our astonishing grocery bill in the summer.  Rather than designating a set amount each week for this like I usually do, I let it go.  Rather than paying into it at the end of the month, I rolled over any extra we had at the end of the month into increasing our Emergency Fund.

Emergency Fund Increase: $500
Our car will need some repairs in the future, and I wanted to have a little more in our emergency fund in case both repairs needed done at the same time.

 

Debt Repayment

After paying off some debts earlier in the year, we are down to our mortgage, two student loans, and one credit card.  Since we started getting serious about our repayment at the beginning of 2014, we have paid off 3 credit cards, a small student loan, and our car.  We have also ended our payment plan on Bookworm’s orthodontic work, as well as ended our lease on his band instrument.  We have come a long way, and we still have a long way to go.

Mortgage**:  $500

Credit Card 2**:   $300
This is our current snowball.  After increasing our emergency fund a bit, this will be back into snowball next month.

Student Loans**:  $160

september 2016 debt paid

Well… there you have it.  A complete rundown of how our budget and debt repayment went throughout the month.  How did your September 2016 budget and debt repayment go?

Related Posts

  • The Biggest Mistake I Made With My Student LoansThe Biggest Mistake I Made With My Student Loans
  • May 2016 Debt Free ProgressMay 2016 Debt Free Progress
  • Simple Steps To Save Money On GroceriesSimple Steps To Save Money On Groceries
  • October Meal PlanOctober Meal Plan
  • 30+ Frugal Pantry Staples30+ Frugal Pantry Staples
  • How to Freeze Sliced PeachesHow to Freeze Sliced Peaches
0shares
Previous Post: « Homemade Applesauce – With Canning Tutorial
Next Post: Homemade Condensed Cream Of Soup »

Reader Interactions

Want access to our resource library? Sign up for our free email list!

* indicates required

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Post Categories





makingcentsmatter

makingcentsmatter
Payday is today! Actually, payday was Friday the 1 Payday is today! Actually, payday was Friday the 12th because we completely forgot today is a bank holiday in the US. The feeling of being paid and not needing it is a nice one.⁠
.⁠
Here's what our paycheck needs to get us through for bills until March 14th. For a full look at our budget over the next month, head over to my budget with me on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rb8uyi1-rNc⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
#monthlyincome #monthlybudget #monthlybudget #zerobasedbudget #payday #budgetwithme #budgeting #budgettips #budgetcalendar #frugalliving #savingmoney #paycheck #makingcentsmatter #debtfreejourney #debtfreeprogress
This weekend was focused on a pantry shop and meal This weekend was focused on a pantry shop and meal plan creation! This meal plan to get us to our February payday. We also picked fast meals, because it's a busy two weeks between doctor's appointments,. Academic Decathalon, dance, and drama. I'm unsure we'll be able to shop on payday, hence the extras.⁠
.⁠
Total spent: $112.39 for items to get us through this and lunches.⁠
.⁠
Keep in mind, just over $112 for 12 meals isn't sustainable for our family, just in times when we need to stretch the last bits of our monthly income. I really wish $112 was enough to feed two teenaged boys in our household.⁠
.⁠
The point being... do what works for you, and your situation based on your location. Don't try to fit yourself into someone else's situation!⁠
.⁠
#mealplan #mealplanning #frugalliving #frugalmom #makingcentsmatter #savingmoney #monthlyincome #budgeting #budgetmom #groceryshop
January's real numbers:⁠ .⁠ House: $511.13⁠ January's real numbers:⁠
.⁠
House: $511.13⁠
Citi: $720⁠
D NelNet: $100⁠
K NelNet: $100⁠
K Chase: $150⁠
Explorer: $343⁠
.⁠
Extra Payment to Citi: $500⁠
.⁠
Noteworthy... our car payment had a late fee assessed because the mail was SLOWED down over Christmas. Three headaches later, and we potentially have online banking finally set up with them. It is still a headache. And we are never taking another car loan out with this bank!⁠
.⁠
How was January?⁠
.⁠
#makingcentsmatter #debt #debtfreejouney #debtfreeprogress #debtfreecommunity #realbudget #savingmoney #savings #frugalliving #frugalblogging #budgeting #monthlyincome #zerobasedbudget #financialgoals #personalfinance #personalfinancetips #financialfreedom
Sometimes in order to see progress, you need to ta Sometimes in order to see progress, you need to take a step back.
.
I'll be honest, I didn't think that we got this far in 2020. With everything going on - and more importantly, everything NOT going on - we didn't keep up with this every month. We just threw what we could at our goal. I'm simply amazed at how far we came.
.
Things are still hectic, and I'm simply mentally exhausted between remote learning, extended remote learning, offset quarantining children... it goes on and on.
.
But I also cannot wait to see what strides we will make in 2021.
.
#makingcentsmatter #debtfreejouney #debtfreeprogress #savingmoney #savings #frugalliving #frugalblogging #budgeting #monthlyincome #zerobasedbudget #financialgoals #personalfinance
This is what school looks like when it's a hybrid This is what school looks like when it's a hybrid model, and your house does not have unlimited space. I was standing in our kitchen when I took this picture, the kids behind me making lunch.
.
Our district is carefully monitoring our local infection rates, and we are currently in a hybrid form. That means they divided the district into two groups; half are in school on Monday and Tuesday, the other half on Thursday and Friday. They are offering an all remote option, but Verizon for some reason supplies our house with speeds so slow that it would shock a tortoise. Remote was a no-go.
.
This set-up has taken some trial and error to get to where we currently are. Because no matter how prepared you are and how much you've planned, once you're in the weeds, actually doing it, there is no telling how your best-laid plans will work.
.
Our home is a 1800sqft one-story, open living area, 4 bedroom, 1 bathroom, ranch-style house in a very rural area. It has no home offices. No guest bedrooms. Yes, that is a desk in the corner of our dining room. 🤣
.
Each kid gets their own color bin for their school work. This includes school-issued Chromebooks and other standard items they need to get work done - headphones, pencils, and so on. When we are done for the day, we clean up everything, place them neatly in these bins, and place them in cubbies (on my current left) at night while the Chromebooks charge.
.
I do NOT bother to clean up at lunchtime. It would take us more time to clean up and reset everything than it takes us to eat lunch. So we only pack it all up for the day and call it done.
.
During the day, I sit between my younger two and field any questions they may have, troubleshoot technical issues we all have, and be the overall bouncer when things get off-topic. My high schooler will occasionally emerge from his bedroom, which opens to the kitchen. So he is close by when he has questions.
.
Please remember that with all things in life, you need to work with what's available to you. And there is no shame in that. Don't ever feel like you're not doing good enough because it's not picture perfect. Work with what you have available to you, and you'll do amazing things.
School is in session, the garden is slowing, and I School is in session, the garden is slowing, and I’ve finally realized I haven’t shared our payoff numbers for July or August. Yeah……
.
Please keep in mind, we are paid monthly on the 15th, but we don’t go by a “monthly” budget. So I have to go back and look at these numbers based off their due dates in the calendar. Because our pay falls in the middle of the month, I can’t tell you what portion of our income went to debt. It’s going to vary paycheck to paycheck anyways because our priorities vary with each check. Nothing is ever the same month to month, and pay to pay.
.
That said, inJuly we paid off $2,694.43.
In August we paid off $1,673.40.
.
The difference here is that our priorities shifted between the two months.
.
During August, we were doing more prep for whatever school would look like this year, and we had some savings goals make their way to the top of the list as well.
.
Of those goals, in August we made progress!
EF Reimbursement: $146 / $1,200
Checking Buffer Reimbursement: $227 / $500
Vet Sinking Fund: $40 / $200
.
Remember this is a journey, not a race. There is no point wearing yourself ragged and still making no progress. Make progress where you can, and celebrate it. Even if it’s $5.
.
It’s progress, and that’s what matters!
While I wait for the canner to finish the last rou While I wait for the canner to finish the last round... I rearranged our recipe binder. It's only taken me 8 or so years. 🤣😶😭
.
I miss the days when zucchini was my problem. Now it's tomatoes. I can only find so many ways to use up spaghetti sauce! So the next 50lbs or so will be chili base and unseasoned sauce.
.
On top of this school is starting with a hybrid in building & online system. And I'm seriously slacking on some things I need to do. I'm not good at juggling multiple things and the balls are falling. But I keep reminding myself... be patient. This too shall pass. This is only a phase. So I pick and choose what's the most important, focus on that and go from there.
.
So if you feel overwhelmed with your current phase, remember, this too shall pass. It's okay to rearrange priorities. It's okay to take a breather.
.
This too shall pass.
If you didn't start finding interesting ways to ge If you didn't start finding interesting ways to get rid of the squash, can you say you even planted any?
.
Good news, I'm almost caught up! Bad news, the garden has more.
Super busy here... but I wanted to share that wins Super busy here... but I wanted to share that wins can come in super small packages. I thought I'd spend $380 to clean the band instruments in this house. I ended up spending $234. So the remaining $146 can go to reimbursing what I pulled from our EF.
.
No matter the win, celebrate it!
.
What are some wins you have had lately?
Load More... Follow on Instagram


Copyright

I love it when you share our content! Please keep in mind that all content, images and text on this site are property of Making Cents Matter. Feel free to use no more than two photos on your own site, provided that a link back to my original post is included. Do not crop, edit, or remove any watermarks from any of my images without obtaining written permission from me first. Thank you!

Privacy Policy & Disclosures

MakingCentsMatter is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and other affiliated sites.

You can read more about our privacy policy and disclosures here.

Copyright © 2021 · Captivating Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in