Sunday, April 18, 2010

Envelope System for April: Halfway Point Update

Well, I guess it's a little past the halfway point. Except that it has to last until May 5th, since that's when I get paid. D'oh! (Wait, is Homer Simpson writing this post? No. Stop it Jessica.)

Anyway, overall I like the envelope system. It makes me more aware of spending my money when I eat out. It makes me accountable to stick to a budget for this area, which is really easy for me to overspend on. I've also been keeping track of each time I use that money, so I know exactly where it went. I have come to enjoy keeping track of my budget this month. I have tracked my gas and grocery spending pretty meticulously, and it's nice knowing exactly how much money I have at my disposal.

That being said, I might bump the amount in my envelope up a little for next month. Like another $25 maybe?  I'm not sure yet, but out of the $200 I started with, I now have $75.40. And I'm spending $20 on a ticket to the Dodger game today (I didn't budget for this, so I figure it's part of having fun, which is really what this budget is). So, that means I have $55.40 to last me for two weeks. Which is doable. But, I also didn't do much this weekend, which isn't normal. Also, a couple nights out one of my friends bought my drinks for me, which was nice of him, but not something I expect or depend on.

I also decided that my recycling money (which is maybe $5 a month) can go in this category. Which is an extra coffee hangout with a friend. Or (let's be honest) an extra happy hour beer.

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