February Budget Recap

Another month has flown by and I’m honestly not that phased. I’m so ready for spring and I have a staycation lined up at the end of this month so I CAN NOT wait.

Last week was a bit hectic as we were pushing to meet a goal at work and as I was emailing a client I ended up calling him Amy for some reason and completely embarrassing myself, haha. Nine days of not going to work is just what I need at this time since I don’t have any vacations lined up this year and I plan to just work through the summer.

So back to the budget. Things were pretty normal this month. I mean I didn’t spend a fortune on my car and there were no crazy fires or issues with my income like last month. And after I challenged myself not to spend any money dining out, entertaining myself or buying clothes for the month of February, things were still very tight. It seemed like after I got rid of some expenses some new ones came right in like clockwork to take their place. Maybe my high and lows for the month of February can explain.

My Highs

I’m still paying down debt. This is always going to be a high because no matter what I go through or how financially drained I feel at the end of the month I make sure I pay myself first. I’m determined to eliminate my debt ASAP and I’ve even changed one of my annual goals from putting $8000 toward my debt this year to paying off my car completely. Check out my debt updates to keep track of my latest progress.
I landed a new freelance client this month! Whoo hoo! Very soon I’ll be contributing to another personal finance site and cover topics like eliminating debt, increasing your savings rate etc. I’ve cleared my schedule and I’m happy to be taking on new freelance writing and virtual assistant work so if you or if you know anyone who is hiring or looking for help, please send them my way 🙂
I opted out of ObamaCare this year and I joined Liberty Healthshare, a Christian health sharing ministry. I spent way too much time looking over health care plans and options and I decided to go with Liberty Healthshare because it seemed like the most value for an affordable cost. I’m blessed to be in good health and I just don’t feel like dealing with those crazy high deductibles if I do need care this year.

My Lows

My childcare costs went up starting March 1. This could be a low for March but I was thinking about it a lot in February and decided not to let it tamper with my budget too much so I’ll just adjust things as necessary. Plus I’m only doing daycare with my son for 3 more months until we move, then we’re out of there.
My ComEd bill was $178 which is pure ridiculousness. I kind of expected a higher bill since we had days where the temperature was so low they closed schools. In those cases, it was either turn up the heat or freeze (everything in my apartment is electric including the stove and heat so all these costs get added to ComEd). But having the bill be $100 more than my $80 budget was a big eye opener for us.You also won’t see that large total reflected in my budget below because Ray and I shared the costs and set up payments for that crazy bill. We’re trying to become more conscious of how much electricity and heat we use and keep the thermostat in the mid 60s (65-68) when possible. But to be honest, I’m over this winter and I just can’t wait until things warm up even a little bit so I can be done with this winter heat drama.

Onto the Budget

Living Expenses/Utilities/Other Bills
Rent: $315
Fuel: $142.30
Groceries: $152
Household Toiletries: $15
ComEd: $85
HealthShare: $266 (Introductory fee and first month’s sharing amount)
Sister’s Phone: $50
My Phone: $12
Car Insurance: $107
Daycare: $151
Gym: $14
Bed Payment: $25 (Read more about Ray and I’s decision to purchase our Tempurpedic bed here)
Credit Cards from last month: $160

Entertainment/Misc.
Concert With My Mom: $21
Dining Out: $0
Clothes: $0 (Month 1 of my 6-month shopping ban is complete)

Debt Payments/Savings
Car Note: $300
Student Loans: $140
Emergency Fund: $250
Car Savings: $150

Professional Development
$182

Grand Total: $2537.30

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