May Budget Review

May is over and it’s finally summer! Lately I’ve been realizing that time will really pass you by if you don’t stop and take in everything as it happens. It’s a bit crazy that we’re almost half way done with this year.

May was an eventful month as usual, since we’re almost ready to move and skip town. We’ve only been packing on weekends and that’s how hectic the schedule has been lately. This month was a great month and freelance business has been booming so that’s helped a lot.

Lately I’ve been really consistent with posting twice a week but since we’re moving this weekend, next week is going to be super cray. I will try to post something worthwhile but I can’t make any guarantees. That reminds me that we still need to set up a transfer for our internet ASAP because I will lose it if it’s not set up when we move. So much to do! Here’s the high and lows.

Highs

We found a place (obviously)! It’s a super spacious 2-bedroom apartment, with a dishwasher :), plenty of storage space and what looks like brand new carpet. The best part is that it’s not much different in size from my current apartment and the rent is super affordable. With my current rent being as low as humanly possible, I imagined I would be jumping to at least $525/month for my half since Ray and I we split the rent. It turns out my portion of the rent will only be $430. That’s only $115 more than what I was paying before. #Winning
Since we’re moving, I’m working on redoing my budget because a lot of things are changing. I’m also excited to create a budget that will allow me to save 50% of my income; something I’ve always wanted to do. I will definitely post my new budget when I have everything figured out but if you want to learn more about how I’m planning to save half of my income after taxes, you can check out details about my story on Frugal Portland.
Speaking of changes, May was the last month of paying for day care for the kiddo! Friday was his last day and I think we were both equally excited about it. My child actually really liked day care and all the fun activities they did and he made a ton of friends. I think it was just time to move on since he’s getting older and I’m working something out with my family since they are willing to help babysit when I need it this summer.
Ray and I celebrated our anniversary on May 1! Instead of jetting off to a tropical destination like we did last year, we kept it frugal and fun by taking a day trip to a beautiful state park to do a hiking tour. We both have student balances to tackle, so we’re trying to prioritize that first. There was also talk of an engagement this year :), but when we get married I’d like to pay for everything in cash. I purchased a Groupon of course for the tour and it was super fun and a great workout.

Lows

More car repairs crept up on me in May. I had to get some ball joint thing replaced before it went bad and became hazardous. I got it fixed asap, but I wasn’t happy about it.
I had a somewhat hectic month going back and forth to the doctor for a private issue I’ve been dealing with. I’m finally calm and relaxed again but I was super nervous and had anxiety for a whole week. I am so grateful for the support of my friends and family and I haven’t even checked on what Liberty Healthshare has been doing about the doctor visits but the clinic accepted my membership card for billing so that was good. I’m sure I will have to pay up until the $500 AUA and then they should cover the rest.

Now onto the budget numbers:
Living Expenses/Utilities/Other Bills
Rent: $315
Fuel: $135.03
Groceries: $170
Household Toiletries: $20
ComEd: $75
HealthShare: $131
My Phone: $12
Daycare: $212
6-month Auto Insurance: $95 (2 of 6 months)
Bed Payment: $25 (Read more about Ray and I’s decision to purchase our Tempurpedic bed here)
Gym: $14.25
Credit Cards from last month: $135.19
Vehicle Expenses: $342.60 (Oil change and ball joint repair)
Doctor Visit: $110

Entertainment/Misc.
Dining Out: $81.11 (Small purchases can really add up)
Gifts: $54.69
Hulu: $7.99
Entertainment: $62.13
Clothes: $0 (Completed the 4th month of my 6-month shopping ban)

Debt Payments/Savings
Car Note: $400
Student Loans: $140
Emergency Fund: $250
Moving Fund: $300

Total: $3,077.99

How did your month go?

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