If anyone doesn’t know or has forgotten, one of my goals for 2016 is to keep a record of every penny I spend this year. (To find out how this project came about, go here: http://www.rubbertrampartist.com/2015/12/31/spending/.) At the beginning of each month I give a report on what I bought and how much I spent in the previous month.
I’m pretty sad about my spending report for April 2016. I was doing really well until I was told I needed four new tires. (Read about my tire saga here: http://www.rubbertrampartist.com/2016/04/29/tires/ and here: http://www.rubbertrampartist.com/2016/04/30/tires-a-cautionary-tale-continued/.)
My insurance came due in April too. I prefer to pay for six months of insurance at a time so I can save money. Because I moved my insurance to a new state when I renewed my policy, my premium for six months increased $120
As follows is my spending report for April 2016.
4-1-16 Today I spent 50 cents for hot water when I took a shower at a campground. Total spent: 50 cents
4-2-16 Today I went to town. I always seem to spend money when I go to town. Total spent: $26.54
79 cents for a brand new collapsible funnel
$20 for gas
$5.75 to the supermarket for cookies to contribute to a party and ice
4-3-16 Nothing spent
4-4-16 Nothing spent
4-5-16 I went back to town today. Total spent: $10.55
$3.50 to the post office for postcard stamps
$2 at thrift stores, for, among other things, two Rubbermaid containers for with lids for holding ice in my cooler and a Klean Kanteen water bottle in fantastic condition
$5.05 for food at the discount grocery store
I did NOT eat at the pizza buffet today. I wanted to. I really, really wanted to, but I told myself no.
4-6-16 Today I headed to the big city for a house and pet sitting job. Total spent: $51.65
$40 on gas in the van
$11.65 to Wal-Mart for double sided tape (which is crap–I should have paid for higher quality), interdental brushes, a tub to go under my bed to hold up the board under the memory foam so I don’t spend the entire night trying not to roll towards the front of the van, and two pairs of boot socks which were on sale for $1 a pair.
4-7-16 Back in the city, I hit a couple of thrift stores and bought some groceries to get me through my time house sitting. Total Spent: $23.82
$19.32 for groceries
$4.50 for art supplies for chicken project and yarn.
4-8-16 Nothing spent
4-9-16 Today I bought my four new tires (cringe) and handed a dollar to a man flying a sign. Total spent: $416.83
$415.83 to Discount Tire for tires
$1 to panhandler
4-10-16 I need boots for my summer job. I went online today and found a pair on Ebay that were still in great condition and substantially less than they cost new. I also went to Panera (where I was given a free bagel every day of the month of April) to write for a few hours. Total spent: $54.85
$46.40 for work/hiking boots
$8.45 to Panera for a drink and later a salad
4-11-16 Today I moved to the Airbnb room I rented to stay in while I worked scoring standardized tests. (If you wonder why I haven’t mentioned paying for that rental, it’s because I haven’t yet. I borrowed money to pay for the room, and haven’t repaid the money yet. That payment should show up in the May spending report.) I mailed two packages and bought some groceries before I moved in. Total spent: $50.72
$9.82 to post office
$2.98 for brown rice (There was a GREAT sale going on; two pounds of rice for $1. I should have bought ten pounds)
$37.92 to discount food store on groceries
4-12-16 Nothing spent
4-13-16 Nothing spent
4-14-16 I ran some errands after work. Total spent: $27.49
$6 to Goodwill for jars to use in making ghee, and for two shirts and a pair of jeans (The clothes were only $1 per piece!)
$1.49 to the supermarket for half a gallon of milk
$20 for gas
4-15-16 My big Friday treat was dinner at Taco Bell. Total spent: $2.37
4-16-17 Today was half-price day at Goodwill. After work, I hit a couple of stores. Total spent: $7.95
$2.49 for a birthday present book
$5.46 for two books for me, yarn for infinity scarf projects, and an sleep mask made from corduroy for a young man I know who is soon going off to collage
4-17-16 Today I made ghee, and had to buy butter and cheesecloth at the supermarket. I haven’t decided if the project was a success or a failure. Total spent: $11.69
4-18-16 Nothing spent
4-19-18 Driving to and from works uses gas. Today I had to put more in the van’s tank. Total spent: $20
4-20-18 I stopped at Dollar Tree after work to get an envelope in which to mail the chicken art. There was nothing big enough for my chicken art needs. However, I found nice adult coloring books and bought three as gifts. I also bought a stylus to use with my new phone. Total spent: $4.32
4-21-16 I could barely stay awake at work today and had to buy a cup of coffee from the machine in the break room. After work I found the box I needed to mail the chicken art. Total spent: $1.72
55 cents to coffee machine
$1.17 to Wal-Mart for box to ship chicken art
4-22-17 Today was payday. In celebration, I ate fried chicken and steak fries I picked up at the supermarket when I was buying tea to get me through the sleepies at work and a couple of other food items. Total spent: $11.73
4-23-16 Nothing spent
4-24-16 Today I went to the grand open of an international supermarket. I bought sriracha sauce, a pack of toothbrushes, and a tube of sunscreen. Total Spent: $5.48
4-25-16 Today I mailed the chicken art and paid for six months of insurance (cringe). Total spent: $380.95
$8.45 to post office to mail package
$380.95 for six months of insurance
4-26-16 Nothing spent
4-27-16 My temp job ended yesterday and I moved out of the Airbnb room today. I stocked up a the discount food store and took care of some things with my van registration and residency. Total spent: $79.46
$47.46 to discount grocery store for food
$32 MVD
4-28-16 Today I went to a junior high school play and took care of some more van registration details. Total spent: $33.95
$5 admission to play
$28.95 to MVD
4-29-16 My monthly phone payment was charged to my debit card account. (I get a discount for using autopay.) Total spent: $34.99
4-30-16 Last day of the month, and I bought supplies I’ll need for the summer. Total spent: $36.58
Total spent in March: $1.294.14
Excuse me while I go off somewhere and feel depressed.
To read my other spending reports, go here: http://www.rubbertrampartist.com/2016/02/01/spending-report-for-january-2016/, here: http://www.rubbertrampartist.com/2016/03/01/spending-report-for-february-2016/, and here: http://www.rubbertrampartist.com/2016/04/02/spending-report-for-march-2016/.