6 month checkup of where I spent more than budgeted

[larknm]

My computer won't make paragraphs on these boards (only place that's true if anyone knows a solution), so my list will be run together here. gasoline, car maintenance, birdseed and bird meds, dr copays dentist, meds for me, groceries, shoes, batteries for watch, chimney sweep, stamps, car wash, meds, dog food, dog meds, eat out, clothes, vac cleaner bags, bedspread, boy's birthday, service to make internet inaccessible for however long I designate up to 8 hours, 3 dog nutrition talks, CD, water purifier stick (too hard to use, so useless), friends' project donation, printer copies at library, house weatherization, self-defense course scholarship, raffle for dog food, books. That list was a little over twice as long as the things I underspent or came out even on, and included things I hadn't intended to spend money on at all. Some of these I overspent like $2 or $5, and the most expensive was the weatherization ($640), which I hadn't expected at all but have needed for years and finally came across a person to do it. The purpose of all this is to make me more realistic about what I spend on and to help me make a more realistic budget for the next 6 months and/or next year--my year starts April 15. I would be interested in hearing how you all adjust/fiddle with your budgets.

[rosarugosa]

Larknm: A couple of years ago, I compiled a list of irregular but predictable expenses, often quarterly, annual or bi-annual (e.g. property taxes, vet check ups, etc). I also have a list of irregular items organized by month that are not my regular monthly items (e.g. Jan - Mom's b'day, life insurance; Feb: DSIS's b'day, water bill, hopefully you get the idea). These two lists help keep me from feeling blind-sided by items that aren't in my regular monthly spending pattern. I do this all with little pieces of paper and pen and calculator and a notebook, because I enjoy doing it like that, although I also have an excel spreadsheet. I've been told I have an odd sense of what constitutes a good time, but it works for me!

[larknm]

Thank you, Rosarugosa I hadn't thought of it that way, much less done it that way. I feel much better now that I see your post.