The Reckoning

Total Spending 2016		JANUARY	FEBRUARY	MARCH
FOOD		70.72	175.22	168.29
PETROL		121.34	149.32	118.27
RATES		228	228	0
GAS AND ELECTRI		83	125	125
WATER		21	21	21
TV		0	0	0
HOUSE INS		0	0	0
CAR INS +tax		0	0	0
CAR BREAKDOWN COVER		42	0	0
CHARITY		166	160	210
SAVINGS		650	650	650
POST OFFICE		0	0	0
HOLIDAYS		0	0	0
LIFE INS		31.43	31.43	31.43
MEDICAL		64.2	8.2	52.09
DENTAL		18.5	37.41	15
GIFTS		8.08	5	0
HOUSEHOLD		23.58	29.87	46.82
MISCELLANEOUS		10	6.08	74.45
ACTIVITIES		0	0	47.5
BOOKS		5.94	29.86	31.46
ENTERTAINMENT		3.55	5.4	0
CAR REPAIRS AND SERVICE		0	25	741.6
CLOTHES		0	21.5	72.6
TRANSPORT		0	0	0
POCKET MONEY		12.5	12.5	12.5
EXTRA CURRIC		295.5	0	0
SCHOOL FEES		0	102	0
TRAVEL INS		0	0	0
TEL+INTERNET		14.08	14.54	18.47
SEPTIC		0	0	0
GARDEN		5	98.24	0
HAIRCUTS		10.5	0	14
WOOD		0	85	0
BOILER INS		0	0	0
UNION		0	0	0
TRAINING		0	0	0

I didn't do a post about February spending as it was such a short month but here are the three month totals so you can see how our spending goes up and down each month. Not such a high saving month as January as this month we had to pay for school uniform for Master Shoestring and an enormous car repair bill ! The car repair bill meant that we only saved 48% of our income, which I guess is not too shabby, just not the 50% we are aiming for.

The car bill was so large that we did wonder if it was worth it but the brakes seized at home so we had to pay for transport to the nearest garage and then because the car uses an electronic braking system it was about twice the cost you might have expected. We are still using both cars and will need them over the Summer but after that we have talked about cutting down to only one as we hope to stop commuting to work by then.

Book spending was also up slightly because of buying books that Master Shoestring needed for school. Good to see that petrol spending was down a bit because of the holidays and so was food spending. Next month I am hoping to cut that by quite a bit as we try and eat down the stockpile  !

How was your saving month ?