HI, everyone! June's budget is closed out - In May & June remember that I had started a smaller 'budget' using a Classic #HappyPlanner, downsizing my #paycheckbilltracker to 84% (see pictures) and using this HP just for budgeting my own paychecks, whereas I get paid weekly. It's going well... a little harder and more work to close out the budget, and then make sure all expenses are put in the my regular book (really to just keep track of overall spending).. but I like it this way, as I am able to see exactly where our money is going.
After two crazy months of high grocery costs (April & May both being just around the $700 mark). I had decided in June, i was going back to cash envelope for groceries - and put us on a $425 budget with that cash only. We did have a few instances, in the beginning of the month, where we had to debit a grocery week ($65) and then if we had to stop and get half and half or a few little things and forgot cash, we had to debit that as well. But I'm happy to report that we did go 'slightly' over that goal amount with cash spent and the couple of times we debited, we came in over budget by $39! Our total grocery cost for June was $464! Yippee!! #HappyDance!! That makes me soo happy and trust me, we are eating healthy meals, we have stock pantry of snacks (we might need some more going into July) and we still have food in our freezer and meal planning to go into July.
In June, I did start doing "ALDI Haul" videos of my grocery hauls and putting them on my YouTube channel - please go check them out at www.youtube.com & put in Get Personal with Pattie".. I have enjoyed doing them and will continue to post videos on that forum. I really like Aldi's, as I think I can get more 'healthier' versions of things or just the staples for less money than a store like Stop & Shop or a larger grocery store. I will do a blog post of our staples that we buy weekly.. but certainly have found that meal planning is key to our household. I do meal plan weekly, but just having an idea of what's in the freezer/pantry, writing it down is great to know the variety of meals/options for the week. Try it! And hey, if it saves money..then I'm all over it.
In June, our childcare expenses were quite a bit - $1111. (eye roll here).. I won't get started on that $600 weekly unemployment check that some are receiving.. maybe they should start with giving 1/2 of that money to people who have to work and provide childcare. #Justsayin But the good thing is we have great young ladies in place for our childcare - so they are definitely worth every penny!
Ready for a new month - keeping the grocery hauls at $425 and reducing our out to eat(s) to once a month, no more than $150/month.. we like to go for appetizers.. so that might just be our thing for July.
Thanks for reading.. if you want to learn more about the budgeting method I follow - check out www.thebudgetmom.com (she has ALOT of videos on youtube as well.. great resources to save money & really hold yourself accountable!)
See you in July!
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