Money Diary: Separate Finances

[starlily]

Background: 2 adults, 2 kids, 1 dog living in a single family home in inland Socal. Compared to other parts of CA, I'd describe it as MCOL, but it's probably still HCOL compared to out-of-state.

H & I both work 40 hours/week, but I outearn his current job by a little more than 2x. I'm a county prosecutor; he's a credit manager for a company. We've always maintained separate accounts, but are transparent about our finances and expenditures. We each have certain bills we're responsible for. We don't have predetermined fun money amounts. Right now we're aggressively paying off some credit card debt accumulated while H was unemployed and then was underpaid at his previous job.

My take home pay $3436 bi-weekly. For purposes of this money diary I didn't include H's income since I don't budget my account off of it. My 1st check of the month gets mostly used up by the mortgage on our house and HOA fees for my condo. Below is what typically happens with my 2nd check of the month.

April 10
6:30am: $0. We make coffee at home and I also have a protein shake before I leave. H doesn't eat breakfast. We both aim to take lunch from home 4x/week. The kids get 2 meals and a snack at daycare, but also usually eat a waffle or slice of toast from home during the drive in.

12:30pm: $9.80 for a book of stamps so I can mail my mom's property tax payment. $8.07 for a sandwich at a local deli/liquor store/neighborhood hangout which is across the street from the post office.

7:30 -- I cook dinner most nights. Today it's sausage and peppers.

Total day 1: $17.87

April 11
Same routine in the morning, except H forgot to take his lunch so I take it with me instead.

5:30pm - $24.77 for a bag of grain-free dog food. $7.98 for a couple missing ingredients for dinner.

7:30 - Tonight I make pappardelle with shrimp and zucchini.

Total day 2: $32.75

April 12 (Payday!)
Usual morning routine, but this time I forgot to take my planned lunch.

12:00 - Spent $130.89 at Target for Easter basket items, supplies for 3 classroom parties (DD1 had 2 parties), and assorted household goods. Had AYCE sushi at a place next door for $21.64.

6:15 - The kids suckered me into buying 5 books at the daycare book fair for $47.36.

7:30 - Tonight I make turkey chili.

Total day 3: $199.87

April 14
Usual morning routine - $0

$18 sent in for DD1's kindergarten cap & gown pictures.

9am - Bought a LLR outfit of the day from one of my friends; a Cassie and Perfect T that look great together but will also work with several existing items I have. $76 including shipping.

5:30pm -- In the words of Destiny's Child, bills, bills, bills. Trash 79.02, gas 61.06, student loan 450, water 45.85, cable/phone/internet 158.17, electric 92.40, credit card 450.

6:00 - Approximately $45 to fill up my gas tank. My commute is about 40 miles roundtrip and I also do daycare pickup which is a 12 mile roundtrip. I fill up almost weekly.

7:30 - I was supposed to make baked cod, but the fish hadn't defrosted properly. H picks up Wendy's on his way home for all of us.

Total day 4: $1475.50

April 14
Usual morning routine.

$8 sent in for DD1's end of year performance t- shirt.

8am - I order flowers for my mom's birthday, $70.50.

12pm - I didn't have anything meatless to bring in for lunch, so I get a salmon teriyaki bento box for 12.79.

5:00 - I have a coupon for 15% off $100 at Total Wine, so I stock up and get 7 bottles of wine for 93.68. I pop in to the small local Indian store, which didn't have what I needed but did have some of my favorite snacks for 10.79.

7:30 - I cook braised cod and bok choy in oyster sauce.

Total day 5: $187.76

April 15
We all have breakfast and coffee at home.

11:30am - I take the girls out to lunch while H goes to a couple of appointments. $24.62 for eggrolls, shrimp fried rice, and pork banh mi. $6.36 for frozen yogurt.

5:30pm - I go grocery shopping for the upcoming week and spend 179.89. This covers 5 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 5 dinners, and assorted snacks & beverages. I pick up a pizza from Round Table on the way home for dinner; with a coupon it's 22.08.

Total day 6: $232.95

April 16
We all have breakfast and coffee at home.

11:30am -- We go to the Renaissance Faire. We let a car cut in front of us in the impossible-to-navigate parking lot entrance line, and they return the favor by paying for our parking! Then a woman was trying to sell 2 extra tickets she had at face value, but the staff wouldn't let her, so she gave them to us! Plus, kids were free this weekend! And H paid for lunch and games!

Total day 7: $0

Grand total: $2146.70

[insominac]

I'm impressed with all your cooking!

[Roc A Bee]

I too am impressed with all your cooking but also your grocery bill. I say good job!

[starlily]

Meal planning around the weekly sales and taking lunch to work definitely helped me free up funds. I also try to go grocery shipping alone as often as possible because otherwise too many things not on my list have a way of finding themselves in my cart!

[starlily]

Apr 17, 2017 22:51:31 GMT -5 farmvillelover said:

What did I miss on Day 4 that made it such a high number day!!
I love reading these LMAO!!

Paying bills! lol

[andwhat]

Yay for a separate finances post.