January is going to be a bare-bones kind of month. After all the hoopla of Christmas, I’m feeling a bit spent out and that I need a break from my debit card. I have most of the things I need for my house now and lots of things to do, so I should be able to keep my extra spending to a minimum. That being said, I did go out for a fancy-ish lunch today with a coworker and one of our past summer students. It was a fantastic meal; I got the rainbow trout. It was pan fried to perfection. I am drooling just thinking about the big ole filet. I also got dessert (creme brulee) which is something I very rarely get, but definitely worth it. I picked up the student’s meal, so my bill came to $45 (with tip). That will be my only meal out this month, so I’m glad I got a good one in.
Here’s what my January budget looks like:
| Budget Item | Monthly Budgeted Amont |
| Bank Fee | $ – |
| Business Services | $ – |
| Auto Insurance | $ 122.41 |
| Gas & Fuel | $ 225.00 |
| Service & Parts | $ 50.00 |
| Entertainment | $ 30.00 |
| Coffee Shops | $ – |
| Fast Food | $ – |
| Snacks | $ – |
| Groceries | $ 150.00 |
| Restaurants | $ 45.00 |
| Gift | $ – |
| Dentist | $ – |
| Fitness Class | $ 90.00 |
| Gym | $ 51.00 |
| Mortgage | $ 721.52 |
| Books | $ – |
| Hobbies | $ – |
| Property Tax | $ 185.00 |
| Travel Cost | $ – |
| Mobile Phone | $ 39.55 |
| Personal Care | $ 20.00 |
| Home Insurance | $ 98.90 |
| Pet Food & Supplies | $ 15.00 |
| Veterinary | $ 150.00 |
| Clothing | $ – |
| Electronics & Software | $ – |
| Shopping | $ 20.00 |
| Phone/Internet | $ 75.00 |
| Hydro | $ 150.00 |
| Uncategorized | $ 20.00 |
| Spending Subtotal |
Pretty bare bones ‘eh? My entertainment budget will cover 2 movies: Sherlock Holmes (I paid for my ticket and my friends), and the Tintin movie. I also will be paying for my next bunch of yoga classes this month ($90), as well as a trip to the vet for my cat. She’s going in for her rabies shot, but she also has a wonky eye and the vet can’t seem to figure out what’s wrong, so she usually has to get a scraping or something done anytime I take her in. I swear I can’t get out of that clinic without my bank account getting $100 lighter. Anybody know why a cat’s nictitanting membrane (third eyelid) would be pinkish and halfway up over one eye for six+ months? Thankfully it doesn’t seem to bother her, but it’s definitely weird.
This month I plan to get a good start on a couple of my goals, the big one bein
g the refinishing of my trunk. I am kind of on a refinishing kick right now. My aunt gave me an old desk chair. It was a little beat up, but actually a damn comfy chair. A bit of spray paint and some new fabric (from the scrap bin at Walmart, so three yards cost me $10), and I have a greatly improved office chair. I even have enough fabric left over to do my other office chair (it’s fire engine red). This success has inspired me to start on the trunk. I will save all the gory details (there are sharp implements involved) for another post though.
Any big items in your January budget? Do you have any refinishing or restoration projects on go?
Have a good ‘un
Country Girl
Cents of a Country Girl 
Wow. That’s the same chair? AMAZING! I would have thought you bought a new chair completely.
It’s amazing what spray paint and cheap fabric can do!
Our “bigger” cost this month is our puppy getting spayed & a microchip placed. Will run about $200.
Do you notice that you stick your budgets pretty closely at the end of the month?
$200 isn’t bad for a spay and microchip – and as far as I’m concerned, money well spent. I am usually fairly close to my budget at the end of my month. If I know I’ve gone over in one area, I try and make up the difference somewhere else.
I will definitely check your blog out and add it to my blog roll 🙂
P.S. My blog is: http://adoseoftlc.wordpress.com/ if you’re interesting in checking it out 🙂
I love your chair! I can’t believe that you did it yourself
Thanks! I did recruit my mom to help pull the fabric tight when I was stapling it.