MONTH 5: July 21-August 24, 2024

I have been very neglectful of my blog this last month or so. This is the month I went camping twice, one trip to Vancouver Island with my niece, nephew, and my dog, Alfie, and one trip to Revelstoke, BC, with my dog and my sister’s dog, Flo (AKA Foofey). I knew there would be a lot of costs, including many tanks of gas, camping food, snacks, meals out for three (especially on Vancouver Island), a new power bank for my watch and phone, sunscreen, bug spray, a smaller sleeping bag for my niece so it took up less space than her gigantic one, a few souvenirs for friends and family, parking in Victoria, an extra ferry we took to shorten the drive to the Sidney ferry,

I sold a few things on FB Marketplace and gave away a few on the Buy Nothing group this month, in starting my decluttering.

Monthly bills included: gym membership, church donation, Bell, Shaw, iCloud, groceries, car and home insurance, Prime, Netflix, Alfie’s groom, massage & chiro (insurance had run out so I paid them in full), AHS parking, annual Air Miles charge for my Mastercard, Enmax bill, life insurance premium, rent, a couple of meals out.

Money saved went into the puppy emergency fund, winter tire fund, and my RRSP.

Birthday money was spent mostly at UVic (new hoodie, fleece pants, hat, ¼ zip top, and a tshirt) and the 3 Taylor Swift albums I didn’t have yet.

RULES BROKEN: I went to a writer’s conference in Calgary at the end of this months’ time period, and I broke down and bought four new books. Against my rules. They also gave me three books for free, if that helps to cancel out my badness…. A little splurge I did was to have my toes shellac for the summer. It was only $26 and sparkly royal blue.

That all said, I have no balance on either credit card, which has never happened for me after any summer vacation. Ever. I will be back on the cheap and narrow moving forward!

MONEY SAVED: 9% I saved very little this month. Everything else I was supposed to save, I put in my spending account for the trips.

MONEY SPENT: 91% This month’s money was spent on camping trips, including gas and a lot of food eaten out on Van Isle, UVic birthday splurge, a few books, and regular monthly bills, including groceries.