We are now in August and I have revised the budget….yet again. New month, new budget to fit what my financial goals and priorities are moving forward.
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A budget is a living document and will need to change as your situation changes. I tried a few new things over the summer and decided to incorporate them into my budget. As a result, I’ve added some new categories for expenses. I wanted to keep my spending at the same rate it was earlier this year. This means that I have to reduce a few existing expenses so I can reallocate the money to the new pursuits.
New budget
The new budget now includes lines for fitness as I’ve joined a gym. There is a gym in my apartment complex so why did I spend money to join a gym? Well this is a class that focuses on flexibility and strength. I can do cardio at my home gym and then take these guided classes. I think I may continue them only until the end of the year and then decide on continuing.
I’ve also joined a trivia league that meets weekly to play. The games are at a bar so we buy food while we play. I’ve included a small ‘eating out’ portion on the budget for these outings.
The new budget also has a category for ‘car’ which is partly fictional. I do not actually spend that much on my car because I only pay for gas, insurance, registration, and maintenance. There is no monthly car loan payment as my current car is fully paid off. I am looking at getting a new car. Well, I’ve been looking since last December and practicing paying that new car note. So my new budget is including the fictional car payment on top of my regular expenses. The ‘payment’ has been going to a separate account which will be used for the down payment and first few months of payments.
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