February Tale of The Tape

I printed out my statement for February and here is my Tale of the Tape. The Zero Based budget did not work out well at all for the first go around and it most definitely needs work. A couple things were out of my control, escalating utility costs, missed medical payment, rising cost of gas and yup, just some un needed spending on my part. BB was a bad girl.

Expense Budget Actual Difference
Mortgage $555 $555 $0
Health Insurance $200 $317.43 $117.43
Utilities $170 $398.51 $228.51
Food $200 $205 $5
Phones $60 $31.20 $28.80
Internet $15 $15 $0
Misc $100 $213 $103
E fund $200 $200 $0
Car Insurance $90 $187 $97
Student Loan $174 $174 $0
Additional Income $0 $70 $70
Transportation/Gas $110 $173.84 $63.84

What killed my budget was the following:

Gas: A trip to the Jersey Shore and two trips to the NY metro area to see the aged relative in the hospital.

Food: I forgot to renew my Costco membership in January and it was an additional $50 unplanned for. plus I shopped for road snacks for my drives to and from NY/NJ. I probably would have been closer to $150. Giving up beer for lent has been a good thing! No little trips to the store for a quick six pack! Food included all animal food and liquor purchases for the month.

Misc: Money needed for parking, tolls, meals in the city, a long overdue hair cut, and yup, a couple cups of Starbucks. How fast that all added up.

Utilities: I just did not bank on my extra ordinary high electric bills, and that really took a chunk of money.

Medical: My share of my Health Insurance payment for January went missing, so I had to double pay for February and I had my share to pay of a doctors visit. I have the HSA and I keep forgetting to put money in it so I can deduct from that account instead of my main account.

Car Insurance: Found out my car insurance payment never made it to the company either, I'm begining to wonder if someone pilfered the mail. I had a late fee as well as the regular payment to make.

The excess was money designated for my E-fund and the little extra I made photographing houses. Last month was a mess. This has to improve. Has to.