Can you say really BAD week? Way too much money spent this week. I had to pull out the main debit card to pay for everything instead of using our discretionary fund debit card.

Gifts - $56
Eating Out - $188
Sports - $35
Groceries - $131

Total - $410

Discretionary funding was for only $200. I know that I'm not going to be able to make this week up since we just kind of lost control.

For some reason we just ate out a lot. I had to clean the house on Saturday to get ready for DS' birthday party so we ate out for breakfast and lunch. We took DS to Chuck E Cheese's and Taco Bell for his birthday. DH wanted to go to the mall and of course we had to eat lunch there too.

I'm going to make sure that this DOESN't HAPPEN AGAIN.

Luckily DH gets paid 3X this month so we can handle the extra spending. Otherwise all of this would be going against credit cards again.

This week was a little better We're getting used to the idea of spending only what's in the checking account and not pulling out the credit card automatically.

Eating Out - $46
Groceries - $70
Golf - $14
Gifts - $35

Total - $165

My plan is to keep our spending under $200/week during the summer break for discretionary expenses. I've also decided to not include in this budget clothing, household, and repair expenses. It will be paid out of our savings instead of discretionary fund.

So to date we've spent in discretionary expenses - $374 ($26 under budget)

This doesn't include dryer repairs of $167, household expenses of $50, and clothes of $120.

I still need to work on eating out less. With so many fast food places less than 5 minutes from the house, it's so hard not to make a BK, McD, KFC, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Subway, etc. run if we're hungry and running late. I always make a meal plan for dinner but never for breakfast and lunch. I need to start doing that so we don't eat out so often. I also need to have frozen meals ready in case I'm not able to cook. That will also keep us from eating out at the last minute.

We went over our budget slightly. I'm trying to budget $200/week for all discretionary expenses ($200 X 4 = $800 and is lumped together under food).

Clothes - $59
Groceries - $92
Eating Out - $118

Total - $269

DH had to buy a pair of softball shoes out of the blue.

Groceries could have been lower except I had to buy extra groceries for a get together we were planning for 7/4. Unfortunately, our friends couldn't make it at the last minute. That's okay, we'll just eat the burgers and hot dogs over the next few days.

Eating out was high since I was sick as a dog and couldn't do anything this past week. DH had to buy dinner a few times.

My plan is to lower our $200 this week by $69. So we've got a $131 this week. I've already done grocery today and luckily didn't have to buy very much since I've got a lot of meats stocked up in the freezer.

DH is putting another crimp in my budget. He's planning on going golfing and attending NHRA drag racing this weekend.

I'll have to make sure that I only buy necessities this week and no eating out except a little treat for the kids.

Younger DS and I both have colds. He was running a fever and and a tummy ache yesterday. I've been hacking and sneezing for the past few days.

So our usual Tuesday shopping day was shorter than usual. I just bought essentials at walmart. We bought lunch at McDonald's and DH bought dinner at L&L Hawaiian BBQ. I'm pretty much out of commission with a stuffed up head that's ready to explode.

Walmart - $48
McDonald's - $11
L&L - $19

I've decided to start blogging again. It's been a while since my last entry. As usual, we just can't stop the spending on our credit cards so I've started a new approach. I opened a new checking account and I'm going to transfer $200/week to cover all discretionary expenses i.e. clothes, food, etc. Once the kids go back to school I'm going to lower that $200/week to $150/week. Anything that we buy has to go on the debit card and not on the credit card. If there's no money to cover it, then we don't get it. I'm also not carrying my credit card with me at all.

July Budget/Actuals/Fcst

Charity - $35/$0/$35
Debt - $60/$0/$60
Food (and other discretionary items) - $800/$0/$800
House - $676/$0/$676
Insurance - $1,185/$0/$1,185 (includes car insurance to be paid in full)
Kids - $114/$0/$114
Medical - $0/$0/$0
Personal - $50/$0/$50
Transportation - $150/$0/$150
Utilities - $501/$0/$501