November 2014 Budget Review

November was supposed to be a lower spending month for me, a recovery from my October budget which had increased spending from going away for a long weekend. Getting under my budget for November would also set me up nicely for December with the increased spending during the holidays. I was pleasantly surprised to see when putting together my budget numbers for November that I came out significantly under budget for the month. I had planned for it to be a low spending month, but I was able to cut down the expenses in multiple categories which made the final numbers turn out even better than expected.

Here’s how the actual budget numbers for November turned out:

The first category that I was able to save some money in this month was my cell phone bill, which was thanks to my friend signing up for Republic Wireless. It was a nice little bonus as normally my phone bill is a static expense. Republic Wireless have since temporarily ended their referral program which stinks. You can still take advantage of referrals and a $20 discount off your first phone bill or device purchase if you sign up for Ting, another great cell phone service that I recommend.

My gas expenses were down this month again, thanks to the still declining gas prices. Without the extra travel though, I came in under budget for November by $8. I recently read the other day that a gas station in Oklahoma City actually had prices under $1.99! I don’t expect to see those prices in my area anytime soon, but the downward trend is appreciated.

The dining out category came under budget this month as well, as that consisted of going out to eat for dinner before a hockey game, lunch once, and buying a 6 pack. There were a few more opportunities to go out for lunch this month, but I declined as I had packed a lunch from home already. My entertainment budget for the month was going two hockey games (one was given for free, and just had to pay for parking) which was fun and not too expensive.

I also spent some money on for some filters and plants for the fish tank, probably the only portion of my budget that I actually went “over” on. This was basically a one time purchase though, so going over by $5 is not a big deal. The “extra” spending for the month was a haircut, buying some extra canned goods for the Thanksgiving fundraiser at work, and then oil, oil filter, and an air filter. I’ve changed my own oil recently (even though it’s basically the same price) after dealing with the frustration of the stuck oil drain plug.

As you can see from the above category summaries, November was a great month for me. I resisted any spending impulses and I was definitely not among those in the crowds on Black Friday! I was able to keep my spending down across the board and it paid off as I went from $50 over budget in October to $200 under budget in November. This should help out tremendously as I start to purchase gifts for everyone in December.

Image Source: Death to the Stock Photo

4 comments

  1. Nice work! $2,300 toward student loans is awesome. My parents were saying their news is reporting their gas prices may be under $2 next year as well. Crazy! I filled up using my mom’s gas points on our recent trip and paid $19. I hope it lasts for a while. =)

    1. Thanks, it was a good month! I really never though I was going to see gas under $2.50 again let alone under $2.00, but obviously these things can flip right back in a hurry. I remember when i was working over the Summer during college and getting mad as gas did approach $2.50! And now I’m doing the exact opposite…

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