Well, I've been all excited to report spending numbers I was really happy with, but today, on the LAST DAMNED DAY OF THE MONTH, I unexpectedly had to make $657 worth of repairs to my car. That changed a month with a surplus of more than $400, which would have been a huge step in the right direction, to a negative month. HUMBUG.
Kid-4 started working a temporary job at a really nice wage about two weeks ago, so she's picking up more of her expenses. It's a huge relief! This job will last until mid-April. I'm still covering her car insurance, half of her car payment, and for the first half of the month, I paid for her food and gas. She's taken over food and gas now that paychecks are coming in.
Food and grocery is over budget (I try for $10/day, so $310 for January), partly because of that meal out early in the month that I confessed to in a previous post, but partly because about a week ago I started stocking up my kitchen to start making food at home again. I've been sustaining myself on takeout and restaurant food since I first got too sick to cook, about two years ago. It's time! I've been back in the kitchen for about a week now, and it's kind of fun again. I've gained a pound, though. Oops.
Some of my spending is high by mustachian standards, but overall I'm happy with it. Here's to a frugal February!