August Budget

Total Saved:
$140

Groceries: Over by $194 
- I really am not sure how I got so over in this category.  I blame about $10 on the lady who yelled at me last week (led to me buying M&M's, Ice Cream, and Oreos) but I am not sure about the rest.  Most likely it is due to the fact that I have been buying lots of local fresh fruits and veggies but then spending the same amount at the grocery store as normal!

Fixed Costs: Over by $14
-Our electric bill was really high this month.  This will gradually drop (although then gas will go up as it gets colder outside).  Our insurance bill was really high too.  This bill fluctuates every month which drives me crazy so Victor has figured out how to get a fixed rate which will help with planning.  We add preschool in again in September which will make it tougher to stay under in the fixed category.

Entertainment: Over by $20
We ate out more than normal this month, went on a date, and Victor traveled for reserve weekend which isn't reimbursed and goes in this category.

Household/Unexpected: Over by $450
I probably need to readjust our "expected" costs in the budget as we always spend more than is budgeted for in this column.  So of it is fun stuff that could be reigned in but a lot is just day to day expenses for a family of 5.

Medical Costs in August:
$200
Gas Costs:
$232

"Fun: expenses:
-Bought presents for Erik's upcoming birthday and party ($100)
-I had my hair done ($100)
-Victor outfitted the garage with wall hooks so we can park both vehicles in the garage now (just in time for the hurricane) ($200)
-Lots of travel - Baltimore for PA conference, Annapolis for minivan, DC to visit Austin and Terri, Norfolk for Navy weekend
-Gymnastics registration + annual membership fee ($175)

Next month expected expenses:
-Nothing major although we are adding preschool for Erik and possibly Lainey with bumps the fixed cost column by $250
-Hopeful Girls night in DC over Labor Day weekend

Goal:
Get back to saving $500 of his regular salary sometime soon!! :)

Lessons Learned:
I have learned to be extra appreciative of Victor being willing to work 2 jobs while I stay home! If he wasn't in the Navy reserves we would either have to really change our current lifestyle or I would have to go back to work.  Saving $150 a month just isn't enough!  So, I complain less about the travel the reserves requires as I am thankful for the extra savings and the freedom to stay home with my kids!

Notable Moments

It's fun having kids so close in age because their sense of humor/way of thinking is really similar.  The following scenario is similar to everyday occurrences in our house...

Erik: (Picking at his shorts like one would if he had a wedgie)

Me:  "Erik, is your underwear bothering you?"

Erik:  No mom.  I am not wearing underwear today.  I just have an itch. 

Me: Okay.  Did you forget your underwear?

Erik: Yep.

Lainey:  (Frantically pulls down her pants!)  Mom, look at my underwear!  I am wearing underwear today.  Isn't it pretty? My underwear not itchy.  Erik, you are supposed to wear underwear when you are awake! (Pulls her pants back up and off they go.)


Anyone else have similar conversations in their houses?

Hurricane Irene

Well, I can now say I have survived both an earthquake and hurricane!  We are very, very fortunate to have escaped without any obvious damage.  That being said the amount of destruction caused by hurricane Irene in our area is amazing and awful.

Everywhere you look there are fallen trees -- hundreds of them within a mile radius of our house.  Our neighborhood was left with a few flooded basements, damaged roofs, and fallen trees but no houses had trees on top of them or in them.

The neighborhoods surrounding us were older though with lots of mature trees and almost every lot had at least one large tree down frequently on top of their roof or through the roof.  I personally know 3 families who had trees crash on their house.  One family had to be rescued from their house because they couldn't safely exit (4 trees fell on their house). Another family had a large tree crash through their kitchen window.  Other people had their windows blown out.  Our neighbors (at the bottom of the hill behind our house) had 3-4 inches of standing water in their newly finished basement.

Erik and Lainey's gymnastics class has been canceled indefinitely because there are holes in the roof of the building and the building is flooded.  Schools are still canceled.

Erik and I went up to DC yesterday afternoon to see Austin and Terri who are visiting (fun!).  On the way we saw 6 large trees toppled onto powerlines dangling over the highway - all within a 5 mile span.

It was an interesting experience.  Saturday morning we woke to light rain.  By the afternoon there were fierce winds and heavier rain but it wasn't terrifying yet.  We lost power around 6 pm.  By 9 pm the winds picked up and until 1 AM you could here them swirling around the house, rattling it.  It almost felt like you were in a tornado that lasted 4-5 hours.  I fell asleep at some point and when I got up to feed Carson at 3:30 AM the winds were still terrible but not like a tornado anymore!

Our power came back on at 9:30 AM on Sunday.  The sun came out around noon.

Again, we are so lucky as many people are still without power not to mention all the people who are flooded or digging out from being buried by trees.  I told my Dad on Sunday morning that if I had realized how much damage the storm was causing I would have been much more frightened.  Good thing I was somewhat naive!

Large trees were knocked over like toothpicks!