Eyeballing the budget: Weekly finances in review 6/30-7/6

As I have mentioned before although I filed an appeal nothing has been decided on the topic of unemployment so I am proceeding as if the appeal will be denied and relying on my savings (and the small amount of cash I make cleaning) to get us through the remainder of the summer months. This week I took care of a couple more bills (mortgage, car payment) and did the grocery shopping (see previous posting on this). I also cleaned twice (income: $175) which allowed me to pay my cell phone bill yesterday and have some cash in my wallet for future expenses. Once again my cell phone bill has increased. This is the second time in the last year with AT&T. I have six more months left on this contract and then we will be parting ways.

Other expenses add up this way:

Sunday 6/30: $0

Monday 7/1: grocery shopping $262.72 (more than the $200 I'd planned but still within the $350 I budget for each month) on food, $35.56 on nonfood household items (well within the $75 budget for this category) $5 for parking for event downtown (since son R drove I told him I'd pay for parking).

Tuesday 7/2: $63.55 at BJ's on steaks for July 4th picnic, I got half of this back ($32) from GF and shockingly we had three steaks turn bad by the 4th (although the sell by date was 7/4), I returned these and got my money back. GF insisted on picking up the cost of replacing these so we'd have enough food for everyone we had to feed that day so my end cost was $0.  $85 at eye doctor for 6 month supply of contact lenses. $3.42 at Lowe's for clothespins and DampRid bags for basement.

Wednesday 7/3: $34.25  on picnic supplies (ice, pop, bottled water, etc.) half of this reimbursed by GF so total cost $ 16. 

Thursday: 7/4 $0

Friday 7/5: $48.00 on gas for SUV

Saturday 7/6: $53.00 on card and gift card for sister's 50th Wedding Anniversary.

At first glance it looks as if I spent quite a bit on extras but with the reimbursements from GF my totals came out to be acceptable. I'd budgeted about $50 on the gift  so that was planned in advance and while gas was expensive this week I'd also ran the tank almost dry and did manage to gas up at the cheapest station in the area.

This coming week I anticipate having to gas up yet again and dropping a small amount ($5) on a movie 'date' with teen son H & his GF to see The Lone Ranger (a local theatre has $5 Tuesdays so we plan on matinees on several Tuesdays this summer). The teens and DIL M and I plan on finally using the waterpark passes we bought and going there midweek but we will pack food and drinks and parking is free. We've also talked about another zoo day and packing lunch for that as well.