From D.I.N.K to O.I.N.K - March Summary

March was not the greatest month for us.  Supposed to be a happy time - my birthday month!  Unfortunately, my brother passed away.  We had extra expenses with travel, gifts (funeral expenses), and eating out due to travel.

Over budget on:

• Auto
• Gas for the Jeep
• Service on the Hyundai
• Dining out
• Entertainment
• Caps tickets - final payment for the season
• Gifts
• flowers for the funeral
• my birthday gifts from D
• gift card for upcoming wedding
• Household
• service on the vaccuum cleaner
• Personal care
• I HAD to get my hair done for the funeral - it had been 3 months and the grays were really starting to show down the middle
• Travel
• security deposit for the beach (which we will get back)

From D.I.N.K to O.I.N.K - February Summary

Here's February's Summary:

• Over budget on:
• Auto/Gas -
• Tolls - had to add to the EZ pass. Over by $24 (budgeted $11.66/month)
• Auto Other - had to buy windshield wipers for the Jeep. Over by $20.
• Clothing - R - I bought a couple of things at Target & Kohls. Over by $40.
• Dining Out - Whoops! We ate out/ordered in a little too much! Over by almost $90!
• Entertainment - Time to pay for our Capitals tickets - $101.77 and we went out last weekend - $32
• Gifts -we had a birthday party to go - $43
• Household
• hobbies - I bought a couple of things at Michaels & Creative Memories - $15
• Shipping - I sent some books out for paperbackswap - $23
• other - storage supplies for cleaning out the closets - $12
• Personal Care -  really needed to get my brows done - $18.
• All other items were on or under budget!

So yeah - short month, but way off budget.  Still, 2nd month in and REALLY watching the expenses which I never did before.  Here's to a new month!

From D.I.N.K To O.I.N.K. - January Summary

So starting on January 1, 2013 I officially did not have a job.  I decided to take the payout (or severance pay) instead of applying for basically the same job with a new company.  Since then, I have been a housewife.  Our goal is to live on one income (my husband's) and use my severance pay to pay the mortgage as long as possible. 

Hence From D.I.N.K. (Double Income No Kids) To O.I.N.K. (One Income No Kids).  January was the first try at this new budget.  I created a budget in Quicken and can run a report at the end of the month to see how we did. 

Here's January's Summary:

• Over budget on:
• Auto/Gas - This is because of the travel both of us did on separate occasions (me to NY to see my family and hubby went to Canada for a family outing)
• Gas & Electric - This could be because of cooking more and being home all day using the computer, tv, etc.
• All other items were on or under budget!

So far, so good. However, this week it was announced that the government will be doing furloughs starting in April if a budget is not reached by March 1.  Hubby said that he will be furloughed 1 day/pay period from April through September.  If a budget is not reached by July, he will be furloughed 2 days/pay period through September.

Time for the rant - of course Congress & Senate will NOT be furloughed and get their whole paycheck!  That's what I don't think is fair. They should also be furloughed to see how they like it.

We'll see what happens.  I feel that we will be fine.  Worst case, we will need to look at the variable budget items - cable/tv/internet, cell phone, dining out, etc.

NOTE:  Once I do get a job (the goal is by the end of the year), we will do double payments with the 2nd payment going to the principle on the mortgage.