February Do the Numbers

February slipped into March before I realized it.
It's time for the monthly spending roundup. 

The excitement is building! Although I've been thinking about starting to use a budgeting and spending tracking program such as Quicken, Mint, or Personal Capital, I'm not currently doing so. This is my own first overview of the numbers for spending on non-routine bills (mortgage, utilities, life insurance and gas not included below).

Here was February's spending: 

Groceries:
$403.00- This included two big shopping trips and several smaller ones. My goal is to stay around $350 for the three of us, but this isn't bad--and not surprising given how under budget we were last month. We'd emptied out freezer and cupboards in January.

Medical Expenses:
$270.00- Copays and medications for four family members

Dental Expenses:
$1180- Wisdom teeth extraction plus fluoride treatment, ouch!

Miscellaneous:
$57-Visa to Vietnam ($16), three yoga classes ($20), fingerprinting at sheriff's office ($15), batteries for the bathroom scale ($5), and trip to the county dump ($11)

Socializing/Alcohol: 
$37.00- Two Bota boxes of red wine, chocolates, and pretzels for two gatherings

Eating Out:
$95.00- a wonderful dinner and evening out with a dear friend-a rare treat

Monthly total: $2042.00

I hope to do better in March. Stay tuned.