I've gotten a lot better at my personal financial bookkeeping over the years, and now I know exactly how much I'm spending and what exactly my money is being spent on. For some categories I am surprised that I've spent so little, and for others I can't believe I've spent so much! For all of 2011 minus December, here are a few examples of my spending habits.
For 2011 I have spent approximately:
$109.00 on clothes (this is less than some people spend on clothes in one trip to the mall!)
$1,038.00 on dining out (here I've realized that I need to cut back and save in 2012)
$168.00 on electricity bills (can you believe this is almost a whole year's worth!?)
$492.00 on internet bills (I spend more on the internet than on electricity?)
$3,246 on rent (some people spend this much on rent a month!)
Of course there are other bills and expenses, but this is just a glimpse at how things added up. I think that I need to be a little more mindful of my entertainment and dining-out bills after seeing how they add up in the long term, and be grateful that my main utilities and rent are so low.
If you're interested in being financially aware, I'd be more than happy to send you templates of my financial spreadsheets. They help me keep track of earnings, spending, and savings. If you are in need of budgeting help, these could be great tools to help you get started!
Back to work tomorrow.
Lana
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