Monthly Expenses

Here lies my monthly expense list.  I am always searching for ways to lower my monthly expenses.  Of course, some are easier to slash than others.  For instance, it is more difficult to reduce your monthly rent (the further you are from the lease end-date) than it is you grocery bill.



This is a fairly good approximation of what I spend per month.  The list is open for scrutinizing, and here are a few areas I can definitely improve upon:

• Rent - Rent is considerably higher in the Pacific Northwest than the average U.S. locality.  Still, 30% of my apartment remains vacant (I have a whole "living" area comprising 150 sq. ft. that goes mostly unused).  My next apartment will either be a studio efficiency or a very small 1 bedroom apartment.
• Groceries - Make no mistake, I eat clean but very well.  My substantial protein needs require a fair bit of chicken, fish and lean ground beef - which is not inexpensive.  Thus, I cringe during my bi-weekly visits to Costco; even though I realize most of the items are purchased at a substantial cost savings.

 I plan on posting a detailed monthly expense report for all to see.  That way it can keep me honest on my spending habits and provide a baseline for your budget as well.  I bank with ING Direct, which like all banks, gives you the ability to download your transactions over a certain period of time.  I decided to track my spending over the past year and I was shocked at where my money was going (hmm.. topic for another post?).  This forced me to think harder every time I pulled my debit card out to swipe.  It seriously does change your spending behavior.  An added benefit of banking with ING Direct is a nifty little setting that emails you every time you make a transaction with your debit card.  That way, you have another method of tracking spending, all at the convenience of your fingertips.  I encourage you to give it a try!