This month’s spending update is all about our daughter!

In September, I discovered the awesomeness of the community centers in our county. Not only are they providing me with a free gym, but they have excellent facilities for toddlers like DPR. Pretty much anytime she’s awake Monday through Saturday there is a room full of toys for her to play with within a 15-minute drive, plus occasionally they turn the basketball gyms into toddler spaces. DPR particularly loves the play kitchens; we don’t have one at home, but all the community centers I’ve visited so far do. And best of all, these rooms are free! They used to have a $3 drop-in fee, but that was removed about six months ago. DPR is also enrolled in a weekly music and movement class this fall through the community center.

Kyle and DPR in a toddler play room at a local community center

We enrolled DPR in a co-op preschool this month. At $92/month, it’s quite expensive for the amount of classroom time we get (75 minutes/week and a parent is present the whole time). Plus, there are a bunch of annual fees we’re paying this fall. But we’re just going to try it for the year and see what she gets out of it before re-evaluating for next year. Kyle is taking her to the weekly class time and I’m going to the meetings and outside social engagements.

We came in under budget (overall) this month, so I retroactively transferred more money into our Baby account, which has been running a deficit.

Regular Fixed Expenses

Rent $1645

Water/Sewer/Garbage $130

Internet $74.45

Student Loan Minimum Payment $101.99

Co-Op Preschool $92

Netflix $10.74

Cloud Backup $5.99

Regular Variable Expenses

Power $166.2 ($80 budgeted): I increased our budget to match our recent spending in this category, but I’ll probably have to continue to increase it as the cold weather sets in.

Groceries $640.92 ($600 budgeted): Man, I thought we were finally going to come in under budget this month! I was tracking throughout the month, but it turned out I didn’t catch that Mint had mis-categorized one of our ($100+) Costco purchases. Somehow I need to keep this spending in check! J

Restaurants $27.92 ($50 budgeted): Kyle went out for lunch/happy hour with his co-workers a few times.

Gas/Parking/Public Transit $41.62 ($60 budgeted): Two gas fill-ups and a bit of parking. I anticipate driving a lot more in the coming months than I have since moving to Seattle. While I’ve been happy to stay at home, now that DPR is active she needs to get out of the apartment. We have a park within walking distance, but once the weather turns we’ll want to drive to indoor play spaces.

Phones $64.21 ($65 budgeted): Two smartphones with large data plans! Kyle uses Cricket Wireless and I use Republic Wireless.

Miscellaneous $18 ($200.31 budgeted):

• $10 for laundry quarters
• $8 for an activity for DPR

Bottom Line

We spent $3,115.48 of $3,115.48 available.

Targeted Savings

We contributed $681.34 and spent $1,320.05 in total.

Cars

Starting Balance $565.06

Saved $79.44

Spent $0

Travel

Starting Balance $1597.54

Saved $100.00

Spent $738.19: We bought two sets of round-trip flights, one for Kyle for a day trip to Los Angeles in October and a pair for all of us for our Christmas trip to Los Angeles.

Gifts

Starting Balance $644.94

Saved $70.00

Spent $0

Appearance

Starting Balance $416.09

Saved $221.67

Spent $232.26: We bought new clothes and shoes, including attire for my sister’s wedding in October.

Electronics

Starting Balance $1,668.61

Saved $0

Spent $0

Baby

Starting Balance $107.62

Saved $198.34

Spent $349.60: We paid a bunch of fees and advance tuition for DPR’s co-op preschool.

Insurance

Starting Balance $783.31

Saved $108.33

Spent $0

What free activities do your children participate in in your city? When did your children first attend ‘school?’