My 2020 Expenses

horseless carriage said:
View attachment 144055
Never has my dumb been so founded. I couldn't tell you what I spent, on what, when I spent it and how much it cost. What I can tell you is that I know that every month I spend, on average of twenty-five percent less than what I earn. Reason for that is, I pay cash, as in the filthy folding stuff and the reason for that is simple, Big Brother can't keep tabs on me, I mean, if I don't know my expenditure other than the total amount, I'm fairly sure that the profilers don't know either.
Click to expand...
all the older ( that is senior) Spaniards and Italians that I know, in Spain and Italy... always use cash never card, for the very same reason you state...
 

Liberty said:
Does that include paper products, pet food and wine?
Click to expand...
Paper products, yes... toilet paper and paper towels.

In an entire year I may buy 3 packages of paper towels (don't go through a lot), and 2-3 packages of toilet paper (usually aim to get the 30=60 pack).

Otherwise, strictly food products... very little in the way of junk food, and nothing in the way of pre-packaged things.

As for alcohol consumption, we go through very little. Dear husband likes to have a beer every now and then, so he buys a few (3-4) cases a year, and we might buy 3-4 bottles of wine in an entire year.
 
I haven't tracked my spending but I would guess I am spending 10,000 on groceries (including a lot of different types of bird seed, I wish I hadn't started feeding them, but now I feel like it would be cruel to stop. Though the past month whenever the weather is good the neighbors hens and roosters come over and clean up under the bird feeder, which brings back happy memories, and this week I had a woodpecker and last week meadowlarks, but aside from a couple cardinals and bluejays there are mostly just a heck of a lot of sparrows and starlings eating my money).
I pay maybe 1,500 a year on phone/internet/tv because I cancelled my cable tv and only watch Amazon Prime tv and, rarely, live tv. Also I mostly use my landline phone so my cellphone is on a $10 a month plan (gives me mostly text and calls, plus pitiful little bit of data). Also I kept pestering the landline/internet company to give me the introductory special price and after a few years they got tired of me begging for it each time it expired and so they gave me the special price permanently. I did that because several years ago I worked briefly at a company that did software for telecom companies and I learned that they DO have special prices they can give to whiny people.
For taxes, insurance, car I would guess 14,000 oh plus a few thousand for daughter's car payments, ugh.
I'm not sure on medical expenses, I would guess 9,000 including amounts I had to pay for myself + daughter and the premium payments they take out of my paycheck.
Oh dear, I can see I will have to work on serious budgeting when I retire later this year. Tho once I get Medicare and my daughter launches into independent adulthood, there should be some reductions.
 
HoneyNut said:
I haven't tracked my spending but I would guess I am spending 10,000 on groceries (including a lot of different types of bird seed, I wish I hadn't started feeding them, but now I feel like it would be cruel to stop. Though the past month whenever the weather is good the neighbors hens and roosters come over and clean up under the bird feeder, which brings back happy memories, and this week I had a woodpecker and last week meadowlarks, but aside from a couple cardinals and bluejays there are mostly just a heck of a lot of sparrows and starlings eating my money).
I pay maybe 1,500 a year on phone/internet/tv because I cancelled my cable tv and only watch Amazon Prime tv and, rarely, live tv. Also I mostly use my landline phone so my cellphone is on a $10 a month plan (gives me mostly text and calls, plus pitiful little bit of data). Also I kept pestering the landline/internet company to give me the introductory special price and after a few years they got tired of me begging for it each time it expired and so they gave me the special price permanently. I did that because several years ago I worked briefly at a company that did software for telecom companies and I learned that they DO have special prices they can give to whiny people.
For taxes, insurance, car I would guess 14,000 oh plus a few thousand for daughter's car payments, ugh.
I'm not sure on medical expenses, I would guess 9,000 including amounts I had to pay for myself + daughter and the premium payments they take out of my paycheck.
Oh dear, I can see I will have to work on serious budgeting when I retire later this year. Tho once I get Medicare and my daughter launches into independent adulthood, there should be some reductions.
Click to expand...
I'm glad you posted, Honey.

I take comfort in the idea that we're not the only ones spending a high dollar amount on food.

The overall cost of living has gotten out of control.
 
Food here is pretty cheap compared to a lot of places. I noticed big cities have higher prices.
I have two deep freeze lockers and buy meat on sale and stock up.
I have a vacuum sealer that makes a HUGE difference in storage.
Our booze budget is higher than most I am sure. I have a small 300 btl wine cellar.
My property taxes are $12,000.00 a year alone! I need to move and downsize.
 
Aunt Marg said:
Not to pry, Ronni, but working from an estimate, what would you guess your expenditure related to wine and other alcohol products would be in a year?
Click to expand...

Between $3000-$4000 a year maybe? 🤷‍♀️ I was engaging in a bit of hyperbole when I talked about our alcohol budget...it’s not like we have an entirely separate category for it. 😂

We enjoy cocktails or wine or beer in the evening when we’re both home from work, and after a full day of house chores, errands and work on the weekends.

I like my margaritas. He loves vodka tonics. We both enjoy wine with meals, or as sipping beverages, and beer with Pizza or bbq. We don’t skimp on the alcoholic beverages, and enjoy mixing cocktails when family visits.

Curious about your curiosity💕
 
Ronni said:
Between $3000-$4000 a year maybe? 🤷‍♀️ I was engaging in a bit of hyperbole when I talked about our alcohol budget...it’s not like we have an entirely separate category for it. 😂

We enjoy cocktails or wine or beer in the evening when we’re both home from work, and after a full day of house chores, errands and work on the weekends.

I like my margaritas. He loves vodka tonics. We both enjoy wine with meals, or as sipping beverages, and beer with Pizza or bbq. We don’t skimp on the alcoholic beverages, and enjoy mixing cocktails when family visits.

Curious about your curiosity💕
Click to expand...
Seems perfectly in order to me, because even at the 3-4 cases of beer that hubby buys each year and the 2-3 bottles of wine we buy, the bill for that would be in and around the $180 - $200 mark.

Doesn't take long to add up.

I remember my parents would wait until the last payday before Christmas, and then they'd make a trip to the liquor store to buy a few things in case company came by, and I recall how stressed they were over it, because they really didn't have the money for it, but they were too proud to tell company they couldn't afford to have booze in the house, so they just did it.

As for my curiosity, this topic really hit home in reading how much of a differential exists between grocery prices here in Canada vs the USofA, so getting a little insight and scoop on alcohol expenditures interested me.

Thanks for the reply, Ronni.
 
Aunt Marg said:
Seems perfectly in order to me, because even at the 3-4 cases of beer that hubby buys each year and the 2-3 bottles of wine we buy, the bill for that would be in and around the $180 - $200 mark.

Doesn't take long to add up.

I remember my parents would wait until the last payday before Christmas, and then they'd make a trip to the liquor store to buy a few things in case company came by, and I recall how stressed they were over it, because they really didn't have the money for it, but they were too proud to tell company they couldn't afford to have booze in the house, so they just did it.

As for my curiosity, this topic really hit home in reading how much of a differential exists between grocery prices here in Canada vs the USofA, so getting a little insight and scoop on alcohol expenditures interested me.

Thanks for the reply, Ronni.
Click to expand...
You’re welcome! 👍💕

That budget is for the tequila and mixers that I like for margaritas, Ron’s vodka for the tonics he enjoys plus the bloody Marys that we change it up to every now and again, the Buds we enjoy with certain meals and the wine we like as an accompaniment for others.

Occasionally we’ll do screwdrivers and/or mimosas for brunch if we’re having company (no that there’s much of that with Covid) or other mixed drinks for get togethers (again, Covid has pretty much put a cap on that. )
 
Ronni said:
You’re welcome! 👍💕

That budget is for the tequila and mixers that I like for margaritas, Ron’s vodka for the tonics he enjoys plus the bloody Marys that we change it up to every now and again, the Buds we enjoy with certain meals and the wine we like as an accompaniment for others.

Occasionally we’ll do screwdrivers and/or mimosas for brunch if we’re having company (no that there’s much of that with Covid) or other mixed drinks for get togethers (again, Covid has pretty much put a cap on that. )
Click to expand...
I do see our overall yearly alcohol expenditure to increase, albeit ever so marginally once dear husband retires at the beginning of next year, seeing how we will both be home fulltime, and quite possibly around the same time I may just be hitting you up for a few of your recipes related to refreshing summer drinks, Ronni! :)
 
Marg, have you never gone across the line to grocery shop? There’s a considerable difference in food & household prices. And many unique products.

When the American skiers are here in the winter, it’s funny to listen to them discussing the prices. “$2 for an avocado and it’s hard as a rock.”
A can of refried beans was about $1 in the US, it’s $3+ here. The Customs Agent looked at me like I was nuts when I was telling him what I bought.
Then there’ll be some items that are cheaper in Canada.
 
Around 350 to 400 for food. The only convenience food I buy is the occasional frozen pizza. Everything else is from scratch.

The Fibe TV and internet bill must come down, ridiculous at $260 month and not even all the available channels.
 
Lee said:
Around 350 to 400 for food. The only convenience food I buy is the occasional frozen pizza. Everything else is from scratch.

The Fibe TV and internet bill must come down, ridiculous at $260 month and not even all the available channels.
Click to expand...
$350-$400 (a year) on food?
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Lee
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top