Budget Breakdown

Today I have been creating our monthly menu (yes I create a monthly menu to make sure I spend the correct amount of money at the grocery store and still be able to eat all month). Making the shopping list for the month goes hand in hand with making the menu so I did that as well. This month's total came to $78... $18 more than I would like it to be really, but I think if I go to Save - a - Lot, I may be able to shave some of that $78 off and get it down to at least $68 which isn't all that bad.

After realizing I need about $78 for food this month I then started to do our dreaded monthly finances! And this month... they are not so great :[

Here is a breakdown of what we are working with (yes I am sharing with the whole world how much money I have and make. This is mainly so I can go back a long time from now and see how far I have come):

Currently in account: $602
Expected to get paid on May 31st: $550 (at least, probably more but can't over estimate this or I will get screwed)

Estimated amount of money for this month: $1,152

Bills:
Rent: $625
Electric: $126
Internet: $75
Phone: $70
                  Total: $896

Other expenses:
Gas: $70
Food: $78
Contacts for Anthony: $65
                                          Total: $213

This leaves us with $43... but a few days ago we found out one of the tires on our car is gashed so now we need a new tire! So... $43 for a new (used) tire... which may not even be enough! :O

I am so very upset because I was looking forward to taking Anthony to Beef O' Brady's for his birthday on June 11th but it looks like we will not have a single dollar to spend.

I am trying so very hard to stay afloat here. It isn't like we are being extravagant and buying all sorts of stuff, we are just buying the bare essentials and we barley even have enough money for that. I hope and pray that Etsy comes through for us, we need, need, need it to work right now. God forbid we run out of diapers, dog food, toilet paper... anything. We would not be able to buy more until June 14th. And even thinking about the possibility of running out of formula for Bear makes my head want to explode, at that point we would have to ask family or friends for money because we can't let our son go hungry. Life is hard. It really is.