This was a very strange month.
I had not planned on going back to Toronto until February, but stuff came up and I went back.
Naturally, I did a little more eating out than usual, saw my dentist and ran a couple of errands
My true one-offs are here:
We (BF and I) also went over in our eating out and grocery budgets, because we were feeding a family of 4 for week and a half!
We were buying specialty foods like duck, stewing hen, chorizo, special bacon… it was insane, the food fest.
I’ll do a separate post on what I bought and what we/I ate in Toronto.
Keeping to $1000/month:
It’s hard when I visit another city in the middle of the month when I was not planning on doing so.
I have to pay for so much that I’ve been holding off on, that it all comes out in one big rush.
If you just look at my basic living expenses and the highlighted categories, that’s all part of the trip back to Toronto:
We were feeding my whole family, and our grocery budget doubled as a result.
I did some blogger meet-ups under the Eating Out category. (Shoulda gone for hotdogs!)
I also saw some great deals on electronics and took advantage of buying what was on my list while the buying was good.
Then finally having access to not just one, but TWO Sephora’s, I replaced my daytime moisturizer, nighttime moisturizer and facial cleanser, along with getting a little travel case for my makeup.
If we were having a normal month, It’d be more like this in my opinion:
Not that I am trying to justify the spending.
I’m just saying.
Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver.
I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year.
Now I am self-employed, and you can read more about 
January is a ridiculous month for me always. I think it has to do with everything being due (insurance and after insurance) at once and the leftover aftermath of Christmas. I'm finally rebounding and attempting to actually keep track of my spending in February.
I’m going to pretend January never happened.
Wow thats incredible, where are you living in Toronto that your rent is so cheap? (I assume you split it with your BF?) I am looking for a 1 bedroom apartment and I cannot find anything much cheaper than $1000 a month…
I live in Montreal actually. And I do split with BF 🙂
I also live in a studio, not a 1 bedroom, which helps cut the costs by a LOT!
Ah I thought it was a Toronto place, but I imagine the prices aren't too much different. I've noticed studios do help to cut the cost a bit but for me I just prefer having my bedroom separate from the rest, I guess I'll have to pay the cost for it! 🙂
Thanks for the reply
I suppose for a studio way out in the middle of nowhere would be cheap in Toronto, or maybe a basement. Basements are pretty manky.
I remember paying $1500 (?) for a 2 bedroom, 2 level apartment by Finch & Yonge when I was foolish and silly with my cash haha!
Good luck finding a place.