A few years back, a friend told me my ‘numbers blogs’ were boring. She was right, but I couldn’t help it; I love numbers.
I found this table of my monthly expenses from a blog I’d written in July 2021 and thought I’d update it to show my monthly expenses now and what a difference 4 years can make.
I was more than surprised, I was amazed.
| MONTHLY EXPENSE | JUL 2021 | AUG 2025 |
| RENT | 790.00 | 880.00 |
| XFINITY TV/PHONE/INTERNET | 234.00 | 80.00 |
| HEALTH INSURANCE | 145.00 | 55.00 |
| GROCERIES | 240.00 | 320.00 |
| UTILITIES - ELECTRIC | 45.00 | 55.00 |
| KEURIG COFFEE SUBSCRIPTION | 40.00 | 45.00 |
| BARBERSHOP | 20.00 | 25.00 |
| RENTERS INSURANCE | 10.00 | 10.00 |
| DENTAL INSURANCE | 15.00 | 0 |
| AMBULANCE INSURANCE | 8.00 | 8.00 |
| PRESCRIPTIONS | 15.00 | 0 |
| STREAMING SERVICES | 20.00 | 35.00 |
| CELLPHONE (T-MOBILE, MINT) | 65.00 | 20.00 |
| DINING OUT | 50.00 | 75.00 |
| STORE SHOPPING | 150.00 | 200.00 |
| ONLINE SHOPPING | 225.00 | 250.00 |
| LUNCHES AT SENIOR CENTER | 0 | 25.00 |
JULY 2021 MONTHLY TOTAL: $2082.00
AUG 2025 MONTHLY TOTAL: $2082.00
They came out to the same monthly total! That was the last thing I expected. I should add that while my monthly totals look low, I wind up spending 4-5K more in the year.
High priced items like a new phone or tablet, donations to my favorite charities over the holidays, medical & dental bills. But still, the “minimum spending” list above… strange how the total dollar amount remained the same.
But like I said, there’s always other expenses. I’m meeting with an oral surgeon today at 1:30 to discuss a bone graft and implant bridge that will run $7500.00 or more.
And a year from now, my monthly health insurance is going to QUADRUPLE when I’m kicked off Pennie (the ACA Health Exchange in Pennsylvania) and forced go on Medicare.
It sucks getting old but it beats the alternative!
I think that's rather amazing. I should try the same, but I know I am paying more now.
ReplyDeleteThanks DJan, I still find it hard to believe. But thanks to Biden, my health insurance did drop a good bit during his term in office. I hope you're still doing well following your surgery.
DeleteI'm not a numbers person but this was not a boring post. Really wild that your totals came out the same. You are really lucky to have such low health insurance. Ours dropped dramatically with Medicare but we live in an expensive state. 😏
ReplyDeleteThank you Bobi. And yes I've been very lucky in regards to my health insurance premiums the last 2 years. I'm really going to be sorry to give that up when I turn 65.
DeleteDug, This was really interesting. All your expenses seem incredibly low! Ours are more than twice that much (but there are 3 of us). Our medical, house, and car insurance alone is about $1500, Utilities (elec, gas, water) about $1000. Groceries have tripled, etc. We hope to continue to stay in our house as we can pay our bills. But maintenance and unexpected expenses do come up...
ReplyDeleteWow--thank you for sharing Rian, I realize I'm just a one-bedroom apt and no car, but your numbers are still pretty steep. Your utilities, my gosh...
DeleteIMHO Rent and groceries climbed, but savings on phone, internet, and insurance balanced it out. Of course, big-ticket surprises like medical bills still throw things off. Getting older isn’t cheap, but your budgeting skills definitely shine through
ReplyDeleteWhen you spent in Indonesia it will be so much expensive. 1 US Dollar =16.265 Indonesian Rupiah for today's rate
For example : GROCERIES $ 240. It equal to 3,903,840 Rupiahs. I could have purchased lots of groceries for my family of four for two months here in Indonesia
Asep, thank you for reading this and sharing these examples. I have a feeling I could live better in Indonesia with the same dollars I spend here. That's amazing about the groceries!
DeleteHi Doug, interesting, not boring, post! Your monthly outlay is fairly low. Our income halved when Chuck retired last December so we are pretty conscious of our spending. Dental work is crazy expensive! I just had to have gum surgery. Our wonderful ($&#@) dental plan paid a grand total of $800.00 out of a $2300.00 bill. But as you say it is better than the alternative. Hope everything went ok at your dental appointment.❤️
ReplyDeleteRobin
Thank you Robin, much appreciated! That was a big drop in income for you guys, but I'm sure you were well prepared for Chuck's retirement. But I'm sorry you're still paying so much for your own dental--I stopped buyng insurance precisely because of this, it didn't do much good. My x-rays, cleaning & consultation today cost me $300.00 I was told my implants would run around 9K when all is said and done. Oh dear...
DeleteThis is really fascinating Doug - and spooky that the numbers come out the same . I don’t have private medical insurance, as we have the NHS ( although the Tories did their best to break it )- other costs here seem higher than yours - my gas/ electric bill is factored over the year and I pay £150 a month - I live in a two hundred year old cottage made of stone , and it gets pretty cold at times . I own my home outright , so no mortgage or rent , but house insurance ( buildings and contents ) factor in at around £40 per month - other utilities here are expensive - water rates are around £ 500 a year and I pay local tax at well if about £2 000 per annum
ReplyDeleteInflation is running hot here , so food prices are high .
I hope your appointment is positive and goes well
Siobhan
Hi Siobhan, thanks for taking the time to read and share your own numbers. Love me some UK stats and this was quite fascinating. That's wonderful you own your home (and have NHS) but still all the expenses you do. Thanks for the good wishes too, today went very well with my new dentist. He asked me to give him a positive review online. :^)
DeleteGoodness, your costs are quite reasonable, especially considering the impact of inflation.
ReplyDeleteI'm a number geek too, curious, I took a quick peek at my spreadsheet and am spending less on the basics, groceries, mortgage, insurance, property taxes, and utilities than I was in 2021. However, that is primarily because I sold my big house in the city and moved into a smaller one with my daughter. She also shares in the costs so that makes things easier for me. I did note that what we're paying for utilities (about $500 a month) is as much as I paid for the larger home.
My gosh, thank you for sharing Maebeme--that's so nice about you moving in a smaller place with your daughter. But your utilities, wow! I only pay for electric here, I am realizing more & more I'm pretty fortunate!
DeleteYour renter's insurance blows me out of the water. 50 years ago, when we lived in an apartment, our renter's insurance was $100 a year. I can only imagine what it would be now. Our homeowners's insurance is going to take a large hike this year due to all the fires in California. If an insurer is still in California, they are raising rates to help make up for those huge payouts.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly live a very inexpensive life.
Thanks dkzody, and yes I'm very sure my expenses are low compared to you & California! That's amazing about the renters insurance though... mine is roughly $100 a year. I guess it helps to live in a boring place like southwestern Pa, but I'd still love to give your part of the country a try!
DeleteForgot to wish you good luck with your dental consult! My husband had the cadaver implant procedure in April and goes for step two next month. So far so good and he would recommend it but it is pricey!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Bobi! And hmm, very interesting! My dentist (who also did x-rays and cleaning) told me I have to be outsourced for the implant procedure, I only need 2 not 3, but is still going to cost $9000 when all is said and done. That is unreal, but I'd love to have a couple teeth on my bottom left again... I am psyched for the cadaver bone :^)
DeleteThat's crazy that the total was the same! It's fascinating what went up and what came down. I don't keep track and I should! I would be appalled at my cable and phone bill. Ugh! $7500 is a big number but if it's your only option, you're stuck. Implants are SO expensive. I'm happy to see that cost for lunches at the Senior Center; that was a fabulous change to your life!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Margaret, I'm not complaining but that $7,500 price is now $9,000! But it needs done, so it is what it is. As for the senior center, the lunches are only $3 on regular days but I may not be going there regularly for a while, long story darn it.
DeleteWow, that’s amazing.
ReplyDeleteNot amazing that the figure is identical, but amazing to me that you’ve kept records of all those things.
It reminds me of a good friend of mine who puts everything into Excel spreadsheets, even things I wonder, “Why would you do that?”. Well, he is (sorry, was, he’s retired now) head of the Statistics department at his local university. He and I did a degree in Mathematics together at Melbourne University – it’s just that he took it a lot further than I did.
Sorry, I’m getting off topic (but then I usually do that anyway).
I can’t even remember what I spent on groceries on Monday (I imagine the receipt is around the place somewhere).
However, there are two items on your list I do know – Rent and Barbershop. Both zero in my case as I own my place (I suppose council rates might be analogous) and I’ve cut my own hair since 1970.
Thank you Peter, you always make me smile. 🙂 it amazes me you cut your own hair, I sure wish I could! Mine that is.. as for keeping records, Peter I don't do that! I want to do a Blog about this soon, all my financial accounts are managed in one place online called yodlee.money, which tells me at a glance what my bills were that month, what I used my charge card for, my Investment Portfolio. It is an awesome online tool and it's completely free.
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