Spending Breakdown

Since I am now on a quest to spend way less than I make (which is a pitiful amount) I thought that the best place to start would be with a break down of how I spent my last paycheck - which, if you were wondering, is GONE. I have $1.42 that has not been dedicated to anything left in my checking account. I got paid on November 14, 2008 and $610.91 was put into my checking account (I actually was paid more than this, but a percentage of each of my checks goes strait into my emergency fund and I don't count it at all to ensure that I don't try to spend it).

• Fun/Unnecessary to my life spending: $334.40
• $7 = ATM fees
• Includes bars/ticket to Bears game/costume/NetFlix/iTunes (1 song)
• $82.18 = charged to CitiCard
  
• Payments and Savings: $336.49
• Includes deposit into car savings/credit card payment/overdraft payment
  
• Things I NEED: $73.59
• Includes a doctor co-pay/gas/cold medication
  
• Other: $4.77
• Includes turkey for work/coffee for the drive home

Now, while this paints a fairly accurate picture of my spending habits, it is a little skewed because I went out of town during the November 21 - 23 weekend and spent a lot more than normal. However, I think that for the most part this is something that I can work with. For my next few paychecks I am going to have to add heavily to my emergency fund because Boyfriend and I are going to be moving in together and I will have to come up with my half of the rent on a consistent basis, and for those weeks where I don't hit the 40 hour mark I might need a little help and that is where the help is going to come from. So for right now ... this is how my paycheck is going to be put to work.

• Average Paycheck = $639.60
• Average Automatic Deposit to Emergency Fund = $76.75
  
• Balance = $562.85
  
• Extra Deposit to Emergency Fund = $150
• Balance = $412.85
• Deposit to Car Fund = $100
• Balance = $312.85
• Payment to Citi Card = $75
• Balance = $237.85
• Payment to Mom and Dad = $75
• Balance = $162.85
• Cash Withdrawal from the Bank (to avoid ATM fees) = $100
• Balance = $62.85

The rest of the cash can be used for gas, or can be put into a savings account, or maybe even used to pay off my debt to my parents. I am going to use this 'budget' starting with my next paycheck, which will come to me on the 1st of December. Hopefully I can stick to my guns and to my budget and come out ahead on all this. Getting control of my finances will give me a sense of empowerment that I really could use right now. I'll let you know how it goes.