My boyfriend and I share a rental house that we moved into last November. Our landlord told us the resevoir for the oil furnace will be filled once a year. He paid for it that year but from then on it became our responsibility. However, I completely forgot to factor in the price of a fill up into my budget . . . my half is $240! I'm trying to look at it in the big picture - it works out to about $40 a month. I did some fiddling with my budget for this month, and I'll be fine - I'll just have to put off paying back the emergency fund until my first paycheck in January. I guess it could be a lot worse . . . the only utilities we pay are electricity and our phone (well, I guess and the oil bill too) . . . I'm pretty happy to *not* have to pay garbage and water . . .

Other than that little surprise when I got home, today has been pretty uneventful. I did make one purchase at the drug store, but I was pretty proud of my shopping: 1 box of Christmas cards, my boyfriend's birthday card (I couldn't help it, it was just perfect for him and his birthday is early January), soup for lunch, and padded envelopes for all the gifts going out. All for under $12. Not bad.

I had a craving for coffee this afternoon, but I avoided it and was very proud of myself Funny how the little things really matter in your motivation. Here I am having to pay out $240 I didn't even remember as a bill, but I'm still happy 'cause I didn't cave and buy a $4 coffee. Everyone always says the small things add up, which is true, but for me it's more that the small things keep me motivated each day.

Spending:

$11.14 drug store

$133.39 left in budget til 12/23.