Wait... What!? March Closeout and April Budget as a First-Time Homesteader

Welcome back friends! 

March was a crazy month filled with random snowstorms and an unplanned trip to Montana. With so many unexpected events, I was certain we would overspend our budget AGAIN!

Like last month, unforeseen expenses were our weakness. But with the trailer payment DONE, we actually didn't do as bad as I had expected! 

Variable expenses projected for March:

Laundromat: $50
Fuel (gasoline, kerosene, diesel): $450
Groceries: $800
Home Improvements: $2800
Propane: $100
Dining out/entertainment: $250
Pets: $100
Online orders: $200

Total: $4750

Following is what we actually spent for March:

Laundry: $20
Fuel (gasoline, kerosene, diesel): $583
Groceries: $1056
Home Improvements: $1500
Propane: $55
Dining out/entertainment: $1200
Pet: $0
Online purchases: $115
Misc: $92

Total: $4621

Here's the comparison:

Laundry: +30$
Fuel (gasoline, kerosene, diesel): -133$
Groceries: -256$
Home Improvements: +1300$
Propane: +45$
Dining out/entertainment: -950$
Pet: +100$
Online purchases: +85$
Misc: -92$

Total: +$129

Wait.... what!? Even with HUGE overspending in dining out/entertainment (hotel), groceries (bulk store run for the trip) and fuel (driving to Montana in our converted cargo van), we actually stayed under budget?!

Paying off that trailer has really helped our budget! I'm ecstatic we were able to roll that hefty payment into our variable costs, and use it as needed. Fantastic!

Let's Keep it Going!

Now for April, I've decided to keep the same budget as March. It seems we may have found the sweet spot. Let's see if we meet our goals again.

Fixed expenses, which stay the same for us, no matter the weather or usage:

Cell Phone: $130
Car Payments: $1140
Insurance (i.e., car, medical, etc.): $350
Waste Management: $47
Internet: $120
Subscriptions (i.e., streaming services, etc.): $52 

Total: $1839

Variable expenses for April:

Laundromat: $50
Fuel (gasoline, kerosene, diesel): $450
Groceries: $800
Home Improvements: $2800
Propane: $100
Dining out/entertainment: $250
Pets: $100
Online orders: $200

Total: $4750

Our house foundation is getting poured this April, so we are planning for some additional Home Improvement expenses. 

We've found spacing out our home build purchases is keeping us within our budget. We've also saved a bit of money waiting for items to go on sale, which has been a blessing for sure. We are eager to get our house up, but waiting on purchases seems to be paying off.

Looking forward to April, I can't wait to buy some plants and get our seedlings in the ground. Are you looking forward to Spring? Let me know what you're planting this month in the comments below!

This blog is for entertainment and educational purposes only. I am not a finance professional, and this is not financial or legal advice.

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