This post is all about my October 2019 expenses. My Yearlong Shopping Ban motivated me to share my expenses again and I kicked it off by sharing September’s expenses with you. I’ll be doing this every single month for at least a year and will be posting them under a brand new category.
October certainly was a lovely month! I had been in Asia since March and left Bangkok for Europe at the beginning of October.
I spent a week house sitting in Copenhagen and after the sit, my beloved sister came to visit for a handful of days. After that, I headed to Sofia, Bulgaria, where I spent almost 4 weeks.
Aside from the basic necessities, my biggest expenses this month were in the following categories:
- Clothing: As you may know, I only buy clothing twice a year and because I had a relative visiting me I held off a handful of purchases in September and ordered them in October. She brought them to me at the end of October and everything fits like a glove. Puh! The best part? This means that I have almost everything from my Essential Clothing items list.
- Gifts: I had offered to pay $100 towards a tattoo and I finally saw it come to life in Sofia. If you are thinking of getting something traditional done then head to Dimo’s Instagram. He is based in Sofia and occasionally does guest spots around the world.
- Hobbies
How I organize my expenses
I keep track of all my expenses and have been doing so since 2014. It’s something that I absolutely love doing. Keeping track of your expenses, is in my opinion, the best way to get a handle on your money.
If you don’t track your expenses you don’t really know where your money is going. If you don’t currently track your expenses, give it a try. Trust me, it makes all the difference.
I use Google sheets and have been doing so since 2014. This is the template that I am currently using. I amended lots of the categories and switched things around to suit my needs. The template is 100% customizable!
How to read my expense report
Frugal living is my default and keeping track of my expenses is, believe it or not, something that really excites me! Frugal living for me is all about living in alignment with my values, enhancing my experience of life and spending my time and money accordingly.
I am traveling the world on less than $1,000 per month and my current monthly average is around $735. How do you spend so little while traveling full-time? I am traveling the world on a budget like a pro, that’s how.
My expenses reports will not list every single expense item by item but will list the main categories and my expenses in each one.
In the notes section, you’ll find more details as to what each category contained that month. If an expense is extremely personal I will simply add “personal expense” in the notes section.
Interested in frugal living and its benefits? I’ve got heaps of videos about frugal living on my YouTube channel. I also have a handful of posts about frugal living on this blog (and plan to post a lot more).
These are my October 2018 expenses:
| Category | Amount | Notes |
| Household items | $22.90 | 6 biodegradable mesh produce bags |
| Groceries | $100.13 | groceries in Denmark and Bulgaria |
| Eating out | $35.06 | eating out in Copenhagen and Sofia |
| Sweets | $7.32 | |
| Accommodation | $49.39 | 50% of apartment in Sofia, Bulgaria. Rest was paid the previous month. |
| Public transportation | $95.74 | public transportation in Copenhagen and Sofia |
| Flights, buses & cabs | $24.35 | 1 cab in Bangkok, printing plane tickets, 1 bus within Bulgaria |
| Clothing | $147.79 | 2 leggings, 2 t-shirts, 2 dresses |
| Healthcare | $159.25 | teeth cleaning and treatment in Bulgaria |
| Toiletries | $4.40 | 1 herbal mask in Thailand, 1 lip balm, 1 toothpaste, 1 clay mask |
| Hobbies | $73.95 | 1 SD card, hiking tour in Bulgaria |
| Gifts | $102.50 | wine, tattoo |
| Total: | $822.78 |
That was it for my October 2018 expenses. In November and December I’ll be house-sitting for almost 4 weeks and I am really looking forward to that! All of November will be spent in Bulgaria and I can’t wait to share next months expenses with you!
More shopping ban content:
- September 2018 expenses
- The rules for my yearlong shopping ban
- My approved shopping list
- Essential clothing items
- 10 Tips on how to create a successful shopping ban
- Why I plan all my purchases a year in advance
