Welcome to another weekly edition of “Where Did The Dough Go?”. Below you can get a completely open and honest view of what we’re spending money on, how much we’re saving, investing and putting away for retirement. Please feel free to learn from our financial mistakes if at all possible, it’s way better than making them yourself. 
Friday 27th
– $48.75 (car registration and tab renewal)
– $97.07 (groceries)
– $5.88 (household)
-/+ $1.00 (transfer to Xmas fund)
– /+ $1.00 (transfer to savings)
-/+ $2.00 (transfer to ING to save for Car insurance)
Saturday 28th
No spend day 
Sunday 29th
– $17.91 (cigarettes)
Monday 30th
No real spending today
-/+ $1.00 (transfer to Xmas fund)
-/+ $1.00 (transfer to savings)
-/+ $2.00 (transfer to ING to save for Car insurance)
Tuesday May 1st
– $9.13 (cigarettes)
-/+ $5.00 (START transfer)
-/+ $1.00 (transfer to Xmas fund)
-/+ $1.00 (transfer to savings)
-/+ $2.00 (transfer to ING to save for Car insurance)
Wednesday 2nd
– $10.31 (honey beer)
-/+ $1.00 (transfer to Xmas fund)
-/+ $1.00 (transfer to savings)
-/+ $2.00 (transfer to ING to save for Car insurance)
Thursday 3rd
– $5.05 (gas @ 4.059 per gallon)
-/+ $21.24 (left-overs transfer to Emergency Fund)
-/+ $1.00 (transfer to Xmas fund)
-/+ $1.00 (transfer to savings)
-/+ $2.00 (transfer to ING to save for Car insurance)
Total Weekly Spending: $240.34
Categorized:
Savings $36.24
Cigarettes $27.04
Car Expenses $48.75
Gas $5.05
Household $5.88
Groceries $97.07
Alcohol $10.31
Save 4 Car insurance $10.00
$$$ Entire Paycheck Totals $$$
Income: $1,480.65
Spending: $1,480.65
Categorized:
Savings $46.24
Rent & Bills $700.00
Cigarettes $114.37
Household $195.14
Clothing $23.27
Puppy Expenses $13.00
Groceries $191.83
Gas $50.55
Alcohol $52.50
Car Expenses $48.75
Roth IRA contribution $25.00
Save 4 Car insurance $20.00
Pre-tax 401K Contributions: $171.38
Notes: I really thought we would end up saving more this paycheck, but something is better than nothing. I was finally able to get some things we needed for the household, I had been putting these off for such a long time. No dining out at all—woo hoo! We spent a crap-load on groceries again, I probably should have worked on reviewing those receipts a bit more.
How did your budgeting/spending go this week?
Great job! I think you need to add another category under “Entire Paycheck Totals”. I would have it read “Income: … Spending: … Savings:”. You are doing well and this may help you feel better about your savings.
Income: $1.480.65
Spending: $1.409.41
Savings: $61.24 (Savings & IRA)
Shawn @ Managing The Money Wars
That does sound like a more interesting way to look at it. Thanks Shawn, I’ll think about trying that.