Week Three Spending Update

This week has been spendy. I need to figure out WHY I keep spending money when I don't need to. I'm back to buying lots of food-related things, as well as stupid things like online game tokens (I know...).

Jan 13
Gas: $62.02 (gas is $129.9 p/L here)
Pizza, butter: $12.82 (frozen pizza, on sale for $7.99; butter for baking)

Jan 14
Tim Horton's: $2.03 (used the last of my gift card, this is what I owed)
Cat check up: $121.08 (I rescued a cat from the city pound - this was the cost of his initial vet visit. He was healthy, if not a bit sad and malnourished from being abandoned, so he went into foster care for several days for some well-deserved TLC and then to the Humane Society, where he'll be well taken care of until he finds a better home. I'm a sucker for a pretty cat face. HOWEVER, he'd have had no chance at Bylaw if he was sick - no one would've taken him and he'd have been put down. I had to give him that chance.)

Jan 15
Tea/scone (school): $5.25
Pizza: $3.15

Jan 16
Groceries: $27.60

Jan 17
Tea/muffin (school): $4.75
Phone bill: $57.88 (I got an unexpected inflow of cash this day: $160 from a friend who owed me from last year. I paid the phone bill in full, as well as putting $25 into my EFund and some onto my VISA card.)

Jan 18
Groceries (again): $16.42
Tea/muffin (school): $4.75

Jan 19
Online game tokens: $33.57 (ridiculous.)

Weekly Total: $355.12

Needless spends (not counting the kitty rescue!)
Game tokens $33.57
Pizza (both): $11.54
School tea/muffin/scone: $14.75
Total needless: $59.86

Total IN this week: $170.00

That's six times as much as last week!! Still, this is the reason I'm tracking - so I know where my money (that I don't have) is going. It's still food-centric - and those grocery costs are above and beyond my gift card. So much for 'making do' this month. I did make peanut butter chocolate chip cookies yesterday, so that's something, but honestly. I seriously need to do some soul searching to dig up the problem here.

I had my challenge exam on Friday morning and it was...challenging! I'm not overly confident, but hope I passed. There is generally a cost involved ($80), but my instructor spoke with the Registrar and I ended up not having to pay, which was a great surprise! I should know Monday or early Tuesday whether or not I passed. Fingers crossed please!

I'm also looking into continuing my education after I'm done with this program. There are two streams that can further your focus - medical coding or legal secretary. They're online courses in partnership with a BC institution. I'm considering the medical coding stream. One of the prerequisites for the course is free (basically a tutorial on how to use the online learning), so I'm looking at doing that during reading week in March. One of my instructors happens to be the program coordinator for that, so I've already touched base with her on that aspect. I'm just waiting for the results of my exam before going ahead and registering for the class. I'm keen to keep learning, although the medical coding can take up to two years, as it depends when you can get into the classes. Some have very limited numbers and you need certain prerequisites, so you have to pay attention and act fast.

Have a great week everyone!