May spending

With work events, wrapping up birthdays and mother's days, and getting things wrapped up, the blog was a little quiet for May. We hiked Cucumonga Peak and i'll do a re-cap post on that shortly, and we managed to start back up on the home improvement projects!

But for now: What we spent in May:

Groceries: 324.80
Gasoline: $295.80

• Me: $129.48 (after work rebate of $37.82)
• Hubs: $166.32

Car Insurance: $694.93

• Our 6-month premiums were due.

Eating Out: $187.14

• Thankfully the last of the birthday dinners out :) This should go back to normal soon instead of the inflated spending we had in March, April, and May

Clothing:

• Me: $146.63
• 4 bras. I was desperate for something comfortable and after 3 stores, I finally broke down and went to Nordstroms in the mall, got fitted and walked out happy!
• hubs: $75.40
• 2 pairs of Nike's from the outlet store. His day shoes had holes.

Gifts: $93.48

• Few co-workers with baby showers or leaving parties, and my sister's son's birthday party. 

Little Dude:

• $26.93 Pull-ups / Overnight diapers
• $14.91 Swim toy / Glider
• $22.57 Poop helpers
• $5.37 Clogs / non-sneaker shoes
• 43.09 Booster seat for Hub's car.... little man weighs 40 lbs now.... which is apparently the size of a 6 year old... but his doc said he isn't fat, just sturdy... This model is still got head support and other stuff, but he out grew the seat in hubs's car and this was at aldi's for a steal for a graco!

Tithe / Giving: $770.00

Daycare: $960.00 (Paid a $50 summer fee too)

Doctors: $30.00

• Little dude needed two ENT appointments. His hearing test was poor, but since his tubes are out, the doctor wants swim lessons this summer, and then put them back in during the fall.  So one visit for a sound test, the other for the doc to postpone until fall. 

Dog:

• $37.11 Kibble

Internet: $65.99

Housing:

• HOA: $367.50
• Mortgage: $764.00
• Insurance and earth quake annual premiums: $643.00

Renovation: $50.86 -- We bought curtains for the hall laundry room and its the best thing ever!!

Fun money: $80.00

Audible: $14.95

Netflix dvd: $8.61

Electricity: $23.73

Discretionary: $158.62

•  $ 9.09 Hygiene items 
• $ 8.59 Home Depot - utility knife 
• $ 16.74 Card / Car Sun Shade 
• $ 10.98 (2) Turnover / ($1) item / 8 count of "mini cho" 
• $ 29.46 Clip on sunglasses 
• $ 4.30 Chap stick 
• $ 10.76 TP
• $ 32.31 Watch band, sink stopper 
• $ 2.14 Sandwich bags 
• $ 34.25 Kitchen Items (Tongs, Spatula, Soap)

Hiking: $585.33 after credit card rewards

SO MANY RETURNS THIS MONTH... A lot of our overnight gear we tested out at Cucumonga is getting swapped out. This is why we shop at REI for their awesome return policy. We learned hub's pack was the wrong size for his back, and was just too small for overnights and too large for day trips because it doesn't cinch down, so he swapped it out for the men's version of my day-pack. We also returned my sleeping bag. The extra foot at the bottom of my bag that was just dead air was hard to keep warm in our snowy conditions and we didn't get down to the bags "comfort" 21 degree range, let along survival rating of 7 degrees. So, we researched and found a bag that 6 inches shorter so less dead air in the bottom, a bit warmer at 15 degrees... and as a bonus, it attaches itself to our sleep pad (another problem I had), and is cheaper and was also on sale. Hubs's also swapped ice axes for a heavier one. After using it on a couple of mountains, he needed something bigger for his bigger frame. 

• $ 44.29 small hiking odds and ends (sunblock, new water bottles, travel sized items, etc) 
• $ 292.91 REI - New sleeping bag (shorter!); Hat for hubs, snow stake 
• $ (322.16) REI Return - My REI Co-op Joule 21 sleeping bag
• $ (106.54) REI Return - Hub's old day pack REI Coop Train 40
• $297.28 REI - Kids sleeping bag, bag temp, air mattress pump, Osprey Stratos 36 - Hubs 
• $ 349.96 Ice axe, Overnight pack for hubs, axe covers, leashes. 
• $ 66.61 Zpacs (food bag); wallet 
• $ 109.64 Trowel; (2) 4 liter dry Sac; (2) 13 L Dry Sac 
• $ 14.55 (2) Odor proof barrier bags 
• $ (129.25) REI Return - Hubs Ice Axe 
• $ 56.56 Merino Wool Top - Me 
• $ 56.56 Merino Wool Top - Hubs 
• $19.39 Sock Liners
• $ (164.47) Credit card rewards

I'm still not sold on my new overnight pack. It might go back to the store. I hiked in it fine on the trip and trained with it a few weeks before, but when I got back and tossed on my day-pack, I felt a world of difference in support. I went with a light pack because I was worried about the weight and it removed some adjustable features and additional padding... and now i'm wondering if I should bite the bullet and get a comfortable carry. 

I'm going to put some serious weight in my day pack and do an 8 mile road walk once my pepper spray comes in the mail and then do the same road walk with the overnight pack and compare... 

• (long story, but apparently my hiking training trail/road walking area is now home to men who decide to try and grab and assault women in broad day light on the path... and she had pepper spray which is how she got away..... so now the one thing I truly enjoyed doing (going on a long walk in the day light) is now even more problematic. This is the one thing I hate about being a woman. Men don't have these problems. They can go out after dark and run, I don't get this luxury. I have to carve out family daylight hours to get to work out, but apparently we can't even go out in the daylight anymore without being armed. I'll have to either walk busy streets and enjoy the trip less with all the car noises (and get honked at and hollered at which is why I preferred the trail), or figure something else out... but I can't go by myself now without pepper spray.