4th month's expenses

My total expense for the 4th month (1st to 31st January) is around CAD1,382, broken down as follow.

Amount (CAD) : Category

Once-off expenses

*  28 : Re-take PR card photos and resubmission postage
*  20 : Unlock Fido phone for other SIM cards. *See below
*  33 : Personal business cards with express delivery

Yearly expenses

* 218 : 180 pairs of daily disposable contact lens (for 1/2yr)

Monthly expenses

* 500 : January room rental
*   8 : Mobile phone bill (after $25 referral discount)
*  61 : Medical Services Plan
* 110 : Transport - Monthly 2-Zone Farecard
*   4 : Transport - Others
* 227 : Food/groceries
*  16 : Clothings
*  81 : Household Items (including tioletries)
*   9 : Recreation/Entertainment/Restaurant
*  25 : Meals/Drinks
*  11 : Personal Grooming & Make-up
*   0 : Stationery/Postage (exclude once-off postage above)
*  31 : Others (Lottery, Souvenirs, etc)

Have been working much during the 1st 2 weeks of 2011 and thus have less time for shopping and entertainment. That helped to keep the expenses close to the budget.

*The $20 to unlock a Fido phone to accept other vendors' SIM cards is something new to me. In Singapore, when a mobile phone comes free with a service contract, the phone is not locked to accept only that particular vendor's SIM cards. However, for Fido, one cannot use another vendor's SIM card (e.g. a Singapore SIM card) on the "free phone with contract". I heard it's the same for the other Canadian mobile vendors.

This month, I have kept to the budget better. I overshot the Groceries purchases by only $7 (less than 3.5%) and the Others category also by $7 (due to some CNY gifts). The biggest gap is $21 (35%) for Household items. My little trip to one of my favourite hang-out place, Ikea, broke the budget. Nevertheless, I am very happy that my things are more organized thanks to the Ikea items. Look forward to future budget for additional Household items to organize my things.