October 2026 Expenses
I review our finances at the end of every month. This post is focused on the expenses. I am curious to see how our October 2026 expenses compare to our October 2025 expenses and if we are sticking to our 2026 goals. Categories and differences are explained below the table.
October was relatively calm month, except for the car maintenance and a spike in fuel expenses now that my wife is back to work.
Category
2026
2025
Change
Mortgage
$2,098.28
$2,139.75
-$41.47
Insurance
$557.61
$500.61
+$57.00
Household and House Maintenance
$315.17
$1,634.98
-$1,319.81
Property Taxes
$0.00
$0.00
-
Utilities
$332.40
$338.55
-$6.15
Cell Phones
$90.91
$90.40
+$0.51
Internet
$101.68
$0
+$101.68
Car Payment
$637.59
$637.59
-
Car Maintenance
$698.10
$394.56
+$303.54
Streaming
$66.64
$53.09
+$13.55
Food
$636.38
$724.07
-$87.69
Fuel
$726.38
$355.74
-$370.64
Kids
$1,316.37
$1,497.82
-$181.45
Restaurants
$304.46
$361.44
-$56.98
Banking Fees
$36.80
$11.02
+$25.78
Fun Money
$374.53
$694.98
-$320.45
Clothing
$287.55
$31.61
+$255.94
Personal Care
$67.78
$196.48
-$128.70
Alcohol
$399.97
$155.95
+$244.02
Parking
$4.50
$10.16
-$5.66
Gifts
$506.76
$181.64
+$325.12
TOTAL
$9,559.86
$10,010.44
-$450.58
Let's explore what each category includes and some reasons for changes:
- Mortgage - we renewed for another 5 years .
- Insurance - insurance rates went up and we added a third vehicle.
- Households and home maintenance - Lawn stuff and some sealant replacements. Last year we did some landscaping around a firepit I was building.
- Property taxes - none this month.
- Utilities - gas, water and electricity.
- Cell phones - we travelled this month and did a tiny bit of roaming.
- Internet - last year I forgot to pay the bill. I have since set up automated payments.
- Car payment - no changes
- Car maintenance - semi-annual maintenance for one car and I replaced the brake pads and rotors on another.
- Streaming - Netflix. Others are paid annually and Apple TV is free for the next year or so thanks to a bunch of Apple gift cards I got 2 years ago.
- Food - eating mostly in-season vegetables.
- Fuel - had a couple of long trips and my wife started work again so she needs to drive across town every day. I am strongly considering an electric car when her 7 year old SUV needs to be replaced.
- Kids - extracurriculars, snacks, trips, school supplies, clothes, etc.
- Restaurants - just take-out.
- Banking fees - had to borrow from a line of credit for a week or so.
- Fun money - coffee, books, games, etc. Small daily purchases and fun expenses.
- Clothing - this is only for adult clothes. Kids' clothing is covered under the "kids" category.
- Personal care - self-explanatory.
- Alcohol - self-explanatory
- Parking - decided to split parking out of "fun money".
- Gifts - had to go to a few kids and adult birthdays.
We are back on track with spending less.
