Here is a quick review of my first month on the envelope system:

(The totals for gas, grocery, and spending are rounded up because I decided to save all ones and change.)

September Totals:
Savings: $337.73
Gas Money: $65.00
Grocery Money: $90.00
Spending Money: $75.00
IRA contribution: $200.00

The first month went pretty well. I like this system. Definitely going to be sticking with it for awhile. I need to change the amount I alloted for grocery money though. I'm going to up it to $100. I also didn't realize how much harder this is than credit cards. I've heard many people say that you really check your spending when using cash, but as with most things, one never truly understands it until one realizes it for oneself.

I also have wonderful news concerning my parents. My dad is doing very well at a new job and they are financially stable now. They still have a couple unpaid bills to pay off but they say those will be paid in October. It is a contract job ending in January but there is a permanent job that my dad is interviewing for. He says that the interview went really well.

I'm also considering taking Karate classes. I joined the Karate club at school (kind of pushed into by boyfriend, but I'm really enjoying it) and would like to take it more often than twice a week. Good news is that the sensei who teaches at the university has a studio and all involved in the Karate club get a reduced rate for classes.

Overall September went really well. I still have some work to do on making myself sticking to the budget but I know I can do it.