Roadrunner Financials - March 2010

First a big milestone:  We welcome followers #100 and #101 today!

Carol K and

Robert

Thanks for joining us!  Now on to the #200...

We spent a two days traveling the first of March from Deming, NM to Floresville, TX where we stayed with Pam's aunt Linda.  She has a nice big ranch and we were able to park the Roadrunner two days there before we left for Galveston TX.  We spent the remainder of the month volunteering for NOMADS and our campsite was free.
Good news are areas where we are under budget- 

- RV Diesel.  This is an obvious area that we will adjust the end of May in our budget
- RV + Car Maintenance.  Gladly their were none for the month so we were a full $100 under budget on that one.
- Campgrounds.  When you can stay with friends and/or family it helps.  We did not have to pay for our site while we volunteered with NOMADS in Galveston for almost the whole month of March.

Biggest expenses for the month - 

We were over budget this month on three big items:

  1) Our unrealistically low food budget. 

  2) The quick trip to Detroit.  We flew there, stayed with friends and drove over the Canadian border to Meghan's parent's house where she and Adam got married in a civil ceremony.  The bigger wedding is scheduled for July.  

  3)  Blue Ox Braking System.

Large 'One Time Cost Item(s)' - 

- Blue Ox Patriot, proportional braking system for our car when we tow it behind the RV.  This is an item we would have bought when we started and it would be in the 'Start Up Costs' area.  We bought it in Quartzite in January and they were on back order.  Blue Ox did not charge us for it until it was shipped in March.

Monthly average since we started tracking in June 2009 - 

We are leveling out at about $4280/month which is almost $960 over what we budgeted.  I think trying to live on this budget is a lot like trying to make a diet work  :)  

I think if we were more serious about it, we might be more inclined to hold off on some items and cut way back on our groceries.  But, at the moment we are OK with where we are in the process.  We are feeling more and more like we have a routine of sorts, though each month brings new surprises.

That's what the numbers looked like for last month.  It won't be too long before it will be time to finish up and send out April's.


Hope this helps someone out there trying to figure out how much this lifestyle costs.   Thanks for viewing the Roadrunner Chronicles!