If you continue reading, you'll see my balance sheet and income statement for the end of October, 2005. Progress has been slow this month. Some comments about my balances are below the chart.

I've taken a small hit in my savings. I had practically no overtime in October, and I usually count on that extra portion of my salary to meet some of my extra expenses. Meanwhile, almost every weekend was spent doing quite a bit of driving for the events at which I volunteer. Some of those expenses might end up being reimbursed, but we'll have to see if that happens this month.

My school has been incorrectly billing me for most of the year, so I made some year-to-date adjustments. That's another issue that's still up in the air. Hopefully it will be resolved soon, and if I should be getting any money back from my employer for tuition reimbursement, that will be reflected in the next few months.

Also in October I purchased a flight to Orange County, California, to visit my relatives over Thanksgiving.

October was also a poor month for my investment performance.

I've replaced cable with Netflix, which is a smart move. If I need to see a television show that has not yet been released on DVD, I'll just find a way to download it. There are ways to find just about anything online.

After looking at my expenses below, here are some more thoughts.

* I have to watch those $4 bank fees. I let my Wachovia savings account go below its limit for the second time this year.
* I'm spending way too much for transportation. I've considered taking the train since my office is very close to a major station, but the cost of the ticket and parking at the home station may mitigate any savings. On the other hand, it would save wear and tear on my car and I would be able to use my commutation time for something constructive, like extra sleep.
* I purchased a bed, but it's not reflected in October's expenses. That's going to show up this month.
* My tax expense is considerably lower because I've reduced my witholding. I'm trying to avoid receiving a large refund check after I file my taxes as I could make better use of that money now.

Here are my expenses:

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