How are we already heading into the ‘ber months? I have to say that I’m excited, though, as it’s my time of year. That also means that my quiet summer is over, and now my schedule is ramped up with overtime at work and more theatre and out-of-town trips. Here’s a look back at my August 2026 spending diaries.
CLOTHES
BUDGET = £0.00, ACTUAL = £26.70
I was so good about not spending any money on clothes this month, but I ended up buying a Pride-themed T-shirt from The Spark Company. I’d much rather buy something from a small business that appreciates my sale as well as donates to worthy causes on my behalf.
COFFEE SHOPS
BUDGET = £30.00, ACTUAL = £25.00
I’m thrilled that this stayed under budget, as I’ve been taking my own hot chocolate to work every shift. I allow myself one day a week to get a drink from Costa, and I also didn’t really travel anywhere during August.
EATING OUT
BUDGET = £0.00, ACTUAL = £0.00
Another category that I stuck with was eating out. If I nip into Greggs or Cooplands, I class that as a coffee shop. This category covers sit-down meals or fast food places, which I didn’t go to at all in August! Again, not going out of town meant I was able to keep this total to nil.
LOCAL TRANSPORT
BUDGET = £125.00, ACTUAL = £97.90
I’d always rather overbudget in this category, because it allows for my train fares to work as well as local buses. It also helps to have something left over, just in case I do any overtime. I didn’t get any in August, but I’ll need it for September!
GROCERIES
BUDGET = £25.00, ACTUAL = £25.96
I think we can forgive 96p, right? These are any additional top-up shops or random items that I pick up during a work shift. I often get a chocolate snack at work if I work a Friday or Saturday, but I also did a top-up shop in Asda one evening when I was waiting for my mum to finish work.
BOOKS
BUDGET = £20.00, ACTUAL = £27.73
I bought one physical book from The Works, but the rest was spent on Kindle eBooks. It doesn’t seem like that much money (an additional £20 or so), but I cancelled Kindle Unlimited so I could read what I already owned! I’m just a sucker for a 99p bargain!
BEAUTY APPOINTMENTS
BUDGET = £63.00, ACTUAL = £63.00
It just worked out that August covered two nail appointments, one for £33 and one for £30. I paid an additional £3 for some rainbow nail art to celebrate Pride.
HEALTH + BEAUTY
BUDGET = £25.00, ACTUAL = £22.82
I’m really trying to shop in Boots and Superdrug much less, but I did go to each once in August to stock up on essentials. It was a mixture of haircare and non-exciting toiletries, such as mouthwash. Somehow, I spent £22.82 when it could’ve only been about £10. I try to make use of special offers and discounts, but I just love shopping for toiletries!
TRAINS
BUDGET = £35.00, ACTUAL = £35.00
This covers my train to Manchester this week when I’m off to see High School Musical at the Lowry. I cannot tell you how excited I am, because I’ve been waiting for this day since 2006 and the original movie! £35 is quite expensive for a return to Manchester, but I think it seems to be the norm now for TransPennine Express.
BUSINESS ONE-OFFS
BUDGET = £5.23, ACTUAL £5.23
I treat myself to a bundle of Instagram story templates from Holler Academy that I can use for both my blog and my business. 2026 is the year that I get back into social media posting for both of my businesses!
MISCELLANEOUS
BUDGET = £15.00, ACTUAL = £13.05
All this spend was for a bag of protein powder from Holland and Barrett. I’m trying to work on my health and fitness as we head into Q4 soon, and one of my goals is to up my protein. I’ve been making myself protein milkshakes on my days off, and they are pretty filling.
TOTAL BUDGET = £343.23, TOTAL SPEND = £342.89
£0.34 UNDER BUDGET
A whole 34p under budget in my August 2026 spending diaries? What will I spend it on? I’m just happy that I had such a low-spend month (under £350), because I’ve got a lot going on between now and September. We’re only a few days into the new month, and I’ve already spent around half of that again (thanks to Northern Rail’s £2 ticket sale and buying my mum’s birthday gifts).
If you enjoyed this post all about my August 2026 spending diaries, you can find my other money content here. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok too.
