A quiet month: spending fell 23%, eating out halved, and she kept a fifth of her pay.
Net spending by category, August against September.
| Item | Last month | This month | Change | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food & Dining | 1,505 | 779 | −726 | Restaurants $378 (from $754), groceries $361 (from $551), cash $40 (from $200). |
| Travel | 144 | 557 | +413 | Ohio rental car $381.83, and a night in San Jose: Hampton Inn $154.78 and the airport $20.30. |
| Transportation | 396 | 132 | −264 | Back to her usual level after a higher August. |
| Subscriptions & Bills | 379 | 135 | −245 | Back to her usual level; August was the outlier. |
Nothing is out of line. One habit is worth keeping.
It averaged about $1,405 a month May–August, her largest cost after rent. September's $779 shows what a lighter month looks like; holding near $1,000 would add about $400 a month to savings.
$247, in line with $232–$453 over the summer.
On an equal split with her rent fixed at $1,500, the docket shows $306.24 from Cheryl to Ben — $272.24 if her $34 water-bill Zelle is counted against it.
Projected from $17,984.81 on 8 October.
| Scenario | Net per month | Balance reaches $0 |
|---|---|---|
| As projected | +482/mo | Does not run out |
Payroll covers her costs with room to spare. The open question is household-level: how much of Ben's shortfall the household wants her surplus to absorb.