HOME - $1000/mo
Mortgage, taxes, home insurance, basic maintenance, home improvement savings
UTILITIES - $300/mo (actual, average)
electricity, water, heating oil, sewer bills, garbage stickers; most utilities on a budgeted payment plan
ENTERTAINMENT - $160/mo (actual, average)
Cable, Internet, XBox Live, Dropbox, WSJ subscription
TRANSPORTATION - $300/mo (budgeted)
oil changes, fluids, regular maintenance, brakes, tires, gasoline, insurance, AAA membership, etc.
FOOD - $100/mo (budgeted)
does not include junk/fast food
OTHER - $10/mo (budgeted)
American Express, fees, "couch cushion"
DISCRETIONARY - $800/mo (budgeted - minimum over the last 6 months)
smokes, booze, junk/fast food, and other completely unnecessary bullshit
TOTAL - $2670/mo
If I were to quit smoking and drinking, cut out my bullshit spending, practice smarter grocery shopping, try to conserve my water/electricity/etc., and halve my home improvement savings, I could easily live comfortably on about $1700/mo.