We kept a very close watch on cash expenses since the amount unaccounted for in past months has averaged around $400, which is quite a bit. This past month I accounted for everything except $5.10.

I suspect that most of the unaccounted for cash expenses in the past went to cash-only restaurants. Small merchants don't want to pay credit card transaction fees (which can be something like 1.75% plus 10 cents per transaction) and they also don't like creating a paper trail that the tax man can scrutinize.

One hears the cry throughout Chinatown: We no take cledit cod!

Food
$ 327.71 Safeway
$ 37.22 Waitrose
$ 34.56 Marks & Spencer
$ 25.41 SeeWoo Foods
$ 6.22 Sainsbury's
$431.12 (sub-total)

Shelter
$ 1837.33 Rent
$ 216.00 Council Tax (1 Dec - 31 Dec)
$2053.33 (sub-total)

Transportation
$ 124.16 London Transit (monthly pass)
$ 37.44 Misc. Travel
$161.60 (sub-total)

Utilities
$ 69.10 British Gas (10 Sep - 15 Dec)
$ 201.98 British Telecom (1 Jan - 31 Mar)
$ 5.58 Carphone Warehouse (cell phone) (23 Dec - 22 Jan)
$ 14.95 Yahoo! Website Services (1 Jan - 31 Jan)
$291.61 (sub-total)

Eating Out / Entertainment
$ 8.75 Blockbuster
$ 5.60 The British Library
$ 59.60 C&R Restaurant
$ 24.00 (Chinese place near V&A)
$ 20.80 China China
$ 49.28 Crystal Charcoal (The World's Best Kebab Shop)
$ 4.24 Euston Flyer
$ 28.80 HK Diner
$ 9.28 The London Pub
$ 25.60 Metro Cinema
$ 22.40 Miso Noodle Bar
$ 64.80 New Culture Revolution
$ 29.28 Red Lion
$ 22.40 Screen on the Green
$ 22.40 Sandwich Alley
$ 36.80 Victoria & Albert Museum (Gothic exhibit)
$434.03 (sub-total)

Retail
$ 9.68 Amazon.co.uk
$ 10.40 The Body Shop
$ 31.97 Borders Books
$ 13.76 Islington Library (North Branch)
$ 17.60 Laundry
$ 83.95 Quote.com
$ 75.00 Network Solutions
$ 5.60 (Phone Card)
$ 22.48 Post Office
$ 4.76 (water, bottled)
$275.20 (sub-total)

Miscellaneous
$ 121.60 Holmes Place Gym
$ 16.00 Mr. Ngan Haircutter
$ 5.10 (cash withdrawals in January, unaccounted for)
$142.70 (sub-total)
----------------------------
$3789.59 Grand Total

Consumer Expenditure Survey -- Master Index

• December 2003 -- London
• November 2003 -- London
• October 2003 -- London
• September 2003 -- London
• August 2003 -- London
• July 2003 -- London
• June 2003 -- London
• May 2003 -- London
• April 2003 -- London
• March 2003 -- London
• January 2003 -- Chicago
• December 2002 -- Chicago
• November 2002 -- Chicago
• October 2002 -- Chicago

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