Just a quick post before running some errands...I've been crazy busy with work during the week and the rest of life concentrated into the weekends. Took just enough time to have a cup of coffee (I'm down to just one or two during the week, btw), and attempt to answer The Lost Goat's question on my last post. Actually, I've been trying to answer that one for myself for a while now.
To be totally debt free by my birthday I would need to pay roughly $8,100 by April 9th. I'm a never-say-never sort of person, but at this point I will be more than happy to have paid my student debt by April 30th. That would give me a positive net worth to post just in time for the sixth anniversary of this blog, as well as three extra weeks to work with.
Because Darling and I get paid weekly, that's about how often we make payments. To reach my "By May" goal, we need to pay $788 a week (this is assuming that we do, in fact, transfer the tax refund directly to debt). This is possible about three out of every four weeks, as on that fourth week we pay rent.
However, $1000 of that debt is owed to my mother, who is not actually an evil corporation. She swears she doesn't actually want the money back, which is technically forgiveness. I WILL pay her back, but I would consider myself a success if, by May 1st, family debt was all that I owed.
That brings my weekly payment down to $677 a week, which is actually feasible...assuming, of course, that neither Darling nor myself get laid off. And guess who is finishing a project in March? That's right, both of us. Which, in a different post, would bring up the matter of how intelligent it is to spend ALL of one's money on debt in the face of lay-offs...but that's not the post I'm writing.
I will almost certainly be sent home for at least two weeks in early March. Darling's career is up in the air, but his current position likely expires in March or April. We are both positioned move directly to bigger and better things, but a month between jobs seems to be the norm. So there is no guarantee that, as we slide towards home-base, we won't find ourselves benched (look at that: a sports metaphor. See what one cup of coffee does to me now?).
So, to answer the question: I don't have a clue whether or not Darling and I are on track. One might be able to come up with a formula in response, but no one could guess its accuracy. We're just throwing as much money at the matter as possible, watching it shrink every week. I think about paying debt so much that I forget which payments have actually been sent in yet. Darling caught me the other day referring to our $6,700 debt when it was still $7,700. Yet I was still shocked to log on just now and discover our last payment really was $600. I'm bummed we sent less than $700 in January, but psyched that we'll triple that in February, and desperate to discover how we'll manage a repeat performance in March.
Showing posts with label Financial Picture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Financial Picture. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Spending Report, Week Six
Are these terribly boring? Perhaps, but I like summarizing my weekly excess :) So...
Work Expenses:
$20 Carpool
$60 Gas
$12.20 Food at work and class
$16.22 Dues
$10.44 Personal Groceries for lunch box
Total: $118.86
Entertainment(?):
$18 Dinner out with Darling
$1 Copy of The Awakening
$7.19 Junk food
$9.54 Solo lunch
Total: $35.73
Appliances:
$30 Pasta maker
House Stuff (mostly reimbursed):
$43.61 Frames
$10.13 RitDye
Total: $53.74
Debt: $355
Hygiene (I stocked up a little):
$6 Bars of soap
$15.65 Bottles of shampoo
$8 Razors
Total: $29.65
Health:
$483 Dentist
$75 Doctor
$29.99 Supplements recommended by doctor
$10.29 Medicine
Total: $598.28
Clothing (for Darling):
$18 Socks and Underwear
$17.49 Sweatshirt (50% off, if it matters)
$96.90, two pairs of jeans, one pair canvas pants
Total: $132.39
Office Supplies:
$5.98 Some sort of cord
$20 Hard drive
Total: $25.98
So, I spent a total of $1379.63, which is a little bit mind-boggling for me. Actually, a lot mind-boggling. My mind? Boggled.
I'm not especially unhappy with any of my spending, though. Looking at the individual categories, I'm not regretting a single purchase, besides junk food, which I mentioned in a previous post already. All together, though, it's a little hard to take in. I really spend this much money? Will I always spend this much money on a weekly basis? Have I always spent this money, and just not realized it? That doesn't seem possible.
I think it's really a matter of playing catch-up from all those years of scraping by. This is especially true of the health category. All those years of going without needed medical care has resulted in several thousands dollars of needed work. After years of wrestling with welfare programs, health insurance providers, discount cards, and short-term solutions, I'm finally at the point of actually getting the work done.
One thing that really blew me away was going through the cap-fitting process on Friday. For all the root canal appointments I've scheduled, I've never reached the phase of getting a permanent cap, which is just crazy. I've spent far, far more time in waiting rooms, being lectured over x-rays, and discussing payment plans than in the freaking chair. The same goes for Darling's wardrobe. He's sort of limped along, darning his socks and replacing buttons for years and years, but construction is wiping out his second-hand wardrobe at an unbelievable pace. For all intents and purposes, we're starting from scratch in the closet. So the numbers are going to be a little high for a few months while we find our footing.
Still, I wish that money had gone to debt...Sent $295 to student loans today, and then spent the rest of our money on tools. Hope nothing comes up between now and payday :)
Work Expenses:
$20 Carpool
$60 Gas
$12.20 Food at work and class
$16.22 Dues
$10.44 Personal Groceries for lunch box
Total: $118.86
Entertainment(?):
$18 Dinner out with Darling
$1 Copy of The Awakening
$7.19 Junk food
$9.54 Solo lunch
Total: $35.73
Appliances:
$30 Pasta maker
House Stuff (mostly reimbursed):
$43.61 Frames
$10.13 RitDye
Total: $53.74
Debt: $355
Hygiene (I stocked up a little):
$6 Bars of soap
$15.65 Bottles of shampoo
$8 Razors
Total: $29.65
Health:
$483 Dentist
$75 Doctor
$29.99 Supplements recommended by doctor
$10.29 Medicine
Total: $598.28
Clothing (for Darling):
$18 Socks and Underwear
$17.49 Sweatshirt (50% off, if it matters)
$96.90, two pairs of jeans, one pair canvas pants
Total: $132.39
Office Supplies:
$5.98 Some sort of cord
$20 Hard drive
Total: $25.98
So, I spent a total of $1379.63, which is a little bit mind-boggling for me. Actually, a lot mind-boggling. My mind? Boggled.
I'm not especially unhappy with any of my spending, though. Looking at the individual categories, I'm not regretting a single purchase, besides junk food, which I mentioned in a previous post already. All together, though, it's a little hard to take in. I really spend this much money? Will I always spend this much money on a weekly basis? Have I always spent this money, and just not realized it? That doesn't seem possible.
I think it's really a matter of playing catch-up from all those years of scraping by. This is especially true of the health category. All those years of going without needed medical care has resulted in several thousands dollars of needed work. After years of wrestling with welfare programs, health insurance providers, discount cards, and short-term solutions, I'm finally at the point of actually getting the work done.
One thing that really blew me away was going through the cap-fitting process on Friday. For all the root canal appointments I've scheduled, I've never reached the phase of getting a permanent cap, which is just crazy. I've spent far, far more time in waiting rooms, being lectured over x-rays, and discussing payment plans than in the freaking chair. The same goes for Darling's wardrobe. He's sort of limped along, darning his socks and replacing buttons for years and years, but construction is wiping out his second-hand wardrobe at an unbelievable pace. For all intents and purposes, we're starting from scratch in the closet. So the numbers are going to be a little high for a few months while we find our footing.
Still, I wish that money had gone to debt...Sent $295 to student loans today, and then spent the rest of our money on tools. Hope nothing comes up between now and payday :)
Saturday, February 11, 2012
2011 Taxes and Such
This is a weekend of getting business done. I went to the dentist yesterday for a temporary filling, which means only one more dental appointment to go (for this particular tooth) and it's all finally paid for. I went directly to work from the appointment and still managed to put a few hours on the clock.
Darling got a chance to go to the doctor as well on Friday. I wanted to celebrate this accomplishment (we can afford healthcare!) with a dinner out, but he convinced me to make a delicious homemade coconut curry with bell peppers, carrot, onion, and vermicelli instead.
This morning, after several house meetings, a homemade breakfast of blueberry pecan waffles, heating up a large pan of split pea soup, and baking cheesy onion and dill muffins, we went to Discount electronics for computer components and then Academy to pick up new jeans for Darling. I am NOT a fan of new clothing, but good work jeans have been just about impossible to find second-hand, particularly in Darling's rather narrow size. Between the ten-hour work days and four-hour commute, I figure he's got enough on his plate not having to struggle with threadbare, eight-year-old pants. It was actually a very big day for spending, but the spending report will have to wait because my entire evening was devoted to filing my taxes.
Darling and I had a much higher AGI than we've seen in a few years (though quite a bit less than 2009). The refund is slightly less than I was expecting, but I still can't wait to apply it to my student loans!
Darling got a chance to go to the doctor as well on Friday. I wanted to celebrate this accomplishment (we can afford healthcare!) with a dinner out, but he convinced me to make a delicious homemade coconut curry with bell peppers, carrot, onion, and vermicelli instead.
This morning, after several house meetings, a homemade breakfast of blueberry pecan waffles, heating up a large pan of split pea soup, and baking cheesy onion and dill muffins, we went to Discount electronics for computer components and then Academy to pick up new jeans for Darling. I am NOT a fan of new clothing, but good work jeans have been just about impossible to find second-hand, particularly in Darling's rather narrow size. Between the ten-hour work days and four-hour commute, I figure he's got enough on his plate not having to struggle with threadbare, eight-year-old pants. It was actually a very big day for spending, but the spending report will have to wait because my entire evening was devoted to filing my taxes.
Darling and I had a much higher AGI than we've seen in a few years (though quite a bit less than 2009). The refund is slightly less than I was expecting, but I still can't wait to apply it to my student loans!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Spending Review: Week Three
So, this week. How do I even begin?
Usually I start with how much I spent, then admit how much less than that I earned. Well, this week was a surprise: Darling and I earned Zero Dollars!
It was dumb. We kept expecting his paycheck to come in - any day now - and he's not receiving anything until next week. But because we were in denial, we were very casual until yesterday afternoon.
We spent...
....$124.01 for Darling to work this week, including gas in the truck, snacks for his lunchbox, and the money he pitches in for the carpool.
...$205 on medical expenses, a trip to the doctor for Darling and a trip to the dentist for me
...$23 on Darling's haircut
...$3 cashing a check at the bank on Sunday to put gas in the truck when the banks were closed
...$2.15 making a copy of the truck key after I almost lost the original in a bizarre plumbing accident
...$10 on a library late fee (I know! I hate me too!)
...$68.28 on a baby shower gift
...$14.05 on knitting supplies so I never have to buy another baby shower gift.
...$4 on bus tickets
...$5.65 mailing a package
...$8.80 on a book of stamps
...$244 on debt
...$711.94 Total!!!
I feel like this week shows a more typical picture of my daily life than the past two spending reviews. There's a little more to me than commuting and paying dues...at least, there is when I'm unemployed :)
Darling and I never imagined he wouldn't get a check this week. I don't know why. Most construction jobs hold the first check. We just needed it so much I couldn't imagine not getting it. Finally yesterday we just had to accept that reality. I ended up only get part of the work done on my tooth, which is why the visit only cost me $120 instead of $603. I'll finish the procedure in early February.
Oh yes, I should also mention that my boss called and pushed back my return date. I've been given another week off.
We'll still be able to make rent, but that's pretty much it. I really don't see another debt payment happening this month, or again until mid-February. Instead I'll hang around the house, knitting and cooking, which should be a pleasant enough compromise.
Usually I start with how much I spent, then admit how much less than that I earned. Well, this week was a surprise: Darling and I earned Zero Dollars!
It was dumb. We kept expecting his paycheck to come in - any day now - and he's not receiving anything until next week. But because we were in denial, we were very casual until yesterday afternoon.
We spent...
....$124.01 for Darling to work this week, including gas in the truck, snacks for his lunchbox, and the money he pitches in for the carpool.
...$205 on medical expenses, a trip to the doctor for Darling and a trip to the dentist for me
...$23 on Darling's haircut
...$3 cashing a check at the bank on Sunday to put gas in the truck when the banks were closed
...$2.15 making a copy of the truck key after I almost lost the original in a bizarre plumbing accident
...$10 on a library late fee (I know! I hate me too!)
...$68.28 on a baby shower gift
...$14.05 on knitting supplies so I never have to buy another baby shower gift.
...$4 on bus tickets
...$5.65 mailing a package
...$8.80 on a book of stamps
...$244 on debt
...$711.94 Total!!!
I feel like this week shows a more typical picture of my daily life than the past two spending reviews. There's a little more to me than commuting and paying dues...at least, there is when I'm unemployed :)
Darling and I never imagined he wouldn't get a check this week. I don't know why. Most construction jobs hold the first check. We just needed it so much I couldn't imagine not getting it. Finally yesterday we just had to accept that reality. I ended up only get part of the work done on my tooth, which is why the visit only cost me $120 instead of $603. I'll finish the procedure in early February.
Oh yes, I should also mention that my boss called and pushed back my return date. I've been given another week off.
We'll still be able to make rent, but that's pretty much it. I really don't see another debt payment happening this month, or again until mid-February. Instead I'll hang around the house, knitting and cooking, which should be a pleasant enough compromise.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
The Cost Of Work
Tabulating my income, expenses, and Real Hourly Wage was more complicated in November than ever before. Even when I was balancing cleaning houses, waiting tables, and serving coffee, tracking hours and tips was a more manageable ordeal. Darling was a champ, of course, tracking his time on the job, getting to work, getting home, and money spent on bus tickets. Compiling all the information in a way that makes sense is the challenge. The more I categorize our spending, the more detailed it becomes. Early next year I might post our January 2011 tabulations next to our December tabulations so you can see what I mean. What originally took 68 lines on a spreadsheet now spans 163, to give you a clue of how much intricacy my personal "budget" has developed in only ten months.
We earned a lot of money in November. Easily twice as much as we've earned in previous "good months." That helped make up for the fact that, besides a massive loan from Mom, we made less than $600 in October. Swings and roundabouts, as my beloved says. That enabled us to pay October and November's rent, purchase three tofurkeys to share at the family dinner, devote $400 to my teeth, and mail off $260 for Darling's passport renewal. Any one of these expenses would have been a challenge to us in recent history. We also paid off two months of Darling's phone bill and two months of my union dues at once, simply because we felt like it. Also, we very nearly have the cash to pay rent in full. We should have it all, and probably will by the time a housemate gets to the bank next week, but it's still kind of a bummer to be a hundred bucks short.
In fact, let's talk about the bummer elements of last month's spending: only $300 to my student loan company, which is a lot, but not enough considering I haven't paid anything in months (fortunately I don't have to worry about late fees - I could probably miss a year's worth of payments before they start charging those). Also, I was planning on having $600 worth of work done on my teeth, not just $400. I shouldn't have had to choose between that and making rent considering Mom loaned me the tooth money last month.
So...where did we go wrong, financially speaking? Our food and eating out expenses were normal - despite the tofurkeys and buying my family dinner. Our entertainment budget included one item, a $21 gift I absolutely had to buy for my niece. We spent less on booze than last month, which wasn't difficult, but still...No, the culprit was not among the usual suspects. One category of spending towered above the rest, ominous and disturbing and infuriating all at once: Work Expenses.
Holy Home Depot, Batman. We spent a lot of money to work. Naturally I wanted to blame Darling, who spent three times as much on tools as I did. Plus, his cell phone is a work expense - we don't give the number to friends or family at all. But I spent a little more than he did to work. Gas for the truck cost us over $200, and my union dues take another bite out of the bank balance.
Despite all this, Darling and my combined Real Hourly Wage (Income - Work-Related Expenses / Hour Worked and Commute time) is still very reasonable. Not so much as when I was cleaning and waiting tables, which cost me almost nothing, but still reasonable considering how steady the hours are.
Have you ever tracked the time and money you've spent on work? Taking into account the coffee you need to get through the morning (especially if you stop at a shop, unable to take time to brew at home), the professional shoes, the second reliable vehicle so your significant can get to work, childcare, hours spent tweaking the resume, days spent in traffic, drinks with coworkers, time and money devoted to training...Have you ever really seriously thought about how much you pay to work? If not, try it for a few months, let me know what you find :)
We earned a lot of money in November. Easily twice as much as we've earned in previous "good months." That helped make up for the fact that, besides a massive loan from Mom, we made less than $600 in October. Swings and roundabouts, as my beloved says. That enabled us to pay October and November's rent, purchase three tofurkeys to share at the family dinner, devote $400 to my teeth, and mail off $260 for Darling's passport renewal. Any one of these expenses would have been a challenge to us in recent history. We also paid off two months of Darling's phone bill and two months of my union dues at once, simply because we felt like it. Also, we very nearly have the cash to pay rent in full. We should have it all, and probably will by the time a housemate gets to the bank next week, but it's still kind of a bummer to be a hundred bucks short.
In fact, let's talk about the bummer elements of last month's spending: only $300 to my student loan company, which is a lot, but not enough considering I haven't paid anything in months (fortunately I don't have to worry about late fees - I could probably miss a year's worth of payments before they start charging those). Also, I was planning on having $600 worth of work done on my teeth, not just $400. I shouldn't have had to choose between that and making rent considering Mom loaned me the tooth money last month.
So...where did we go wrong, financially speaking? Our food and eating out expenses were normal - despite the tofurkeys and buying my family dinner. Our entertainment budget included one item, a $21 gift I absolutely had to buy for my niece. We spent less on booze than last month, which wasn't difficult, but still...No, the culprit was not among the usual suspects. One category of spending towered above the rest, ominous and disturbing and infuriating all at once: Work Expenses.
Holy Home Depot, Batman. We spent a lot of money to work. Naturally I wanted to blame Darling, who spent three times as much on tools as I did. Plus, his cell phone is a work expense - we don't give the number to friends or family at all. But I spent a little more than he did to work. Gas for the truck cost us over $200, and my union dues take another bite out of the bank balance.
Despite all this, Darling and my combined Real Hourly Wage (Income - Work-Related Expenses / Hour Worked and Commute time) is still very reasonable. Not so much as when I was cleaning and waiting tables, which cost me almost nothing, but still reasonable considering how steady the hours are.
Have you ever tracked the time and money you've spent on work? Taking into account the coffee you need to get through the morning (especially if you stop at a shop, unable to take time to brew at home), the professional shoes, the second reliable vehicle so your significant can get to work, childcare, hours spent tweaking the resume, days spent in traffic, drinks with coworkers, time and money devoted to training...Have you ever really seriously thought about how much you pay to work? If not, try it for a few months, let me know what you find :)
Sunday, September 25, 2011
NIght Owl Finances
The coffee fudge was a total fail. I whipped up a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies at the last minute, packed them into a paper bag, and arrived at game night quite late. Fortunately my friends are as much night owls as I have become, and we all had no problem hanging out until four in the morning. We ate home-made enchiladas and played the Game of Thrones board game, which was good fun and quite complicated.
Darling and I spent most of today catching up on our sleep. I served blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes, eggs, toast, fruit, and iced early grey tea for breakfast, and now Darling is facilitating the last board meeting over which he will preside as president.
I took the time to look over our financial situation, which isn't bad considering we both spent most of August totally unemployed and only one of us worked for a total of two and a half weeks in September. Darling received two paychecks and has a third on the way. He spent some of his first check on living expenses and supplies, and I immediately put half a tank of gas in the truck when he got back...
...Oh, by the way, I'm borrowing my Mom's truck as of a few weeks ago. Before anyone gets huffy about it, I've driven the truck about three times in three weeks. A potential carpentry job came up in Killeen and while it would suck to have to drive that far, it will suck a whole lot more to never be a carpenter because I can't get to work-sites. My goal is to get steady work nearby that within carpool or even bike range, but until that happens I have to be available for anything...
Anyway, the money we have on hand is just short of what we need to pay what we owe for this month's rent. I'm going to transfer $40 from the small savings account I really hate to touch and deposit that check on Wednesday. We should receive the rest of Darling's pay by next Friday which, along with a little more money out of our savings account, should cover October rent. I hate to drain our tiny savings just when it was becoming useful, but that's being unemployed and having a big ol' bill hanging over us. It will be a big relief to be totally caught up :)
Darling and I spent most of today catching up on our sleep. I served blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes, eggs, toast, fruit, and iced early grey tea for breakfast, and now Darling is facilitating the last board meeting over which he will preside as president.
I took the time to look over our financial situation, which isn't bad considering we both spent most of August totally unemployed and only one of us worked for a total of two and a half weeks in September. Darling received two paychecks and has a third on the way. He spent some of his first check on living expenses and supplies, and I immediately put half a tank of gas in the truck when he got back...
...Oh, by the way, I'm borrowing my Mom's truck as of a few weeks ago. Before anyone gets huffy about it, I've driven the truck about three times in three weeks. A potential carpentry job came up in Killeen and while it would suck to have to drive that far, it will suck a whole lot more to never be a carpenter because I can't get to work-sites. My goal is to get steady work nearby that within carpool or even bike range, but until that happens I have to be available for anything...
Anyway, the money we have on hand is just short of what we need to pay what we owe for this month's rent. I'm going to transfer $40 from the small savings account I really hate to touch and deposit that check on Wednesday. We should receive the rest of Darling's pay by next Friday which, along with a little more money out of our savings account, should cover October rent. I hate to drain our tiny savings just when it was becoming useful, but that's being unemployed and having a big ol' bill hanging over us. It will be a big relief to be totally caught up :)
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Broke (ish)
I am broke.
The house I was supposed to clean this morning canceled last night. I spent the last of my cash on supplies for shop class (which went really well, particularly as I was the only apprentice who decided to bring said supplies).
In a way, I am only theoretically broke. Darling has a paycheck, but no way to deposit it into our bank account. We agreed a while ago that he would hold onto it until returning to town...a little over a week from now.
Also, I have a secret savings account. Actually, it is my normal savings account, but except for the occasional deposit, I have been totally ignoring it for months. My until-now-unspoken goal has been to save up enough money to pay rent in a pinch. But right now it's too little to do much good to anyone, especially if I drain it. In other words, there is money available, but I can't bring myself to touch it.
Darling and I have actually spent a lot this month, particularly in the pursuit and preparation for work. So maybe it would be a good thing to simply not have a choice in the matter of spending or not.
The house I was supposed to clean this morning canceled last night. I spent the last of my cash on supplies for shop class (which went really well, particularly as I was the only apprentice who decided to bring said supplies).
In a way, I am only theoretically broke. Darling has a paycheck, but no way to deposit it into our bank account. We agreed a while ago that he would hold onto it until returning to town...a little over a week from now.
Our first Christmas together, broke and madly in love
Darling and I have actually spent a lot this month, particularly in the pursuit and preparation for work. So maybe it would be a good thing to simply not have a choice in the matter of spending or not.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
July Tabulations
My real hourly wage for June was $8.45. I'm expecting slightly larger paychecks in July, and riding the bike should cut my commute by several hours a week, so hopefully that will improve.
I spent about 114 hours on rent, 23 on debt, and 14 on "extra" food and drink out with friends and on the go. I kind of can't believe that, broke as we seemed to be last month, we spent so much on beer and snacks. It adds up so quickly! And while I do love eating out, experiencing new restaurants, and not having to wash dishes, a lot of last month's eating out was really dissapointing. Darling and I spent $33 on a date to a favorite restaurant we neglected for a year, and the food was terrible. That was the biggest chunk of change, and the biggest letdown, but ultimately I'm looking foward to denying that vice for ten months.
Lizzie wondered if I ought to list all my expenditures on my blog for thirty days, which seems fair enough, since I'm claiming a spending fast. On the first of July Darling went to the bank and metro station to buy me a $30 thirty-day bus pass. Confused, he came home with a $20 seven-day bus and train pass. Frustrating as that is, thank God he didn't waste $80 on the 30-day bus and train pass. I'm wondering if this is a sign that I should start really relying on my bike to get to and from work. Tallying my hours worked for my monthly tabulations shows that the week I commuted by train and pedal-power, I saved roughly 5 hours of time.
That same day I did the house shopping, spending $2 on a bus and $21 on a cab in the proccess. Thankfully we have a new housemate who owns a car, so there will be less pressure on me to take up that chore.
We also paid $600 of our rent. Which means on day one we spent a total of $643. Not what I would call a massive success for day one, but whatever. Yesterday I spent no money.
I spent about 114 hours on rent, 23 on debt, and 14 on "extra" food and drink out with friends and on the go. I kind of can't believe that, broke as we seemed to be last month, we spent so much on beer and snacks. It adds up so quickly! And while I do love eating out, experiencing new restaurants, and not having to wash dishes, a lot of last month's eating out was really dissapointing. Darling and I spent $33 on a date to a favorite restaurant we neglected for a year, and the food was terrible. That was the biggest chunk of change, and the biggest letdown, but ultimately I'm looking foward to denying that vice for ten months.
Lizzie wondered if I ought to list all my expenditures on my blog for thirty days, which seems fair enough, since I'm claiming a spending fast. On the first of July Darling went to the bank and metro station to buy me a $30 thirty-day bus pass. Confused, he came home with a $20 seven-day bus and train pass. Frustrating as that is, thank God he didn't waste $80 on the 30-day bus and train pass. I'm wondering if this is a sign that I should start really relying on my bike to get to and from work. Tallying my hours worked for my monthly tabulations shows that the week I commuted by train and pedal-power, I saved roughly 5 hours of time.
That same day I did the house shopping, spending $2 on a bus and $21 on a cab in the proccess. Thankfully we have a new housemate who owns a car, so there will be less pressure on me to take up that chore.
We also paid $600 of our rent. Which means on day one we spent a total of $643. Not what I would call a massive success for day one, but whatever. Yesterday I spent no money.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Where Did April Go?
What did I spend my time working for in March?
1. Rent, which also covers my basic living expenses, clocked in at 69 hours.
2. I dedicated 33 1/2 hours of my life to paying off debt. The bright side? Interest in April cost me less than half what it did in March.
3. I'm really unhappy to say that the phone bills took an unwelcome 19 hours of my life. Time to go the frugal route and purchase a tracphone.
4. 13 Hours are listed under my entertainment budget because of my birthday. I should confess that I didn't sort the categories properly. Most of that amount is food, and about 40% of it was unnecessary. Live and learn.
5. Speaking of food, even with half of it hidden in the entertainment category we managed to spend another 8 hours paying for the rest.
This is the first month that I've looked at my totals and really regretted an expense. I really want nineteen hours of my life back. Basically, someone misread the fine print on the phone plans and assumed that certain fees were one-time-only. I honestly can't believe anyone could afford a phone for at that price.
I wanted a real plan with a real company, though, and didn't even really take advantage of the research that was offered to me for free in my comments section. Which turns my normal fail into and Epic Fail. Then I had the phone cut off just days before I really needed it, the day my dream employers called me up for an interview. And what did they do? Send me a freaking e-mail.
1. Rent, which also covers my basic living expenses, clocked in at 69 hours.
2. I dedicated 33 1/2 hours of my life to paying off debt. The bright side? Interest in April cost me less than half what it did in March.
3. I'm really unhappy to say that the phone bills took an unwelcome 19 hours of my life. Time to go the frugal route and purchase a tracphone.
4. 13 Hours are listed under my entertainment budget because of my birthday. I should confess that I didn't sort the categories properly. Most of that amount is food, and about 40% of it was unnecessary. Live and learn.
5. Speaking of food, even with half of it hidden in the entertainment category we managed to spend another 8 hours paying for the rest.
This is the first month that I've looked at my totals and really regretted an expense. I really want nineteen hours of my life back. Basically, someone misread the fine print on the phone plans and assumed that certain fees were one-time-only. I honestly can't believe anyone could afford a phone for at that price.
I wanted a real plan with a real company, though, and didn't even really take advantage of the research that was offered to me for free in my comments section. Which turns my normal fail into and Epic Fail. Then I had the phone cut off just days before I really needed it, the day my dream employers called me up for an interview. And what did they do? Send me a freaking e-mail.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
December 2010 Net Worth
I tallied up my net worth on the first of the month before heading off to work, but didn't have time to actually write a post. Or sit down at the computer for a number of days, or really reflect on our no spend month.
The first was a Wednesday, so I opened the restaurant and closed the cafe. Thursday morning I woke up earlier than usual and cleaned a house, all by myself, for the first time. I earned a big pile of money for my efforts and really hope the owners were pleased. Then I worked a mid-shift at the cafe and was so unbelievably tired afterwards that I just sort of crashed. Today I just have to get through the lunch shift at the restaurant and I'll have the afternoon to myself...well, and some data entry and other odd tasks.
I've been arranging for this employment surplus for some time, and I'm glad to have it because the restaurant is unexpectedly closing for over a week at the end of the month. So if I didn't have the cafe job, there would be no rent money, much less Christmas cash or anything like that.
On top of everything else, Darling's tooth pain turned into an emergency and I made him a dental appointment yesterday. This cost us $88 for the appointment, which netted him an appointment with a surgeon, and $22 for antibiotics. Darling will be seeing the specialist in a couple of hours, which will cost us a couple of hundred dollars. We have the cash, in a proverbial envelope marked "rent," so this month we will have a lot of catching up to do.
However, a lot of that will affect the January Net Worth. As for this month, we have the following:
$1,602.11 in assets
$11,799.61 in debt
Net Worth: 10,197.50, a drop of $163.47.
I am not happy to see the drop, but I am not devastated either. There are hard months sometimes, and easier months, and better years. I can't wait to be in a better spot financially, but I'm even more impatient to have our medical needs sorted out.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
July Net Worth
The Good News: Darling and I managed to make the second and final payment for his Summer classes. This was aided in part by his dropping Spanish.
The bad news? Well, Darling dropped Spanish. And we couldn't afford for him to register for Fall classes...and we haven't quite made rent. Like, at all.
We barely kept up with the interest payments on my student loans, knocking a couple of bucks off the principle. Our total debt (including late rent), is $12,477.82.
Our assets (all in the investment fund) come to $1633.71.
Our total net worth is -$10,844.11...which is actually $77.49 more than last month, when I was also behind on my bills. Every small improvement counts.
Last month I came up with a game to focus on earning and learning every day of the month. It dropped off when I got sick, and I never picked up again. To be honest, every day this month felt like a challenge without the game. There were days that I worked from dawn until dusk and felt like I was barely treading water - and in fact we went under. Unlike the majority of our housemates, we've never actually paid rent late. We've over-drafted the account, paid late Friday afternoon and worked like mad during the weekend, borrowed money from my brother, taken advantage of the well-timed three-day-weekend, but never woken up on the first of the month with no money in the bank.
I have a new plan for this month to get us out of the hole and back on track, but I'll keep it to myself for a few days to confirm with Darling and other interested parties and work out the kinks. Hope everyone else had a mildly profitable June!
The bad news? Well, Darling dropped Spanish. And we couldn't afford for him to register for Fall classes...and we haven't quite made rent. Like, at all.
We barely kept up with the interest payments on my student loans, knocking a couple of bucks off the principle. Our total debt (including late rent), is $12,477.82.
Our assets (all in the investment fund) come to $1633.71.
Our total net worth is -$10,844.11...which is actually $77.49 more than last month, when I was also behind on my bills. Every small improvement counts.
Last month I came up with a game to focus on earning and learning every day of the month. It dropped off when I got sick, and I never picked up again. To be honest, every day this month felt like a challenge without the game. There were days that I worked from dawn until dusk and felt like I was barely treading water - and in fact we went under. Unlike the majority of our housemates, we've never actually paid rent late. We've over-drafted the account, paid late Friday afternoon and worked like mad during the weekend, borrowed money from my brother, taken advantage of the well-timed three-day-weekend, but never woken up on the first of the month with no money in the bank.
I have a new plan for this month to get us out of the hole and back on track, but I'll keep it to myself for a few days to confirm with Darling and other interested parties and work out the kinks. Hope everyone else had a mildly profitable June!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
May 2010 Net Worth
I can't say it was a hard month, but it could have been easier. I spent nearly a grand on a single tooth this month alone - and it's still not even capped. Due to the depth of damage, I need another $600 surgery to reveal enough bone to complete the procedure. Bleh. So despite the fact that I continued to balance two jobs, and Darling worked twice his usual hours, our savings was reduced by $876.86 to $2,858.07.
Even though I sent $350 to my student loan company, our debt decreased by only $121.76. Mostly because Darling set up another payment plan with the school. We paid half of his $604 tuition and owe the rest in July.
This gives us a net worth of -$9,345.34, which is $755.10 less than last month. Which is a little disappointing, but also not surprising. I don't think we've ever increased our net worth more than two months in a row. It is literally a two-steps-forward-one-back process.
I put a hold on transfers to my investments account for the time being, as getting the teeth fixed before they fall out is a priority. I also cut my weekly loan payment back down from $70 to $35.
In twelve days Darling and I will be hitting the road, so to speak, and my sister loaned us a vehicle to make this possible. What can I say about the rest of May, and our financial goals? Not a whole lot. Our entire life is shifting drastically, and the fact that we still have to worry about rent, bills, paying for food...It almost seems laughable. Maybe I'm just sleep deprived...
Even though I sent $350 to my student loan company, our debt decreased by only $121.76. Mostly because Darling set up another payment plan with the school. We paid half of his $604 tuition and owe the rest in July.
This gives us a net worth of -$9,345.34, which is $755.10 less than last month. Which is a little disappointing, but also not surprising. I don't think we've ever increased our net worth more than two months in a row. It is literally a two-steps-forward-one-back process.
I put a hold on transfers to my investments account for the time being, as getting the teeth fixed before they fall out is a priority. I also cut my weekly loan payment back down from $70 to $35.
In twelve days Darling and I will be hitting the road, so to speak, and my sister loaned us a vehicle to make this possible. What can I say about the rest of May, and our financial goals? Not a whole lot. Our entire life is shifting drastically, and the fact that we still have to worry about rent, bills, paying for food...It almost seems laughable. Maybe I'm just sleep deprived...
Monday, March 1, 2010
March 2010 Net Worth
I don't know if I would have quit my job if I hadn't known a nice tax refund would be forthcoming this month. No doubt we should all opt to have as little withheld from our collective paychecks as possible, but boy do I like getting that annual check. I've used such checks to fund roadtrips, boost savings, purchase plane tickets, and move cross-country.
Thanks largely in part to that refund, our assets ring in at $3,676.63, an increase of $494.89. Not too bad, considering I spent two weeks unemployed.
Our debt totals $12,381.79. That's $361.82 less than last month.
This gives us a net worth of -$8,705.16, an increase of $856.71!
To celebrate the increase in net worth, I upped our weekly loan deduction from $30 to $35. I'm also increasing the amount that's automatically transferred to the savings account from $18 to $24.
This year is starting out great!
Thanks largely in part to that refund, our assets ring in at $3,676.63, an increase of $494.89. Not too bad, considering I spent two weeks unemployed.
Our debt totals $12,381.79. That's $361.82 less than last month.
This gives us a net worth of -$8,705.16, an increase of $856.71!
To celebrate the increase in net worth, I upped our weekly loan deduction from $30 to $35. I'm also increasing the amount that's automatically transferred to the savings account from $18 to $24.
This year is starting out great!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
February 2010 Net Worth
It's day three of job hunting, and I'm still feeling great about it. After months of disappointment and boredom it's awesome to have people look at my resume and application and tell me how qualified I am! It's just a matter of walking into the right place at the right time, which may have already happened.
What I'm not super-excited about is checking out my net worth...
We currently have $3,181.74 in assets, a drop of $1581.27. Which is a pretty impressive drop.
Our debt dropped a less impressive $489.97 to $1,2743.61.
This gives us a net worth of -$9,561.87.
It's nice to still have such a low net worth, and I can't wait to have a good-paying job soon so we can keep this number above -$10,000.
The first $200 I earn at my next job is totally going to my brother to pay off my debt to him :)
What I'm not super-excited about is checking out my net worth...
We currently have $3,181.74 in assets, a drop of $1581.27. Which is a pretty impressive drop.
Our debt dropped a less impressive $489.97 to $1,2743.61.
This gives us a net worth of -$9,561.87.
It's nice to still have such a low net worth, and I can't wait to have a good-paying job soon so we can keep this number above -$10,000.
The first $200 I earn at my next job is totally going to my brother to pay off my debt to him :)
Friday, January 1, 2010
January 2010 Net Worth
So last month I claimed to have paid back my brother and sister-in-law. I scheduled a meeting with Ob's wife in order to pass on the check, but she canceled for reasons to do with pregnancy. I scheduled another meeting and received another rain check. Then I got an e-mail from Darling with his Christmas request. Then I did some more Christmas shopping. And that's how $200 out of debt became $200 under the tree. I could have put the check in the mail, of course. But I didn't. So that's back on the debt calculation. That increases our debt by $130.07, to a total of $13,233.58.
I decided to continue paying only $30 a week to our student loan company. I'd really like to increase that to $35, or even $40, but technically we didn't break even this month. This is a technicality for two reasons: we would have met our monthly expenses if my employers had paid me a day early instead of a day late due to holiday, and we are able to meet our expenses because my Mom gave us a check for $3,000. Of course that check is to visit a dentist, and the money borrowed from it to pay rent will be replaced with money from my belated paycheck before the rent check even clears, but the technicality remains. If that makes any sense at all.
The check from my Mom increases our assets to $4,763.01 ($2,835.95 more than last month). This is something of an artificial increase since that check is meant to go from my Mom to a dentist. But the fact remains that it's there, and will hopefully earn me at least a little interest before being siphoned away.
That gives us a net worth of -$9,400. Temporary as this net worth may be, it's nice to see something above the -10,000 mark.
I decided to continue paying only $30 a week to our student loan company. I'd really like to increase that to $35, or even $40, but technically we didn't break even this month. This is a technicality for two reasons: we would have met our monthly expenses if my employers had paid me a day early instead of a day late due to holiday, and we are able to meet our expenses because my Mom gave us a check for $3,000. Of course that check is to visit a dentist, and the money borrowed from it to pay rent will be replaced with money from my belated paycheck before the rent check even clears, but the technicality remains. If that makes any sense at all.
The check from my Mom increases our assets to $4,763.01 ($2,835.95 more than last month). This is something of an artificial increase since that check is meant to go from my Mom to a dentist. But the fact remains that it's there, and will hopefully earn me at least a little interest before being siphoned away.
That gives us a net worth of -$9,400. Temporary as this net worth may be, it's nice to see something above the -10,000 mark.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
December 2009 Net Worth
I earned enough money to write my brother and sister-in-law a check for $200, which is the last of our family debt and my primary goal for the month. Because we started November by passing them $300, we knocked our debt down by $569.64, to $13,103.51.
Granted, we don't have a whole lot of money in the bank now. We have $997.06, $173.65 less than this time last month.
That leaves us with a net worth of -$12,106.45. That's good because it's $395.99 more than last month. That's great because it's our highest net worth ever!
Because we're ending this month a little tight, I decided to keep December's weekly payments at $30 a week. My main focus is to have a happy holiday season, of course, but I also need to have the first payment for ACC set aside in savings.
Granted, we don't have a whole lot of money in the bank now. We have $997.06, $173.65 less than this time last month.
That leaves us with a net worth of -$12,106.45. That's good because it's $395.99 more than last month. That's great because it's our highest net worth ever!
Because we're ending this month a little tight, I decided to keep December's weekly payments at $30 a week. My main focus is to have a happy holiday season, of course, but I also need to have the first payment for ACC set aside in savings.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
November 2009 Net Worth
My moral dilemma for the month was whether or not Darling and I would pay for his classes all at once (fewer classes, longer until he graduates) or using a payment plan (all his classes, sinks us deeper into debt). We went with the payment plan option and only paid $212 this month.
We also spent money maybe a little more freely than we should have this month. I can't really say where all the money went. A good deal went to debt, of course, a total of $152 to student loans. And I pumped our investment account by $124 - which is particularly good since we haven't put any money into our 401(k) since February. I bought a nice gift for my coming niece's baby shower and had an eye exam. We ate out a couple of times, rented some movies, bought some clothes and costume accessories and took a bottle of wine and a six pack to last night's party.
Our spending and saving was the result of some of the extra money I picked up working that convention and the "extra" paycheck that results from having five Fridays in a month, which happens again in January. So we kind of came out ahead with our assets, starting this month with $1,170.71, $187.43 more than last month.
Unfortunately the payment plan increased our debt by $636 to $13,673.15. That's $552.19 more than October.
This leaves us with a net worth of -$12,502.44, which is a $364.76 drop from our record low last month.
I'd like to make up that up this month by repaying much of what I owe to my brother and sister-in-law before Thanksgiving. In the meantime, our weekly student loan payments are increasing from $25 to $30 a month.
We also spent money maybe a little more freely than we should have this month. I can't really say where all the money went. A good deal went to debt, of course, a total of $152 to student loans. And I pumped our investment account by $124 - which is particularly good since we haven't put any money into our 401(k) since February. I bought a nice gift for my coming niece's baby shower and had an eye exam. We ate out a couple of times, rented some movies, bought some clothes and costume accessories and took a bottle of wine and a six pack to last night's party.
Our spending and saving was the result of some of the extra money I picked up working that convention and the "extra" paycheck that results from having five Fridays in a month, which happens again in January. So we kind of came out ahead with our assets, starting this month with $1,170.71, $187.43 more than last month.
Unfortunately the payment plan increased our debt by $636 to $13,673.15. That's $552.19 more than October.
This leaves us with a net worth of -$12,502.44, which is a $364.76 drop from our record low last month.
I'd like to make up that up this month by repaying much of what I owe to my brother and sister-in-law before Thanksgiving. In the meantime, our weekly student loan payments are increasing from $25 to $30 a month.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
October Net Worth
Yikes, six days late!
The past several weeks I've been nearly too busy to check my e-mail. Like an idiot I created a facebook account. Everyone I told, fans and critics alike, insisted I'd lose hours of time to it. If only I had hours to devote to such a pursuit! I've maybe logged on once a week, on average. I am now more confused than ever by our tech-addicted culture; facebook strikes me as slightly boring.
September was a financial success, generally speaking. Having paid rent on time with funds to spare, I upped my weekly student loan payment to $30. At this moment we are still $13,120.96 in the hole, which is about $62 less than last month. Slow, steady progress anyone?
In the bank we have $983.28, which is $83.81 more than last month.
This leaves us with a net worth of -$12,137.68, which is $145.01 higher than last month :)
The past several weeks I've been nearly too busy to check my e-mail. Like an idiot I created a facebook account. Everyone I told, fans and critics alike, insisted I'd lose hours of time to it. If only I had hours to devote to such a pursuit! I've maybe logged on once a week, on average. I am now more confused than ever by our tech-addicted culture; facebook strikes me as slightly boring.
September was a financial success, generally speaking. Having paid rent on time with funds to spare, I upped my weekly student loan payment to $30. At this moment we are still $13,120.96 in the hole, which is about $62 less than last month. Slow, steady progress anyone?
In the bank we have $983.28, which is $83.81 more than last month.
This leaves us with a net worth of -$12,137.68, which is $145.01 higher than last month :)
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
September Net Worth
Debt: $13,182.16, which is $93.40 less than last month. I actually paid a total of $150, so that amount is a little depressing, but at least I'm more aware of the dangers of compound interest than ever. I'm upping my weekly debit by $5 and hoping to make that extra $100 payment this month. I'm also going to repay more of the debt owed to my brother.
Assets: $899.47, which is more than double what I had last month. The majority of my assets are tucked into an Ing 401(k), leaving with no real emergency fund or short term savings. This is a dangerous oversight, particularly since we intend to save between one and five thousand dollars by April in order to either pay for Darling's spring semester or spend my 25th birthday in Scotland. My goal for September is to save as much as I repay creditors. Which will require some interesting math, but is hardly impossible...
Total Net Worth: A record-breaking -$12,282.69, $531 more than August. It's also $225 more than my previous best net worth!
Assets: $899.47, which is more than double what I had last month. The majority of my assets are tucked into an Ing 401(k), leaving with no real emergency fund or short term savings. This is a dangerous oversight, particularly since we intend to save between one and five thousand dollars by April in order to either pay for Darling's spring semester or spend my 25th birthday in Scotland. My goal for September is to save as much as I repay creditors. Which will require some interesting math, but is hardly impossible...
Total Net Worth: A record-breaking -$12,282.69, $531 more than August. It's also $225 more than my previous best net worth!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Update and Plans
Sorry for the infrequent posting. I'm suffering a pretty maddening case of writer's block and have stared at several posts for 4-5 hours at at time before giving up on them. Maybe, like my career at the Alamo Drafthouse, that has come to an end this weekend.
I had a lot of little financial "oopsies" this month. I started by letting our rent check overdraft even though we had the money. Later, I managed to not cancel one of my Greenling orders, which cost $30. Last Friday I couldn't find any confirmation or evidence that my $20 automatic debit was going through with the loan company, and in my attempts to rectify this apparant mistake I ended up sending them double their usual payment. Due to a little confusion at the Alamo my last weekend of shifts were given away, for which I probably would have earned at least $200. Darling's boss made an accounting error and we recieved only half his paycheck, which he thankfully noticed as I wouldn't have known the difference.
The realities of paycheck-to-paycheck living are setting in. In the past I could make up for small indiscretions with a work-binge at the end of the month. Now I have forty hours to work a week, maximum, and opportunities to pick up extra shifts are limited. There is certainly more cash to be made, but these opportunities have yet to be cultivated. In the meantime, I want to take full advantage of what we do have.
It just so happens that my weekly part-time pay barely covers our co-op payment. The entirety of that is automatically debited from our account every week, leaving us with Darling's paychecks and other income to pay for my Mom's phone, our cell minutes, and our debt payments. When those payments have been made at the end of every month from our regular bank account, we'll transfer just enough money from our Ing account to make rent. Any surplus will be left earning interest in the savings account.
And there will be surplus. I'll be working as much as 12 more hours a week at the bakery and picking up side jobs (already been asked to childcare and pick up hours at a friend's store - jobs I've done in the past), and Darling will probably be picking up more shifts at his workplace now that he's taking fewer credit hours. My plan is to steadily increase automatic deductions to absorb increased income: this month we'll be paying $5 more a week towards student loans. We'll also be be building both long and short term savings: the majority of our surplus will go into a savings account for a trip to Scotland next April, but whenever our savings account balance exceeds that of our 401(k) we'll transfer 10% into the latter. This worked well last year when we were saving for our last big trip.
I had a lot of little financial "oopsies" this month. I started by letting our rent check overdraft even though we had the money. Later, I managed to not cancel one of my Greenling orders, which cost $30. Last Friday I couldn't find any confirmation or evidence that my $20 automatic debit was going through with the loan company, and in my attempts to rectify this apparant mistake I ended up sending them double their usual payment. Due to a little confusion at the Alamo my last weekend of shifts were given away, for which I probably would have earned at least $200. Darling's boss made an accounting error and we recieved only half his paycheck, which he thankfully noticed as I wouldn't have known the difference.
The realities of paycheck-to-paycheck living are setting in. In the past I could make up for small indiscretions with a work-binge at the end of the month. Now I have forty hours to work a week, maximum, and opportunities to pick up extra shifts are limited. There is certainly more cash to be made, but these opportunities have yet to be cultivated. In the meantime, I want to take full advantage of what we do have.
It just so happens that my weekly part-time pay barely covers our co-op payment. The entirety of that is automatically debited from our account every week, leaving us with Darling's paychecks and other income to pay for my Mom's phone, our cell minutes, and our debt payments. When those payments have been made at the end of every month from our regular bank account, we'll transfer just enough money from our Ing account to make rent. Any surplus will be left earning interest in the savings account.
And there will be surplus. I'll be working as much as 12 more hours a week at the bakery and picking up side jobs (already been asked to childcare and pick up hours at a friend's store - jobs I've done in the past), and Darling will probably be picking up more shifts at his workplace now that he's taking fewer credit hours. My plan is to steadily increase automatic deductions to absorb increased income: this month we'll be paying $5 more a week towards student loans. We'll also be be building both long and short term savings: the majority of our surplus will go into a savings account for a trip to Scotland next April, but whenever our savings account balance exceeds that of our 401(k) we'll transfer 10% into the latter. This worked well last year when we were saving for our last big trip.
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