February 2009 Budget Recap

ORIGINAL BUDGET: $1500

(I’m half laughing & crying as I’m reviewing the amounts for each category. More laughing than crying.)


I re-jigged around the categories and put less in Eating Out, and Gas/Car Maintenance because I ended up buying that Netbook.


INCOME: $2367.11

From Savings $1500

To pay for living expenses – that was the budget I set for myself as close to bare bones, but I tend to always go over by a hundred or so but I don’t really sweat it.

Earned $867.11

Cash on the side doing side jobs.

Am waiting for a contract that may be coming up soon at the end of April. Will know more then, so I’m not sweating it for now.


WHAT I ACTUALLY SPENT: $2508.08

So as you may have noticed, I killed my budget sheet this month.


But only by $141.47!

UPDATE: I forgot about interest earnings on my accounts, I actually earned $71.52 in interest this month, so really, I was only over budget by $69.95.

I can’t totally blame it on my Netbook because I bought things for my trip next month (allergy pills, train ticket)..

So to compensate a bit, I also didn’t spend any cash on gas or car maintenance (car is fully paid off, insurance was $300/year) and I barely ate out this month.

Here’s my cute little pie chart in my budgeting sheet to show you that Savings, Rent, Food & Electronics are clearly my priorities in life.



FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT

Decreased by $3378.76 (the stock market dropped by another $1500 for me and I spent money living.)

ASSETS = $70,896.74

  • Emergency Fund for 2 years = $36,000
  • General Savings = $1914.55
  • Retirement = $15,150.68 (Market Value) — Book Value is $24,489.14
  • Business = $17,831.51

LIABILITIES = $0

NYE 2009 Resolutions Tracking:

  • Save 50% of new income = $450 (a little over half of $867) – FAILED? Because I spent $141 of what I “saved”
  • Tracked expenses and set a budget – CHECK!
  • Stay on $1500 budget when not working – FAILED
  • Increase Net Worth to $150,000 – FAILED FOR THIS MONTH.


NOTES

Wow this is a nasty month. March will not be better.

Am going back to Ontario to see my sister, pick up my mail and my taxes (FINALLY!).

Then I am going to NYC with BF. Heh ๐Ÿ™‚

Oh well, it has to be done, and there’s no need for me to freak out until I really don’t get a contract by August 2009. So I’m going to take it easy until then and keep working on getting a contract and/or a job in the States.

I am however, going to try and tighten my belt on extraneous spending. I foresee some meals at home with my family LOL. No eating out extravagantly.

About the Author

Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver. I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year. Now I am self-employed, and you can read more about my story here, or visit my other blog: The Everyday Minimalist.