April 2009 Budget Recap -$2762.53

ORIGINAL BUDGET:

I think I put it at $1500 because I went to Boston/Chicago on impulse with BF, and I didn’t factor that in.

I think a more realistic budget would have been $3000 — $1500 for the trip which is just about what I spent for 2 cities.

INCOME: $4000

From Savings $2000

I put it higher than normal because I planned to buy a better camera before going on our trip.

After next month, we’re moving to a cheaper, SMALLER apartment (saving $200) in a month, so I’m going to drop this down to $1300 to keep on the same scale as before.
From Savings for Travelling $2000

WHAT I ACTUALLY SPENT: $4004-ish

The trip to Boston/Chicago ended up costing $1800.

Then I spent another $600 or so buying my plane ticket back in June for a wedding, along with a dress and shoes.

Then I spent another $1000 for rent, groceries and utilities

And the remaining $600 went to miscellaneous things, like ohh.. the mini shopping spree I had a couple of days ago, and did I mention I got a new digital camera? My 4-year old Fuji Finepix just didn’t cut it any longer for taking proper pictures and to stop freaking blurring all the time in images.

FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT

Decreased by $2762.53 because I took that trip and spent money living.

ASSETS = $73,108.30

• Emergency Fund for 1 year = $24,000
• General Savings = $12,770.40
• Retirement = $20,518.53 (BV = $27,612.89)
• Business = $13,809.37

LIABILITIES = $0

NYE 2009 Resolutions Tracking:

• Save 50% of new income = CHECK!
• 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

So my new May’s challenge… is to not spend extraenous money.

I need to really prove to myself that $1500 is the CORRECT budget to assume as an Emergency Fund per month.

I don’t care if it ends up being $2000 a month or more.

I just need to know that it’s realistic for me. And if it isn’t, I’ll change it.

I am not going to spend ANY money outside from what I really need to. That means any shopping, extra eating out above what I have budgeted… nada. Just to see if I can do it.

I am not planning on any trips back (I was thinking of going back to Ontario, but not this month), and I am going to work on other money making ventures, namely searching for a contract (I am getting bored), and getting more into investing in general.