October 2009 Budget Recap

Let’s see how I did!

INCOME: $1653.19

• $1000 — Taken from Savings
• $500 — Side Job editing
• $120 — Sold 2 statues
• $15 — Swagbucks (read about it here)
• $18.19 — Google Adsense (WOO HOO!)

EXPENSES: $1579.91

• $371 — Rent
• $207.79 — Groceries
• $57.36 — Cellphone
• $12.75 — Bus Tickets
• $88.01 — Vitamin pills (enough for 3 months)
• $33.66 — Sifter, Fat separator, Silpat for baking & baking pan
• $216.28 — Eating Out (went back to Ontario & saw family/friends)
• $19.89 — Starbucks
• $58.75 — Bought a 50 ft. internet cable cord for my mom
• $46.78 — J. R. Watkins Lemon Creams (On sale, so I stocked up like a mofo)
• $308.56 — Shopping (2 sweaters, 2 blouses, dress, tights)
• $74.25 — Books/Gifts (4 Photo albums, gifts for mom & dad)
• $30.47 — Everybody Hates Chris (Season 1) (BF & I love this show!)
• $53.55 — Shoe shine for boots, Changed batteries on 2 watches

Came under budget with: $73.28 to spare

Phew!

It was a damn expensive month.

I spent half of it in Ontario, visiting family and friends (we were out for breakfast, lunch AND dinner)

I’m surprised I squeaked by with such a low eating out, books/gifts cost. Huh.

I also went a tad crazy buying stuff. Sweaters, tops, dress and tights?

I have to watch that, which won’t be hard, considering that I am now totally sick of shopping.

We also aren’t going to Asia, so that $5000 stays in my bank.

NET WORTH: $55,797.02 Decreased -$13,996.99 or -19%

Reason: I had to pay the yearly taxes for the business.

Which is exactly 19%.

Assets

• Cash on hand: $73.83
• Chequing: $5
• Savings: $9523.48
• Retirement & Individual Stock Trading: $30,804.90
• Business: $15,394.81

Liabilities

• $0: Credit Card
• $0: Business Taxes (paid this month)

Update: Job Hunting/Contract Finding Good News

I have 3 semi-warm leads on jobs or contracts.

3 month CONTRACT IN MONTREAL

One is an upcoming contract in 2010 for Montreal, but I am not holding my breath, as they already have another consultant there.

Potential: $52,800 in 3 months

3 month CONTRACT IN OHIO

The second is an upcoming 3 month contract for Ohio (not thrilled about having to travel, but I’ll do it).

It’s all expenses paid — food, travel, etc, so I’ll save money on food for 3 months, at least.

Potential: $48,000 in 3 months

Full-Time PERMANENT JOB IN ONTARIO

The third is a permanent job in Ontario, plus benefits, bla bla bla.

I don’t really want to move or join a company, but it sounds like a really interesting project for an awesome client, and I am less interested in money than I am in a project & experience right now.

And I wouldn’t be too far from BF.

Potential: Gross Salary is $100,000 a year

Actual net potential: $42,000 in 12 months

(I worked it out, it’s about $5000 net a month, after taxes, maybe $3500 after I pay for food & apartment in Ontario, which means I can save $42,000 in 12 months)

I am not crossing my fingers for any of them, because I don’t like getting my hopes up.

I do see that the job market is picking up for IT, and we’ll see how it goes.