September 2010 Budget Roundup +$15,791.64

I’VE BEEN DOUBLE-COUNTING! *facepalm*

Reader David mentioned from my last budget roundup that he was surprised at my low level of income ($15,300 for the month of August) and my high hotel expenses (around $5000 for August).

After his remark, I realized that the expenses seemed unusually high.

I went back over my numbers and realized that I actually double-counted the hotel as my rent, and a bunch of other numbers, since I was paying for August and pre-paying all of September in one shot.

This is what happens when you have to keep a separate business and a personal budget!

The two budgets are intersecting and causing false double expenses.

So here are my real, compartmentalized expenses for only the month of September.

Click on any of the images to make them larger

INCOME: $22,568.76

  • Worked a full month, whereas August at $15,300 was not
  • This is gross, not net, so I will have taxes taken out later
  • Made some extra cash on the side ($3500) from various freelancing jobs including consulting on another project

EXPENSES: $2466.75

  • PERSONAL: $1120.27

  • BUSINESS: $1346.48

PERSONAL EXPENSES PIE CHART

BUSINESS EXPENSES PIE CHART

Hope that clarifies things a bit.

It’s tricky when you are keeping two budgets and both of them intersect, as your life cannot be so neatly compartmentalized.

UHH WHY DON’T YOU SPEND ANY MONEY?

I know some of you might go: WHAAAAAAAAAAT? You don’t spend on entertainment or anything like that!?

Well, to be honest… there’s not much to do here, and we’re very boring, simple folk.

We’re not club-hoppers, restaurant-goers or people who like to be on the scene. It’s just not in our personalities.

We’re quiet, and we like to cook and bake, eat, hang out together and talk, read, do yoga and organize our lives.

It sounds boring to a lot of people, but it’s what we like to do and we’re happy. 🙂

All of the above takes up the whole weekend and our weeknights are uneventful.

SIDE NOTE: BF must be terribly bored while I’m at work.

He actually started watching TV! 😛

…and he updates me on The Millionaire Matchmaker and Housewives of [Insert City Here].

Awful, really.

NET WORTH: $128,021.69

INCREASE: $15,791.64 or by 12%

  • Cash: $392.86
  • Savings: $3638.79
  • Emergency Fund: $29,166.18
  • Retirement Fund: $38,322.84
  • Business: $56,501.02

NOTES:

  • Cleared my business taxes this month, so the increase is lower than what it should be
  • BF’s net worth is not included with mine, because I’m tracking my progress & he has more than I do which would make the numbers look better than they are
  • Retirement accounts went up a bit (Brazil is doing better)
  • Am not counting my car, although I daresay it could sell for at least $500
  • Am not counting my things (electronics, clothes, shoes)

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.