February 2011 Budget Roundup = +$17,706.18

TRAVEL GEAR ALMOST DERAILED MY BUDGET

So as you might already have deduced, I am going to Asia for a month and a half to 4 countries and 7 cities.

If you want to see how that $10,000 is broken out for my Asia 2011 trip , check out my post here.

With that said, I of course, am game to look at more travel gear to help me out on my little trip across the pond 😉

Which stands to reason because this month was going along so swimmingly (even with all the eating I was doing) until I found a store called Jet-Setter in Montreal and here is my review of that store right now.

Being a huge travel geek and lover of all things travel, coming across this.. gem of a store in Montreal is like the Holy Grail for me.

Jet-Setter – Luggage & Travel Gear
66 Laurier W.
Montreal, QC H2T 2N4
(514) 271-5058
Subway: Station Laurier (walk west from the station, it’s close to Noir)
Hours: Open Mon-Wed 10am-6pm; Thu-Fri 10am-9pm; Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 12am-5pm

This is what heaven looks like to travel geeks like me:

BAGS! BAGS!!! And other travel stuff on all the other shelves, as far as the eye can see.

You won’t be disappointed. I was thrilled. Like a kid in a candy store.

The only thing I didn’t like about the store is that they don’t carry the whole range of LUG bags which I am totally obsessed with.

LUG, NOT PUG!

Simply put, my review of LUG bags is: Awesome. They’re lightweight, in fun colours and very sturdy.

They have waterproof bottoms in some of them (awesome!) and are well constructed.

I also like how many pockets there are (although I find the small square pockets a bit ugly and useless), and I own the other small pouches as well, which I use to store cables and so on.

On to the financials!

INCOME: $19,800

• Income stream about to run out. March is my last month working!
• All from my full-time contract work
• Gravy train almost over…

EXPENSES: $2159.97

I didn’t do so badly this month, seeing as I am not paying $3000+ for a hotel any longer, but I did have some expenses (lingering hotel and parking costs), and business fees.

*does a little jig*

PERSONAL EXPENSES: $1186.09

• Nice hiking boots are damn expensive at around $400!!
• Also bought my (at last) green Facile Camp Shirt. Resisted the urge to buy the ivory one too.
• Got 1 ring for $5. 🙂
• Will post in a future post about what I bought, I promise 🙂

Groceries are low because I supplemented by GOING CRAZY and eating out.

I tend to buy food and then pad it with rice at home to make one meal last for 4 meals.

Still, no excuse for eating out so much. Bad FB!

This coming March I WILL be eating out some more, because I am coming back to Toronto and taking my whole family out to dinner, as well as meeting up with people. For the rest of the month, I’m aiming to buy groceries and try out those recipes I’ve been meaning to make.

Those hiking boots are what really put me over.

I mean, $400+ on a pair of hiking boots?

Without them, I would have been so under, even with my macaron-munching fetish.

I think they’re worth it (ASOLO brand), and I feel good walking in them, but… *little tear streaks down her cheek*…$400..!

Post on what I bought to come soon.

BUSINESS EXPENSES: $973.88

• Had to buy for a few more hotel days (and parking)
• Business/registration fees hit me this month as well

When it rains, fees pour.

NET WORTH: $194,906.94 which increased by 10% or +$17,706.18

SO. DAMN. CLOSE. 🙂

Something about reaching a nice round number in a net worth makes a girl’s heart flutter.

• Cash = $135.88
• Savings = $5645.37
• Emergency Savings = $31,232.46
• Retirement = $48,168.70
• Business = $109,724.53

I put my business savings as part of my own net worth because I am the sole shareholder of my company and the owner.

I have no employees, no inventory or other overhead costs except minimal ones to run the business and my business is essentially my brain.

The money is all mine.

And thus ends the financials.

Best posts of February 2011

• How to cook and eat for cheaper at home
• Would you let your parents move in with you?
• Are law schools a big scam?
• Can you survive on an extreme budget and make tough choices?
• Are you suffering from frugal or debt fatigue?
• How to combat frugal and debt fatigue
• The average face of nationalities
• What would happen if guys didn’t have to impress women with their salaries?
• Can you really get rich off playing the lottery?

NOW! FUN VIDEOS TO BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY

Let’s end with some awesome videos I found this week.

Trust me, they’ve been FB-vetted and they’re pretty awesome 🙂

MAKE WATER SUSPEND WITH A CUP

This is just amazing. I was bouncing in my seat as I wrote this part of the post because this water trick is THAT COOL.

MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY (?) SUSHI CANDY

It is pretty cool how it was done (especially the roe), but it looks unappetizing in the end. Blech 🙂

THE CUTEST BABY DEER – PUDU

I dare you not to coo “awww”. I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU because this is THE cutest baby deer video, EVER. It’s a 1 year old Pudu (yes that’s its real name).

THIS 4-YEAR OLD IS AMAZING AT THE DRUMS

I love the comment on this that said: Most 4 year olds can’t even carry a glass of milk let alone carry a beat!
If you skip ahead to 2:20 you will see what I think are the best facial expressions of the whole video. He’s really into the song, smiling, and enjoying every minute of it. Love!

PLAYABLE ANGRY BIRDS CAKE

This is super cute. A guy built this for his 6-year old son, and it took 10 hours to make. How sweet!

Hope you had an awesome month!