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.

Related Posts

 

May 2009 Budget Recap

 

February 2009 Budget Recap

 

January 2009 Budget Recap

 

April 2009 Budget

 

March 2009 Budget Recap

 

March 2009 Budget