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The bumpy road to financial independence. . . .

 

Thursday, May 1, 2008

April budget update. . . .

I updated my April zero-based budget, and it appears that I came out ahead this month! Although the final 'remainder' shows that I should have a balance of $55 in my checking account, $20 went missing somewhere, and I ended up with $35. That money has been transferred into my Emergency Fund!

There are a couple of other things to note:

  1. I made less money with Job #1, because I hadn't realized that my 403b contributions would be decreased with my May check rather than my April check (I decreased this investment to 1% of my gross income until my credit card debt is paid off and my emergency fund is healthier)

  2. I made more money with Job #2, Check #2---I worked more hours, once I realized that my 'big' check was smaller than expected

  3. I 'earned' my "free" $25 from Revolution Money Exchange, which I transferred easily into my ING Direct account! If you want yours, click on the link to the right---it's the easiest $25 you'll ever make. Be sure to opt out of email announcements----I've not received the tiniest bit of spam from Revolution since opening my account.

  4. I only sent $350 to my credit card last month, not the $550 I was hoping for. Still, my credit balance is now less than $3,000! That feels so good!


Tomorrow, I'll post my May zero-based budget, along with a list of goals for the month. My situation has changed a bit, since I may be going on strike by next September, so I'm not sure I'll have much to send to my credit card company in May---we'll see how it looks tomorrow!

Note: my February and March zero based budgets are posted as well, if you'd like to take a look.

9 comments:

Leslie said...

Hey, just found your blog through blogrush. (yep, I clicked on your post)

Nice site. I plan on checking it out for a while now. :)

Keri said...

Just one question... Is that job salary a months salary or just a week... if its a week, what do you do???

Finally Frugal said...

Hah! No, I wish it were weekly! I'm an advisor at a university, and that's my monthly salary. My night job pays every two weeks (although in May, I'm getting THREE paychecks!!!).

Keri said...

Wow.. That is still a better job that what I have.. I only make about $1100-1300 a month. Luckily I still live at home and don't have rent but I have plenty of other bills and plan to get married in the next year or so. Do you have any ideas about frugal wedding plans?? ;)

Keri

Finally Frugal said...

'Tis the season for wedding, and I've been finding lots of posts about having a great wedding without the cost (congratulations on your upcoming wedding, by the way)!

Here's a link I came across recently:
http://www.thefrugallife.com/frugalwed.html

Personally, when/if I get married, I'm going to elope! (-:

Anonymous said...

2 questions-
1.What do you do as your other job- I'd love to find something in the evenings that would pay me a couple hundred dollars a month!!
2. How on EARTH are you spending less than 75.00 a month on groceries?? Don't you eat? I know it is just you (I assume you are single, no kids?) but still- wow!
I am single and my 8 year old son is with me part time and I still spend between 350-400 a month on groceries!

Finally Frugal said...

Hi Liz! About a year ago, I decided that my budget was a little too tight for comfort, and I started searching Craigslist for part time jobs. At first, I considered waitressing, but then I came across a non-profit looking for a web researcher, so I applied! It's just two hours a night, and I can do it at home in my pj's. I feel so incredibly grateful to have been hired---it's allowing me to pay my debts much more quickly.

As for my groceries, I'm not really sure how I do it myself! I'd have to say, I'm a 'one dish' eater---I'll make stir fry and that's my dinner. Or lasagna. Or spaghetti. I rarely do the entree/salad/dessert route, which I would imagine people with families need to do. I've also made a conscious effort to buy store-brands, and I created a price book (check late April archives for a post about this) and buy in the bulk section when I can---it's much cheaper!

Anonymous said...

I was wondering how you decide how much to put away for books, whenever i go to the bookstore before the semester starts I'm completely blind at what I am about to spend.

Finally Frugal said...

I take the same number of classes each term, so I just went back two terms, added up what I spent on books, and then divided that by two. I ended up with an average of $120 per term (and that's with not even buying all the books I need). I buy many, many books online---never ever at the bookstore if I can help it. This term I got a required book online for $1.20 (+ $3.95 S&H) instead of paying $19 at the bookstore.

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