Decisions are made, and automation has been adjusted so that we will be buying ETFs via QT and not TD e-series.
In addition, we will stop putting money into our sinking funds for home renovations and travel so that we can put more into investments until the end of Dec.
Next weekend we will try to look at asset allocation and review tax efficiency.
Last week:
Officedays: 2/5
Groceries: €80 / €250 went again to the farmers market for vegs and eggs plus ice cream for the freezer
Eating out: €38 / €50 Went out for sushi
Splurges: €40 / €50 Bought kitchen stuff for German specialities
Bought one pullover (€39,99) for job purposes, lets see if I find another one this month.
Week 1 Check-in
So - goals are:
Impulse-y things
Household Essentials: $681/$736Rent: $615/ 615Water, Commons, Trash: $40/$40
State Fees: $26/$26Health: $204/$277Health Ins. Premium: $204/277 Giving: $50/$200Political: $50Food + Drink for Home: $47.88/$175Groceries: $34.41/$135Treats: $5.48/$20Coffee For Home: $7.99/$20
Indulgences: $23.40/$10Clothing $23.11/0Pocket Money : $.29/$10… I wouldn’t even track 29 cents.
Haha. It was actually $3.29, but i unexpectedly had $3.00 of “rite aide cash” bonus points I used.
I still put it on my card because I didn’t have cash with me (and I get extra points at rite aide on my card?) so I have to track it because otherwise my accounting will be screwed up!
@flan We do the same thing for Sunday Lunch! We like to support our local mom & pops by getting take-out. I look forward to it all week.
Updating today since I was mostly unconscious yesterday.
Groceries: $42/150
Restaurant: $23/$100
Hobbies: $34/$50…trying re-subscribing to a few things, will see what I keep after this month
Home Improvement: $0/$50
Charity: $500/$1500
Bills: $30/$60
Auto: $28/$30, but still need to get recall fix scheduled. Not that I’m driving around with passengers at the moment (or even without passengers for the most part), so the passenger airbag isn’t all that critical.
Travel: $0/$0. Need to figure out what I’m doing for the holidays, though.
(edited to actually add numbers since my trackpad keeps re-enabling itself and causing clicks where I don’t want them)
Goal for the month was $700 for groceries.
Forgot to check in yesterday, but so far we’ve spent $128.85 for groceries. We still have to do the big monthly shop, which will be sometime next week and then a few odds and ends to pick up. I need to make up my grocery list this week, so I can figure out a rough idea of what we’ll be spending on the big shop.
Well I am pretty off already. Total spent for the month so far is $3,209.65. A wrench was thrown in my plan because my insurance went through twice but at least next month I won’t have to pay I guess. My gift and dog supply categories were high due to friends having babies and expensive puppy food. I will be making changes shortly to my plan. I invested in Quicken software and any tips are welcome! I’m going to adjust my spending this month to $100 within $4000. Using my redo early but reigning in my spending. Also my birthday is at the end of the month so hopefully will get a few more dollars that can go to savings/ debt payments! Thanks Lillian for taking my question in tonight’s live webcast!
Failed to successfully purchase anything at the charitable auction; took the easy route and donated a flat $100.
While the insurance going through twice is frustrating and might be a wrench from a cash flow perspective, I wouldn’t see it as a budgeting problem per se - unless the hit means that you can’t cover it without deferring or cutting back other spending this month.
ooof, the spend on making the spare bedroom an office space for me + some winter cocooning is coming out substantially higher than I was estimating or feeling in the moment. It’s so easy with ‘$15 here $80 there’ to forget until the statement puts it in black & white.
Hello! I think I got everyone’s badges handed out. If I missed you, sorry! PM me and I will fix it. Well done all of you!
Week 2 Check-In:
I’ve been taking the YNAB video courses one by one and I even signed up and attended their tips on grocery budgeting.
I also completed my first reconciliation! It was off and I was really worried about what I did wrong, but it turns out that it was just my starting balance that was off. An easy fix! No need to be stressed. 
What I learned this week: I know how to reconcile now! Woo!
The goal for this upcoming week: I am still doing that thing where I’m inputting transactions as a way of keeping track of what is yet to come instead of leaning into the budget goals I made. Working on this. I also was trying to see if I could increase my grocery budget, but still have money at the end of the month in my food budget. This is pretty tricky for me.
<3 Rue
Why is it unethical?
I have so many movie recommendations! I don’t know if Disney has all of them, but you can watch them online for free.
Because if they were ethically and sustainably made fabrics, the store (which is a nation wide chain) would definitely be advertising that. There’s a good chance the workers in the factory it came from aren’t treated or paid to a standard I’d really find acceptable.
But, I’m also cheap, and this stuff is on sale.
| Goals | |
|---|---|
| Studying | 2 hours/day |
| Duolingo | 30 min./day |
| Yoga | 30 min./day |
| Water Bill | $100 |
Week 2 Check-in 
|
|
|---|---|
| Studying | 5 hour(s) 10 min. |
| Duolingo | 2 hour(s) 44 min. |
| Yoga | 2 hour(s) 07 min. |
| Water Bill | 0/100 |
I was wrong. Next the shadowy one is going to call the bank to close the tiny TFSA (<$10) that was left behind when we tried to transfer it out years ago.
And then start to find the paperwork to shift the old work RRSP to QT.
These are huge annoying anxiety-inducing things for the Shadowy One, and I am so grateful they are moving them forward.
I really tried to love Quicken but having to sign in to all my accounts each time I use it isn’t something I want to do. Alternatives?