Author Topic: Low Month!  (Read 3687 times)

dougules

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2899
Low Month!
« on: September 01, 2016, 11:25:15 AM »
We came in under $2k in August!  Yes that's a lot for some people, but we're trying to wind down our spending slowly and sustainably.  I'm so glad we're still making progress.

jtraggie99

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 98
  • Age: 47
  • Location: Dallas, TX
Re: Low Month!
« Reply #1 on: September 01, 2016, 11:32:18 AM »
You're total spending for the month was $2,000?  That includes all living expenses (rent / mortgage, utilities, etc), food, transportation, and all?  Good grief, I spend almost $1,400 a month in rent and basic utilities. 

dividendman

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1901
Re: Low Month!
« Reply #2 on: September 01, 2016, 12:30:38 PM »
I'm trying to make Sept. a 2k (or less) month! Good to see there are others with the same goal.

dougules

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2899
Re: Low Month!
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2016, 03:37:52 PM »
You're total spending for the month was $2,000?  That includes all living expenses (rent / mortgage, utilities, etc), food, transportation, and all?  Good grief, I spend almost $1,400 a month in rent and basic utilities.

Yep, everything.  It helps a lot that our house is paid off (LCOL area), but that does include a car payment and a high utility bill from air conditioning in a heat wave (yes face punch x 2).  We just happened to not have any other random pop-up expenses like we seem to have most months. 

I'm trying to make Sept. a 2k (or less) month! Good to see there are others with the same goal.

And on the note of random pop-up expenses, September for us is going to include a big hit for getting a tree taken down.  :(  The chances we'll come in under 2k with you are pretty low.  I'll cross my fingers for your budget, though. 
« Last Edit: September 01, 2016, 03:40:12 PM by dougules »

TheAnonOne

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1753
Re: Low Month!
« Reply #4 on: September 02, 2016, 02:41:32 PM »
ugh, this is probably my HIGHEST month ever. A bit over 9k, we had a $6,000 house repair and still have another 1k to spend on it next month! Stop the bleeding!

Luckily with our income, we still hit a 35% savings rate this month, but it is usually closer to 4-5k spend and 60% SR.

We need to work on our spending... (50-55k a year, not including home repair)

dougules

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2899
Re: Low Month!
« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2016, 08:47:22 PM »
ugh, this is probably my HIGHEST month ever. A bit over 9k, we had a $6,000 house repair and still have another 1k to spend on it next month! Stop the bleeding!

Luckily with our income, we still hit a 35% savings rate this month, but it is usually closer to 4-5k spend and 60% SR.

We need to work on our spending... (50-55k a year, not including home repair)

Ouch.  We've also gotten to where big random expenses (damned tree) cause serious pain. 

I guesstimate that we were spending around 55k a year when we started down this path.  But with high income like you we've had the luxury of winding that down slowly and sustainably.  The philosophy here is just to try going without a thing or two for a little while, then if we actually miss it we'll go right back to it.  It's been surprising how many things I don't even miss after 2 years.  Road trips, cable TV, Netflix, a house cleaner, and haircuts come to mind.  We still eat out when we want to, but somehow the spreadsheet says we haven't gone out to dinner since a friend's birthday in May.  Maybe the same philosophy will work for you. 

TheAnonOne

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1753
Re: Low Month!
« Reply #6 on: September 06, 2016, 11:44:39 AM »
ugh, this is probably my HIGHEST month ever. A bit over 9k, we had a $6,000 house repair and still have another 1k to spend on it next month! Stop the bleeding!

Luckily with our income, we still hit a 35% savings rate this month, but it is usually closer to 4-5k spend and 60% SR.

We need to work on our spending... (50-55k a year, not including home repair)

Ouch.  We've also gotten to where big random expenses (damned tree) cause serious pain. 

I guesstimate that we were spending around 55k a year when we started down this path.  But with high income like you we've had the luxury of winding that down slowly and sustainably.  The philosophy here is just to try going without a thing or two for a little while, then if we actually miss it we'll go right back to it.  It's been surprising how many things I don't even miss after 2 years.  Road trips, cable TV, Netflix, a house cleaner, and haircuts come to mind.  We still eat out when we want to, but somehow the spreadsheet says we haven't gone out to dinner since a friend's birthday in May.  Maybe the same philosophy will work for you.

Yes, the path is similar. Currently looking at getting a home gym together since all I use the gym membership for is lifting anyway.

Congrats on the low month, I bow to your badassity!

Landlady

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 248
  • Location: WA
Re: Low Month!
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2016, 01:11:54 PM »
I love that you're doing it slowly and sustainably! That surely sounds like a realistic financial diet plan. :)
Congrats! Keep it going!

dougules

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2899
Re: Low Month!
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2016, 03:01:41 PM »
I love that you're doing it slowly and sustainably! That surely sounds like a realistic financial diet plan. :)
Congrats! Keep it going!

We actually were on Weight Watchers then Myfitnesspal, so we just applied some lessons learned from weight loss to finances.  It seems to carry over pretty well. 

We're nearly at 3k for September just on the 7th, though.  :(  Felling a hazardous dying tree is half of that, then there was a random car expense (yes face punch).  Plus the monthly expenses that get pre-loaded in the spreadsheet.  There's always something. 
« Last Edit: September 07, 2016, 03:04:33 PM by dougules »

TheAnonOne

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1753
Re: Low Month!
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2016, 12:18:15 PM »
I love that you're doing it slowly and sustainably! That surely sounds like a realistic financial diet plan. :)
Congrats! Keep it going!

We actually were on Weight Watchers then Myfitnesspal, so we just applied some lessons learned from weight loss to finances.  It seems to carry over pretty well. 

We're nearly at 3k for September just on the 7th, though.  :(  Felling a hazardous dying tree is half of that, then there was a random car expense (yes face punch).  Plus the monthly expenses that get pre-loaded in the spreadsheet.  There's always something.

Car expenses are not negative. They happen. Now buying a brand new sports car is probably looked down on here.