1) So - I made it a full month recording every expense and comparing to expected spending levels and everything was looking good. Not like super good, but like - it wasn't too off from expectations and I was going to end the month LWMM, really LBMM with like almost $100 left over. I was pretty excited!! Especially about the extra $96 and what to put that towards - save or pay down some debt.
But then!!!! at the end of July, both the health insurance premium and my auto insurance payment went through - for the second time in a month! Originally - I though - oh - not a big deal, I will just record those in August, but no, they will hit again before the end of august. At first I worried that somehow, these were 13 payments/yr rather than 12 - which would totally make my backoftheenvelope guesstimates of my yearly budget wrong.
Luckily - that is not the case! However, looking back over my bank drafts for the last two years - it seems this is not uncommon! Each payment has 1-2 months per year were it may draft out twice, and then when things scync up properly, skip a month. Welp - explains a lot really!! In terms of why some months were really tight and I went into the hole a little more, and why some seemed looser and I was able to pay down a little.
I'm trying to find the rhythm in the historical record, but seems payments may be 30, 31, and sometimes 32 days apart. September may be a skip month for at least one and maybe both of these, but maybe not. Also, realized that I've lost the email account where the notice for healthcare went on the day of the next bank draw.
Now - I am in a pickle for about $650 in unexpected expenses this month. Just when I thought I was getting a handle on thing.....Please no rotten tomatoes. I haven't used a budget, really, ever I don't think. I'm learning! Also - importance of some slush funding....
2) so using everydollar.com and so far, making more sense, ease of use than ynab. Think I just set up ynab too ambitiously and it wasn't up for that. linked all investment and SL accounts and we could never come to terms on what was what.
So - with the free version of everydollar, the visuals, entries are pretty straightforward. But will it save and show trended data over time? Now that I've gotten into the habit, would have a spreadsheet and linking other worksheets for input of grocery receipts be better, show more, when you have a lot more data over time? Worried that I may not get the best info for all the time inputting.
TYIA for any advice and *hopefully kind* words.