Quicken Cash Flow = 532.89
Reconciling Quicken with bank statements: Everything tallies with only two minor errors. MYSource FSA account not balancing as well, and I have to figure out what's wrong in Quicken.
Reconciling last month's budget: What saved me this month was the loan, but I can't count on it for February. Well, I was kinda counting on my student loan, but I couldn't get that fund back because of federal rules. So I had to start paperwork on a different kind of loan called a student signature loan, which doesn't care how many hours you have signed up for. If SLU cares and won't give me the remainder, I have to start over again with a loan that comes directly to me. :p But I was assured that never happens, and I wouldn't be kicked out of the last class I need.
FSA Medical: I messed up and only counted one payment in the budget.
Citifinancial: ended up with double payments because of December goof-up.
Water: underestimated the budget.
Phone: ended up with double payments because of December goof-up.
Electric: underestimated budget.
Medical: woefully underestimated budget. But with eyes and teeth check-ups done, and chiropractor visits winding down, February's will be better.
Auto: Fuel: Underestimated budget, but not as badly as I could have.
Computer: Domain name: not budgeted but I couldn't pass it up.
Household: Maintenance: not budgeted but I bought anyway.
Groceries: spent over budget.
Eating Out: spent over budget really badly.
Personal Care: not budgeted and spent anyway.
Entertainment: not budgeted and spent anyway.
Vet: not budgeted but Mustard needed flea and tick medicine.
Verdict: My zero-balanced budget was woefully under what I spend normally, i.e. slashed spending amounts to unrealistic levels.
Creating February's budget: Three paychecks in February. The third check doesn't have insurance expenses taken out of it, so you get to take more home. I upped allowances in the categories I can, and manage to get more savings and paying off some debts.
Determining how much cash to withdraw for the pay periods in February: This is always fun to make sure the bills get paid when they are due. :p I think I have figured everything out. It will be less tight if the signature student loan comes through, but I will get through the month without it.
Ensuring all automatic payments went through: They all showed up on the bank statement.
Ensuring all automatic payments for the next month are set up properly: I need to call Demco and see if I can set up an automatic payment now. Everything else should be kosher.
Review short-term saving goals:
- STEF goal = $2369.06 Current total = $481.05 Bills changed so the goal changed. And I spent a lot of what I had gotten saved in January.
- State Taxes Savings goal = $49.00 Current total = $0.00
- Wish List Fund: Dishwasher goal = $500.00 Current total = $0.00
- Reenacting garb fund goal = $200.00 Current total = $0.00
- Wish List Fund: Laptop goal = $1500.00 Current total = $0.00
- Cosmetic treatment fund goal = $1000.00 Current total = $0.00
Update Net Worth statement: Found errors in Retirement in December 2007 and corrected it. I need to get updated balances for the mortgage, student loans, and find the Kelly Blue Book value of my car so the asset amount will be correct. I really want to see the line start inching up on this chart.
Overall, I'm disappointed in my ability to spend. I'm way too good at whipping out the debit card. I really don't know how to counter it, because I need the card on doctor visits, so leaving it at home appointment days is not an option. But that's usually when I eat out and overspend. I don't like the idea of locking it in the car. :S I will leave it at home when I go grocery shopping this weekend.
Behaviors I am proud of this month: entering all my receipts into Quicken on a daily or every other day basis. I could see when I needed to make a transfer from savings and saved myself a $5.00 charge for the bank to do it for me. The only week I didn't stay on top was when I was sick and not doing anything. I'm slowly dealing with stuff that can bring me an extra income (getting the Amazon sales experiment started, researching online writing, stuff sent to Mom's store). I don't think I'm at the stage where I have to take a second, menial job, but that does depend on the school loan situation.
Read Free!
The BookWorm
There is a new renaissance festival in Louisiana! Check out the Acadiana Medieval Faire at: http://www.acadianafaire.org/
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