Sunday, November 30, 2008

Number Crunching 138

Quicken Cash Flow = 942.15
STEF Total = 75.69

November Budget Meeting

Reconciling Quicken with bank statements: Done.

Reconciling last month’s budget: Well, I’m not exactly sure how that happened, but I managed to find a difference of only $1.07 between the Quicken reports and the spreadsheet. It’s not enough for me to get aggravated about. I made a correction on the spreadsheet and now I’m moving on.

Verdict: Skipping the category analysis to report that I was horridly bad. I didn’t watch any spending like I should have.

Leftover amount = 713.32

Creating next month’s budget: This should be fun. I also have to make sure I pay everything in December that didn’t get paid in November and possibly October. (I have payments that haven’t cleared listed in Quicken, which makes me think the payments went wonky and I didn’t catch it.) Entered everything and have a deficit of 1423.04. Really ouch.

My first idea is to take the three largest past due bills and divide them in half. I will only pay half of what is due and hopefully catch up in January. That left me with a deficit of 341.46. No good, I don’t have that much in STEF to borrow from myself.

Second idea: divide the three largest past due bills into thirds. That ended up with a positive overhang of 19.07. I put that into my cash to spend category. In a wonderful world, I should be able to put it on one of the bills, but I’ll probably have to buy groceries or a meal with it.

How much cash can I have: This is still ending up being a leftover category, which isn’t working because I always overspend from that. Dave Ramsey’s advice is “Shelter, food, and then debt.” I think I need to take that approach in January.

Automatic payments: = Massive fail. I never did set up the bill payer for items I took away from the companies. *Headdesk* I’m doing it right now for December bills. The new bill payer program my credit union has is surprisingly easy to use. Now I still have to go back and set up the bills as recurring payments, but I figure I will get back to that in December.

Your Money or Your Life Monthly Exercises: I love the formula is already in for the spreadsheet and I don’t have to do that math for each expenditure. What categories do I need to decrease in order to increase fulfillment?
  • Auto insurance – actually that’s because I didn’t pay it at all.
  • Natural Gas – actually because I didn’t pay it at all.
  • Garbage Removal – I should have moved the amount into savings and didn’t.
  • Phone – actually because I didn’t pay it, but it’s still too high.
  • Electric – too high.
  • Auto Service – because I haven’t done it yet.
  • Mortgage – actually because I didn’t pay it.
  • Dining Out – spent too much.
  • Vending Machines – spent too much.
  • Entertainment: Computer Games – I shouldn’t have bought it.
What categories do I need to increase in order to increase fulfillment?
  • STEF
  • Short term savings
What categories spending made me happy?
  • Gasoline – it actually went down!


Reviewing short-term savings goals: I messed up by not transferring leftover money last month and what I didn’t spend on the roof, back over to savings account. I must do that in December if there is any money leftover.

Update NetworthIQ statements: Well, I discovered while trying to get an accurate estimate of the value of my house that I should have plugged in the tax assessor’s estimate. So I corrected all the entries.



Update NCN Savings Chart:


Overview and plans: The constant writing with NaNo still interfered with my bookkeeping. I have to handle this much better if I’m going to start writing for pay.
  • Set up bill payer.
  • See what I have available with my Intuit payment.
  • Use the free ATMs.
  • Cook food and eat at home.
  • Pay all bills ASAP!

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Friday, November 28, 2008

Number Crunching 137

Quicken Cash Flow = 990.70
STEF Total = 75.69

Enter receipts into Quicken: Done.

Reconcile Quicken to online accounts: Reconciled.

Add totals to spreadsheet: Done and a copy printed out.

What did I accomplish during the week? I splurged at Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhurst. I’m addicted to their games. But I still can’t get Mystery of London to work on my computer. It worked on Dad’s, so the error is in my machine and not the CD. I also bought advertised leakproof bottled and they leaked all over my lunch bag. My idea to save money by buying two liters or brew tea by the gallon and carry smaller amounts is not working.

Your Money or Your Life Exercise: Skipped due to NaNo.

Plans for next week:
  • Set up bill payer.
  • See what I have available with my Intuit payment. Do I get access to Quicken Online? Will it upload my home information?
  • Use the free ATMs.
  • Cook food and eat at home.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Friday, November 21, 2008

Number Crunching 136

Quicken Cash Flow = 1505.74
STEF Total = 75.69

Enter receipts into Quicken: Done.

Reconcile Quicken to online accounts: Reconciled.

Add totals to spreadsheet: Done and printed out a copy.

What did I accomplish during the week? Went to the movies and saw Quantum of Solace. My one complaint: needed more mostly naked Daniel Craig. We also had my supervisor’s birthday lunch at Parran’s, which was built out of houses just like mine. I pointed at the wall after we were seated and said, “They have my beadboard.” I also gave up on dished and bought cheap plasticware to use instead of washing.

Your Money or Your Life Exercise: Skipped due to NaNo.

Plans for next week:
  • Set up bill payer.
  • See what I have available with my Intuit payment.
  • Use the free ATMs.
  • Cook food and eat at home.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Friday, November 14, 2008

Number Crunching 135

Quicken Cash Flow = 1025.28
STEF Total = 75.69

Enter receipts into Quicken: Done.

Reconcile Quicken to online accounts: Reconciled.

Add totals to spreadsheet: Done and a copy printed out.

What did I accomplish during the week? Tried to fix the roof and ended up having to do another stop payment. I’ve never had to issue a stop payment for the dozen years that my finances have expanded beyond a piggy bankm and now I have two wearly back to back. Weird.

The crew knocked on my door Saturday, need to use up the material in their tank before they lost it and was willing to cut me a deal along with trimming the cedar tree branches touching the tin. I think it’s been nearly eight or maybe nine years since we last put a treatment on the tin, by rolling the sealant on the roof. They sprayed their stuff on and it’s black. They swore it would stop the leaks, so I agreed.

Their price ended up being a little higher than my initial estimate, so I had to transfer money from the STEF to cover it, but it was still cheaper than it would be normally. Only they didn’t have enough to finish the back (where my leaks are). They promised to be back Monday to finish, so I paid in a combination of check and cash.

Didn’t hear from them on Monday, so I put a stop payment on the check. Uncle Scott is pretty confident he can finish the back side of the roof once I buy matching sealant.

Your Money or Your Life Exercise: Skipped due to NaNo.

Plans for next week:
  • Set up bill payer.
  • Use the free ATMs.
  • Cook food and eat at home.

Read Free!
The BookWorm

Friday, November 07, 2008

Number Crunching 134

Quicken Cash Flow = 1313.97
STEF Total = 320.69

Enter receipts into Quicken: Done.

Reconcile Quicken to online accounts: Reconciled.

Add totals to spreadsheet: Done. I also made the changes I figured out in Number Crunching 135, adding the Your Money or Your Life exercises to the GFD zero-balanced spreadsheet. Printed out.

What did I accomplish during the week? Too much eating out while participating in NaNo. But fuel expenditures came under $50.00. I can afford to go to work again.

Your Money or Your Life Exercise: Skipped due to NaNo.

Plans for next week:
  • Set up bill payer.
  • Use the free ATMs.
  • Cook food and eat at home.


Read Free!
The BookWorm

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Better than voting for Cuthulu!

PvP: Smith/Jones '08

Read Free!
The BookWorm

VOTED!

Okay, I've done my part. Now I figure I'll give the bean counters and lawyers to the end of the week before signing up for an armed revolt. I just hope it's not THAT close or stolen. I have lousy hand-eye coordination.

Though listening to the news reports extolling people to go exercise their right to vote, I have linguistic problems with "right to vote." Yes, I understand why it's a right, you should have it, not everyone does, etc. A former Marine just summed it up "it's my duty and my privilege to vote." So many people bitch about how the system is broken and their vote doesn't count, so they don't vote. I wonder if shifting the rhetoric to "it's your duty as a citizen" would help.

But then my cynical view pops in and reminds me the corporate overlords don't want us to think. I hate it when it does that.

Read Free!
The BookWorm