March Monthly Report: Um, $1,222 In the Hole!

Hi y'all,

Do you know how when little kids do something bad, like break something or get food all over the living room, they tend to disappear and are very quite and you wonder what they're up to and then you find out and you have to find them to punish them because they're avoiding you?

It's an apt analogy for me, my budget and the blog.

I think this is my first post in about two weeks since I moved into my new apartment. In the interim, I've been doing one thing -- spending money!

I started to chronicle this in my post about depleting my emergency fund. Here it is broken down further:
Moving truck                      $188.56
Gas                                   $30.00
Tolls                                  $29.00
Moving help                        $135.00
Meals                                 $52.97
Furniture                           $882.69
Deposit & Rent                   $1,415.00
Credit card check fee         $43.95 .00
Supplies, utensils, etc. (Target etal)     $583.56
Cable hookup                        $111.00
Computer speakers                $116.00

TOTAL: $3,587.73

I can't blame it all on necessity -- retail therapy is a helluva drug!

So, how am I just $1,222 in the hole? Generosity, tax refunds, coming under budget in a bunch of categories and selling my wonderful old couch. My father transferred $503 into my account to "help me out." My local tax refund was $480. I sold my old couch for $180, though, in hindsight, I underpriced it.

Then, of course, were the purchases that had nothing to do with my move or the apartment, such as the charity trip I took back to my alma mater (which cost me all of about $45). Then, um, the $307 on clothes and shoes. It was a gala for work and because we were invited at the last minute and I went shopping at the LAST minute, I didn't have time to hunt for deals. I actually bought clothes full price retail. What?! Haven't done that in a LONG time!!

Ok ok, so I'm in the hole. There's no debt here, I'm using the money in my emergency fund to cover the expenses. But I'd rather have that money in my fund! (I have been contributing to the fund as I spent -- I automated my savings so it goes to the e-fund straight from my paycheck). Pinching pennies and cutting expenses isn't going to refill that hole very fast, so I will need to generate some income as well as save and not go crazy the next few months.

I did work on a freelance assignment worth $700, so that will actually cover most of the shopping deficit. Then I may have discovered $100 in my budget I can commit to my emergency fund.

Oh yeah... then there's the car. And the little accident I was in. And the big money I had to spend to fix the car since I got rid of collision coverage. See, kids messing up, hiding out... that's been me on the blog. I'll get into the car stuff my next post.

I'm back because I need you guys. Keep me on track!

DH

Comments

[Constance]

We're still here girl. LOL. I feel you, I've been hiding from my blog for the past two months.

[Sense]

Hmm, you're not hiding from us, you're hiding from yourself--at least, that's what I've learned from blogging.

The very act of writing your mistakes out forces you to confront accountibility. WE (your readers/parents? ...using your analogy) don't care as much as YOU should care about your own finances. Hiding it from yourself doesn't make a lot of sense, but we all still do it.

that said, i understand. moving and the associated changes always throws me for a loop, and my savings always suffers for it. sorry to hear about the car accident!

[Sistah Ant]

Oh but you know you can fix this! You've fixed much worse before. I know all about blog hiding too. I haven't been nearly as social since I got laid off. Any way, maybe you should promise yourself to blog more often, because that does tend to help us be more accountable to ourselves.

[Abigail]

I know the feeling. Not quite on that scale, but I about hyperventilated when I finally did our budget. Because, of course, this first attempt at a budget (too much up and down til now) was in a month where one of my two monthly paychecks goes to taxes. But I didn't figure that out until about three hours later, talking it through with my husband. Until then, I was thinking, "Oh, no! We're going into the red each month?! I thought our debt was going down! WTF?!" and generally going into the fetal position.

[Sandy]

Did you say Dad kicked in $503? I'm curious about the extra 3 bucks.

[Debt Hater]

@Sandy... no idea where the $3 came from. I was wondering the same thing. I didn't ask him because I was so grateful for the unsolicited cash that I figured, don't look a gift horse in the mouth!

[luxuryoption]

Hang tough! You're doing great!!!