April 2012 Budget Roundup = +$11,074.81 or 5.91% increase
LOOKING BACK
I need to make reading a regular part of my week.
INCOME = $10,833.34
- Gross income, not net
- Net is $7600 after estimating for taxes, social security and medicare which I’ve included as expenses
EXPENSES = $8231.60
- My work expenses are $0 because I get reimbursed
- I started recording my gross income and then calculating the taxes to obtain the net, seeing as it’s a new thing for me here in the U.S. that taxes are taken out beforehand
TOP 5 SPENDING CATEGORIES
* For Wardrobe: I bought the m0851 Perfecto leather jacket!…and crossed it off my Wardrobe Wants list
NET WORTH FOR APRIL 2012 = $198,560.63 +$11,074.81 or 5.91%
LOOKING FORWARD
EXPENSES SHOULD BE LOWERED MORE NEXT MONTH
Next month I should be able to lower my expenses by about another $1000 or so.
This means no more Gifts, Wardrobe or Non-Refundable Flights I made mistakes with.
I’m going to continue with what I’ve been doing and see where else I can cut.
401K SAVING
Starting in May, I will also be saving $4000 each month into my 401K ($2000 pre-tax per paycheck).
I should have maxed out my 401K by the end of August, and I’ll have another $4000 a month to put away outside of my 401K into investing.
TOO TIRED TO GO SHOPPING = GOOD FOR MY WALLET
Lately, I’ve been working so much, I haven’t been particularly keen on going shopping or spending, which is always a good thing but it means I’m exhausted almost every night.
I’ve started taking naps on the weekend because my body has been trying to force me to sleep more!
I am hoping this situation will change near the end of May and I can start loosening up — I’ve been running at more than full speed doing 2 jobs since I started this project and I need to take a breather.
☸ 
Discuss - 9 Comments
I always find it a battle between books or blogs – I can’t seem to balance the both.
That I what I am experiencing. I need to cut down the blogs.
[...] Mochi & Macarons [...]
Oh and if you earn more than $110,000 gross this year, you don’t pay any further Social Security Tax, so that liability will go down. I’m really looking forward to that point! Last year, it hit in December for me, but it looks like it’ll hit in October/November this year
No kidding!!! Thanks
Woot, your income is pretty sweet! I don’t count income taxes, medicare, or social security taxes as expenses since I don’t even see the money. I don’t count my 401(k) contributions as expenses either since that is part of my net worth.
I spent some time reading on Saturday this weekend and it was wonderful! Phone shut off, computer somewhere else, no TV watching. No talking to anyone, just reading
I need to do that more often.
My income is definitely very nice, I am not complaining. I put those as expenses just for clarity
I do the net worth thing too, but I’ve found it useful to record what is RRSP or 401K so I don’t over contribute and/Or forget…
I also need to start reading again – even my blog reading has fallen to the wayside! I feel like I have no time with my new job and all, i’m just so exhausted when I get home. I guess it is good for not spending any money seeing I have no time to even think about shopping.
Reading is an issue for me when I get back from work and I am SO tired….