On track for my first 50% month!

November 11th, 2006 at 07:13 pm

Well, if nothing unexpected comes up, I should manage to bank an entire paycheck this month.

It'll be close -- I have to get my car serviced in the next couple weeks, so if there's anything other than the oil needing changed, I'll probably go a bit into the second paycheck. But still! This isn't bad for early on.

The good:
-- I know most people feel they spend more on credit cards than handing over paper money, but me? I get cash and it goes *poof*. No idea what I spent it on. But I get really embarrassed looking at my credit card statement and seeing money wasted on it ("I paid how much for that coffee!?"), so I'm down to the emergency $20 in my wallet and charging everything.
-- Not having cash also makes me a lot less likely to eat out. I've only eaten out three times this month (Reno, dinner with some friends last weekend, and taking a friend to lunch this week when she needed to get away from her desk before killing us all).
-- Tied to the above, I've been making a point of cooking every night and putting aside a portion for the next day's lunch before I eat. I figure this is also good for my waistline. *g*
-- One roommate owed me money (I charged the room in Reno), so my share of the utilities were already covered for the month. She still owes me about $30, so I'll have that advantage next month as well.

The bad:
-- ... Damned car.
-- Speaking of which, I still need to shop around for car insurance. At this point, I may see if my current carrier gives me a decent reduction in January, as that will be two years with them.
-- I'm going through my pantry at a pretty quick clip and will have to do a serious restock soon. As I'm trying to eat healthier, this will probably be painful until I've managed to stock a healthy pantry.
-- I have to do my Christmas shopping still. Eek.

Overall, I'm feeling pretty upbeat about the financial picture. This might be doable!

Posted in Budgeting | 10 Comments »

10 Responses to “On track for my first 50% month!”

janH Says:
November 11th, 2006 at 07:38 pm

Wow. Half pay saved a month. That's awesome! We could do that if we didn't have credit card debt, auto debt, or a child in college......oh, rats, well I can dream. Planning on one day having this in my future.....Congrats!
ren Says:
November 11th, 2006 at 07:53 pm

The credit cards have been paid off for a couple years, and the car since last spring, so you can get to this point! Well, once the kid gets done with college, anyway. *g*
Amber Says:
November 11th, 2006 at 09:03 pm

Way to go...once I pay off my last CC I should be able to live off my part time job (check) you are my motivation..thanks
ren Says:
November 11th, 2006 at 09:07 pm

Thank you! And you're under $800 on that card now, so I know you're going to get there soon.
MsSuperSaver Says:
November 11th, 2006 at 10:09 pm

Way to go! Can you imagine how much money people would have if they didnt eat out, didnt have credit card debt, didnt have car payments and had roommates to split expenses with??? Now that would be my dream!
ren Says:
November 11th, 2006 at 10:12 pm

I think a lot of people would be happier with their lives, right up until capitalism collapsed. *g*
LuxLiving Says:
November 12th, 2006 at 03:07 am

Great going ren!!
ren Says:
November 12th, 2006 at 11:20 am

Thanks, Lux!
Diolla Says:
November 21st, 2006 at 06:41 pm

WTG Ren, I hope to meet up to you someday. Right now I am only at 36% but that may go up once DS is out of school.
finance ninja Says:
November 28th, 2006 at 04:21 am

hi ren. i totally feel ya. if i get cash to poof it goes. if i use my check card or credit card to rack up reward pts i get credit happy. although its all coming out of my checking account i still see random crap i buy that i'm like wtf? anyway if you can save 50% of your check awesome. currently i try to save 25-50% of mine and invest it into the stock market.

Building a Downpayment

Someday, I will have a mortgage of my own.

On track for my first 50% month!

10 Responses to “On track for my first 50% month!”

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