10/03/2005 Archived Entry: "Sept Finances"
Things look good for the month of September in terms of trying to save money. The 700$ total is well under the 1000$ mark and under the 800$ mark I had set for myself last month. The biggest changes were for comics, entertainment, and eating out. A lot of these reduced expenses have to do with NOT having gone to Wonderland and still reading all the comics and watching the DVDs I had obtained in August. Thus, I predict October will be an expensive comics month. Obviously, September wasn't a good month at all for poker since I didn't win once. Terrible compared to August. Also, the Shadow Raiders DVDs have been refunded due to "not for sale in canada" so the figure of 115.93 will be much lower when the refund goes through.
A lot less was also spent on "misc" since I'm done buying stuff for my bed/room; in fact, the only significant spending in that column was my brother's Happy 9-11 present. It's unlikely that I'll have another 300$ misc month for a while...maybe x-mas (when everyone will know how much I spent on them). Like eating out, less was spent on groceries in September, does that mean I ate less overall?? Perhaps we are seeing the beginnings of anorexia!!
The Katrina fueled rise in gas made a 30$ difference this month compared to last. That sucks. I had to buy soap and shampoo this month which made the 20$ difference in the "maintenance" column (can someone suggest a better name?).
All in all, a pretty good month, nothing that's too excessive maybe except the number of times I buy lunch and the previously mentioned DVDs (which I didn't need to buy, really). Eating Out, Comics, Entertainment, and Alcohol amount to $320.71 and are the only expenses that could really be trimmed down. If I had no interests, nor any desire to hang out with people, I could probably reduce those to zero. I'd like to be able to save even more of my paychecks but I also enjoy having a life. And some expenses really just are unavoidable.
I encourage everyone to keep track of their expenses! It's super-awesome! This month's goal: I will try to bring more lunches to work!
Replies: 17 comments
bah, your gas expenses are minimal! i usually pay for it!
Posted by anonymous @ 10/04/2005 01:20 AM EST
You have it easy:
-430$ rent
-25$/week on gas
-1100$ plane ticket to Honolulu
-2200$ Hotel reservations for 2 weeks
-180$ conference registration
-400$ softball registration
-~100$ for poster which i have to make
And I'm going to purchase a new laptop for ~1600 including taxes.
I'll be making some of that back but not until January. I'm so thankful for OGS.
VISA has a mad crush on me.
Posted by djkimothy @ 10/04/2005 09:49 AM EST
Kim, you have to pay for your own poster?!...my research grant covers mine.
Thai, I can't believe you purchased the Hulk DVD. If its for J. Connelly, then there are "better" [;)] films you could have purchased with her in it.
Keeping track of expenses may be fine and dandy, but I see no point in doing it now. I always assume work-case scenarios financially anyway...so I make high estimates on my expenditures. Were I in Kim's position, then I'd probably keep track to avoid deficits.
Posted by dAN @ 10/04/2005 12:39 PM EST
Well, I could pester Dr. Buist to cover my poster, but since he's covering my trip I thought I'd take care of my poster. ;) Not that it matters... but...
Posted by djkimothy @ 10/04/2005 06:33 PM EST
if he's covering your trip then what's up with:
-1100$ plane ticket to Honolulu
-2200$ Hotel reservations for 2 weeks
-180$ conference registration
HUH??
Nothing wrong with the Hulk movie. Everytime the Hulk is on screen, it's pure gold, man!
also, no sympathies towards anyone's finances from me:
tuition: $32 000
rent: ~$13 000
Posted by Rayne @ 10/04/2005 10:09 PM EST
I still have to pay the trip upfront, which puts me in the hole TODAY.
Your past finances are moot since you are working now and living at home. :P
Posted by djkimothy @ 10/05/2005 07:45 AM EST
naturally a portion of that rent is still relevant to the current finances as it is student loans.
I'll see where I stand at the end of the month since I started to track my expenses/income this month.
although I need to start paying back OSAP by the end of the month, so that will suck.
Posted by sbdep @ 10/05/2005 11:14 AM EST
Thai, my tuition alone is closing in on your total tuition and housing expenses (which I thought would have been higher). Financial burdens affect all students, you just tend to waste your money on comics...:P!
Posted by dAN @ 10/05/2005 11:54 AM EST
actually, I think I miscalculated rent by about 5000$...haha
9000$ for albert street.
2000$ in toronto
1800$ for westmount ave.
5000$ for residence (i don't remember correctly, stephen can correct me, i'm sure)
= $17 800
and don't forget about food + utilities!! which ran maybe around 400$/month
also, you're taking a M. degree, so it's different =P
Posted by Rayne @ 10/05/2005 01:03 PM EST
Now your expenses make more sense to me...;)!
Posted by dAN @ 10/05/2005 01:39 PM EST
so in total: 5 years of tuition, rent, food, utilities = $62 600. give or take a couple thousand dollars.
Rayne am cry!
Posted by Rayne @ 10/05/2005 01:55 PM EST
"5000$ for residence (i don't remember correctly, stephen can correct me, i'm sure)"
I can indeed. It was higher than that I think.
I seem to recall $2700 or $2900 per term.
of course if you are including tuition and stuff, you should also add the other student expenses like text books etc.
in the end... many tens of thousands of dollars spent for a better paying job in the end. hopefully.
Posted by sbdep @ 10/05/2005 04:39 PM EST
Well my overall expenses from the last 5 years are probably pretty close to par with Thai's, but now I'm shelling out 1235 a month for rent and parking so if you think a few hundred dollars rent is complaint worthy think again :p.
combine that with car payments, loan payments and all the rest of that jazz and money is flying out of my pockets left right and centre.
Posted by Mike @ 10/06/2005 09:39 AM EST
Oh, and "Grooming" could be a better name for the category.
Posted by Mike @ 10/06/2005 09:39 AM EST
stephen, you just used "in the end" twice in the same sentence. I am cringing.
i think 8 terms worth of textbooks is about 1200$ considering some books get sold back, etc.
mike: i realize you all have more expenses than me right now =P
Posted by Rayne @ 10/06/2005 12:16 PM EST
*sorry*
Posted by sbdep @ 10/06/2005 12:49 PM EST
"personal care" is what I've decided to rename "maintenance"
Posted by Rayne @ 10/12/2005 10:02 PM EST