spend less than I earn

I can’t believe how much difference it’s made to focus on my spending, follow the steps of Your Money Or Your Life (doing that less now, though . . . ) However, I just had some medical things, so now I might blow this goal. That’s unforeseen, though, and I have a bit of a cushion now, so hopefully it won’t mean veering off my plan too much. I said in January if I could do this for six months I’d check it off. And I have! So I am.

I did indeed spend less than I earned in April. I think it doesn’t feel like it because lots the money leaves to untouchable retirement accounts. I try to think of this as “spending” so that I treat it like any other bill – a must-do. But I do feel strapped, even though the numbers look good. And my Wall Chart is showing an upward trend in the expenditures area . . . when doing my questions for YMOYL, I noticed that I spent a lot on restaurants. It’s different to be with someone – when I wasn’t with my BF I spent a lot less on restaurants. Now I don’t want to seem like a sponge or a wet blanket or something so I always agree to go out and even suggest it and pick up the bill maybe more than half the time in my eagerness not to feel like I’m leeching. Same with groceries. I had gotten my grocery bill down but he feeds me a lot and so I buy him groceries. However, I really enjoy the food he makes and being with him to eat it, so this is worth it to me. But I think I can work on the restaurant thing. Plus I had some unordinary expenses like buying a Thule ski rack and some scrapbooking supplies as well as underwear ;) to replace what I threw out on my Mexico trip!

I went on a vacation in March but had saved for it and planned to use a portion of my tax refund, so I spend less than I earned in March, too. I am doing so much better than I was two years ago. It’s such a nice feeling – a proud one, too.

February came out also as me spending less than I earn.

I only did January! February is almost done!

Did it in Jan, too.

My wall chart, a Your Money or Your Life thing . . . the lines have not diverged as much as I might like, but after a year of data, at least a pattern is emerging – expenses always less than income. That’s what I’m striving for. It might get off in March if I don’t get my tax refund in time, but I know how much is coming and I’m going to try not to blow it all.

woo hoo! I just did my December tabulation and I even spent less than I earned in DECEMBER. I’m, like, super proud.

I’m going to see if for the next six months I can do this, not counting months where I vacation with saved money (I figure that’s still mine even if I didn’t spend it in the month it was earned – don’t worry, it all makes sense in my brain . . . ). I do actively work on this goal and it deserves to be on my 43T list.