Accountability: August 2015

Profile

I am thirty one years old and I am a stage manager for an Off-Broadway show called Ziegfeld’s Midnight Frolic (if you live in the tri-state area, buy a ticket and support us some Saturday – we extended into the fall!). I have no rent and no real bills. I now make $175 a week, which would be a total unsustainable lifestyle if I weren’t currently living with my parents. I am super excited to be three weeks away from full time work.

Saving & Spending

So to finish out my last month of part time employment, I totally didn’t make anything near the $500 budget, although this month I also took that best friend trip that had it’s own $500 budget too.

I also got to actually do some things I bought tickets for in previous months like see Book of Mormon, which was pretty good, and run in the Insane Inflatable 5K.

Inflatable 5K

Survived!

My biggest budget buster this month was going to be $360, a rather unexpected expense, to replace some contacts that got stolen back in February (because sometimes when you’re on tour, all your stuff gets stolen). I went to the eye doctor to order them and he said he would order 3 months worth, which I figured would be about $150. When I went to pick them up, he had ordered 6 months and I was like… what the heck, man? That’s the majority of the spending money I had left to get back to full time employment!

But you can see that I wrote “was going to be” because I feel it’s important to note when your parents give you a hand. My mom offered to bail me out there and called it a late birthday present and after swallowing my pride, I definitely accepted. And yes, I know how lucky I am.

I think that hit particularly hard because I got my contract to go back to work and found there’s a random layoff week in October as well as the long layoff I was expecting in December and January and was definitely feeling very, “well what else is next?” about trying to calculate how I would achieve all my savings goals for the year.

Despite traveling a lot this month – seriously, Vermont, Maryland, D.C., and Niagara Falls, I didn’t actually have any huge expense other than those contacts.

I did feel kind of stupid about $20 of that clothing expense, because I left my bathing suit hanging over the shower at the gym and by the time I remembered, it gone.

My spending breakdown this month: 

  • Food: $256.32
  • Clothing: $52
  • Fitness: $37.40
  • Niagara Falls Trip: $274.91
  • Entertainment: $66.88
  • Pet Supplies: $10.68
  • Commuting: $119.07
  • Gas: $174.02
  • Gifts: $98.53
  • Miscellaneous: $25.76

 Total Spending in August: $1115.57

Not actually terrible for a $1000 budgeted month.

Hustling

I brought in some income through 2 other methods besides stage managing this month too, but to be honest, I think this is my lamest month of hustling ever, although I am waiting for payouts on several things I did this month that just didn’t come yet.

  • User Testing: $10
  • digit: $5

(Seriously though, have you signed up for digit yet? I love, love, love how it ciphers out my money without me even noticing – every time it hits $100, I transfer it to one of my savings goals. It’s how I managed to add $100 to my computer fund every month this summer without even trying.)

Notice what’s missing? That’s right, I made $0 on brokeGIRLrich this month… which also added to my contacts-how-am-I-ever-going-to-achieve-all-my-savings-goals freak out.

Additional Income This Month: $15

Total Income This Month: $365. Ugh.

It also looks like the stock market is a little lame right now, which would be cool if I had money to invest, instead, it makes my net worth even sadder. Plummet, little net worth, plummet, some day I’ll be able to fix you.

C’est la vie.

Net Worth: August 2015

Net Worth: August 2015

Most Popular Post of the Month: 114 Side Hustles: Ways to Make More Money

My Favorite Post to Write This Month: How Running is Like Personal Finance – Part I

Elsewhere on the Web: Top 5 Hustles to Bring in Extra Money at U.S. News & World Report

5 Money Saving Travel Hacks for the Airport at U.S. News & World Report

Entirely Unrelated to Personal Finance

Perhaps my greatest achievement this summer has been binge watching Parks and Recreation. And I finally completed that task this past week.

Ron Swanson

Oh, Ron, I’ll miss you.

Goals

1.) Max out my IRA… still at $800 to go. I’m feeling moderately confident about succeeding here though. Finishing that up is a priority with my first two paychecks when I get back to work full time.

2.) Contribute $1,000 to my emergency savings – Done.

3.) Buy $1,000 of stock – perhaps by November.

4.) Save $100 a month for a new computer. August – check.

5.) Save $100 a month for a new car (I’m hoping the current one will make it to roughly 2021). Not this month…

6.) Save $2,000 for a house down payment. Still at $1,500 to go. It might be doable, then again, it might not. This is the goal I’m the most on the fence about achieving.

7.) Keep an eye out for any work I can pick up to fix the crappy hustling I did this month before going back to work full time at the end of September.

22 thoughts on “Accountability: August 2015

    • Thanks! It definitely wasn’t an impressive hustling month for me, but that happens and actually, it usually happens right after really good months – so I should probably start getting used to that. 😛

    • 1. Another Macbook. My current one has lasted 7 years, so I don’t mind spending the extra money and I use the sound editing software for work all the time.
      2. No kidding, right? I freak out trying to swim without contacts though and hate working out and having my glasses slide off my face. Also, I love $5 sunglasses.
      3. Eric wasn’t messing around ;o)
      Mel @ brokeGIRLrich recently posted…Accountability: August 2015My Profile

  1. I hate those months when it seems like one thing after another and you’re waiting for the next problem to crop up. But overall it seems you didn’t do too badly, especially considering the trips you got to take. And doing the 5k was an awesome thing to do…and reminds me I need to step up my fitness goals!
    Gary @ Super Saving Tips recently posted…Common Retail Myths ExposedMy Profile

  2. I’m glad your parents could help you out with the contacts bill – they are expensive. I pay for mine by direct debit and get a three month supply in one go. They never seem to last though as some break or tear along the way, so I usually have to buy an extra box or two a few times a year.

    I hope work goes well when you start back full time soon! You could maybe make some extra money during the breaks through article writing on Upwork?
    Hayley @ Disease Called Debt recently posted…Financially Savvy Saturdays #106My Profile

  3. That house downpayment–how about renaming that account “long term goals”? From what you say about your life in general, if I was in your shoes and someone gave me enough money for a downpayment on a house, I wouldn’t buy one. If you have a relatively stable fulltime job that you like and you plan to live in the area you are in long-term, buying a house is a good idea. The way you describe your life? Rent, and invest your money.
    RAnn recently posted…So How Is Kickfurther Working for Me?My Profile

    • I think I’m content with leaving it as “down payment” because I can already feel the tug to be less nomadic. I’m actually kind of looking forward to settling into a more normal job and having a home – not quite yet…. but I’m know it’s coming.

  4. Sorry to hear you had a rough hustling month! It happens. The end of August really slowed down in terms of me trying to monetize RSF; it was just too busy prepping for the semester and handling last-minute tutoring students who needed help with summer reading. Although that was a good surprise, it is definitely not passive income and was very short-lived.
    Alexandra @ Real Simple Finances recently posted…Becoming Minimalist: One In, Two OutMy Profile

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