Profile

I am thirty three years old and the Performance Director at Big Apple Circus. I make $70,000 a year and live in a show provided RV. I also have health insurance through this job that’s deducted straight from my paycheck, so I don’t really count it in my bills since it’s never money I see anyway (it’s roughly $150/month).

Saving & Spending

Well, May shot by.

 

It felt like I’ve spent a ton on food. One of the cool things about tracking my spending though was finding it was only $50 more than last month – and I ate out a few times with friends and picked up the tab. So, in retrospect, that seems reasonable.

 

Transportation was a little higher due to the jump between Boston and Philadelphia. I pay a pair of our show ushers $100 to drive my car for me on jumps, since I have to tow a camper and my RV in a show owned vehicle. Honestly, I think it’s probably one of my biggest “lifestyle inflations” this year to not bat an eye at the costs of keeping my car on the road with me. When I had my car with me on Ringling, it was a constant source of stress to get it from city to city.

 

Work related expenses were high this month due to a lot of last minute, poor communication from our publicity company. The silver lining there though is that I was able to run out and buy several things I’ve wanted us to have on the unit for PR, so there’s that. I also splurged on a tiny end of tour gift for everyone in the company. It’s a cheap item, but I needed a little over 100 of them.

 

There’s a gym right by our tent with a pool that made a single month deal with us for $50. If we extend, which we might, they’re going to give us all a two week guest pass for free. I’ve definitely gained some stress eating weight, so I went for it. I forgot, however, that the bathing suit, goggles, etc. that I needed were all at home, so that pushed up my clothing budget this month too. Caving in and replacing some lost Thinx did a number on that budget line as well (but it’s been two years and I still freaking love them. Worth. Every. Penny).

 

It was the most wonderful time of the year again when I pay my car insurance. This is usually my biggest bill each year. One weird aspect of my job is that though I don’t have to actually do a lot related to load in and out, I still have to be “around” and able to run to the store, help out in other ways, make decisions about things that might change the show. Essentially, I just sit in my RV and read or watch TV about 90% of that time. This isn’t a complaint because I much prefer it to having to freeze or fry my butt off putting up the tent, but this time I used that time to take a defensive driving course online. It cost $20. It reduced my car insurance bill by 5% (close to $60) and it will reduce it by the same percentage for the next two years too. Time well spent.

 

I bought two of our plane tickets to Iceland – mine and the best friend I’m traveling from New Jersey with. Our DC buddy will meet us at the airport in Iceland. They cost me $431.11 each, but I was able to use travel rewards and knock $731.11 off that total. The BFF Venmo-ed me her $431.11 and that went to the remaining $100 balance and will go towards my part of the Iceland hotel bill. So far, so good on the reward hacking the trip.

 

• Food – $498.94
• Transportation – $210.64
• Gifts – $56.00
• Car Insurance – $1234.75
• Defensive Driving Couse – $20.00
• Lifelock – $9.99
• Toiletries – $50.88
• brokeGIRLrich – $2.99
• RV – $157.14
• Clothes – $188.97
• Gym – $50.00
• Candles – $23.60
• Work Related – $874.25
• Iceland – $862.22
• Travel Rewards – $-731.11
• Miscellaneous – $23.36

 

Total Spending in April: $3,532.62

 

Hustling

 

My income this month was from performance directing at Big Apple, dividends, and brokeGIRLrich. I also got a reimbursement at work and a friend paid me back for her plane ticket for a trip we’re taking in July – usually I don’t note something like that, I just deduct those kinds of reimbursements against my spending tally, but I used airline miles for both of our tickets, so it’s easier to account for it this way.

 

• Stage Managing – $2,935.32
• Work Reimbursement – $200.00
• Dividends – $28.80
• BFF Iceland Plane Ticket – $439.85
• brokeGIRLrich – $1,568.83

 

Income This Month: $5,172.80          

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

My Favorite Post to Write This Month: Do It NOW

Goals 

• Max out my IRA. – Done
• Max out my 401k. – On track to max out by end of year.
• Buy $5,000 in stock. – Done
• Contribute $3,000 to my New Car Fund – Done
• Contribute $5,000 to my Down Payment Fund. – $1,500 contributed. $3,500 to go.
• Go on a family vacation. – In the works, Brigantine Beach 2018.
• Go on a best friend vacation. – In the works, Iceland July 2018.
• Develop 2 new resume skills.
• Max out my Health Savings Account for the year. – $500 contributed so far.