Profile

I am thirty five years old and I work as the General Stage Manager for a touring circus. I make $2,000 a week and have an approximate $40 per diem (issued in local currency). I’m currently living at home with my dad when I’m not on road, which is a major factor in why I can save so much, and I only have a few monthly bills.

Saving & Spending

So, fun story, this month I can’t even really properly track anything because as I went to pop in my American SIM card and pay $10, so I can access all my bank accounts, I couldn’t find my SIM card.

Most of my banking and credit card accounts have worked just fine for traveling, the only issue is when I log in to check them, I always have to enter a code that gets texted to my phone.

Since I can’t do that till I find the SIM card, here we are.

I am actually a little freaked out because there are messages from my mom and grandma on there that I would be particularly upset to lose, despite the fact that I have often thought, “I need to back these up somewhere” and I just haven’t.

At any rate, I haven’t really made any large purchases this month. When I was home at the beginning of the month, I did some stage hand calls and went out to eat with a few friends. I also went and saw the new Big Apple Circus show – the finale act is out of this world. It was really awesome. The cast and crew did a really good job.

Other than that, I’ve been back in the UK on my show. We’ve had some crazy long hours and no days off, so that’s been useful for saving money? There has probably been too much alcohol though.

At any rate, I’m definitely still living within my per diem.

Big financial decisions include more thinking about buying a house, looking for work for after this contract ends, and that’s about it.

It will be a sad one when it’s over – the group on this contract is pretty fantastic and I’m going to miss them a lot. It’s been a long time since I liked working with absolutely everyone on my show so much.

Anyway, the December update will be extra exciting since it will have two months of growth reflected. I will hopefully have found or have a new SIM card by then. And maybe I’ll have more a plan for what’s happening to my life when this tour ends.

Or – I will properly update this during our layoff next week.

Most Popular Post of the Month: Doin’ It By the Decade: The Wealthy Barber Review

My Favorite Post to Write This Month: A Modest Proposal for Personal Finance

Goals

• Start eating better. Sometimes. 
• Work out more. Medium success. I did really well while I was home and horrible out on tour.
• Keep taking accounting classes. Nailing it. 
• Do two things to build up my stage management skills.  I went to an APA sponsored pyrotechnics course, so one skill project done and recertified on First Aid & CPR
• Spend more time with family and friends. I’ve been fairly successful at this this year.
• Be more supportive of family and friends when I can’t be there in person. I’m really not sure I managed that at all this month.
• Make an effort to not withhold kind words and encouragement. Always a work in progress.
• Max out my Roth IRA.
• Max out my HSA.
• Set aside $20,000 for my house down payment account.
• Set aside $5,000 for my new car account.
• Invest $3,000.
• Read more. Not really this month.
• Learn to make macaroons. No additional progress here.