Now that we are living on an annuity and 401K$ withdrawals, I am still going to keep track of our monthly spending and income, and hopefully we'll still be able to live BELOW our means and I'll have some leftover monies each month to tuck aside.
Two changes we implemented for 2019 at our financial meeting in Jan.--
* Hubs wants to take $150 per person WAM(aka Walking Around Money)in 2019. I found last year's $100 per month adequate but Hubs chafed at that little so we are upping it this year to $150 per person per month.
*As for our 2018 Slush Fund, this is how we are going to handle it in 2019......
We won't be taking a quarterly 401K withdrawal in 2019 until we "need" to, instead of taking one each quarter as we had planned back in 2017 when Hubs retired. Why pull 401K monies out when they are earning more than our other regular bank funds? Use those instead for now!
Since the Slush Fund ended 2018 with $23,164.17 in it and the Sinking Fund ended 2018 with $468.37 in it, we are, for now at least, not taking any more 401K withdrawals and using what is in the Sinking Fund and/or Slush Fund to cover all irregular bills that come up in 2019 plus a few projects around the house.
I have set up a page to track the Slush Fund. Click on the tab marked "Slush Fund 2018-2019" at the top of the blog.
I am trying to be as transparent as I can with how much is coming in and how much is going out. 8-)
On to the December report---
I had 2 goals for December.......
The 1st is to actually finish the month in the black and not the red.
The 2nd is to try to have a little cash leftover at the end of the previous month to tuck back into a slush fund. This slush fun may be to apply toward unforeseen bills that are coming due in subsequent months, to spend on "extras/wants" during the year or to just sit there and grow until the end of 2019.
I can report that we finished up December in the black.
The amount we ended the month of December with?.....$930.64
Income or Funds We Can Access
The "income" in December---
* Monthly annuity payment of $3222.24(after tax withholding)
* RMSA(Healthcare account)reimbursement of $1848.67
* Interest earned on non-retirement accounts of $756.81
* Dividend income of $109.27
Total "Income" for December.....$5936.99
Expenses in December---
* Healthcare Premium for December was $1,848.67(paid for with RMSA reimbursement)
* Variable Expenses in December came to $2602.27
* Irregular Expenses(Long Term Care Insurance Premiums)$555.41
Total Expenses....$5006.35
$5936.99-$5006.35=$930.64
Slush into December $17,507.99 + $930.64 addition=$18,438.63 left in the Slush Fund to take into 2020.
The Slush Fund on it's Page(tab at the top of the blog)shows an addition of $930.64 for December.
We started 2019 with $23,164.17 in Slush Funds.
We ended 2019 with $18,438.63 in Slush Funds which means we spent $4,725.54 MORE than what we had coming in strictly as "income" in 2019(Income being, RMSA monies, Annuity funds, Dividends and Interest income, Blogging revenue, Federal Tax Refund).
* I don't include as income any Sales made(eBay or local)or no Poll Worker pay. The Sales ARE included as income we report to the IRS of course.
Outgo
FINAL THOUGHTS on December----
December was financially predictable. There was Xmas spending on 2 credit cards, there was an irregular bill due and under $100 in medical co-pays from November OVs.
Surprisingly the electric bill was LOWER than in November! That almost never happens as we have electric heat but hey!, I'll take it! lolz
We didn't have to pull any cash from the Slush Fund in December for any emergencies.
THOUGHTS going forward into January 2020----
Hubs and I will sit down in the coming week to go over the 2019 budget and all the numbers.
There will be some tweaking of the budget for 2020 and looking at the good and bad of our finances.
We'll be running the expected expenses for the coming year at that point and will come up with what income we'll have available for 2020 to live our best life.
More to come on the report of the Budget Meeting later this month.
Two changes we implemented for 2019 at our financial meeting in Jan.--
* Hubs wants to take $150 per person WAM(aka Walking Around Money)in 2019. I found last year's $100 per month adequate but Hubs chafed at that little so we are upping it this year to $150 per person per month.
*As for our 2018 Slush Fund, this is how we are going to handle it in 2019......
We won't be taking a quarterly 401K withdrawal in 2019 until we "need" to, instead of taking one each quarter as we had planned back in 2017 when Hubs retired. Why pull 401K monies out when they are earning more than our other regular bank funds? Use those instead for now!
Since the Slush Fund ended 2018 with $23,164.17 in it and the Sinking Fund ended 2018 with $468.37 in it, we are, for now at least, not taking any more 401K withdrawals and using what is in the Sinking Fund and/or Slush Fund to cover all irregular bills that come up in 2019 plus a few projects around the house.
I have set up a page to track the Slush Fund. Click on the tab marked "Slush Fund 2018-2019" at the top of the blog.
I am trying to be as transparent as I can with how much is coming in and how much is going out. 8-)
On to the December report---
I had 2 goals for December.......
The 1st is to actually finish the month in the black and not the red.
The 2nd is to try to have a little cash leftover at the end of the previous month to tuck back into a slush fund. This slush fun may be to apply toward unforeseen bills that are coming due in subsequent months, to spend on "extras/wants" during the year or to just sit there and grow until the end of 2019.
I can report that we finished up December in the black.
The amount we ended the month of December with?.....$930.64
Income or Funds We Can Access
The "income" in December---
* Monthly annuity payment of $3222.24(after tax withholding)
* RMSA(Healthcare account)reimbursement of $1848.67
* Interest earned on non-retirement accounts of $756.81
* Dividend income of $109.27
Total "Income" for December.....$5936.99
Expenses in December---
* Healthcare Premium for December was $1,848.67(paid for with RMSA reimbursement)
* Variable Expenses in December came to $2602.27
* Irregular Expenses(Long Term Care Insurance Premiums)$555.41
Total Expenses....$5006.35
$5936.99-$5006.35=$930.64
Slush into December $17,507.99 + $930.64 addition=$18,438.63 left in the Slush Fund to take into 2020.
The Slush Fund on it's Page(tab at the top of the blog)shows an addition of $930.64 for December.
We started 2019 with $23,164.17 in Slush Funds.
We ended 2019 with $18,438.63 in Slush Funds which means we spent $4,725.54 MORE than what we had coming in strictly as "income" in 2019(Income being, RMSA monies, Annuity funds, Dividends and Interest income, Blogging revenue, Federal Tax Refund).
* I don't include as income any Sales made(eBay or local)or no Poll Worker pay. The Sales ARE included as income we report to the IRS of course.
Outgo
As for the variable expenses this December, here are the good and the bad side of things....
HERE are the GOOD THINGS
HERE are the GOOD THINGS
* Phone charges and internet were approximately the same as last month.(Within $2 or so).
* The water bill was $4.63 lower than in November.
* The electric bill was $100.03 lower than last month.
* The WAM was the same as in November.
* The health insurance premium was the same as last month.
* There was no Gas card bill(all gas was put on Mastercard)
* The M/C bill was $422.08 less than November's bill.
* The water bill was $4.63 lower than in November.
* The electric bill was $100.03 lower than last month.
* The WAM was the same as in November.
* The health insurance premium was the same as last month.
* There was no Gas card bill(all gas was put on Mastercard)
* The M/C bill was $422.08 less than November's bill.
HERE are the BAD THINGS
* The Amazon card bill was $571.79 higher than in November.
* There were $73.65 in medical co-pays this month.
* There was a $77.05 Kohl's bill in December.
* There was an irregular bill due-Long Term Care Premiums of $555.41 due in December.
* The Amazon card bill was $571.79 higher than in November.
* There were $73.65 in medical co-pays this month.
* There was a $77.05 Kohl's bill in December.
* There was an irregular bill due-Long Term Care Premiums of $555.41 due in December.
The Food Budget costs for December are in another post, which is located HERE. Food costs are included in the credit card payment(mainly but sometimes our WAM cash too).
FINAL THOUGHTS on December----
December was financially predictable. There was Xmas spending on 2 credit cards, there was an irregular bill due and under $100 in medical co-pays from November OVs.
Surprisingly the electric bill was LOWER than in November! That almost never happens as we have electric heat but hey!, I'll take it! lolz
We didn't have to pull any cash from the Slush Fund in December for any emergencies.
THOUGHTS going forward into January 2020----
Hubs and I will sit down in the coming week to go over the 2019 budget and all the numbers.
There will be some tweaking of the budget for 2020 and looking at the good and bad of our finances.
We'll be running the expected expenses for the coming year at that point and will come up with what income we'll have available for 2020 to live our best life.
More to come on the report of the Budget Meeting later this month.
So how was your December financially?
Did you spend less than the income you had in December?
Did you stay within your budget or not?
What did you do with any money leftover at the end of the month?
Did you pay off any debts or put extra toward your mortgage principle or into savings, in an emergency fund or a retirement account?
Or did you blow it on a want?
Did you stay within your budget or not?
What did you do with any money leftover at the end of the month?
Did you pay off any debts or put extra toward your mortgage principle or into savings, in an emergency fund or a retirement account?
Or did you blow it on a want?
If you posted your financial progress on your own blog, leave a link in the comments so we can go check out your progress too and celebrate or commiserate with you!
Sluggy
Sluggy
Why have the distain your husband want fifty extra bucks? Isn’t he the one who earned it while you stayed home and never worked? Worrying that you control the money like that and he had to ask.
ReplyDeleteWoah, she stayed home and never worked??????? Did you read that before you posted or did it come out wrong?
DeleteI don’t think she ever had a job, correct. I think it’s weird how someone could snarff at
DeleteHim wanting fifty bucks of his own money. True story.
I see both sides. I guess she manages all the money though so it’s ok to have an opinion on how much he takes and spends. So I don’t thinks it’s too bad.
DeleteI am pretty sure that even if she "never had a job" that she worked plenty. Managing a household IS work.
DeleteBoth December and 2019 as a whole were better than we expected. This is great as the next four years will be rocky-and could be rockier if DH ends up retiring earlier than our four year target. December is a little inflated though as expenses for Christmas that we hoped would be paid for in December are rolling into January, which will then uield a lower savings rate that I started planning on. The three paycheck month won't really be reflected as much as I liked in traditional savings. Here's my link to the recap https://newframereference.blogspot.com/2020/01/2019-financial-wrap-up_4.html
ReplyDeleteWe are right where we expected to be on expenses as we were lucky to have no surprises this year. AND our investment accounts are growing beyond expectation which is a good feeling for me since I retired in July!
ReplyDeleteWe are happy :-)
Did good in December staying in budget on food and Christmas. We are pretty low key and had planned ahead so had a lot of gifts and stuff done before Dec. Winter is always our low income time. My husband is self employed and I do get a regular check but it mostly goes towards bills. Eating at home as much as possible and not shopping for food items unless it's such a great buy on something we use / eat and can't pass it up or perishable veggies and dairy. Pretty much could eat out of the pantry and freezer for quite some time so will see how long this goes on. Take care.
ReplyDelete