Income & Spending Report.....the March 2020 Edition

*Kim over at Out My Window blog is having computer issues and can't get into her blog.  She is ok(and as far as I can tell hasn't killed her Hubby yet)just can't blog right now.*

Now that we are living on an annuity and 401K$ withdrawals(some months), 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.

  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 March report---

I had 2 goals for March.......
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 2020.

I can report that we finished up March in the black.
The amount we ended the month of March with?.....$1,494.29

Income or Funds We Can Access

The "income" in March---

* Monthly annuity payment of $3,222.24(after tax withholding)
* RMSA(Healthcare account)reimbursement of $1,883.76
* Interest earned on non-retirement accounts of $452.37
* A small 401K withdrawal of $1,129.16(the Mar. part of the 1st quarter withdrawal)
Total "Income" for March....$7,634.08

Expenses in March---

* Healthcare Premium for March was $1,883.76(paid for with RMSA reimbursement)
* Irregular Bills in March came to $2,416.19
* Variable Expenses in March came to $1,839.84
Total Expenses....$6,139.79

$7,634.08-$6,139.79=$1,492.29

Slush into March of $20,858.22 in that Fund to take into April with the $1494.29 overage brings Slush to $22,352.51. going into April
The Slush Fund on it's Page(tab at the top of the blog)shows an addition of $1,492.29 for March.

Outgo

As for the variable expenses this March, here are the good and the bad side of things....

HERE are the GOOD THINGS

*  Phone charges and internet were approximately the same as last month.(Within $2 or so).
*  The electric bill was $52.94 lower than in February.
*  The WAM taken was the same as last month.
*  The main c/c bill was $70.17 less than in February.
*  The gas bill was $57.50 less than last month.
*  The water bill was $3.52 less than in February.

HERE are the BAD THINGS

*  We had a small $15.26 charge on my Amazon c/c.
*  We had a $100.96 Kohl's c/c payment due.  I had items to return(which would have lowered that bill)but since the brich and mortar stores are closed for the duration, I'll have a credit-around $25-with them once I can return those goods.
*  We had 3 irregular bills due in March-the annual sewage bill which I pay early/in full in March for a discount, the County tax bill which I also pay early/in full in March for a 5% discount, and our Long Term Care quarterly premiums.  That's $2,416.19 total in irregular bills paid in March. It is what it is......

The Food Budget costs for March 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 March---
March is always a high bill month due to 3 irregular bills being due at the same time.  Between the $1K+ from the piece of quarterly 401K withdrawal we took in January, the Federal tax refund,a Dividend and my small blogging revenue check we more than covered the bills and had a fair amount of leftover income when March was over.
I am bummed that my non-retirement accounts too a big interest generated hit in March and April will be no better.
We did move some money in our 401K back into one stock went it tanked mid March and we have made $10K there. yay us!  Let's hope it doesn't tank again or even worse! lolz


THOUGHTS going forward into April 2020----

Well who the hell knows what April will throw  at us all, right? ;-)
It's all a crap shoot for all I know in April.  Let's see.....all of PA has a stay at home order so I can't go anywhere and as long as I stay off online shopping sites we can't spend any extra money.
The electric bill should continue to go down(yay!)in April as well as the grocery bill(or not).
There may be more take-out in April if it keeps me from harming someone I'm trapped in this house with....I'm just sayin'. lolz
We have no irregular bills in April. yay!  The only irregular bills this second quarter are car insurance in May and Long Term Care Premiums in June which we can easily handle with regular monthly income.
We do have to pay state taxes from our state return sometime this quarter(they extended the deadline like the Feds did for the Federal returns)but that's not a big burden($60 or so).
Hubs being retired means we haven't lost a job here with the economic turmoil of the pandemic though Ex-College Boy has until this is over.  I am just thankful he hadn't moved out into his own apartment before this all happened or his finances would be in worse shape.  My other two are still employed as is the son in-law.  I feel for those who's world has been turned upside down.....
While a $1,200 check from the Feds will be a small token of relief it isn't going to go far if you've lost a job for who knows how long.

Financially at least, Hubs and I are in a good place going into April. 8-)

So how was your March financially?
  

Did you spend less than the income you had in March?
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