by Hope
Month two of tracking my spending. There is certainly some variance from my forecast due to the last minute trip to Texas and some medical expenses plus an unexpected refrigerator repair. But overall, I was able to stick pretty close to the forecast.
| Date | Category/Payee | Anticipated Amount | Actual Spend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09-01-2024 | Groceries / Hygiene / Dogs / Gas | -500 | -230 |
| 09-02-2024 | Auto Insurance | -1346 | -1346 |
| 09-02-2024 | Amazon CC | -1391 | -1412 |
| 09-03-2024 | Mortgage | -1015 | -1015 |
| 09-03-2024 | Investments | -350 | -350 |
| 09-03-2024 | EF Savings | -790 | -790 |
| 09-03-2024 | Travel Savings | -500 | -500 |
| 09-04-2024 | City Utilities - varies | -150 | -100 |
| 09-05-2024 | Princess rent for Oct | -750 | -750 |
| 09-09-2024 | Electric - varies | -250 | -359 |
| 09-14-2024 | Verizon | -350 | -312 |
| 09-20-2024 | Kids' Contributions | 1215 | 512 |
| 09-20-2024 | Frontier CC | -130 | -127 |
| 09-26-2024 | Windstream | -71 | -71 |
| Medical - Dr Visits | -394 | ||
| Refrigerator - repair | -120 | ||
Next month will pretty much be a wash as far as my debt payoff journey goes. But November will be full speed ahead again.
I am making calls about getting health insurance. Georgia is a terrible state for health insurance. The options are just terrible. And I still have to make a decision about my life insurance.
What the Future Holds
I’ve already forecasted out through the end of 2025. But with my new income and housing plan, I am beginning to revisit it. Plan for how to be completely debt free next year. And have a substantial emergency fund. I am planning to maintain my current savings plan through the end of the year. Then revisit beginning in January.
Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.
But life has a way of rewriting your plans.
A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.
Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.
Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.
She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.
You need to start budgeting (yes, budgeting–not just “forecasting”!) for things like medical bills and home repair. You might not be able to predict exactly when these things will come up, but it shouldn’t be a surprise that they happen.
Yeah I kind of wish she would start some sinking funds for something other than travel. Cars and bodies require tune ups. It should not be a surprise that it is not free and should be budgeted for.
No health insurance is just crazy. If you think that is high my husband had a mild stroke the end of May with no history of having trouble. One test with excellent health insurance cost us $1500. Every state has some type of insurance and with your wages you can afford good insurance you just don’t want to pay for it. Princess doesn’t have a job to even help some. What was the Windstream and why isn’t the kids paying what they owe? Next what do you buy at Amazon that the amount is so high? Buy health insurance stop buying stuff.
Life insurance is to support people depending on your income if you die prematurely. Since all of your kids are independent, you don’t really need it. If you want, get a small policy to cover burial expenses but you don’t need a large policy with a large payment. What you DO need is health insurance, I’m happy to see you’re looking into that.
I admit I don’t follow your process of forecasting and I think you really need to buckle down with actual budgeting and daily tracking of what you’re spending. But this only captures $7400ish. You said you would be bringing in around $12,000/month, so where is the rest?
I don’t see the $2550 line item for your taxes, Medicare and social security. Is that an oversight?