Wednesday 15 January 2014

Started Using My Spreadsheet Today

Okay, you know how I told you that I had made up a spreadsheet to keep track of expenses and forecast my finances? Well I had set it up to start tracking on Feb 1, and not Jan 1.

I had decided to start Feb 1 as I was not going be in the place until then and I had figured that this month was a write off.

Well, I realized that while I was not in my new place, I was still working on this project this month. I am on track to achieve my first Financial Goal . . . getting my butt out of my overdraft. Trust me, this is a big deal for me, as most of 2013 was spent in the overdraft.

So I sat down and with the help of the online banking records I was able to update the spreadsheet to reflect the current status of things. So it now has started tracking my expenses as of Jan 1.I was then able to add in my expected expenses and pay and voila, I now know that I will end this month in the black. (Financial asteroid notwithstanding).

I now need to keep track of my expenses and update the sheet as it goes. I will not get to overly ‘retentive” about it. For example earlier this week I bought some windshield washer fluid and a pack of chocolate treats.

 I will not split this bill up in to “spends” and “truck maintenance.” Instead I just put the whole bill into “truck maintenance.” If you want to technical one could argue that one part was what the truck needed and the other was for the driver.

The goal is to keep track of the major areas that I am spending, not the exact amount down to the penny. I do not plan on splitting up bills if I don’t have to.

I did give “Fast food” its own spot on the spreadsheet. I don’t plan on budgeting anything for it but I know that I spend it. I want it to stare me in the face as to how much I am spending where. Kinda a self-shaming thing.

Well tomorrow night I take down my bed and get it ready for the movers to move it into storage. After that it is me sleeping in a cot in my room. It will seem cavernous without the furniture there. Ah well.

The weekend after that (the 25th) the rest of the stuff goes away and only the absolute essentials will remain. Of course cable and internet will be cut on that day as well . . . gee, perhaps I should warn Roommate? 

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