Total Income - $7,526
Total Expenses - $7,465
Save For Future Expenses - $61
* * * * * * * * * *
This month I am determined to stick to my budget!! To help ensure that this happens, I have budgeted on the high side with a firm determination to come in at or under budget in all categories. I feel this will help me gain a sense of accomplishment and once mastered, I will focus on reducing some of the categories.
My goal will also be to track my expenses weekly instead of monthly. I found it too difficult to keep up with daily tracking yet I don't want to wait until the end of the month to see how I am doing. Weekly tracking will hopefully solve these problems.
* * * * * * * * *
Budgeted Income
Beginning Checking Account Balance: $1,433
Husband's 1st of month paycheck: $1,831
Transfer from Savings: $2,500
Total Funds for Beginning of September: $5,764
Estimate of Husband's 15th of month paycheck: $1,687
Estimate of my Church earnings 15th of month: $75
Total Estimate of All Regular Funds for September: $7,526
* * * * * * * * *
Budgeted Expenses
mortgage - $2,355
Capital One - $739
HELOQ - $193
Chase - $168
Electric - $190
Oil - $250
Car Ins. - $138
Cable/Phone/Net - $167
Trash - $65
Newspaper - $8
Bills Subtotal - $4,273
Grocery - $480
Spending - $200
Pizza Night - $80
Kid's Clothing - $200
Parties - $125
Gifts - $190
Tooth Fairy - $10
School Lunch - $18
Dining Out - $195
Babysitting - $20
Cash Subtotal - $1,518
Irish Step Lessons - $240
Preschool - $250
Piano Lessons - $264
Kids Activity Fees - $305
Auto Gas - $450
Uhaul truck - $65
Misc. - $100
Subtotal - $1,674
Total Budgeted Expenses - $7,465
Friday, August 31, 2007
Quarterly Earnings Review - August 2007
Time to review all of my earnings over the past four months to determine which sources have been the most lucrative and which have not been worth my time. The list starts with the highest income total and goes down to the lowest. I have commented on each source with both a "review" of that income source and a "goal" for that income source.
Monthly Earnings Totals
May: $599.66/June: $1,015.40/July: $1,007.29/Aug.: $346.94
1. Jewelry Sales/Total: $1,218.59/Avg.: $304.64
May: $375.90/June: $575.50/July: $267.19/Aug.: $0
Review: this is one of my most lucrative income sources. Goal: focus on upgrading jewelry website to include a shopping cart. Have color catalog printed. Sign up for fall craft fairs.
2. Church Nursery/Total: $364/Avg.: $91
May: $84.00/June: $112.00/July: $112.00 /Aug.: $56.00
Review: this income should go back to $112 a month since we won't be away on the weekends anymore. Goal: work each Sunday.
3. AmX Rewards/Total: $250/Avg.: $62.50
May: $0/June: $0/Juloy: $250.00/Aug: $0
Review: this was a one time bonus reward. Goal: possibly sign up for another credit card that offers a sign up bonus.
4. Cash Crate/Total: $202.24/Avg.: $50.56
May: $51.47/June: $51.27/July: $75.97/Aug.: $23.53
Review: this income dropped disappointingly in August. Goal: solve the problem with cookies with my computer so the offers will confirm.
5. Contacts Reimbursement/Total: $200/Avg.: $50
May: $0/June: $200.00/July: $0/Aug.: $0
Review: I have reached the maximum reimbursement that my plan allows for this year. (I included this in my earnings because there is some paper work involved and in the past I have neglected to do it or have submitted it too late and lost this valuable income!) Goal: find a new in network opthamologist so I can be reimbursed up to $250 for 2008.
6. Returned Stuff/Total: $147.02/Avg.: $36.75
May: $0/June: $6.25/July: $140.77/Aug.: $0
Review: I include this in my earnings because in the past I have sometimes neglected to return something even if I found we didn't need it. Now I view this as an income category to motivate me to return any purchase or gift we find didn't fit our needs or is not necessary. Goal: I have a lot of unneeded clothing that I purchased for the kids that I need to return in September.
7. Yard Sale/Total: $125/Avg.: $31.25
May: $0/June: $0/July: $0/Aug.: $125.00
Review: this was a whole lot of work. I think selling on ebay is less work with better results. Goal: don't plan another yard sale.
8. Associated Content/Total: $114.35/Avg.: $28.58
May: $34.88/June: $26.36/July: $49.01/Aug. $4.10
Review: this income has changed each month based on how many articles I submitted. Income in August was from page views only. Goal: submit more articles to Associated Content.
9. Ebay Sales/Total: $98.03/Avg.: $24.50
May: $0 /June: $18.49/July: $59.00/Aug.: $74.54
Review: this income has been steadily increasing each month. Goal: list more items for sale on ebay.
10. Savings Interest /Total: $86/Avg.: $21.50
May: $0 /June: $18.00/July: $13.00/Aug.: $55.00
Review: this income has increased due to our putting aside a lot of money from my husband's high commissions to save for the months with low commissions. Goal: not too much control over this but will save any extra funds from high commission months.
11. Mystery Shopping/Total: $62.70/Avg.: $15.67
May: $52.70/June: $0/July: $0/Aug.: $10.00
Review: this has been a good way to earn some free merchandise or meals. Goal: sign up for more assignments.
12. Ad Revenue/Total: $22.67/Avg: $5.66
May: $.71 /June: $3.15/July: $13.35/Aug: $5.46
Review: this income was steadily increasing each month until August with the highest income so far in July most likely because of higher traffic due to participation in Blog Carnivals. Goal: participate in more Blog Carnivals.
13. Fairy Tale Tresasures/Total: $1.55/Avg.: $ .38
May: $0/June: $1.55/July: $0/Aug.: $0
Review: this was a get paid to survey type site that I tried but was not able to earn much because of problems with the cookies on my computer. Goal: find out how to fix the cookies problem with my computer and earn more with get paid to sites.
14. myLot/Total: $ .36/Avg.: $ .09
May: $0/June: $0/July: $0/Aug.: $.36
Review: haven't earned too much with this forum and there doesn't seem to be enough people interested in discussing personal finance so I didn't earn much with them. Goal: I will probably drop this as an income source.
So, that's it for this quarter. Hopefully next quarter will prove even more lucrative so the debts can be paid off even faster. The journey to financial peace continues . . .
Monthly Earnings Totals
May: $599.66/June: $1,015.40/July: $1,007.29/Aug.: $346.94
1. Jewelry Sales/Total: $1,218.59/Avg.: $304.64
May: $375.90/June: $575.50/July: $267.19/Aug.: $0
Review: this is one of my most lucrative income sources. Goal: focus on upgrading jewelry website to include a shopping cart. Have color catalog printed. Sign up for fall craft fairs.
2. Church Nursery/Total: $364/Avg.: $91
May: $84.00/June: $112.00/July: $112.00 /Aug.: $56.00
Review: this income should go back to $112 a month since we won't be away on the weekends anymore. Goal: work each Sunday.
3. AmX Rewards/Total: $250/Avg.: $62.50
May: $0/June: $0/Juloy: $250.00/Aug: $0
Review: this was a one time bonus reward. Goal: possibly sign up for another credit card that offers a sign up bonus.
4. Cash Crate/Total: $202.24/Avg.: $50.56
May: $51.47/June: $51.27/July: $75.97/Aug.: $23.53
Review: this income dropped disappointingly in August. Goal: solve the problem with cookies with my computer so the offers will confirm.
5. Contacts Reimbursement/Total: $200/Avg.: $50
May: $0/June: $200.00/July: $0/Aug.: $0
Review: I have reached the maximum reimbursement that my plan allows for this year. (I included this in my earnings because there is some paper work involved and in the past I have neglected to do it or have submitted it too late and lost this valuable income!) Goal: find a new in network opthamologist so I can be reimbursed up to $250 for 2008.
6. Returned Stuff/Total: $147.02/Avg.: $36.75
May: $0/June: $6.25/July: $140.77/Aug.: $0
Review: I include this in my earnings because in the past I have sometimes neglected to return something even if I found we didn't need it. Now I view this as an income category to motivate me to return any purchase or gift we find didn't fit our needs or is not necessary. Goal: I have a lot of unneeded clothing that I purchased for the kids that I need to return in September.
7. Yard Sale/Total: $125/Avg.: $31.25
May: $0/June: $0/July: $0/Aug.: $125.00
Review: this was a whole lot of work. I think selling on ebay is less work with better results. Goal: don't plan another yard sale.
8. Associated Content/Total: $114.35/Avg.: $28.58
May: $34.88/June: $26.36/July: $49.01/Aug. $4.10
Review: this income has changed each month based on how many articles I submitted. Income in August was from page views only. Goal: submit more articles to Associated Content.
9. Ebay Sales/Total: $98.03/Avg.: $24.50
May: $0 /June: $18.49/July: $59.00/Aug.: $74.54
Review: this income has been steadily increasing each month. Goal: list more items for sale on ebay.
10. Savings Interest /Total: $86/Avg.: $21.50
May: $0 /June: $18.00/July: $13.00/Aug.: $55.00
Review: this income has increased due to our putting aside a lot of money from my husband's high commissions to save for the months with low commissions. Goal: not too much control over this but will save any extra funds from high commission months.
11. Mystery Shopping/Total: $62.70/Avg.: $15.67
May: $52.70/June: $0/July: $0/Aug.: $10.00
Review: this has been a good way to earn some free merchandise or meals. Goal: sign up for more assignments.
12. Ad Revenue/Total: $22.67/Avg: $5.66
May: $.71 /June: $3.15/July: $13.35/Aug: $5.46
Review: this income was steadily increasing each month until August with the highest income so far in July most likely because of higher traffic due to participation in Blog Carnivals. Goal: participate in more Blog Carnivals.
13. Fairy Tale Tresasures/Total: $1.55/Avg.: $ .38
May: $0/June: $1.55/July: $0/Aug.: $0
Review: this was a get paid to survey type site that I tried but was not able to earn much because of problems with the cookies on my computer. Goal: find out how to fix the cookies problem with my computer and earn more with get paid to sites.
14. myLot/Total: $ .36/Avg.: $ .09
May: $0/June: $0/July: $0/Aug.: $.36
Review: haven't earned too much with this forum and there doesn't seem to be enough people interested in discussing personal finance so I didn't earn much with them. Goal: I will probably drop this as an income source.
So, that's it for this quarter. Hopefully next quarter will prove even more lucrative so the debts can be paid off even faster. The journey to financial peace continues . . .
08/31/07 - Daily Progress Report
Well, it's the last day of the month. August has been my worst income producing month since I started tracking my earnings in May. I think the main reason for this is that we went away on a lot of trips in August. I spent more time vacationing than earning!
Well, tomorrow begins September with a clean slate. Don't you just love fresh beginnings? My kids will start school on Wednesday 9/5/07. The two older girls will be in school daily until around 3pm. The youngest will be in school three days a week until 1pm. So, this will give me a lot of extra time to earn, earn, earn!
I am determined not to let my poor performance in August affect my thinking. I'm sticking to my original goal of $1,000 per month!
Today's Income: $1.03
Cash Crate: $ .16
Ad Revenue: $ .10
Associated Content Perf. Bonus: $ .77
Today's Expenses:
Well, tomorrow begins September with a clean slate. Don't you just love fresh beginnings? My kids will start school on Wednesday 9/5/07. The two older girls will be in school daily until around 3pm. The youngest will be in school three days a week until 1pm. So, this will give me a lot of extra time to earn, earn, earn!
I am determined not to let my poor performance in August affect my thinking. I'm sticking to my original goal of $1,000 per month!
Today's Income: $1.03
Cash Crate: $ .16
Ad Revenue: $ .10
Associated Content Perf. Bonus: $ .77
Today's Expenses:
Thursday, August 30, 2007
08/30/07 - Daily Progress Report
Today's Earnings: $ .19
Cash Crate: $ .16
Ad Revenue: $ .03
Today's Expenses:
Cash Crate: $ .16
Ad Revenue: $ .03
Today's Expenses:
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Quarterly Earnings Review
2007 Earnings/May/June/July/August
1. Ad Revenue /$.71 /$3.15/$13.35/$5.46
Review: this income was steadily increasing each month until August with the highest income so far in July most likely because of higher traffic due to participation in Blog Carnivals. Goal: participate in more Blog Carnivals.
2. AmX Rewards /$0/$0/$250.00/$0
Review: this was a one time bonus reward. Goal: possibly sign up for another credit card that offers a sign up bonus.
3. Associated Content/$34.88/$26.36/$49.01/$4.10
Review: this income has changed each month based on how many articles I submitted. Income in August was from page views only. Goal: submit more articles to Associated Content.
4. Cash Crate/$51.47/$51.27/$75.97/$23.53
Review: this income dropped disappointingly in August. Goal: solve the problem with cookies with my computer so the offers will confirm.
5. Church Nursery/$84.00/$112.00/$112.00 /$56.00
Review: this income should go back to $112 a month since we won't be away on the weekends anymore. Goal: work each Sunday.
6. Ebay Sales/$0 /$18.49/$59.00/$74.54
Review: this income has been steadily increasing each month. Goal: list more items for sale on ebay.
7. Savings/$0 /$18.00/$13.00/$55.00
Review: this income has increased due to our putting aside a lot of money from my husband's high commissions to save for the months with low commissions. Goal: not too much control over this but will save any extra funds from high commission months.
8. myLot/$0/$0/$0/$.36
Review: haven't earned too much with this forum and there doesn't seem to be enough
Mystery Shop 52.70 0 0 10.00
Yard Sale 0 0 0 125.00
Jewelry Sales 375.90 575.50 267.19 0
Contacts Reimb. 0 200.00 0 0
Fairy Tale Tresas. 0 1.55 0 0
Returned Stuff 0 6.25 140.77 0
Total 599.66 1,015.40 1,007.29 346.94
August 2007 Earnings
Ad Revenue: $5.46
Associated Content: $4.10
Cash Crate: $23.53
Church Nursery: $56
Ebay Sales: $74.54
Savings Interest: $55
myLot: $ .36
Mystery Shopping (NSS): $10
Yard Sale: $125
Total: $347.97
Associated Content: $4.10
Cash Crate: $23.53
Church Nursery: $56
Ebay Sales: $74.54
Savings Interest: $55
myLot: $ .36
Mystery Shopping (NSS): $10
Yard Sale: $125
Total: $347.97
08/28/07 - Daily Progress Report
Today's Earnings: $ .83
Cash Crate: $ .81
Ad Revenue: $ .02
Today's Expenses: $0
Cash Crate: $ .81
Ad Revenue: $ .02
Today's Expenses: $0
Monday, August 27, 2007
Carnival of Personal Finance
Don't miss this weeks Carnival of Personal Finance hosted by Free Money Finance.
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