Jan 31, 2015

Monthly Wrap-Up: Jan 2015

I'm excited to be writing this. This year I'm really taking my finances seriously, like really seriously.

So how did I do in January? *crunches numbers*

I overspent HK$895.1. It was a major success for me already (don't judge). Due to various circumstances this month, I managed to stay on course in almost every category, until the last few days of the month completely blew it: (1) we dined out fancily, although the meals were very, very good; (2) I overspent in personal care items, this is my primary vice (again, don't judge).

In other aspects, I did OK, but definitely could do better. I exercised for 3-4x during first half of the month; achieved 13 NSDs, read a dozen pages of an unfinished book. The exercise and the book reading fell by the way side for some uncertain reasons, plus the flu bug has knocked me out for a week. I also couldn't go to bed by 2330 on most nights, definitely need to work on that.

I cooked noodles for simple meals at home vs. going out to eat, didn't buy clothes except for the gym bottom where I was given a gift card and needed to top up with cash. I made an extra 3k as well this month, with a little luck of course, and I felt grateful. Random supermarket trips had been reduced - my "frugal slips" were a couple boxes of butter shortbread(!!) on clearance. I did stock up on some breakfast items - granola bars, muffin cakes, also some noodles for home.

What can I say? I feel very confident about the no (unnecessary) clothes goal so far, by that I mean if some undergarments need to be replaced, I'd buy them. But I won't go out of the way to sneak in something. No. And I don't feel I'm missing anything.

I didn't spend all of the budgeted amount for groceries this month, which was a good thing. Fast forward to February, I decided that I won't be stocking up staples in the coming month, the focus will be on finishing things up. Speaking of which, my mom found an expired bag of oatmeal under the kitchen sink two weeks ago, it's in my office now. And while it's still looking good, no one has to know about it ;-) I'll bust it open on Monday. Think the bag will last me an entire month, and February is a short month with a couple public holidays in between!

I planned to stay home or do free stuff during the holidays. Don't get me started on V Day, I can't speak of the contempt associated with it. It's the worst time of the year to find somewhere to dine. I think DB and I would probably go to a local diner or something off the radar and away from crowds. If we are sharing a home, we would be staying home, not kidding!

Conclusion: Things went well and January had been a good month overall. Started out small in January, hence February will be all about staying on course and being more conscious of my spending! Only after then we can talk about adding more stuff on, right? Right?

Will catch up with some blog reading tomorrow! (Ooops it's past bed time already...)

Jan 29, 2015

Catching the bug...again

I'm having a cold. *cues a congested, crispy nose*

It's been a good 4 days since I've lost my usual voice.

Will be back posting on Saturday to do a proper wrap-up of the first month of 2015! *speaks in a sexy flu voice*

Jan 22, 2015

10 NSDs and financial goals update

Achieved 10 NSDs as of today. Could have been 2 more days but mom was sick so I had to buy dinner for her and lunch myself since she didn't feel well enough to cook anything. I'll have a couple more NSDs before the end of month so looks like I would be able to achieve my monthly financial goal.

One of my financial goals (HERE) was to make extra income (2-3k) per month and with a little luck, I made it this month! Could have made more than that but I had been sitting on a side-hustle forever and not starting it. Must get that one started this week! If I added in the gifts I received this month from a side-hustle event, the total amount would double the said figure. But, gifts are gifts (can't be cashed in unless I sell them).

I talked about putting away funds to an investment account a while ago, well I popped by the bank last week and they were having an offer (no money rebate, though, just waiving *some* of the transaction fees) but I decided to wait for the next round of offer, probably later in this year. The market is not at its lowest moment right now and the banks are fully saturated with money from everyone...it's not like a once-in-a-century kind of deal so this can wait...although the earlier I invest, the better it will be.

Each penny has been tracked this month and so far the numbers looked OK. I broke the clothing ban - because I had a gift card to spend...I tried looking for something that can be topped up with the least amount of cash as possible but the brands (that site kind of suck to be honest, but I was gifted with the card so no choice) they stock there hardly fit the "quality" or "durability" bill, so I ended up shelving out extra money to get something that should last twice as long as the cheapo stuff. It fits OK but I felt kind of "cheated" by the thought of a gift card, you know...

As of today (22/01/2015), I've spent 52.23% of my monthly budget (excluding shopping for personal care items), or 64.4% if it's also factored in (I didn't set a budget for those this month). A few things to note though, since DB is working on weekends this month so we've been meeting less and less meals out; no great movies on lately so I haven't spent a dime on entertainment budget. I also put in "networking or work related expenses" in my monthly budget but IRL I'd like to leave them untouched and so it is this month! However, next month the spending on work related matters would be different as Chinese New Year kicks in...

Next week we will see a medical expense coming up, so other than that my wallet should have continuous moment of peace. Stay tuned.

Jan 14, 2015

Mid Week Update: This and That

As deep winter is upon us, I have a hard time falling asleep / feeling warm indoors. We had endless rain with 11-12 Celcius for the past 2 days, which makes everything colder.

I struggled whether to turn on the heater (small, portable one since we live in an Asian climate), but at the end I figured it won't be worthy to take it out from the shelf and have it open for 2-3 days and then back to the shelf again. Not worth the trouble...BUT, boy was I freezing in the bed. I had icy feet and hands after wrapping myself under the blankets for an hour = difficulty sleeping (reduced hours!). Not too sure about having a hot water bottle as I'm afraid they'll leak and I'll have burns, or an electric blanket (although I have been thinking about it A LOT). Guess I'll put on some fleece socks tonight and see how it goes. Maybe a hot foot soak before bed.

Taking a look at the figures so far in January, I am on track with the budget. My transit pass still have leftover money from last month and then at the beginning of January I topped it up as well. It looks like I'd have money left over to carry forward in February. The biggest expenditure so far (budget-wise and real spending-wise) is medical. Gotta suck it up because it should be doing me good and is necessary.

After months and months of searching, I finally found a pair of glasses, it was very close to what I'm looking for, and the price is acceptable (not cheap though), and it shall be good for 3 years plus. I also knew the shopkeeper (a coincidence...) and he gave me a discount as well. Will be picking the finished product next week. I had hoped to reduce the wear of contact lenses (made my eyes soooo dry) by getting new glasses. My old glasses are scratched on one side and looking through from it was not a good experience, and it gave me physical headaches. The new glasses had been budgeted for and will be settled by the amount I put aside, which is good because there's less worrying on finances, yay! There is a possibility that I *might* get a cheapo version of a similar frame (costs 1/3 of the price of the ones that I just bought), to extend the shelf life of the new ones. But I don't need that *right now*, so definitely will sleep on this one.

I was telling a friend today that I had NOTHING that I want. You're right, absolutely no "wants". And I have mixed feelings about it: there was hardly any time that I'm not obsessed about something I saw online/at the shop; at the same time I'm happy because this is a right move in the right direction (frugality)! I have also noticed I browsed online stores much less, and spending only on necessary things so far (food or utilities). Now, I do have a few things that I "need", but I decide to save them for another day! They are: a warm duvet, a sleeping bag, a tea strainer (maybe), a travel kettle, sunglasses.

A thought struck me the other day: nothing, no one is looking out for me. Me being the middle-income earner so is not qualified for subsidized housing (cheap rent for life at a certain flat), nor was I a high-income earner that I can just dump part of my savings as down payment and start a mortgage right away. The position I'm at is quite "embarrassing" in a sense that I'm stuck in between. And no policies are looking after the "in-betweens", the society isn't built to look after everyone. This has also got me thinking about my career (!!!), I have tried going for other opportunities but the door was closed. Since I don't have a specialty degree, there's not so much doors for me to knock on., never mind a higher salary. Well, what about studying another degree? There's something that can add value (aesthetic) on the resume but will it make me more likely to get the job that I'm after? Possibly, but it's not easy at all. Questions, more questions and more thinking on this one.

[Edit: I realized the above paragraph might come off sounding whiny, but it's all very true, day-to-day questions for someone in their 20s to think about, especially if you have 35+ years ahead to work and to make financial decisions based on the way the society is constructed. The other day I overheard a washroom janitor saying she makes 24k per month but she works 3 jobs (!) to get that amount. I don't know her family situation, but I guess my point is, the society has policies to look after people like her, but none that look after people like me. So naturally, the (financial) worries that she has or I have, are different.]

In other news, I've been more active in looking for other income opportunities...been trying some paid surveys, only time will tell if they work out. Having said that, any suggestions from those who are reading / doing this? I'm worried that some sites are just scams.

I did so-so for the goals laid out past week, here they are:

- Read 30 pages of the said book read 5...really need to get this book finished!
- Update playlist for workout 50% done
- Jog 1x (or walk if calf doesn't allow to jog) done...with inner struggle and resistance (it was COLD!)
Hand tiny gifts to DB's mom, done bring over the mincemeat tarts hopefully soon
Make outfit plan on Sunday I have come to realize this isn't going the way I wanted...but will try for another week
- Make a list of items for blog sale nope, but must get it done soon
- Continue the glasses search done, but need to start looking for DB's pair!
- Gather some nice food for a former co-worker for lunch next week will do tomorrow since today is a No Spend Day
- Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize (face) think this is a YES
- Get to bed by 2330 (need to get better at doing this. Haven't been getting enough sleep lately and hence crankiness) Did this only for last night, since I had icy feet and hands, it didn't help much to fall asleep quickly


Goals for coming week:

- Spend 8 hours on side-hustle (been neglecting this for a while!)
- Get the other 50% of workout playlist done
- Jog 2x this weekend (ambitious I know!)
- List items for sale
- Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize, with face mask
- Get to bed by 2330
- Pick up samples and gifts from stores
- Schedule dental visit in late February
- Pick up new glasses
- Take a relative to lunch (my humble treat)
- Call / pop by the store to ask about recycling program this year

Next week will be a spendy week but I aim to have all expenditures happen on the same day: medical, meals out with friends and such. Spendy, but planned, nothing going out of the budget numbers / frivolous. The best kind, yes? :-)

In the 2015 personal development goals page (HERE), I've mentioned that I want to be surrounded by people who "do good". Well, I dropped a volunteer form to the local food bank last week (don't ask me why I have this idea...it just suddenly occurred to me), let's see if I'll hear from them later on. With Chinese New Year coming, I suspect the requests/visits they plan should be more than any other time of the year (next to Christmas), so there's good chances they need somebody to help out. It's been years since I last dabbled with the idea of volunteering, and it's a huge step for me. I'd be helping in an area close to where I live if things work out, which is always a bonus!

Jan 10, 2015

Price hike = YIKES!

Went to run some errands today, it seems every single store chose to increase their prices all in the same day! The minibuses and electricity company etc chose 1st Jan which is usually understood, but the small shops, oh they are bad!

The story went something like this: there's a noodle stall near where I live, and around 10 years ago it was $17 / bowl. Last week (damn sure about this as I walked past it deliberately), it was at $30. TODAY: $35!!! Yikes!!! I discovered the price hike after I was seated. To be honest I nearly stood up and leave the stall, thinking I could use the dollar menu from McDonald's (fillet o' fish bun!) at less than $10, but I didn't leave. The place was crowded and getting ever more popular than before (thanks to media exposure and the general hype around this stall), uncomfortable seats, boisterous, etc. I don't eat there often, maybe 2-3 times a year so it was somewhat a 'treat'. Thinking about it, my experience there seems to dwindle every time I visited it, so I swore to myself I'd NEVER step in that place again.

Fast forward, there's an artisan bakery selling pastries of all sorts, it's very traditional and also getting more popular like the above store. A catty of the fried pastries would cost about $3x in prior years and today I saw $56. I'd not be getting their stuff to consume myself ever again, it's (still) delicious but the price is getting ridiculous...However I need to buy a catty of those to some friend I'll have lunch with next week. This will be it.

Another store where I got the ingredients for the soup noodles also had increased their price by $1, it was acceptable but it's just the moment you are caught off-guard until at the cashier till (or cue the above scenarios) just sickened me, you know? [rant over]

If nothing more, all these just highlighted the 2015 goals I have to cook my own meals, eat at home, and eat whole foods!

Jan 7, 2015

First week in review and change of plans

So much has been done in the past week, yet still so much to do.

While at the park for a jog yesterday, I realized the workout playlist on my phone was terribly outdated. Yep, it's been ages since the last (proper) workout. The playlist definitely needs some updating and ideally should be tweaked every 3-4 months, which wouldn't be too troublesome; plus it'll help to upkeep the exercise mojo tremendously!

I've only read 30 or so pages of the said non-fiction book. It's quite boring and at the same time needs some brain work when reading it, on hindsight I should have picked a fiction book to slowly ease my way into the reading habit.

My eyes are getting so dry these days that the glasses search becomes more and more important. But, I have looked everywhere and can't find a good pair of frames *fist pump*! And it has nothing to do with the price, either.

The outfit plan - I'm almost ashamed to say that I haven't done any planning - which I said to myself 2+ weeks ago. Really need to get this going.

The travel plans that I had for 2015 (2 long-haul trips), well, 1 of those had to be postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. Good news to the wallet, but bad news to the inner PJ that has been looking forward to it. Can't complain really, I guess.

Random trips to the supermarkets must be avoided, my last visit there had me scooping up 2 packets of Hershey's nuggets for US$1.2 each, some Walkers' shortbread (!) for US$1, and Mincemeat Tarts for US$1.5 - oh dear. They are all post-Xmas clearance items. The chocolates would suffice for Chinese New Year's candy box (thank god I can think of a way to use them instead of *eating*), and would be given out to the property guard and a colleague. They will expire in September 2015, not too shabby! The shortbread would be slowly chipped away at breakfasts :-) and the mincemeat tarts would be heated in DB's new home this week and shared!

Oh, and a frugal thing I did yesterday:

6th Jan: Had a visit to the doctor's, I was shocked (perhaps silly) to find out there's another bus reaching the same place and was much cheaper and the journey was less nausea-inducing. So glad I asked the driver out of curiosity and discovered this!

Fast-forward to goals this week:

- Read 30 pages of the said book
- Update playlist for workout
- Jog 1x (or walk if calf doesn't allow to jog)
Hand tiny gifts to DB's mom, bring over the mincemeat tarts
Make outfit plan on Sunday
- Make a list of items for blog sale
- Continue the glasses search
- Gather some nice food for a former co-worker for lunch next week
- Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize (face)
- Get to bed by 2330 (need to get better at doing this. Haven't been getting enough sleep lately and hence crankiness)

I've had 4 No Spend Days so far in January, being in control (in terms of finances) feels really good. The willpower muscle needs to be further flexed though!

Jan 5, 2015

Everyday frugality

Happy new year everyone! 

The first week of the year was a rather eventful week, so far I've done the following on my to-do list:

- Read 50 pages of the said book read 30
- Jog 2x walked 1x, jogged 1x (but my calf starts to hurt after i'm done with 1.25 miles...had to switch to walking)
- See whether DB needs help with his house move I spent much of Saturday helping him and his mom to pack and move...
- Hand tiny gifts to DB's mom handed her some, still some more
- Pick up free ticket from cinema  done
- Track refunds x 2 done
- Make outfit plan on Sunday shamefully not yet...
- Ship 2 parcels to friends abroad not yet
- Make a list of items for blog sale not yet...but needs to be done soon
- Continue the glasses search looked at a few places, found nothing, the search continues

New year calls for a new way of doing things :-) I'm noting down the frugal things I did each day this week, whether they are on purpose or not! I doubt if I can come up with a frugal thing to do on a daily basis (dig hard and deep enough?), but so far so good. As long as frugality is practiced everyday, I'm contented.

1st Jan: Went for a walk at the park, healthy and free. What's better than the feeling of getting a head start on first day of the year (health goals)?

2nd Jan: Took home from work some leftover cakes and pastries. Dad was kind of excited about one of the pastries being his favourite. The pastries are individually wrapped so they can sit for a while, yum!

3rd Jan: Took my complimentary ticket from the cinema, picked up some beauty samples. Free of course! I re-gifted a purse to DB's mom, it was new but not my taste, she happily took it, win-win!

4th Jan: Can't really think of anything - except that all my spending were on food today.

5th Jan: I could have asked a colleague to share with me the Starbucks BOGOF offer which expires tomorrow, instead I made hot cocoa using what I have. Frankly speaking I just need a hot sweet beverage as I was feeling a bit nauseous whole day. Also I also picked up some free samples on the way home from a chain store, nothing beats beauty on the cheap (free)! Will be cooking up some instant noodles tonight for dinner (1 person serving) using what food we have. Oh and I received birthday money from my distant family, this will be counted as part of the extra income made this month. [Edit: I bought some butter shortbread, mincemeat tarts, and Hershey's nuggets on clearance! The chocolates would be gifted, the shortbread would be an indulgent treat. Talk about a frugal slip! Today is not a No Spend Day hence, but tomorrow will be!]

So far so good : ) I hope everyone's got a gentle but good start of the year.