Happy Pandemic month. It's been very blandApril was such a bland month I really struggled to write this extended intro. I've been putting it off all month and now I haven't got anything to say. At the end of April, I couldn't remember April, and now three weeks later I really can't remember it.
Goals For 2020
Goal #1: 50% Savings
I have a confession to make: I'm a FIRE blogger and my savings rate sucks.
At the end of The Year of Investing in 2018, my savings rate was sitting comfortably at 55%. At the start of 2020, it was a weenie 35%.
At the end of The Year of Investing in 2018, my savings rate was sitting comfortably at 55%. At the start of 2020, it was a weenie 35%.
Getting my 3-year average savings rate to 50% is going to be next to impossible, but I'm going to track it for interest. The actual goal is for this 12month period to sit comfortably above 50%.
April Rate: 49%
2020 Average: 41%
Three-Year Average: 37%
The good news about April is I counted Marches rents in my income. The bad news is that I gave my tenants four weeks free to get through till their CentreLink payments came in and so I won't be seeing any income in May.
Goal #2 Reduce Average Spending by 10%
Having two investments has gotten expensive, and my spending has been creep-creep-creeping. From an average $3,500 spending back in 2018, now I'm sitting at $4,800 at the start of 2020.
The goal is to reduce my average spend by 10% from January - excluding donations. My goals to do better with my money shouldn't limit my hopes for changing the world
The goal is to reduce my average spend by 10% from January - excluding donations. My goals to do better with my money shouldn't limit my hopes for changing the world
April Spend: $3,566.95
2020 Average Spend: $4,794.91
2020 Average Spend: $4,794.91
Goal Spend: $4,378.30 (or less)
I managed to spend both not much and a lot. COVID life is weird.
Spending
Here's what I spent in April, which includes the save-to-spend amounts.
Category | Spent | Budgeted | 12 Month Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home | $838.68 | $875 | $883.54 (up $1.79) |
| Over Budget. Just the mortgage and a quick trip to Bunnings for... something, I didn' write it down. | |||
| Original Investment Property | $1,004.75 | $1,190.83 | $1,148.44 (down $52.67) |
| Under Budget! Mortgage plus water bill. | |||
| Home turned Investment Property | $859.38 | $1,042.33 | $1,226.16 (down $259.36) |
| Under Budget! Mortgage and insurance, but interest rates are on the floor, so the mortgage is wild cheap. | |||
| Personal Bills | $127.26 | $127.33 | $127.26 (no change) |
| Under Budget! So this is basically it until either my health insurance premiums change, or I get a new phone. | |||
| Groceries | $234.19 | $190 | $206.55 (down 23cents) |
| Over Budget. I scored a 48 box double-length rolls from Who Gives a Crap! It's a good price per roll, but it does mean I spent $54 in one go. | |||
| Pets | $205.69 | $50 | $60.54 (up $6.54) |
| Over Budget. Did a get a dog? No. Did I get all the things I need for a dog? Mostly. | |||
| Roller Derby | $120 | $175 | $265.28 (down $4.58) |
| Under Budget... Just like last month, I spent nothing, but I put aside money for new skates. We cancelled training till COVID blows over and it looks like we might be back in June. | |||
| Travelling | $0 | $122.50 | $204.80 (down $9.16) |
| Under Budget! Nothing... we had a lighter lockdown than the rest of the world, but I've only left my house for jogging, food and a couple of puppy-play dates. | |||
| Comfort Food | $125 | $40 | $73.35 (up $7.08) |
| Over Budget. I bought a mix box of 15 wines. All prepped for Winter now | |||
| Donations | $0 | $91.67 | |
| I ended up extending my tenants two weeks rent-free to four weeks. Other than that, nothing exciting. | |||
| Other | $52 | $187.00 | $241.40 (down $4.54) |
| Under Budget! So I was wondering what I spent and the answer is actually nothing. I just put aside some money for a new pair of glasses and some house updates. | |||
| Total | $3,566.95 | $4,000 | $4,528.98 (down $223.61) |
| Total ex. Donations | $3,566.95 | $4,437.31 (down $406.94) | |
| Under Budget, with 6 out of 10 categories under! There really is nothing much to say about April. Nothing happened. Which I guess is a good thing during a pandemic. | |||
