Budget overview for the week ending Feb. 28 2015

Yay!!! February is over!!

Overall I'm over budget by almost $300.

As you can see, I have no variable expense for the week ended in Feb. 22. I was on vacation for this week.

Including the $1000 I spend oversees, I'm $1300 over budget. *cry*

Clearly, February didn't work out either.

I need to make more accurate budget, or control my spending for the coming months.

Stay tuned...

Budget overview for the week ending Feb. 22 2015

I was on vacation for 10 days.

I spend around $1000 including hotel, food, and tickets. Not including air ticket. This cost is not included in this week's budget.

Overall, I'm over budget again for February. 

Budget overview for the week ending Feb. 8 2015

I'm crying...
How can I spend $1884 in one week???? How did I achieve it??? How???

Total of my fixed expense is:

Mortgage + Property Tax + Internet + Public Transit + Utilities = 1332.91

This represents 70.21% of my total weekly expense.

This is too high!!

I have to think of a way to cut this fixed expense down...but how???

My variable expense for this week is:

Food + Gas + Other = 561.19

This represents 29.79% of my total expense for this week.

Honestly, I feel $100 per week for food is reasonable, and I can probably use this amount of gas for month.

The only thing I'm surprised is Other.

I bought facial products in the past 2 days. I already promised my self not to buy any facial products until I use up my stockings, but once again, something happened to me at that particular moment and I just bought it!!!!

ARhhh...this online shopping behavior has to stop!!!!

I'm going to face a wall now, to punish myself.


How much have you spent for the week? Is there anything you regret from purchasing?

Host

Budget overview for the week ending Jan. 31 2015

Yay!!! Finished first month of 2015!

What?? First month is finished already???

There's 11/12 months to go now.

Budget review of my first month:

1. I'm spend over my budget!!! Over budget by $730.94. This is something I never really thought about. I never thought I have so many things to buy. I'm definitely short on the category of other.

2. For the last week of January, I had to pay for a visa application which cost around $145. I also purchased a eye brow pencil because I forgot to bring one to work. Even though I have so many at home already. Better planning would have eliminated this expense. This is one lesson I need to learn and remember for the future.

3. Food is the biggest over expense category for this month. I can explain. As I mentioned before, due to some personal factors, I took out my friends to eat a couple of times which is why I spend so much on food this week.

4. No savings this month. How can I save some money???

Any thoughts on how I can save money?

Budget overview for the week ending Jan. 25 2015

I'm going to cry this week. I'm over budget by soooo much. I started tracking my expense last year, but never did any budget. I would just post my expenses into an app, but looking at the actual expense by category and really dig into where my money went is a pain. Especially looking at this chart, it makes me wanna cry.

I know I'm not suppose to not pay my cell bill for 2 month and they charged me over $10 in late payment charges. That's enough for a few coffee at Starbucks. Hopefully, this is never ever going to happen again.

The next major expense this month is food. I know it looks like a lot. For some good reason, I'm taking my friends out for lunch/dinner, which is the reason for the high food bill.

The other surprising expense is Other. I only learned now, I spend so much on unexpected items.

I would highly recommend doing this kind of budget/expense analysis for EVERYBODY because it really helps to stay on top of your spending!

Good night,

Host

Budget overview for the week ending Jan. 18 2015

I'm not feeling good after doing this week's budget.

Here it goes...

There's four categories already over budget *sign*

And just by looking at it, I'm going to get over budget on public transit, internet + cell as well. This will also cut into my savings plan. Just by looking how this month is going, I'm not going to get any saving at all.

Reflection on this week:
1. Spend too much on food. I went out to eat too often + due to some personal matters, I also took friends out for lunch.

Personal Investment Goal for 2015

Under construction...

This will be an ongoing thread, I'm still debating on what to invest for this year.

Some background info about me. I have been in the financial industry since 2012. I have an undergraduate degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. After I obtained my undergraduate degree, I pass all three levels of the CFA exam. For 2014, I have also passed level 1 of the FRM exam.

I have a strong interest in investment. Ever since I was in university, I continued to follow market news, financial blogs, and personal investment. Since I graduate, my investment has always been in Savings account, earning a minimal interest rate around 1%. My goal for 2015 and beyond is to build my personal investment portfolio.

Currently, I'm analysing the market, and I have a strong feel 2015 will not be a rewarding year in the stock market or the bond market. Thus, my money is still in Savings account earning the minimum interest rate. I have a fear of the market.

Ever since the big crush in 2008, the stock market has recovered so well, but not on sound economic reasons. The stock market increase is mainly due to US printing money, namely US QE. With QE ending in the last quarter of 2014, I have a strong feel the market is going to go under in 2015.

As we can see, stock market has been negative for the first week of 2015, and I feel this trend will continue. Thus, for those of you whose starting to invest, I strongly recommend to hold your cash for at least a few months, and see how the market will react in the next few months.

I truly believe US economy is in big trouble, and the only way to save the economy is going to war. I'll not be surprised if US will go to war this year.

More thoughts later...

Wish everyone a successful year!