I finally posted the Wii on ebay - phew.

I was balancing December in my head and figure I better write it out. I Can update as I Remember forgotten tidbits.

+285 slush fund balance for insurances
+5000 payroll (December)
+150 Bonus (estimate = last year bonus)
+500 Wii sale (estimate)
-1800 credit card**
-500 Utilities/Household
-1300 mortgage
-675 health insurance
-315 preschool for Jan.
-215 Personal loan payment
One-time/unforeseen payments:
-600 Estate attorney
-350 Updated house insurance
-200 Disability insurance
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( 20)
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**1300 right on budget for november expenses + 100 reimbursed birthday gifts +270 Wii + 130 nice gift for FIL - both financed by wii sale

I generally pay everything a couple of weeks early so I have a little float. The only thing really due before the 1st is our health insurance - the mortgage, preschool, and loan payment are more like due the first week of january, I can pay after I get paid on the first. & the credit card and utilities are due around the 29th for the most part, I usually pay it before I get my paycheck on the 16th. So I have a lot of room for float. I am just trying to stick to budget so I don't have to do the float dance... Feels good. We did a lot of the float dance on maternity leave. Drove me batty to get a disablility check every 2 weeks, hard to plan around that as bills are due monthly, so we paid things when due, and sometimes past due. I know most of our vendors do not care when things are late - as long as the mortgage and credit card is paid on time. The utilities a week late? No one cares. But the homeowners dues have to be paid on time orelse they charge a fee. I think they are all I Can think of besides the credit card and mortgage, oh and cell phone, to pay early and make sure they arrive well on time. Oh well, lately I have only been floating my personal loan and the preschool dues - paying after the first sometimes. But I Am trying to avoid that going forward.

I know I will receive christmas money at least to cover that $20 shortfall. PHEW! & if we get less for the wii. I just included expected full sales price + shipping as the expenses I will throw on the card as part of the december budget. Probably $50 in ebay/paypal fees and shipping. But put off another month.

I am really hoping for more christmas money to put in the bank too - I would still really like to get to $6k in the e-fund. But we'll see. If nothing else I will have earned $300 from my freelance work - it just might not get there until january. So overall it looks like we made it. Though anything can happen in the next 26 days, eh?

I got the gas bill - only $45 and we used the heat a lot the last couple of weeks. Woohoo. Don't expect the electric to be much more than $15. So $60 total - well under budget too - will help whittle down the utility estimate I had for december. If we go under budget this month we will have some money to put aside to the e-fund 1/1. Close enough.

BEfore coming to savingadvice.com, I Was trying to save $300/month for property taxes and insurance and stuff, and failing miserably.

Since coming here around septmber I budgeted $600/month. Since I had all the money set aside for the year (lord knows from where), I took that money for 2 months to pay the estate attorney to get our affairs in order. It is amazing to me that all else being equal we saved $1200 in 2 months. Make that $1900 if you include the $700 or so we saved on top of that.

I have reworked my budget for all the expenses of turning 30 (ack - it is not pretty either). & have my short-term savings up to $800/month to cover all the insurances and stuff. *sigh* I think I can do it. But I do not foresee room for much else. When I look at all the cash gifts, bonuses, selling items, working extra, windfalls, etc. I know that we can maybe squeeze $8k for savings. IT would have to be a really good year and little unexpected. But it is possible. I have not even accounted for when I pay off the loan I can save another $200/month + I will save any raise. For that reason it may be more doable than I realize. Even if I do not save a dime in cash - there is a full retirement contribution right there - WOW.

When I get my raise amount I will formulate my goals for 2007. For now I have a general idea, assuming no raise. How big my raise will determine how big my goals!

At least Christmas is not bankrupting me. I whittled it down within the monthly budget. No biggie - phew. & thank you crazy impatient people who can not wait for a wii and must have one NOW. You financed my FIL's fancy christmas gift. HE thanks you too.