Fabulous Financials

One of my blogger/twitter friends is planning to read the book The Power to Prosper by Michelle Singletary, which requires a 21 day financial fast, to help improve her finances.  I considered joining her, but I punked out when I realized that I couldn’t commit to zero non-essential spending because now is a terrible time for me to go on a financial fast.  Over the next few months, my life will be thrown into a financial tailspin due to the following: 1) my weight loss, 2) BabyGirl’s prom, 3) BabyGirl’s graduation, 4) our move to a cheaper apartment, 5) our vacation to Paris/London, and finally 6) BabyGirl’s departure for college. 

I was just sitting here thinking about all the miscellaneous expenses I will incur as a result of these monumental events and other things I need/want as well:

Me

• entire wardrobe (down 30 lbs, only 27 lbs from my happy weight)
• wii fit plus and balance board
• polar heart rate monitor
• glasses
• 1/4 carat diamond earrings
• clear bubble umbrella
• Girlfriends or Sex in the City complete DVD set

BabyGirl

• shoes and accessories for prom
• dress for graduation
• class ring, yearbook, and other senior year memorabilia
• colorful set of luggage on wheels
• mini fridge, microwave, printer, and TV
• dorm necessities

Home

• professional packers/movers
• bedroom set (after move)
• blender/juicer

Vacation

• portable DVD player (?)
• adapter for outlets
• something to carry passport, money, etc.
• pocket-size translator book
• lots of stuff I can’t think of right now

I have an estimated budget for most of these things but not all of them.  When I look at the number I have so far, it’s enough to let me know that I will be bleeding money for the next few months. Ouch!  *passing the collection plate*

I began contributing to an Flexible Spending Account (FSA) when the dentist told me that BabyGirl needed braces.  At the time, the FSA made sense to me because I knew our annual health care expenses were about to increase significantly, my FSA contributions reduced my taxable income by a decent amount, and the claim/reimbursement process was simple.  Because I used the funds primarily for orthodontia care, I paid the ortho’s annual bill in full and submitted one claim for reimbursement each year.  The money was in my checking account within 3 business days, at most.

Now that BG’s braces have been removed, our annual health care expenses have returned to normal.  We are reasonably healthy so I’d estimate that we spend ~$500 or less in out of pocket health care expenses per year. Although I still contribute the annual estimate to my FSA, I’m learning that the hassle of filing multiple claims for various little expenses is not worth the few dollars in tax savings.  Because of a recent experience, I’ve decided that I’m NOT contributing to FSA anymore.

I submitted a claim on 3/17 that has YET to be paid.  Yes, it is now almost one month later.  The claim was for a health related item they didn’t think was medically necessary.  Hmm…so FSA administrators are MDs now? Hmph!  They denied my claim and told me I had to submit a letter of medical necessity from my doctor.  Ok, fine.

I was not about to pay a $20 copay to get reimbursed for a pending $15 claim.  During one of my normal doctor visits, I mentioned the issue and my doctor wrote a note on her Rx notepad.  It had her name and office information, her signature, my name, date, and an explanation for why I needed the health related item.  I resubmitted the claim and attached the doctor’s note on 3/24.

On 4/9, yes over TWO weeks later, FSA sends me an email that says my doctor’s note was INSUFFICIENT and they will require:

1. “a specific medical diagnosis and CPT code;
2. specific treatment required;
3. how the recommended treatment will alleviate the medical condition and
4. the period of time the treatment is necessary.
5. complete physician information is also required including name, signature, state license number and phone number”

WHAT THE FUGG!

I submitted the claim TWICE. Now they’re making me jump through hoops to get MY money?? I don’t think so!  My FSA account has a balance of ~$260. I need new specs and we both need dental cleanings soon.  I’m going to file those claims, drain the account, then tell them to KMA!

Lesson Learned: Unless your plan has a simple reimbursement process, your medical expenses are consistent or fairly high, and the tax savings are worth the effort, FSA may not be for you.

January was a low key month.  I didn’t go anywhere special or do anything exciting.  Shoot, it’s been so cold, my idea of a good time involves my couch, thermal pajamas, and hot chocolate!  Plus, this recession got me all nervous and ish – folks hoarding money and stockpiling food. WTF is that about?  I haven’t gone to that extreme…yet, but with the exception of using birthday gift cards to buy my wish list items in the sidebar, I barely spent any money beyond necessities.

As usual, I track daily expenses in my handy dandy spreadsheet.  Then at the end of the month, I evaluate them against my financial strategy.  Here’s my first report of 2009:

Income: Rounded down to the next $10.

For January, my total net income was $6,910.  It includes:

• Work related income
• Rental income
• Online income
• Credit card cash back rewards
• Gifts

Savings: Savings should be at least 25% of my net income.

For January, I saved $938 or 13.6%.  When I realized I was $790 short, I transferred $700 to savings but it will not count towards this month’s numbers.

Bills: Bills should never be more than 35% of my net income.

For January, my bills are $399 or 5.8%, which is unusually low because January rent was paid at the end of December.  The rest of my bills include:

• Electric: $56.19
• Gas*: $190.36
• Water: $18.93
• Cell: $79.30
• Landline**: $54.48

*My thermostat is set to 68 degrees, so this aint even right.  I’m protesting!

**This is a new addition to the household bills (dial tone only), including installation fees.  I decided to get a basic landline to help BabyGirl cutback on pre-paid minutes.

Business Expenses: Focus is to maintain positive cash flow.

For January, my business expenses were $1,631.  Expenses include:

• Mortgage
• Domain renewal
• Misc. fees

Variable Expenses: Combined variable expenses should not exceed $1,000.

For January, my combined variable expenses were $675.  They include:

• Groceries & Essentials*: $348
• Dining Out*: $138
• Salon: $65
• Auto Gas: $56
• Shopping**: $25
• Credit Report: $23
• BabyGirl: $20

*Notice the 1st two categories total almost $500 and I only have two people to feed.  Umm…yea.  It isn’t that we eat A LOT…ok, maybe we do…but this is really an example of how much food prices are increasing.  I’m sure frequenting the new Harris Teeter doesn’t help much either.  I love their fresh meat and produce, but their prices don’t love me back.

**The only other thing I’d like to mention is shopping.  For the first time since my shopping strike ended, I visited one of my favorite stores.  The one place I’d shop everyday if I could afford it.  The one place every female must go to buy at least one pair of fabulous shoes.  None other than NORDSTROM, of course!!  With gift cards from fabulous friends, I bought a pair of black pumps, a belt, and 2 shirts.  After the damage was done, I had to pay ~$25 out of pocket.  Yes!

As luck would have it, I also found a purple scarf at TJ Maxx this past Sunday.  Now, the only thing left on my wish list is a black suit.  After an entire month, the search continues…

Total expenses for January were $3,644, which left me with about $3,266 cash flow. Seems like a lot of money for the slush fund, huh? Uh…not quite. After transferring an additional $700 to savings and reserving cash for February’s mortgage and rent, I’m right back to square one. Mm hmm. But when bills are paid and I have a little spending change, it’s all good.

Let’s just hope the weather stays cold for a little while longer (where’s that groundhog). Otherwise, a warm front may increase my urge to shop for new shoes…and there goes the February’s report.

Do you spend less money when it’s cold?

[image credit: corbis]

In yesterday’s post, Where Did My Money Go in 2008, I shared a summary breakdown of how I spent a net income of $90,303.  The % for each category was reasonable: household (29%), savings (24%), rental/biz (22%), needs/wants (12% each), misc (0.5%), and debt repayment (0%).  After further investigation, I’ve gathered the dirty details behind the numbers:

1. Debt Repayment ($0 – 0%): I have no consumer debt, but prior to November 2007, I was giving away almost 50% of my income to creditors.  I don’t know about you, but there’s nothing worst than working 40+ hours and having nothing to show for it at the end of the week.  That ish is for the crows.  Now that I’m debt free, I have the flexibility to decide where I want my money to go.  It’s a lovely feeling.

2.  Rental Property/Business Expenses ($20,188 – 22%):  A small amount is associated with Fabulous Financials, but the majority is rental property expenses.  My townhouse was a blessing when I bought it as my primary residence in 2005.  But when I decided to relocate for a new job ($20k+ more), better schools (A+ better), and convenience – it became my greatest financial strain.  Monthly cash flow isn’t a major issue, but after depreciation, carrying costs during vacancies, and repairs (only minor so far, thank gawd!) – I’m in the hole every year.  Thanks to the market, I no longer have 20% equity, so it will be damn near impossible to refinance for a lower fixed rate – despite having excellent credit and decent income.  To make matters worse, the comps in the area are saturated with foreclosures and rock bottom new construction, which means I can’t sell – unless I sell at a loss.  *sigh*  Although I love(d) my house, I don’t think I will ever live in it again.  So for the time being, I will continue to rent it until my tenant’s lease expires, then I’ll need to make a decision about the money pit.

3.  Savings ($21,640 – 24%): This includes all savings and investments, excluding 401k.  Some of it was saved the standard way that most people save – at end of the month after all bills are paid – but most was saved automatically through payroll allotment.  I’m a firm believer in the “pay yourself FIRST” mantra.  If I don’t, who else will?  Besides, automation helps me avoid temptation because I have to think about every dollar that touches my hands.  And when I’m tempted by shiny things, the end result can be disastrous.  So I set it and forget it, then I’m able to achieve my goals and spend what’s left with little remorse.

4. Household ($26,029 – 29%): This includes my uber high rent and standard utilities (electric, gas, and water).  Trash and internet is included in the rent, but I don’t have cable or a landline.  When all you have are the basics, there isn’t much left to trim.  I guess I could have moved to a cheaper place, but I love my little neighborhood.  I really do.  It has every convenience and luxury a girl could possibly need.  But the rent is REE-DIK-U-LUS!  And buying is out of the question.  Can you say 700 sq ft, 1br condo for $450k?  Puh-leeze!  Believe it or not, it’s pretty standard for the location and I don’t see the prices changing anytime soon.  *sigh* Oh well.  My lease is scheduled to expire in May and I plan to renew for one more year.  I hope the rent increase is less than 5% – it was only 3% last year.  When BabyGirl graduates HS next summer, I’m out of here.

5.  Needs ($11,200 – 12%): I define “needs” as things that are essential to my daily life.  I can function without a few of them, if necessary, but none of them would be first on the chopping board if I were in a financial bind.  Overall, I think my spending was pretty normal.  I expect some areas to decrease this year while some may increase.  In the end, the total will probably remain the same.  Here’s the breakdown:

• Groceries & Essentials – $2,453: Hmm…this averages about $200 per month.  I expected more.  This will definitely increase in 2009.
• Medical – $2,026: Most of this was final payments on BabyGirl’s braces and retainers.  The rest was annual exams and routine care.  I expect a 50% reduction this year.
• Car Related – $3,815: My car has been paid off for almost 2 years and she’s in excellent condition, but I still incur regular expenses to keep her running smoothly.
  • Auto Maintenance – $1,213: I bought a new set of tires last year, Good Year Triple Tread.  Expensive but worth it.  Needed a new oxygen sensor.  Renewed my state registration.  And the rest was spent on quarterly oil changes and annual maintenance.  This year, I expect an overall 50% reduction.
  • Auto Gas – $1,615: I damn near choked when I saw that number.  Only two road trips and local travel. *smh*  I hope $4 gas will remain a distant memory.  I plan to take more road trips this year, so the net effect will probably be the same.
  • Auto Insurance – $987: I try to shop around every 6 months to make sure I’m getting a competitive rate, but I was lazy last year.  I don’t think my premium is bad but I need to make sure before I renew the policy again.
• BabyGirl – $898: School related activities and fees.  She worked last year so she purchased most of her personal wants/needs.  We’ve decided that she will only work during the summer months.  So as we prep for senior year and college, I expect this amount to increase significantly in 2009.
• My Pooch – $943: Wow, I spent more on my dog than I did on my child! Ha!  This number is unusually high because my poor baby was infected with e-coli and it caused a UTI.  The vet/lab bills caught me by surprise.  Other standard expenses include annual vet visit, vaccines, meds, and grooming.  I expect a 20% reduction this year.
• Cell – $1,064: Whoa!  That’s a lot of talk time!  Sadly, I don’t expect this to change much.

6.  Wants ($10,941 – 12%): I define “wants” as things I would eliminate without a second thought if I were in a financial bind.  Due to the economy, I cut back on many things.  By the look of these numbers, you can’t tell. LOL  I can’t promise that I’ll cut back anymore, so I don’t expect the total spending to change that much in 2009.  Here’s the breakdown:

• Entertainment & Dining Out – $2,160: Once again, I spent just as much in restaurants as I did at home.  And you know what?  That’s cool.  Cooking is not my favorite activity and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon.
• Shopping – $1,246: Actually, I’m a little surprised by this because I had two shopping strikes last year – 2.5 months and 4 months, respectively.  So that means I spent all of this in 5.5 months?  Hmm…what did I buy?  Must be more selective and focus on quality.  This will definitely increase in 2009.
• Donations – $3,087: This is about 3.5% of my calculated net income but I could have given more.  At least $4,500 or 5%.  I need to plan my donations better throughout the year.  Maybe create a separate savings account that’s earmarked specifically for donations.  Hmm…whatever I decide, I expect this to increase in 2009.
• Personal – $1,008: I’ve cut back in this area considerably.  Didn’t think I had it in me.  Nothing a quality blow dryer, ceramic flat iron, and good hair products can’t cure.  I still visit the salon but not nearly as often.  I keep my nails natural and clear, but I still need regular pedicures and occasional spa days.  I will try to stay within this total during 2009. *side eye*
• Travel – $3,440:  Most of this was spent during the summer – one vacation and two extended weekend excursions.  See what happens when a single mom gets 8 weeks to herself? LOL   I expect this to increase in 2009.  Work Hard, Play HardER!

7.  Miscellaneous ($345 – <0.5%): This is a catch-all category for rare items that don’t fit any other category.  Think bank fees, USPS shipping, membership dues, etc.  This also includes about $70 of unknown, which is why I hate cash.

Compared to my 2007 income and expense review, I increased spending in areas that are important (savings) and decreased spending in areas that are not important (non-necessities and debt).  Overall, I’m quite pleased.

According to my handy dandy excel spreadsheet, I earned $90,303 in 2008.  This amount includes my “net” income and bonuses from the 9-to-5, rental income, online income, child support, cash gifts, and rewards.  This amount does not include any taxes paid (federal, state, local, medicare, social security), fringe benefit premiums (FSA, heath, dental, vision, long/short TD, and life insurance), tax deferred income (401k and pension), or employer contributions.  This is ONLY the amount that touched my grimy little hands.  And here’s how I spent it all:

When looking at my expenses as a % of income, I am not surprised that household (29%), savings (24%), and rental/biz (22%) were my largest expenses.  These three things alone account for 75% of my spending.  On the flip side, needs/wants (12% each), misc (0.5%), and debt repayment (0%) were my smallest expenses.  According to conventional wisdom, this distribution of income is near perfect.  But as you know, the devil is in the details.  I will expound later.

Do you track your expenses and review them at the end of the year?

If so, how’d you do in 2008?