I cooked the books this month.
There were expensive purchases that I held off until it hit May 1st so I didn’t have to record them in April haha…
But now my May spending will look like I’ve gone off the deep end. Stay tuned for my May update!
Spendings Report: $2,664
Better than March!
It may surprise you to learn that I live in a ~*~Society~*~ and subscribe to some Beauty Standards. There are undeniable advantages to fitting into those, and I admit presenting myself well is something I care a lot about. This last year has helped me figure out which of the ways of “presenting myself well” I am willing to keep on doing and find value in.
I tried a lot of different beauty things last year as like a post-covid and post-graduation release of the tight grip I have on my wallet. To name them all: lashes, nails, 1 expensive AF haircut, facials, massages of various sorts, jewelry and clothing, and the aforementioned laser hair removal. I found that doing my nails is a bad idea because I climb too often and mess them up with paint frequently. However, I will keep on going to the occasional no-frills massage because it’s freaking awesome. This category of luxury spending exploded with the ending of covid and the beginning of my new job closer to the city center…and closer to all these fun places to spend $$$ in.
I made a conscious effort to cut back this month and it’s now more in line with what my ideal average is. There is a $600 spend on laser hair removal in there that I’m not super proud of, but I have no regrets about the results. I’m still constantly tempted by pretty clothes but I have reached Close Contentment, I like all the pieces I’ve got and there’s a piece for every occasion.
Phew ok, thanks for sticking with me until this part as I reflect on my most frivolous spending section. I’m pleased to say that transport spending has also gone down as I make more effort to take the subway or cycle, and eating out has also decreased. I’m aiming to further decrease ordering takeaway because I meal prep so I really don’t need to order additional stuff outside. Gah! But China has such tasty things!!
Net Worth Update: the markets be swinging!
It hit me this month that market fluctuations now regularly outpace my income contributions to my net worth. I saved nearly 60% of my net pay yet my net worth still took a dip. Last month the market gains were double my entire savings. When I started this journey I read that this would be a milestone, and now I’m here.
I recently figured out a quicker way to remit money back to Canada as well so this should make regular monthly contributions to my portfolio much easier. Finished filing taxes back to Canada so I’ve got lots of RRSP room to start filling up!
Until next time, have a lovely day wherever and whoever you are. Thanks for stopping by this little corner of the internet!