My Frugal Miser - April 2025 Income

 Income was solid last month.

I received rent from both rental properties in Alabama. I also received one distribution from Realty Mogul.  

Open Door Capital continues to pay interest on the promissory note.  I also earn interest on the cash balance in my Self-Directed IRA. 

April Income: $13,132

$7,450 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$753 Amazon Deliveries

$2,752 Rental Income (Rental Expenses: $863)
$2,164 Interest Income

$41 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $5,510

My brokerage accounts were up in April.  As markets cratered early in the month due to tariff announcements, I closed out many of my PUT options with healthy gains.  At the same time, I nibbled at some long positions while they were down.  When the market began to recover, I benefited.

My Frugal Miser - April 2025 Expenses

I spent quite a bit on healthcare and vehicle expenses last month.

• Spending on food was a tad higher than I'd like.  I didn't travel as much for work, plus we ate out during a quick trip to Atlanta.
• In April I rented a car for two weeks.  My partner and I share a vehicle, and on rare occasions we both travel by car to our jobs.  I also paid 6 months of auto insurance for the two of us.  
• I am making some major changes to my healthcare.  First, I prepaid for 12 months of my weight loss medication ($3,000).  I also canceled my Health Marketplace plan and am following the advice I read on Mr. Money Mustache.  Specifically, I switched to a health sharing plan through Sedara.  And starting in May, I am switching to a concierge health plan with a dedicated doctor.  I'm very excited about these changes and this renewed focus on healthy living.

Fun

We love adventures.  Spending on experiences makes us better humans.  

• I booked flights for us to visit my mom in May.
• I pay for two AMC A-List subscriptions each month.
• Sweepstakes casinos offset all spending in this category and then some.

April Expenses:  $5,584

$1,752 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$196 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$313 Clothing/ Personal Care

($620) Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets) income this month

$636 Food

$3,833 Health and Dental

$2 Household/Home Repairs

$134 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($1,999) Reimbursed Job Expense income this month

$0 Interest Expense

$0 Miscellaneous (cat sitter, gifts)

$405 Taxes

$70 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - April Update on 2025 Goals

I'm excited to announce that I achieved my first goal!  You can check out my goals for 2025.

Financial Goals

My first financial goal is to fully fund my 2025 ROTH IRA contribution.  As of April 21, I have fully funded the $7,000 annual cap.  

 I also want to add $1,000/mo. to my short term savings account.  I use this account for periodic large expenses like property taxes.  I have added $3,000 to this account in 2025, so I'm a little behind.  

I also want to add $25,000 to my brokerage accounts this year.  Hopefully in May I can start ramping up on this goal.

Fun Goals

I aim to spend NOTHING on fun this year by submitting sweepstakes entries to online casinos and cashing out the proceeds.  In March I spent a lot of money on fun, but I have submitted enough sweepstakes cards to zero it out.  It just takes time for the entries to be posted and cashed out.

The Other Stuff

I want to read a book a month.  I finished the first book, The Winner by David Baldacci as well as the second book, The Lifestyle Investor by Justin Donald.

I haven't done anything with our mopeds.

I haven't started to learn to play and instrument, but I met a music teacher while I was doing an event job last week.  I may reach out to her.

My Frugal Miser - March 2025 Income

Although my spending was ridiculously high in March, I still earned more than I spent.

I received rent from both rental properties in Alabama. I also received a small monthly distribution from Open Door Capital and three distributions from Realty Mogul.  Good news and bad news - the monthly distribution from ODC is suspended moving forwarded.  On the flip side, a major ground up multi-family residential/retail development I invested in Chicago has stabilized and made its first quarterly distribution, and it was a healthy one ($2,000+).

Open Door Capital continues to pay interest on the promissory note.  I also earn interest on the cash balance in my Self-Directed IRA. 

Once again, meeting income represents only a portion of what I worked last month.  I earned $9,200 from meeting jobs, and the rest should be paid out in April and May.

March Income: $14,265

$7,473 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$710 Amazon Deliveries

$4,348 Rental Income (Rental Expenses: $560)
$2,215 Interest Income

$0 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $3,394

My brokerage accounts were up in March.  I have several bets against the market that have started to pay off.