My Frugal Miser - March Update on 2025 Goals

 It's hard to believe it's already March.  I set several goals for 2025 and thought I should post an update about the progress I am making.

Financial Goals

My first financial goal is to fully fund my 2025 ROTH IRA contribution.  Earlier this week I made a $1,500 deposit.  I should be able to contribute more later this month.  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've been automatically adding $500/mo. to that account for a few years, and I added an extra $1,000 at the end of January, so I'm on track with this goal.  

Lastly, I want to add $25,000 to my brokerage accounts this year.  I made a $2,000 deposit last week to a new account called Moomoo.  They have an aggressive promotion for new accounts.  Use my referral code:  MTX5GF9M when you sign up and you'll receive an 8.1% promotional APY on idle cash and get up to 30 free shares of stock depending on how much you deposit.  I think this promotion goes through the end of March but I'm sure they'll have more freebies after that.

Fun Goals

I aim to spend NOTHING on fun this year by submitting sweepstakes entries to online casinos and cashing out the proceeds.  So far, it's working.

The Other Stuff

I want to read a book a month.  I'm still on the first book, The Winner by David Baldacci.  I'm 400 pages into the book, but need to commit more time to this hobby.

I haven't done anything with our mopeds.

I haven't started to learn to play and instrument.

Overall, I'm super excited that I'm making progress towards my 2025 goals.  Publishing them is keeping me accountable.

My Frugal Miser - February 2025 Income

February continues the trend of five-figure months.

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.

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

Meeting income represents only a portion of what I worked last month.  I earned over $11,000 from meeting jobs, and the rest should be paid out in March.

February Income: $14,265

$7,250 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$90 Amazon Deliveries

$4,625 Rental Income (Rental Expenses: $693)
$2,287 Interest Income

$14 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $6,050

My brokerage accounts were up in February.  I closed out a PUT option on Microstrategy and earned over $4,000 in one month.  

My Frugal Miser - February 2025 Expenses

I can't remember the last time my monthly spending was a net income, not expense.  I received reimbursement from job expenses incurred last month, which amounted to a surplus of $1,583.  I also won $1,700 playing blackjack at the Hard Rock Punta Cana where I worked last month.

• Spending on food was minimal because I worked almost every day and food is often provided by my clients.
• Bank Fees were for two credit card annual fees.  I called to cancel my AMEX Business Gold Card and was offered 15,000 points (minimum value = $150) to keep it open.
• Health and Dental costs were high again.  I paid $255 for my marketplace health insurance, $9 for dental insurance, $210 to have a dentist repair a crown that fell out, and $249 to Sesame for an online prescription for weight loss medication.  

Fun

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

• In addition to the $1,700 blackjack win, I received two deposits totalling $900 from Chumba Casino for submitting sweepstakes entries.  paid the $677 balance for our summer cruise.
• I bought our alcohol-substitute powder (U Relax) and our AMC A-List subscriptions.
• I bought tickets for a concert in April in Atlanta.
• All of my fun spending was offset by deposits from the Chumba Casino sweepstakes entries I submitted.

February Expenses:  $1,087 income

$185 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$925 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$47 Clothing/ Personal Care

($2,353) Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets) income this month

$66 Food

$745 Health and Dental

$2 Household/Home Repairs

$58 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($1,583) Reimbursed Job Expense income this month

$0 Interest Expense

$96 Miscellaneous (cat sitter, gifts)

$33 Taxes

$0 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - January 2025 Income

January was another strong month for income.

I received rent from both rental properties in Alabama. I also received a small monthly distribution from Open Door Capital and 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. 

Meeting income was roughly in line with the work I did.  I had a gap in the month that didn't get filled = February is much busier.

January Income: $13,229

$6,452 Meeting Jobs
$634 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$1,126 Amazon Deliveries

$2,674 Rental Income (Rental Expenses: $1,367)
$2,298 Interest Income

$44 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $5,138

Stocks were up in January.