My Frugal Miser - November 2022 Expenses

    My spending in November exceeded my income.  Never a good thing, but our industry tends to be seasonal and right now is a slower time.

• Gas for the car was just over $100, and I paid 6 months dues for auto insurance.
• During the slow season I sometimes work meetings where our expenses are not reimbursed.  We had out of pocket costs for both the Orlando and Las Vegas meetings.
• I was charged the annual fee for my Platinum AMEX card.  It's a big expense, but I'm writing this from the Centurion Lounge, so we definitely take advantage of some of the benefits.

Fun

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

• We spent a little money on activities during the Transatlantic cruise including a ferry ride in Bermuda and some drinks at a bar.
• I booked our flight to San Juan for our December cruise.

November Expenses:  $5,476

$890 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$695 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$366 Clothing/ Personal Care
$714 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$270 Food

$163 Health and Dental

$1,198 Household/Home Repairs

$463 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($222) Reimbursed Job Expense income this month

$0 Interest Expense

$238 Miscellaneous (cat sitter)

$233 Taxes

$129 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - November 2022 Income

My November income was light.  In addition to income from two rental properties I received a distribution from an apartment complex I own through Realty Mogul.  I worked two meeting jobs and I completed five Amazon routes.

November Income: $4,893

$0 Mystery Shopping/ Merchandising
$1,770 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$499 Amazon Deliveries

$2,501 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $342)
$11 Interest Income

$111 Other Sources (redeemed Discover cashback)

In November I was paid the balance for the Houston meeting I worked in October.  I also received payment for a meeting in Orlando.  We finished the month working a job in Las Vegas that will be paid in December.

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $10,345

November marks another solid month for gains.  I think markets are way overvalued and many of my investments are bets against zombie companies.

My Frugal Miser - October 2022 Expenses

   My spending in October was a bit lower than in August.

• Gas for the car was fairly low, and I renewed our AAA membership.
• Household expenses are artificially high.  For the last several years I have purchased $1,500 in Amazon gift cards when my credit card offers 5% cash back.  The spending will be spread out over many months.  I also installed new window blinds throughout the house.  
• We worked two meeting jobs in Orlando where we were not reimbursed our travel expenses.  Most of my meeting jobs include full reimbursement, but my very first client is a staffing company that usually hires "locals".  Rather than drive back and forth from Tampa, my partner and I usually splurge on a local hotel.

Fun

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

• Royal Caribbean offered me a free cruise, but I did pay taxes, fees and I prepaid gratuities.  Total for two for the cruise:  $362.
• We also had some expenses related to our Transatlantic cruise, including rideshare costs and and $80 fee to the Bermuda government related to COVID.

October Expenses:  $5,228

$305 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$0 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$235 Clothing/ Personal Care
$628 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$789 Food

$13 Health and Dental

$3,223 Household/Home Repairs

$150 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($1,049) Reimbursed Job Expense income this month

$0 Interest Expense

$164 Miscellaneous (cat sitter)

$640 Taxes

$129 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - October 2022 Income

Greetings from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!  We're on our transatlantic cruise from Portugal to Tampa.  I'm too cheap to purchase Internet for the whole cruise but decided to splurge for a 24 hour pass to get caught up.

My October income represents the new normal as I now only have two rental properties.  I worked two meeting jobs plus I was paid for some work I did in September.  I also completed four Amazon routes.

Rental income was as expected.  I received rent for my two houses, plus two Realty Mogul dividends.  Expenses were high because I paid property taxes on one of my properties.

October Income: $8,022

$0 Mystery Shopping/ Merchandising
$4,694 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$313 Amazon Deliveries

$2,938 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $1,930)
$76 Interest Income

$0 Other Sources

In November I will be paid for one meeting completed in October.  I am working two meetings in November, but one is at the end of November and will be paid out in December.  It's going to be a light income month.

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $23,893

Many of my current investments are put options against zombie companies.  This was a profitable strategy in October.

My Frugal Miser - September 2022 Expenses

  My spending in September was a bit lower than in August.

• As I was barely home, gas for the car was under $100.
• One of the cats had a UTI so I took her to the vet.  I also used a cat sitter several times while we were working out of town.
• I paid for a crown for one of my teeth.
• We worked two meeting jobs in Orlando where we were not reimbursed our travel expenses.  

Fun

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

• Carnival Cruises offered a deal on upgrading our cabin for the transatlantic cruise we are taking at the end of the month.  A few months ago I called to inquire, and was quoted nearly $2,000 to upgrade from an interior room to a balcony.  This time it was offered for $450.  For a 13 night cruise, that's an extra $35/night to go from a no-window interior room to one with a balcony we can sit on to enjoy our morning coffee.  Deal.

September Expenses:  $4,550

$88 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$0 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$0 Clothing/ Personal Care
$511 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$762 Food

$568 Health and Dental

$1,081 Household/Home Repairs

$609 Unreimbursed Job Expense

$189 Reimbursed Job Expense

$0 Interest Expense

$409 Miscellaneous (vet bill, cat sitter)

$203 Taxes

$129 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - September 2022 Income

My income was soft in September, as expected.  I no longer have Airbnb income and I sold my largest rental property.  Meetings are also slower in September, though I did receive a 50% fee for a meeting I was supposed to work this week in Denver.  I took two lower-paying meeting jobs to stay busy.  In total, I worked 4 different events.  I will be paid for two of those in October.  I only completed one Amazon route.

Rental income was as expected.  I received rent for my two houses, plus a small amount recovered from the tenant's deposit for the house I just sold.

September Income: $7,027

$0 Mystery Shopping/ Merchandising
$5,066 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$84 Amazon Deliveries

$1,795 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $218)
$83 Interest Income

$0 Other Sources

October should be a decent month.  I'm working two meeting jobs and will be paid for two jobs I completed in September.  Near the end of the month we make our way to Europe for the cruise.  Since most of that vacation has been prepaid I don't expect to spend a lot in October.

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  ($45,660)

Stock markets were way down in September.  Although I did a bit better than the market indexes, I was way down for the month. 

My Frugal Miser - August 2022 Expenses

 I spent a hefty sum in August on future travel and home repairs. 

• Delta reimbursed me for the car rental I reserved when my flight from ATL to BHM was cancelled.  This is a nice double-dip since my client also reimbursed me for it.
• I spent $800 on A/C repairs for our home.
• I finally bought a bed frame.  Since moving back to Clearwater we've been sleeping on a mattress on the floor.  I've been having back issues and think part of the problem came from not having a proper bed.

Fun

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

August and September tend to be the slowest months in the corporate events industry.  While busier than usual, I have enough downtime to plan a couple frugal getaways.  Additionally, I took advantage of some future travel deals:

• I made the final payment for our Transatlantic cruise.  In total, the 13 night cruise from Lisbon to Tampa will cost $800, including $200 cruise fare (refunded as onboard credit), taxes, fees and prepaid gratuities. 
• I booked a December 2023 Baja Mexico cruise, which I paid in full to take advantage of an American Express cashback offer.  Cruises are still super cheap.  This 5 night cruise was $604.72 for two people, which includes the cruise fare, taxes and fees, and prepaid gratuities.  I'll receive $150 back from American Express (they offered a $150 rebate if I spent at least $500 with Carnival).  So basically it's $450 for two people for a 5 night cruise.  It's a balcony stateroom and I get a $200 onboard credit.
• We are taking a break from alcohol.  
• We took a quick getaway to Charleston.  We flew Southwest for $48/person each way.  I redeemed Hyatt points for a "saver" award - two of the 3 nights were only 3,500 points.  I used Turo for the first time, which cost about half what the rental car companies were asking.  We used our reciprocal privileges to visit the botanical garden, and I paid $164 for a Charleston Heritage Passport to gain admission to several museums, plantations and historic homes. 
•  At the end of the month we took a quick trip to Las Vegas to take advantage of a free room offer at the Conrad at Resorts World.  Very unusual offer since I only gambled around $20 several months ago when I visited the food court for a late lunch.  We spent two nights in Vegas (I won!), then two nights in St. Louis.  A friend clued me in to all the free activities in St. Louis.  The zoo, science center and some museums have zero admission price.  We have reciprocal priveleges than allowed us to visit the amazing Missouri Botanical Gardens for free. I did prepay for the rental car.  The hotels were free using points or my annual free night stay offered by my credit card.

August Expenses:  $5,113

$193 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$85 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$18 Clothing/ Personal Care
$1,809 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$482 Food

$41 Health and Dental

$2,391 Household/Home Repairs

$0 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($795) Reimbursed Job Expense (income)

$0 Interest Expense

$554 Miscellaneous (vet bill, traffic fine)

$206 Taxes

$129 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - August 2022 Income

August was a lighter month for income.  The meetings industry slows down around the time when school starts, plus I no longer have Airbnb income or income from my biggest single family home (it sold fast!).

I worked 3 meetings jobs (two really small ones and one decent one), completed six Amazon delivery routes, and drove a few hours for Uber.

Rental income was as expected.  I received three distributions from Realty Mogul and rent for my two houses.  Good news:  I sold the third Alabama rental property near the end of August.

August Income: $8,986*

$0 Mystery Shopping/ Merchandising
$4,882 Meeting Jobs
$193 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$562 Amazon Deliveries
$3,324 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $1,782)
$0 Airbnb Income (Airbnb Expenses:  $42)
$14 Interest Income

$11 Other Sources

*excludes gain from sale of rental property

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $6,815

My investments were up; each account outperformed the broader markets.  

My Frugal Miser - July 2022 Expenses

July wasn't such a bad month for spending.  The largest expense was for a root canal.  I have to finish that treatment and then will have to pay for a crown, but that probably won't happen until September.

• I received a refund for the portion of our flight home from the Alaskan cruise that was cancelled.  I also received $1,000 for my trip delay claim.  To simplify things, I posted these as credits to the "fun" category even though part of the claim covered new clothing.

Fun

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

• Spending was minimal.  Our Regal Unlimited passes are now billed monthly.  
• We are taking a break from alcohol.  
• I only spent a small amount while visiting my mom in Richmond.  We visited the Edgar Allen Poe museum in Richmond and I paid for train tickets into Washington DC where we celebrated July 4th.

July Expenses:  $2,228

$251 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$49 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$207 Clothing/ Personal Care
($465) Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets) income this month

$729 Food

$994 Health and Dental

$1,481 Household/Home Repairs

$0 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($1425) Reimbursed Job Expense (income)

$0 Interest Expense

$116 Miscellaneous

$163 Taxes

$127 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - July 2022 Income

July was an amazing month.  I sold the Airbnb early in the month, but managed one last booking.  The buyers were anxious to get settled in but were hitting some roadbumps with the closing and asked to book it the last few days.

I worked 3 meetings jobs, completed three Amazon delivery routes, and drove a few hours for Uber.

Rental income was as expected.  I received one distribution for Realty Mogul and rent for my three houses.  I am selling one of those houses and only received rent for a few days before the tenants vacated.  The house went under contract faster than I expected and should close before the end of August.

July Income: $12,153*

$0 Mystery Shopping/ Merchandising
$7,733 Meeting Jobs
$228 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$328 Amazon Deliveries
$2,938 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $213)
$911 Airbnb Income (Airbnb Expenses:  $578)
$11 Interest Income

$4 Other Sources

*excludes gain from sale of Airbnb

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $27,151

My investments were up, as were all equity markets.  

I Sold My Airbnb. Here's What I Made

Letting go was bittersweet.

 I Did It...I am no longer an Airbnb Host.  

Earlier this month I closed on the sale of my Airbnb.  The decision to sell was tougher than I anticipated, and it's a bittersweet goodbye.

I learned an important investing lesson with this home:  

The price paid for an investment is more important than any other factor.

Anatomy of a Home Sale

I purchased the house a couple years after moving to Florida, in 2014.  Tampa Bay was at the tail end of recovery from the housing crash of 2008/2009.  By 2014, investment groups were buying up houses all over the area and converting them to rental properties.  Deals were getting harder and harder to find.  I spotted a 2 bedroom, 1 bath home that was in foreclosure and listed at $44,900.  

Out with the old...

In with the new.

The house was ugly!  But the MLS had a major mistake that probably limited traffic even more:  the house wasn't a 2/1, it was a 3/2.  Even so, every single room in the house needed a major overhaul.  While the bank had replaced the leaking roof, they stripped the walls and ceilings of the ruined drywall, leaving disgusting insulation and exposed beams.

When I was shopping for a house, I was looking for a personal residence, and I enjoy projects.  This house was certainly begging for some love.  We called this our home for nearly four years, and in that time we put in a new kitchen, two new bathrooms, and made improvements in every room.  When we decided to buy a brand new house, I figured I would test Airbnb before renting the house long term.  Best.  Decision.  Ever.

By the Numbers

Cost				Income
$45,025	Purchase, 2014
12945	2018 Spending		6780.68	2018 Income
$62,382.82	2019 Spending		$29,852.76	2019 Income
$20,143.76	2020 Spending		35992	2020 Income
$22,654.84	2021 Spending		40034	2021 Income
$8,370.05	2022 Spending		24998	2022 Income
32874.17	Closing Costs		345,000	Sold, July 2022
$204,396	Total Expenses		482657.44	Total Income
			$278,262	Net Income
			$34,783	Annual Gain
			77.25%	Annual Return

I didn't keep a good record of what I spent working on the home while I was living there.  There was a ton of sweat equity as the only parts I hired out were the bathrooms and the kitchen countertop.  In summary, I got a place to live for four years, followed by four years of solid Airbnb income.  Including the profit from the sale with the Airbnb income, my annual ROI was massive!

What's Next?

For now I've deployed the proceeds into the stock and bond market.  The goal is to generate the same amount of income, but all passively.  Emboldened by the transaction, I have now listed my most expensive rental property, which is located in a suburb of Birmingham.  Eventually my real estate investments will consist only of syndicated deals and REITs. 

My Frugal Miser - June 2022 Expenses

June was another brutal month.  But almost half of my spending was to make my Q2 estimated tax payment.  Unfortunately July is going to be bad as well:  I have to get a root canal and might pay my quarterly taxes early to earn extra credit card rewards.

• I paid Q2 2022 estimated taxes:  $4276
• On the way home from our Alaskan cruise our flight was canceled.  I had to change plans and fly directly to a meeting in Chicago.  Since I didn't have my work clothes with me, including a suit, I had significant expenses ($1,261) replacing my wardrobe.  I have filed a Trip Delay claim since my credit card provides that insurance, so it is possible I will be reimbursed for part of this.
• I paid the annual fee on my United Quest credit card and also paid a transaction fee to use a credit card to pay my quarterly taxes.

Fun

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

• I splurged on two excursions during our Alaskan cruise.  In Juneau we toured a real gold mine - I love history.  In Ketchikan we did our first zipline.
• We spent the night on the east coast of Florida after attending a concert with a friend.
• I paid for a flight to Richmond to visit my mom.

June Expenses:  $9,660

$227 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$330 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$1,261 Clothing/ Personal Care
$1,516 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$501 Food

$122 Health and Dental

$1,050 Household/Home Repairs

$0 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($150) Reimbursed Job Expense (income)

$0 Interest Expense

$384 Miscellaneous

$4,276 Taxes

$139 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - June 2022 Income

I had a solid month in June. 

I worked 2 meetings jobs, including a 2 week assignment in my hometown of Birmingham, AL and a week in Chicago.  I was paid for the Chicago job as well as two meetings I worked in May.  The Birmingham meeting will be paid in July.

I didn't do any Amazon routes, rideshare/delivery or mystery shopping.  

The Airbnb was blocked several days because I am selling it.  The closing was delayed a few times while the buyer took care of some requirements, so I opened it up to bookings when possible.  Airbnb income was pleasantly resilient considering much of the month started as being blocked off and then availability was adjusted last-minute.  We are very close to closing on the house now.

Rental income was as expected.  I had a $1,500 surprise expense at one property that experienced a leak and some drywall damage.

June Income: $11,833

$0 Mystery Shopping/ Merchandising
$4,900 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$0 Amazon Deliveries
$3,225 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $2,243)
$3,699 Airbnb Income (Airbnb Expenses:  $758)
$9 Interest Income

$0 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  ($19,565)

My investments were down.  Markets continued their downward spiral in June.

My Frugal Miser - May 2022 Expenses

May was another expensive month.  Hopefully soon all this red ink will dry.

• I spent nearly $2,000 on car repairs. The starter and a couple related parts needed replacement - occassionally the car just wouldn't start.  And a flying retreaded tire from a truck cracked one of the headlights.  Another electrical issue also needed repair.
• I lost a lawsuit to a con artist in Birmingham (see the May income post, where I list expenses associated with my rental properies).  The judge ignored case law and the simple fact that the lawsuit was entirely predicated on fraud by the plaintiff.  I wanted to appeal the verdict, but the cost of fighting this injustice was greater than the amount the fraudster was awarded.
• Another expense that doesn't show up here (again, it's on the income post) but was substantial was the $1,200 I paid a contractor to make a few repairs at the Airbnb.  If all goes as planned, I will sell it in June.

Fortunately I received per diems from meeting jobs that exceeded my out of pocket expenses.  This helped offset some of my spending.

Fun

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

• I splurged on two excursions during our Alaskan cruise.  In Juneau we toured a real gold mine - I love history.  In Ketchikan we did our first zipline.

May Expenses:  $3,624

$2,018 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$0 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$57 Clothing/ Personal Care
$546 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$150 Food

$31 Health and Dental

$1,050 Household/Home Repairs

$0 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($756) Reimbursed Job Expense (income)

$0 Interest Expense

$154 Miscellaneous

$191 Taxes

$184 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - May 2022 Income

 May was a solid month for income.  

I worked 4 meetings jobs, including long assignments in Newport Beach, CA and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  I was only paid half my fee for those last two jobs; the other half will be paid out in June.

I did 1 Amazon route.

The Airbnb was blocked several days because I am selling it.  I took it offline for 11 days so that my agent could open it to showings and inspections and again for 3 days so that the buyer could spend a night in it and have additional inspections completed.  I thought it was pretty cool to let the buyer use the home for a night, sort of like test driving a car.  Airbnb expenses were higher than normal as I prepared the home for sale.

Rental income was stronger than normal. I received rent from the 3 properties I own in Alabama, plus distributions from 4 investments held at Realty Mogul.  Rental expenses were high:  I lost an $1,100 lawsuit against a fraudster who rents the condo next to mine.  It was 100% fraud, but I learned the difficult and frustrating lesson that sometimes it costs more to fight the fraud than it does to just make it go away.  Additionally, I paid $300 to have my largest property pressure washed.  I am almost 100% committed to selling that house in July and may have a few other maintenance/repair expenses leading up to it.

May Income: $13,886

$0 Mystery Shopping/ Merchandising
$5,512 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$119 Amazon Deliveries
$5,310 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $2,164)
$2,757 Airbnb Income (Airbnb Expenses:  $2,125)
$8 Interest Income

$179 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $2,453

My investments were up slightly in May.

My Frugal Miser - April 2022 Expenses

When it rains, it pours.

April was the most expensive month in a very long time.  The biggest culprit was the payment I made to the U.S. Treasury.  In 2021 I had substantial long-term capital gains, and my ignorance about tax rules got the best of me.  Somehow I thought the gain I had on Vereit stock would be taxable at the 0% long-term capital gains rate.  Boy was I wrong.  In addition to the 2021 tax bill, I need to make quarterly payments in 2022, so I did that in April for the first quarter. 

• I paid 6 months auto insurance.  Gas prices are still over $4/gallon but that was only a small part of my auto expense. 
• Food was low because of all the meetings I worked where I was provided food.

Fun

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

• This is really embarrassing.  I booked a last minute cruise out of Miami.  I only spent one afternoon in the casino, but I drank too much and honestly have no idea how I lost.  Seriously, it's like I blacked out.  I remember being ahead by a few hundred dollars, and then I lost it all.  After this episode I stayed away from the casino.

April Expenses:  $32,175

$890 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$0 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$0 Clothing/ Personal Care
$7,370 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$171 Food

$31 Health and Dental

$1,050 Household/Home Repairs

$131 Unreimbursed Job Expense

$319 Reimbursed Job Expense

$0 Interest Expense

$0 Miscellaneous

$22,021 Taxes

$192 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - April 2022 Income

April's income was down a bit but I still managed to keep it over $10K.

I worked 5 meetings jobs, but have only been paid for 3.  One of the 3 was a single day gig.  

I did 5 Amazon routes.

The Airbnb was booked every day except four days I blocked from the calendar.  I listed the BNB for sale this week and the four blocked days were used by a handyman who made a few repairs and improvements.

Rental income came in as expected.  I am down to just three rental properties, all in Alabama.  I also received a distribution from Realty Mogul.

April Income: $10,564

$0 Mystery Shopping/ Merchandising
$2,875 Meeting Jobs
$24 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$574 Amazon Deliveries
$3,994 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $706)
$3,041 Airbnb Income (Airbnb Expenses:  $1,711)
$8 Interest Income

$47 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  ($14,993)

April was a bad month for stocks.  My investments were down, but continue to outperform the S&P 500.  

My Frugal Miser - March 2022 Income

 March continued the recent trend of 5-figure monthly income.  

I worked 4 meetings jobs.  One was a single day gig.  I also worked The 80's Cruise, spent a week in Chicago and ended the month at a meeting in Denver.  April will only slow down a bit, but the payments for the last March job will help make April another solid month.

I only did 4 Amazon routes.

The Airbnb was booked every day except two days I blocked from the calendar.

Rental income came in as expected.  I am down to just three rental properties, all in Alabama.

March Income: $15,106

$0 Mystery Shopping/ Merchandising
$7,243 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$306 Amazon Deliveries
$3,155 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $723)
$4,388 Airbnb Income (Airbnb Expenses:  $977)
$9 Interest Income

$5 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $6,605

My investments were up, and continue to outperform the S&P 500.  

My Frugal Miser - March 2022 Expenses

March was another inexpensive month.  A lovely phenomenon helped me get my total spending under $1,000:  per diems.  Some of my meeting clients provide a daily allowance for spending on food, drinks and miscellaneous.  The average per diem is $75.  I often spend less than that, making the per diem pure profit.  A second unusual credit to the "fun" category lowered my spending even further.

• Auto expenses continue to benefit from the lack of driving.  I spent most of March working meetings and didn't use my car.  I spent $69 on a coupon book that included 4 oil changes and tire rotations as well as other discounts.  Even with minimal driving, gas prices over $4/gallon added up.
• Bank fees were high because I paid the annual fee for my Self-Directed IRA and the annual fee for my Chase World of Hyatt card.
• Food was low because most of the meetings we work either provide a meal or reimbursement for food.  I worked most days in March.

Fun

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

• I finally received the refund for the canceled Carnival cruise in Australia.
• I didn't spend anything on future travel.

March Expenses:  $819

$289 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$595 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$20 Clothing/ Personal Care
($1,336) Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets) (income - Carnival cruise refund)

$253 Food

$48 Health and Dental

$1,084 Household/Home Repairs

$359 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($1,001) Reimbursed Job Expense (income - my provided per diems were more than I spent)

$0 Interest Expense

$71 Miscellaneous

$248 Taxes

$190 Utilities 

Selling the BNB, What I'm Reading, Increasing Passive Income

2022 has been an incredible year so far.  I'm writing this blog from the Gaylord Rockies outside of Denver, where I just wrapped another meeting job.  This is #2 of 4 back-to-back meeting jobs I'm doing.  Things don't appear to be slowing down.  I love to travel, and it's great being able to make money while honing new skills.

One minor downside to all the work I am doing is that it's easy to let everything else overwhelm me.  This is just another reminder about why it's important to simplify my life.

Selling the BNB

This one was difficult.  As I quickly approach four years as an Airbnb host, I've decided to take advantage of the hot real estate market and sell the house.  I was contacted by an agent in March who was engaging and full of energy.  I usually ignore unsolicited offers from realtors, but this guy got my attention.  He had neighborhood comps that suggested my home would sell for healthy price.

I've been thinking about selling for several months.  When I was planning my 2022 goals, selling one of my rental properties was Goal #1.  I had a different property in mind - and am still strongly considering selling it.  So there is definitely a possibility of selling two houses this year.  The plan for the BNB is to list it in early May.

The Intelligent Investor

I'm talking about the book by the father of value investing, Benjamin Graham.  I aspire to make intelligent decisions about my investments, so I redeemed a Barnes & Noble gift card I was given for Christmas to buy this book.  Graham was Warren Buffett's teacher (literally), and this is considered the Bible of Value Investing.  If I am successful at selling the BNB I'm going to have a windfall of cash to deploy.  There's so much noise in the stock market these days.  A lot of what's happening is irrational, and markets eventually become rational, every time.  I hope that The Intelligent Investor will make me a more successful investor.

Increasing Passive Income

I've been actively working to increase passive income for years, but have put this into high gear these last few months.  I've purchased a number of bonds, most of them at distressed prices.  One of my favorite investments right now is a bond issued by the theater chain AMC.  It matures in 2025 and is the next substantial debt to come due for the company.  The meme-gamblers are responsible for a lot of the noise in the markets today.  These kids aren't buying based on fundamentals but instead on the greater fool theory that someone else will be willing to pay more than they did for a stock.  Why does this matter?  AMC took advantage of this noise by raising a ton of cash last year by selling overpriced shares of stock.  This gave the company a substantial war chest.  I think the odds are good that the company will honor its debt obligations, at least for the next few years.  I've bought a substantial amount of AMC bonds for less than 80 cents on the dollar.  If all goes as expected, I'm getting a 15%+ annualized return.

AMC is just one example of where I am growing my passive recurring income.  I've bought other bonds at similarly attractive prices.  I've also been investing in income properties on Realty Mogul.  Eventually I will set an annual income goal with the intent to earn enough passive income to pay all my bills.

The most important benefit to all this will be more freedom to do things I enjoy.  Owning an Airbnb has been one of the best financial decisions I have made.  But along with these golden handcuffs comes a lot of responsibility.  We have to plan our lives around the house.  I've tried multiple housekeepers, and am not satisfied with their attention to detail.  I would LOVE to be able to take a vacation and not have to think about some issue arising at the house that will require my attention.  Sure, I could put more effort into making this a truly passive source of income by hiring a management company.  But home prices are so high that, with a bit of effort, I think I can earn close to the same amount of income in a totally passive way via Realty Mogul or stock investing.

My Frugal Miser - February 2022 Expenses

February was quite reasonable when you compare spending to income.

• Spending on my car was low.  There was no maintenance, and because I was out of town for work, I spent less on gas.
• I paid the annual fee for my Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
• Food was also low.  In addition to being reimbursed for or provided food when we work meetings, we have started eating more "regular" food (versus low-carb), which is less expensive.

Fun

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

• I received the refund for taxes and fees for the canceled New Orleans cruise.  We decided to work a meeting in Boston instead.
• Our Australian cruise was canceled, but I am still waiting for the refund.  Carnival is taking its time to process it.
• I booked and paid for an Alaskan cruise.  Alaskan cruises generally cost more than Caribbean cruises, but I was offered a decent price.  I paid $350/each for a balcony stateroom plus taxes/fees for a 7 night cruise at the end of May.  One of the days includes crossing through some glaciers, and I thought it was a no-brainer to have a balcony where we could marvel at the sites.  It worked out to under $200/day.  Not bad considering a hotel room alone would cost more than that, while a cruise includes our food, entertainment, and drinks in the casino.
• I decided to splurge on our flights to Seattle for the cruise.  I used points to book first class seats on the way, and took advantage of my annual travel credit on my Capital One Venture X card by booking first class seats back on American Airlines.  I was pleasantly surprised by how little the difference between first class and economy were and took advantage of what I thought was a mispriced ticket.  The difference between economy and first class was less than $200/ticket.  For that, checked bags, meals and alcohol are included - not to mention better seats and no one in the middle seat, because there isn't one!

February Expenses:  $3,686

$150 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$550 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$78 Clothing/ Personal Care
$2,013 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$372 Food

$143 Health and Dental

$1,214 Household/Home Repairs

$75 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($1,358) Reimbursed Job Expense (income - my provided per diems were much more than I spent)

$0 Interest Expense

$407 Miscellaneous

$82 Taxes

$39 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - February 2022 Income

February was one of the best months ever in terms of income.

I worked 5 meetings jobs.  Two of those were single day gigs and another, a 7-11 Grand Opening Event, was two days.  The 7-11 was a brand ambassador job, but I include that income in the meeting jobs category.  I also received the cancelation fees from two February meetings.  Both paid 50% of the amount I would have earned.  This was a nice double-dipping opportunity since I was able to do other work in their place.

Since I was mostly working meetings, I didn't have a lot of time for Amazon routes.  I still managed to make over $600 from the 4 days I worked.

The Airbnb was booked every single day.

Rental income was solid.  All three tenants paid rent, plus I received two dividends from apartments I own through Realty Mogul.

February Income: $15,983

$0 Mystery Shopping/ Merchandising
$7,607 Meeting Jobs
$14 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$623 Amazon Deliveries
$3,930 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $715)
$3,754 Airbnb Income (Airbnb Expenses:  $791)
$8 Interest Income

$47 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  ($1,927)

My investments were down, but continue to outperform the S&P 500.  It was another down month for stocks, but I still think the market is overvalued.

My Frugal Miser - January 2022 Expenses

    January wasn't a bad month.  I would love to get my monthly spending under $2,000 excluding the monthly contribution I make towards home improvements/repairs, but I'm not too disappointed with my spending last month.

• Auto expenses were unusually low.  There was no maintenance or other expenses besides gas.  I worked several meetings so I didn't put many miles on my car.
• I paid three bank fees for credit cards.  The value of the cards exceeds the annual fee I pay.
• Food was about average, which is to say it was expensive.  We are still mostly sticking to a low-carb diet.  Junk food is a lot less expensive than the healthier stuff we eat.

Fun

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

• I received the AMEX Fine Hotels $200 rebate from our December stay in Atlanta.
• Our Australian cruise was canceled, and I canceled our February cruise out of New Orleans because we took a meeting job instead.  I opted for a refund, but it hasn't posted yet.

January Expenses:  $4,064

$125 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$719 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$0 Clothing/ Personal Care
$1,281 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$618 Food

$53 Health and Dental

$1,116 Household/Home Repairs

$379 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($455) Reimbursed Job Expense (income)

$0 Interest Expense

$6 Miscellaneous

$100 Taxes

$123 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - January 2022 Income

 In January I worked 4 meeting jobs - one in Dallas, two in Orlando and one in Tampa.  I also had two meetings cancel, which just shows how uncertain the live events industry remains.  For those two meetings I should receive a 50% cancel fee in February, plus I haven't received half the pay from the Dallas meeting yet.

I only worked a few Amazon routes since I was doing meetings most of the month.

The Airbnb had a record month thanks to a large cancelation.  A snowbird canceled his 28 night booking, and I received the entire amount based on the cancelation terms.  The guest never asked me for a refund which was surprising.  There were a total of 5 vacant days in January.

Rental income was okay.  The tenant in my Birmingham condo did not pay January rent until February 1st.  I did receive a dividend from one of the Realty Mogul investments.  Expenses were high due to another slab leak at my largest property.  I found out the plumbing used in that house is part of a class action lawsuit and filed a claim for my losses.  Since 2016 I have had 3 leaks and may even qualify for a whole house replumb.  

Other income included a $50 gift for my birthday and $100 cashback from redeeming credit card points.

January Income: $13,761

$0 Mystery Shopping/ Merchandising
$3,730 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$390 Amazon Deliveries
$3,108 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $6,362)
$6,374 Airbnb Income (Airbnb Expenses:  $687)
$9 Interest Income

$150 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  ($10,877)

My investments were down, but all my brokerage accounts outperformed the S&P 500.  It was a rough month for stocks, but I still think the market is generally overvalued.

Tackling 2022 Goals: Decluttering and Upgrading Our Home

Partly borne of necessity, I'm getting an early start to my 2022 goals.  One of the biggest strains in my relationship with my partner is keeping up with household chores.  We downsized last year to a smaller house, and I thought this would make it easier to keep up with things.  It hasn't.  Our house just isn't working for us in its current form.  

The Challenges and Opportunities

We are living in the first home I purchased in Florida.  I got an incredible deal on a foreclosure in 2012.  The house lies just outside a posh area.  There's a golf course and country club on the other side of the main road connecting our street.  Tom Cruise built a condo about a mile away where he reportedly plans to live full time.  The beach is a short bike ride away.  And that "poshness" across the street is creeping over to our neighborhood.  A private equity firm/community bank built a fancy 4 story office at the end of our street, and many of our neighbors are sprucing up their homes.  It just makes sense to make improvements to our house from both a practical perspective and a financial one.

Our first project is new flooring.  We have the original hospital tiles the home was built with in 2002.  They are a vomit yellow and yes, look just like what you might expect to see in a doctor's office.  I chose a beautiful porcelain tile to replace it.  While we are waiting for the installation, we are getting rid of things that are in the way:  last week, my partner took an old mattress and table (from the Airbnb) and the headboard to our old bed to the street for pickup.  These cleared a lot of space from one of the bedrooms, but there's more work to do.  We also moved a lot of the Airbnb supplies to the laundry room of the Airbnb.  Our home already feels more spacious.

It feels great to have a more spacious home.  This keeps me motivated to purge more stuff.

My Frugal Miser - Reviewing my 2021 Goals, Setting New Ones

 So much happened in 2021.  It was our second year of the pandemic, but live events finally started to return, at least for me, in June of last year.  

Last year I set three goals.  I modified the financial goal, which was to pay extra on my mortgage, because I ended up selling our home and no longer have a mortgage.

2021 Goals Review

1) $1,000/mo. to short-term savings and $400/mo. to investments.

Status:  Exceeded, thanks to the power of automation.  For several months, I've automatically transferred a total of $2,000 to investing and saving, but tweaked it a bit.  I've been depositing $1,500 to my brokerage account and $500 to my short-term savings.

2) Weigh 180 or less by end of year.

Status:  Not quite.  On October 7, 2020 we started the keto diet.  I managed to get down to 183 pounds.  When I checked my weight last week, I was at 190 pounds.  This is 49 pounds less than I weighed before starting the diet, which I am super proud of.  I just need to redouble my efforts to keep losing.

3) Read more books.

Status:  Sort of.  I have subscribed to Audible and listened to 3 audio books.  I really enjoyed two of those.  I struggle to read with my short attention span. 

2022

So what's in store for 2022?  Well, events are still stumbling along.  Many of my friends have experienced more event cancelations for early 2022 with the rise of cases of COVID.  Thus far I've been spared, but the pandemic is definitely affecting my industry and the jobs I am offered.

My 2022 Goals:

1. (Financial) Make investing more passive.  I've been selling rental properties and diverting the proceeds to Realty Mogul, where I invest in apartment complexes and commercial buildings.  Not only does this alleviate the headaches that come from owning single family homes, but it also can potentially increase my returns and help me sleep well.  Two of my RM investments were sold.  While the holding period was short (only about 2 years), the annualized returns were about 17%.  I want to sell at least one rental property in 2022 and reallocate the money to a fully passive investment.
2. (Health)  I would like to weigh 175 by the end of 2022.  
3. (Simplify)  I will eliminate personal belongings that I no longer need.  One of the major personal projects in 2022 is updating our home.  There are several large projects I'd like to do, and getting rid of the clutter around the house will help us enjoy the home more.
4. (Travel on a Budget) I don't just love to travel; I live to travel.  Inflation and pandemic fatigue mean travel is getting more expensive (just look at airfares!).  I will spend more time learning how to maximize travel programs and loyalty points.  I will research places I'd like to visit, take advantage of deals, and be mindful about how I spend my travel dollar.

My Frugal Miser - December 2021 Expenses

   December

• I spent more on gas as I visited family in Alabama for Christmas.  I also replaced my tires - the second time in 2021.  I did put quite a few miles on my car in 2021, but having to replace the tires seemed premature.  For some reason one of the tires was constantly leaking air, even though a leak couldn't be located.  The others had quite a bit of wear so I decided to bite the bullet and replace them all.
• Spending on food benefited from the week we worked in Atlanta (we received a generous per diem).  I also did a no-spend challenge starting on the 16th where I decided not to buy more groceries the rest of the month and instead deplete everything we had in the refrigerator and freezer.
• The per diem while we were in Atlanta exceeded our spending on food, so there is income in the Reimbursed Job Expense category.

Fun

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

• I paid the balance for our end of November cruise.  Even though I gambled a fair amount, I managed to break even in the casino.  All I owed was for gratuities, a few drinks and a couple of days of Internet.  Our drinks in the casino were free.
• I booked a "bounce-back" cruise for the end of December.  It was a 3 day cruise from Long Beach, CA.  We combined this with my visit to Alabama for Christmas by flying from Atlanta, stopping in Phoenix (my partner's family lives there) before continuing to Long Beach.  Most of the flights were paid with points.  I needed to use the rebate certificate from Hilton from the August timeshare presentation so I paid out of pocket for a hotel which will be rebated later.  I also had a $200 rebate offered annually on my Platinum AMEX, so I booked two nights at a really nice hotel in Atlanta.  
• I paid $149 for another year of Frontier 100K status through a status match offer.  Our Southwest companion passes expired at the end of the year so we may use Frontier more for leisure travel.
• We treated friends to drinks and meals for the holidays.

December Expenses:  $5,469

$742 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$203 Bank Fees (annual fee on Platinum AMEX card)
$112 Clothing/ Personal Care
$2,161 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$427 Food

$172 Health and Dental

$1,053 Household/Home Repairs

$352 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($12) Reimbursed Job Expense (income)

$0 Interest Expense

$159 Miscellaneous

$4 Taxes

$95 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - December 2021 Income

In December I worked a week-long meeting in Atlanta.  December is usually a slow month for live events.

Amazon is always busy as Christmas approaches.  However, they hired so many Flex drivers this year that it was hard to schedule attractive routes.  I would rather pass on the work when it doesn't benefit me financially.  I managed to earn just under $1,000 in December delivering for Amazon.

The Airbnb was empty 4 days.  I've resisted lowering our prices too much when it is empty, as that sometimes attracts undesirable guests.  2021 was a record year for our Airbnb.  For perspective, the 3 properties I own in Alabama normally generate less income than the single Airbnb in Florida.

Rental income was solid.  All three Birmingham properties received rent.  One of my Realty Mogul investments paid a dividend.

Rental expenses were higher once again.  After replacing the water heater at my most expensive property, the management company determined there was a slab leak as the water would not stay hot.  Apparently that was the problem all along.  Fortunately the water heater was 12 years old so I don't feel too bad about replacing it even though there was nothing wrong with the old one.  The builder (DR Horton) used defective plumbing and I am hoping the related class action lawsuit will cover some of the costs of this substantial repair.

December Income: $9,445

$0 Mystery Shopping/ Merchandising
$1,400 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$944 Amazon Deliveries
$3,810 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $1,598)
$3,278 Airbnb Income (Airbnb Expenses:  $278)
$12 Interest Income

$0 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $3,594

My investments were up slightly in December.