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.