July was a pleasantly frugal month.
- In June I paid the $250 annual fee on my United Quest credit card but then Chase offered a sweet deal to redeem miles to offset the fee, so I got that back as a statement credit. I also paid the $49 annual fee for my IHG card. That card comes with an annual free night (what a deal!) but I've heard the card is being discontinued and I'll have to pay more next year.
- The category where I splurged was food. I almost always regret it when I spend too much on a restaurant meal. I'm going to try harder in August to avoid overspending here.
- I made a mistake on my business taxes and paid an accountant $800 to fix it
- Personal care - in Vegas we got a foot massage. I also prepaid for a 3-visit package to my local reflexologist. It helps tremendously with my foot pain.
Fun
We love adventures. Spending on experiences makes us better humans.
- During our Las Vegas trip I won $300. Plus rental car rates dropped from when I prepaid for our car and I received a refund when I rebooked the lower rate. This was offset by my purchase of upgraded seats to First Class for our quick getaway. Overall, this vacation was almost free.
- A friend visited us and we stopped by our local Hard Rock casino, where I won $485 in an hour playing blackjack.
- We pay for an AMC Unlimited plan.
July Expenses: income of $145
$186 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)
($201) Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards) income this month$337 Clothing/ Personal Care
($111) Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets) income this month
$567 Food
$29 Health and Dental
$60 Household/Home Repairs
$0 Unreimbursed Job Expense
($2,084) Reimbursed Job Expense income this month
$0 Interest Expense
$59 Miscellaneous (cat sitter, gifts)
$800 Taxes
$213 Utilities
When your expenses are so low that they're income you're doing great. It will be hard to match that.
ReplyDeleteI have that same IHG card. They're always trying to get me to upgrade it. If I'm forced to upgrade, I will since it will still be an okay deal. Currently, I get great value out of it since I use it for airport hotels where there aren't any cheap options.
That's definitely one of the best value cards in my wallet. I like the 10% rebate on point redemptions. Since a lot of my personal travel is less than the four or five nights needed through Marriott or Hilton to get the bonus free night, I feel IHG's offer is often the best choice.
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