My Frugal Miser - November 2024 Income

November was yet another incredible month for income.  

I received rent from both rental properties in Alabama. I also received two Realty Mogul distributions and a small monthly distribution from Open Door Capital.  I paid the property taxes for the second Alabama rental.

Open Door Capital continues to pay interest on the promissory note.  So far this is looking like a great investment.  I loaned $250,000 from my Self Directed IRA to ODC in August 2023.  I receive 10% annual interest, paid monthly, for 7 years.  

While meeting income looks great, it is understated for November, as I only received half the amount owed for the 18 day meeting I worked.  In November I received half of the income for that, plus the remaining balance due from the October meeting I worked in Geneva.

November Income: $12,866

$5,625 Meeting Jobs
$13 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$1,035 Amazon Deliveries

$3,647 Rental Income (Rental Expenses: $2,371)
$2,320 Interest Income

$0 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $8,274

Stocks were up in November.  My position in EXE, a natural gas company, did particularly well after the election.

My Frugal Miser - November 2024 Expenses

I bought a new-to-me car in November, and I paid cash.  This makes November easily the highest-spend month of 2024.

• The Elantra had a number of issues requiring costly repair.  I needed new shocks ($1,500 estimate), several fluid changes, new headlights, and there was something wrong causing the car to overheat.  I could have easily spent $3,000 to get the car back to good health.  I chose to trade it in for something newer instead.
• I bought a 2023 Kia Sportage from Hertz.  I paid $19,270 less a $350 discount for Hertz Gold Star loyalty and $2,500 trade-in allowance.  
• Why an SUV?  We have a oddly graded driveway and needed a car with higher ground clearance.  The Elantra would scrape the driveway unless you entered/excited the driveway at an awkward angle.
• I renewed the AMEX Platinum ($695 annual fee) but only after scoring a 25,000 point retention reward (worth at least $250).  
• Spending was lower on Food.  I worked an 18 day meeting in November and my client covered my meals.  Reimbursed Job Expense of over $1,000 is what I spent on food.  That will be a negative number in December when I am paid.

Fun

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

• Following our October cruise where I won $2K+, Carnival offered a free cruise.  I chose a 12 Day Scandinavia and Baltic cruise departing London in July. 
• I splurged on our flights.  I had a companion certificate on British Airways along with a bunch of miles from when I opened a BA Credit Card.  The certificate had to be used before the end of next year.  I booked lie-flat seats for two going to London and upgraded seats on the return flight.  Even with redeeming miles and a companion certificate, British Airways charges ridiculous fees.  I spend $1,660 on fees.  The tickets would have cost over $7,000 if I had paid cash.

November Expenses:  $26,822

$21,011 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$705 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$41 Clothing/ Personal Care

$2,188 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$263 Food

$655 Health and Dental

$658 Household/Home Repairs

$112 Unreimbursed Job Expense

$1,039 Reimbursed Job Expense

$0 Interest Expense

$20 Miscellaneous (cat sitter, gifts)

$0 Taxes

$129 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - October 2024 Income

October continues the trend of five-figure months.

I received rent from both rental properties in Alabama. I also received one Realty Mogul distribution and a small monthly distribution from Open Door Capital.  I paid the property taxes and fire dues for one of the Alabama rentals.

In October I worked one meeting job and a one day transportation gig.  I made up for it with Amazon routes, but as a bonus, Amazon cancelled many of my routes after the hurricane and paid me for most of them.

Last month I said I only had one meeting left in the year.  Thankfully, things have turned around.  I finished that one meeting (Geneva, Switzerland).  But I was contracted for an 18 day series of meetings in Chicago and have a couple of smaller things in December with the guy who got me into the industry.  I don't make as much with him, but every bit helps when it's slow.  

October Income: $10,175

$3,022 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$1,868 Amazon Deliveries

$2,921 Rental Income (Rental Expenses: $1,494)
$2,362 Interest Income

$0 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  ($36)

My investments were unchanged in October.

My Frugal Miser - October 2024 Expenses

 Thanks to luck at the casino, total expenses in October were less than $400 (take away the "fun" category and I spent just under $2,500 last month).  

• Hurricane Milton hit Tampa hard.  We spent three nights in a hotel (expensed to the household category) and had to replace all our food because we lost power for 3.5 days.
• I added a fair amount of clothes to my wardrobe.  I worked a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland which required black button up shirts.  I also bought a new jacket and a couple of nicer shirts for non-uniform days at work.
• One of my cats had a respiratory infection and ear mites.  When did vet bills get so expensive?!?

Fun

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

• I found a way to offset the fun category:  Chumba Casino sweepstakes entries.  In October I earned $650 sending in sweepstakes entries.  It's an easy hustle and it's fun.
•  I received the refund from the cancelled day of the South Star music festival - a day after I disputed the charge with my credit card, so I temporarily have received all my money back instead of just half.  I'm waiting for the credit card company to claw back the disputed amount.
• Finally, the exciting part:  I won over $2,000 on our Carnival Cruise playing blackjack!

October Expenses:  $364

$271 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$0 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$327 Clothing/ Personal Care

($2,851) Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets) income this month

$675 Food

$15 Health and Dental

$406 Household/Home Repairs

$91 Unreimbursed Job Expense

$107 Reimbursed Job Expense

$0 Interest Expense

$408 Miscellaneous (cat sitter, gifts)

$19 Taxes

$199 Utilities 

Making Progress Towards My Goals - September 2024 Update

I continue making progress.

Financial

My goal this year is to invest 40% of my gross income from meeting work - 30% to index funds and 10% to something more aggressive.  In September I moved 41% of my meeting income to investment accounts.

I purchased shares of the Vanguard Total World Stock Index Admiral Fund for the 30%.  I have not yet deployed the cash for the "more aggressive" investment.

*This will not match what I report in my income blog as payments aren't always received in the month the work was performed.

Health

I'm doing well meeting my exercise goals by exercising at least 5x/week.  

Simplify

I cancelled SiriusXM and Netflix.  We generally turn off and on our streaming subscriptions to watch new stuff, so I'm sure we will subscribe to Netflix again.  I have had the SiriusXM subscription for several years, and have always been offered a very low retention rate.  This time, it was not offered, so I cancelled.

Additionally, I redeemed the Savings Bonds I purchased a couple years ago when rates were much higher.  The current rate is less than 3% so there was no value in keeping funds there.

Have Fun, on a Budget

My goal is to spend less than $5,000 on "Fun" in 2024.  I'm getting close to hitting that number and there is still three months to go, so I'll do some brainstorming about how to mitigate this expense.

My Frugal Miser - September 2024 Income

My September income remains solid.

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

In September I worked three meeting jobs.  October will be significantly less unfortunately.  I supplemented "active" income by doing several Amazon routes.

Interest income got a one-time boost from the redemption of all the US Treasury bonds I owned.

The last quarter of the year is going to be rough.  I only have one meeting contracted and some very small filler work.  I'll likely do more Amazon routes to boost my income.

September Income: $11,847

$4,275 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$960 Amazon Deliveries

$2,698 Rental Income (Rental Expenses: $310)
$3,846 Interest Income

$68 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $4,535

My investments were up in September.

My Frugal Miser - September 2024 Expenses

I spent a lot in September, but much of it was pulling forward future spending to meet a credit card bonus.  

• Utilities were high because I bought a new phone.  
• Household spending was over $1,000 because I finally replaced our broken dishwasher.
• I paid the third quarter estimated tax payment of $2,000.
• I prepaid a few months of health insurance.

Fun

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

• We went to Huntsville, AL for the South Star Music Festival.  Hurricane Helene damaged the grounds and the second day of the festival was cancelled, so I should receive a 50% refund for my tickets.  I also paid cash for our flight and car rental because the point/mile redemption rate was poor.  I used hotel points to cover our accommodations.

September Expenses:  $7,918

$310 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$36 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$232 Clothing/ Personal Care

$1,762 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$518 Food

$1,111 Health and Dental

$1,184 Household/Home Repairs

$36 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($532) Reimbursed Job Expense income this month

$0 Interest Expense

$64 Miscellaneous (cat sitter, gifts)

$2,000 Taxes

$1,144 Utilities 

Making Progress Towards My Goals - August 2024 Update

August is usually a slow month in my industry, and 2024 was no exception.  That doesn't mean I sat around watching Netflix:  I did several Amazon routes and found a sweepstakes hustle with Chumba Casino thanks to a friend of mine.

Financial

My goal this year is to invest 40% of my gross income from meeting work - 30% to index funds and 10% to something more aggressive.  In August I moved 56% of my meeting income to investment accounts.

In August, I earned $4,200 from meeting work.   I transferred $500 to the brokerage account where I make more aggressive investments and $1,850 to my other brokerage account. 

I purchased shares of the Vanguard Total World Stock Index Admiral Fund for the 30%.  For the "more aggressive" investment, I short sold Beyond Meat stock and also bought a PUT option against Beyond Meat.

*This will not match what I report in my income blog as payments aren't always received in the month the work was performed.

Health

I'm doing well meeting my exercise goals by exercising at least 5x/week.  

Simplify

We took an oversized bag of donations to our local thrift store.  It's next to our Planet Fitness which makes it really convenient.  I still have more clothes than I need and should find time to go through my closet again.

Have Fun, on a Budget

Our next vacation is in October.  We are taking a cruise from New Orleans.  The cruise was "free" - I paid a $200 deposit which is refunded as onboard credit.  We are flying to New Orleans two days ahead of the cruise to have a little local fun.  I redeemed free nights for the hotel (my Hyatt credit card gives me a free night every year and I earned a second free night because I spent $15,000 on the card last year).  The flights were also free.  I get a $200 annual credit through my Platinum AMEX card and used points as well.  This is definitely a frugal trip!  In September I will prepay for an excursion at our favorite all inclusive beach resort in Costa Maya.  I can't say enough good things about Maya Chan Resort.  I am such a fan that I even bought the book the founder wrote about starting the resort.

My Frugal Miser - August 2024 Income

July and August are examples of turning lemons into lemonade, although an accounting "trick" artificially boosts my August Income (one client paid me an advance for two meetings I am working in September, so that month's income will be lower because of it).  

First, rental properties.  I still own two homes in Alabama, but have shifted most of my real estate investing to syndications.  I received rental income from both Alabama properties as well as one distribution from Realty Mogul in my taxable account, two Realty Mogul distributions in my Self-Directed IRA, and a small monthly distribution from Open Door Capital.  

In August I worked three small meeting jobs, so the income reported below is deceptive since it includes payment from a July meeting as well as partial payments of upcoming meetings.  I was able to do several Amazon routes and made a respectable side income from that.  

All in all, I am more than pleased by my income in what is usually one of the slowest months of the year.  

August Income: $17,147

$8,700 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$1,244 Amazon Deliveries

$4,639 Rental Income (Rental Expenses: $364)
$2,492 Interest Income

$72 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $3,128

My investments were up in August.  I'm continuing to shift into more conservative, "boring" investments.  The bulk of new funds go to the Vanguard Total World Stock Index Admiral fund.  I own a substantial amount of bank CDs in my brokerage accounts as well.  Lastly, I have a few short positions, mostly in the form of put options.  If the zombie stocks I bet against ever decline (really, they are worth nearly zero, but apparently other investors disagree with me!), I should see some nice gains on those options.

My Frugal Miser - August 2024 Expenses

August turned out to be an average month.  Because of an unforeseen trip to visit my mom, I spent more on food and the cat sitter than anticipated.  A couple of expenses were postponed to September because I have been so busy.    I spent too much in July on food.  Most of the other large expenses were unavoidable.  August will probably be another expensive month as the dishwasher needs to be replaced and I have a couple of doctor appointments.

• Utilities were low.  The electric bill arrives at the end of the month and I usually pay it right away, but I was working out of town and will pay it in September.
• I spent some time researching new dishwashers but still haven't replaced our broken one yet.
• I paid the $85 annual fee for my Chase Marriott card.  It includes a free night each year which easily justifies the annual fee.
• I finally saw a podiatrist about my foot pain.  The copay was $80.  He gave me three cortisone injections.  My feet haven't felt this good in years.

Fun

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

• The "Fun" category includes all personal travel whether it's fun or not.  My mom fell and had to have surgery, so we visited her in August.  The bulk of the $404 I spent in this category was related to traveling to Richmond to spend time with her.

August Expenses:  $2,366

$370 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$85 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$27 Clothing/ Personal Care

$404 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$739 Food

$164 Health and Dental

$2 Household/Home Repairs

$0 Unreimbursed Job Expense

$77 Reimbursed Job Expense

$0 Interest Expense

$258 Miscellaneous (cat sitter, gifts)

$197 Taxes

$44 Utilities 

Making Progress Towards My Goals - June and July 2024 Update

I forgot to post my June update, so I'll combine two months.  I am doing well with my 2024 goals.

Financial

My goal this year is to invest 40% of my gross income from meeting work - 30% to index funds and 10% to something more aggressive.  In June/July I met this goal.

In June, I earned $8,400 from meeting work.   I fully funded my June goal in May, so in June I funded my July goal.  That was easy because July is a very light month for meeting work.  In July, I earned $3,875 from meeting work. I transferred $500 to the brokerage account where I make more aggressive investments and $1,350 to my other brokerage account.

I purchased a mix of CDs and an index fund for the 30%.  For the "more aggressive" investment, I bought shares of Walgreens.

In addition to these investments, I made a $2,000 contribution to my ROTH IRA in June.  I have fully funded my 2024 IRA contributions!

*This will not match what I report in my income blog as payments aren't always received in the month the work was performed.

Health

In early June I had severe pain in my left foot.  I didn't exercise as much because I was focused on letting it heal.  I did better after about a week and returned to my regular exercise routine.  I also have scheduled an appointment with a podiatrist in a couple of weeks.

Simplify

I am close to deciding to close my Platinum AMEX card.  The annual fee won't be due until November so I have time.  Although the $695 annual fee comes with many benefits, I've increasingly been annoyed by the amount of effort involved in taking advantage of those benefits.  I did some research and will first ask AMEX for a retention offer.  This usually comes in the form of points if you keep your card open and spend a certain amount of money.  If my request is denied, I will probably close the account.

Have Fun, on a Budget

We're took a vacation in July.  I used miles for our flights and points for the hotels.  I prepaid for a rental car to visit my mom.  It was much needed and fairly frugal.  I downloaded the app All Trails as a big part of our trip was hiking.

My Frugal Miser - July 2024 Income

I'm impressed by my July income as I had forecast a bad month.  The salvation came from two weeks of work I did in June that I was paid for in July.  I did pick up $700 worth of meeting work I wasn't expecting and worked quite a few Amazon routes. I received rental income from both Alabama properties as well as one distribution from Realty Mogul and a small monthly distribution from Open Door Capital.  

July Income: $11,878

$5,250 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$1,039 Amazon Deliveries

$3,087 Rental Income (Rental Expenses: $310)
$2,503 Interest Income

$0 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  ($419)

My investments were slightly down, making this the second consecutive monthly decline this year.

My Frugal Miser - July 2024 Expenses

 I spent too much in July on food.  Most of the other large expenses were unavoidable.  August will probably be another expensive month as the dishwasher needs to be replaced and I have a couple of doctor appointments.

• I replaced the brake pads, rotors and calipers on the car.  Gas was also higher than normal because I did several Amazon delivery routes.
• We were gluttons in the food category.  About half the spending was for restaurants - we had a couple of really nice meals while on vacation.  The balance was for groceries.
• I redeemed miles to rebate the $250 annual fee for the United Quest Card, which I had paid in June.

Fun

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

• I spent $152 on U Relax, an alcohol alternative.
• Most of the spending on Fun was for our Asheville trip - Airport parking ($84), a winery tour, etc.

July Expenses:  $3,071

$888 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

($198) Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards) income this month
$80 Clothing/ Personal Care

$622 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$1,001 Food

$206 Health and Dental

$331 Household/Home Repairs

$0 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($47) Reimbursed Job Expense income this month

$0 Interest Expense

$0 Miscellaneous (cat sitter, gifts)

$15 Taxes

$174 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - June 2024 Income

June will be the last "amazing" month for income at least for a bit.  My work in the meeting industry slows dramatically in July and August.  I specialize in corporate events and there tends to be fewer of them when kids are out of school.  In June I worked meetings 22 out of 30 days.  When I wasn't working meetings, I did a few Amazon routes.  I received rental income from both Alabama properties as well as a small monthly distribution from Open Door Capital.  

June Income: $11,320

$6,075 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$614 Amazon Deliveries

$2,162 Rental Income (Rental Expenses: $364)
$2,470 Interest Income

$0 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  ($3,614)

My investments took a turn and lost value in June.

My Frugal Miser - June 2024 Expenses

 June was one of the more expensive months.  Two irregular expenses made up the bulk of my spending.

• I paid $2,100 in quarterly taxes
• I prepaid $600 towards the water bill.  The utility doesn't charge a fee for using a credit card and I needed to manufacture spending to reach a bonus offer on one of my cards.
• I went to see my reflexologist as I was having severe foot pain early in the month.
• Because we both traveled for work last month, we used the cat sitter multiple times.
• I paid the $250 annual fee for the United Quest Card.

Fun

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

• I prepaid for a rental car ($93) to visit my mom in July.
• I bought tickets to see Kid Laroi, AJR, and The Lion King.
• I purchased two winery tours for our Asheville trip.
• I lost $400 at the casino.

June Expenses:  $4,658

$107 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$193 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$280 Clothing/ Personal Care

$996 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$152 Food

$46 Health and Dental

$81 Household/Home Repairs

$8 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($642) Reimbursed Job Expense income this month

$0 Interest Expense

$128 Miscellaneous (cat sitter, gifts)

$2,100 Taxes

$844 Utilities 

Making Progress Towards My Goals - May 2024 Update

I experienced another month of substantial earnings in May.

Financial

My goal this year is to invest 40% of my gross income from meeting work - 30% to index funds and 10% to something more aggressive.  In May I moved 40% of my meeting income to investment accounts.

In May, I earned $7,192 from meeting work.   I transferred $800 to the brokerage account where I make more aggressive investments followed by $1,200 for the June amount (why not get ahead!?!) and $2,500 to my other brokerage account as well as $2,500 for June. 

I purchased shares of the Vanguard Total World Stock Index Admiral Fund for the 30%.  For the "more aggressive" investment, I added to a PUT option on Beyond Meat.  When the meme gamblers started buying up zombie stocks again in May, I decided to add to a PUT option against Gamestop as well.

In addition to these investments, I made a $1,000 contribution to my ROTH IRA in May.

*This will not match what I report in my income blog as payments aren't always received in the month the work was performed.

Health

I'm doing well meeting my exercise goals by exercising at least 5x/week.  

Simplify

I canceled the Chase Ink Business Preferred Card and the $95 annual fee was refunded.  

Have Fun, on a Budget

Finally, a vacation.  I booked some travel for July.  I will visit my mom in Richmond, and then meet my partner in Charlotte.  We will drive to Asheville and spend 5 days there.  This is the first vacation we've taken this year other than a two night Margaritaville cruise we took in January.  Since I redeemed points and miles, this should be a relatively frugal vacation.

My Frugal Miser - May 2024 Income

May marks another stellar month for income.  I worked meetings 19 out of 31 days.  I was able to do several Amazon routes, but the pay is extremely low compared to meeting work.  I received rental income from both Alabama properties as well as two Realty Mogul distributions and a small monthly distribution from Open Door Capital.  

May Income: $14,526

$7,192 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$580 Amazon Deliveries

$4,310 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $5,948 income this month)
$2,438 Interest Income

$6 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $438

My investments have steadily increased in value.

My Frugal Miser - May 2024 Expenses

I was frugal in May.  Traveling for work is a great way to mitigate expenses. 

• The largest unexpected expense was for oral surgery to remove a fractured tooth.  I will probably spend more to get an implant at some point.
• I paid my GEICO bill.  Six months for two of us.
• I have a meeting I work every June that requires khaki pants.  The ones from last year are too tight, so I bought two new pair.

Fun

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

• Meeting work is seasonal - there isn't much in July and August.  I took advantage and booked a vacation in July to Asheville.  I used points for the hotel and miles for airfare.  I'll pay for the rental car when we pick it up.  This should be a very reasonably priced vacation since two of the largest expenses were covered by points.
• While in Monaco for work, I visited the Monte Carlo casino.  I think it's the most famous casino in the world, but it was underwhelming.  Fortunately I won at the blackjack tables.  This was offset by flights I booked to New Orleans for later this year (we're taking a cruise from there).
• We also went to a comedy show in Orlando before we worked a meeting.  Again, my winnings in Monaco basically paid for this.

May Expenses:  $2,318

$1,366 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$10 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$332 Clothing/ Personal Care
$2 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$247 Food

$1,236 Health and Dental

$41 Household/Home Repairs

($46) Unreimbursed Job Expense income this month

($1,048) Reimbursed Job Expense income this month

$0 Interest Expense

$32 Miscellaneous (cat sitter, gifts)

$115 Taxes

$31 Utilities 

Making Progress Towards My Goals - April 2024 Update

April was such a busy month that I almost forgot to update you about my goals for this year.  

Financial

My goal this year is to invest 40% of my gross income from meeting work - 30% to index funds and 10% to something more aggressive.  In April I moved 44.9% of my meeting income to investment accounts.

In April, I earned $9,248* from meeting work.  Since I also received my tax refund I was able to do several things last month.  I transferred $1,000 to the brokerage account where I make more aggressive investments and $3,150 to my other brokerage account.  In addition, I wired $6,260 to Realty Mogul for the Capital Call for my investment in Gravity in Columbus, OH without needing to dip into my emergency funds.  I purchased shares of the Vanguard Total World Stock Index Admiral Fund for the 30%.  For the "more aggressive" investment, I added to a PUT option on Beyond Meat.

In addition to these investments, I made a $2,000 contribution to my ROTH IRA in April.

*This will not match what I report in my income blog as payments aren't always received in the month the work was performed.

Health

I'm doing well meeting my exercise goals by exercising at least 5x/week.  

Simplify

I've absolutely determined that I need to work on reducing the amount of clothes I have.  There are two reasons I have too many clothes:  1) For work, different clients require different uniforms.  I can't do anything about this, unfortunately; 2) My fluctuating weight means I have clothes in different sizes.  That's not the easiest problem to overcome, either.  What I have started to do is upgrade to more durable, neutral clothing.  This gives me more flexibility, increases my confidence, and ultimately should help me own less.

Have Fun, on a Budget

We didn't take any vacations in April and I didn't plan any.  We're definitely due for a getaway!

My Frugal Miser - April 2024 Income

In April my income was substantial, including one of the highest figures for meeting income yet.  I worked meetings 23 out of 30 days.  I received rental income from both Alabama properties as well as one Realty Mogul distribution and a small monthly distribution from Open Door Capital.  There was a foreboding note in the monthly update from Open Door Capital that suggests distributions may be suspended.  We shall see.

Open Door continues to pay interest on the promissory note as promised. 

April Income: $16,566

$11,034 Meeting Jobs
$62 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$0 Amazon Deliveries

$3,087 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $310)
$2,383 Interest Income

$0 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $2,288

My investments have steadily increased in value.

My Frugal Miser - April 2024 Expenses

April was a unique month:  my tax refund offset all my other spending, making April a net income month.  

• I bought an Amazon gift card (divided between Household and Food expense) to take advantage of a 5% cashback offer.
• I paid the $95 annual fee for the Chase British Airways card.
• I received a massive tax refund.  Real estate losses (mostly depreciation) were higher than expected, offsetting other income.

Fun

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

• I continued my monthly subscription for U Relax.  It's a powdered alcohol-alternative beverage.
• No travel/vacations were planned.

April Expenses:  ($11,095) income

$239 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$120 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$112 Clothing/ Personal Care
$188 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$431 Food

$132 Health and Dental

$1,490 Household/Home Repairs

$765 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($1,134) Reimbursed Job Expense income this month

$0 Interest Expense

$114 Miscellaneous (cat sitter, gifts)

($13,721) Taxes income this month

$168 Utilities 

Making Progress Towards My Goals - March 2024 Update

I had a little downtime at the beginning of March, but then I spent more than two weeks on the road.

Financial

My goal this year is to invest 40% of my gross income from meeting work - 30% to index funds and 10% to something more aggressive.  I remain on track in Month 3.

In March, I earned $8,313* from meeting work.  I transferred $3,300 (39.7% of meeting income) to my brokerage accounts. I purchased shares of the Vanguard Total World Stock Index Admiral Fund for the 30%.  For the "more aggressive" investment, I bought 100 shares of Bayer (BAYRY).

In addition to these investments, I made a $1,000 contribution to my ROTH IRA in March.

Last month I said I was shifting to liquid investments due to potential capital calls for some of my real estate syndications, and it's likely that will continue.  However, I felt comfortable adding to my index fund this time.  I am expecting a tax refund in April which will pad my cash cushion.  I did receive a capital call for the new development in Columbus, OH, but I have enough cash on hand to fund it.

*This will not match what I report in my income blog as payments aren't always received in the month the work was performed.

Health

I'm doing well meeting my exercise goals by exercising at least 5x/week.  

Simplify

Adding a few things to the donation bin is becoming a routine.  I didn't actively declutter, but whenever I stumble on something I don't need, it either gets trashed or donated.

Have Fun, on a Budget

I want to limit the fun budget to $5,000 in 2024.  In March I booked a flight to Asheville for a trip on Allegiant Airlines this month, but then canceled plans when I picked up a 7 day meeting over those days.  Roundtrip for two was under $184.  I also paid for our AMC A-List subscriptions and the bought some Kava-based drink powders called U Relax.  These are our substitute for alcohol.

My Frugal Miser - March 2024 Income

In March I continued the trend of 5 figure income.  I worked meetings 21 out of 31 days.  I received rental income from both Alabama properties as well as one Realty Mogul distribution and a small monthly distribution from Open Door Capital.  

Open Door continues to pay interest on the promissory note as promised. 

March Income: $11,700

$6,565 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$0 Amazon Deliveries

$2,648 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $359)
$2,373 Interest Income

$50 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $4,840

My investments have steadily increased in value.

My Frugal Miser - March 2024 Expenses

 Don't let my total spending fool you.  March was a frugal month.  Being on the road for work nearly the entire month surely makes it easier to spend less.

• I prepaid $500 towards the water bill to earn a sign up bonus on a new credit card.
• I paid the $95 annual fee for the Chase Hyatt card.
• I paid $5,000 towards quarterly taxes.  I just filed my 2023 tax return and can probably adjust that number down moving forward.

Fun

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

• I spent $115 on a product called U Relax.  It's a powdered alcohol-alternative beverage.
• I booked flights on Allegiant for an Asheville trip that we aren't going to take - I was offered a meeting job over those dates and decided to do that instead.

March Expenses:  $6,704

$72 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$95 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$230 Clothing/ Personal Care
$356 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$366 Food

$247 Health and Dental

$89 Household/Home Repairs

$15 Unreimbursed Job Expense

$394 Reimbursed Job Expense

$0 Interest Expense

$0 Miscellaneous (cat sitter, gifts)

$5,119 Taxes

$509 Utilities 

Making Progress Towards My 2024 Goals - February Update

Here's how I did in February...

Financial

A new goal this year is to invest 40% of my gross income from meeting work - 30% to index funds and 10% to something more aggressive.  I remain on track in Month 2.

In February, I earned $9,102* from meeting work.  I transferred $3,750 (41% of meeting income) to my brokerage accounts. I purchased a 3 month term CD for the 30%.  The "more aggressive" investment has not yet been deployed.  

I am shifting to a more liquid investment (the CD) for now due to the performance of my real estate syndications and the likely need to add cash to those deals.  A few of the deals I invested in are new construction, and those construction loans have to be replaced by standard loans as the debt matures.  One deal I am particularly optimistic about is a development that was just completed in Columbus, OH.  The sponsors announced that a capital call is forthcoming to cover interest expense until the lease-up is complete.  Basically, the buildings are complete, but it takes time to fill them with tenants.  Interest rates are higher today than they were when construction began, so the project requires more cash to pay interest until things stabilize.  I'm willing to fund this shortfall because I am optimistic about the project long-term.

*This will not match what I report in my income blog.  I earned $9,102, but received less than that as payments aren't always received in the month the work was performed.

Health

I'm doing well meeting my exercise goals.  Last week I worked an event in Chicago for 8 days.  I visited the fitness center 5 of those days.  I also exceeded 10,000 steps on 5 days.  Unfortunately I made some mistakes on my diet.  I ate dessert twice and had carbs in the form of french fries, sandwiches and breaded fish multiple times.  There were some stressful personal events going on last week and I always use food as a coping mechanism.  Bad habit, no excuses.

Simplify

I worked so much last month that I was barely home.  I plan to add more to the donation box in March.

Have Fun, on a Budget

I want to limit the fun budget to $5,000 in 2024.  I didn't purchase any travel in February.  The fun budget was limited to our AMC A-List subscriptions and the purchase of some Kava-based drink powders.

My Frugal Miser - February 2024 Income

February was a strong earnings month.  I worked meetings 22 out of 29 days.  Rental income was lower than expected.  I received rent from only one of my Alabama rental properties.  I also received one distribution from Realty Mogul and the small monthly distribution from Open Door Capital.  I received an unexpected windfall in the form of a $492 check from a class action settlement involving my brokerage account.

Open Door continues to pay interest on the promissory note as promised. 

February Income: $14,501

$9,428 Meeting Jobs
$6 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$0 Amazon Deliveries

$2,196 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $359)
$2,345 Interest Income

$526 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $1,557

My investments were up in February.

My Frugal Miser - February 2024 Expenses

 February was a decent month.  

• I paid the annual fee for my Self-Directed IRA.
• We worked an event in Orlando for the staffing company that introduced me to this industry.  It normally doesn't cover hotel rooms, so we paid out of pocket for it.
• Miscellaneous was income this month as I received proceeds from selling the Bruno Mars tickets.  My speculative purchase of these tickets resulted in a major loss.

Fun

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

• No vacations were planned.

February Expenses:  $2,892

$77 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$895 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$267 Clothing/ Personal Care
$220 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$558 Food

$13 Health and Dental

$30 Household/Home Repairs

$267 Unreimbursed Job Expense

$350 Reimbursed Job Expense

$0 Interest Expense

($265) Miscellaneous (cat sitter, gifts) income this month

$425 Taxes

$199 Utilities 

Making Progress Towards My 2024 Goals - January Update

January was a super busy month, yet I found time to work on my goals for this year.  To keep myself accountable, here's an update:

Financial

A new goal this year is to invest 40% of my gross income from meeting work - 30% to index funds and 10% to something more aggressive.  I'm on track in Month 1.

In January, I earned $8,126* from meeting work.  I transferred $3,850 to my brokerage accounts.  As a bonus (not part of this particular goal), I also made a $1,000 contribution to my ROTH IRA.  I chose the Vanguard Total World Stock Index Fund (VTWAX) for the 30%.  The "more aggressive" investment was a PUT option against Beyond Meat (BYND) that expires in January 2025.

*This will not match what I report in my income blog.  I earned $8,126, but received less than that as payments aren't always received in the month the work was performed.

Health

I want to lose weight and exercise 5x/week this year.  I've lost a few pounds and I met my exercise goal in January.

Simplify

This one is all about getting rid of things I don't use.  I found out both Amazon and Microsoft have a program where you can sell back your used electronics.  For me, this isn't about maximizing what I make from my old stuff.  It's about getting rid of things without hassle.  I sold 5 old items to Amazon (I received $22 as an Amazon gift card - pitiful but effortless).  I also sent off two Surface Pro 3 tablets and a Samsung S9 phone to Microsoft.  I just sent those and am waiting for the trade to be approved, but I should receive about 1/3 what I paid for the tablets when I bought them used.  I'll receive $58 for the three devices if they are approved.

I also added 6 pieces of clothing, a couple books, a lamp and a few miscellaneous items to the donation box.  I trashed our 10 year old Roomba and a second robot vacuum and replaced them with a new one.  I also trashed a worn out pair of shoes and broken solar charger.

Lastly, I simplified my finances just a tad.  The authorized user fee for my AMEX was $195/year, so I canceled that card.

Have Fun, on a Budget

I want to limit the fun budget to $5,000 in 2024.  In January, we drastically cut down on alcohol consumption.  We took a 2 night cruise on Margaritaville at Sea, but it was paid for in December.  I didn't book any other getaways, so the fun budget was barely touched last month.

I'm off to a promising start.  Of all these goals, losing weight will be the toughest.  It's ridiculously hard for me to stick to a diet.  Food is my addiction, yet I can't live without it.

My Frugal Miser - January 2024 Income

January was a nice month for income.  I worked 20 consecutive days doing meetings.  We ended the month with a two day Margaritaville cruise.

I didn't do rideshare or work any Amazon routes.

Rental income was as expected.  I received rent from both Alabama rental properties and the small monthly distribution from Open Door Capital.  Rental expenses were a bit higher than normal.  I paid the fire dues on the condo and my management company charged a research fee to pull up some old repair records I needed to submit for a class action lawsuit.

Open Door continues to pay interest on the promissory note as promised. 

January Income: $11,014

$6,522 Meeting Jobs
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$0 Amazon Deliveries

$2,112 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $1,510)
$2,381 Interest Income

$0 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $4,284

My investments were up in January.

My Frugal Miser - January 2024 Expenses

January was a decent month.  

• I prepaid my health insurance for the year.  I'm working on a sign-up bonus on a new credit card and doing this gets me closer to the bonus.
• We worked one event in Orlando where only lunch was provided, so the food budget is mostly our dinners that week.
• My scheme to resell the Bruno Mars tickets was a bust.  I had no idea Ticketmaster would set a minimum sale price, yet oddly would offer a "sell it now" option for significantly less than that price.  Tickets for the concert did not sell well, and I was not allowed to lower my offer price to match supply and demand.  Out of desperation, I sold at the "sell it now" price two days before the concert.  

Fun

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

• We took a two night cruise on Margaritaville at Sea.  The company charged a fuel surcharge ($30/person) and gratuities, plus we had some small charges for ice cream and additional gratuities.
• No other vacations were planned.

January Expenses:  $5,834

$96 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$544 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$158 Clothing/ Personal Care
$274 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)

$445 Food

$3,265 Health and Dental

$48 Household/Home Repairs

$33 Unreimbursed Job Expense

$589 Reimbursed Job Expense

$0 Interest Expense

$96 Miscellaneous (cat sitter, gifts)

$251 Taxes

$36 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - December 2023 Income

December was a lighter month for active income than I would have preferred, but real estate and interest income carried me.  Besides, we made the most of it by taking our vacation during a slow time.  I worked two meetings and one local transportation job - 15 days total.  

I didn't do rideshare but received a decent check from the rides I gave at the end of November.  The $1,141 check included a $700 bonus for completing 60 rides.  Without the bonus, my earnings would have been significantly below minimum wage.  I didn't complete a single Amazon route in December.  Amazon overhired drivers and most of the new drivers are happy driving at unprofitable rates, which I will not do.

Rental income was excellent.  I received rent from both Alabama rental properties and two distributions from Realty Mogul and one from Open Door Capital.  I paid annual property taxes for the Alabama properties.

Open Door continues to pay interest on the promissory note as promised.  I also received a decent interest payment on my Capital One Savings balance.

December Income: $13,525

$5,280 Meeting Jobs
$1,141 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$0 Amazon Deliveries

$4,598 Rental Income (Rental Expenses:  $3,035)
$2,506 Interest Income

$0 Other Sources

Investment Accounts Change in Value:  $998

My investments were down slightly in December.

My Frugal Miser - December 2023 Expenses

The majority of my spending in December was necessary, unavoidable expenses.  Strip out those categories and we were frugal last month.

• I am required to have business insurance for my meeting work and paid $404 for the annual policy.
• I renewed our homeowner's insurance for 12 months ($1,243).  Because we have a new home in a different part of the city, this is 1/3 what I was paying in Clearwater.
• I paid $5,000 for quarterly taxes.
• Bruno Mars announced a new residency in Las Vegas.  A few years ago I was able to resell tickets to his concert at a profit, so I paid $1,311 for two tickets (miscellaneous category) with plans to sell them for more.

Fun

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

• Thanks to a profitable blackjack game on the Carnival Miracle, I won $2,600 gambling, making the Fun category positive for the month.  
• We spent $50 on an excursion in Cabo.
• The balance was for our AMC A-List subscriptions, rideshare expenses during our vacation, and a small amount for alcohol.

December Expenses:  $6,698

$90 Auto (service, gas, insurance, AAA, etc.)

$0 Bank Fees (annual fees on credit cards)
$113 Clothing/ Personal Care
($2,279) Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets) income this month

$418 Food

$111 Health and Dental

$1,243 Household/Home Repairs

$481 Unreimbursed Job Expense

($238) Reimbursed Job Expense income this month

$0 Interest Expense

$1,527 Miscellaneous (cat sitter, gifts)

$5,093 Taxes

$140 Utilities 

My Frugal Miser - How I did on my 2023 Goals

 Every year I set a few goals to keep me on track.  In 2023 I published 4 goals:

• increase net worth by 12%; increase rental income by 15% or sell a property
• weigh 175 pounds
• declutter the house by removing 2 items for every new one, keep my inbox clear, stop wasting time doing unnecessary things
• Limit spending in the Fun category to $5,000

Let's see how I did...

• My net worth barely budged.  It increased by about $6,000 in 2023.  I knew while setting my goals that I was going to have a big tax burden to pay in 2023, I didn't realize it would be more than $94,000.  I consider the second part of that goal pertaining to rental properties a success.  I sold my last Florida rental property and I increased the rent on one of the Alabama properties by 14%.  I collected 10% more rent from the condo I own in Birmingham.  Real estate syndication income was basically flat.
• I gained weight.  Fail.
• I created a system for decluttering the house.  We keep a couple of large boxes in the office to store things that I'll donate, and when full, we take them to a nearby charity that operates a thrift store.  I spent some down time between meetings tackling to-do items that were clogging my inbox.  It feels like a weight has been lifted by finally conquering these procrastinated tasks.  Success.
• Spending on Fun in 2023 was $4,959.  Success - thanks to a winning gambling session on our December cruise, I just barely made it under my $5K goal.  This is the lowest this category has been in at least 5 years.  Progress.

Overall I feel like setting goals helped me accomplish more than if I didn't have a plan in place.