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Tuesday, October 8
Making Progress Towards My Goals - September 2024 Update
Saturday, October 5
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
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$960 Amazon Deliveries
$3,846 Interest Income
Investment Accounts Change in Value: $4,535
Friday, October 4
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 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
$232 Clothing/ Personal Care
Sunday, September 8
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.
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Wednesday, September 4
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
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$1,244 Amazon Deliveries
$2,492 Interest Income
Investment Accounts Change in Value: $3,128
Monday, September 2
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
- 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
$27 Clothing/ Personal Care
Thursday, August 8
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.
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Sunday, August 4
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
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$1,039 Amazon Deliveries
$2,503 Interest Income
Investment Accounts Change in Value: ($419)
Friday, August 2
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
- 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
$80 Clothing/ Personal Care
Wednesday, July 3
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
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$614 Amazon Deliveries
$2,470 Interest Income
Investment Accounts Change in Value: ($3,614)
Monday, July 1
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
- 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
$280 Clothing/ Personal Care
Friday, June 7
Making Progress Towards My Goals - May 2024 Update
I experienced another month of substantial earnings in May.
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Monday, June 3
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
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$580 Amazon Deliveries
$2,438 Interest Income
Investment Accounts Change in Value: $438
Saturday, June 1
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
- 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
$332 Clothing/ Personal Care
$2 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)
Sunday, May 12
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.
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Wednesday, May 8
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
$62 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$0 Amazon Deliveries
$2,383 Interest Income
Investment Accounts Change in Value: $2,288
Tuesday, May 7
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
- 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
$112 Clothing/ Personal Care
$188 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)
Saturday, April 13
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.
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Thursday, April 11
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
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$0 Amazon Deliveries
$2,373 Interest Income
Investment Accounts Change in Value: $4,840
Tuesday, April 9
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
- 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
$230 Clothing/ Personal Care
$356 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)
Saturday, March 9
Making Progress Towards My 2024 Goals - February Update
Here's how I did in February...
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Wednesday, March 6
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
$6 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$0 Amazon Deliveries
$2,345 Interest Income
Investment Accounts Change in Value: $1,557
Saturday, March 2
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
- No vacations were planned.
February Expenses: $2,892
$267 Clothing/ Personal Care
$220 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)
Saturday, February 17
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:
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Monday, February 5
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
$0 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$0 Amazon Deliveries
$2,381 Interest Income
Investment Accounts Change in Value: $4,284
Friday, February 2
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 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
$158 Clothing/ Personal Care
$274 Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets)
Friday, January 5
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
$1,141 Gig Apps (Rideshare, Food Deliveries, etc.)
$0 Amazon Deliveries
$2,506 Interest Income
Investment Accounts Change in Value: $998
Wednesday, January 3
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
- 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
$113 Clothing/ Personal Care
($2,279) Fun (vacations, movies, gambling, alcohol, concert tickets) income this month
Monday, January 1
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
- 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.