Here Are The Numbers !

I am really not someone who should be blogging, but I like to keep myself accountable and be able to look back and see where I have come. I am not a writer, I am a numbers person, hence the reason I love personal finance. So lets just get straight to the numbers. Here is what my budget generally looks like every month.

Income:

Day job: $1800

Side job: $160

After taxes: $1500

Fixed Expenses: 

Rent - $200

Investments - $200 ($100 bi-weekly*) 

Car payments - $220 ($110 bi-weekly*) 

Car insurance - $187

Student loan - $150

Gym - $90

Variable Expenses:

Gas - $150

Groceries - $150

Phone - $75

Pet - $50

Charity - $25

Laundry - $10

Total: $1507

As you can see, I have a tight budget. When it comes to my income, I am paid hourly, so I always do my best to pick up extra shifts. Not only does it look good on me that I am flexible and willing to always help, but it gives me the extra income to meet my needs. I often have side things going on for a little bit of money here and there, but because they are not constant and often go straight to debt, I am not including them.

This is very basic, and no I don't include entertainment, or clothes or anything like that. Well clearly I cant afford to, and also I try to do things that are free! I really enjoy hiking and being outside (in the summer!). I spend most of my time with my sisters, which includes a lot of going to the gym (hence the $90 gym membership..I know, I know!), and going to whatever my nieces and nephews are doing at the time (soccer games, hockey games, baseball games)  

One other thing I would like to point out, savings! As you can see I have $100 bi-weekly automatically put into mutual funds. I split it between my RSP and TFSA, 50/50. I plan on using my RSP to buy my condo in 19 months (more on that later)! And I would consider my TFSA as my emergency fund, (about to be used, boo!). Something you wont see in my budget is my Employee Savings Program. I am contributing 7.5% of my pretax salary (about $55 a pay) to this savings program through my work. They match up to 6%, and it is also used to buy company stocks! As soon as I was allow to participate in this I jumped on it! So far it is great, and our company stocks were up 14% last year!!! Hope it keeps going that way! The only downfall to this savings program is that I must keep it in there for 2 full years to have it matched. I am fine with that as this will also be part of my down payment for my condo. 

Overall, it's tight, but this is the least I will ever make (I hope!) and pretty realistic, sadly.

* It has come to my attention that this may mean twice weekly, but I mean it as every two weeks (maybe a Canadian thing? maybe I'm just wrong! haha)