Photo credit: LabMinions.com

Now that I am working again and no longer unemployed, I’m revisiting my old unemployment budget and making updates.

NET Income Per Month (after taxes & required deductions)

Job #1:  $4,935    Omg, taxes are a BEAST!  Grrr.

Job #2:  $540

I am not pursuing any additional side hustles at this time. Between these two jobs, I’m maxed out on hours and stress (60-75 hours per week). Any more than that and my health suffers noticeably.

Total Income:  $5, 475

The Outgo per month

Rent+Utilities:  $1465   (Unfortunately, I’m back in an expensive apartment, this time WITH a roommate.  How this happened.)

Phone:  $70    (Yes, I still have my iPhone. Sigh.)

Student Loan 1: $40    (This one is not bundled with my others, so I pay on it every month.)

Food: $500    (Yes, this is too high. I am not cooking and still eating out a lot.)

Public Transportation: $200  (Yikes! Public transit is waaay more expensive here than I thought it would be. )

Health Insurance: $100  (Yikes again! This is the cheapest High Deductible plan offered.)

Credit Card Debt:  $2,000  (Ouch!  Did I mention how much I HATE debt!? The credit card debt will die first.)

Student Loan 2: $850    (These payments begin next month. This is interest only. Aggghhh! This should be retirement money!)

Gym Membership: $65

Netflix: $15

Fun/Misc/Clothing: $100

Emergency Savings: $70

Outgo Total:  $5,475

 

What Does This Mean?

This will roughly be my budget for the next year. I will not be having fun. This assumes that all goes well with my new job and that I don’t get fired again. This assumes that I don’t have any major health problems. Items in red are targets for cutting. This apartment complex makes it virtually impossible to get out of your lease, so I may be stuck here for a while, but I will consider my options. As soon as I am able to look for cheaper housing I will do so. That will save me hundreds of dollars each month that I can put towards retirement and emergency savings.

What Does This Really Mean?

“Debtor’s prison is real, and opportunity cost is a bitch.” (DDSW)