A Day in My Life - Day 28 @RRBC_Org 2023 #RRBC 30-Day #Blogging Challenge @YvetteMCalleiro #ADayInMyLife #RWISA @RRBC_RWISA @Tweets4RWISA #budgeting #livingonabudget #Excel #Excelsheets #budget #financialplanning

Hello, beautiful readers! Today is Day 28 of the #RRBC 30-Day #Blogging Challenge! It's also BEACH DAY! For those of you who are just joining my blogging journey, Sundays are beach days for me! (And welcome to my blog!) :-)

So, after I woke up, I had breakfast and read/commented on a few author blogs. Then, I got ready for the beach. I spent the entire day there with my friends, as usual. Once I got home, I showered, washed and blow dried my hair, made dinner, and watched a show with my son - a typical Sunday for me.

Toward the beginning of this blogging journey, I shared that when I got divorced, I was drowning in debt. Luckily, I had been raised by a dad who insisted we have family financial nights once a month. My sister and I hated sitting at the dining room table and listening to him go on and on about what money came into the house and how that money was spent for the month. 

Now, as an adult, I am beyond grateful for his lessons because it helped me save my house and pull me out of debt. It has also helped me become financially stable enough to enjoy trips.

So, how did I do it? Excel became my best friend. I created a spreadsheet where I listed every large expense I had, the money coming in, and the money I needed to send to savings (first to pay bills during the summer because I don't get paid in the summer as a teacher, later to save for trips). Then, I subtracted my bills and the money I sent to savings from my income to see how much money, if any, was left over. Here is a simplified example of the spreadsheet I created:

During my debt days, there was no money for the aquarium, nails, landscaping, or pest control, but slowly, I was able to incorporate them back into my life. I broke it down even further to see which bills I could pay with each pay check. I get paid bi-weekly, so by looking at how far each check would go, I was able to make sure the bills got paid on time. The orange boxes below indicate the costs that go onto my credit card. I do this to earn points for specific rewards. 

I take it even a step further and keep track of every penny that enters and leaves my house with a spreadsheet similar to the one below:

The picture above is similar to the one I live by. For many years, there was nothing in the "Other Spending" column. I was living paycheck to paycheck, just trying to pull myself out of debt. Eventually, I did. 

I learned the importance of saving money when I was young. During my "get out of debt" years, there was very little saving happening. Once I paid off my debt, I immediately started saving again, and I save a LOT. Every time I get a pay raise, I add that to my savings. I buy my car and keep it until it can't be repaired anymore, saving me thousands of dollars in lease money. I do everything I can to keep my costs down.

There are a few other things I do as well to make/save money, but you get the idea. I also have several savings accounts. Each one has its own purpose. When my check gets direct deposited, money automatically gets transferred into each savings account, and I pretend it doesn't exist. I live on the money in my checking account. By doing this, I have the money I need to travel every summer. 

A little bit of organizing helps me to see when and how I spend my money, and that allows me to make changes that help me enjoy my life. And I truly live a full life! :-)

Do you keep track of your expenses? Have I inspired you to try? I'd love to hear from you.