December 2014 Budget

December was a good month for dividends however it wasn't so much a good month for saving.  This time of the year is the most expensive for me.  A big family with even a bigger extended family makes for a BIG month in the Guilt Free Spending Money category.  I did save up for a portion of the gifts but went about $200 dollars over budget.  My wife says I should spend equally among all of our kids.  My reply is the older kids "toys" are more expensive.  If they get equal number of gifts the older kids would therefore cost more.  If I spent several hundred dollars on the little ones toys they would get heaping mounds of plastic toys they would not play with.  Still working on the right balance even after 14 years of raising them.  In retrospect I probably could have spent less on the older kids and they would have been just as happy.  For example my daughter has yet to touch several of her presents and her favorite cost under $20 (see picture above).  Any advice all you frugal spenders?

Expense Breakdown
I am presenting the breakdown two different ways this month.  One is with the usual pie graph and the other is a mind map.  Let me know what one you like better.  This is a short post as my time is limited (kids have 2 hour school delay from snow so squeezing it in now).  This month was my bi-yearly car insurance payment.  That always takes a good chunk out of my savings.  Utilities/Cell Phones continue to eat up over 10% of my income.  Kinda crazy considering my mortgage only consumes 20%.  Maybe I should move back out to the country where my water was free.  The other biggy is food.  That is about the same as utilities.  We did host Christmas which added about $150 on to my normal food bill.  I wonder if I should go back to shopping at Aldi's.  I tried it once last year and got out with a week of groceries (including organic) for $100.  The family had some complaints about the taste of some of the products.  So I didn't go back.

The usual pie graph: 


Below is the mind map:

Savings
It was a merry Christmas until I totaled up the bill.  Ha just kidding.  It was a good holiday.  I spend 2 weeks playing with the kids and hanging around the house.  I will try better next year to focus even more on spending time with the family vs. buying them gifts they will get little joy from.


Savings rate for the Month = 0% :-(


Comments

  1. Henry - Living At HomeJanuary 12, 2015 at 2:53 PM

    So money well spent? Seems like you had a good time during the holidays. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dividend Family GuyJanuary 15, 2015 at 12:14 PM

      Holidays are always a good time with kids. Next year maybe I will give them each $100 and have them invest it. That might make them happier in 30 years!

      Delete
  2. ADDJanuary 12, 2015 at 5:53 PM

    Good thing December is a big dividend month! I can't remember if I read on your blog somewhere that you live around DC... Gotta love the mix/rain delays! Anyways, as long as you got to spend good quality time with family then the $200 is well worth it in my book. I like the Pie chart better. Also, the only advice I can give you is to get rid of cell phones! haha Good luck in the new year

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dividend Family GuyJanuary 15, 2015 at 12:16 PM

      Wish I could get rid of cell phones. The kids pay for theirs with savings and allowance. That just leaves me paying for 2. Regardless they are ridiculously expensive but I don't have a landline. Thanks for the feedback on the charts!
      DFG

      Delete
  3. Dividend LifeJanuary 12, 2015 at 8:43 PM

    Hi DFG,

    My vote's on the pie-chart too and not only because I like pie!

    What movie did you see with the one-time trip? I've not been to the cinema for a couple of years now - I used to go every weekend.

    Looking forward to reading about a positive savings rate in January!

    Best wishes,
    -DL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dividend Family GuyJanuary 15, 2015 at 12:18 PM

      It was the last Hobbit movie. The kids and I are fans of the lord of the rings and we have been seeing this series in the theater for the past couple of years. So far January is looking good.

      Delete

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