Hello everyone!
I have decided to finally start a journal.
A little background:
- I am 26 yo and planning on starting grad school in September
- I have traveled extensively throughout Central America, Peru, Bolivia, and Thailand
- I lived in Thailand for 2 years, excellent medical in BKK
- Currently living in a little college town in California
- I have no debt and a bit of savings ($10,000)
Overall Goals:
-Get my expenses under $1000/month (rent + $450, ideally)
-Learn more about investments
-Bike more instead of drive
-Find and establish more free activities with friends instead of drinking and eating out
DTL's Journal
DTL's Journal
Last edited by DTL on Mon Mar 31, 2014 9:51 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Re: DTL journal : 26 yo grad student
Sept 2013 - February 2014
Rent (includes utilities and internet): $450, $450, $450, $450, $450, $450
Food (included groceries, eating out,& alcohol) : $338, $372, $277, $289, $338, $346
Gas : $104, $120, $133, $153, $105, $124
Other: $392, $410, $429, $377, $163, $448
Total: $1284, $1352, $1289, $1269, $1056, $1368
Expenses w/o rent: $834, $902, $839, $819, $606, $916 [OVERALL GOAL $450]
It's nice to see 6 months of expenses. It's pretty consistent and I can no longer tell myself that "This month was just a high month, next month won't be as high"
I really like this simple breakdown of categories but I will keep a closer eye on other in the future.
Breaking down 'Other' into 'Entertainment' 'Shopping' and 'Hobby' might be a better way to evaluate where all my money is going.
Goals for March
Food < $277
Gas < $104
Other < $163
Goal Expenses w/o rent: $545
March To Do List:
- Cancel Climbing Gym Membership
- Read ERE again and take notes
- Get rid of one drawer of 'stuff'
- Inline skate at least 3 times a week
- Volunteer 2 times in March
- Attend 2 events in March
Rent (includes utilities and internet): $450, $450, $450, $450, $450, $450
Food (included groceries, eating out,& alcohol) : $338, $372, $277, $289, $338, $346
Gas : $104, $120, $133, $153, $105, $124
Other: $392, $410, $429, $377, $163, $448
Total: $1284, $1352, $1289, $1269, $1056, $1368
Expenses w/o rent: $834, $902, $839, $819, $606, $916 [OVERALL GOAL $450]
It's nice to see 6 months of expenses. It's pretty consistent and I can no longer tell myself that "This month was just a high month, next month won't be as high"
I really like this simple breakdown of categories but I will keep a closer eye on other in the future.
Breaking down 'Other' into 'Entertainment' 'Shopping' and 'Hobby' might be a better way to evaluate where all my money is going.
Goals for March
Food < $277
Gas < $104
Other < $163
Goal Expenses w/o rent: $545
March To Do List:
- Cancel Climbing Gym Membership
- Read ERE again and take notes
- Get rid of one drawer of 'stuff'
- Inline skate at least 3 times a week
- Volunteer 2 times in March
- Attend 2 events in March
Last edited by DTL on Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:13 am, edited 3 times in total.
Re: DTL journal : 26 yo grad student
You're going to grad school in your perfect little town?
Funny, I'm a 26-year old former grad student who grew up in a California college town, now heading out to places like Peru and Thailand. You lived in Bangkok? Did you visit other parts of Thailand - how did they seem for someone not interested in hookers? If I were to go to Thailand, it would probably be for a year or so, and thinking Chiang Mai, though I don't know much about the other options.
Funny, I'm a 26-year old former grad student who grew up in a California college town, now heading out to places like Peru and Thailand. You lived in Bangkok? Did you visit other parts of Thailand - how did they seem for someone not interested in hookers? If I were to go to Thailand, it would probably be for a year or so, and thinking Chiang Mai, though I don't know much about the other options.
Re: DTL journal : 26 yo grad student
Yeah, this little town is where I plan on going to grad school.
I actually lived in a small village in the east coast, Chantaburi province. Chiang Mai would be perfect city to stay for a bit but apparently the air quality gets really bad during certain seasons because the surrounding areas burn their rice fields. Chiang Mai was my favorite city in Thailand.
I actually lived in a small village in the east coast, Chantaburi province. Chiang Mai would be perfect city to stay for a bit but apparently the air quality gets really bad during certain seasons because the surrounding areas burn their rice fields. Chiang Mai was my favorite city in Thailand.
Re: DTL's Journal
March 2014 Review
Total Expenses: $996 (YAY! under $1000, hopefully this will be a new trend and not a fluke)
Breakdown:
Rent : $450
Food : $292 (Still too high but I have been more active in monitoring this number during the month)
Gas : $44 ( I still have 1/3 of a tank left)
Projects: $12
Shopping : $146
Health and Fitness : $52 (got sick this month, cough drops, cough syrup, and $40 massage)
Total Expenses: $996 (YAY! under $1000, hopefully this will be a new trend and not a fluke)
Breakdown:
Rent : $450
Food : $292 (Still too high but I have been more active in monitoring this number during the month)
Gas : $44 ( I still have 1/3 of a tank left)
Projects: $12
Shopping : $146
Health and Fitness : $52 (got sick this month, cough drops, cough syrup, and $40 massage)
Re: DTL's Journal
March To Do List: How did I do?
- Cancel Climbing Gym Membership Done
- Read ERE again and take notes Done
- Get rid of one drawer of 'stuff' Sort of
- Inline skate at least 3 times a week Nope
- Volunteer 2 times in March Only once
- Attend 2 events in March Check
Goals for April
Food < $280
Gas < $50
Other < $170
Goal Expenses w/o rent: $500
Other Goals for April:
-Read 'Reading in the brain' by Stanislas Dehaene
-Read 'Dr. Seuss and Philosophy'
-Volunteer once in April
-Attend 2 events in April
-Bike to School and work 50% of the time
- Cancel Climbing Gym Membership Done
- Read ERE again and take notes Done
- Get rid of one drawer of 'stuff' Sort of
- Inline skate at least 3 times a week Nope
- Volunteer 2 times in March Only once
- Attend 2 events in March Check
Goals for April
Food < $280
Gas < $50
Other < $170
Goal Expenses w/o rent: $500
Other Goals for April:
-Read 'Reading in the brain' by Stanislas Dehaene
-Read 'Dr. Seuss and Philosophy'
-Volunteer once in April
-Attend 2 events in April
-Bike to School and work 50% of the time
Re: DTL's Journal
I am happy to say I would be FI if I kept my spending at my 2014 levels. 
Lifestyle inflation has followed me through the last 10 years but I’ve been able to still live below my means. It was the simple ‘VTSAX and chill’ method, nothing special. I’m probably 7 years out with my current spending but I’m working on simplifying my life and hopefully this will also result in reduced spending. It was pretty interesting remembering the simple grad school lifestyle I was living when I was first on these forums. It's made me reflect on the last 10 years and where I want to go from here.
I heard somewhere there are 3 legs of the stool of life that all compound. Finances, relationships, and health. Each of those categories have many subcategories that I would love to explore further. Something I would like to explore further.
I’ve recently came across a post by madfienst titled “Happiness Through Subtraction” and the Part where he says
“We are terrible at predicting what will make us happier but it’s obvious what makes us unhappy so rather than pursue something that likely won’t actually improve our well-being, focus instead on eliminating the things that definitely make us unhappy and the net result will be increased happiness!” really resonated with me. I’ve been subconsciously doing this with each job change. I’ve had 3 full time jobs in the last 10 years an each was in the pursuit of removing an element of work that was making me unhappy. This might have been pay, autonomy, remote work, work life flexibility, etc. I’m quite content at my current job but still diligently investing to reach FI. The efforts I spent in focusing on my career can now be directed toward my health. I probably have consumed too much information regarding improvements in health and really need to focus on setting up simple systems that I can follow through with in the long term. I’ve recently reread Atomic Habits and really want to restart with the simple systems 80/20 for nutrition, zone 2, and strength. I’ll probably start another journal to help capture my future ramblings or post again in another 10 years
Lifestyle inflation has followed me through the last 10 years but I’ve been able to still live below my means. It was the simple ‘VTSAX and chill’ method, nothing special. I’m probably 7 years out with my current spending but I’m working on simplifying my life and hopefully this will also result in reduced spending. It was pretty interesting remembering the simple grad school lifestyle I was living when I was first on these forums. It's made me reflect on the last 10 years and where I want to go from here. I heard somewhere there are 3 legs of the stool of life that all compound. Finances, relationships, and health. Each of those categories have many subcategories that I would love to explore further. Something I would like to explore further.
I’ve recently came across a post by madfienst titled “Happiness Through Subtraction” and the Part where he says
“We are terrible at predicting what will make us happier but it’s obvious what makes us unhappy so rather than pursue something that likely won’t actually improve our well-being, focus instead on eliminating the things that definitely make us unhappy and the net result will be increased happiness!” really resonated with me. I’ve been subconsciously doing this with each job change. I’ve had 3 full time jobs in the last 10 years an each was in the pursuit of removing an element of work that was making me unhappy. This might have been pay, autonomy, remote work, work life flexibility, etc. I’m quite content at my current job but still diligently investing to reach FI. The efforts I spent in focusing on my career can now be directed toward my health. I probably have consumed too much information regarding improvements in health and really need to focus on setting up simple systems that I can follow through with in the long term. I’ve recently reread Atomic Habits and really want to restart with the simple systems 80/20 for nutrition, zone 2, and strength. I’ll probably start another journal to help capture my future ramblings or post again in another 10 years