October Budget Review
Monthly Review: October 2020 - 90% Savings Rate
Lets quickly hit the big events from October:
Koe Wetzel Concert
Tiger King Halloween
Six Flags
Sports Bets = Free Pizza
New Climbing Gym
Family Farms
I can ramble on about everything we did this month or what I spent money on but we all know that the best thing coming out of this month was this remarkable rendition of the Tiger King and Carole Baskin!
It’s weird to think I could be celebrating halloween and sitting poolside in October?! This is a huge reason we moved to Austin. Forgive the jeans, I was over at a friends apartment working on a Friday but it was still totally worth it.
We finished up our own apartment last month so this month was all about just relaxing and enjoying our new city.
Let’s break down all the details.
After-Tax Income: $10,487
I think this will be my standard after-tax monthly income going forward. With $1657 coming from my Air Force benefits and $8,830 coming from the base portion of my paycheck.
That paycheck total is slightly higher thanks to the no state income tax in Texas.
Expenses: $1,082.97
Now that rent is only $275 per month, I think expenses will almost always be under $1400 per month and even a few under the $1k mark.
Let’s break it all down
Going Out: $153.11
This month we took turns taking each other out to happy hour date nights. Leslie’s choice was Salty Sow. Their drinks are good but the honey dipped chicken is the real star of the show.
My choice was called Upstairs at Carolines. They do $2 tacos and some pretty decent margs. It’s also an awesome place to enjoy the Austin weather with the open air and views downtown.
You’ll also notice several charges to a spot called Cidercade. It’s right next door to us. They make and serve their own ciders. It’s right on the water and is filled with a mix of new and classic arcade games.
It’s typically $10 entry each time but we opted for the $15 + tax fee to get unlimited monthly entry. The other charges are from growler refills.
Cidercade: $8.66
Groupon: $13.50
Topgolf: $4.52
Ubereats: $7.45
Cidercade: $18.50
Cidercade: $5.20
Cidercade: $5.20
Upstairs at Carolines: $50
Cidercade: $5.20
Terry Blacks: $10.14
Tiki Bar: $17.74
Taco Cabana: $7
Groceries: $71.14
Just a typical month of groceries.
One thing that kept the grocery costs down this month were these delicious Chicago deep dish pizzas. My buddy Max lost a bet with me. He bet that the Lakers would lose the NBA Finals, and I had plenty of faith in LeBron to take those odds.
Full grocery cost breakdown:
HEB: $27.92
HEB: $16.59
Randalls: $10.56
WalMart: $8.82
Fiesta: $7.25
Bills: $591.56
The big outlier this month is the gym membership. We found a great rock climbing gym down the street that has a separate weight lifting facility. It comes out to $676 for a year if you pay all at once. My work covers $400 per year which brought the cost down to $276.
The gym also has co-working spaces, unlimited fitness classes, and unlimited yoga classes.
The full set of bills were:
Rent - $275.00
Internet - $27
Spotify - $10
Car Insurance - $49.32
Year of gym membership (after $400 work credit): $276
Cidercade: $16.24
Travel: $109.88
If you read many my monthly reviews, you’ve probably noticed I’m slightly addicted to live music. One of the best live performers on the Texas Country scene was coming through town (Koe Wetzel) and my buddy TJ had scooped us tickets.
They had an interesting setup to comply with Covid restrictions. Tickets had to be sold in groups of four and those four people had a designated square to stay in. I think it’s actually a welcome improvement. No more worrying about some random group pushing their way in front of you.
Next up we took a little road trip to visit with Leslie’s aunt. Her and her husband are both veterinarians and have so many franimals (Friend + Animals) to hang out with.
Finally there is Six Flags. Yes, I’m absolutely a little kid at heart and love roller coasters. It doesn’t hurt that I was able to get 15 months worth of unlimited use, parking, plus plenty of food for two each time I go. All for the low low price of $91.
The only problem will be working out enough at the new gym to keep up with these calories. With the pass I’m able to get one “meal” and one “snack” each day. This monster of a funnel cake is considered a snack.
So in all the travel sections costs this month were:
John Wolfe: $18.80
Six Flags Annual Pass: $91.08
Miscellaneous: $126.59
The last two months were a little crazy in this category, so glad to see this coming back down to normal. The jump box is a thing that allows me to jump my car off without a second car. It can also power other devices. The haircut was more pricey than I’m used to but need to find my new spot now that we’ve moved.
The full list of expenses for this category:
JumpBox: $43.16
Banana Republic: $35
Eddie Bauer: $3.79
Haircut: $20
Plants: $24.64
Gas: $30.69
Just normal driving. We don’t have a commute at all to work but Texas is a big place so we expect a good bit of driving on the weekends.
Big Picture: Net Worth Increase $18,264 to $596,366
Getting so close to another front number change. Referring to that 5 in my net-worth getting ready to tick up to a 6. Whether you’re working your way out of debt or in the tens of thousands, I think you should always celebrate these front number changes.
This month I saved $9,404 while the market gained me $8,860 for a total net-worth increase of $18,264.