Right now, I am living on a budget, and I need to think carefully about how I spend my money.
After a year of illness — and yes, I am still sick and undergoing medical evaluation — I am now receiving health-related financial support while I am unable to work.
My income has been reduced by about 34%.
I used to receive a monthly salary, but from now on I will receive benefits every two weeks.
I have lived with very little before, so I am not too worried. Things tend to work themselves out, and I know how to make the most of what I have.
Life sometimes takes unexpected turns, and I am learning to adjust to that 🩷
My biggest monthly expenses
My biggest expenses are housing and food.
I pay about $1,470 / €1,350 in rent each month, and that includes electricity and internet. The rent is actually reasonable compared to other apartments in my area.
I am still trying to get a clear overview of how much I spend on food, but I think it is around $380 / €350 per month.
I also pay for phone plans for myself and my youngest daughter, who is a student.
I have insurance, a loan I am paying down, and a few subscriptions — like a gym membership, Netflix, YouTube, Spotify and iCloud.
I want to take a closer look at my expenses and see if I really need to pay $12 / €11 per month for iCloud.
I will also check if it might be possible to reduce my loan payments for a while, if I ever feel the need to.
Since last autumn, I have known that my health situation might lead to a period where I would not be able to work.
Because of that, I decided to sell my car.
I sold it in November and put the money into savings.
It always feels good to have some money set aside in case something unexpected happens 💰🩷
A closer look at my monthly finances
Over the past couple of months, I have started writing down everything I spend money on. It has helped me see where my money actually goes.
This is what my finances looked like in January and February.
January
Income: $3,270 / €3,000
Expenses
Fixed expenses: $2,110 / €1,930
Groceries: $430 / €395
Public transport: $67 / €62
Doctor / medication: $124 / €114
Clothes: $89 / €81
Skin & hair care: $244 / €224
Hobbies: $22 / €20
Coffee / restaurant: $6 / €5
Other expenses: $265 / €243
Savings: $57 / €52
February
Income: $2,930 / €2,680
Expenses
Fixed expenses: $1,935 / €1,770
Groceries: $570 / €522
Public transport: $74 / €68
Doctor / medication: $82 / €75
Clothes: $32 / €30
Skin & hair care: $249 / €229
Hobbies: 0
Coffee / restaurant: $30 / €28
Other expenses: $378 / €347
Savings: $28 / €26
What surprised me the most when I looked at these numbers is how much of my money goes toward food — but food is expensive.
Eating well is important to me, so it is one of the areas where I try to be careful without cutting too much.
Clean, protein-rich food has been part of my lifestyle for many years, and because I have IBS I also have to be mindful of what I eat.
Looking ahead
Later this year, I will receive holiday pay from last year, around $4,750 / €4,350.
Even though I dream about taking a small trip to Italy, most of that money will go into savings.
I would also like to buy myself a bicycle
I don’t have many things I can sell to earn extra money, but I do try to sell things I no longer use — I will share more about that later.
Dreams for the future
One of my dreams for the future is to start something of my own that I can earn money from — and of course, to win the lottery.
My son and I often have the most creative conversations about what we would do if we won the jackpot.
He wants a house with a huge piece of land, big enough to have his own model airplane runway.
And I dream of a house of my own with little details like a pink KitchenAid mixer, a white and grey marble kitchen countertop — and of course, a view of the sunset.
Do you live on a budget too?
I would love to hear your tips — or even your dreams.
I am not afraid of a period with less money. I don’t see it as something negative, but rather as a positive challenge🩷
I know that God takes care of me, and that somehow there will always be “money in my pockets.”
Love,
Fiffibelle 🌼
P.S. I will share another update on my finances in a month or two ☺️