June Wrap-Up

June wasn't a fantastic savings month. We are moving forward, but not at the rate of savings needed to meet our goals by January 1. I keep reminding myself these are targets and goals-not the end of our fiscal world should we not meet the budget. Still, tracking keeps me motivated to reduce spending on nonessential, but also review and correct where more money than necessary was spent. See my note later about eating out. this year will be heavy on travel, and area we have already committed. Depending how low we want to tap into savings beyond our $13,000 decision, we may or may not move forward yet this year on the home upgrades, deferring to 2019 when travel will consist of light weekends and maybe a road trip next summer or spring break.

1. Fully fund the Roth                                              $13,000
2. Once in a lifetime family vacation                        $15,000 ($3,000 added)
3. College Fund                                                       $12,000
4. College and Show Choir Road Trips                   $  1,500
5. All State Camp                                                    $     650
6. Home Upgrades                                                  $  9,000                                                                                                                            $51,150

Annual Savings Goal          $38,150 ($51,150 priority budget-$13,000 from savings)

Roth                                          $13,000
Taken from Savings                 -$13,000
Vacation expenses paid             $9,015
College/Show Choir trips paid   $ 1,282
All State Payments                    $   450
Cash Savings Increase             -$   630
Total Savings achieved             $10,117

Balance to save:  $28, 033 

Croissant and Baguette Fund: This is the collection of loose change, aspirationally being applied towards the delicious croissants and baguettes we plan to eat on our trip.  I wrote about my change plan  here. Saved in tea tin is now $19.99, exactly the same as last month as I threw nothing into the tin. 


Subtracting another third pay check month for me and increase check at years end when I've fully funded my 401K, (total approximately ($5,750) our monthly savings target is now $3,722, up from the beginning of June by $227. We've been paying some of the vacation expenses along the way, but didn't actually pay any in June. To keep myself tracking, I added the $50 increase in  choir camp, and included the $300 paid against it as part of prepaid expenses.The Roth retirement fund was fully funded. 

What worked against us in June? We had a whopping $450 vet bill this month. We had graduation gifts in excess of $200, new clothes for DD2 both because she needed a few items and for pending senior pictures, so a little splurging was involved. There were a lot of odds and end lake  expenses that don't seem so much at the time, but they add up to a couple hundred and a lesson that we need to plan better for these. I didn't think about it over the course of the month, but there was more eating out than I had thought-July will be high as well because some meals in June will actually be paid in July.This is why even when credit cards are paid in full, those sneaky expenses carry over to future months. DH's checks weren't particularly low, but they were below average, So far though, he hasn't had the summer crash he has experienced other years. Though the expense will shoe on the VISA at the end of the month, I replaced my computer and invested in a faster router-though still not set up as I have another step I need to do and ran out of steam last night. Oh technology. 

There is some good things going into July. We have booked and will pay for the trains between countries when the VISA arrives. I found a useful tip that booking through European sites as opposed through a US connection will save  between 20 and 30% on each connection.  I also switched hotels for our last two nights in France. I had a 6th sense about where we originally booked and did a few different review searches. While it might have been fine, I found a more family friendly appearing hotel, still with breakfast included, and for $100 less. While that isn't cutting the costs of our trip in significant terms, it is keeping us on budget. Same with pre-purchaisng the Paris Pass. Even if we only use it for the minimum touristy things we plan, we will have it paid for ahead of time, saving time and stress, plus the added bonus of popping into museums and attractions we might not otherwise do. 

Last, I have a small 2.25% raise as of July 1, and while not great, every dollar adds to cash flow, right? How was your June? Are you on a slippery slope as I am? If you are, are you managing to not feel stress or are you into austerity measures to get back on track?