October is awe-inspiring in every sense, yellow trees, and yellow barns. I burned few hundreds to throw a dinner for friends, win hot noodle challenge, go on accidental outing trip, expensive takeaway dinners, watch the F1 race from the grandstand.
Living life satisfies more than loving money.
I think on top of all the “costly” experience, my spending was on track. Food came below budget goal, transportation was high only because I bought too many petrol cards. Also, I decluttered a shelve (or two) and sold 7 items for RM535. Can’t thank them enough for lifting things away from my life. Then I bought a cheap cake mixer on a whim (RM79.90) and expensive instant espresso (RM50).
Next, I have a modern addition to my list of favourite perfume – Chanel Gabrielle at a rock-bottom price – free. I have not spent money on a full-size perfume bottle and I don’t think I ever would. However, it would be remiss of me to say I didn’t make frivolous purchases on some products and treatment. RM770.
Some other spending: A course and a newsletter subscription. RM169. Annual medical insurance bill. RM202. I have to trust Him on this, life goes on without a full medical coverage. Bits and pieces of giving. RM449
Finally, the annoying, noisy credit cards. I cancelled a few credit cards this month, the ones that are giving me scream and nightmares – Citibank. They feed me with SMS every other day and is the winner of the premier award for hardest to reach “kill switch” brand. Instead of feeling powerless, controlled by the ‘Americans’, I went the extra mile and cut the card. RM120
Although inflation has gone up according to CPI, my excel template shows me I need less for the emergency fund now than before. So I am lowering my emergency fund by 20%. Let’s see what I could to do with the extras.
Nov goals
Organising kids camp
I don’t like kids as many may have thought. Sometimes random toddlers would come and hold my hand and I honestly don’t know what to react but stun.
Up-reading
I have this habit of reading blog post daily but now I am switching to analyst reports. I use Scribd to read magazines like Time, Bloomberg, Lonely Planet. They are all there and its free (paid Scribd membership).
Chasing the numbers
Oct was about the bond fund, and I invested minimally on a bond fund of choice. Shiller CAPE now hit above 30 (Shiller CAPE measures how expensive is the market valuation) and I get little cold feet. Even the hurricane did not break the index, we live in such interesting times. With that, chasing the numbers in November would reduce expenses and finding a job, maybe?