budget year two

Summary: I met my yearly simpler-living budget for 2019.

Over: As in 2018, I was over budget in Property Maintenance (tiny house, farmhouse, and land) and in Grocery/Household expenses.  For 2020, I am stubbornly not changing the grocery amount, thinking I can still save in this category particularly now that I am living in the new location.  As discussed in the CY19Q4 report, I was waaay over the Vacation budget with my road trip in October.  I’ve raised that budget by 50% for 2020.  Of course now with COVID-19, it’s TBD when I will be travelling outside the province again (it sure won’t be by aeroplane).  I was also over in my Generosity category (non-profit and other donations, gifts, tips).  In reading last year’s report, I see I was supposed to give this category more thought.  Hmm.  I’ll try to take my own advice and write a post on it this year which may help me clarify my intent for this category. 

Under: I was under budget for the Gas and Auto Maintenance categories.  Now that I’m doing much less driving in my new location (not just SIP related), I’ve lowered the gas allowance for 2020 but am keeping the maintenance budget the same for my 2005 car.  I was also under budget for Dental, Eyecare, and Clothing—but in case of footwear, dental work or new bifocals—those budgets all stay the same for 2020. 

Updates: There are significant updates to this year’s budget based on recent changes.  I had set up the new budget allowing for cat food and vet bills even before adopting Enid.  With the move, I’ve added rent and tenant’s insurance, but internet is less, gas usage is less, and there is no expense for heating the farmhouse and tiny house in winter.   

Callouts: December rent, moving expenses, and apartment set-up costs are excluded from this exercise. Based on my four quarterly reports for 2019, I was significantly over budget in three quarters.  So how can I say I met the budget for the year?  Because on a monthly basis, many of the categories use a set-aside amount, not the actual out-of-pocket expense.  The categories where I was under budget over the course of the year made up for the categories where I was over.

Most of last week (SIP week 11) was sunny and surprisingly hot.  On walks, I stopped at a lilac bush and inhaled.  It’s an old-fashioned scent for me—memories of the lilac in my childhood’s backyard are mixed with 1970’s scratch-and-sniff doll accessories.  When I smell lilac, I remember teeny tiny Barbie barrettes. 

Last week, I also thought of a day trip I took with my friend Claire … a mere year ago.  We visited a provincial park, ate lunch at a rural F2T restaurant, and scanned the lush countryside for lilacs in bloom.  Not doable together this year.  But restaurants reopened* yesterday in Nova Scotia.  Maybe we will meet at that same restaurant and eat at separate tables. 

*For inside seating with physical distancing.

References and related links:

• SIP: Shelter In Place.
• F2T: Farm to Table.
• budget year one (post #111)
• simpler-living report CY19Q4 (post #131)
• summer #55 (post #117)