Married To The Money

Just because you make money doesn't mean you should frivolously spend it away. As I'm in the process of paying my credit cards, there needs to be another reevaluation towards my own financial goals. After all, there's got to be more than food (even if that tends to be the form of socializing these days).

Essentially, my 2015

Of the 318 purchases I made this year (almost a purchase per day!), I have realized that I need to re-evaluate the way I spend... Apparently, it seems like my bank account has to end point (but it does). So let's take a look at all of the food I ate, how many times my throat was burning, and the amount of gas I took to get to places.

• January: $964.52
• February: $651.05
• March: $609.57
• April: $440.22
• May: $1,075.23
• June: $344.07
• July: $443.77
• August: $507.46
• September: $557.26
• October: $630.43
• November: $306.87
• December: $281.35

Total: $6,811.80 T_T

Compared to previous years, I have managed to decrease - but not significantly (check them out, 2012, 2013, 2014). Considering that I managed to stay under budget for one month means that I have a long way to change my spending habits. Let's look at how I spent my money in 2015:

Distances: $1,716.93

• Gas: $1,537.68 (28 visits)
• Travel: $179.25 (21 public transport, 3 cab, 8 Parking)

The most expensive visit to the gas station was on May 20th, filling up the tank at $91.00. As for travel, I took a cab to my friend's house, at $23.00

Such nice unity - however, spent more than that on gas

Consumption: $3,475.10

• Groceries: $1,045.61 (22 visits, 9 being protein powder)
• Dinner: $879.50 (50 times)
• Lunch: $706.60 (34 times)
• Snack: $272.84 (29 times)
• Dessert: $220.12 (26 times)
• Alcohol: $171.43 (7 drinks)
• Starbucks: $160.00 (8 reloads)
• Breakfast: $19.00 (1 time)

If you ever purchase protein powder, know that it's expensive... Or, at least the brand I purchased. One time on January 15th, I got two, totaling a price tag of $179.09. Yeah, I might want to lighten on the protein powder. As for the priciest meal, that would have to be a visit to Miku Restaurant, paying for two for $67.62. The cheapest was a drink from Bubble Queen, costing $0.35 (thank goodness for stamp cards!)

It's. Just. So. Good

Movement: $844.25

• Activities: $439.30 (24 sessions)
• Entertainment: $404.95 (20 forms)

This category is interesting. In it includes gym memberships (five of them, to be exact). Because I had a membership at the swimming pool, I could go to the corresponding gyms for a dollar. So I went 13 times, with the community center being frequently visited place of 2015. Aside from the pool membership (at $153.00), the priciest purchase was the 10 visit pass at a particular gym at $96.60... Let's just say this gym has prestige, and the most fit people are spotted here.

Moving onto entertainment, there were different formats of fun that I tried. From the shooting range to the night market, the top spot would go to karaoke, visiting six times (that's every other month!) What can I say, I love to sing. But the biggest waste of money would have to be going to the casino, feeding the machines $55.00 (probably won't go there again).

Reasons why I have to go to the gym

Presents: $780.52

• Gifts: $385.24 (10 purchases)
• General: $250.58 (22 items)
• Clothes: $139.70 (5 pieces)

With birthdays being a big category, it was a graduation gift I got for my cousins that cost the most... I am not going to state how much that cost, but know that it wasn't $13.41 (that's how much their cards cost that go with the gifts).

Majority of the general items were face cleansers, usually around $2.00 (I'm cheap like that). Other items include lottery tickets (two of them), mustache colouring (one of these), and a pedicure (one delightful afternoon).

And finally, there are clothes. Although I have a lot to clean out of my closet, I only added five items... that is, items purchased in Canada. A shirt from TopMan cost me $33.60, while undershirts and a shirt from Winners and Hudson's Bay respectively both cost $22.39... That's a coincidence.

Deep-fried bread counts as a gift to myself - right?

So what have I learned? For one, I like to take photos of food... But I don't know why. I mean, it's nice for a moment, and ends up taking space on my laptop. Perhaps I'm spending so much money on food, I need to remember those moments of 2015.

I always tell myself that I'm going to do better, but somehow, I end up with the same results. I don't feel any better, yet I continue the same habits.

Don't get me wrong, I had an excellent 2015 - perhaps it's time to try something new. That's the scary part, having to make personal sacrifices to accomplish a different result for 2016 (let's just say I'm not at a good start right now).

So what am I doing different? If school is a big indicator, that would mean eating out less (this one is key!!!), spending less time on purchases, and more on studying (need to work on that). After all, I'm not going to school for my own pleasures and living paycheque to paycheque - that's simply not ideal.

Dear 2016, let's hope I don't screw this off. Now that I'll be 25, I have to be good to myself. Do whatever it takes, but save for your own benefit.

Sincerely,

Sheldon

Spending more time on the ones you love matters most