RSPs

I added $600 to the RSPs, and $200 to the Christmas fund.

Both are at my goals for the year now. RSPs are now at $1500, and Christmas is at $600, but I had $200 leftover from last year I did not use so it's really at $800.

I might contribute some more to RSPs but Christmas is done. Woo!

I have to remember to keep putting money aside so that I can replenish my TFSA when 2013 gets here.

Settlement Money

When I was in the car accident we went through insurance and just the other day they decided on a settlement. $2500....wow the car was definitely not worth that much....I think I paid $1500 for it from my parents in 2007!! Anyway, $500 was taken off due to the deductible.

My mom is giving the money to me. 

I feel guilty about this. SHE originally bought the car, I paid less for it than she is giving me. 

I told her I don't need all of that money and she said it's mine. That woman can be stubborn sometimes. 

So what I think I am going to do is pay $1000 toward their seasonal dues at a campground resort they stay at every summer. The rest will go into savings. 

Insurance Companies....

I planned to buy the car last week. I had been into the dealership quite a few times to check out the car, ask questions and test drive it. I decided I wanted it and decided to go ahead with everything. I did not have insurance in my own name since I was under my parents name before.

So I started to call around. I started with my parent's company since I was on record with them for about 10 years. They quoted me at $360 a month!! Uhh no.

An employee at the local high school told me to call this particular company, saying they offer great rates etc. I try it out and they won't even talk to me since I have a careless driving ticket issued to me. Okay then....moving on.

I went online to check out the best rates and Belair Direct came up. I call them up to get a quote and they say $250. Ughh better but I was still hoping for better.

The two speeding tickets and that major ticket are really working against me!!

My brother mentions he is with Desjardins so I call them and they quote me at $224. I still had one more evening before I HAD to get insurance so I said I said I would call them the next day if I was going to go with them.

I taught the next day and a friend of mine tells me that she is with TD financial and they offer discounts to college/university graduates. Why not call them too, so I do so after work and they quote me at $189.08. SOLD!!

Wow really helps to shop around. If I had gone with the original insurance company I would be paying an additional $171 per month, or $2052 a year!!

June Spending

June was a crazy month!! 
I dealt with the stalker issue. The police helped out so it should be done with! I crashed my car :( It was a 1999, and I rear-ended my roommate from university while we were in Toronto. I went to my roommate's bridal shower. I witnessed a guy stop to help a turtle across the road. D and I had a chipmunk come into the apartment!! I maxed out my TFSA and I bought a NEW CAR in cash!!! D and I saw Snow White and the Huntsman and went to the local pub a few times for dates with friends.

Rent (19%) ACTUAL: 9%
Hydro (3%) 2%
Internet (3%) 2% 
Laundry (2%) 1% 
Car and Gas (11%) ACTUAL: 4% if we don't include the new car, or 537% if we do...
Phone (3%) ACTUAL: 2%
Food (8%) ACTUAL: 4%
Restaurant (3%) ACTUAL: 5% Oops! D and I went on a few dates and starting at the new restaurant made me want to eat everything on the menu!
Personal/Medical (4%) ACTUAL 1%
Clothing (5%) ACTUAL: 0%
Gifts (5%) ACTUAL 1%
Education (2%) ACTUAL 0%
Entertainment (3%) ACTUAL 3%
Everything Else (5%) ACTUAL: 3% Second half of bridesmaid's dress

TOTAL (73%) ACTUAL 37% Another good month! Under budget (unless you count the car).

TFSA (15%) ACTUAL: 33%
Christmas (3%) ACTUAL: 0%
Camera (3%) ACTUAL: 0%
RRSP (5%) ACTUAL: 0%
Travel Fund (3%) ACTUAL: 0%

TOTAL (28%) ACTUAL 33% Maxed out the TFSA and that was all. I also took OUT $15000 from the TFSA this month. So really I should be in the negative but the plan was to use it as a planned spending fund so I am not going to put negative numbers in. 


July should be a great month. It's my birthday month, the weather looks like it will be amazing, and I only have one job this summer. Hope to get some savings in for next month though! 

May Spending

Late Post! 


May was a pretty good month. I saved $3 more than I spent the entire month. D and I went to see the Avengers, his first 3D movie! We also both got tickets from the police on the same day. Mine a speeding ticket, his was not having a renewed licence sticker. We planted our first veggie garden, we are beginning to see the rewards of that now! I quit my old serving job at the sushi restaurant and started working at the new busy restaurant. I made more than a typical month since my work in Toronto was paid this month. 

Rent (19%) ACTUAL: 8%
Hydro (3%) 3%
Internet (3%) 2% 
Laundry (2%) 1% 
Car and Gas (11%) ACTUAL: 3%
Phone (3%) ACTUAL: 2%
Food (8%) ACTUAL: 7%
Restaurant (3%) ACTUAL: 1%
Personal/Medical (4%) ACTUAL 4%
Clothing (5%) ACTUAL: 3% A pair of jogging pants and 2 summer dresses
Gifts (5%) ACTUAL 3%
Education (2%) ACTUAL 0%
Entertainment (3%) ACTUAL 1%
Everything Else (5%) ACTUAL: 3% Bought some fabric, a bath mat, cutlery holder, speeding ticket

TOTAL (73%) ACTUAL 40% Woo! I wasn't over in anything this month! Definitely due to making more this month though.

TFSA (15%) ACTUAL: 24%
Christmas (3%) ACTUAL: 3%
Camera (3%) ACTUAL: 5%
RRSP (5%) ACTUAL: 0%
Travel Fund (3%) ACTUAL: 8%

TOTAL (28%) ACTUAL 40% Yay, back on the savings train. 

Big Purchase....NEW CAR!!!

What did I use my TFSA money for???

Well although I maxed it out ($20,000) I took out $15,000 which went toward a new 2012 Nissan Versa. It's a blue sedan. It's so pretty and smells brand new! It has cruise control, bluetooth, a CD player, locking doors, power windows, lights that work without banging the gear shifter, etc.....all things my old car did not have. It has 45km on it, most of that was because I took it for THREE test drives!!

I paid for it IN CASH!!!! 

Well $2000 on a credit card so I could collect some points (don't worry I will pay it off this month) and the rest which was ($15,453) was by cheque!

Why did I go new?

Well, I checked out several cars new and used and hardly any used cars were less than $13,000. If they were they were not what I was looking for, or had a ton of kilometres on them. 

Nissan was having an employee pricing event, plus because I paid cash for the car I got another discount. This gave me more than $2000 off the sticker price. The sales guy gave me another $200 off and he bought me a bottle of wine! 

Total for the car with taxes, fees, etc was $17,453. A lot more than I thought I was willing to spend, but I do not have to make payments on it EVER!! I am so happy :) I'll show you pictures soon. 

MAXED out TFSA

I did it!! Finally....$20,000 is in there....but I have plans for it.