I use credit cards for all my spending.
Do you include spending in Dec. 2016 in 2016 even if you are not actually paying off the credit card until January 2017?
Ok. I guess I get the boobie prize. I spent double in 2016 over 2015. In my defense, I bought a new house and have spent a fortune. I also have two kids in college and zero help from my ex. Thank heavens I am still working as I expect this level of spending for at least one more year. I have just spent hours pouring through expenses. My goal next year is to "cut the fat". To date I have lost 57 pounds of weight. Now I need to shed a few more pounds and work on shedding the fat in the budget! Come on 2017!
Happy New Year everyone.
Fuego: Thanks for all the details! I am going to try using air bnb next time we go to Europe instead of hotels. WE did get a really cheap cruise on RC for 274/each for 7 nights because we could go at the last minute. WE did have to fly to Florida for it. WE never eat in the specialty restaurants either. The food is so good in the main dining room that I don't know why people bother. We do take all the tours through the cruise line so in case we are late to the ship there will be no expenses for us. We usually take a tour in each port.
I use credit cards for all my spending.
Do you include spending in Dec. 2016 in 2016 even if you are not actually paying off the credit card until January 2017?
I use credit cards for all my spending.
Do you include spending in Dec. 2016 in 2016 even if you are not actually paying off the credit card until January 2017?
+1I do. I download the credit card info in Quicken, and it assigns the date that the credit card co authorized payment of the purchase.
I use credit cards for all my spending.
Do you include spending in Dec. 2016 in 2016 even if you are not actually paying off the credit card until January 2017?
I use credit cards for all my spending.
Do you include spending in Dec. 2016 in 2016 even if you are not actually paying off the credit card until January 2017?
I only record credit card spending when I pay the CC company.I use credit cards for all my spending.
Do you include spending in Dec. 2016 in 2016 even if you are not actually paying off the credit card until January 2017?
If I buy it in 2016 using my credit card then it goes in my 2016 spending, even if I don't pay off the credit card until 2017.
...Since the statements are not exactly at the end of the month (or year), it is not perfect, but I am only trying to track overall outgo relative to the portfolio. Having a few thousand in the wrong month, or year, doesn't matter, as long as we stay on track overall.
I guess I use the more simple approach. Everything is paid out of one checking account. I use the monthly totals from it to calculate spending. Since the statements are not exactly at the end of the month (or year), it is not perfect, but I am only trying to track overall outgo relative to the portfolio. Having a few thousand in the wrong month, or year, doesn't matter, as long as we stay on track overall.