Hello everyone! Time for another life, goals, and food budget update.
April was another great month for us.
It was a record income month for us but it was also an expensive one.
May won’t be any cheaper as well since I’ll be gone for almost 20 days due to two separate trips, but it’s all budgeted for so I am still happy.
Colorado is still treating us well. We are enjoying all of the outdoor activities that Colorado offers and everything else around here.
Our house is still for sale in Missouri and that’s pretty much the only thing bogging us down. We keep going back and forth about what we want to do with it, and we have pretty much decided that lowering the price anymore is just crazy talk as it’s already priced much lower than all of the comparables near us. If it doesn’t sell though, we have plans and will remain positive about it regardless.
Our food budget.
We did very well with our food budget in April. We used a gift card for groceries and that made our spending even lower.
For the month of April, we spent around $400 on food but that is not counting what we spent on gift cards.
We did much better with eating at home more often in April and I am proud that we are slowly breaking away from our bad habit.
We are finally making progress!
April Goals Update
- Work out! PASS! I’ve been doing very well with this, and I am finally starting to feel more in shape. We have been doing something active nearly every single day, whether it be rock climbing indoors or outdoors, kayaking down the river, hiking, going for a walk, and so on.
- Work ahead on Making Sense of Cents posts. PASS. I have been doing quite well with working ahead on Making Sense of Cents. I have all of May done for my staff writing clients (except for any posts that come in at the last moment) and I am a few weeks ahead for Making Sense of Cents. This is perfect, especially for right now, as I am currently on a trip and I will be gone again for another 9 days later this month as well. Working ahead makes life a little less stressful when on a vacation as I can have a more “normal” vacation this way.
- Make travel plans. PASS. Well, sort of. I still have a few more travel plans to make. I am going back to St. Louis every single month for the rest of the year (I know, right?) due to many fun friend and family events occurring this year. I do still need to decide what I’m going to do for FinCon but I think we have to drive as we need our car in another town the day after, but it’s a 27 hour drive so I’m unsure what to do.
May Goals
- Work out! This will be on my goals list for awhile as it’s a great motivator to see it here each month.
- Work ahead on Making Sense of Cents posts. This is still a goal of mine. I would like to be one month ahead, especially since I have a ton of traveling for the rest of the year. Living so far away from everyone makes traveling almost a necessity since I don’t want to miss out on any important events in the lives of those that I love!
- Try to work less when on vacation. I have two trips scheduled for this month. I am currently on one. We are camping, staying at a few hotels, and trying to fit in as much rock climbing as we can. My other trip is a bachelorette party to Gulf Shores and I’ll be gone for over a week for that one. I can’t unplug completely, but I am trying to work ahead as much as I can so that I can relax on my trips a little more than usual.
What great things are going on in your life? How did you do in April? What is your main goal for May?
Below are pictures (all from my phone, sorry) from our new area that I took recently.
Nicola says
Look at all those passes! April has been good for you 🙂 those pictures are lovely – what a beautiful place to be able to go to. I hope May is just as good to you; it sounds like you’ll be busy!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Thanks Nicola! I hope May is a great month for you as well.
mobilehomegurl says
Great pics!
I never thought about using a gift card for groceries, neat idea! Good job with your food budget. Eating at home can definitely cut costs. I’m learning to be a better cook myself! 🙂
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Well, the gift card was for the grocery store so it made sense 🙂
Clarisse says
Those pictures are really incredible! We had a perfect vacation last month and this month is my birth month and I’m excited with it.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
My birthday is this month too!
Christine Berry says
Wow, amazing! Congratulations on kicking-butt at your goals. Stop it with the pictures of Colorado, I can’t deal. I’m super impressed with your food spending, $200 a month per person is incredible. I’d love to see how you do it. Hopefully I can cut my eating-out-once-a-day-habit when I get home and cut my costs too.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
You can see how we do it here – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2015/02/our-first-food-budget-check-in-januarys-results.html 🙂
Anna says
Awwh you have a frenchie too! Yay for frenchies 🙂 Looks like you had a fab trip x
http://thecornishlife.co.uk
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Yes, love Frenchies!
Brian @DebtDiscipline says
A great April and great photos! Colorado looks beautiful!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Thanks Brian!
diane @smartmoneysimplelife says
Great job on the food budget, that’s a huge improvement from a few months ago. We’ve been concentrating on controlling our’s, too. This month we’re using a gift card ($250) cashed out from credit card reward points. It’s become a fun challenge for my daughter and I: nothing goes to waste and we’re getting creative.
Kudos on working out. I need to put that on my list… next month. 🙂
Best wishes for an awesome May and stay safe while you’re travelling!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Thanks Diane!
Amy @ DebtGal says
Beautiful pictures!!
Congrats on achieving your goals! I’ll continue to work on my annual goals, as well as cleaning and decluttering our house. For the next six weeks, I’m off from work, but my daughter will be at school, so I can get a lot done with my days.
Also this month, my husband and I need to decide how we want to handle additional retirement contributions. We can put them in my existing Roth IRAs, or open a new IRA somewhere else. We’ll continue to contribute to his work plan, but I’d like to increase our savings and diversify.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
I hope May is a great month for you Amy!
Stefanie @ The Broke and Beautiful Life says
Wow, I can’t believe you’re a whole month ahead on your writing!
I think the beauty of the Colorado landscape and the weather will probably help in reaching your workout goal.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Yes, it’s so nice being ahead!
Erin @ Erin's Inside Job says
Those pictures are great! I was just telling my husband that we really need to head out to Colorado sometime since I just saw someone else’s pictures from there. It looks amazing!
Good job on being so far ahead with posts! I am proud of myself for writing things the day before and not the moment I sit down for that day’s post. Maybe at some point I will get some done more in advance!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Yes, it’s beautiful here in Colorado!
Kayla @ Shoeaholicnomore says
Sounds like you did great with your goals for April! 🙂 My April was pretty good too. I am super far ahead on my debt pay off goal and my savings goal, yahoo!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Good job!
Money Beagle says
Great work. One thing I’ve fallen behind on is having posts lined up for my blog. I like to have 1-2 weeks worth of posts ready, and right now I’m at exactly zero. My inspiration comes in waves, so I’m sure that I’ll be on board soon enough, but I really hope it comes soon because summer camping trips are coming soon, and that’s definitely when the advanced posts come in handy.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Yes, that is exactly when having posts ready comes in handy! That’s a big reason for why I am doing this.
Ellen Edwards - InsureTheQueen.com says
Congrats on accomplishing your goals. I wonder why your house is not selling in Missouri? Is it staged? I have no idea about the real estate market there, but was just curious. Your dogs are adorable! Keep up the great work being an amazing inspiration for women (Especially under age 30)!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Yes, our house is staged. I think the market is just slow where I live. 🙁
Ellen Edwards - InsureTheQueen.com says
I will keep my fingers crossed for you. The right buyer has just not come around yet 🙂
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Yes exactly! Thanks!
Fervent Finance says
I thought I could never move away from the east coast but you and others such as Mr. MM and 1500 Days make Colorado sound like such a great place to live! Glad you’re enjoying your new area.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Yes, I love it!
Michelle says
I love it too 🙂 But, I grew up here. I’m like a Unicorn. The illusive Coloradan who grew up here.
cece says
Ugh!! I just did Whole30 and added up my receipts and we spent WAY over our food budget. I was so upset!! Normally we budget $350. It seems like so much for two people but food is expensive.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
How much did you end up spending if you don’t mind me asking?
Jason B says
Colorado looks beautiful. I need to finalize my travel plans as well. I need to book a room for fincon asap.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Do it!
Jessica says
It sounds like April was a great month for you. I loved all of your pictures, especially the one with your pups! I’ve got to get out to Colorado sometime soon because it looks amazing. I agree that it seems like the real estate market in STL and surrounding areas is a little slow. We had our house on the market for a year and dropped the price to the point where we would still owe money and had no takers. We’re renting it for now to cover the mortgage. Good luck with whatever you guys decide to do.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Thanks! Right now it’s just slightly over what we owe, but after realtor fees, etc. we will be losing money 🙁
DNN says
One of my new year’s goals is to lose weight and eat healthier, in addition to staying in the “side hustle millionaire” mindset. 🙂