This month feels great, after last month’s financial doldrums. We have our $1,000 Emergency Fund cushion and were able to meet all of our expenses in September. We set aside $400 into a “capital expenses” savings account, which helps me breathe a small sigh of relief.

I feel as though we are on more stable financial ground (funny what $1,400 can do), and moved to a monthly daycare payment instead of a weekly payment. There’s no change in the price, it’s just 3 fewer checks to write each month, and we didn’t have enough cushion to pay monthly before now.

October Net Worth Update:

2015 October Financial

Cash: – $151. The cash may be down a smidge, but there is $800 more in savings than there was last month!

Credit Cards:  + $694. This is up a smidge as well. 

Loans: – $1,179.  

Investments: + $1,102.  

Net Worth: + $1,437. It still feels like a challenge to make sure we put some cash away each month, and we are going without certain things that would be really nice to have at home — like carpets to muffle the squeaky hardwood floors and prevent them from getting scuffed by toys, more lamps so we’re not shuffling lamps from room to room like pioneers carrying a candle to bed so they could light their way, and some organizational gear for our stuff. (I hate paying money to organize things that I paid money for, but sometimes it’s important).   

September Goals:

• Survive: SUCCESS! I have to keep looking at the bright side of the day and find joy in our frugal ways. I have started my annual Christmas ornament gifts, so that will help. It brings me so much more happiness to craft gifts for my nieces and nephews than it does to buy them.   
• Draft a Business Plan: FAIL. I made zero progress on the business plan. 
• Improve our heating efficiency: FAIL. So … I flubbed this last month because I didn’t apply for the 0% interest loan in time. Thankfully, the plumber rescheduled the installation in order to give me time to get the loan. This item will stay on list for October because I think it’ll actually happen this month.

October Goals:

• Survive: One more month! Right now, we all have colds and Baby Stapler had a fever last night. Just when we think we might be getting enough sleep, life throws us a curveball!
• Improve our heating efficiency: This is slated to happen in a week. We are still awaiting approval for the 0% loan, so I should probably follow up on that this week.
• Draft a Business Plan?: I’m not sure how appropriate this is at the moment, given that I’m working on salary at someone else’s firm. I can still drum up business, but my paycheck doesn’t depend on how many new clients I can get (although, I do get a percentage if I bring in a new client).
• Contribute to a savings account for capital expenditures.

I’m feeling a little uninspired with my financial goals. Do you have any financial goals for the last quarter of 2015?