21. Make a budget and savings plan & stick to it

21. Make a budget and savings plan & stick to it

This was based on living on 12 thousand a year or less it's a decent budget it also is based on a very low cost of living accessible public transportation and being in a place like Iowa that has expanded Medicaid so as to be able to mitigate expenses related to Chronic health issues. This is not an aspirational way to live but is it is a way to live in relative poverty in relative comfort still being able to do some things and go some places and have some quality of life. 

Budget

Core Fixed cost

Property taxes yearly $3000

  $250 a month

Property insurance $1200 a year

$100 a month

Internet $900 a year  

a month $75 

Phone $324 a year

A month $27

 trash $204 a year

$51 every 3 months 

$17 monthly 

 Gas is $35 a month on budget billing 

or $420 a year for total cost.

Power bill a month on budget billing $53

Or $636 a year 

Water Bill $300 a year 

Or $25 a month

Yearly fixed cost $6984

 Basically $7k a year /12 = $583 a month

Optional Fixed monthly cost 

 Gym $45 a month

Or $540 a year

YouTube Premium $12.83 a month

Or $153.96

Total $693.96

Transportation cost 

No car ownership 

nonprofit uber service in town $100 a year plus riders budget $240 A year or $20 a month in rides

City Bus $40 a month or $20 a month so $480 or $240 

when I was  on Medicaid I would get it at $20 a month

Total $480 a year 

 

Yearly donations or Dues 

ACLU $35 a year

 effective altruism $10

Library Friends $10 

Masonic Dues $120 a year or $10 a month

Landlord of Iowa & county $80 a Year

Iowa PBS & Iowa radio $120

So Far total $200 a year 

Some Math 

$8500 or so with rounding for yearly total or $708 a month or $23 a day in fixed cost 

My buddy recommend that I budget somewhere between 10-12k a year to live on so then I could put some in savings and take care of additional expenses

Yearly budget of $16,800 or $1400 a month

for Staying on Medicaid so $8,300 left or $691 a month or around $22 a day I could spend.

Food & Fun 

What would I get to eat and where would I eat it?

Sam’s club only be a member when it's a free year then take at least 6 months off.

Salvation Army Thrift shop  

Free Food

Food banks 

Free Lunch places

Little Free food pantry 

Free Events 

Library