February Wall Chart (with no numbers)

[Life_is_Simple]

I finally did a Wall Chart.



Some of the figures are extrapolated through March. The income is Net (minus taxes, minus health insurance).

I did the blue invest line as: whatever investments x 6%, as in the YMOYL book. That was good enough for me.

Spending is interestingly flat.

I also was feeling like I was working a little too much lately, as you can see in the increased income, and am taking a few days off.

[cdttmm]

Love it! I find this really inspiring and now I am going to make my own. Thanks for posting this!

[fidgiegirl]

Thanks for posting, LiS. I was just thinking of what kind of thread we could have that might bring up some more discussion around YMOYL. I need to catch up on tracking and should plot out a wall chart as well. I did it for many years on the computer but it's not present enough in my life. I'd like to literally put it on the wall. We have a good spot in our closet for one, out of the view of visitors but in our frequent view.

[rerun]

I've been telling my husband we need to do this. Also, thinking about some sort of savings goal chart for each month to keep us motivated. We are saving up to buy a new car. Thanks for sharing.

[Life_is_Simple]

cdttmm - This wall chart actually turned out to be more useful and uplifting than what comes out of Quicken. It might be because it is more focused on the process than the outcome.

A tip is, make up whatever rules/assumptions for yourself that you want, in order to get the chart done

[Life_is_Simple]

fidgiegirl

I read YMOYL in 2002, but I don't think I made a Wall Chart back then.

Make one, and let us know if you are doing it the same/different as the ones you have made in the past.

[Life_is_Simple]

Rerun

Welcome to the forum! Are you tracking your finances in some way at this point?

[rerun]

@ Life_is_Simple: Thanks for the welcome. I've actually been with this forum off and on for many years and glad to see it is still going strong. I just never post that much . I should more. I read YMOYL back in 2002 as well, but never did a wall chart. We track our money using Mint right now. We used Quicken, but it just isn't good with a Mac. Looking at your chart made me go back and look at our investments just to see the income it is generating so we could track it with our expenses. Now I am going to work on that wall chart!!! I need to be in these forums more. I live in a great area, but it is a very "keeping up with the Jones" kind of place. These forums are a great place to remind me of my values.

[Life_is_Simple]

Rerun

Yes, put investment income on your wall chart, and let me know how you did it. Like, maybe you use actual investment or IRA returns...

It's very interesting to me reading about "keeping up with the Jones.' " The people I know tend to be the saving and not spending types. Does the pressure from the neighbors affect you in any way, subtle or otherwise?

[rerun]

@ Life_is_Simple: I think the pressure comes from a multitude of things. I do have to say my husband and I are pretty strong in our values of thrift and both our parents were the same. We have a diverse group of friends who have similar values, but some who definitely do not. Since we have young children our life pretty much revolves around them and work. I have to say the hardest pressure is seeing all of the extravagant vacations people take to Disney etc. Of course, I am from Orlando and have a free place to stay and we still haven't taken the boys because of the cost. We love to travel and take little trips and are pretty happy with that, but it is easy for me to be jealous of those who can go to Hawaii etc. Part of that is just life with kids . Most of the time I feel good about our lifestyle but sometimes it feels like a constant battle to maintain our value of simple living. Still trying to figure out how to get my chart onto this post? I have a MAC and the chart is in excel. It won't copy and paste. Hmmmm?