I don't like doing my expenses!

I really don't -- It goes against my habit of not planning in advance and having 'data' before I do things. However it started to become more and more mandatory, and I really did want to know how I am doing financially.

Let's just say I had no idea. Also I think some people think it is prudent not to reveal specific information about your finances, so I'll avoid that.

So basically what I have found out is that [because] for the past 3 months I have been (knowingly) paying for our 3rd roommate's rent, I barely have spending money. It actually went down some 2/3rds. Now this isn't bad by itself -- the amount of spending money I had is 3x what I spend in a month. The problem is that I owes monies to credit cards due to some unforeseen events a few months back, and I was hoping that when more people moved in, it would 'fix' all of the problems.

Well, yes, it would, if I had any bloody idea how much money I actually can spend a month. This really does show my ignorance. I forgot to factor in my share of the rent, and so I thought I was in [slightly] better shape. I also have enough on my plate all by myself. Car and financial investments alone is a sizable chunk. I'm still quite well off, but I cannot be as ambitions as I had hoped to repay my debt.

It will work out in the end, and I'm not worried -- I still need to save up to pay my parents back for a trip to Hong Kong in November (1300$ -- no worries telling that), which means (after I calculate) that I'll have to pay the credit cards a little slower than I'd like.

But imagine if I did not know this. I had fully intended to drop my entire spending money for the month (before I would have spent it) on credit cards, and would've went 'wtf' a few days later as all of my expenses piled on me. This exercise makes it ridiculously easy to figure out what to do with my money (ie: give it away).

Do you do expenses? How do you like it? U asia? Asl?

I don't need to do expenses. I know how much I should be spending and what my limits are. I keep pretty good track of it all in my mind. I should start to keep track of everything though. I am gonna start playing the stock market. I have a feeling this Bear Market will be over soon and there are some pretty good stock pick-ups for short term gains. But I need to keep better track over everything due to the awesome Capital Gains tax XP

When I get older, I'm basically going to go to my Dad with all my details of monies coming in and monies going out, and tell him to organise it and tell me how much I have to spend on food and other things. I think if I was left to do it alone, I'd struggle so bad as I'd have a huge shopping spree and then be skint. So I really am depending on my Dad to help me out, as he's just so good with money (he's so tight, though :(). I also told him that if I entered the red he'd get a 'Daddyyyy ^.^'

I hate doing expenses.

I have a spreadsheet which has my bank account accurate pretty far back. I update it every other day. I know pretty much how much money I have available to spend, when I need to start cutting back, etc. I know this month will be a bitch because I will spend a lot of money, too. :p So that means saving in the next couple of months. I got myself out of debt with credit cards and now avoid them whenever I can. If I have to use them, I immediately pay the money back. I don't see the point in paying extra interest on top of what I purchase when I can just purchase it as the standard price and be done with it.

The only debt I have is my mortgage, which is a pain but that's life.