What a difference a year makes!

**MomToTwoBoys** · 12-07-2008, 10:23 AM

I was transferring money from DH's savings account into checking for today's winter tires/Christmas shopping trip. I looked at how much he had in the account after I made the transfer, and it got me thinking. I looked up the previous year's December figures, and you wouldn't believe the difference...unless I showed you. The red numbers are the overdraft. Watch at how awesome this year has been, compared to December 2007:

December 2007's Expenses

Dec 31, 2007	VALUE PLUS FEE	8.95		($7.79)
	Dec 31, 2007	O.D.P. FEE	2.00		$1.16
	Dec 31, 2007	OVERDRAFT INTEREST	3.07		$3.16
	Dec 31, 2007	CSLP STUDENT LN MSP	25.00		$6.23
	Dec 31, 2007	CANADA SAFEWAY	109.74		$31.23
	Dec 27, 2007	RESMOR MTG	333.74		$140.97
	Dec 27, 2007	CANADA SAFEWAY	92.32		$474.71
	Dec 27, 2007	GASBAR #1767	29.22		$567.03
	Dec 27, 2007	KUEHNE & NAGEL PAY		1,056.50	$596.25
	Dec 24, 2007	SHOPPERS DRUG M	23.30		($460.25)
	Dec 24, 2007	HEADQUARTERS	284.77		($436.95)
	Dec 24, 2007	BENTLEY # 553	31.79		($152.18)
	Dec 24, 2007	ZELLERS STORE 1	20.04		($120.39)
	Dec 24, 2007	DELTON SUPER DR	10.82		($100.35)
	Dec 21, 2007	ESSO 880246 WES	30.00		($89.53)
	Dec 21, 2007	TIM HORTONS #28	17.08		($59.53)
	Dec 21, 2007	GAS BAR #1742 -	30.00		($42.45)
	Dec 20, 2007	CANADIAN TIRE G	12.45		($12.45)
	Dec 18, 2007	TO:TD VSA 2305	163.71		$0.00
	Dec 13, 2007	RESMOR MTG	333.74		$163.71
	Dec 13, 2007	KUEHNE & NAGEL PAY		936.58	$497.45
	Dec 12, 2007	FASTOP MINI MAR	43.79		($439.13)
	Dec 06, 2007	FASTOP MINI MAR	25.60		($395.34)
	Dec 05, 2007	TD LIFE INS	12.95		($369.74)
	Dec 05, 2007	MCDONALD'S #401	7.09		($356.79)
	Dec 04, 2007	STADIUM NISSAN	200.00		($349.70)
	Dec 03, 2007	Co-operators PL INS	91.50		($149.70)
	Dec 03, 2007	WAWANESA INS INS	54.17		($58.20)
	Dec 03, 2007	CANADA SAFEWAY	157.86		($4.03)
	Dec 03, 2007	REAL CND SUPERS	20.91		$153.83

December 2008's Expenses

Dec 08, 2008	UL354 TFR-FR 6345909		674.00	$1,091.78
	Dec 05, 2008	TD LIFE INS	12.95		$417.78
	Dec 03, 2008	FASTOP MINI MAR	43.50		$430.73
	Dec 03, 2008	MCDONALD'S #401	8.49		$474.23
	Dec 01, 2008	Co-operators PL INS	94.76		$482.72
	Dec 01, 2008	WAWANESA INS INS	50.82		$577.48
	Dec 01, 2008	7-ELEVEN #32186	24.51		$628.30
	Dec 01, 2008	ULTRACUTS #4744	22.80		$652.81
	Dec 01, 2008	MANCHU WOK	17.81		$675.61
	Dec 01, 2008	A&W #1183	14.57		$693.42
	Dec 01, 2008	RELIABLE PARTS	41.95		$707.99
	Dec 01, 2008	WENDY'S #6890	26.52		$749.94
	Dec 01, 2008	REAL CND SUPERS	207.55		$776.46

Now, I know we're not quiet done with December 2008 just yet, but if you look at the way we've been so far this month, compared to the same time last year, it's quite the change. It's extremely noticeable to not only me, but DH as well. We still have a few charges this time for eating out (Manchu Wok, A&W, Wendy's) but our times of eating out has changed considerably from last year.

What else is different? Well, the cost of gas is down to 71.9 here and hopefully, it'll stay that price before we head up to my inlaws for Christmas. They usually give us money to help cover gas costs, but I don't count on that, so it's budgeted into our trip costs. DH is paid at least two more times before the end of the month, and we have two or three more bills to pay besides the mortgage before December 29th (which is our usual cell phone bill due date).

We may have pulled from our savings to cover Christmas, and we'll need to wait another month or two to replenish the $1k BEF, but we didn't go into overdraft and we got smarter with how we're spending our money. We cut back a ton on eating out (the Wendy's was when we were without a burn element, the Manchu Wok and A&W were when we were at the mall).

My whole point in this to everyone else is that you can keep yourself out of financial ruin simply by planning and saving!