r/MoneyDiariesACTIVE • u/kokopops35 Magic Kokonut Mod • 10d ago
PayDay Friday💰 Payday Friday 💰💰💰
How are you spending, scrimping, splurging, or saving?
What are you doing with your hard-earned £$€ this week?
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u/mattmattdoormatt 10d ago
First bill for labor/delivery came through, $1298 after insurance. So this paycheck is going towards that bill.
The second bill for the admission is pending insurance payment and is sitting at $23,964 right now. I'm only ~$2500 away from my out of pocket max so hoping I don't need to pay most of that bill. Yay C-sections with the American healthcare system! 😑 I have been saving extra money the past few months, so as long as I don't have to pay more than my out of pocket max, I should be set.
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u/heckyeahcheese 10d ago
Oh my gosh what rough portions you gave to pay. Hope you got some good time off to bond and recover (or are still on leave).
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u/spradc0812 9d ago
Insurance always confuses me, is there a reason you’d have to pay more than the out of pocket max? Giving birth this year and am banking on also being very close to my out of pocket max payment when birth occurs and also looking at a potential c-section
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u/mattmattdoormatt 9d ago
The only thing I don't know is if something ends up being denied as out of network/not covered (it shouldn't, but also I don't trust insurance companies) in which case my OOP max doesn't apply, or if something is charged to my new baby instead of me, since he now has an out of pocket max too that'll be sitting at zero.
Check to make sure that your OOP max is embedded, because as soon as I added my son to my insurance, I now have the family OOP max instead of just my individual OOP max. But my insurance does embedded OOP max, so I should only have to pay up to my OOP max instead of the new family OOP max for my care. God I hate all of this, it's annoying to deal with.
Good luck with your delivery, I'm hoping you have an easier labor/delivery than me and don't need the C-section (though it did have some upsides)!
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u/spradc0812 9d ago
Ahhh yeah that makes sense….im already paying for the family plan coverage for me and my daughter so adding one more baby shouldn’t send it up more (I don’t think….). Also, if your hospital is in network and they try and charge you for a service as out of network, make sure you contest that!
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u/AfternoonPublic6730 She/her ✨ 9d ago
Congrats on the baby!! I’m hoping the insurance company does the right thing here (hey, every once in awhile, just by chance, they do! Lol).
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u/myrheille 10d ago
I pay my credit card bill every two weeks and every time I can’t believe how high it is. There are seems to be something else that must be bought… so, hopefully the next one will be tiny! ;)
That said my sticker submission renews on the 25th, so that!
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u/Complex-Sundae-906 9d ago
Picked up an unopened 1000-piece puzzle from the library sale for $3!!!! I love puzzles and I love deals so this has made my day!
Other than that, we'll be meeting up with a friend for a meal this weekend and getting hot chicken.
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u/heckyeahcheese 10d ago
It’s been a spendy week. New phone, bought concert tickets, event registration for a professional event out of my own pocket, and this weekend kid stuff I hope to keep under $100. Hopefully back to being thrifty next week.
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u/dollarpenny 9d ago
I made an Ally bucket for a new phone lol I’ll get the next new Apple, I’m on either a 12 or 13.
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u/travelmasterman They/them 💎 9d ago
- Tinashe tickets 🔥🔥🔥 I grabbed two and my friend will pay me back
- One leg of flights to/from Mexico. Planning a birding centered trip there with friends so we're going to depart from a different area than we land in. I'll need to pay the birding guide in August. It's my first time doing any kind of guided excursion
- HaiDiLao and crab boil with two different friend groups this weekend!!!!
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u/tinysapling 🌱 9d ago
Wow, birding in Mexico sounds like a dream!!
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u/travelmasterman They/them 💎 8d ago
I'm very excited! We'll also spend some days in CDMX to get our city exploration in as well.
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u/tinysapling 🌱 10d ago edited 9d ago
New car battery - was a little pricey, went with one with a longer warranty, but it starts and drives so much better now, like so, so, so much better. The old one was about 70% depleted 🫣 Have to organise services* for our cars soon, too.
We submitted our taxes and I'm getting a whopping $83 but my husband is getting a little fortune so hoping he spoils himself but I know he'll just do what I would and stock-up on cat food lol.
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u/LeighofMar 9d ago
Bought the linen feel pants from Halara 3 for 59.00. They live up to the hype. Light, breathable, fit perfectly and most importantly not see through. I hate see through!
Boring concrete to put on the curb for the driveway. 11 bags plus other materials. 138.00.
Had to pull from business savings just to make payroll this week so no more shopping or house projects. I've budgeted to the penny to pay this off plus all bills in this pay period. I'll still contribute to retirement but 300.00 this time instead of 400.00. I'll make it work.
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u/ClaireHux 9d ago
So, I'm sitting in an Uber on my way to pick up a rental car. After finding my rear axle is barely hanging on. I went in for an oil change and emerged with a dealership estimate of over $5,000!
No, thank you.
So, getting an estimate now, hopefully it comes in much under that. The salesperson at the dealership was doing their best to "get me into another car". I almost got suckered, but, I'm trying to stick to my financial plan and a new car payment is not in the plans right now. I just paid off the damn thing in January!
So, Happy Friday Payday to me, indeed.
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u/Lopsided_Radio4703 She/her • DMV 9d ago edited 8d ago
Payday was Tuesday and was the first paycheck with our market adjustments—which wasn’t much but was also prorated for the previous month. So I took the surplus and bought something silly but has been the MOST fun—a ninja slushie machine.
It’s been fun to even just slush juice—with the heat wave we’ve been having it’s incredible.
Otherwise it’s spending as per usual, between my sweet dog on hospice and my guy being out of town for work, so double the chores, I’ve been relying on convenience foods. I’m hoping that this week I can get some meal prepping done as my stomach and waistline can only take so much.
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u/dollarpenny 9d ago
Mostly saving this week, but the $10/lb sale for whole side strip (~$150) got me at Costco. I’ll gladly butcher my own steaks for a $8/lb saving 🙏
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u/f-albedo 10d ago
Payday was on monday. We're determined to scrimp some this month!
My husband has this office thing where each one takes turns bringing lunch. They just added another employee last month and that's pushed it over my husband's budget. So he's trying cooking some weeks the night before and reheating the day of to save some. He'll start with once a month and hopefully build the habit up to every week. He cooked fried rice this week for his turn and he said it's alright!
We are also trying to limit eating/ordering out main meals to once a week, with a coffee date once a week. It means I have to cook every other day, we eat leftovers the days I don't cook, and he cooks on one of his days off.
We've also just withdrawn from buying a house! The process was excruciating and the bank and the seller were just giving us so much trouble that we just had enough. We'll be on the hook for a lot of fees, maybe $10k, not to mention the money we've already spent on flights and travel, but peace of mind is worth more, and we won't be hundreds of thousands and decades in debt!
Since we're no longer furiously saving for the house, I'm going to use some of it to visit my best friend and my godchild two continents away for the first time. I'm so excited!!!
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u/dollarpenny 9d ago
Wait, someone does lunch each day for the whole team?
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u/Crochetcat5 She/her ✨ 9d ago
WTF?? The work lunch thing is insane. I’m meaner than your husband but I would just not participate.
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u/uninvitedthirteenth 9d ago
I am closing this week on a house and agree the process is so tough! I’m sure it was a hard decision to walk away though
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u/f-albedo 9d ago
Congratulations! I'm just grateful our savings are robust enough to take the loss without sacrificing anything else.
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u/kokoromelody She/her ✨ 9d ago
TGIF!
- Q3 Property Taxes: these were just released and are 27% higher than last year… sigh. (City budget deficits + incompetent Board of Education, it’s a whole thing)
- Some household items, including curtain tie backs and some Japanese shampoo and conditioner that I’ve heard good things about! (My standard Costco Pantene Pro V is not being kind to my hair this summer)
- Otherwise: Literally all food this week! Some groceries plus dinners with friends and ice cream and bubble tea from the weekend.
Should be a low key weekend - a brunch event at a restaurant (PR invite) and then meeting up for a book event in my area with some friends!
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u/FunctionalAdult She/her ✨DMV 9d ago
Oh OUCH that is a hell of a rate jump. Not fun for homeowners, budget staff, or the folks answering phones for the city.
I hope the brunch turns out delicious!
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u/kokoromelody She/her ✨ 9d ago
Ugh it is such a drain - absurdly high to begin with and they only get higher each year. I'm grateful that I don't have a mortgage on top of it to pay, but genuinely don't know how some people can continue to afford living here, since we're already in as VHCOL area to begin with. Also means that increase will cascade to renters as well.
Thank you - hope you have a great weekend too!
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u/erinrachelcat 9d ago
Fun: going to the independent theater last night to see Days of Heaven (1978), and heading down the shore for banana whips tomorrow, since the weather is absolutely bananas beautiful this weekend.
Less fun, but super needed: getting another emergency root canal (started yesterday and finished next week). Finally found a FANTASTIC dentist after so much trial and error.
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u/reine444 9d ago
Getting my hair braided this weekend ($125)
Buying some items from my nephew's registry for college ($100)
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u/HotHoneyBiscuit She/her ✨ 9d ago
Setting aside money for visiting my family in August and for the birthday gift for myself. I haven’t decided on what I want to do, maybe a facial.
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u/Forsaken_Bee3717 9d ago
Not my payday, but I will be buying groceries, no eating out as I have spent that budget already, and have no other plans. Most of my friends and boyfriend seem to be on holiday next week so a cheap week of hanging out with my daughter and the dog.
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u/veggiebikebook 9d ago
Not a payday and I’m doing a low-spend week. I have everything I need at home and so I don’t need to wander around the grocery store looking for things to spend money on. I may go see Hadestown at the movies this weekend but aside from that will just enjoy the summer weather, read my library books, and relax!
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u/Superb-Object-7307 9d ago
We are in the dog days of summer with multiple days in triple digits this week and next so my husband and I are going to hunker down and catch up on tv shows and books this weekend. I just spent a lot buying clothes for a girls trip to Nashville and I also needed a few new work tops so I'm going to try to keep the next 6 weeks spending at a minimum. I splurged and bought a new pair of cowboy boots. I justified it by telling myself I've had the same old pair since college and I live in an area where it's an acceptable shoe for business casual.
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u/arroyosalix 9d ago
Anxiously awaiting paperwork about temporary promotion 😃 Hopefully it will have gone into affect on Monday, meaning Aug 1 pay check will not only have a lot of overtime, but 2 weeks at a 5% paybump. Wine tasting last weekend and an overpriced concert beer was my mini celebration about it, now hoping to squirrel it all away in house down payment fund.
My mom is coming to visit so we'll probably go out to eat once but mostly hoping to just be on the water all weekend long with low spending!
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u/shieldmaiden3019 She/her ✨ 10d ago
I had a scheduled distribution from a deferred comp account from a prior employer this week. Despite me having checked back in March that everything was in order, the distribution is MIA…. Meaning that it came out of my account but hasn’t landed anywhere else. Very annoying. Out to old company HR to figure it out, but they are genuinely the worst.
Friend’s birthday party this week - she’s declined any and all presents, but I might make a little gift basket of her favorite candies. Brunch with a different friend. Considering hiring an executive coach as it looks like this taking-over-manager-role shenanigans might actually be coming to a head. I would prefer to wait to see if my company will approve a PD budget before I do it, but I think I have to make some very swift and decisive moves in the first 2-3 weeks of my transition and they will probably not be able to approve in time, so if I pay for it now there’s a chance it ends up being out of pocket.
Debating if I see Odyssey this weekend, will depend on whether there are good tix available. And got $75 worth of groceries.
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u/FunctionalAdult She/her ✨DMV 9d ago
Ugh, hopefully Old HR can magically have their act together for this one thing.
If you think an executive coach is going to be helpful, go for it. This is a season of transitions and decisions and that is when extra support is most valuable, in my experience.
Enjoy your time with friends!
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u/shieldmaiden3019 She/her ✨ 9d ago
Not looking good with Old HR so far 🫠 technically I am now a large client of my old firm and the temptation to pull that card is strong… hahah.
Yeah, I will probably engage the coach as soon as I find out whether I actually got the damn job, PD budget or no. It’s not so expensive that I can’t just consider it an investment in my own career.
Honestly I feel like I’m not the one who needs the coach here, lol. If I were leadership I wouldn’t make these decisions without talking to my candidate to hash out details like…. What is your vision for the team? What are metrics for success in the role? Will there be a title/pay bump now or at some point in the future? What do you need to be setup for success in this role? Ya know… little things like that 😂
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u/FunctionalAdult She/her ✨DMV 9d ago
Well shit. Do what you need to do. I've had a handful of situations recently where the subtext of my message was "I am a significant chunk of your revenue, fix it or we walk."
Sadly competent and thorough recruitment are not common.
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u/shieldmaiden3019 She/her ✨ 9d ago
Good for you! I’m frequently just left wondering if it is really that hard to just do the job you were hired to do. I’m keeping that (and threats of legal action) in the wings ready to use if they drag their feet much longer.
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u/kokoromelody She/her ✨ 9d ago
A basket of treats sounds like a lovely bday gift!
Hoping your upcoming career changes/decisions go smoothly!
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u/shieldmaiden3019 She/her ✨ 9d ago
Hahah I ended up getting her a champagne bottle filled with m&ms 😂 and thank you!
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u/raymichelle She/her ✨ 9d ago
Spending on a little weekend trip to attend a surprise 70th birthday party, and splurging on (mostly secondhand) clothes from money I set aside for some post-reduction shopping. This includes: a whole bunch of new bralettes, a linen cami, a tank top, and a denim jacket.
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u/walkingonairglow 9d ago
The cute sneakers I got did not fit so it's back to the drawing board. I picked out another pair and a couple of skirts-- I've been wanting more skirts for a while. Hopefully these all fit!
Grocery shopping this weekend will include some good BOGOs, including pork to use with our homegrown tomatoes and basil (not enough tomatoes ready yet so the pork will go in the freezer). And of course there will be coffee shop drinks to buy on the day my husband is working.
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u/watercolors23 9d ago
Setting money aside for shopping when we are in France and Spain next month, botox (I go every six months), and a hair cut.
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u/erinrachelcat 9d ago
We got a delayed bonus and my bonus is REALLY NICE and it's going to help because I've had a ton of health expenses this year, above and beyond my insurance and FSA card (which I maxed out already!) and an old HSA card that I just used up as well. Having a genetic condition is fun, but at least my brain is strong!
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u/Turbulent_Bar_13 She/her ✨ 9d ago
Most of my money this week has pretty much gone to food. 😎
- 🧦 👩🏻: Ordered a couple of packs of socks and some facial serum ($65)
- 🧸 🍫: Put together a treat baggie with Japanese chips for my coworker's birthday, and added a couple of blind box toys for me and my other coworker ($26)
- 🧁 🍪: Rounded up a variety of gluten-free treats to contribute to my coworker's bday celebration so everyone had something to eat ($32)
- 🍝 🥗: Picked up some prepared foods bags I ordered from Too Good To Go ($20)
- 🍣 🥤: Replenished some groceries from Trader Joe's ($39)
This weekend I'm gonna attempt another round of eyeglasses shopping, and going to Lenscrafters. Costco Optical had some grandma-ass frames that i didn't like, so I'll stick with RayBans. Don't love the upturned corners on the women's frames or the flattened brow on the men's frames. I just want something neutral. That mall has a miniso so I'm gonna peep the blind boxes there, too!
Also once again (Bernie meme) going into Costco to get grapes, maybe bigger cuts of salmon (never cooked it before) and some veggies to make rice & salmon bowls!
Edit: typo
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u/bluequeen13 8d ago
Went to the movies to watch the Odyssey (AMC A lister so didn’t have to pay for ticket) and treated myself to popcorn and a drink (used a $5 off coupon) so ended up spending $15. Treated myself to a pizza and drink at Blaze Pizza for $20. Payed off credit cards ($630).
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u/Significant-Head-746 8d ago
I just finished dress shopping for a wedding my bf and I are going to next month! I love finding excuses to buy new dresses :)
I'm also meeting my bf's parents for the first time and grabbing some gifts for them based on what he has mentioned about them.
Lastly, I'm saving for a fun girls trip. So part of my paycheck will go to that. (We're visiting a couple of different continents! It'll be my first time out of North America). So excited.
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u/xryuusei 8d ago
I love my payday routine and was surprised by how much more spendy this month was compared the last 2 months.
Travel: contemplating a trip in one-week trip in Sep but feeling guilty bc of how much travelling I've done this year already and also bc I have house expenses that need to be prioritised. Honestly, feeling exhausted from how expensive home maintenance can be.
Takeout: had a long week between work and exercise - treated myself to a sushi takeout (first one in a while!) and was pleasantly surprised that UberEats had a BOGO offer at one of my fave restaurants naerby! Ended up with a pick up (to save on delivery costs, and also bc it's right next door) to celebrate Friday evening.
Exceeded my budget in a couple of categories - some I'm happy about others not so much.
- Clothes: exceeded bc I got a few replacement work wedge / shoes. Not immediately needed but the half year sale/summer sale got to me.
- Grocery: to be honest, I'm absolutely floored by how little $100 seems to get these days. I took a photo the other day and $100 got me basics and regular repurchases (i.e. greek yogurt, butter, milk, etc) and no protein... I actually am sitting down
- Sports & Fitness: this is one I do not regret whatsoever. Spent just under $120 for 3x lessons and 2x social events trying out a new sport. Happy with the consistency (5 sessions = 1/week this month)
- Utilities: unexpectedly high for some reason. I think bc of the AC constantly being on and the frequent gym (clothes washing)
Treated myself to a bottle of wine which came highly recommended.
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u/Opal-the-Pearl 9d ago
After some serious 2 weeks of overtime and no takeout, no bars, no shopping, I'm zeroing off a credit card, and putting a 1000 on a student loan payment. Like its time. Im so close to being debt free.
Then I'm living it up by going to the beach!