Budget Update August 2024 – Waiting for a Breakout
Welcome to another edition of my monthly budget updates, where I break down my expenses by category and share the highlights and lowlights of the month.
So how was your August? Me.. I kept waiting (and missing) for good time to rebalance my portfolio. BTC in particular hovered between 58k-64k levels. Ideally, I’d love to sell some crypto during ATH (all-time high)
But let’s be real, if that happens I might even wait even more until it crashes again lol. Dasar tamak!
Takpe, I can do the waiting game a lil bit longer. Maybe some of you cryptoheads can share with me your portfolio rebalancing strategies, give me some advice. But do you even sell? or HODL all the way? Idk but as it stands… no action is an action too
Now let’s get on to the budget part.
Budget Update: August 2024
In August 2024, I spent RM7,509.50. The top 3 top expenses were:
- Utilities & Mortgage (RM1,371) – Half mortgage
- Dates/Travel (RM968.20) – Mostly KL staycation
- Social (RM939.50) – Buying food for family etc
Cumulatively, the top 3 expenses make up 46% of my total August 2024 expenses.
(My belief is, if you want to save money, trim first from the top 3 expenses rather than cut out a few ringgits from other already-low expenses)
My Spending Breakdown in August 2024
Here’s what I spent on in the whole month of August 2024, in their respective categories and from highest to lowest amount:
Yay of the Month:
#1 – Impromptu KL staycation
My husband said he wanted to attend this niche guitar event in KL and I was like, hey wanna make it a staycation? So that’s what we did 🙂
It was fun! We walked in malls, he got a guitar, I got a book, we ate a bunch of things. Managed to fit in an Eatigo deal and got 50% off a meal too hehe
Another 50% off date, subsidised by Eatigo 😋
— Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) August 18, 2024
*the lamb shank was meh but everything else was good. Juiciest chicken breast ever in the ceaser salad. The cakes (not pictured) were excellent! pic.twitter.com/59wsckS9K1
As a side note, can’t help but to compare the hotel pricing from the last time we were there.
Back from impromptu KL staycation. We stayed at the same hotel 3 years ago. Logged the expense in my expense-tracking app and saw the amount we spent for 1 night got us 2 nights before!
— Suraya: bestselling Bergaji & Pokai book (@surayaror) August 18, 2024
Maybe that was COVID pricing but damn. We got a better room last time too pic.twitter.com/tNzMZ7Yy7B
#2 – Hit 200 course sales on Shopee!
Know know I’ve sold over 200 of my How to Buy Your Own Damn Insurance/Takaful course at Shopee 🥳
Maintained 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🥰🫶 I hope by now y’all know the most effective way to purchase the biggest coverage you can get for you budget, both purchased yourself & through agent!
Obligatory link: https://shope.ee/7KUZeNqjvI
#3 – Sold some stuff
My husband was decluttering and wanted to throw away a bunch of stuff. I said let me try sell them.
I earned RM419 so far 🙂
#4 – Applied for RM150k ASB financing
Went to the bank for an errand and somehow got myself (willingly) talked into getting RM150k in ASB financing. It’s still in process as we speak.
In hindsight, that bank visit was too funny. The staff were extremely sales-oriented. Not only they promoted their ASB financing to me, but they also tried to sell insurance and credit card too.
Related: 5 Reasons You Should NOT Take ASB Loan
#5 – Misc
Read 1 book:
- Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes
Bought for myself:
- Poplook clothes (kind of regret them)
- Waist adjuster for a pair of second hand jeans I bought off Carousell. Quite meh about it, turns out I don’t really like the jeans
- Skirt from Carousell (but effectively free because I paid using Grab points!)
Nay of the Month:
#1 – Finally admitted to myself that I lost my ambition (for now)
For more than a year, I kept thinking to myself, how come other moms could still be ambitious while having their babies? How come they still have that joy for their work but I don’t? Why can’t I be like them?
Then I’m like, hey no comparing, remember? Turns out a friend of mine also feel what I feel. When I tweeted this, I’m also comforted by Aiman’s comment. It was incredibly validating.
I feel you Suraya.
— Aiman Psikologi 🧠🇲🇾 (@AimanPsikologi) August 23, 2024
My son finally started his kindergarten this week, and I finally and slowly gaining back my previous spark and motivation in the industry.
And I found that I enjoyed more (and calmer) when both of them return home, and I'm able to have better emotional…
#2 – Looking for preschools (it’s a pain)
Well, part of getting that ambition back is sending Baby Mika to preschool.
Baby Mika is now 15 months old and we plan to enrol him in preschool at 18 months or 2 years old, whichever works better.
Started looking and what do you mean some places already out of of spots and the best they could do is place him on a waiting list??? I thought this only happens in movies or books or at least some other country not IRL!
Things to Look Forward to:
- One of my overseas trip! Coming very soon hehe
- Find out the result of my ASBF application. Hope it goes through
Well, that was my August 2024. How was yours? What’s your yay of the month, nay of the month, and something you’re looking forward to? Tell me in the comments section 🙂
—
To read about my past monthly budget update, click here. Graphs are taken from my expense-tracking app Money Lover (find out your budgeting style)
hi suraya,congrat u reapply asb financing.i think last time u apply and cancel it right.Not too late to reapply again.
Bythe way im the banker which in asb financing more than 10 years.now become rationship Mnagaer more focus Unit trust and Banca.Ya sometimes when u walkin to the bank ,bankers will promote as much as good product to customer.heheh..but if they read and follow u ,hehe mesti diorang akan lebih hati2 which product to promote.Cause u know better ehehe.
Hi, may I know which budgeting app did you use?