Spending Patterns

[brattzz]

I'm an employee so 40% of salary is savings.
20% is for insurance premiums.
15% to 20% set aside in opportunity funds, stocks.
20% - 25%...monthly expenses..

If need BIG ticket items... plan in advance and use savings...

sorry, wrong percentage... it's 40% of savings...

[Jon-san]

I'm an employee so 50% of salary is savings.
20% is for insurance premiums.
15% to 20% set aside in opportunity funds, stocks.
10% - 15%...monthly expenses..

If need BIG ticket items... plan in advance and use savings...

Wow, you must be earning a lot to be able to set aside 85%-90% of your salary for savings and insurance and only 10%-15% forersonal expenditure!

[Blackjack]

That's what I thought too

[mrEngineer]

I keep track of my expenses via a balance sheet and cash-flow statement. Every end of the month I would rebalance my balance sheet and have a cash-flow income statement.

My performance have been very bad this year. Only managed to grow my cash or investments by 25% of my entire year of income without mark to market. But inclusive of realized losses of about 8% in investments and 15% paid for my household bills. So basically I spent the rest away!

[brattzz]

Oppss.. sorry the percentage is wrong, it's 40% savings... so 20 to 25% personal expenses..

lolz! i don't earn a lot of $, i wish i DO!.... i try to spend as little as possible...

I don't have a HDB flat or loan to pay off as i am staying with my parents, work transportation is covered by company, hp bills also.
Breakfast and dinners are home cooked...sometimes i tabao overnite dinner for lunch.. or cheap cheap $3-$4 at hawker centres...

Think the hdb flat loan will come in soon if i get a flat.... so am saving up as much as possible to prepare for that! it's a big ticket item le...

save up now, spend on hdb, then save up again for kids.... try not to spend outside..

[newborn1000]

I am an accountant......so

I got income and balance sheets.....

most items are going to sundries =P

Except those above $100 for example, the edge subscription will be an line item itself.....

Commissions also have a line itself, so does tech upgrades..........etc

Investments are at book value...........Currently Nil

Trading capital also book value<-------It's being treated like a subsidiary, only "dividends" returned to my main financial statements are accounted for...........

Ppl that owe me $$$$ also get a line of their own.......lolx

[Musicwhiz]

Only managed to grow my cash or investments by 25% of my entire year of income without mark to market. But inclusive of realized losses of about 8% in investments and 15% paid for my household bills. So basically I spent the rest away!

Hi MrEngineer,

When you say growing your cash/investments by 25% without mark to market, what do you mean? I assume that investments are taken at market value + cash to see the growth of your total wealth. Unless you mean the cost of your investments has increased?

Thanks!

[yeokiwi]

My accounting skill is terrible.
So, I only monitor my total networth. Much easier haha...

Currently, my total networth(not including my residential property and CPF) increases by around 30% as compared with beginning of 2010.

My Total networth = Cash + Investment + Salary - Expenses.
Investments(all stocks) are valuated at last traded price.

Not a bad year after all for me.

[Blackjack]

I am an accountant......so

I got income and balance sheets.....

most items are going to sundries =P

Except those above $100 for example, the edge subscription will be an line item itself.....

Commissions also have a line itself, so does tech upgrades..........etc

Investments are at book value...........Currently Nil

Trading capital also book value<-------It's being treated like a subsidiary, only "dividends" returned to my main financial statements are accounted for...........

Ppl that owe me $$$$ also get a line of their own.......lolx

You should add another line expense - Accountant fees for yourself

yeokiwi - I have a total networth spreadsheet as well
But its a rather simple one which doesn't include my flat and CPF, though it records my CPF portfolio breakdown for an overview.
My cash/CPF investments are all marked down drastically from MTM though (much lower than cost or MTM, whichever is lower). Hence when I was picking up heavily discounted counters back then, I was 'making big losses' every single day I picked up something. Thus, I am still in the red

[egghead]

My Total networth = Cash + Investment + Salary - Expenses.
Investments(all stocks) are valuated at last traded price.

Hi yeokiwi,

I'm not an accountant but I thought salary and expenses are more like income statement items - not so for tracking net worth

I also do up a balance sheet for myself which includes everything from property to CPF etc. My net worth will be my total asset less total liabilities.