memes

I'm a spreadsheet nerd. Not a guru by any stretch, but I love to make spreadsheets. They help me plan and organize things in a way nothing else does. Despite all the websites and apps out there that make budgeting simple, I do ALL of my budgeting and spend tracking in an odt file. It's been a rolling development for the last five years and I think I've got it to its ultimate stage. I'm really proud of my work.

I think what's really helping me stay on top of it this year is the fact that in December, I spent about a week planning the year in painstaking detail. I built a whole paycheck estimation tool that automatically calculates tax withholding. I cross-referenced employee handbooks to determine pre-tax withholdings like retirement and insurance. I found the 2025 tax brackets and standard deduction. I understand now how our taxes are withheld for the state side. I actually determined my wife is taking out way too little for tax. January is an awesome time to make that catch. By the time I was done, I determined four paycheck numbers we might experience in the year based on various circumstances. I planned out how much I think each of our 26 paychecks will be, when they will occur, and how we will spend them with a high degree of confidence. I gave us a set amount of fun money each time. Most importantly, I found a way for us to make regular deposits into our savings account. I have a plan in place to save $2,000 and pay off a couple of credit cards this year. It ain't much, but it'll be a start. And if something goes wrong, having some money stashed away will be a huge help.

So far, I've squirrelled away 300 bucks. I feel really good about that.

I also track all of our spending in that file. I spend 5 minutes each night before bed reconciling it to the bank. That's been a major step forward, too.

More to your point, eating out is hella expensive. I opened a second checking account to give us that kind of money. We buy books and music and games and makeup and food from out on that. If that card runs out of money, it ends. Full stop. At least, it should. I got lazy the last few months of last year and we spent way too much on takeout. But I'm motivated to be better this year. I make myself go grocery shopping. And then I make myself cook even when I don't wanna. And I put the dishes away and clean the laundry, even when I don't wanna.

I know that's just regular adult shit, but I've been a hot mess for a while lol

When I can buy like a large 5 top pizza for as much as a single fast food combo, i know which I'll choose.

Get this person a ten-year sitcom deal!

It's an addiction for a lot of people.

$17.99 for the 20 pc. In Canada. $10.79 for a 10 pc. I about shit when I immigrated here and realized nuggets were off the table. I can't imagine ordering that and picturing one dollar every time I pop one into my mouth. My wife buys me a ten piece for my birthday every year since I won't buy them myself out of protest. Also, my kid is old enough now to finish her 4 pc. Happy Meal, so I don't get to scavenge for uneaten morsels like I did before. It's tragic.

And the lines show it. I remember the single drive-throughs being backed up around the building and them putting in the dual-ordering drive-throughs to handle the traffic. There are never more than 2-3 people in line these days and there's almost no one inside. I get it, they're property banks these days.

Well, university coop cafes are always gonna be comparatively cheap, but yeah, Japan's prepared food is generally cheap on a different level. Stuff in grocery stores for one thing, but I still can't quite figure out how sukiya or yoshinoya puts a beef set meal in front of you in 5 mins for less than 1000 yen

Japan is a cheat code for healthy cheap meals.

I got a double cheeseburger platter from a BBQ place

Are you even allowed to do that?