Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
Welcome to my April Budget 2023 Update, where I share with you our family finances.
For anyone new to Canadian Budget Binder, we are a family of three living in Toronto.
We are two adults and an eight-year-old boy on a journey continuing to live a debt-free life.
Enjoy the read.
April 2023 Family Budget Update CBB
Today I will discuss a few things that happened in April to our monthly budget.
April 2023 Household Percentages
Our savings of 29.34% includes investments and savings based on our net income.
Equally important is saving money for our projected expenses due throughout the year.
All categories took 100% of our income, showing we accounted for all the revenue in April 2023.
Our Life Ratio category is more than the projected 25% or less, at 38.77%.
Life contains everything from groceries, entertainment, miscellaneous, health/beauty, clothing, etc.
Now I’m wondering if the suggested 25% or less is still reasonable given the rise in inflation.
I’d love your feedback about household percentages in the comments below.
Soon, I will be writing a detailed blog post about why we will track our grocery discounts.
Update: Tracking Our Grocery Discounts For One Year + Free Printable
I will tally it at the end of the year to see how much we saved buying reduced food products.
For April 2023, we saved $80.33 by purchasing food that was reduced in price.
So far, in 2023, purchasing discounted food has saved us $219.16
Grocery Food Savings Jar April 2023
Below are two tables: Our April 2023 Budget and our Actual Budget.
Our April 2023 monthly budget represents two adults and an 8-year-old boy.
Budget Colour Key: It is a projected expense when highlighted in blue.
Since May 2014, we’ve been mortgage-free, redirecting our money into investments and home improvement projects.
Spending less than we earn and budgeting has been the easiest way to pay off our debt and save money.
April 2023 Monthly Budgeted Amount
This type of budget is a zero-based budget where all the money has a home.
April 2023 Monthly Actual Amount
Below is where most of our expenses were made in April, apart from our investments.
Pet Costs are huge, $733.48
Our new cat eats too much-wet food, so we are changing how we feed the cats.
It has been so hard to get them on a routine together.
The new cat eats both of their foods if I don’t lock one of them in the garage to eat.
I’m not sure if he’s suffering from kitty trauma as he was found in a trash can, boxed up.
We both agreed to make the big purchase of a cat treadmill which cost $350.00.
They are both indoor cats, so running on the treadmill helps them to burn off energy.
Both food, a treadmill, and a new toy contributed to this cost.
Mind you; the food will last us at least two months, maybe three.
I’d love your feedback if you have a cat that eats too much and whines if you cut back.
We will talk to our vet in July when they both have appointments.
Lately, we’ve been using our FlashFood rewards points Flashfood App Offers 50% Off Groceries to make purchases at Zehrs.
I don’t count them in my grocery savings because we use affiliate rewards.
If you have not signed up for FlashFoods, use my link, make a purchase, and we both get back $3 in rewards. Free money~
Flashfood app Canada – Save 50% off food products close to expiry from participating Loblaws Stores such as RCSS, Zehrs, Dominion, and Loblaws.
Please use my referral code, MOCD28ZN4, for a $3 credit.
We use another fantastic app to get cheap groceries worth signing up for.
You see what your local stores have reduced and purchase it from the app, pay, and pick it up.
Super easy to do, and the savings are worth it.
We’ve picked up steaks, chicken, ham, cheese, luncheon meats, milk, and vegetable boxes for only FIVE dollars.
Read my full Flashfood Review here.
Since we are into the warm weather months, we thought we’d get a few more window quotes.
It was last year when we had a few businesses around for free quotes, but we wanted to see if prices were more competitive.
We have another quote next week, but we’ve found the company we want to hire.
They are from Toronto, Ontario, and have fantastic reviews online.
Our lanai will be completely torn apart and redone with sliding doors and new flooring.
I will also insulate and put in a new roof space to make the lanai feel cozy.
I’ll do a full blog post on the quotes, what we got, and the final look once it’s completed.
Quotes have been from $12,000 to $55,000, including the government rebate program.
It has been shocking what we have learned having 8 businesses in for window quotes.
Truck Maintenance Costs $1043.55
Since I bought my truck in 2017, I have not changed the brakes and am overdue.
I should have done them last year but did not, so it took me a bit longer to get the job done.
I spent less than what the dealership would have charged or any other mechanics shop.
I’ve always done my brakes at home, which is a massive saving.
I purchased all of the parts I needed from Amazon Canada after extensively researching comparable parts.
Gas Buddy $1.35- $1.44/litre $313.74
Gas expenses for the month were higher even with filling up at the Costco gas station.
I did fill up my red tanks for the lawn mower and a spare to put into the truck if I’m low and won’t make it to the station.
We did make a trip to Hamilton in April for a hospital appointment which further drove our expenses up.
We haven’t been spending much at SDM lately but earned 26,500 points in April, bringing our total points to 6.4 million, over $6440 to spend.
In April, our grocery budget was over again, but only by $100, which we are happier about.
Last month we went over by $275, which was far too much for us; however, we have been stocking up.
When we became debt free, we found spending money on groceries easier, even if we exceeded budget.
We believe it sometimes makes sense to spend more IF it saves us money.
I think you’d find this is the case for us, although we are eating loads more fruits and veggies with our diet change.
Prices in the produce section have been scary for everyone, so we are planting a bigger garden this season.
Overall, we are happy with the grocery budget.
On the plus side, we have not bought our son’s weekly takeout pizza, which costs $15 with taxes.
He’s been pleased with his Casa Di Mama frozen pizza, which he loves.
They went on sale, so I loaded up on them.
If you’re new here, our son has a sensory processing disorder, and his eating is affected.
We are working with a nutritionist to help him try new foods.
We made a trip to Value Village for summer clothes for Mrs. CBB, who is actively working on weight loss.
After an injury late last year, she put on weight and is unhappy about how she looks.
She’s struggled as she can’t exercise, and I’m feeling down.
She has purchased mostly t-shirts to wear this summer, along with one she bought on Amazon.
Her spring jacket no longer fit so she purchased a new jacket from Mountain Warehouse.
The idea is to spend the least amount until she gets back into her clothing and outerwear.
I also bought our son new discounted flip-flops for the summer from DSW.
His feet are at the end of youth, and next is men’s sizing, which is bigger than most his age.
I guess he takes after me. hehe!
SportChek had a sale, so I bought myself a new hoodie and pullover from the discounted section.
I also pair my online purchases with Rakuten to get a % of cashback along with my rewards credit card.
I need a new pair of runners and casual boots, but we should be all set for the summer now.
Monthly I will share the difference and percent change in our investment portfolio.
In April we saw a bit of an increase at 0.52%, although we didn’t have much in the way of extra savings for the month.
Since our house is paid in full and we have zero debt, I didn’t think it was necessary to share our net worth any longer.
However, for those of you interested in seeing our investment fluctuations, I will share them.
If you want to know more about our investments, reply to this email to let me know what you’d like to see next month.
That’s all for our April 2023 Monthly Budget, although I may change things as I go along.
If there’s something you’d like to see in our monthly update, hit reply to this email and let me know.
Thanks for stopping by, and please subscribe if you are new to CBB.
Mr. CBB
Sign me up!
Sign me up!
The post April 2023 Budget Update CBB Family appeared first on Canadian Budget Binder.
Welcome to my April Budget 2023 Update, where I share with you our family finances.
For anyone new to Canadian Budget Binder, we are a family of three living in Toronto.
We are two adults and an eight-year-old boy on a journey continuing to live a debt-free life.
Enjoy the read.
April 2023 Family Budget Update CBB
Discussion April 2023 Budget
Today I will discuss a few things that happened in April to our monthly budget.
- Pet Costs are huge, $733.48
- Flashfood Discounts
- Window and Lanai Quotes
- Truck Maintenance Costs $1043.55
- Petrol Expenses Gas Buddy $1.35- $1.44/litre $313.74
- Shoppers Optimum Points Update
- Grocery Budget
- Clothing Expenses
Percentages For April 2023 Budget
Year To Date Household Budget Percentages 2023
April 2023 Household Percentages
Our savings of 29.34% includes investments and savings based on our net income.
Equally important is saving money for our projected expenses due throughout the year.
All categories took 100% of our income, showing we accounted for all the revenue in April 2023.
Our Life Ratio category is more than the projected 25% or less, at 38.77%.
Life contains everything from groceries, entertainment, miscellaneous, health/beauty, clothing, etc.
Now I’m wondering if the suggested 25% or less is still reasonable given the rise in inflation.
I’d love your feedback about household percentages in the comments below.
Our Canadian Banks
- Chequing– This is the bank account from which we pay our household bills. We use Simplii Financial, TD Canada Trust, and Tangerine Bank. Join Simplii Financial today! Read more about the best Canadian online virtual banks.
- Emergency Savings Account– This money is in a high-interest savings account (HISA)
- Regular Savings Account– This savings account holds our projected expenses.
Grocery Discounts April 2023 Budget
Soon, I will be writing a detailed blog post about why we will track our grocery discounts.
Update: Tracking Our Grocery Discounts For One Year + Free Printable
I will tally it at the end of the year to see how much we saved buying reduced food products.
For April 2023, we saved $80.33 by purchasing food that was reduced in price.
So far, in 2023, purchasing discounted food has saved us $219.16
Grocery Food Savings Jar April 2023
April 2023 Budget and Actual Budget
Below are two tables: Our April 2023 Budget and our Actual Budget.
Our April 2023 monthly budget represents two adults and an 8-year-old boy.
Budget Colour Key: It is a projected expense when highlighted in blue.
Since May 2014, we’ve been mortgage-free, redirecting our money into investments and home improvement projects.
Spending less than we earn and budgeting has been the easiest way to pay off our debt and save money.
Estimated April 2023 Budget
April 2023 Monthly Budgeted Amount
This type of budget is a zero-based budget where all the money has a home.
Actual April 2023 Budget
April 2023 Monthly Actual Amount
Happenings For Our April 2023 Budget
Below is where most of our expenses were made in April, apart from our investments.
Pet Expenses
Pet Costs are huge, $733.48
Our new cat eats too much-wet food, so we are changing how we feed the cats.
It has been so hard to get them on a routine together.
The new cat eats both of their foods if I don’t lock one of them in the garage to eat.
I’m not sure if he’s suffering from kitty trauma as he was found in a trash can, boxed up.
We both agreed to make the big purchase of a cat treadmill which cost $350.00.
They are both indoor cats, so running on the treadmill helps them to burn off energy.
Both food, a treadmill, and a new toy contributed to this cost.
Mind you; the food will last us at least two months, maybe three.
I’d love your feedback if you have a cat that eats too much and whines if you cut back.
We will talk to our vet in July when they both have appointments.
Flashfood Discounts
Lately, we’ve been using our FlashFood rewards points Flashfood App Offers 50% Off Groceries to make purchases at Zehrs.
I don’t count them in my grocery savings because we use affiliate rewards.
If you have not signed up for FlashFoods, use my link, make a purchase, and we both get back $3 in rewards. Free money~
Flashfood app Canada – Save 50% off food products close to expiry from participating Loblaws Stores such as RCSS, Zehrs, Dominion, and Loblaws.
Please use my referral code, MOCD28ZN4, for a $3 credit.
We use another fantastic app to get cheap groceries worth signing up for.
You see what your local stores have reduced and purchase it from the app, pay, and pick it up.
Super easy to do, and the savings are worth it.
We’ve picked up steaks, chicken, ham, cheese, luncheon meats, milk, and vegetable boxes for only FIVE dollars.
Read my full Flashfood Review here.
Window and Lanai Quotes
Since we are into the warm weather months, we thought we’d get a few more window quotes.
It was last year when we had a few businesses around for free quotes, but we wanted to see if prices were more competitive.
We have another quote next week, but we’ve found the company we want to hire.
They are from Toronto, Ontario, and have fantastic reviews online.
Our lanai will be completely torn apart and redone with sliding doors and new flooring.
I will also insulate and put in a new roof space to make the lanai feel cozy.
I’ll do a full blog post on the quotes, what we got, and the final look once it’s completed.
Quotes have been from $12,000 to $55,000, including the government rebate program.
It has been shocking what we have learned having 8 businesses in for window quotes.
Truck Maintenance Costs
Truck Maintenance Costs $1043.55
Since I bought my truck in 2017, I have not changed the brakes and am overdue.
I should have done them last year but did not, so it took me a bit longer to get the job done.
I spent less than what the dealership would have charged or any other mechanics shop.
I’ve always done my brakes at home, which is a massive saving.
I purchased all of the parts I needed from Amazon Canada after extensively researching comparable parts.
Petrol Costs April 2023 Budget
Gas Buddy $1.35- $1.44/litre $313.74
Gas expenses for the month were higher even with filling up at the Costco gas station.
I did fill up my red tanks for the lawn mower and a spare to put into the truck if I’m low and won’t make it to the station.
We did make a trip to Hamilton in April for a hospital appointment which further drove our expenses up.
Shoppers Drug Mart PC Optimum Points
We haven’t been spending much at SDM lately but earned 26,500 points in April, bringing our total points to 6.4 million, over $6440 to spend.
Grocery Budget April 2023 Budget
In April, our grocery budget was over again, but only by $100, which we are happier about.
Last month we went over by $275, which was far too much for us; however, we have been stocking up.
When we became debt free, we found spending money on groceries easier, even if we exceeded budget.
We believe it sometimes makes sense to spend more IF it saves us money.
I think you’d find this is the case for us, although we are eating loads more fruits and veggies with our diet change.
Prices in the produce section have been scary for everyone, so we are planting a bigger garden this season.
Overall, we are happy with the grocery budget.
On the plus side, we have not bought our son’s weekly takeout pizza, which costs $15 with taxes.
He’s been pleased with his Casa Di Mama frozen pizza, which he loves.
They went on sale, so I loaded up on them.
If you’re new here, our son has a sensory processing disorder, and his eating is affected.
We are working with a nutritionist to help him try new foods.
Clothing Expenses April 2023 Budget
We made a trip to Value Village for summer clothes for Mrs. CBB, who is actively working on weight loss.
After an injury late last year, she put on weight and is unhappy about how she looks.
She’s struggled as she can’t exercise, and I’m feeling down.
She has purchased mostly t-shirts to wear this summer, along with one she bought on Amazon.
Her spring jacket no longer fit so she purchased a new jacket from Mountain Warehouse.
The idea is to spend the least amount until she gets back into her clothing and outerwear.
I also bought our son new discounted flip-flops for the summer from DSW.
His feet are at the end of youth, and next is men’s sizing, which is bigger than most his age.
I guess he takes after me. hehe!
SportChek had a sale, so I bought myself a new hoodie and pullover from the discounted section.
I also pair my online purchases with Rakuten to get a % of cashback along with my rewards credit card.
I need a new pair of runners and casual boots, but we should be all set for the summer now.
2023 CBB Net Worth Update
Monthly I will share the difference and percent change in our investment portfolio.
In April we saw a bit of an increase at 0.52%, although we didn’t have much in the way of extra savings for the month.
Since our house is paid in full and we have zero debt, I didn’t think it was necessary to share our net worth any longer.
However, for those of you interested in seeing our investment fluctuations, I will share them.
If you want to know more about our investments, reply to this email to let me know what you’d like to see next month.
That’s all for our April 2023 Monthly Budget, although I may change things as I go along.
If there’s something you’d like to see in our monthly update, hit reply to this email and let me know.
Thanks for stopping by, and please subscribe if you are new to CBB.
Mr. CBB
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The post April 2023 Budget Update CBB Family appeared first on Canadian Budget Binder.