Darcy Return the Lawnmower and Spending Habits

 Tuesday! The mower was returned last night and a full jug of gas. 

Passed Module 2 on Google

Did AI analysis on my spreadsheet for spending habits. 

Key Takeaways

1. Positive Net Savings Driven by Significant Inflows

• Net Surplus: March ended with a substantial net surplus of $1,300, as total credits reached $3,790 while total debits were held at $2,490. This relationship is visualized in the 'March 2026 Financial Summary' chart.
• Inflow Records: This positive outcome was driven by 3 specific credit records: Tax return ($2,400 on March 12), Benefits ($1,240 on March 26), and Disability Credit ($150 on March 19).
• Balance Progression: The account started with an initial balance of $1,100 and peaked at $3,000 on March 26, before closing the period at $2,400. The day-to-day fluctuations can be observed in the 'March 2026 Account Balance Trend' chart.

2. Core Living and Food Expenses Form the Bulk of Outflows

• Primary Expenditures: Necessary living expenses and food accounted for $1,950 of the total outflows.
• High-Volume Records: There are 24 total debit records in March. The top 5 largest examples are:
  • rent: $400 on March 20
  • Starlink and groceries cash: $200 on March 21
  • Microwave and groceries: $190 on March 30
  • Pizza groceries and smokes: $180 on April 1
  • Breakfast and groceries: $180 on March 7
    
    
    (Note: I can provide the remaining 19 records from this category upon request).
• Other Essential Costs: Other notable core expenses include Propane ($175 on March 12), Expenses ($120 on March 26), and Insurance and monthly banking fees ($100 on March 2).

3. Frequent Discretionary and Entertainment Spending

• Leisure Outflows: Discretionary spending on entertainment, gambling, and subscriptions totaled $540 across 11 transactions.
• Discretionary Records: The top 5 examples of these leisure expenses include:
  • Slots and Overdraft: $110 on March 18
  • Casino: $100 on March 6
  • Sportsnet and magic gems: $65 on March 29
  • Bubly smokes and youtube: $50 on March 5
  • Prime and Gamble: $45 on March 9
    
    
    (Note: I can provide the remaining 6 records from this category upon request).
• Insight: Because these smaller entertainment and hobby costs occur frequently throughout the month, consolidating or setting a dedicated monthly budget for them could help preserve more of the surplus from large inflows in future months.

Key Takeaways from June

• Significant Balance Recovery: The account started June in an overdraft state of -$300 (dropping to -$400 after the first transaction) but recovered significantly to finish the month with a positive balance of $1,000. This upward trend is visualized in the 'June 2026 Account Balance Trend' chart, which tracks the sequential impact of each transaction.
• Positive Net Cash Flow: Total inflows (Credits) for the month were $3,050, while total outflows (Debits) were $1,730, resulting in a positive net cash flow of +$1,320.
  • The 4 credit records driving this inflow were: Payday ($1,500), cashout ($800), savings ($600), and Paid balance ($150).
  • There were 14 debit records totaling $1,730. The largest individual expenses include: utilities ($400), games and gas and overdraft ($150), and multiple individual Games entries of $150 and $100.
• Discretionary Spending Patterns: Discretionary spending on recreation and hobbies (primarily categorized under "Games" or "Smokes") was the primary day-to-day expense, totaling at least $850 across 9 separate transactions, outstripping fixed costs like gas and food during this specific month.

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Overview of Other Tables in the Spreadsheet

The remaining tables provide a broader look at your finances across the year, falling into three distinct categories:

1. Standard Banking Logs (January – May, July 26): Like the June table, these sheets track daily transaction sequences with columns for Date, Debit, Credit, and Balance. They show a recurring pattern of personal expenses (e.g., games, food, propane, and gambling) punctuated by periodic income injections like Paydays or Tax Returns (such as a $2,400 Tax Return in March).
2. Fixed Bills & Loan Tracking (September – December): These tables shift focus toward tracking fixed monthly overhead commitments and outstanding debts. They consistently monitor recurring bills such as:
   • Starlink ($115.00)
   • Rogers Mobile ($170.00)
   • Intact Insurance ($90.00)
   • Blue Cross ($90.00 – $180.00)
   • Groceries ($200.00 – $300.00)
3. Hobby Inventory & Baseline Budgeting:
   • The main July table functions differently from standard banking logs, acting as an inventory and sales ledger for collectibles (e.g., National Album, Penny Blue) to forecast profit and loss.
   • The Grant Budget table serves as a baseline reference sheet listing your standard projected monthly living costs (including Rent at $1,900 and Groceries at $750) against which actual monthly spending can be benchmarked.