---
Date: 2026-05-20
Author: Pi Agent
Tags: [finances, budget, report, expenses, monthly]
---

# 2026-05 Budget Report From Transactions

## Source
- File analyzed (read-only, Nextcloud): `~/Nextcloud/ReynasShared/2026-05-15T01_14_39.588Z-transactions.csv`
- Analysis date: 2026-05-20
- Coverage used: last 12 months through 2026-05-14 (May 2026 is partial month in export)

## 1) Normalized Month-to-Month View (Outliers Separated)
- Normalized monthly income (recent cleaner period Oct 2025–May 2026): `~$28,600`
- Normalized monthly core spend (includes mortgage): `~$14,250`
- Normalized monthly one-time/irregular spend: `~$13,680`
- Mortgage baseline observed: `$5,358.53`

## 2) Recommended Fixed Monthly Budget (Caps)
### Core Operating Budget (monthly)
- Mortgage: `$5,359`
- Utilities + phone + internet + insurance: `$1,600`
- Groceries/household essentials: `$1,200`
- Family care / childcare / school-related: `$900`
- Dining/coffee: `$600`
- Auto/transport/gas/tolls: `$500`
- Medical/health/personal care: `$500`
- Shopping (general discretionary): `$1,500`
- Home maintenance (routine): `$700`
- Software/subscriptions/misc: `$300`

- Core total target: `~$13,159` (use `$13,500` working cap with buffer)

### Planned Irregular Budget (monthly sinking total)
- Taxes reserve: `$2,000`
- Travel reserve: `$1,200`
- Home projects reserve: `$1,500`
- Giving/Gifts reserve: `$1,500`
- EMI reimbursable float reserve: `$800`

- Irregular sinking total target: `~$7,000`

### Total Planned Monthly Outflow Target
- `$13,500` (core) + `$7,000` (irregular reserves) = `~$20,500/month`

## 3) Sinking-Fund Plan
Create and maintain 5 dedicated buckets/sub-accounts:
1. Taxes Bucket (`$2,000/mo`)
2. Travel Bucket (`$1,200/mo`)
3. Home Projects Bucket (`$1,500/mo`)
4. Giving/Gifts Bucket (`$1,500/mo`)
5. EMI Float Bucket (`$800/mo`)

### Rules
- Spend irregular items only from the matching bucket.
- If a bucket is empty, defer purchase unless explicitly approved as an exception.
- Refill all buckets monthly (automated transfers on payday preferred).
- Review and adjust caps quarterly, especially after stock vest events.

## Last-12-Month Month-to-Month Report
| Month | Income | Total Expenses | Core Recurring | One-Time / Irregular | Mortgage in Month | Net (Income - Expenses) |
|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| 2025-05 | $6,027 | $19,027 | $5,457 | $13,570 | $0 | -$13,000 |
| 2025-06 | $17,223 | $70,436 | $62,819 | $7,617 | $53,445 | -$53,213 |
| 2025-07 | $20,766 | $8,907 | $8,073 | $834 | $3,445 | +$11,859 |
| 2025-08 | $64,230 | $245,251 | $89,960 | $155,291 | $75,613 | -$181,021 |
| 2025-09 | $27,738 | $36,542 | $20,983 | $15,560 | $0 | -$8,804 |
| 2025-10 | $26,857 | $18,109 | $17,220 | $889 | $5,359 | +$8,749 |
| 2025-11 | $25,142 | $48,242 | $19,174 | $29,067 | $5,359 | -$23,099 |
| 2025-12 | $26,115 | $17,651 | $15,419 | $2,232 | $5,359 | +$8,465 |
| 2026-01 | $31,141 | $25,639 | $14,044 | $11,595 | $5,359 | +$5,501 |
| 2026-02 | $21,595 | $35,214 | $12,594 | $22,621 | $5,359 | -$13,620 |
| 2026-03 | $46,027 | $32,233 | $13,532 | $18,701 | $5,359 | +$13,794 |
| 2026-04 | $40,253 | $37,446 | $13,146 | $24,300 | $5,359 | +$2,807 |
| 2026-05* | $11,892 | $8,903 | $8,859 | $44 | $5,359 | +$2,989 |

- `*` May 2026 is partial in this export (through 2026-05-14).

## Notes
- The biggest source of volatility is irregular spending (taxes, travel, projects, gifts/donations), not baseline living costs.
- Recommended cadence: monthly check-in + quarterly cap adjustment.

## Related
- [[Finances Index]]
- [[220_emerald_mortgage]]
- [[Areas]]
- [[Index]]
