Every pay day I update my spreadsheet with how much money I've earned during the year, and how I earned it (through regular earnings, overtime, holiday pay, ect).
Then I will calculate how many paychecks are left in the year (assuming just base pay and benefits) and then I add the two together to get a ball park figure of how much i'll be taking home for the year. This helps with Tax planning and my over all financial goals... (and it motivates me to try and get a little overtime.)
In 2008, I took home $42,955.30.... and based on my calculations I'll make AT LEAST $43,052.19 for 2010. Right now it's just a few dollars more, but to me this is a big difference because last year I only made more money than 2008 because we had a weird billing cycle issue and I actually recieved 3 extra checks instead of 2 because the New years eve holiday pushed that check into 2009 instead of 2010. Without that check I would have only cleared $42,739.93 (with it I cleared $44,163.93) I doubt I'll be able to scramble and come up with an additional $1,111.74 to beat out the 44 grand from 2009... but man would that be nice if I did.
That's awesome that you will make more this year because I know that you've had most of your overtime cut compared to 2008. I think that anything above not going backwards is progress in this economy.
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