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Monthly money routine

This is Saxon's repeatable money checklist in plain steps — what to look at after paydays and once a month.

Amounts change; MyState and Vanguard apps show live numbers. Passwords stay in Vaultwarden.

How often to do this

When What
After each pay cycle Quick offset check + bills
Once a month (pick a fixed day) Full pass below
When something big happens Car crash, job loss, hospital — re-read Money overview for survivors

Saxon was paid from McDonald's work — weekly or fortnightly depending on roster. Match the checklist to however pay actually arrives.

After each pay — quick pass (10 minutes)

1. Log into MyState

  1. Open Vaultwarden → MyState password.
  2. Log into MyState.

2. Check offset balance

  1. Open the offset account.
  2. Compare to about $31,000 target — see Understand the offset.
  3. Write down: above, about right, or below target.

3. Confirm mortgage is covered

  1. Open home loan details.
  2. Note next repayment date and amount.
  3. Confirm offset (or linked account) can cover it — Make a mortgage payment if not.

4. Glance at upcoming bills

Think about the next two weeks:

Vaultwarden search

Search subscription or each company name for which card pays what.

5. Vanguard — only if offset is healthy

If offset is at or above comfort zone:

  1. Log into Vanguard.
  2. Confirm recent contribution landed.

If offset is below target — skip or reduce Vanguard this cycle until offset rebuilds.

Once a month — full pass (30 minutes)

Do everything in After each pay, plus:

6. Macquarie legacy float (if it still exists)

  1. Search Vaultwarden for Macquarie.
  2. Log in if an account still exists.
  3. Check balance vs any bills still paid from there.
  4. Spare cash that is not needed short-term should usually move toward offset — ask Ryan or read Finance index if unsure.

7. Subscription sanity check

Bill Action
Phone Pay phone bill — confirm auto-pay
Car insurance Pay car insurance — note renewal date
Amazon Prime Pay Amazon Prime
Greenfleet Pay Greenfleet

8. Offset vs target trend

  1. If offset has been below ~$31k for 2+ months, reduce discretionary spending or pause Vanguard until rebuilt.
  2. If offset is well above target for months, read Vanguard (Finance) for whether extra investing fits Saxon's plan.

9. Will and beneficiaries (quarterly is fine)

Every few months, confirm will money rules still match reality — especially if children, marriage, or property changed.

Printable checklist

After pay:

  • MyState login works
  • Offset balance checked (~$31k goal)
  • Next mortgage payment OK
  • Bills for next 2 weeks covered
  • Vanguard contribution OK only if offset healthy

Monthly:

  • Macquarie (if any) checked
  • Phone, insurance, Prime, Greenfleet verified
  • No surprise failed direct debits in transaction lists
  • Will section still accurate (occasionally)

Troubleshooting

Problem What to do
Can't log into anything Fix Vaultwarden first
Failed direct debit on a bill Pay manually via provider site; update card in Vaultwarden entry
Offset dropping every month List large transactions; adjust subscriptions or get advice
Overwhelmed Do steps 1–3 only until stable — mortgage + offset matter most