These were both expected expenses. The dental bill is just for the first part of AS's tooth implant procedure. It's a bit different amount from any of the estimates we got, so I'm not sure what the final total will end up being. But the next appointment is in September, so maybe we'll be done with the tax bill goal before new charges come in!

That does mean we'll need to spend up her Chase Sapphire with other stuff to get the bonus, because September will be too late. The NYC trip plus groceries and other regular expenses will hopefully get us to $4K. Who knows, maybe we'll open ANOTHER bonus card for September's charges!

AS also ordered business cards (finally!) for her freelance business.

Both of these expenses increase the actual deficit and reduce the future surplus.

AS dental bill: $1,450.57
AS business cards: $53.88

Actual deficit: $6,479.87
Future surplus: $6,546.34

The NYC trip (first weekend in June) will further increase the current deficit and reduce the future surplus. AS is expecting some freelance payments in early June that will reduce the actual deficit but have no effect on the future surplus.

The projected surplus is based on booked work to date; after our UK trip (last week in June/first week in July) she can continue to book work for the remaining six months of the year, so we hope there will be more money in play then.

Since we have such a large deficit to clear up first, we haven't formed any specific ideas about the projected surplus or any other money that comes in the second half of the year. Obviously a big chunk will go to AS's dental procedures. We may owe more on the basement bathroom than we have set aside; we still haven't spoken to our contractor since work was completed last month. We haven't put any more money into improving the house, so I imagine there may be some things this fall/winter. I wouldn't mind a warm-weather vacation in December or January, so maybe some of it would go to that. We've also talked about rebuilding an emergency fund. I also feel like the kids' mutual funds need some replenishing. And we'd all like to get back to charitable giving.

But I'm not going to make any specific plans because there could always be more unexpected expenses this year; we've already had so many big hits that nothing would surprise me!