Monthly Update - May 2026
Oh man… I didn’t do too well this month — but there’s a reason for it. I GOT MORE CUSTODY OF MY KIDS!!!
Although I’m a bit bummed that the judge didn’t grant 50/50 just yet, I truly believe it’s only a matter of time. The current setup just creates more recalculations and logistical adjustments. Honestly, if we had gone straight to 50/50, I think things would be much cleaner overall.
But I’ll keep fighting the good fight.
That said, we need to talk about this month. It’s full of failure financially… but that’s okay. Progress isn’t linear, and sometimes life shifts priorities — and this month, my priority was my kids.
Spending
Remember, “You need to focus on saving if you want to be good with money. It’s always the first step.”
Where I Slipped:
Eating Out
Oh yeah… I messed up here quite a bit. But this is one of those things I’m going to forgive myself for this month.
My kids and I were out celebrating. Now that I have them on weekends, we’ve been enjoying that time together — and yes, that meant a few extra visits to their favorite restaurants. That’s what pushed me over.
That said, next month there’s no excuse to be $246.51 over budget in this category. Celebration is one thing. Lack of discipline is another.
We celebrate — but we stay on track.
AEGIS Games
The game company I’m building is in the final stretch. My contractors and I are wrapping up the last rounds of development, and at this point we’re mostly polishing and refining.
We did put in a little extra work this month to make sure everything was completed properly, which means I spent a bit more than I originally planned. It wasn’t reckless spending — it was pushing to get across the finish line.
HOA
I didn’t pay much attention to this because I think this might be a generic increase in the HOA costs , etc.
Where I SUCCEEDED:
Groceries
I made it work this month — even with the extra time with the kids. I was able to plan better and cut portions of meat and vegetables more intentionally during meal prep. I’ve been focusing on meals that are simple and kid-friendly, like pasta and rice bowls, but keeping them on the healthier side.
This month I’m definitely going to keep pushing on my weight. I’m down to 216 pounds today — that’s 4 pounds lighter than last month. That’s progress.
I don’t need speed. I need consistency.
The plan is simple: more vegetables, controlled portions of protein, and finishing the day with a fruit smoothie instead of something heavier. Nothing extreme — just steady discipline.
Little by little.
Car Gas
I was pretty intentional in my driving this month and making sure my gas bill was down quite a bit. I suppose this isn’t any different from other months, but I made sure to fill up my tanks at Costco. The War is causing gas prices to go up so I need to get the cheapest I can.
Plans on how to do better:
Eating Out, Diet, and Groceries
Constraints:
I need at least 3–4 different meals per week because I can only eat the same meal two days in a row before I start to lose it. (Three days in a row is pushing it.)
I need a variety of flavors. One meal needs to have a different flavor profile than the previous one — for me, that usually means alternating between savory and something slightly sweet or tangy, or even Italian / Korean (and Asian). [ I just love Italian food and well I’m Asian soo…]
To lose weight, I’m removing most carbs and replacing them with vegetables. That means no more heavy pasta or rice bases for now — more greens, roasted vegetables, and higher-protein plates.
My food needs to be separate from my kids’ meals. I enjoy cooking anyway, so making something fresh for them is fine — but I need to account for that time and cost in my planning.
Plan:
Alright, here’s the plan, I’m going to make two days worth of gyu-don like last week.
1) Vegetable + Fish Dish (2 Days) (Repeat This: I really liked this simple dish and will make a quick entry for it next week for meal prep)
I want to try a vegetable + fish dish with cream and stock. I already have the fish and stock — I’m just missing the vegetables and cream.
Grocery List (have everything else):
1 bag of baby spinach (Costco — use what I need, freeze the rest)
1 quart skim milk (Vons)
1 head of cauliflower (Costco or Vons)
2) Gyu-Don (2 Days)
I want to make a Thai curry with vegetables and chicken breast. I already have most of the ingredients.
Grocery List (have everything else):
Thai basil (Asian market)
Bell peppers (Costco usually has a 3-pack)
1 cauliflower (part of the sauce base)
1 eggplant (Asian market)
3) Something Sweet (Repeat This I still have a bag of frozen berries to get rid of)
Okay… this one is trickier.
The sweetness should come from fruit — not added sugar. I’ve never really cooked with fruit much. Pineapple fried rice is out because it’s just CRAZY carbs.... I do have frozen berries in the freezer.
Maybe a large smoothie bowl? The question is whether it’ll actually fill me.
Alright, here’s the plan:
Grocery List (have everything else):
1 quart skim milk (Combining this with the vegetable + fish dish above, I think I’ll need one full gallon — a little more for savings)
Granola oats (for topping — I already have chia seeds)
Vanilla yogurt (Vons / Ralphs / Trader Joes)
1 small container of fresh strawberries
1 small container of fresh blueberries
Plan is set have no idea if it’ll work out but it’s something I can stick too.
Net Worth
Oh no — I went down a little bit.
My net worth is now $155,545.13. That’s a dip from last month. It’s not a huge drop, but it’s still movement in the wrong direction.
That said, this is very likely just market volatility. Markets go up. Markets go down. That’s part of the game. The important thing is that I didn’t blow up my system. I didn’t abandon the plan. I didn’t panic.
Still, I take responsibility where I can. If the market pulls back, I need to tighten execution elsewhere — spending, consistency, investing discipline. I can’t control volatility, but I can control behavior.
Next month, we do better.
Stay steady.