Saturday, October 28, 2006

19 days of pantry Eating- 13 days left

Well we're basically out of fruit... and I got yelled at for eating the bananas...

I've been eating apple sauce and craisins... but I'm out of apple sauce and the craisins are almost gone too... (that costco card needs to expire so i can get in on that too!)

I committed to 19 days of pantry eating so I'm going to stick with it... but i might have to buy fruit... because i think I've gained a few pounds snacking instead of cooking meals.... the "oh I'll have some of this... and this... and this.... okay that should be a meal" isn't going to happen anymore. So i might have to buy some fruit for the sake of my waistline.

To also fix the waistline, no more candy at School.... just cause the editor drops it in my lap doesn't mean i have to mow it down... Sugar is now Bad... unless its splenda. (sorry this happened the other day)

meh... this was one of my more crazier ideas... I have the money to go grocery shopping because i don't need 500 bucks for CSUF or Winter Tuition..... basically all the money i was saving... so i really have money to go grocery shopping... why am i still trying to eat out of the pantry.... because I'm a stubborn bull who said she was only spending money on gas for 19 days!!!!!!!!!!!!

on that note:

lunch time... the last chicken sandwich and some V-8.... I'll be sad when the V-8 is gone... i might cry.

January Budget---Again...

Assuming I will make 2,000 a month, after Taxes, this is my Tentative Monthly Budget, starting in January, 07.

One day i want to live by the 60-40 solution... this is my way of trying to get there.

$1,000 Auto Loan
Hopefully, this means that my loan will be done when i graduate! Now December '07. If i can dent the 12,000 mark (which should happen with December's payment) than I think I will have covered the extra interest as well.

$100 Car Insurance
I'm going to plan for this this time, and put $100 aside every month, that way when the end of the year comes along, I won't have to put out $500 a month to pay for it... since this is what i'm doing now. Car Insurance always goes down every year, so $1200.00 is a good start figure since my bill this year was $1213. Eventually i'll get my own plan and take myself off my mothers... which will mean it will cost more... so that is why i'm not lowering it any further. I'd rather have more, than not enough, plus if i get in the habit of saving more than i need, it will help later when i don't have student discounts and the like to lower the costs.

$200 Gas
Personally, I love the break I'm getting in my gas right now! I love paying 2.29 a gallon, not 3.30... But i don't think that those prices will last very long. So i'm keeping gas expenditures to 50 a week. That way, when i spend 32, 18 bucks a week (or 72 a month) can go towards the Stickers on my vehicle. I have no idea how much those will cost in all honestly. So when that unexpected bill comes in March... at least i'll have a little extra to help fend that off.

$50 Cell
Since my cell is my only reliable number, I'm okay with this bill. It's really $46 something a month and i get roll over, text messaging and phone insurance (my city job gets me a nice discount with Cingular... 10-15% off... can't remember the exact figure tho...)

$20 Internet
Technically, they haven't sent me a bill yet and this worries me. I know they have my CC info, and i'm pretty sure i have automatic billing, but either way, they haven't sent me a bill yet... I really should call AOL... but every time i do its the weekend... crud, i'll call them today.

$200 Retirement Savings Account (10%)
I want and should open a roth IRA... but until i do, i'm putting money into and ING Direct Savings account. Right now, i'm feeding 10% of my income, and when December rolls around and my current CD is up, i'm going to take the original CD amount, plus anything in the account and create a new CD. Then, I'll take 10% of my paycheck (200 bucks) and put it into the old savings account until i get enough to Fund an IRA... I think i need 4,000 to do that, but i'm planing on looking into that in January.

$150 Groceries/Necessities
I read somewhere on MSN money that you shouldn't spend more than 150 on Eating out, Groceries, etc for one person... So, I'm going to try this but also add in Necessities like Shampoo and toothpaste, etc into this category.

$70 Everyone needs a bit of Fun
This will be for movies, clothes, etc. No budget works without a bit of fun.

$80 Short Term Savings
This is money set aside for gifts, Christmas, vacations, unexpected expenditures and the like... I'm suppose to spend all of this by the end of the year.

$100 Emergency Fund Builder
I should have 3-6 months of my "salary" saved somewhere in case i can't work. My job does have disability/injury pay. But to be on the safe side, i should start putting this aside. If i need more money for short term money, than i'll pull it from this since my work does have a system set up for injury, but not for being fired, obviously... i won't move out till i have at least 3 months of my income, or $6,000 here alone. I don't want to get into the position where i have a place, loose my job and can't afford to keep it.

$30 Long Term Savings (A.K.A Moving OUT)
So, in an attempt to move toward the 60-40 solution and my ultimate goal, I have this category set up... it's supposed to be more... but meh, there isn't anything left. I'll also be putting all my overtime in here as well. hopefully i'll get a little bit together while i'm paying off my car. It will be nice to turn over at least 1,000 a month here in '08 after the car is paid off.


0 Rent (yeah for mom's house for now)
0 Medical Insurance (paid by work)
0 Dental Insurance (paid by work)

Screw tuition prices...

I've already committed myself to another semester of school... so you know what, screw the second credential... i don't want it.

I don't want to teach math... and i don't want to pay crazy tuition money for J-session classes... that's what my scholarships are for... screw it!!!!!!

Spring (15 units)
HIU Publications HIU
Poli Sci Class CSUF
American Character CSUF
Us Geo+ Canada CSUF
Cal Hist and Gov Independent study Edgington

Fall '08 (12 Units)
Bib Perspectives HIU
307 Credential course CSUF
Gender Course CSUF
China-Non-European Independent Study -HIU

Friday, October 27, 2006

Overtime Savings Account

So i had this Brilliant idea to get ahead... an Overtime Savings account! Since I believe that Overtime should not be money you rely on to survive, I'm going to force myself to save every cent of it (before taxes too because i'm to lazy to take the taxes out of it).

Since most of my income is accounted for already, If I want to move out or start an emergency fund, this is the only way i'm going to do it... through overtime... So i set up an ING Direct savings account to earn interest off the money too!

Possible January Budget

Assuming I will be making 2,000 a month after taxes, this looks like everything i spend and i'll have my car paid off by December 07, and tuition money!!!!

1,000 Auto Loan
100 Car insurance
250 Spring Tuition
200 Gas
50 Cell
20 Internet
150 Groceries/Dinners/Fun/Necessities
200 Retirement Savings Account (10%)
0 Rent (yeah for mom's house for now)
0 Medical Insurance (paid by work)
0 Dental Insurance (paid by work)
30 Short term savings

total= 2,000


I just started an overtime Savings account to try and slowly edge my way to a emergency fund, or a move out fund... not sure which. I'm hoping once the car is paid off in a year that 1,000 a month could be then applied for a nice moving out fund. If that's the case then i'll just make the overtime fund an emergency fund or redirect the money to retirement or a CD.

Progress

Well, i finally have the $2,466 i needed for my tuition!


It's now a completed goal woot woot!!


Since the revised school schedule, it looks like i only needed to get half that money since I'm taking half the classes and i don't need the extra CSUF money because i won't be taking that class yet...
I'm going to keep the "extra money" in a savings account for future tuition and text book fees which i now get to start saving for. I have the summer money (the other half of the 2466), but because I'm adding a semester I'll need to upfront 1800 bucks for CSUF tuition in the fall as well as stock textbook cash. but at least whatever i pay CSUF will be refunded if my financial aid stays the same.


Today I'm transferring ALL the tuition money to a Bank of America Savings account in case any other fees need to be paid. (its better to have the money transferred now since it takes a few business days for it to be posted in my account. )


next month I'm going to focus on the car insurance and my auto loan, and I'll look at how much a month I'll need to put aside to get that 1800 I'll need to upfront my CSUF class.


Its best to be on top of everything, this I've learned.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

New game plan with Tuition

I think I'm going to add another semester of school and graduate only 6 months early, not the full year... in order to bypass the CSET, i need another class that i hadn't expected... which means I'd have to take 6 J-session units ($2,466) + 21 Units in the Spring...

If i add the other semester, I'll be able to get a second credential... with less school time... =)

I need to talk to my advisor, but this is what it will look like so far:

J-session (3 Units)
I'll independent study one HIU course ($1,233.00)

Spring (15 units)
HIU Publications
Poli Sci Class CSUF
American Character CSUF
Us Geo+ Canada CSUF
Algebra CSUF (this is for the second credential)

Summer (6 Units)
China-Non-European HIU ($1,233.00)
Geometry (community college... maybe $200 bucks) (and for second credential)

Fall '08 (12 Units)
Bib Perspectives HIU
307 Credential course CSUF
Gender Course CSUF
Algebra II Trig (second credential)


So in the long run, besides book fees, I'm only going to spend a few hundred more, and be able to apply for a second credential in basic mathematics in addition to History!!!

and I'll have more time at my job to build credibility and possibly allow schedule changes for my credential... I think i found the answer to everything!!!!!!!

Now I'll just have to meet with my advisor!

19 days of pantry eating, 16 days left

Well, its been a couple of days... and in all honestly, I'm not really suffering in this yet...

I didn't meet up with my friends on Sunday. We normally go out to dinner afterwards, regardless if everyone is going to get something or what not so i didn't have to "not go to dinner" with them afterwards. Which was kind of nice (didn't have to not spend money) , but sad i didn't get to see my friends...

As far as this 19 days is going, I still have stuff to make lunches with( for now), and dinners aren't so bad because there is pretty decent food in the freezer for the next week at least. It's the meals in between dinner that are hard... (you can't take frozen pasta to school in a lunch pail that i don't have... lol) But, as far as dinners go, I'm loving the freezer right now. My mom cooked the last of the steaks the other day, and last night we had pork chops...

On a personal note, my family doesn't sit down to dinners and hasn't for years... so last night when my mom cooked dinner, it was really weird. It was "lets pretend were a family".... it didn't fly too well..... and later i found out was her ploy in actually cooking wasn't to "be a family" but rather a little experiment of hers to see if cooking will make her loose weight better than taking food home from work....

the joys of living in my family..... or really what i call "just ppl living under the same roof."

Monday, October 23, 2006

19 Days of Pantry Eating

Well, being as my mom won't be buying groceries and i won't be spending any money but gas, So....for the next 19 days, I'm eating out of the pantry and the freezer... this should be interesting... Especially since my mom has decided to start cooking (which means the pantry and freezer food will go 3 times as fast)... but this should only last a week, she'll tire of it soon, she always does.

But I'm not too sad about the 19 days of pantry eating. (it will probably not make me over eat, that's for sure... maybe that 6 lbs i want to loose will finally come off)

But packing school lunch will be difficult... in order to combat that (only some food can go in a lunch), i didn't take a granola bar to work, instead i brought cereal with me (i took milk in a water bottle). Since the granola is something i can take with me to school, I'm gonna try and go through the cereal when i can and save the granola. (its a big Costco box... but i won't have much food that can last a whole day in a backpack... so granola=school food)

Tonight my mom is cooking the last of the frozen steak (and using some stuffing an potatoes and probably corn from the pantry)... so i get to have a good meal tonight. Another thing to be grateful about.

4 days till pay day, 19 days of pantry
Winter Tuition Need: 384.58
CSUF Tuition: Need: 500
Car Insurance Need: 1,000.29
*400 Car Payment- Done

Sunday, October 22, 2006

October goals

Well with the changes in the due dates, i need new Oct Goals...


NEW OCTOBER GOALS:


Auto Loan- Pay 400 for month on OCT- DONE

Winter Tuition- 384.58- This should be paid off.... one thing to smile about

Extra CSUF Tuition- 500- I should get this out of the way ASAP.

Car Insurance- 0... in order to get the CSUF tuition, i need to postpone this... it looks like 500 NOV and 500 for DEC

ING Savings "Retirement" Account: 10% of paychecks.



So all of next paycheck is already spent... i might have to dip into that "extra" paycheck (if any is left for gas and my sisters b-day present.) no spending for me...

November- (basically I have 1 paycheck left for this month)
Auto Loan-418.23
Car Insurance 500

December (basically I have 1 paycheck left for this month too)
Auto Loan-418.23
Car Insurance 500

Saturday, October 21, 2006

more unexpected financial set backs...

My sister's birthday, which isn't until December, is costing my 60 bucks.... and i have to pay it now...
She wanted a really expensive item (a brand name purse regularly hundreds of dollars) that is marked wayyyyyy down so she picked it up for me (which was nice because the store is a drive) but now i gotta pay her the money now...
Which sucks because everything is due soon... i hate it when my finances look like this. I'm determined to get out of debt and not let everything spiral... but apparently when you think you have longer to save then you do, trouble comes. I'll get through, it just won't be a pretty couple of weeks.

breath in, breath out... no spending money... (glad i have a full tank right now...)

Friday, October 20, 2006

Yin and Yang

I found out that on Saturday (the beginning of the next pay cycle at work) i will be officially a full time employee. Since i have been already working 40 hours a week i can now officially re-calculate what my monthly income now that this money is for sure mine. The joyous event is not the ability to work longer hours and get more money that way, but that full time employees at my job receive more money toward benefits!!!! But here's the kicker, I'm not married like most employees so the money I'm not using is just added back into my paycheck. Pretty much its like getting a larger pay raise!!!!woot



But of course with every blessing, like throws a curve ball... my mom is cutting me off. It's not like i don't pay for a lot myself... besides food, some necessities here and there at Costco, and rent, i am independent... (i know I'm not really) but now i gotta grocery shop and buy my own shampoo etc... It just seems like every little bit i get, goes by by before i get it.


sad....


~*~*~ 6 days till pay day ~*~*~ I think i'm getting a 900.oo paycheck.... and its already spent.....
Winter Tuition
Due nov 3rd; Have: 2,081.42
Need: 384.58 - Should be PAID
515 of paycheck left...


CSUF Tuition HIU won't cover
~$500 i have no idea when....
try to put away $150.oo
365 of paycheck left


Car Insurance
Due December; Have: 212.71
Need: 1,000.29
Hold off...
in case the CSUF money is due, I'll just break even with 15 bucks...


*400 Car Payment-
i paid this using cash that was in my account from that "extra paycheck" so it's not coming out of the new paycheck. But i can't keep doing things like this.... shoot!!!!


Guess that means no fun for me... I do have 700.00 in my "retirement" but i refuse to use that money to bail me out. I'm hoping i can peace everything together without bailing into that... but if i do.... it all goes back that first paycheck i get. plus interest.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Oops

So i found out that registration got moved up way faster than i intended. In order to make the payments for my tuition (now due nov 3), i had to move 1,000 from my car insurance account to the tuition account. While this does make sense, since i still have time to get the rest of the car insurance money together before its due in December, it sucks to think that one of my goals just got scrapped because i can't figure out when i register for classes!!!! I think I'm also going to have to come up with a couple extra hundred bucks for a Cal State class my major won't pay for (by Nov 15th!!!!!!!). If i take the class, I Will save myself the time and cost of taking the CSET. . . So now the figures stand as follows:


Tuition- Due nov 3rd
Have: 2,081.42
Need: 384.58

I originally budgeted 431 for this, so the 385.58 is good. the extra 46.42 plus whatever money is over 800 on my paycheck is going to go for the extra cal state class i have to pay for......)



Car Insurance- Due December
Have: 212.71
Need: 1,000.29
Ya, not sure when this is gonna get paid... I'm thinking not this next paycheck.... well maybe... My sister just told me what she wants for her birthday (in December... a 65 dollar purse... but i have to buy it in the next few days because its on huge sale....) I hate it when stuff ends up like this.
on another note:

I really wish my school would get with that refund check. I really think I'm not getting one after all and it might have been a comp glitch that they "fixed"

i still need to make the monthly payment on my car, $400.00 but the bill still hasn't come in yet... I want January to come... when my finances make more sense and all this junk I'm waiting on will be fixed (work 2 raises, and re-title-ment; School refund check cleared or finally removed; no tuition issues to save for... well minus credential....)

Monday, October 16, 2006

called toyota

Well i called Toyota the other day and they told me I'm stupid... bills aren't even mailed out till the 14th of the month... lol... my bad. But it means its on the way and $400 is going towards it. I really want to pay more but right now i can't justify it until:

A) my benefits change over and
B) that tuition money is stocked away...

I really think i only have two paychecks to do it in now because registration is happening in mid November so that's when i have to register for classes and set up payment options. I still need to call AOL but they are such a hassle... why can't people mail bills?

My school really needs to post those scholarships in my account to see if that refund is there... looks like part of today I'll be stocking the financial aid department reps

~*~*~ 11 days till pay day ~*~*~
431 Tuition (+ anything extra over 800)
*400 Car Payment
TOTAL After one paycheck =1,384.32 .....
After October Goal: 1,089.52...

Friday, October 13, 2006

payday!

Okay, the wait is over... payday is here... and i smile. I made over 800... so that means i can put more money towards my tuition to get the money faster (since i really don't know when i need to have it by....
I need to call AOL and TOYOTA to find out why they have not sent me bills yet.....
As for now, let's take a look at those goals.


187.54 car insurance- PAID!!!!!!
431 tuition (+ anything over 800 on my paycheck (which ended up being 136.20 EXTRA))
400 car payment (Next paycheck or when i get the actual bill)


So... for next paycheck
~*~*~ 14 days till pay day ~*~*~
431 Tuition (+ anything extra over 800)
*400 Car Payment
total Needed: 1,708.06;
After one paycheck =1,384.32 .....
After October Goal: 1,089.52...

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

humph

Not really much to post...
I gave out my Christmas list to my family the other day. (we give out lists early so we can find sales, etc and not buy the last min)... and i also told them I'm upholding that college budget mentality when it comes to shopping (my sis wasn't to pleased)...



The school is still behind with that refund check... i honestly don't think it exists anymore... =( but who knows).



With the Monday holiday, my car bill hasn't come yet, and i really want it so i know how much I'm really in debt.... (i know I'm sick and crazy). but with every payment i can decrease the amount i owe... and maybe be happier that my dept is getting smaller...
\

Benefits still aren't "adjusted" yet... and sadly it doesn't look like I'll be able to work next year if i do my credential... =( but nothing is set in stone... I've been thinking of possibly just getting another BA and working for the city...

so much is up in the air...


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~2 days till pay day...~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
goals:
187.54 car insurance
431 tuition + anything over 800 on my paycheck
400 car payment
total debt: 1,708.06;
After October: 1,089.52...

Saturday, October 7, 2006

good thing i had that extra paycheck last month

I got an extra paycheck last month, & I'm really glad for it. GYRAD turned out kind of expensive and I'm glad i didn't budget my last paycheck. lol Well it turned out more expensive because I paid for a lot with my card and then he gave me cash... but i did that "trying not to spend the cash i get" thing... so its now in the jar... i think i had like 20 bucks in there from change i had collected throughout the year... and now between the cash my sister gave me for something, recycle, and GYRAD... i think there's 50 actual dollars in there... so like 70 bucks total.


I didn't get the promotion... but my boss told me to apply for the guy's job who got it. Not really bummed... but i think i will apply for my boss's job =)


i think i'll keep re posting the monthly goals after every post so i don't have to scroll to see them.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~6 days till pay day...~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
reminder of goals:
187.54 car insurance
431 tuition + anything over 800 on my paycheck (since it's extra income i didn't think i would get... minus 10% which goes to retirement)
400 car payment
total debt: 1708.06;
After October: 1089.52...

Wednesday, October 4, 2006

that promotion i mentioned...

i interview for it on Friday.... (i didn't think they would actually set up an interview... i wonder if I'm the only one who applied)

and it also means a lot more stuff for myself to be busy with... i just need to get through Oct... and it just started.... sad...

I feel really bogged down with school, home, etc... that i really want to move out ASAP... but i know i can't... not for another 2 years probably... (i really don't want to rent...) but i might end up doing just that...

i shouldn't buy a place until i know i have a real real job that goes with my degree.... so maybe i will rent... who knows... all i know is that when Jan rolls around... i get to start saving for that...

oh a sadder note, its taking the school forever to process that second refund check from the administration... it's making me think that there isn't a refund check at all. Good thing I'm not depending on one... if there is one, that's just icing on the cake.

Monday, October 2, 2006

i feel sad so i'm going to post a slight happy finance break.

I originally opened 2 more ING Direct savings accounts, one for my car insurance, the other for my tuition payment... well i got a little bit of interest on them for the couple of days the money was in the account... so new totals.


Car insurance Balance: -187.83
Winter Tuition Balance: -1520.78



I turn in my "hours" wed, and get paid in a week from Friday on the 13th... creepy...

I really want to know what my new monthly take home pay is. ...

I worked 77.25 hours, @13.36 an hour +86 in Cafe Cash... before taxes net should be around 1124.... maybe I'll get 900 after taxes.. that would be nicer. oh well guess I'm waiting 11 more days to find out...