I'm still really bothered that my savings plan is negative right now... and that number is centered around me having perfect budgeting skills... something i don't have since i just robbed my e-fund to make up for some extra spending i incurred....
I hate that Overtime is my only saving grace. Basically all of my income is accounted for and yet i still come up -$168.36! for retirment and -$4,000.00 for Moving out
While i'm pretty confident that i'll find the money for my retirement account (since i know my next paycheck has overtime on it and i have still money to put for my auto loan this month)... i'm very skeptical that i'll be able to get even half the money i need to move out... and that worries me because i don't like living at home... I house sat for a few days over Thanksgiving for a friend... and i really liked living somewhere else... i loved dorm living... i can do roommates... but its just so expensive... it frusterates me...
I'm counting down the days to my next paycheck to find out what kind of denting i can do to the loan... i just really want to get some kind of momentum... at least the thought that at the end of the year i'll have more than the $30 a month for moving out... (which i'm going to put in the begining of the month so it has a longer time to earn interest)...
The only income i havn't accounted for is my hopefully tax return... and 2 paychecks (twice a year i get 3 paychecks in a month... but i'm not sure when these will be or how much they will come to)
i just want some kind of hope... is that too much to ask for?
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Boot Barn
I mentioned previously that my mom gave me some cash for X-mas shopping for myself... well i spent 150 bucks on a pair of leather line dancing nice black boots... Stupid me didn't look at the bottom of the boot... (it wasn't leather... you need leather to dance.... and slide) So after a few hours in boot barn i was able to get store credit (gift card for the 150 bucks because i didn't want them to credit my card because i already paid the bill and i'm not supposed to over pay that card.) So after driving to another Bootbarn with my friend "older Dave" in tow... i not only found a better pair that fit, but they were cheaper too... and i got to use a 15% off cupond i had... plus a $3.00 cupond... and i got my "boot trees" and still had 10 bucks left over...
Which i will use to go get a nice shirt in a few weeks or boot polish since i get $13 bucks off my next purchase....
SCORE!!!!! woot woot.
As for last month, with my accounts settled, i over spent 62.56.... so i'll be taking this money from my savings account to fix my zero balance...
From the paycheck i have yet to recieve i have spent:
Which i will use to go get a nice shirt in a few weeks or boot polish since i get $13 bucks off my next purchase....
SCORE!!!!! woot woot.
As for last month, with my accounts settled, i over spent 62.56.... so i'll be taking this money from my savings account to fix my zero balance...
From the paycheck i have yet to recieve i have spent:
- AOL- 9.95 (the bill wasn't due till 12/12 but i paid it anyways cause there was other stuff on the card)
- Coffee Bean- 5.55 (i treated a friend and me... every now and then she pays for coffee and stuff... more than i do so i was returning the favor)---> not sure if this will be "fun" or "food" yet... well see. =)
I transfer $2,000 bucks from ING to BofA so i can move it to Emigrant for tuition... and i scheduled 800 more to follow.... once it clears the pending i'll move it to Emigrant... (go fig... the day i do this ING ups my % rate... the account now gets 4.5%)
I have yet to go to the bank to get my mom her cash for the car insurance... but i'm going to do it today since i should have time before Jr high and church stuff 2nite.
gotta run back to class... peace!
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Auto Loan Update
Well, my account is posted and now its time to see how far that Overtime went in the long run.
I'm in debt 11,717.13!!!
Balances at the end of the month if paying $1,176.00 a month
755.64 for NOV goes to Retirement
$1176.00 for DEC goes to retirement...
= $1,931.64 for Retirment total... the goal is $2500... (400 CD) = -$168.36!
I only need to find $168.36 before i can contribute to moving out!!!!! The impossible amount is slowly getting smaller!!!!!!!!
I'm in debt 11,717.13!!!
Balances at the end of the month if paying $1,176.00 a month
- OLD-------------------------------> NEW
- January 10772.32 ----------------->10621.69
- February 9670.38 -----------------> 9518.71
- March 8560.86 --------------------> 8408.15
- April 7443.71 ---------------------> 7289.96
- May 6318.88 ----------------------> 6164.07
- June 5186.32 ----------------------> 5030.45
- July 4045.98 ----------------------> 3889.04
- August 2897.79 -------------------> 2739.77
- September 1741.71 ----------------> 1582.61
- October 577.68 --------------------> 417.49
- November 0.00 --------------------> 0.00
755.64 for NOV goes to Retirement
$1176.00 for DEC goes to retirement...
= $1,931.64 for Retirment total... the goal is $2500... (400 CD) = -$168.36!
I only need to find $168.36 before i can contribute to moving out!!!!! The impossible amount is slowly getting smaller!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Emigrant Direct
Okay!
i went ahead and created a new sub account over at Emigrant Direct. My Tuition account will be initially funded with $1.00
I scheduled for $2,000 from my ING tuition account to be sent over to BOFA and when it arrives there i will then send it to Emigrant. (at the end of the month i'll trasfer the rest of the $700 when the interest from that month pops in too.)
Slowly i'm learning to make more money by doining nothing... one day... if i get enought... wouldn't it be cool to be able to live just off interest?????
that will officially be a really cool day
Recession Ephiphany
I think were headed into a recession... Some of my spendy friends are trying to start budgets... and they are thinking twice about spending... plus after talking with my old econ teacher (i was doing more classroom observations).... i think where heading down .....
we have left the peak, housing prices are going down and we are long overdue for a recession...
=(
Therefore i'm moving my tuition and later my Moving out funds to emigrant Direct. I think i'm going to be slowly phasing out ING... i'll leave it for smaller saving institutes unless their rates climb higher or if i want a CD under 1,000 bucks.... (which won't happen for a while.)
most of my BOFA stuff cleared this morning so i'm going to be paying my mom tonight... but i'm going to hit the $400 level in my checking... which means i'll have to rob the E-fund/Short term savings fund to bring it back to "zero" (500)... sad... oh well.
we have left the peak, housing prices are going down and we are long overdue for a recession...
=(
Therefore i'm moving my tuition and later my Moving out funds to emigrant Direct. I think i'm going to be slowly phasing out ING... i'll leave it for smaller saving institutes unless their rates climb higher or if i want a CD under 1,000 bucks.... (which won't happen for a while.)
most of my BOFA stuff cleared this morning so i'm going to be paying my mom tonight... but i'm going to hit the $400 level in my checking... which means i'll have to rob the E-fund/Short term savings fund to bring it back to "zero" (500)... sad... oh well.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Internet banking is soooo slow
I'm slightly upset with Bank of America.
It's a really good thing that I keep my receipts... and that my other online institutions are faster. I used to think my chase credit card was slow at posting amounts... but they already show my credit card payment, and all of my black friday shopping. If i'm correct that the only card i used to buy anything on was my Chase [I'm 90% positive that that was the only plastic i slapped down... but i can't find out till BofA speeds things up] then i'm out $40 bucks that i spent on me.
after doing a fast calculation... i think that i only have ruffly $3 bucks left from last paycheck.... but i'm not sure... i'm just glad that the zero in my checking account is really $500 bucks...
i have to admit.. i blew $9 bucks last night... i saw a movie with some friends after church and i was going for the sake of hanging out and getting to know ppl better... but i was so tired and the move was so stupid that i'm pretty sure i fell asleep a couple of times... next time i'm saying no and sleeping more in my bed for free... Don't see Tenatious D.... its not even stupid funny (which is what i thought it was going to be and i really could have used the laugh)
meh....
- If it wasn't for the fact that i've been with Bank of America since 1996,
- have a credit card with them,
- use online bill pay,
- have a savings account with them,
- have both my ING and Emigrant accounts linked with them,
- have my paycheck direct deposited to one of those accounts....
then i might switch banks.... OUT OF PURE FRUSTRATION
- They still haven't sent that overtime from last paycheck over to Toyota... So i can't be happy to watch the interest fall... or the balance... it won't be sent over till tomorrow... then they have to process it still...
- They Still haven't cleared the car insurance money that i transfered from my checking to my savings account for my car insurance..... it hasn't left the "pending" section for days now (even the ING deposit is still "pending")... and i'm itching to give my mom the money but i won't until that "pending" goes away to make sure the funds have been moved so i don't get any overdraft charges.
It's a really good thing that I keep my receipts... and that my other online institutions are faster. I used to think my chase credit card was slow at posting amounts... but they already show my credit card payment, and all of my black friday shopping. If i'm correct that the only card i used to buy anything on was my Chase [I'm 90% positive that that was the only plastic i slapped down... but i can't find out till BofA speeds things up] then i'm out $40 bucks that i spent on me.
after doing a fast calculation... i think that i only have ruffly $3 bucks left from last paycheck.... but i'm not sure... i'm just glad that the zero in my checking account is really $500 bucks...
i have to admit.. i blew $9 bucks last night... i saw a movie with some friends after church and i was going for the sake of hanging out and getting to know ppl better... but i was so tired and the move was so stupid that i'm pretty sure i fell asleep a couple of times... next time i'm saying no and sleeping more in my bed for free... Don't see Tenatious D.... its not even stupid funny (which is what i thought it was going to be and i really could have used the laugh)
meh....
Sunday, November 26, 2006
New Years Resolutions
My New Years Resolutions:
I always start my Resolutions on Thanksgiving, in November and not on January first... especially when there is weightloss envolved... its a little less intimidating this way! and I get more time to do them in! Last year my goal was to loose 30lbs and keep it off... and i did! now i want to kill the remaining harder 10.
- Pay off my Auto Loan and Be DEBT FREE
- Graduate from college with my BA and without loans
- Contribute $2,500.00 to my retirement account at Emigrant.
- Drop around 10ish lbs (i want to be in the 130's, not the 140's).
- I'm really hesitant to write MOVE OUT as a resolution... so instead a large jump to financial Independence----> proactively saving money to move out. (right now this seems impossible to do in a year even though i might have roommates lined up. Everything is always dependent upon something else, so instead i'm having the ideal to save
I Made a Commitment to Budget for THIS Month and Gosh Darn I Won't Give UP!
After sleeping on it... and even though i was fed up with everything concerning my budget for Novemeber, (and even though everything hasn't posted in my accounts yet) i went recepit hunting and found all if my receipts except one for the categories i'm attempting to budget)... so i'm going to attempt to be faithful to the budget with (the new standards). Black Friday and Christmas shopping does not give me an excuse to stop trying to figure out where all my money has gone gosh darn it! woot for empowerment and a decent night sleep.
I'm missing the recipt from Ralphs for communion bread and juice... i can't remember if it was $4 bucks or $5 so i'll round it up to $6...
I'm missing the recipt from Ralphs for communion bread and juice... i can't remember if it was $4 bucks or $5 so i'll round it up to $6...
- FUN: $63.40 (i have no idea with the balances not posted but i wasn't aiming to implement this category this month, just keep track of it. It definently went over $70 bucks tho....)
- FOOD: $134.30----> Ralphs $6 bucks communion; It's a Grind $3.85; Ralphs [ frozen lasagna (free with cupond--- my first cupond), 2 yogarts, crutons, 2 bottles of cesar dressing, V8 splash, parmasean cheese, red apples, 2 things of romaine lettus (kind of pricy but i needed it for Sunday pot luck) Totaling $18.13
- Necessities: $44.31
- Gas: $80.65 I needed to get a bit of gas to finish X-mas shopping 10.04... and i'll fill my tank up tomorrow when i go back to school because gas is cheaper there... should be 30 something bucks... but it looks like i did it.
Well it looks like i did it!!!!!! After alloting myself more money, i hit under budget. I don't know if that defeats the idea of a budget... but i needed more for food, so, i figure its best to allot more before it becomes the official budget when i can that way i don't come up short. IF i consistantly hit underbudget i'll slightly reduce the amount i spend in these categories (except gas because i funnel that money to other car related things, like tags.)
----> now i get to look at prices and create a grocery list of the things i know i'll need to pick up for December's groceries!
Saturday, November 25, 2006
December Goals
For December, I want to apply all the budget tools I will be starting in January with the exception of the auto loan payment and the car insurance payment because the amounts won't be exactly what i'm planning for in January. This is going to be huge for me. It's a dry run for the real budget. I've learned (hopefully) from this months mistakes and i'm ready to try it in the "Real World." Here goes... i'm commiting it to "paper" (or rather the internet):
- Gas: $200.00 (Extra will be siphoned off to car insurance/tag money. Tags are due by March and i have no idea how much they will be. Maybe I should call AAA and ask them...)
- Cingular: $50.00 (Extra will go towards Auto Loan... every little bit helps)
- AOL Internet: $10.00
- Groceries: $150.00 (Extra is going to an "odds and ends account" incase one month I need more Groceries than another)
- Basic Necessities: $50.00 (Extra is going to an "odds and ends account" incase one month I need more Basics than another)
- Offering: $50.00 (25 per check---> taken out in cash and put in an envelope to be given the following Sunday... it's only 2.5% of the projected income for January... I slowly want to increase this until its 10%)
- Fun Money: $70.00 (Cash to be taken out and put into my wallet, $35 per check. What is left over, half will be kept, the other half will be re-deposited and applied to my auto loan.)
- Short Term Savings: $90.00 Once i hit the magic number of $1,000.00 I will add this money to the auto loan. If my Short Term Fund drops below $1,000.00 (once i get there) I will being the $90 a month until it reaches the goal again, then continue adding to the auto payment... and hopefully when the auto loan is gone, put this money towards moving out.
- Long Term Savings (A.K.A Moving OUT): $30.00 Just because i'll be too depressed if my moving out fund doesn't some what grow while i'm paying down debt.
- ----->ING Direct CD: transfer the $400.00 to Emigrant Retirement Fund The approximate Negative $725.68 that i need to "find" inorder to attempt to reach the currently "impossible" retirement goal of contributing $2,500.00 more by the end of '07 is now reduced to Negative $325.68... making the goal a little less impossible.
That totals a nice even $700.00... If i make $1800 after taxes next month, [i still have no idea what i make every month because i'm constantly getting Overtime on each paycheck and that always throws off how much money they take out for taxes and the like... plus my Nov review has not happened at work and that December raise isn't in place yet (since its not till mid Dec) so i'm not making $2000 a month yet after taxes] that means i'm left with $1100.00 dollars or so.
- Auto Loan: I promised to pay $420.00 (+ Overtime and Recycle Money)... I want to break the $11,000 debt marker and i think i can since i have 16 hours of overtime coming on one paycheck alone for december.
Now i'm left with $680.00 I'll leave the $80.00 as fudge money incase of an emergency since i'm dry running the budget this month and i did do that X-mas spending mistake in Nov. the other $600 bucks will go to the auto loan... for a grand total of $1020.00 before overtime... meaning i should break that debt marker.
If only Toyota knew my financial plans... they would cry like babies...
November Accomplishments
- Car Insurance- Done. i got the $1,213.00
- Auto Loan- broke $12,000 total debt marker a month early (yes!)
- Emigrant Retirement- remained on hold to contribute more to the auto loan.
----->By December '07 i want to put $2,500.00 (the 200 a month plus interest) that was supposed to go in here but was rather defered to the auto loan. That way i "loose" nothing by paying the car off sooner.
- ING Direct CD- It's up december 14th... then it moves to Emigrant
----->This will be used to go toward the "retirement money" that i am "short" since i'm paying for my auto loan first and contributing second to retirement.( See Post here:http://ambellamy-womaninred.blogspot.com/2006/11/yeah-yeah-yeah.html)
-----> The approximate -$725.68 i'll be short is now reduced to -$325.68. (i can't contribute more towards moving out until i get this -$325.68) The only way i get this money is by paying off the car sooner (that way future overtime is freed up and so is less money going toward interest payments)
- Moving Out- nothing as planned for this month. Christmas shopping prevailed... and i'm done.
-----> The problem here would be the fact that i need to get around $4,000 to move out (first, last, security deposit, and 2 months emergency rent incase i get fired) and currently I only have $10.02 put towards this.... and i'm only planning a small 30 bucks a month until the car is paid off.... but then after the car is paid off i have to "catch up" on retirement... then i can save for this
Number wise... all of this doesn't add up... but if push comes to shove i can "use" the retirement as the 2 month back up since that money is supposed to be in a savings account anyways and the girls i'm moving in with will consider this acceptable collateral... BUT that will leave me with $2,000.00 i still need to get.... (i'm gonna get cleaver soon with my money, that's for sure) The faster the car is paid off... the faster i get that negative 325.68 retirement money ... the faster i get more move out cash!
- BofA Savings (short term)- nothing since i paid off the car insurance
-----> after i'm done seeing what's in my checking account after everything settles from Christmas shopping and the like, anything over 500 bucks will be put in here... goal is 1,000.00 (if i'm under 500 bucks in checking, i'll take money out of here because 500 is my checking account zero marker).
- Tuition- I put the refund from my school here. the new balance is $2,831.03. This will be used for books and further school costs.
Car Kick
Well the interest was added back into the loan and i keep watching the amount creep back up closer to $12,000.00 but i just sent them my OT so that should bring it back down...
Retail Payoff Amount: $11,874.77
Good Through Date: 12/07/2006
You would think that since my next car payment isn't due till March 30, 2007... that they would subtract some months from the expected pay off date. But no, they haven't... i guess maybe they are hoping i'll get into trouble in december and spend too much on presents (well i did overspend on me... but i have enough to cover it ) Maybe when January rolls around and i give them over 1,000 bucks they will sing a different tune and start bringing that pay off date closer...
Scheduled Maturity Date: 06/30/2011
-----> when the overtime posts on the loan, i'll reconfigure and find out how much that saved me in interest in the long run.... because number crunching makes me happy and is an amazing motivator
Retail Payoff Amount: $11,874.77
Good Through Date: 12/07/2006
You would think that since my next car payment isn't due till March 30, 2007... that they would subtract some months from the expected pay off date. But no, they haven't... i guess maybe they are hoping i'll get into trouble in december and spend too much on presents (well i did overspend on me... but i have enough to cover it ) Maybe when January rolls around and i give them over 1,000 bucks they will sing a different tune and start bringing that pay off date closer...
Scheduled Maturity Date: 06/30/2011
-----> when the overtime posts on the loan, i'll reconfigure and find out how much that saved me in interest in the long run.... because number crunching makes me happy and is an amazing motivator
ummm.... so that after thanksgiving sale day......
I've been hiding from posting here... ummm i kind of went shopping on black friday.... with other ppls money and my own.... ummmmmm (i've been avoiding this post....) okay here goes....
I think (okay i really know) i spent money i wasn't planning on spending. Its my fault... My mom said i could go shopping and spend up to $200 bucks (more then the money she gave me for some stuff she wanted me to pick up) and she'd reinburse me later... what i didn't know is that my sis was picking some stuff up for my mom that was for me and that, that money was also coming out of the 200 bucks... miss communication. I had knowingly over spent 30 bucks because i needed a new bra... (i have an odd size and can only buy them at nordstroms or Victoria Secret.... no one else will stock a 32 C) and the $30 was the sale price so imagine my excitement!!!!! well i had found another bra and i was planning on having my mom buy ... but now it exceeds the $200 bucks (because of my sister needing to be reinburst...) so its in my room in the bag... (there is no way i'm returning it because its a steal and i do need it)
So... i'm out around 60-70 bucks... plus... i finished Christmas shopping (mom 49, grandpa 20, Corie 50, heather 25)... and i got 2 towels for 12 bucks... So until everything posts in my accounts... i won't know the real damage... (why couldn't my mom have given me the 200 in cash before hand????) now i have 70 bucks from Nordstrom on my card.... 150 bucks from bootbarn, plus christmas presents.... i just want everything to settle in my account ASAP. errrr....
-----> on a positive note....
I think (okay i really know) i spent money i wasn't planning on spending. Its my fault... My mom said i could go shopping and spend up to $200 bucks (more then the money she gave me for some stuff she wanted me to pick up) and she'd reinburse me later... what i didn't know is that my sis was picking some stuff up for my mom that was for me and that, that money was also coming out of the 200 bucks... miss communication. I had knowingly over spent 30 bucks because i needed a new bra... (i have an odd size and can only buy them at nordstroms or Victoria Secret.... no one else will stock a 32 C) and the $30 was the sale price so imagine my excitement!!!!! well i had found another bra and i was planning on having my mom buy ... but now it exceeds the $200 bucks (because of my sister needing to be reinburst...) so its in my room in the bag... (there is no way i'm returning it because its a steal and i do need it)
So... i'm out around 60-70 bucks... plus... i finished Christmas shopping (mom 49, grandpa 20, Corie 50, heather 25)... and i got 2 towels for 12 bucks... So until everything posts in my accounts... i won't know the real damage... (why couldn't my mom have given me the 200 in cash before hand????) now i have 70 bucks from Nordstrom on my card.... 150 bucks from bootbarn, plus christmas presents.... i just want everything to settle in my account ASAP. errrr....
-----> on a positive note....
- i transfered all the funds to my BofA savings for my car insurance and will pay my mom this week (mon or tuesday) since they are closed after i get off of work.
- I sent off the overtime 167.89 to my auto loan so i'm not tempted to use it to fix my blunder...
But I have to go grocery shopping again... i'm outta fruit and i need to grab some stuff for friday's pot luck... i'm done tryining to budget this month...
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Overtime for the car + car insurance
aftermuch calculations from my paycheck... Overtime before taxes is 167.89
So i have $240.53 left for the rest of the month since i'm paying all the car insurance.... phew... I transfered the ING money today so when it pops up in a couple of days i'm going to pay my mom... what a beautiful feeling... not oweing that woman money =D
I'll put the $167.89 in overtime towards the car when my money transfers are done in a couple of days and then i'll recalculate my savings since thats a huge motivation tool pour moi (for me)!
So i have $240.53 left for the rest of the month since i'm paying all the car insurance.... phew... I transfered the ING money today so when it pops up in a couple of days i'm going to pay my mom... what a beautiful feeling... not oweing that woman money =D
I'll put the $167.89 in overtime towards the car when my money transfers are done in a couple of days and then i'll recalculate my savings since thats a huge motivation tool pour moi (for me)!
YEAH YEAH YEAH
I'm in debt less than 12,000!!!!!!!!!!!!! -----> $11,866.74 (good till 12/04/06) =D
(i get paid today and when i get my check i'm gonna write that overtime over right away! I'm getting so motivated!)
NOW:
Balance at end of the month ($) if paying 1176 a month
10772.32 JAN
9670.38 FEB
8560.86 MAR
7443.71 APR
6318.88 MAY
5186.32 JUNE
4045.98 JULY
2897.79 AUG
1741.71 SEPT
577.68 OCT
0.00 NOV
------> I just dropped a whole month off my car loan!!!!!!! should be done in NOV.... which means:
(i get paid today and when i get my check i'm gonna write that overtime over right away! I'm getting so motivated!)
NOW:
Balance at end of the month ($) if paying 1176 a month
10772.32 JAN
9670.38 FEB
8560.86 MAR
7443.71 APR
6318.88 MAY
5186.32 JUNE
4045.98 JULY
2897.79 AUG
1741.71 SEPT
577.68 OCT
0.00 NOV
------> I just dropped a whole month off my car loan!!!!!!! should be done in NOV.... which means:
- $598.32 for NOV goes to Retirement
- $1176.00 for DEC goes to retirement...
- for a total of $1774.32 for retirement.... not the 2500 i wanted... but at least its something. and in November and December hopefully my overtime can be applied. ($725.68 short... and no extra move out funds... eeek... but its a start!!!!!!!!!) i'm hopeful!
As of last month i would pay out $506.91 in interest from JAN 07 to DEC 07.... now i'll be paying $474.94 I just saved $31.97
i hate change... new budget
phew... Okay... i'm not going off my mom's car insurance... I don't have to reconfigure my budget that much... but i'm paying her all the money this month in 5 days...
But i'm not sure if i should plan to go it alone next year or not. It's 44 bucks more i wouldn't be putting to my car... but if i move out, she has to cut me right? ---> for now i'm planing for this year with her, next year alone...
I also needed to amend my budget. With the food i've been eating that's just in the house, and with turkey day still in this month, i realized that there is no way i can eat on 100 bucks a month and be healthy. So... I'm changing my budget because the number's arn't realistic ( i decided yesterday and posted it... and after worrying about everything, i'm going to keep it this way for sanity.
I also added offering into the mix too. (25 a check for now... I'm also buying communion supplies and volunteering time)
Novemeber break down so far:
FUN: $63.40
FANTASTIC SAMS= hair cut 28, Big 5- shoes for football= 32.33, FoX- Beanie = 8.07
Food: $106.32
----> I went out to dinner and i need to buy more fruit for this month (plus I need to get food for sunday's potluck--i have most of this already but a few things)
Necessities: $44.31
Gas: $70.61
the new budget officially looks like this:
Necessities 50
Food 150
Net 10
Cell 50
Gas 200
Car Insur. 144
Long term savings: 30
Short Term Savings: 90
Fun:50
Offering: 50
Car payment 1,176.00 plus overtime....
But i'm not sure if i should plan to go it alone next year or not. It's 44 bucks more i wouldn't be putting to my car... but if i move out, she has to cut me right? ---> for now i'm planing for this year with her, next year alone...
I also needed to amend my budget. With the food i've been eating that's just in the house, and with turkey day still in this month, i realized that there is no way i can eat on 100 bucks a month and be healthy. So... I'm changing my budget because the number's arn't realistic ( i decided yesterday and posted it... and after worrying about everything, i'm going to keep it this way for sanity.
I also added offering into the mix too. (25 a check for now... I'm also buying communion supplies and volunteering time)
Novemeber break down so far:
FUN: $63.40
FANTASTIC SAMS= hair cut 28, Big 5- shoes for football= 32.33, FoX- Beanie = 8.07
Food: $106.32
----> I went out to dinner and i need to buy more fruit for this month (plus I need to get food for sunday's potluck--i have most of this already but a few things)
Necessities: $44.31
Gas: $70.61
the new budget officially looks like this:
Necessities 50
Food 150
Net 10
Cell 50
Gas 200
Car Insur. 144
Long term savings: 30
Short Term Savings: 90
Fun:50
Offering: 50
Car payment 1,176.00 plus overtime....
Monday, November 20, 2006
reconfiguration of auto payments + budget??????
In the event that i'm taken off my mom's insurance... my car payments will need to be adjusted. Based on the balance i owe now... these are the following stats if i pay 1126.00 a month
Balance ($)
11233.48 JAN
10184.70 FEB
9128.72 MAR
8065.47 APR
6994.92 MAY
5917.00 JUN
4831.68 JUL
3738.89 AUG
2638.59 SEPT
1530.73 OCT
415.25 NOV
0.00 DEC
it would take a year... and i would only add 1836.75 to my retirement by the end of the year....
the new budget would look like this:
Necessities 50
Food 150
Net 10
Cell 50
Gas 200
Car Insur. 144
Long term savings: 30
Short Term Savings: 90
Fun:50
Offering: 50
Car payment 1126.00 plus overtime....
I hate having everything change when i had a concrete plan...... grrrrrr stupid mother....
Balance ($)
11233.48 JAN
10184.70 FEB
9128.72 MAR
8065.47 APR
6994.92 MAY
5917.00 JUN
4831.68 JUL
3738.89 AUG
2638.59 SEPT
1530.73 OCT
415.25 NOV
0.00 DEC
it would take a year... and i would only add 1836.75 to my retirement by the end of the year....
the new budget would look like this:
Necessities 50
Food 150
Net 10
Cell 50
Gas 200
Car Insur. 144
Long term savings: 30
Short Term Savings: 90
Fun:50
Offering: 50
Car payment 1126.00 plus overtime....
I hate having everything change when i had a concrete plan...... grrrrrr stupid mother....
Interesting Argument with my Parental+ Car Insurance HELP!!!!
Sorry about the long post... but i need some advice so skip down to the italics if you don't want to read it all...
With the current school symester coming to a close soon, i've been spending more and more time at My private college with yearbook deadlines, student projects, etc and as a result have been spending less and less time at home.
Apparently, my mom has been having car problems for the last few days and i have been unaware, and therefore an ignorant daughter for not caring nor knowing about them... but more on this later.
Because i've been absent from the home life, my mom was getting kind of sympathedic towards me... i think the realization that i don't need her as much as i used to (since she can't throw them in my face anymore) is starting to set in and she's worried that one day i'll up and leave and she won't hear from me ever again... (while this is tempting... i know she's my mother and that in some form or another she will be in my life). Well the other day she offered to buy me some stuff at the store and partly out of stubborness and partly out of pride (mainly so in the event that we get in a disagreement that she can't throw that in my face that she did that for me) i declined and reminded her that she doesn't buy my groceries... -----> this was two days ago.
tonight, apparently my mom walked a couple of blocks from the gas station because she dropped off her car because it was acting up again. She was surprized to see me at home when she got there. (she didn't call my cell... nothing... i had no way of knowing that she was walking home. I would have gone to get her) When i told her i was on Turkey day break, she seemed glad. (probably because she thought that i would be home more this week. ) But last night i told "A&D" that i would house sit for them (as a favor... i'm not getting anything out of it) and i told my mom for four days that would be my little abode. (i agreed because a quite non fighting enviornment will be a nice change because i can do a lot oh homework and get ahead this break.) She didn't seem too pleased but let it go....
then the car ppl called back... its gonna cost 500 bucks and my mom wasn't too happy. Especially when she asked me to get her purse from the bedroom because she was on the phone... and while i was walking to get it i reminded her that she got cordless phones all throughout the house because she was tired of being stuck to a line... but then uses the corded phone.... but i brought her her purse....
Later she asked me my plans for the evening, i asked why... and she said she wanted to go to the grocery store, implying the use of my car since hers was out.
I told her that "you might not want to use my car... its kind of messy and i have stuff piled on the seats and in the trunk..." (for the record everytime my mom gets in my car when it looks like that i get a huge lecture and i really wasnt' in the mood...) I never told her no... i was just warning her so she wouldn't be shocked when she wondered how to fit groceries in it...
She took this to mean that she couldn't use my car, got really pissed, and told me that i'm selfish and horrible and that she would never buy me anything again... i kindly pointed out that she doesn't buy me anything now... (i have a tendency of finding faults in her arguments because i'm very logical and she an emotional fighter.... and i think the years of alcohol use have "dumbed" her up...) lots of times she says things that don't make sense and i remind her of them very calmly and very rationally.
As i was in my room i heard her on the phone telling "aunt nancy" what a horrible daughter i am and that my sister...the daughter who called her foul names and occasionally hits her is the best daughter in the world because when push comes to shove... she cares... i on the other hand am not...
But i ask you this... for a woman i don't respect at all... i think i'm fairly tolerated especially considering all the little things i do to be nice. (i load and clean and empty the dishwasher...) i bring in the mail if i get home and its there... i take out the kitchen trash, clean up after myself... (my sister does none of this and ruins my mother's home with her still untrained after a year and ahalf dog that pees in the kitchen and she neglicts the use of sanitizer so he learns from the mistake...
anyway... on this phone call she tells my "aunt" everything and she sugjests that my mom drop me from the car insurance... and my mom was like... "i'm thinking about it... she needs to learn a lesson..."
-----> so i grab my cell and call AAA and get a quote for an individual plan with the same coverage... its about 500 more a year if i go it alone...
While i don't think my mom will kick me off... she makes threats and never follows thru (she's already trying to buy my groceries and take back what little independence i'm dealing with right now)
But what i need advice on is my car insurance details in the event i go alone... Do i really need all of this since i'm not a home owner etc.
my current policy contains:
With the current school symester coming to a close soon, i've been spending more and more time at My private college with yearbook deadlines, student projects, etc and as a result have been spending less and less time at home.
Apparently, my mom has been having car problems for the last few days and i have been unaware, and therefore an ignorant daughter for not caring nor knowing about them... but more on this later.
Because i've been absent from the home life, my mom was getting kind of sympathedic towards me... i think the realization that i don't need her as much as i used to (since she can't throw them in my face anymore) is starting to set in and she's worried that one day i'll up and leave and she won't hear from me ever again... (while this is tempting... i know she's my mother and that in some form or another she will be in my life). Well the other day she offered to buy me some stuff at the store and partly out of stubborness and partly out of pride (mainly so in the event that we get in a disagreement that she can't throw that in my face that she did that for me) i declined and reminded her that she doesn't buy my groceries... -----> this was two days ago.
tonight, apparently my mom walked a couple of blocks from the gas station because she dropped off her car because it was acting up again. She was surprized to see me at home when she got there. (she didn't call my cell... nothing... i had no way of knowing that she was walking home. I would have gone to get her) When i told her i was on Turkey day break, she seemed glad. (probably because she thought that i would be home more this week. ) But last night i told "A&D" that i would house sit for them (as a favor... i'm not getting anything out of it) and i told my mom for four days that would be my little abode. (i agreed because a quite non fighting enviornment will be a nice change because i can do a lot oh homework and get ahead this break.) She didn't seem too pleased but let it go....
then the car ppl called back... its gonna cost 500 bucks and my mom wasn't too happy. Especially when she asked me to get her purse from the bedroom because she was on the phone... and while i was walking to get it i reminded her that she got cordless phones all throughout the house because she was tired of being stuck to a line... but then uses the corded phone.... but i brought her her purse....
Later she asked me my plans for the evening, i asked why... and she said she wanted to go to the grocery store, implying the use of my car since hers was out.
I told her that "you might not want to use my car... its kind of messy and i have stuff piled on the seats and in the trunk..." (for the record everytime my mom gets in my car when it looks like that i get a huge lecture and i really wasnt' in the mood...) I never told her no... i was just warning her so she wouldn't be shocked when she wondered how to fit groceries in it...
She took this to mean that she couldn't use my car, got really pissed, and told me that i'm selfish and horrible and that she would never buy me anything again... i kindly pointed out that she doesn't buy me anything now... (i have a tendency of finding faults in her arguments because i'm very logical and she an emotional fighter.... and i think the years of alcohol use have "dumbed" her up...) lots of times she says things that don't make sense and i remind her of them very calmly and very rationally.
As i was in my room i heard her on the phone telling "aunt nancy" what a horrible daughter i am and that my sister...the daughter who called her foul names and occasionally hits her is the best daughter in the world because when push comes to shove... she cares... i on the other hand am not...
But i ask you this... for a woman i don't respect at all... i think i'm fairly tolerated especially considering all the little things i do to be nice. (i load and clean and empty the dishwasher...) i bring in the mail if i get home and its there... i take out the kitchen trash, clean up after myself... (my sister does none of this and ruins my mother's home with her still untrained after a year and ahalf dog that pees in the kitchen and she neglicts the use of sanitizer so he learns from the mistake...
anyway... on this phone call she tells my "aunt" everything and she sugjests that my mom drop me from the car insurance... and my mom was like... "i'm thinking about it... she needs to learn a lesson..."
-----> so i grab my cell and call AAA and get a quote for an individual plan with the same coverage... its about 500 more a year if i go it alone...
While i don't think my mom will kick me off... she makes threats and never follows thru (she's already trying to buy my groceries and take back what little independence i'm dealing with right now)
But what i need advice on is my car insurance details in the event i go alone... Do i really need all of this since i'm not a home owner etc.
my current policy contains:
- 100,000 liabily body injury per person
- 300,000 accident
- 50,000 property damage
- 5,000 medical
- 250 comprehension and collision deductable
- I have an insured deductable waiver
- 30,000 unisured motorist per person, 60,000 per accident
with a good drive discount, and a good student discount Annually i pay with my mom $1,213... Alone 1,718 per year.
So the question is... do i need all that coverage if i drive a 2004 toyota camery LE that i owe $12,000 on?
- i'm a college student and i own no property (like a house)Sunday, November 19, 2006
Emigrant
Okay, i think i'm getting the hang of Emigrant. I realized i could re-name my account today so i called it:
"ReTiReMeNt FoR dUmMiEs".... it made me happy to have my old "ING" name on it.
I think i might just move my tuition $$ over to Emigrant once the refund is posted in ING...
Does anyone know if you close an ING account if it affects your credit score? because i have at least 4 sub accounts... but if i move some of my funds to Emigrant... then i won't need some of them... i guess i could always keep like 5 bucks in one or something like that... maybe that's what i'll do with them... but i think I might move all my tuition money soon... especially since its my largest account and i won't touch it much... except maybe to buy books hopefully.
If I finish school and have any left over (after credential/Masters....) yeah nevermind... it will all be gone and then some... lol
"ReTiReMeNt FoR dUmMiEs".... it made me happy to have my old "ING" name on it.
I think i might just move my tuition $$ over to Emigrant once the refund is posted in ING...
Does anyone know if you close an ING account if it affects your credit score? because i have at least 4 sub accounts... but if i move some of my funds to Emigrant... then i won't need some of them... i guess i could always keep like 5 bucks in one or something like that... maybe that's what i'll do with them... but i think I might move all my tuition money soon... especially since its my largest account and i won't touch it much... except maybe to buy books hopefully.
If I finish school and have any left over (after credential/Masters....) yeah nevermind... it will all be gone and then some... lol
Saturday, November 18, 2006
5th post of the day...
After reading an interesting bit of knowledge about positive attitude... on MSN- Women in Red message board.....a little experiment.
For the next couple of weeks, i'm going to read/recite/look over the following positive statement and see what happens. Supposedly thinking something like "more money is coming my way" actual makes more money come ones way???? Who knows if its really true... but i could use some more positivity.
Here's my positive statement:
"I live the life I've always imagined. I'm a healthy, successful, organized person who is surrounded by love and peace and joy. My home is my sanctuary, filled with light, color, inspiration, comfort, and beauty. I am prosperous and wealthier than i ever imagined and i am grateful to my savior for my very life and for all that I have been given."
lets see where this goes.
-----> So far i remembered that we have a water fountain here so i don't actually need to buy water to take to work... even tho its not distilled.
For the next couple of weeks, i'm going to read/recite/look over the following positive statement and see what happens. Supposedly thinking something like "more money is coming my way" actual makes more money come ones way???? Who knows if its really true... but i could use some more positivity.
Here's my positive statement:
"I live the life I've always imagined. I'm a healthy, successful, organized person who is surrounded by love and peace and joy. My home is my sanctuary, filled with light, color, inspiration, comfort, and beauty. I am prosperous and wealthier than i ever imagined and i am grateful to my savior for my very life and for all that I have been given."
lets see where this goes.
-----> So far i remembered that we have a water fountain here so i don't actually need to buy water to take to work... even tho its not distilled.
Auto loan
I don't think my auto loan company wants to send me a bill... that paper reminder that i owe which they know makes me want to pay and pay more... allowing them to make less and less off me... is probably the reason i haven't seen a bill for this month.
but alas... i'm a pay down debt queen and their stupid tricks won't get me... God bless the online updated every few days current payoff information that haunts me....
So today i paid the Nov Goal of $418.23 (1.5 payments ) not including overtime... recycle... and the moment i got really pissed off and sent them an additional $50...
I love how today's not the 23rd yet but they already re-adjusted the interest to last thru the 30th... INTEREST MAKES ME ANGRY....$8.30 =( so now the amount went up...
When the amount posts... i owe less than 12,000 bucks!!!!!!!
but alas... i'm a pay down debt queen and their stupid tricks won't get me... God bless the online updated every few days current payoff information that haunts me....
So today i paid the Nov Goal of $418.23 (1.5 payments ) not including overtime... recycle... and the moment i got really pissed off and sent them an additional $50...
I love how today's not the 23rd yet but they already re-adjusted the interest to last thru the 30th... INTEREST MAKES ME ANGRY....$8.30 =( so now the amount went up...
When the amount posts... i owe less than 12,000 bucks!!!!!!!
outting with friends +budgets
So... yes i bought things i wasn't intending to buy...I got a beanie (but i'm wearing it now... wore it last night... and bought it for life guarding on Tuesday because its really cold outside and its winter and.... ya whatever... it was 8.07... it was fun... its going to that category.... which i'm not monitoring this month???
I also bought a sweater and a long sleeve shirt for $40... i'm gonna have my mom give me the money for these and wrap them for me. [i can Christmas shop for me if i get the money back ]
I'm feeling the pinch with the food left over... It's all the same now... and i keep finding myself eating food i didn't buy but was already in the house... I don't think the $150 figure will work with necessities there too... but i won't know till january when holiday leftovers diminish.
-----> actually i was looking at everything i bought this month for groceries... and i forgot about most of the canned goods... never mind... the fridge just looks sparse.
Budget so far:
$ 9.37 left... but i need to buy water to take to work... (big jugs cause i don't want to take my bottles to work when i can bring a jug and a glass...
I also bought a sweater and a long sleeve shirt for $40... i'm gonna have my mom give me the money for these and wrap them for me. [i can Christmas shop for me if i get the money back ]
I'm feeling the pinch with the food left over... It's all the same now... and i keep finding myself eating food i didn't buy but was already in the house... I don't think the $150 figure will work with necessities there too... but i won't know till january when holiday leftovers diminish.
-----> actually i was looking at everything i bought this month for groceries... and i forgot about most of the canned goods... never mind... the fridge just looks sparse.
Budget so far:
- GASOLINE $70.61
- Necessities: $44.31
- Tax 3.03
- Food $96.32
$ 9.37 left... but i need to buy water to take to work... (big jugs cause i don't want to take my bottles to work when i can bring a jug and a glass...
Thanks giving break+ moral deliema Solved (for now)
So you would think that the college student who was dying for a week of sleeping in and relaxing with projects and term papers wouldn't in actuality find that the latest she'll be sleeping in all break would be dum dum dum dah! 6:00am EVERY DAY! =( except maybe Friday. we're all unclear if i'm working or if,.... God love me i get a day off!!
As always my work has asked me to pick up some OT so that some of the other employees can go outta town for the holidays and in my desperation to actually get that car payment lower and lower, i said yes... i'm getting 4 hours of OT today, 8 hours on Tuesday .....looks like an extra 240 bucks to go for the car payment when the check actually arrives...
I might work Friday (day after turkey day) and my work makes it holiday pay... if not i'm taking some vacation to make sure Tuesday counts for OT.
-----> i did work V-day (veterans day) so that's time and a half coming in on my next paycheck. (i really want to give my mom all her Car insurance money so Fingers crossed that i can do it)
Christmas Shopping updates:
On another note:
I'm slowly liking emigrant better. Probably cause i'm not putting any money into it... =( but the auto loan is slowly going down.... and with ever buck the deed gets closer to my hand.
I found the solution to my moral dilemma of "offering." The college group i'm involved with is on this radical train of thinking about impacting out community... we started last night making blankets... (i started a quilt... i've never made a quilt before) (the blankets arn't necessarily for our community... but for the greater OC area and LA...) and in a couple of Fridays were going to be doing a parents night out (free day care for an evening).... its a start but i'd be willing to pitch in Money for supplies for those things. and i've always been a believer that not all giving is monetary... the time and effort were putting in to these blankets and things and with junior high... i think its good! Plus I want to start doing communion on Sundays so i think i'll just buy the stuff for that too. =)
My insides feel happy now that i'm actually doing something. (one day i'll chat with Senior Pastor.. about what happened...)
I deposited my refund check into ING this morning so on the 2oth it will have more money... 744 and change!!! woot
As always my work has asked me to pick up some OT so that some of the other employees can go outta town for the holidays and in my desperation to actually get that car payment lower and lower, i said yes... i'm getting 4 hours of OT today, 8 hours on Tuesday .....looks like an extra 240 bucks to go for the car payment when the check actually arrives...
I might work Friday (day after turkey day) and my work makes it holiday pay... if not i'm taking some vacation to make sure Tuesday counts for OT.
-----> i did work V-day (veterans day) so that's time and a half coming in on my next paycheck. (i really want to give my mom all her Car insurance money so Fingers crossed that i can do it)
Christmas Shopping updates:
- Yesterday I found my friend the perfect wallet. $45 bucks (ouch)... it was in budget, and I know she's getting me a western belt buckle and belt with my initials and everything... so we both budgeted in around 50 bucks... she's kind of like family so it works.
- It looks like grandpa is going to cost me 20 bucks... i asked my mom how much she wanted and that was all she said (same i gave her for aunt...) i'm going to give that to my mom hopefully in the next couple of days... when ever i get my lazy bottom to the ATM...
- then all that's left is my bestie (fraggle rock DVD),
- sis ($50 G.C. to MAC) ,
- and my Mom... (50 bucks to some unnamed item she wants)
- I've been thinking that now since i have a "real" job that i should get my boss something... only problem is that i have ( 1 manager, 3 supervisors, 2 coordinators, 5 Specialists and 2 office workers)... If i got something for the first four... i'd have to follow all the way down the list.... even if i got $5 G.C. to Starbucks and cards.... that's 65 there without cards... maybe i'll just do cards... i don't know i hate being a scrooge... its the holidays
- Then there are the ppl i go line dancing with... if i keep the Starbucks and the card idea that's 10ppl. 50 bucks
- Then Jr high/College (7ppl)... 35 bucks
- and the A&D get a Different Gift Card i think... at least 25...
On another note:
I'm slowly liking emigrant better. Probably cause i'm not putting any money into it... =( but the auto loan is slowly going down.... and with ever buck the deed gets closer to my hand.
I found the solution to my moral dilemma of "offering." The college group i'm involved with is on this radical train of thinking about impacting out community... we started last night making blankets... (i started a quilt... i've never made a quilt before) (the blankets arn't necessarily for our community... but for the greater OC area and LA...) and in a couple of Fridays were going to be doing a parents night out (free day care for an evening).... its a start but i'd be willing to pitch in Money for supplies for those things. and i've always been a believer that not all giving is monetary... the time and effort were putting in to these blankets and things and with junior high... i think its good! Plus I want to start doing communion on Sundays so i think i'll just buy the stuff for that too. =)
My insides feel happy now that i'm actually doing something. (one day i'll chat with Senior Pastor.. about what happened...)
I deposited my refund check into ING this morning so on the 2oth it will have more money... 744 and change!!! woot
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Month Goals-Nov
I just realized i forgot to update this!!! and make new goals!!!! Since this month is mostly done, they are more estimated. lol Hopefully i'll remember for December... lol
Oct Goals:
for the most part the ones that i needed to make happen did... there was just too many changes in October to really track... but with the new template and the like it will be easier to denote progress.
Big Goals November:
Start the following categories:
other
Oct Goals:
for the most part the ones that i needed to make happen did... there was just too many changes in October to really track... but with the new template and the like it will be easier to denote progress.
Big Goals November:
- Car Insurance- $200 more by the end of the month so i only need $500 for December... but if i can pay this off, i'll forgo the money for BofA savings to apply it to this.
- Auto Loan- $418.23 ... what an odd amount eh? well its a payment and a half. Plus recycle and overtime! i might break under $12,000!!!!!!!!
- Emigrant retirement- On hold till Auto loan is eliminated.
- Moving out- Nada... its Christmas shopping time.
- BofA Savings- one day i want this to be 1,000... by the end of Nov... total= $700.00
- Tuition- put refund check in 744.34 if not used.
- CD- it just stays making me money... this will go to emigrant when its up mid December
Start the following categories:
- Food + Necessities= $150
- Gas = $200 (extra isn't going to stickers till Jan... maybe to the BofA Savings instead.)
- Cell = $50
- Internet = $10
other
- look into charitable giving... and re-do Jan 07 budget if resolved.
Shopping Friday.
My friend and I are going to THE outlets Friday afternoon... and possibly getting dinner while were out. But don't worry... The only shopping i will be doing is buying Christmas presents for me that my mom will pay for... or stalking suffers for the family.
So that leaves me with 10.76 if i grab dinner... and then i can't pick up anything at the grocery store if i need it... and i realise... i'm still using a lot of my mom's stuff still... but slowly as things run out, I don't use them again i replenish my own. I look at it in a gradual sense. If in reality my numbers are too tight, i'll adjust... but i'll have all kinds of Turkey day leftovers to eat so that should throw this all off too! blah
yeah for budget. =(
I don't think i'm getting the 6 bucks back from my friend... he forgot he borrowed it i think... but oh well... live and learn... otherwise i'd have 16 something left... oh well. I know i'm stubborn enough not to break my budget... hopefully.
So that leaves me with 10.76 if i grab dinner... and then i can't pick up anything at the grocery store if i need it... and i realise... i'm still using a lot of my mom's stuff still... but slowly as things run out, I don't use them again i replenish my own. I look at it in a gradual sense. If in reality my numbers are too tight, i'll adjust... but i'll have all kinds of Turkey day leftovers to eat so that should throw this all off too! blah
yeah for budget. =(
I don't think i'm getting the 6 bucks back from my friend... he forgot he borrowed it i think... but oh well... live and learn... otherwise i'd have 16 something left... oh well. I know i'm stubborn enough not to break my budget... hopefully.
Convicted....
i feel convicted with my budget... and i'm not sure how to change that. I have nothing allotted for "offering/charitable contributions" and lately i've been feeling all icky inside because of it... Now it would be easy to give... (for me that is) But (there's always a but) i really don't feel i have a church in which to give to. I attend this one place... but it doesn't feel like my church because of some events that took place a few months ago...
A few months ago my church fired its college and jr high youth pastor. He was a dear friend of mine, and i understood why the church let him go... what i don't understand is the Church instructing the School (associated with the church) to fire his wife, a teacher there. I read the emails she received and the church/school opted to blackmail the family into silence (Silence meaning: they couldn't tell anyone the pastor was fired, he couldn't start a church anywhere in the area, she could not say good by to the students she mentored for years....) in order to keep a severance check and medical benefits that were necessary for their survival since the pastor's wife was very ill with medical uncertainty.
Some who found out were asked by the family to keep silent because they didn't want a place that had a handful of bad people to ruin the good that the church was doing. Several people who knew about the incident who were lawyers offered to help them right the injustice,... but the family didn't want the church to split and for many people to stop going... Now i must admit that i have not talked with the senior pastor to get both sides of the story completely yet... but that is because the church blackmailed the family and if i say anything,... they are screwed... But now i'm torn...
i haven't completely left the church yet because i'm involved with the Jr high and so many other leaders left... i couldn't abandon the kids... and i now hang out on Sunday nights at the new college pastor's house... but i don't feel like MVCC is really my church anymore. Until i can sit down and chat with the Senior Pastor about everything... and in essence hear from the horses mouth... i can't choose if i'll leave or not... I've invested so much time into the relationships i have with ppl there... my sister's even coming back to the church... and were going to remold Sunday night back to the way it used to be... but i can't look the senior pastor in the eye... and he's the guy who's working with the Jr high because they have been unable to find someone to fill the old pastor's place...
I just don't feel right about tithing to a place like that until i know everything that happened... What hurts the most is that the senior pastor is the one who baptised me and was my old pastor in high school... i fear since he is the senior pastor that it fell in his lap.... But i feel i should be tithing.... but i find myself convicted because i don't want to promote behavior like that in a church of all places.
I think i'll talk to my old pastor about it... and the new college pastor too. I'm a truly blessed college student right now... i want to give back... but where?
A few months ago my church fired its college and jr high youth pastor. He was a dear friend of mine, and i understood why the church let him go... what i don't understand is the Church instructing the School (associated with the church) to fire his wife, a teacher there. I read the emails she received and the church/school opted to blackmail the family into silence (Silence meaning: they couldn't tell anyone the pastor was fired, he couldn't start a church anywhere in the area, she could not say good by to the students she mentored for years....) in order to keep a severance check and medical benefits that were necessary for their survival since the pastor's wife was very ill with medical uncertainty.
Some who found out were asked by the family to keep silent because they didn't want a place that had a handful of bad people to ruin the good that the church was doing. Several people who knew about the incident who were lawyers offered to help them right the injustice,... but the family didn't want the church to split and for many people to stop going... Now i must admit that i have not talked with the senior pastor to get both sides of the story completely yet... but that is because the church blackmailed the family and if i say anything,... they are screwed... But now i'm torn...
i haven't completely left the church yet because i'm involved with the Jr high and so many other leaders left... i couldn't abandon the kids... and i now hang out on Sunday nights at the new college pastor's house... but i don't feel like MVCC is really my church anymore. Until i can sit down and chat with the Senior Pastor about everything... and in essence hear from the horses mouth... i can't choose if i'll leave or not... I've invested so much time into the relationships i have with ppl there... my sister's even coming back to the church... and were going to remold Sunday night back to the way it used to be... but i can't look the senior pastor in the eye... and he's the guy who's working with the Jr high because they have been unable to find someone to fill the old pastor's place...
I just don't feel right about tithing to a place like that until i know everything that happened... What hurts the most is that the senior pastor is the one who baptised me and was my old pastor in high school... i fear since he is the senior pastor that it fell in his lap.... But i feel i should be tithing.... but i find myself convicted because i don't want to promote behavior like that in a church of all places.
I think i'll talk to my old pastor about it... and the new college pastor too. I'm a truly blessed college student right now... i want to give back... but where?
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Budget Revisal for january again...
I hate the interest rates on my car... they make me angry so i'm redoing my budget to make them go away faster.
I also figured out how to postpone my ING and Emigrant Decision... temporarily I will stop contributing to my retirement, and instead work to combat the horrible car loan. Once the loan is paid... which according to my mathematics should be in Novemeber 07 when i make a payment for under 100 bucks... i will put all the money that was supposed to go to retirement back with interest (ruffly 2500 bucks).
The new budget!!! January 07
Assuming I will make 2,000 a month, after Taxes:
$1,300 a month Auto Loan + Overtime + Recycle $$
This should mean my car will be paid off in November 07 when i make the last payment of less than 100 if my math is accurate. (i'll be eliminating the emergency fund builder(100 a month) and retirement payments (200 a month) to increase this here. Once the car is paid off, i will put the money that was supposed to be in my retirement back with interest!
$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 catch up. I'll save ruffly $1200... which should be the price for next year.
$200 Gas
Personally, i know i have over budgeted this again... but i know gas prices will go up... and frankly since i have no idea what my stickers will cost me for my car, i think its only wise to put the extra money in my now "car insurance and tags" saving area. =) and if gas goes back up, i'll still be okay.
$50 Cell
Since my cell is my only reliable number, I'm okay with this bill for now. 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...) In a year i'm going to see if i can work out a cheaper deal because i don't use a lot of my minuets...
$10 Internet
I finally got a bill and its 10 bucks a month, not 20.
$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. so far so good... kind of
$70 Everyone needs a bit of Fun
This will be for movies, clothes, etc. No budget works without a bit of fun.
$90 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.
$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.
0 Rent (yeah for mom's house for now)
0 Medical Insurance (paid by work)
0 Dental Insurance (paid by work)
I also figured out how to postpone my ING and Emigrant Decision... temporarily I will stop contributing to my retirement, and instead work to combat the horrible car loan. Once the loan is paid... which according to my mathematics should be in Novemeber 07 when i make a payment for under 100 bucks... i will put all the money that was supposed to go to retirement back with interest (ruffly 2500 bucks).
The new budget!!! January 07
Assuming I will make 2,000 a month, after Taxes:
$1,300 a month Auto Loan + Overtime + Recycle $$
This should mean my car will be paid off in November 07 when i make the last payment of less than 100 if my math is accurate. (i'll be eliminating the emergency fund builder(100 a month) and retirement payments (200 a month) to increase this here. Once the car is paid off, i will put the money that was supposed to be in my retirement back with interest!
$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 catch up. I'll save ruffly $1200... which should be the price for next year.
$200 Gas
Personally, i know i have over budgeted this again... but i know gas prices will go up... and frankly since i have no idea what my stickers will cost me for my car, i think its only wise to put the extra money in my now "car insurance and tags" saving area. =) and if gas goes back up, i'll still be okay.
$50 Cell
Since my cell is my only reliable number, I'm okay with this bill for now. 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...) In a year i'm going to see if i can work out a cheaper deal because i don't use a lot of my minuets...
$10 Internet
I finally got a bill and its 10 bucks a month, not 20.
$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. so far so good... kind of
$70 Everyone needs a bit of Fun
This will be for movies, clothes, etc. No budget works without a bit of fun.
$90 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.
$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.
0 Rent (yeah for mom's house for now)
0 Medical Insurance (paid by work)
0 Dental Insurance (paid by work)
I don't like Emigrant... I miss my orange bouncing ball
While it may pay me more in the long run, i don't really like it...
I think i'm going to move my money back over to ING Direct. I figure, since my first CD expires in Dec, i'll move all the retirement money into a new CD to insure the better interest rate, keep it to 6 months, and add money to a ING savings account. I don't know why i'm so partial to ING... but i am. AT least my money is in some high yield account... and ING is more user friendly and i like their security features better... Okay i've decided... once the 1,000 is posted and ready for withdrawal, i'm scrapping it and embracing ING once more!!!
or not.... grrrrr i just don't know!!!
As i get closer to Jan o7... keep looking at that really long budget i wrote out a while ago... and i think i need to fix it up. I think i'm going to scrap the Emergency Fund builder and apply that to my car payment too... i just hate watching that interest rate cause the balance to go higher and higher... plus money sitting in a ING account at 4.4% is causing me more interest on the 8.25% auto loan.... So expect a new budget soon... Any suggestions on areas i should change?
I think if i don't receive a raise for this review, the mandatory one in Dec should allow me to crack the 2,000 after taxes mark... (i may have hit it now... but i'm not sure with the overtime on my paycheck and the like.) I worked Veterans Day so i get time and a half for it!!! The overtime will continually be applied to the horrible car payment... I really want to break past the 12,000 debt mark and i'm close... so close i can smell it... But i need to get that car insurance to my mom ASAP... she's nagging and worried about the bill... its way over $3,000 because of my sister (my mom is cheap like under $700, me $1200) and the company has my mom in my sisters car to make it cheaper too (we've called to have them correct it, but because we are all insured on all vehicles it doesn't matter they say)...
anyways... back to budget drafting.
I think i'm going to move my money back over to ING Direct. I figure, since my first CD expires in Dec, i'll move all the retirement money into a new CD to insure the better interest rate, keep it to 6 months, and add money to a ING savings account. I don't know why i'm so partial to ING... but i am. AT least my money is in some high yield account... and ING is more user friendly and i like their security features better... Okay i've decided... once the 1,000 is posted and ready for withdrawal, i'm scrapping it and embracing ING once more!!!
or not.... grrrrr i just don't know!!!
As i get closer to Jan o7... keep looking at that really long budget i wrote out a while ago... and i think i need to fix it up. I think i'm going to scrap the Emergency Fund builder and apply that to my car payment too... i just hate watching that interest rate cause the balance to go higher and higher... plus money sitting in a ING account at 4.4% is causing me more interest on the 8.25% auto loan.... So expect a new budget soon... Any suggestions on areas i should change?
I think if i don't receive a raise for this review, the mandatory one in Dec should allow me to crack the 2,000 after taxes mark... (i may have hit it now... but i'm not sure with the overtime on my paycheck and the like.) I worked Veterans Day so i get time and a half for it!!! The overtime will continually be applied to the horrible car payment... I really want to break past the 12,000 debt mark and i'm close... so close i can smell it... But i need to get that car insurance to my mom ASAP... she's nagging and worried about the bill... its way over $3,000 because of my sister (my mom is cheap like under $700, me $1200) and the company has my mom in my sisters car to make it cheaper too (we've called to have them correct it, but because we are all insured on all vehicles it doesn't matter they say)...
anyways... back to budget drafting.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
recycle + random wallet cash
Okay... its dumb but i got $7.56 cents from recycling, and i paid it towards my car payment... So on Monday, i pay them $80.02... and Tuesday they get $7.56... I'm a dork... but whatever. that's $7.56 I don't have to pay interest on anymore!
But after i paid my mom for my "aunts" gift and my real Aunt's gift... I still had a couple of bucks in there... and then the recycle money is there too... so now i have cash in my wallet... Which is weird because i never carry cash.
but its 11 bucks and change.... not sure where to put it. maybe i'll use it to buy groceries if i need anymore... or something like that (and include it in the budget).
My mom keeps hinting that she might need the car insurance money before Christmas... maybe around my sister's birthday... which means i have 2 paychecks to get the 700 bucks left that i need. =/
Next paycheck should be over 1,000 because of overtime... (but then again that's spoken for... auto loan)
418.23 auto loan goal + overtime.
350 car insurance (i swear... i'm going to love 100 bucks a month budgeting next year)
100 gas
I think i should be good. =) phew
But after i paid my mom for my "aunts" gift and my real Aunt's gift... I still had a couple of bucks in there... and then the recycle money is there too... so now i have cash in my wallet... Which is weird because i never carry cash.
but its 11 bucks and change.... not sure where to put it. maybe i'll use it to buy groceries if i need anymore... or something like that (and include it in the budget).
My mom keeps hinting that she might need the car insurance money before Christmas... maybe around my sister's birthday... which means i have 2 paychecks to get the 700 bucks left that i need. =/
Next paycheck should be over 1,000 because of overtime... (but then again that's spoken for... auto loan)
418.23 auto loan goal + overtime.
350 car insurance (i swear... i'm going to love 100 bucks a month budgeting next year)
100 gas
I think i should be good. =) phew
So far... My November Spending
Okay, this is my first attempt at budgeting two categories of spending (Gas and Necessities) for the projected January Budget. Right now i'm under $2,000 a month with my new benefits, but i'm hoping the possible raise on the 20th and the one in December will push it over the top. I think that after two months, if can survive these amounts, i should be able to implement them permanently.
So far: Both under budget! $200 for gas and $150 for food and necessities.
Gas: $34.69 (so far... i need to fill up again)
Gas $4.00
Gas $30.69
Necessities: $44.31
Costco- Shampoo 7.70
Costco- Conditioner 7.70
CVS Pharmacy- Laundry Detergent 7.89
CVS Pharmacy- Toothbrush 3.49
CVS Pharmacy- Toothpaste 3.19
CVS Pharmacy- Deodorant 1.99
Pavillions- bounce Dryer Sheets 4.99
Pavillions-bleach 2.19
CVS Pharmacy- q-tips 2.14
Tax 3.03
Food $94.93*
Pavillions- Triscuit (2 family sized boxes) 5.00
Pavillions- soup (2 cans) 3.50
Pavillions-soup 1.85
Pavillions-soup 1.75
Pavillions-Chefboyardee (lasagna- 2 cans) 2.00
Pavillions-Chefboyardee (Ravioli- 2 cans) 2.00
Pavillions-Apple Sause- 2.08
Pavillions-Peanut Butter- 1.79
Pavillions-flour tortillas- 3.99
Pavillions-Daisy Sour Cream (2 containers)- 5.00
Pavillions-bananas- 1.75
Pavillions-Mushrooms- 2.29
Costco- 32 Water bottles 4.49+ CA Redemption Value 1.40
Costco- Chicken Strips (2 bags) 8.99
Costco- Deli Meat (2 bags) 8.89
Costco- Apples 5.99
Costco- Cereal 6.29
Costco- Canned Pineapple 6.69
Costco- Chicken Sandwiches (12) 9.29
Choco Bean 3.35
*Wendy's 6.55
* My friend owes me this... i added it into my budget until i get it back....
so it looks like for food and necessities i have $10.76 left.
WOOT WOOT...
I still need to take into consideration that not all the food I've eaten was paid for out of my pocket... Yeah i bought the apple sauce to go with last nights dinner... but i sure didn't buy the stuffing or the pork. But i also had to spring for all my "necessities"all at once... but then again not all of them. I still have some of the things i "need" like body wash and the like...
Looks like I won't know if the budget will need some tweaking till later on.
But if i still have that 10.46 left at the end of the month, I'm going to throw it into my old retirement account at ING, and change the name to "odds and ends." This way if one month i do go over with food... or need something i forgot to plan for, i'll have a little lee way money for it, but not "short term- i forgot my car needs a check up." Best to keep everything separate.
Noticing my spending... i know i won't be buying Milk or butter and a few other small things because if i did my mom would flip for two reasons:
A) out of space issues in the fridge, and
B) because she would waste a lot of milk.
Maybe i'll just add that money in... like i have to spend it and at the end of the month, push it into "odds and ends."
I'm going to go change up those accounts.
So far: Both under budget! $200 for gas and $150 for food and necessities.
Gas: $34.69 (so far... i need to fill up again)
Gas $4.00
Gas $30.69
Necessities: $44.31
Costco- Shampoo 7.70
Costco- Conditioner 7.70
CVS Pharmacy- Laundry Detergent 7.89
CVS Pharmacy- Toothbrush 3.49
CVS Pharmacy- Toothpaste 3.19
CVS Pharmacy- Deodorant 1.99
Pavillions- bounce Dryer Sheets 4.99
Pavillions-bleach 2.19
CVS Pharmacy- q-tips 2.14
Tax 3.03
Food $94.93*
Pavillions- Triscuit (2 family sized boxes) 5.00
Pavillions- soup (2 cans) 3.50
Pavillions-soup 1.85
Pavillions-soup 1.75
Pavillions-Chefboyardee (lasagna- 2 cans) 2.00
Pavillions-Chefboyardee (Ravioli- 2 cans) 2.00
Pavillions-Apple Sause- 2.08
Pavillions-Peanut Butter- 1.79
Pavillions-flour tortillas- 3.99
Pavillions-Daisy Sour Cream (2 containers)- 5.00
Pavillions-bananas- 1.75
Pavillions-Mushrooms- 2.29
Costco- 32 Water bottles 4.49+ CA Redemption Value 1.40
Costco- Chicken Strips (2 bags) 8.99
Costco- Deli Meat (2 bags) 8.89
Costco- Apples 5.99
Costco- Cereal 6.29
Costco- Canned Pineapple 6.69
Costco- Chicken Sandwiches (12) 9.29
Choco Bean 3.35
*Wendy's 6.55
* My friend owes me this... i added it into my budget until i get it back....
so it looks like for food and necessities i have $10.76 left.
WOOT WOOT...
I still need to take into consideration that not all the food I've eaten was paid for out of my pocket... Yeah i bought the apple sauce to go with last nights dinner... but i sure didn't buy the stuffing or the pork. But i also had to spring for all my "necessities"all at once... but then again not all of them. I still have some of the things i "need" like body wash and the like...
Looks like I won't know if the budget will need some tweaking till later on.
But if i still have that 10.46 left at the end of the month, I'm going to throw it into my old retirement account at ING, and change the name to "odds and ends." This way if one month i do go over with food... or need something i forgot to plan for, i'll have a little lee way money for it, but not "short term- i forgot my car needs a check up." Best to keep everything separate.
Noticing my spending... i know i won't be buying Milk or butter and a few other small things because if i did my mom would flip for two reasons:
A) out of space issues in the fridge, and
B) because she would waste a lot of milk.
Maybe i'll just add that money in... like i have to spend it and at the end of the month, push it into "odds and ends."
I'm going to go change up those accounts.
Friday, November 10, 2006
Pay Day!
A little sadder than i thought it would be.... but i'm aiming for $2,000 grand without overtime by Jan! **crosses fingers**
okay here's the break down so far:
I transferred $124 to Emigrant Retirement (some from ING... This will be the last retirement deposit till my car is paid off... without interest its 1,000.00
Car insurance right now: $312.78 -----> Transferred $200.22 Total $513.00 Need: 700.00
Overtime $80.20 ----> Auto loan
I'm deducting food/necessities from this paycheck so right now i have about $480 left.
I'm paying my mom $20 bucks for Aunt's Christmas present... i decided to take the easy way out... and i'm giving my mom her friends present money today too.. so that's $37 dollars total.... $443.00 left...
Paid the cell phone bill, Internet, and I had to account for that $50 bucks i sent to Toyota when i got mad at the interest for my car.... and i'm down to $348.00....
I have $77 bucks left for groceries so far (from the $150 i took out of this paycheck)...
***Crosses fingers*** i have to go to Costco and buy some "real food" today too. I WILL FORCE MYSELF TO STAY IN BUDGET!
Today is also errand day and i WILL ACTUALLY hopefully cash that refund check from my school and turn in that recycle to also throw at my car payment... i'm gonna pay this sucker off.... i want that balance below $12,000!!!
That 50 bucks I sent in made it drop a bit! $50.01!!!! Ha... a one cent victory
Retail Payoff Amount:
$12,335.14
Good Through Date:
11/20/2006
okay here's the break down so far:
I transferred $124 to Emigrant Retirement (some from ING... This will be the last retirement deposit till my car is paid off... without interest its 1,000.00
Car insurance right now: $312.78 -----> Transferred $200.22 Total $513.00 Need: 700.00
Overtime $80.20 ----> Auto loan
I'm deducting food/necessities from this paycheck so right now i have about $480 left.
I'm paying my mom $20 bucks for Aunt's Christmas present... i decided to take the easy way out... and i'm giving my mom her friends present money today too.. so that's $37 dollars total.... $443.00 left...
Paid the cell phone bill, Internet, and I had to account for that $50 bucks i sent to Toyota when i got mad at the interest for my car.... and i'm down to $348.00....
I have $77 bucks left for groceries so far (from the $150 i took out of this paycheck)...
***Crosses fingers*** i have to go to Costco and buy some "real food" today too. I WILL FORCE MYSELF TO STAY IN BUDGET!
Today is also errand day and i WILL ACTUALLY hopefully cash that refund check from my school and turn in that recycle to also throw at my car payment... i'm gonna pay this sucker off.... i want that balance below $12,000!!!
That 50 bucks I sent in made it drop a bit! $50.01!!!! Ha... a one cent victory
Retail Payoff Amount:
$12,335.14
Good Through Date:
11/20/2006
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Pissed at Interest
I just went to check the "pay off information" for my car loan... and i watched the amount go up with interest.... AGAIN
I got angry... I sent them $50.00
At the end of last month i owed them $12,346.19
If i Pay in full today: $12,385.15 Good Through Date: 11/20/2006
that's $38.96 in interest in just 12 days!!!!!!
Some day's i feel i'll never pay off my car and today is one of those days...
I got angry... I sent them $50.00
At the end of last month i owed them $12,346.19
If i Pay in full today: $12,385.15 Good Through Date: 11/20/2006
that's $38.96 in interest in just 12 days!!!!!!
Some day's i feel i'll never pay off my car and today is one of those days...
Tuesday, November 7, 2006
grocery Shopping + Christmas Ideas
Since i had to pick up dryer sheets and bleach (to do laundry tonight... in need clean work shirts after all) and because i had no fruit to eat left... i broke and went grocery shopping.
So far i'm still in budget which is good. I'm trying to keep food and necessities under 150 a month. (which sucks when you have to buy all your necessities in the same month!!!) I didn't get much at the grocery store ( but i think i did better than my sis tho), but i got staples. A few can items, soups, and some stuff i can mix with the food my mom has at home to make a meal out of: (apple sauce for some pork chops) (sour cream (yum) and flour tortillas for some cheese and chicken etc) (mushrooms for some spaghetti....) etc... I know it will be more expensive when i have to buy the "real" food too.
I also know i need to go by Costco and pick up some deli meat for lunches (i eat it on crackers) and also go through the store and find prices and sizes for the foods i normally eat, that way i can compare and figure out what's the best way to buy and how often i need to budget for those amounts. I still need q-tips... I wasn't going to pay the price they were in the grocery store... outrageous... i wish Walmart were closer tho... by the time i drive there i've eaten the discount i'd save in gas...
So i'll have to save my Walmart shopping for times when i need multiple things... So it's down to the new CVS Pharmacy.... (i miss saying Sav-on..... but i think CVS is nicer and cheaper).
With Christmas on the horizon, I had this idea worked out with my mom for extended family... and while i was gone, she changed it all up on me... I was going to get my "aunt" (my mom's best friend) this thing my mom found on QVC... it was pricey but really cute... I shouldn't really be complaining because now i'm "getting off" cheaper since she now wants me and my sis to get it together... I like saving money, but i really hate doing things like that. (going in on gifts with my sister i mean... she's pissed me off so much i just don't like the association when i don't have to associate in the first place....)
But it saves me money in the short term so there is some silver lining... The CHRISTMAS list so far:
my sis' b-day is done.... (its in mid December) its a nice purse she picked out and i just paid for it... $60 bucks (ouch!)
okay i best get my booty back to my college courses..... Mid December and this semester are over... then i have one glorious year until i graduate and its all down hill from there!!!!!!
----> i'm gonna go check and see if that pretty refund is in my box and look to see if my money is in my account from ING to transfer to Emigrant.
So far i'm still in budget which is good. I'm trying to keep food and necessities under 150 a month. (which sucks when you have to buy all your necessities in the same month!!!) I didn't get much at the grocery store ( but i think i did better than my sis tho), but i got staples. A few can items, soups, and some stuff i can mix with the food my mom has at home to make a meal out of: (apple sauce for some pork chops) (sour cream (yum) and flour tortillas for some cheese and chicken etc) (mushrooms for some spaghetti....) etc... I know it will be more expensive when i have to buy the "real" food too.
I also know i need to go by Costco and pick up some deli meat for lunches (i eat it on crackers) and also go through the store and find prices and sizes for the foods i normally eat, that way i can compare and figure out what's the best way to buy and how often i need to budget for those amounts. I still need q-tips... I wasn't going to pay the price they were in the grocery store... outrageous... i wish Walmart were closer tho... by the time i drive there i've eaten the discount i'd save in gas...
So i'll have to save my Walmart shopping for times when i need multiple things... So it's down to the new CVS Pharmacy.... (i miss saying Sav-on..... but i think CVS is nicer and cheaper).
With Christmas on the horizon, I had this idea worked out with my mom for extended family... and while i was gone, she changed it all up on me... I was going to get my "aunt" (my mom's best friend) this thing my mom found on QVC... it was pricey but really cute... I shouldn't really be complaining because now i'm "getting off" cheaper since she now wants me and my sis to get it together... I like saving money, but i really hate doing things like that. (going in on gifts with my sister i mean... she's pissed me off so much i just don't like the association when i don't have to associate in the first place....)
But it saves me money in the short term so there is some silver lining... The CHRISTMAS list so far:
- my "aunt"- 17 bucks... plus a card i need to buy. (i better give my mom the money tonight just to make sure i remember too)
- My Real Aunt (my mom's sister) i'm going to get some coffee and teas and put in a basket... I'm going to try Costco... but if not i saw some neat stuff amazingly enough at the Dollar store to help put in a basket!
- Grandpa- i think some old B/W movies... (he said he wanted this... or XXXL white undershirts) But i think i'll go with the movies if i can find them at Costco... if not, my mom will buy stuff and i'll just pay for it....
- Mom- Chipping in 50 bucks for her rug cleaner machine.... or an iorn... she hasn't decided yet
- my sis- 50 dollar gift card probably to MAC...
my sis' b-day is done.... (its in mid December) its a nice purse she picked out and i just paid for it... $60 bucks (ouch!)
okay i best get my booty back to my college courses..... Mid December and this semester are over... then i have one glorious year until i graduate and its all down hill from there!!!!!!
----> i'm gonna go check and see if that pretty refund is in my box and look to see if my money is in my account from ING to transfer to Emigrant.
Monday, November 6, 2006
19 days of pantry eating... 4 days left!
For an update on my progress, I still haven't bought anything "grocery" but since i was cut off from everything else i have gone shopping... but for essentials.
I'm keeping an online post for everything I spend money on... that way i can't just "pretend" it was stuff i needed.
On a more interesting note, I've decided to take a more positive outlook on life because i'm a really happy person and the last few weeks i've been in negative funk land because i got my heart partially crushed... but its time to gather the pieces and move on. With that, i think i'm going to be adding some pictures to this darn old blog...
maybe a few layout changes too!
I'm keeping an online post for everything I spend money on... that way i can't just "pretend" it was stuff i needed.
On a more interesting note, I've decided to take a more positive outlook on life because i'm a really happy person and the last few weeks i've been in negative funk land because i got my heart partially crushed... but its time to gather the pieces and move on. With that, i think i'm going to be adding some pictures to this darn old blog...
maybe a few layout changes too!
Sunday, November 5, 2006
Account changes
I hate moving my money around.... but its all logical moves when you think about it.
The money from my ING retirement is officially on root to BofA... when it posts it will got to Emigrant Direct and i'll move the rest of it there too.
Ultimately keeping my retirement separate from my ING accounts will be good so i won't be tempted to money transfer between them (which i kind of did back in the tuition scramble)
My tuition account will probably move to Emigrant Direct when i know i won't be needing the cash for a while (so probably in Jan after everything is squared away).
which means all my funds will be moving like crazy......... So for the next few weeks (maybe a month or so...) the numbers at the side aren't going to make much sense...
I'm shooting for January to make sense (i'll have estimates for groceries since i have December for test runs for food and November for laundry detergent and the like)
But the change will be for the best... In the long run that is. Oh and BTW, i've decided that any overtime i make is going towards the car payment... Interest makes me sad and since i'm paying 8.25% it just doesn't seem smart to put it somewhere to only earn 5%....
and i think the recycle will not go in my wallet anymore either... but each month to the car payment as well... i don't care if i make a payment for $6 bucks.... its 6 bucks that will not be getting charged interest any longer!
The money from my ING retirement is officially on root to BofA... when it posts it will got to Emigrant Direct and i'll move the rest of it there too.
Ultimately keeping my retirement separate from my ING accounts will be good so i won't be tempted to money transfer between them (which i kind of did back in the tuition scramble)
My tuition account will probably move to Emigrant Direct when i know i won't be needing the cash for a while (so probably in Jan after everything is squared away).
which means all my funds will be moving like crazy......... So for the next few weeks (maybe a month or so...) the numbers at the side aren't going to make much sense...
I'm shooting for January to make sense (i'll have estimates for groceries since i have December for test runs for food and November for laundry detergent and the like)
But the change will be for the best... In the long run that is. Oh and BTW, i've decided that any overtime i make is going towards the car payment... Interest makes me sad and since i'm paying 8.25% it just doesn't seem smart to put it somewhere to only earn 5%....
and i think the recycle will not go in my wallet anymore either... but each month to the car payment as well... i don't care if i make a payment for $6 bucks.... its 6 bucks that will not be getting charged interest any longer!
yesterday's shopping, family argument, and interest rates
well, when i was shopping for deodorant and toothpaste... it dawned on me that i should get a new toothbrush and that i was also planning on doing laundry... Normally I just use my mom's detergent for towels, bedding, and jeans and Woolite for my shirts (it does make a difference)... but in a step towards independence, i bought some cheap stuff for towels and the like...
next time i'm out i'll need to pick up some bleach (for my work shirts) and dryer sheets.
I also packed a few more boxes today... So far all my picture frames and most of my knickknacks are packed. My sister got in a row with me again last night. She found out she's off the Costco pass and made this big ordeal of how she's gonna eat all the stuff my mom bought... i really don't care anymore... if she eats it all, fine... i'll just grow grocery shopping for food then...
She needs to learn to shop. I saw what she brought home... and for the 80 bucks she spent dang... who needs two boxes of croutons????
I'm trying to look at this from a positive angle... I'm tired of complaining about everything... So i'm going to try and be positive...
I always have the packing a box method and cleaning.... I'm starting to think that maybe i won't save my overtime, but rather stick it on the car to pay of off faster... I noticed the interest i paid really for the first time the other day... it makes me sad... Look at the new balance off to the side... depressing eh?
next time i'm out i'll need to pick up some bleach (for my work shirts) and dryer sheets.
I also packed a few more boxes today... So far all my picture frames and most of my knickknacks are packed. My sister got in a row with me again last night. She found out she's off the Costco pass and made this big ordeal of how she's gonna eat all the stuff my mom bought... i really don't care anymore... if she eats it all, fine... i'll just grow grocery shopping for food then...
She needs to learn to shop. I saw what she brought home... and for the 80 bucks she spent dang... who needs two boxes of croutons????
I'm trying to look at this from a positive angle... I'm tired of complaining about everything... So i'm going to try and be positive...
I always have the packing a box method and cleaning.... I'm starting to think that maybe i won't save my overtime, but rather stick it on the car to pay of off faster... I noticed the interest i paid really for the first time the other day... it makes me sad... Look at the new balance off to the side... depressing eh?
Saturday, November 4, 2006
family hassels...
Well i fixed the emigrant error. I accessed my account, varied amounts, and saw the $1.00 posted. I am now waiting for $875 to be transferred from ING to BofA, so i can then move it over to Emigrant Direct ($875 was all that was available to move at this time.) So for now all the accounts are off and everything is in limbo as my money moves between banks.
I "get" to go buy toothpaste and deodorant today... the joys of independence... oh and i did not like paying $16 bucks for shampoo and conditioner at COSTCO.... maybe i'll run the numbers to realize how much i'm saving by using Costco (if it is saving me anything)...
Now... I'm going to rant about my personal life now.... and my jerk of a family....
On a sadder note, my mom is being a real nasty jerk... besides the dirty looks and deliberately saying things to piss me off, she's just plain evil to me at times. I'm kind of glad i'm not really relying on her for anything right now... well besides the roof over my head... which is why i haven't really given her a piece of my mind. I think for this month i'm going to heavily focus on independently buying all non food stuff, see how much it will all be, and then next month, regardless of what she buys, moving with complete food independence. She's mad at me because two days prior, she asked me what i was doing after work, and i kindly told her i had plans for Friday helping my friend with his campaign for City Council... well she got pissed because i couldn't deal with the Jacuzzi people... now its all hell war at my house and I "do nothing."
While, "Miss I who do nothing" was cooking dinner last night my mom would not stop nagging about how i better clean up after myself and how everything better be put away, etc... when i pulled out a piece of Tupperware and a couple fell down because someone else didn't put them away properly... she started yelling "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THERE" ..... freaking stalking me while I was trying to cook dinner. She stood over me while I cooked the rest of the time.
So I cooked in silence and put up with it. After I plated my food, I put some aside for lunch the next day and was just about to settle in to eat when more problems began.
My sister who never cooks and always tries to eat my leftovers asks me if anything is left from MY efforts in the kitchen... When I actually kindly told her, "well ya, but its my lunch tomorrow"... she proceeded to whine... (she's older than me, FYI) and then proceeds to make a large ordeal about how mom bought the food ingredients that I used (and she could therefore drag my mother into the conversation because of it)...
So I was forced to give up and she proceeded to eat my leftovers... and then I had to do the dishes, run the dishwasher, and clean up everything because she didn't offer to help even though I made her dinner....and while I ate I had to sit there and be argued with because i'm not politically voting how my mother (who isn't even registered to vote) wants me too..... GRRRRRRR
I'm totally done with these people ... I can handle my sister, she's crazy whinny, etc... but my mother makes me want to hit her... Half the time i swear she's drunk...
On the upside (if there is one) ... my sis cleaned out part of her closet and i got some shoes and a jacket i really like...
For now i put up with all their emotional crap and cross my fingers for the day of independence... i think when i get paid, i'm going to just give my mom all the insurance money, even if i have to dip into my Emergency fund so i don't have to worry about that for right now... I have the money, i think i'd rather loose the interest in one of my accounts than deal with her nagging me about that.
I "get" to go buy toothpaste and deodorant today... the joys of independence... oh and i did not like paying $16 bucks for shampoo and conditioner at COSTCO.... maybe i'll run the numbers to realize how much i'm saving by using Costco (if it is saving me anything)...
Now... I'm going to rant about my personal life now.... and my jerk of a family....
On a sadder note, my mom is being a real nasty jerk... besides the dirty looks and deliberately saying things to piss me off, she's just plain evil to me at times. I'm kind of glad i'm not really relying on her for anything right now... well besides the roof over my head... which is why i haven't really given her a piece of my mind. I think for this month i'm going to heavily focus on independently buying all non food stuff, see how much it will all be, and then next month, regardless of what she buys, moving with complete food independence. She's mad at me because two days prior, she asked me what i was doing after work, and i kindly told her i had plans for Friday helping my friend with his campaign for City Council... well she got pissed because i couldn't deal with the Jacuzzi people... now its all hell war at my house and I "do nothing."
While, "Miss I who do nothing" was cooking dinner last night my mom would not stop nagging about how i better clean up after myself and how everything better be put away, etc... when i pulled out a piece of Tupperware and a couple fell down because someone else didn't put them away properly... she started yelling "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THERE" ..... freaking stalking me while I was trying to cook dinner. She stood over me while I cooked the rest of the time.
So I cooked in silence and put up with it. After I plated my food, I put some aside for lunch the next day and was just about to settle in to eat when more problems began.
My sister who never cooks and always tries to eat my leftovers asks me if anything is left from MY efforts in the kitchen... When I actually kindly told her, "well ya, but its my lunch tomorrow"... she proceeded to whine... (she's older than me, FYI) and then proceeds to make a large ordeal about how mom bought the food ingredients that I used (and she could therefore drag my mother into the conversation because of it)...
So I was forced to give up and she proceeded to eat my leftovers... and then I had to do the dishes, run the dishwasher, and clean up everything because she didn't offer to help even though I made her dinner....and while I ate I had to sit there and be argued with because i'm not politically voting how my mother (who isn't even registered to vote) wants me too..... GRRRRRRR
I'm totally done with these people ... I can handle my sister, she's crazy whinny, etc... but my mother makes me want to hit her... Half the time i swear she's drunk...
On the upside (if there is one) ... my sis cleaned out part of her closet and i got some shoes and a jacket i really like...
For now i put up with all their emotional crap and cross my fingers for the day of independence... i think when i get paid, i'm going to just give my mom all the insurance money, even if i have to dip into my Emergency fund so i don't have to worry about that for right now... I have the money, i think i'd rather loose the interest in one of my accounts than deal with her nagging me about that.
Friday, November 3, 2006
Credit cards
Sadly, my credit card is increasing it's interest rate... I'm angry, i must admit... but i don't have any CC debt, and i never carry a balance... and its still making me angry.
It's a chase Amazon card, it offers 1% Cash back on all purchases, and 3% back on Amazon.com purchases. I got it awhile ago because when you opened the account, you got an instant $30.00 gift card (which happened to be the cost of my purchase). The cash back comes in a form of an $25.00 amazon gift code...
I've read a bazillion times that its bad to close an account, so for now i'm going to keep it open, but only use it for amazon purchases (which isn't all that often...) because i'm mad that after never having a late payment or a balance, that they would do that to me. ..
on the plus side, i'm using my debt card more and with BofA i do the keep the change program and at the end of the year, 3% of all the change they put in my savings account they also pay me.
I think i might call BofA and ask them to increase my BofA Credit Card limit... Does anyone think that's a good idea?
It's a chase Amazon card, it offers 1% Cash back on all purchases, and 3% back on Amazon.com purchases. I got it awhile ago because when you opened the account, you got an instant $30.00 gift card (which happened to be the cost of my purchase). The cash back comes in a form of an $25.00 amazon gift code...
I've read a bazillion times that its bad to close an account, so for now i'm going to keep it open, but only use it for amazon purchases (which isn't all that often...) because i'm mad that after never having a late payment or a balance, that they would do that to me. ..
on the plus side, i'm using my debt card more and with BofA i do the keep the change program and at the end of the year, 3% of all the change they put in my savings account they also pay me.
I think i might call BofA and ask them to increase my BofA Credit Card limit... Does anyone think that's a good idea?
Emigrant Direct
So i opened the account... the two tiny balances i have to report are already in there...
but i can't access my account... i must have typed the password wrong and couldn't answer one security question ... my account is now locked and i have to call the number...
but i am impressed by the speed of the whole workings... Hopefully I'll get it all set up and move my "retirement" money there...
Eventually i think i may even move some of the tuition money.... but i think I'll experiment with it first (ING is really easy... not sure how easy Emigrant will be)...
So now i get to call that number...
but i can't access my account... i must have typed the password wrong and couldn't answer one security question ... my account is now locked and i have to call the number...
but i am impressed by the speed of the whole workings... Hopefully I'll get it all set up and move my "retirement" money there...
Eventually i think i may even move some of the tuition money.... but i think I'll experiment with it first (ING is really easy... not sure how easy Emigrant will be)...
So now i get to call that number...
Thursday, November 2, 2006
More Money
So, it looks like I'm getting a refund check from my college after all... and maybe one for next semester too!
woot woot woot!
I decided to open an Emigrant Savings account because the interest is better... but I'm only going to move my retirement over there and keep the other accounts were they are. So I'll let you know how that all goes.
Part of me wants to move to Texas... a few of my friends who i consider family are there and it could be interesting. I think I'm going to plan a summer road trip/ fly down and visit them, my old friend Andrew, and see Texas.
I have an interview at work today for a promotion (well its really for a job later down the line, they want me to interview now so when it opens up, they can just give it to me because they have a "candidate" who has already exceeded their expectations.
wish me luck.
woot woot woot!
I decided to open an Emigrant Savings account because the interest is better... but I'm only going to move my retirement over there and keep the other accounts were they are. So I'll let you know how that all goes.
Part of me wants to move to Texas... a few of my friends who i consider family are there and it could be interesting. I think I'm going to plan a summer road trip/ fly down and visit them, my old friend Andrew, and see Texas.
I have an interview at work today for a promotion (well its really for a job later down the line, they want me to interview now so when it opens up, they can just give it to me because they have a "candidate" who has already exceeded their expectations.
wish me luck.
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
progress
Check out the Positive wealth...
The interest from my ING accounts got added in... not much but hey its there:
Car Insurance 2.64
Tuition 5.27
Retirement 2.98
total= 10.89
I'm slowly making money by doing nothing!
The interest from my ING accounts got added in... not much but hey its there:
Car Insurance 2.64
Tuition 5.27
Retirement 2.98
total= 10.89
I'm slowly making money by doing nothing!
update
So, i broke my mom and she finally put me on the Costco Pass!!!
As for the refraining from spending...it's weird how often i think about spending money... i think the 19 days of not spending any money (but gas) is kind of a reminder about the clarity of the consumer society in which we live. We really are driven by the random dollars we throw down at the check-out stand... in a way, this 19 days is kind of freeing... Kind of like a spending fast... It's amazing how hard it is at times, but also how freeing it is as well.
Sunday I went out with my friends to dinner, and i just didn't get anything, hung out and had a good time. I wasn't the only one in our group of 10 who didn't get anything either. Others were watching their money, and i wasn't really that hungry because i ate dinner earlier.
On a happy note, my mom bought apples and oatmeal at the store and told me that for the most part that "i can eat them" which means i might not have to break and run to the store to buy anything... I might make the 19 days after all! Plus There's the leftover Chinese food my mom won't eat and half the time she brings taco's home from work and doesn't eat them. (my mom's a waitress)
So, i guess in all reality that it's not such a huge blow financially, I'm on my own kind of mentality, but more gradual. I think that after my first few months of grocery and necessity planning that i should be able to take over even the little things she's getting for me still.
I'm kind of looking forward to it... One more step, or lesson to eventually being on my own!!!
9 more days of Pantry eating left... although it doesn't feel like pantry eating in all reality... but good practice for later on...
As for the refraining from spending...it's weird how often i think about spending money... i think the 19 days of not spending any money (but gas) is kind of a reminder about the clarity of the consumer society in which we live. We really are driven by the random dollars we throw down at the check-out stand... in a way, this 19 days is kind of freeing... Kind of like a spending fast... It's amazing how hard it is at times, but also how freeing it is as well.
Sunday I went out with my friends to dinner, and i just didn't get anything, hung out and had a good time. I wasn't the only one in our group of 10 who didn't get anything either. Others were watching their money, and i wasn't really that hungry because i ate dinner earlier.
On a happy note, my mom bought apples and oatmeal at the store and told me that for the most part that "i can eat them" which means i might not have to break and run to the store to buy anything... I might make the 19 days after all! Plus There's the leftover Chinese food my mom won't eat and half the time she brings taco's home from work and doesn't eat them. (my mom's a waitress)
So, i guess in all reality that it's not such a huge blow financially, I'm on my own kind of mentality, but more gradual. I think that after my first few months of grocery and necessity planning that i should be able to take over even the little things she's getting for me still.
I'm kind of looking forward to it... One more step, or lesson to eventually being on my own!!!
9 more days of Pantry eating left... although it doesn't feel like pantry eating in all reality... but good practice for later on...
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