So I thought I'd found the perfect wedding dress a little while ago...The only thing I needed to do was get some pretty cap sleeves put on it and I was all set. I didn't need the poofy under skirt, or the "I can't breath bra"... & I found a dress that fit well and I was really happy with it...
Until I brought it back to the store to get the sleeves on it. The alterations lady didn't have a fabric material that would match for the sleeves, and said i'd have to go to Jo-anns and find it myself and then they would do them... They didn't have the original option I was show before that looked really nice with the dress... and the lady was being a pill.
My best friend saw the look on my face and knew that "the dress" was no longer my dress.
I told the lady at the front that I was going to find a new one and return it since I bought it off the rack and we didn't change anything on it yet. So instead I pointed to the catelogue and went with the dress i'd ranked #2 when I went hunting for fun with my mom.
So I got it altered on the spot and should get it back in 6 weeks. We also picked out bridesmaid dresses for my ladies who live in California. =)
The only problem was that this dress was cheaper than the first one... and I had to use up all the credit I had on the account at once.... and the credit I had from the dress couldn't go towards the alterations at all.
With some clever flair, we made it happen.
Original Dress: $549.00 (Returned)
Dress Bag: $10.00 (Kept Dress Bag for new Dress)
Tax: $48.84 (Returned)
New Dress- $299.99
White Beaded Bridal Sash $59.00
2 tired slip $50.15
Shoes $53.10
4 pairs of earrings for my bridesmaids $40.00
Bridesmaid Shoes 45.00--
Bridesmaid shrug 30.00--
Tax 2.34
= $28.68 that I paid
Total: $636.60
Bridesmaid Shoes 45.00-- Paid Back Already
Bridesmaid shrug 30.00-- Paid Back Already
New Total: $561.60
Alterations: (another 233.82)
Take up the shoulders on both sides $40
Hem $120
Bustle train $35
Add cups $20.00
Tax 18.82
New Total $795.42
The old total would have been 607.92, plus 53.10 Shoes, plus $50.00 for sleeve alterations, and 40.00 for earrings for the girls... plus i'd need to still bustle the train which would have been more $$$ because it was longer on the first one so i'd estimate that around $50.00... bringing that too 801.02. So the new dress was a little bit cheaper & I'm happier with it! I can't wait to get it back in 6 weeks!!!
We also met up with the wedding planner, signed contracts, paid our deposit ($1,000.00), and met the Bishop who's performing the ceremony.
Today we have a cake tasting with our wedding planner... we will finalize the guest list... and start talking ceremony lay out!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Saying "No" without being the Grinch
With Keith in town for the holidays (WOOT WOOT!!!!!!!), I knew Christmas was going to be filled with holiday obligations... now don't get me wrong... I love a holiday party like everyone else! I wear festive earrings and go all out. (I haven't worn my Bah Humbug hat in years!)
The problem lies in all the little things the "creep" up and ruin your holiday budget. I put a bit of money aside every month so I have holiday money set aside to enjoy the festivities with... but With Keith in town, and with some unplanned expenses that sneaked into Decembers budget (I took back my wedding dress... and got a new one), I decided to take the advice i'd been reading for years of Finance blogs and just plain ignoring.
Opt out of some of the spending.
I told my friends (minus my 2 closest that are essentially family to me) that I wasn't going to be swapping gifts this year, and that i'd rather get coffee and just spend time with everyone. I think only one friend was a bit upset, but most seemed a bit relieved.... and everyone loved the alternative. We are meeting up on Thursday to go to dinner so everyone can meet Keith (something i'd planned for anyway)and so we can have a simple night out and just hang!!!
Even my one friend (who works for Disneyland and is is giving me 2 free comp tickets so Keith and I to go while he is in California) isn't upset that I won't be returning the favor in lavish. They asked me to copy a few Cd's that they happen to like that I've had for years because I insisted on finding a way to say "thank you."
So for the White Elephant party I went to, I opted out of the gift exchange. I just didn't feel like spending $20 on a cruddy present and going home with something dumb too... and I didn't feel like I missed out. I also opted out of the work gift exchange too, but came to the pot luck with Keith so my co-workers could meet him cause they all wanted to see him.
In both circumstances, I didn't feel like I "Missed out" because I still got to laugh as everyone fought over booze and the cute Mickey Mouse Stuffed animal. =)
All my normal Christmas shopping is done. I'm still trying to figure out something nice that Keith can take back with him for his Mom & Dad. And We still need to bake a bunch of brownies to take with us to the midnight church service on Xmas Eve.
The problem lies in all the little things the "creep" up and ruin your holiday budget. I put a bit of money aside every month so I have holiday money set aside to enjoy the festivities with... but With Keith in town, and with some unplanned expenses that sneaked into Decembers budget (I took back my wedding dress... and got a new one), I decided to take the advice i'd been reading for years of Finance blogs and just plain ignoring.
Opt out of some of the spending.
I told my friends (minus my 2 closest that are essentially family to me) that I wasn't going to be swapping gifts this year, and that i'd rather get coffee and just spend time with everyone. I think only one friend was a bit upset, but most seemed a bit relieved.... and everyone loved the alternative. We are meeting up on Thursday to go to dinner so everyone can meet Keith (something i'd planned for anyway)and so we can have a simple night out and just hang!!!
Even my one friend (who works for Disneyland and is is giving me 2 free comp tickets so Keith and I to go while he is in California) isn't upset that I won't be returning the favor in lavish. They asked me to copy a few Cd's that they happen to like that I've had for years because I insisted on finding a way to say "thank you."
So for the White Elephant party I went to, I opted out of the gift exchange. I just didn't feel like spending $20 on a cruddy present and going home with something dumb too... and I didn't feel like I missed out. I also opted out of the work gift exchange too, but came to the pot luck with Keith so my co-workers could meet him cause they all wanted to see him.
In both circumstances, I didn't feel like I "Missed out" because I still got to laugh as everyone fought over booze and the cute Mickey Mouse Stuffed animal. =)
All my normal Christmas shopping is done. I'm still trying to figure out something nice that Keith can take back with him for his Mom & Dad. And We still need to bake a bunch of brownies to take with us to the midnight church service on Xmas Eve.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Retirement Perspectives
End of 2009 Balance: $26,529.33 | Current 2010 Balance: $35,792.16
Additional Contributions since 2009: $8,959.00 (including pension)
Non Pension Growth: $303.83 (1.91%)
Discontinued 401a Account: Makes up 2.81 % of my Retirement
$1005.85/$898.62 invested. (New contributions suspended.) Target Date
Discontinued 457 Account: Makes up 2.89% of my Retirement
$1,034.91 (Earns pennies a week and I can’t move the $$$$ until I quit.)
ING DIRECT CD Roth IRA: Makes up 51.27% of my portfolio
$18,350.71/$18,000.00
Up 1.94% from inception +$350.71
Pension: Approximately 43.03% of my portfolio
If I quit tomorrow, I’d just have the cash in the account (earning an automatic 6% until withdrawn)… or I could wait and pull a pension at 55 since I’m vested.
Total Cash in the Account for the lump sum option: $15,400.69 (this is the amount I value my pension at.)
• Service Credit as of 2010 Statement: 5.870 Years of Service
• If I quit tomorrow and didn’t work for Cal Pers ever again, nor anyone else for that matter (so no social security), my pension would equal $5,927.27 a year or $493.94 a month (before taxes)… and I wouldn’t begin receiving the money until I was 55 years old. So best to keep working =)
Assuming I work and have 38 years of service, and am at LEAST 55 when I retire, I’d probably go for option 2… (take less at retirement to insure a surviving spouse gets money too).
• Option 2: my spouse and I would get $2,758 a month… if I croak first, hubby gets $2,758.00 a month till he dies… if he dies first, I’d get $3,195.83 (the unmodified amount) a month till I die.
Excluding my pension, all my other retirement income totals $20,391.47
Additional Contributions since 2009: $8,959.00 (including pension)
Non Pension Growth: $303.83 (1.91%)
Discontinued 401a Account: Makes up 2.81 % of my Retirement
$1005.85/$898.62 invested. (New contributions suspended.) Target Date
Discontinued 457 Account: Makes up 2.89% of my Retirement
$1,034.91 (Earns pennies a week and I can’t move the $$$$ until I quit.)
ING DIRECT CD Roth IRA: Makes up 51.27% of my portfolio
$18,350.71/$18,000.00
Up 1.94% from inception +$350.71
Pension: Approximately 43.03% of my portfolio
If I quit tomorrow, I’d just have the cash in the account (earning an automatic 6% until withdrawn)… or I could wait and pull a pension at 55 since I’m vested.
Total Cash in the Account for the lump sum option: $15,400.69 (this is the amount I value my pension at.)
• Service Credit as of 2010 Statement: 5.870 Years of Service
• If I quit tomorrow and didn’t work for Cal Pers ever again, nor anyone else for that matter (so no social security), my pension would equal $5,927.27 a year or $493.94 a month (before taxes)… and I wouldn’t begin receiving the money until I was 55 years old. So best to keep working =)
Assuming I work and have 38 years of service, and am at LEAST 55 when I retire, I’d probably go for option 2… (take less at retirement to insure a surviving spouse gets money too).
• Option 2: my spouse and I would get $2,758 a month… if I croak first, hubby gets $2,758.00 a month till he dies… if he dies first, I’d get $3,195.83 (the unmodified amount) a month till I die.
Excluding my pension, all my other retirement income totals $20,391.47
Mid-Month Kiva Updates
All My Loans are Current! One more loan paid back.
Shamshad Samuael Masih's Group
Location: Khanewal, Pakistan
Sector: Agriculture
Activity: Animal Sales
Loan Use: To buy goats for animal sales business
Repaid: $0.00
Janet Akinyi Ayieko
Location: Eldoret, Kenya
Repayment Term: 8 months
Activity: General Store
Repayment Schedule: Monthly
Loan Use: To open another two stores in town
Repaid: $0.00
Olga Francisca Cano Romero
Location: Portoviejo, Ecuador
Repayment Term: 6 months
Activity: Crafts
Repayment Schedule: Monthly
Loan Use: To buy fabric, down, thread, fasteners, etc.
Repaid: $3.13
Mamile Orozalieva's Group
Location: Kant, Kyrgyzstan
Repayment Term: 6 months
Activity: Cattle
Repayment Schedule: Monthly
Loan Use: To purchase more cattle for breeding
Repaid: $18.39
Hawa Gull Group
Location: Monrovia South, Liberia
Repayment Term: 6 months
Activity: Food Market
Repayment Schedule: Monthly
Loan Use: To buy more bags of rice, onions, peppers, palm oil, and beans
Repaid: $20.79
LOANS PAID IN FULL:
Zenaida Daing- Farming, Sta. Josefa, Agusan Del Sur, Philippines
Elizabeth Aidoo- Food Market, Wiawso, Ghana
Mobateli Plus Group -Manufacturing, The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Paz y Amor Group -Fruits & Vegetables, Dominican Republic
Dustmatov Eralboy - Livestock, Tajikistan
Seccelambras Group -Food Production/Sales, Peru
Rashidat Mumuni -Fish Selling, Nigeria
Karla Vanessa Montiel Barahona -Housing, Nicaragua
Eal Nub -Fish Selling, Cambodia
Atim Irene's Group -Medical Clinic, Uganda
Obama Group- Grocery Store produce- Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
La Esperanza Group- sugar cane, flour, sugar and coal- Ita, Paraguay
Siguikadi Group- Purchase of selling items -Kadiolo Sikasso, Mali
Altantuya Lhasuren- Butcher Shop- Tsetserleg, Arhangai, Mongolia
Gbawulu Group- To buy bags of cement to make blocks- Monrovia South, Liberia
Iyunge Group: purchasing bigger quantities of beans to sell- Cibitoke, Burundi
Fight For Progress Group- Buy palm-oil, rice, & oranges- Makeni, Sierra Leone
As of today i've loaned and re-loaned out a total of $550 through KIVA to 22 different groups in 21 different places all around the world. Its amazing what $25.00can do!
Like Kiva? Think its neat? then Lend!!!!! Visit Kiva!
Shamshad Samuael Masih's Group
Location: Khanewal, Pakistan
Sector: Agriculture
Activity: Animal Sales
Loan Use: To buy goats for animal sales business
Repaid: $0.00
Janet Akinyi Ayieko
Location: Eldoret, Kenya
Repayment Term: 8 months
Activity: General Store
Repayment Schedule: Monthly
Loan Use: To open another two stores in town
Repaid: $0.00
Olga Francisca Cano Romero
Location: Portoviejo, Ecuador
Repayment Term: 6 months
Activity: Crafts
Repayment Schedule: Monthly
Loan Use: To buy fabric, down, thread, fasteners, etc.
Repaid: $3.13
Mamile Orozalieva's Group
Location: Kant, Kyrgyzstan
Repayment Term: 6 months
Activity: Cattle
Repayment Schedule: Monthly
Loan Use: To purchase more cattle for breeding
Repaid: $18.39
Hawa Gull Group
Location: Monrovia South, Liberia
Repayment Term: 6 months
Activity: Food Market
Repayment Schedule: Monthly
Loan Use: To buy more bags of rice, onions, peppers, palm oil, and beans
Repaid: $20.79
LOANS PAID IN FULL:
Zenaida Daing- Farming, Sta. Josefa, Agusan Del Sur, Philippines
Elizabeth Aidoo- Food Market, Wiawso, Ghana
Mobateli Plus Group -Manufacturing, The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Paz y Amor Group -Fruits & Vegetables, Dominican Republic
Dustmatov Eralboy - Livestock, Tajikistan
Seccelambras Group -Food Production/Sales, Peru
Rashidat Mumuni -Fish Selling, Nigeria
Karla Vanessa Montiel Barahona -Housing, Nicaragua
Eal Nub -Fish Selling, Cambodia
Atim Irene's Group -Medical Clinic, Uganda
Obama Group- Grocery Store produce- Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
La Esperanza Group- sugar cane, flour, sugar and coal- Ita, Paraguay
Siguikadi Group- Purchase of selling items -Kadiolo Sikasso, Mali
Altantuya Lhasuren- Butcher Shop- Tsetserleg, Arhangai, Mongolia
Gbawulu Group- To buy bags of cement to make blocks- Monrovia South, Liberia
Iyunge Group: purchasing bigger quantities of beans to sell- Cibitoke, Burundi
Fight For Progress Group- Buy palm-oil, rice, & oranges- Makeni, Sierra Leone
As of today i've loaned and re-loaned out a total of $550 through KIVA to 22 different groups in 21 different places all around the world. Its amazing what $25.00can do!
Like Kiva? Think its neat? then Lend!!!!! Visit Kiva!
Friday, December 17, 2010
I decided what to do with my Wealth Builder savings account
... build wealth with it, lol.
I decided that it will be the start of my attempt to one day buy a year of service with CALPERS so I can retire at 55 instead of 56.
If I bought a year of service on Jan, 1, 2012 it would cost me a lump sum of $4,875.00. Ideally I'd like to save up this amount so I can do paycheck deductions over 3-4 months so I'll actually save money because I wouldn't have to pay federal taxes on the amount deducted from my paychecks.
If i save the whole balance up ahead of time, i'd then be able to pull out the money from the savings account to "replenish" what my paycheck was short.
Every year I wait the price goes up since you have to add in all the interest the money would have naturally earned if it had been in the account (which is 6%).
Once i'm married, and Keith gets a job in California and we figure everything out, i'd like to be able to make this a goal of ours to save up the funds and "get it out of the way." I'll only be able to buy 1 year (38 years of service is the MAX you can have towards your pension) and after 55 my percentage doesn't increase, but if i retire before 55 it decreases... So i'm working till i'm 55 to get the full 2.7%... I just don't want to wait until August 11, 2042 to retire. (when i'd have exactally 38 years of service credit.) If I purchase a year, I can retire August 11, 2041, maxing out my pension.
I decided that it will be the start of my attempt to one day buy a year of service with CALPERS so I can retire at 55 instead of 56.
If I bought a year of service on Jan, 1, 2012 it would cost me a lump sum of $4,875.00. Ideally I'd like to save up this amount so I can do paycheck deductions over 3-4 months so I'll actually save money because I wouldn't have to pay federal taxes on the amount deducted from my paychecks.
If i save the whole balance up ahead of time, i'd then be able to pull out the money from the savings account to "replenish" what my paycheck was short.
Every year I wait the price goes up since you have to add in all the interest the money would have naturally earned if it had been in the account (which is 6%).
Once i'm married, and Keith gets a job in California and we figure everything out, i'd like to be able to make this a goal of ours to save up the funds and "get it out of the way." I'll only be able to buy 1 year (38 years of service is the MAX you can have towards your pension) and after 55 my percentage doesn't increase, but if i retire before 55 it decreases... So i'm working till i'm 55 to get the full 2.7%... I just don't want to wait until August 11, 2042 to retire. (when i'd have exactally 38 years of service credit.) If I purchase a year, I can retire August 11, 2041, maxing out my pension.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Updating the condo Costs.
I finally took the time to look up how much paying for my property taxes saved me on my tax return last year.
I didn't know if it was a "credit" or a deduction. It was a deduction, so it saved me $90.10 since without it, I would have landed a few hundread dollars in the 25% tax bracket.
I think last year was the last year you could use the deduction. This year i'll be itemizing, but in 2012 I think we may end up take the married standard deduction because I'm not sure well have enough to benefit by itemizing our taxes.
So, here's the updated costs.
New Balance: $114,713.93
The pay off date (assuming just the minimum monthly payment) is still MARCH 2039... 6 months ahead of schedule.
If I continue to pay the minimum on my loan, I will pay $112,852.75 in interest instead of the $116,404.23... Saving me $3,551.48 in interest over the life of the loan thus far... all for parting with $996.74 a little before I had to!
Total Condo Costs:
Money paid to aquire the property and get keys: $7,057.08
Money Spent to Remodel and Repair Property: $17,672.29
Total: $24,729.37
First Time Home buyers Credit: $8,000.00
Current equity: $5,284.93 (not including any change in value the upgrades gave me)
2009 Prop Tax Deduction: $90.10
Electrician costs -$95.00
TILE Refund $1,265.00
Current amount in the hole: $10,184.34
Hopefully when i get to see how much I saved by itemizing my taxes, i'll be somewhere in the $9,000 range!
If I sold the condo tomorrow, I'd have to sell the property for $141,400.00 (assuming a 6% commission) to break even on the property (all the renovations, etc)and because i'd have to give back the $8,000.00 tax CREDIT to the government.
If I wait out the remaining 23 months (and use the appropriate estimated principle invested in the property at that time), I'd be able to sell for $130,000 (assuming 6% commission) to recoup all costs. =)
I look at my monthly payments, property taxes, extra mortage principle payments & my HOA dues as a wash because if i add all those up, its equivalent to the market rate of the apartment complex i'd be living in if I hadn't bought my condo.
I didn't know if it was a "credit" or a deduction. It was a deduction, so it saved me $90.10 since without it, I would have landed a few hundread dollars in the 25% tax bracket.
I think last year was the last year you could use the deduction. This year i'll be itemizing, but in 2012 I think we may end up take the married standard deduction because I'm not sure well have enough to benefit by itemizing our taxes.
So, here's the updated costs.
New Balance: $114,713.93
The pay off date (assuming just the minimum monthly payment) is still MARCH 2039... 6 months ahead of schedule.
If I continue to pay the minimum on my loan, I will pay $112,852.75 in interest instead of the $116,404.23... Saving me $3,551.48 in interest over the life of the loan thus far... all for parting with $996.74 a little before I had to!
Total Condo Costs:
Money paid to aquire the property and get keys: $7,057.08
Money Spent to Remodel and Repair Property: $17,672.29
Total: $24,729.37
First Time Home buyers Credit: $8,000.00
Current equity: $5,284.93 (not including any change in value the upgrades gave me)
2009 Prop Tax Deduction: $90.10
Electrician costs -$95.00
TILE Refund $1,265.00
Current amount in the hole: $10,184.34
Hopefully when i get to see how much I saved by itemizing my taxes, i'll be somewhere in the $9,000 range!
If I sold the condo tomorrow, I'd have to sell the property for $141,400.00 (assuming a 6% commission) to break even on the property (all the renovations, etc)and because i'd have to give back the $8,000.00 tax CREDIT to the government.
If I wait out the remaining 23 months (and use the appropriate estimated principle invested in the property at that time), I'd be able to sell for $130,000 (assuming 6% commission) to recoup all costs. =)
I look at my monthly payments, property taxes, extra mortage principle payments & my HOA dues as a wash because if i add all those up, its equivalent to the market rate of the apartment complex i'd be living in if I hadn't bought my condo.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Wedding Budget update
We got back an estimate from the wedding planning company... and it was higher than we expected... but had everything we wanted...
So Keith and I (via Skype) went through and made a list of everything we needed to pay for, everything we wanted to include, and added up the total. Before the honeymoon we were rocking around $8,500.00
Which is more than we want to spend. We are trying to do the entire thing for $7500 sans the Honeymoon.
So we started making cuts. First we looked at the package the planner had made for us, an all enclusive deal for the most part... and a really great price to start out with.
For almost $5,957 the planner had designed a beatiful wedding ceremony, outside behind Keith's old Church in California. They have a very nice and well kept grass area behind the church, and adjacent to it there is a structure with tables and chairs under that's all shadded. So we planned on having the wedding on the lawn, and the reception under the structure so everyones in the shade.
The package included 70 wood padded white Chairs, white Covers, blue sashes, fresh rose petal isle, small bunches of Gerber Daisys hanging from black hooks down the isle, a decorated black arch with fabric and flowers, a table for our sand ceremony, all the set up and tear down, sound equipment to play the "wedding march" and other music during the ceremony... AND all our bridal flowers. My Bouquet, +4 bridesmaids, Keith's Boutineer + 4 Groomsmen, 3 corsages and a boutineer for his dad. Plus Design, Theme, and Wedding planner/coordinator for the reception.
2 hours of professional photography, and digital rights to our photos.
For the Reception, It included all the table linens, gerber daisy centerpieces, Our wedding Cake (3 Tiers), Apple cider toasts for everyone, ice tea, lemonaid, bottle water on ice, 2 tents (One decorated with linens and flowers for our "Couples table"... the other for the food and refreshments... and it included an outline and time table of the reception... and all the clean up... and 3 servers to help cut cake, pour cider, and help with the beverages and removing plates and incidentals. etc....
Basically, Keith and I needed to supply the receptions snacks, toasting glasses for our guests... but essentially that was it (besides things like cake cutters, etc..)
We sat for a while and thought about what we would and wouldn't miss for the reception... and I came up with an idea. If we sans the apple cider toast, we wouldn't need 2 of the servers... nor the toasting glasses, or the cider....
So i sent the planner an email saying we needed to make a few cuts and suggested removing 2 servers, the bottled water (my friend got married recently and could loan us 2 nice beverage dispencers that we could fill with water instead), and the cider toast... eliminating the need for toasting glasses and the cider costs.
She had originally quoted us as lower price for everything, but didn't include the tax for the package...
She replied back and said she would take out the toast (we'll still do one, but the guests can toast with what they are drinking at the time), well eliminate the bottled water, just remove one server-- That way someone can pass out cake while its simultaneously being cut... and would cut out ALL the TAX from the inital price she sent us... Saving us $479.00.
Essentally removing the cider toast, but still having a toast is saving us $479.00!!!!!!! and we don't feel like we are cutting anything out from the package at all!!!!
We are having a dry wedding because i won't let my family get near alcohol on my day... plus we can use the LDS church for our reasoning since they don't do alcohol.
We also decided that we would Ipod our reception music, instead of Ipod and an hour of live music, saving us $200.00 (we have an old friend who should be getting his record deal any day now... he was also one of Keith's really good friends from when he lived in California.)
I made realistic estimates for what we will need to spend on things for the wedding... like food for the bridal shower, getting pretty the day of, invitations, reception food (we are saying "cake and punch" but we will also have fruit and sandwitch trays and cookies from costco)...
Since I work in a city area, I mingle a lot with residents, one of them offered to do my hair and make-up free of charge if I go to her salon... that's going to save us a few hundread easily (I have long thick hair!!!!)
WITH MY DRESS and all the things on the list, we are looking at: $7,770.57
!!!!!!!!!!
Keith will be covering his tux rental, my wedding band, gifts for his groomsmen, and our honeymoon.
We are hoping his folks will cover a rehersal dinner... or just a family meet and greet kind of thing.
But so far, not so bad!
So Keith and I (via Skype) went through and made a list of everything we needed to pay for, everything we wanted to include, and added up the total. Before the honeymoon we were rocking around $8,500.00
Which is more than we want to spend. We are trying to do the entire thing for $7500 sans the Honeymoon.
So we started making cuts. First we looked at the package the planner had made for us, an all enclusive deal for the most part... and a really great price to start out with.
For almost $5,957 the planner had designed a beatiful wedding ceremony, outside behind Keith's old Church in California. They have a very nice and well kept grass area behind the church, and adjacent to it there is a structure with tables and chairs under that's all shadded. So we planned on having the wedding on the lawn, and the reception under the structure so everyones in the shade.
The package included 70 wood padded white Chairs, white Covers, blue sashes, fresh rose petal isle, small bunches of Gerber Daisys hanging from black hooks down the isle, a decorated black arch with fabric and flowers, a table for our sand ceremony, all the set up and tear down, sound equipment to play the "wedding march" and other music during the ceremony... AND all our bridal flowers. My Bouquet, +4 bridesmaids, Keith's Boutineer + 4 Groomsmen, 3 corsages and a boutineer for his dad. Plus Design, Theme, and Wedding planner/coordinator for the reception.
2 hours of professional photography, and digital rights to our photos.
For the Reception, It included all the table linens, gerber daisy centerpieces, Our wedding Cake (3 Tiers), Apple cider toasts for everyone, ice tea, lemonaid, bottle water on ice, 2 tents (One decorated with linens and flowers for our "Couples table"... the other for the food and refreshments... and it included an outline and time table of the reception... and all the clean up... and 3 servers to help cut cake, pour cider, and help with the beverages and removing plates and incidentals. etc....
Basically, Keith and I needed to supply the receptions snacks, toasting glasses for our guests... but essentially that was it (besides things like cake cutters, etc..)
We sat for a while and thought about what we would and wouldn't miss for the reception... and I came up with an idea. If we sans the apple cider toast, we wouldn't need 2 of the servers... nor the toasting glasses, or the cider....
So i sent the planner an email saying we needed to make a few cuts and suggested removing 2 servers, the bottled water (my friend got married recently and could loan us 2 nice beverage dispencers that we could fill with water instead), and the cider toast... eliminating the need for toasting glasses and the cider costs.
She had originally quoted us as lower price for everything, but didn't include the tax for the package...
She replied back and said she would take out the toast (we'll still do one, but the guests can toast with what they are drinking at the time), well eliminate the bottled water, just remove one server-- That way someone can pass out cake while its simultaneously being cut... and would cut out ALL the TAX from the inital price she sent us... Saving us $479.00.
Essentally removing the cider toast, but still having a toast is saving us $479.00!!!!!!! and we don't feel like we are cutting anything out from the package at all!!!!
We are having a dry wedding because i won't let my family get near alcohol on my day... plus we can use the LDS church for our reasoning since they don't do alcohol.
We also decided that we would Ipod our reception music, instead of Ipod and an hour of live music, saving us $200.00 (we have an old friend who should be getting his record deal any day now... he was also one of Keith's really good friends from when he lived in California.)
I made realistic estimates for what we will need to spend on things for the wedding... like food for the bridal shower, getting pretty the day of, invitations, reception food (we are saying "cake and punch" but we will also have fruit and sandwitch trays and cookies from costco)...
Since I work in a city area, I mingle a lot with residents, one of them offered to do my hair and make-up free of charge if I go to her salon... that's going to save us a few hundread easily (I have long thick hair!!!!)
WITH MY DRESS and all the things on the list, we are looking at: $7,770.57
!!!!!!!!!!
Keith will be covering his tux rental, my wedding band, gifts for his groomsmen, and our honeymoon.
We are hoping his folks will cover a rehersal dinner... or just a family meet and greet kind of thing.
But so far, not so bad!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Crazy Holidays + Wedding planning.
I can't wait till Keith is out here for the holidays.... Just a little over a week to go. I'm almost 100% done with Christmas shopping... Just My "Brother" and "Best Friend" left to go... and something for the work party...
=)
So far the budget is still intact.... The blanket idea won't work for the bro... He just got one (lame!) but i got a few ideas from his new girlfriend so its back out to the stores I go.
----
we have already had one HUGE family drama over everything... i'm praying one won't happen while Keith is here...
----
I'm trying to budget and plan for a wedding and its STRESSING ME OUT... Since we have to have a lot of the decisions made before January is here since Keith will only be in California for so long before he's back in Utah...
Not knowing the tax brackets for next year is KILLING ME. I have no idea what my January paycheck will look like... and most of the money we have for the wedding is that extra money I have in the budget... but if the tax rates go up... i'm screwed cause that $200 we can set aside each month will shrink... and that's the honeymoon money... and my early spring visit to see him (Plus whatever Keith can come up with after he's done paying back his folks) and my tax refund will only go so far...
I'm also waiting on a proposal from a wedding planning company i've been working with... they do simple beach and park weddings. We've had a few email chats and we met up at the possible location to pitch ideas and run numbers.
Once we get all the stuff in there and the final price in writting we can then line item a few things out to insure that it fits in the budget. I think we'll need to cut it down around $500 to make it realistically work.
We are hoping to keep the wedding and reception to $5,500 MAX so we can use the $5,000 grand from my mom and the 1300 tax return i should be getting to cover everything. (Sans my dress-- I found it... its gorgeous!!! and I think I should have it paid for by the end of January with the holiday overtime, leftovers from the extra paycheck this month, and the $200 or so dollars i tucked away in Oct & Nov).
We have a layout for everything... and with all of our wants... and then we start cutting back to make sure its still affordable. We have at least set a cap to the number of guests,--- a possible guest list, and what we'd like to do... now its just figuring out if it will work for everything and what we are going to have to compromise on.
At least the location is free...
=)
So far the budget is still intact.... The blanket idea won't work for the bro... He just got one (lame!) but i got a few ideas from his new girlfriend so its back out to the stores I go.
----
we have already had one HUGE family drama over everything... i'm praying one won't happen while Keith is here...
----
I'm trying to budget and plan for a wedding and its STRESSING ME OUT... Since we have to have a lot of the decisions made before January is here since Keith will only be in California for so long before he's back in Utah...
Not knowing the tax brackets for next year is KILLING ME. I have no idea what my January paycheck will look like... and most of the money we have for the wedding is that extra money I have in the budget... but if the tax rates go up... i'm screwed cause that $200 we can set aside each month will shrink... and that's the honeymoon money... and my early spring visit to see him (Plus whatever Keith can come up with after he's done paying back his folks) and my tax refund will only go so far...
I'm also waiting on a proposal from a wedding planning company i've been working with... they do simple beach and park weddings. We've had a few email chats and we met up at the possible location to pitch ideas and run numbers.
Once we get all the stuff in there and the final price in writting we can then line item a few things out to insure that it fits in the budget. I think we'll need to cut it down around $500 to make it realistically work.
We are hoping to keep the wedding and reception to $5,500 MAX so we can use the $5,000 grand from my mom and the 1300 tax return i should be getting to cover everything. (Sans my dress-- I found it... its gorgeous!!! and I think I should have it paid for by the end of January with the holiday overtime, leftovers from the extra paycheck this month, and the $200 or so dollars i tucked away in Oct & Nov).
We have a layout for everything... and with all of our wants... and then we start cutting back to make sure its still affordable. We have at least set a cap to the number of guests,--- a possible guest list, and what we'd like to do... now its just figuring out if it will work for everything and what we are going to have to compromise on.
At least the location is free...
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Christmas Shopping
While my Christmas lights have yet to make an appearance outside my condo, at least I’ve started shopping for gifts already. Keith and I will be having our first Christmas together at my house and then heading to my mother’s later that day to celebrate with my sister, her boyfriend, her boyfriend’s twin brother, my mother and her friend, plus 3 doggies and a cat.
I was able to finish my sister (who’s birthday is also in December) a few months ago when I paid for her new puppy. I’ll be picking up a few doggie treats to stash under the tree at Target with the 2 $10 gift cards I was able to acquire on Black Friday, as well as getting something for the family cat.
I still need to get a small ornament for my sister, and her boyfriend, and his brother to put in their stockings… so I’ll be hitting up target for these too… since I also need to pick up some TP and some cleaning supplies for my kitchen that I’m running low on.
I finished shopping for my sister’s boyfriend before I went to Utah. He’s getting an I-pad from my sister (something they really can’t afford, especially with the cruise they have coming up… and they aren’t supposed to be exchanging gifts???--- but I’ll leave my comments out of it…) so I bought him a nice cover for it…. Per her request
I also finished my mother. She mentioned she needed a new wallet, and I also got her an electric shaver so she can take it on the cruise with her (her old one broke so she put it on her xmas list).
For my mom’s friend I can try hunting around for a cute cat figurine (she collects cat stuff) or I can cop out and get her a bottle of wine… but I really don’t want to go that route because I don’t like being around them when they drink and if I buy it, it will most likely get opened during the festivities... so I’ll be cat figurine hunting... or angels…. Or maybe a cat dressed up as an angel?
I have no idea what to get my sister’s boyfriends brother… no one will give me any hints at all!
I’m making a blanket for my “brother” because he needs a decent throw blanket in that chilly townhome he rents from his parents. (his future girlfriend agrees… one of my bridesmaids).
And then there is my fiancé =) He’s easy this year =) and also doesn’t read this blog (but knows it exists) so I can comment on here about it. I got him a video game he wanted on black Friday, along with a new sweatshirt … and I found a really good online sale at Dickies. It’s hard to find clothes that fit him in stores, and at Dickies you can buy pants un-hemmed to insure the length is long enough. Well since his Christmas Present from his parents is his plane ticket out to California and back, he won’t be getting his usual presents this year, mainly clothes and what not... So I hit up the internet, found some online coupon codes, got $20 off my purchase, free shipping, and took advantage of some sales they had going and was able to get a nice pair of black pants, 2 pairs of jeans, a nice short sleeve button up shirt, and a nice t-shirt for all under $100 shipped with Tax!!! So he’s done. Here’s my spending break down thus far:
Keith: The clothes were $95.40… The sweatshirt was $9.48… the game was $35.00 for a total of $139.88… It’s more than I normally would spend on a person for Christmas, but I planned to spend around $150 on him this year because I knew how badly he needed the clothes because he wouldn’t be getting any from his folks this year. But I did get $20 in free gift cards buying stuff on black Friday that other people paid me back for. I can use the gift cards to get stocking stuffers.
My sister (if I split the cost of the puppy stuff in half to isolate Christmas) was $75.00
Her boyfriend: $45.00
My mom: $50.00
I have about $80 left in my Christmas Account (I pulled some money from the account to pay for Keith’s wedding ring since I hadn’t planned on buying it when I did). And I still have December’s $50 too so that gives me $130 and $20 in Target Gift cards to figure out the following:
My sister’s boyfriends twin-
My mom’s friend—Cat Figurine
Kitty-
3 small doggies-
Brother- Blanket (just a few skeins of yarn)
Stocking Stuffers for Mom, Corie, David, & his brother
Something for my Best Friend
Make something for my grammy (a lady from my church I’ve dubbed my grandma)
Send out some xmas cards perhaps?
All my other friends I’ll be telling them that I’m opting out this year for Christmas since I have to save money for a wedding. If I have any leftover money from the above I may bake small batches of cookies and hand them out.
I was able to finish my sister (who’s birthday is also in December) a few months ago when I paid for her new puppy. I’ll be picking up a few doggie treats to stash under the tree at Target with the 2 $10 gift cards I was able to acquire on Black Friday, as well as getting something for the family cat.
I still need to get a small ornament for my sister, and her boyfriend, and his brother to put in their stockings… so I’ll be hitting up target for these too… since I also need to pick up some TP and some cleaning supplies for my kitchen that I’m running low on.
I finished shopping for my sister’s boyfriend before I went to Utah. He’s getting an I-pad from my sister (something they really can’t afford, especially with the cruise they have coming up… and they aren’t supposed to be exchanging gifts???--- but I’ll leave my comments out of it…) so I bought him a nice cover for it…. Per her request
I also finished my mother. She mentioned she needed a new wallet, and I also got her an electric shaver so she can take it on the cruise with her (her old one broke so she put it on her xmas list).
For my mom’s friend I can try hunting around for a cute cat figurine (she collects cat stuff) or I can cop out and get her a bottle of wine… but I really don’t want to go that route because I don’t like being around them when they drink and if I buy it, it will most likely get opened during the festivities... so I’ll be cat figurine hunting... or angels…. Or maybe a cat dressed up as an angel?
I have no idea what to get my sister’s boyfriends brother… no one will give me any hints at all!
I’m making a blanket for my “brother” because he needs a decent throw blanket in that chilly townhome he rents from his parents. (his future girlfriend agrees… one of my bridesmaids).
And then there is my fiancé =) He’s easy this year =) and also doesn’t read this blog (but knows it exists) so I can comment on here about it. I got him a video game he wanted on black Friday, along with a new sweatshirt … and I found a really good online sale at Dickies. It’s hard to find clothes that fit him in stores, and at Dickies you can buy pants un-hemmed to insure the length is long enough. Well since his Christmas Present from his parents is his plane ticket out to California and back, he won’t be getting his usual presents this year, mainly clothes and what not... So I hit up the internet, found some online coupon codes, got $20 off my purchase, free shipping, and took advantage of some sales they had going and was able to get a nice pair of black pants, 2 pairs of jeans, a nice short sleeve button up shirt, and a nice t-shirt for all under $100 shipped with Tax!!! So he’s done. Here’s my spending break down thus far:
Keith: The clothes were $95.40… The sweatshirt was $9.48… the game was $35.00 for a total of $139.88… It’s more than I normally would spend on a person for Christmas, but I planned to spend around $150 on him this year because I knew how badly he needed the clothes because he wouldn’t be getting any from his folks this year. But I did get $20 in free gift cards buying stuff on black Friday that other people paid me back for. I can use the gift cards to get stocking stuffers.
My sister (if I split the cost of the puppy stuff in half to isolate Christmas) was $75.00
Her boyfriend: $45.00
My mom: $50.00
I have about $80 left in my Christmas Account (I pulled some money from the account to pay for Keith’s wedding ring since I hadn’t planned on buying it when I did). And I still have December’s $50 too so that gives me $130 and $20 in Target Gift cards to figure out the following:
My sister’s boyfriends twin-
My mom’s friend—Cat Figurine
Kitty-
3 small doggies-
Brother- Blanket (just a few skeins of yarn)
Stocking Stuffers for Mom, Corie, David, & his brother
Something for my Best Friend
Make something for my grammy (a lady from my church I’ve dubbed my grandma)
Send out some xmas cards perhaps?
All my other friends I’ll be telling them that I’m opting out this year for Christmas since I have to save money for a wedding. If I have any leftover money from the above I may bake small batches of cookies and hand them out.
December Kiva Loan
Location: Khanewal, Pakistan
Sector: Agriculture
Activity: Animal Sales
Loan Use: To buy goats for animal sales business
Repayment Term: 13 months
Repayment Schedule: Monthly
Shamshad lives in Khanewal, a small city in Pakistan known for its agriculture industry. She lives there with her family in a two-room brick house in an area called Railway landy. She moved there 15 years ago. She is a housewife and spends most of her time at home doing her housework. She is a mother of three sons and two daughters. All of them are getting their education except the eldest, who works in a factory.
She is married to Samuael Masih who works for Pakistan Railways. He also runs an animal sales business. He buys animals at cheap rates from the animal markets, raises them, and sells them to customers.
Shamshad has applied for a loan from Kiva partner Asasah for her husband’s business. With the loan he will buy some goats, raise them, and then sell them to his customers for a good profit. He has been involved in this business for the past 10 years and Shamshad is very confident that her husband will make good money from his business after the loan investment. She is a regular user of the Asasah loan service and this is her fifth loan application.
One of my other loans is delinquent again...
Janet Akinyi Ayieko
Location: Eldoret, Kenya
Repayment Term: 8 months
Activity: General Store
Repayment Schedule: Monthly
Loan Use: To open another two stores in town
Repaid: $0.00
Olga Francisca Cano Romero
Location: Portoviejo, Ecuador
Repayment Term: 6 months
Activity: Crafts
Repayment Schedule: Monthly
Loan Use: To buy fabric, down, thread, fasteners, etc.
Repaid: $3.13
Mamile Orozalieva's Group
Location: Kant, Kyrgyzstan
Repayment Term: 6 months
Activity: Cattle
Repayment Schedule: Monthly
Loan Use: To purchase more cattle for breeding
Repaid: $12.04
Hawa Gull Group
Location: Monrovia South, Liberia
Repayment Term: 6 months
Activity: Food Market
Repayment Schedule: Monthly
Loan Use: To buy more bags of rice, onions, peppers, palm oil, and beans
Repaid: $14.78 DELINQUENT
Fight For Progress Group
Location: Makeni, Sierra Leone
Repayment Term: 12 months
Activity: Food Market
Repayment Schedule: Monthly
Loan Use: Buy palm-oil, rice, and oranges in wholesale quantities
Repaid: $20.00
LOANS PAID IN FULL:
Zenaida Daing- Farming, Sta. Josefa, Agusan Del Sur, Philippines
Elizabeth Aidoo- Food Market, Wiawso, Ghana
Mobateli Plus Group -Manufacturing, The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Paz y Amor Group -Fruits & Vegetables, Dominican Republic
Dustmatov Eralboy - Livestock, Tajikistan
Seccelambras Group -Food Production/Sales, Peru
Rashidat Mumuni -Fish Selling, Nigeria
Karla Vanessa Montiel Barahona -Housing, Nicaragua
Eal Nub -Fish Selling, Cambodia
Atim Irene's Group -Medical Clinic, Uganda
Obama Group- Grocery Store produce- Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
La Esperanza Group- sugar cane, flour, sugar and coal- Ita, Paraguay
Siguikadi Group- Purchase of selling items -Kadiolo Sikasso, Mali
Altantuya Lhasuren- Butcher Shop- Tsetserleg, Arhangai, Mongolia
Gbawulu Group- To buy bags of cement to make blocks- Monrovia South, Liberia
Iyunge Group: purchasing bigger quantities of beans to sell- Cibitoke, Burundi
As of today i've loaned and re-loaned out a total of $550 through KIVA to 22 different groups in 21 different places all around the world. Its amazing what $25.00can do!
Like Kiva? Think its neat? then Lend!!!!! Visit Kiva!
Retirement Update time
End of 2009 Balance: $26,529.33 | Current 2010 Balance: $35,452.30
Additional Contributions since 2009: $8,632.79 (including pension)
Non Pension Growth: $290.18 (1.83%)
Discontinued 401a Account: Makes up 2.81 % of my Retirement
$995.13/$898.62 invested. (New contributions suspended.) Target Date
Discontinued 457 Account: Makes up 2.92% of my Retirement
$1,034.81 (Earns pennies a week and I can’t move the $$$$ until I quit.)
ING DIRECT CD Roth IRA: Makes up 51.05% of my portfolio
$18,097.88/$17,750.00
Up 1.959% from inception +$347.88
Pension: Approximately 43.23% of my portfolio
If I quit tomorrow, I’d just have the cash in the account (earning an automatic 6% until withdrawn)… or I could wait and pull a pension at 55 since I’m vested.
Total Cash in the Account for the lump sum option: $15,324.48
• Service Credit as of 2010 Statement: 5.870 Years of Service
• If I quit tomorrow and didn’t work for Cal Pers ever again, no anyone else for that matter (so no social security), my pension would equal $5,927.27 a year or $493.94 a month (before taxes)… and I wouldn’t begin receiving the money until I was 55 years old. So best to keep working =)
----
When I retire, I would most likely go with option 2 instead of the unmodified benefits, which would allow my spouse to receive benefits if he were to outlive me. It means that we agree to take less than the unmodified plan for the duration of our retirement. If I were to survive my spouse, my benefits would increase to the unmodified plan, since I would have no beneficiaries.
Option 2 (assuming I retire at age 56 and a few months with 38 years of service, “using today’s dollars”)
My spouse and I would get $2,758 a month… if I croak first, hubby gets $2758.00 a month till he dies…
if he dies first, I’d get $3,195.83 (the unmodified amount) a month till I die.
Excluding my pension, all my other retirement income totals $20,127.82
Additional Contributions since 2009: $8,632.79 (including pension)
Non Pension Growth: $290.18 (1.83%)
Discontinued 401a Account: Makes up 2.81 % of my Retirement
$995.13/$898.62 invested. (New contributions suspended.) Target Date
Discontinued 457 Account: Makes up 2.92% of my Retirement
$1,034.81 (Earns pennies a week and I can’t move the $$$$ until I quit.)
ING DIRECT CD Roth IRA: Makes up 51.05% of my portfolio
$18,097.88/$17,750.00
Up 1.959% from inception +$347.88
Pension: Approximately 43.23% of my portfolio
If I quit tomorrow, I’d just have the cash in the account (earning an automatic 6% until withdrawn)… or I could wait and pull a pension at 55 since I’m vested.
Total Cash in the Account for the lump sum option: $15,324.48
• Service Credit as of 2010 Statement: 5.870 Years of Service
• If I quit tomorrow and didn’t work for Cal Pers ever again, no anyone else for that matter (so no social security), my pension would equal $5,927.27 a year or $493.94 a month (before taxes)… and I wouldn’t begin receiving the money until I was 55 years old. So best to keep working =)
----
When I retire, I would most likely go with option 2 instead of the unmodified benefits, which would allow my spouse to receive benefits if he were to outlive me. It means that we agree to take less than the unmodified plan for the duration of our retirement. If I were to survive my spouse, my benefits would increase to the unmodified plan, since I would have no beneficiaries.
Option 2 (assuming I retire at age 56 and a few months with 38 years of service, “using today’s dollars”)
My spouse and I would get $2,758 a month… if I croak first, hubby gets $2758.00 a month till he dies…
if he dies first, I’d get $3,195.83 (the unmodified amount) a month till I die.
Excluding my pension, all my other retirement income totals $20,127.82
Total Condo Costs + Mortgage Update
I'll be off a tad for this update because I can't access my mortgage information on-line, but it should be pretty accurate, (less than $5 off in my favor).
New Balance: $114,715.07
The pay off date (assuming just the minimum monthly payment) is still MARCH 2039... 6 months ahead of schedule.
If I continue to pay the minimum on my loan, I will pay $112,858.11 in interest instead of the $116,404.23... Saving me $3,546.12 in interest over the life of the loan thus far... all for parting with $996.74 a little before I had to!
Total Condo Costs:
Money paid to aquire the property and get keys: $7,057.08
Money Spent to Remodel and Repair Property: $17,672.29
Total: $24,729.37
First Time Home buyers Credit: $8,000.00
Current equity: $5,284.93 (not including any change in value the upgrades gave me)
Electrician costs -$95.00
TILE Refund $1,265.00
Current amount in the hole: $10,274.22
Hopefully when i get to see how much I saved by itemizing my taxes, i'll be somewhere in the $9,000 range!
If I sold the condo tomorrow, I'd have to sell the property for $142,000.00 (assuming a 6% commission) to break even on the property and get all the money I've put in back because i'd have to give back the $8,000.00 to the government.
If I wait out the remaining 23 months (and use the appropriate estimated principle invested in the property at that time), I'd be able to sell for $130,000 (assuming 6% commission) to recoup all costs. =)
I look at my monthly payments, property taxes, extra mortage principle payments & my HOA dues as a wash because if i add all those up, its equivalent to the market rate to rent a place similar to mine.
New Balance: $114,715.07
The pay off date (assuming just the minimum monthly payment) is still MARCH 2039... 6 months ahead of schedule.
If I continue to pay the minimum on my loan, I will pay $112,858.11 in interest instead of the $116,404.23... Saving me $3,546.12 in interest over the life of the loan thus far... all for parting with $996.74 a little before I had to!
Total Condo Costs:
Money paid to aquire the property and get keys: $7,057.08
Money Spent to Remodel and Repair Property: $17,672.29
Total: $24,729.37
First Time Home buyers Credit: $8,000.00
Current equity: $5,284.93 (not including any change in value the upgrades gave me)
Electrician costs -$95.00
TILE Refund $1,265.00
Current amount in the hole: $10,274.22
Hopefully when i get to see how much I saved by itemizing my taxes, i'll be somewhere in the $9,000 range!
If I sold the condo tomorrow, I'd have to sell the property for $142,000.00 (assuming a 6% commission) to break even on the property and get all the money I've put in back because i'd have to give back the $8,000.00 to the government.
If I wait out the remaining 23 months (and use the appropriate estimated principle invested in the property at that time), I'd be able to sell for $130,000 (assuming 6% commission) to recoup all costs. =)
I look at my monthly payments, property taxes, extra mortage principle payments & my HOA dues as a wash because if i add all those up, its equivalent to the market rate to rent a place similar to mine.
Friday, December 3, 2010
My trip to Utah
(My mini story with just the awesome high lights for prosperity sake.)
I got to my local airport way too soon for my flight… but luckily I was able to text, read, and entertain myself for 3 hours until my flight (which arrived late) finally boarded. I was seated next to a “17 year old” who was really 15 and didn’t want to fly with an adult, and a 22 year old who seemed normal. After 2 mins of silence, I couldn’t reach the little fan to turn it on so the “17 year old” turned it on for me and we started chatting it up. Within 5 mins we had roped the 22 year old stranger into our conversation and spent the entire 2 hour flight in deep conversation together. It was fabulous. The 22 year old and I kept harassing the “17 year old” about his high school drama and love life so I got to play “councilor” and give the kid a little hard love since his ego needed to be knocked down a few notches… especially since he was a freshman playing Varsity Football. In the end, I ended up with 2 new facebook friends… and I think plans to get sushi with the 22 year old once he gets back from Michigan. (Both knew I was a coming back with a shiny diamond, as keith had let his intentions slip before I was heading out to Utah—I just didn’t know when he’d do it!)
When I got off the plane, Keith had a hard time finding me, but as I walked one way and he drove towards me, we found each other… on the wrong side of the road. I jetted through the cars with my carry on and bag, he pulled into this snow area that he shouldn’t have and we had one of those movie hugs… the kind where you leap and wrap your legs around someone and spin around. It was amazing. =) We quickly headed to the car because it was Zero degrees outside and journeyed to his parents place… where his entire family was waiting to meet me. (Talk about pressure).
The meet and greet went really well, kiddos running around in jammies, homemade pizza baking in the oven, and really nice genuine people. We played a few rounds of scum, chatted and then I called it a night. After attempting to sleep in in a house full of kids and being used to an internal 4am alarm clock, I was up early and so was Keith. We decided to scope out the black Friday ads and make out game plan, and then decided to go for a drive around town and just walk around since there wasn’t much planned that day since we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving on Friday. We watched a movie, and later I napped to prepare for our shopping adventure that you can read about HERE.
After the madness, and the much needed sleep his brothers and I went out to go shooting. After getting to try an AK47, and SKU, some revolvers, a 22 rifle, and a bunch of other guns in different weights and sizes we were ready to eat Turkey and go to bed in a happy food coma.
On Saturday we watched a few shows and decided to walk the mall area while we were waiting for our friends to meet up with us to drive to Salt Lake City… I knew he was going to pop the question that day because it was written all over his face when he put the camcorder in my bag. I didn’t know how or when, but I was excited. While walking through the stores we found a brand new jewelry place that just opened, and they were advertising huge sales. So we wondered in and Keith found a really nice ring that I ended up getting for his wedding band. They had his size in stock and we were able to get him a nice $299.00 wedding band for $160 out the door (with insurance on it—but we probably won’t use it since its in Utah--- but it was the first non black ring he really loved so I nabbed it because I didn’t want him to get a black band). While we were checking out, the lady found out Keith was popping the question that night and told us we should go up to salt lake city because the lights are all up for the holidays… the shocked look on keith’s face gave it away after the lady mentioned it and I knew he was going to ask me at temple square somewhere in the snow colored lights of awesomeness…
After leaving the mall we met up with his two best friends (who are married) and headed to Salt Lake City. We got dinner at Charlie Chows (Yummy) and then walked around temple square with all the pretty lights, took a ton of pictures, and Keith proposed. (See video Here) =) After that it was giddy hot chocolate and lots of phone calls and text messages.
Sunday came and went. AND IT SNOWED 8 INCHES of powder!!! I got up early and did 10 miles on the treadmill to train for the marathon I’m working on (see Amy and my progress here www.icando262.blogspot.com). After church and lunch with his friends at this awesome dinner called One Man Band (literally a restaurant run by one person—u order by calling the kitchen on a phone at the end of your table!!!) We came back home and looked through Christmas decorations, old pictures, and yearbooks, did some laundry and packed me up to go home.
Monday we attempted to go to one of his classes together, but his professor is incompetent so we left early and headed up to salt lake… had the best burgers at 5 guys and fries, and then walked temple square again and took more pictures while we browsed through and revisited what we could now see in 8 inches of freshly fallen powder =)… a sad Farwell at the airport, (I won’t go into the scanner and the pat downs…) and a very boring plane ride home.
But in a little more than 2 weeks my sweetie will be in California for the holidays and I’ll get a full ten days with him…. I can’t wait!!!!!
I got to my local airport way too soon for my flight… but luckily I was able to text, read, and entertain myself for 3 hours until my flight (which arrived late) finally boarded. I was seated next to a “17 year old” who was really 15 and didn’t want to fly with an adult, and a 22 year old who seemed normal. After 2 mins of silence, I couldn’t reach the little fan to turn it on so the “17 year old” turned it on for me and we started chatting it up. Within 5 mins we had roped the 22 year old stranger into our conversation and spent the entire 2 hour flight in deep conversation together. It was fabulous. The 22 year old and I kept harassing the “17 year old” about his high school drama and love life so I got to play “councilor” and give the kid a little hard love since his ego needed to be knocked down a few notches… especially since he was a freshman playing Varsity Football. In the end, I ended up with 2 new facebook friends… and I think plans to get sushi with the 22 year old once he gets back from Michigan. (Both knew I was a coming back with a shiny diamond, as keith had let his intentions slip before I was heading out to Utah—I just didn’t know when he’d do it!)
When I got off the plane, Keith had a hard time finding me, but as I walked one way and he drove towards me, we found each other… on the wrong side of the road. I jetted through the cars with my carry on and bag, he pulled into this snow area that he shouldn’t have and we had one of those movie hugs… the kind where you leap and wrap your legs around someone and spin around. It was amazing. =) We quickly headed to the car because it was Zero degrees outside and journeyed to his parents place… where his entire family was waiting to meet me. (Talk about pressure).
The meet and greet went really well, kiddos running around in jammies, homemade pizza baking in the oven, and really nice genuine people. We played a few rounds of scum, chatted and then I called it a night. After attempting to sleep in in a house full of kids and being used to an internal 4am alarm clock, I was up early and so was Keith. We decided to scope out the black Friday ads and make out game plan, and then decided to go for a drive around town and just walk around since there wasn’t much planned that day since we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving on Friday. We watched a movie, and later I napped to prepare for our shopping adventure that you can read about HERE.
After the madness, and the much needed sleep his brothers and I went out to go shooting. After getting to try an AK47, and SKU, some revolvers, a 22 rifle, and a bunch of other guns in different weights and sizes we were ready to eat Turkey and go to bed in a happy food coma.
On Saturday we watched a few shows and decided to walk the mall area while we were waiting for our friends to meet up with us to drive to Salt Lake City… I knew he was going to pop the question that day because it was written all over his face when he put the camcorder in my bag. I didn’t know how or when, but I was excited. While walking through the stores we found a brand new jewelry place that just opened, and they were advertising huge sales. So we wondered in and Keith found a really nice ring that I ended up getting for his wedding band. They had his size in stock and we were able to get him a nice $299.00 wedding band for $160 out the door (with insurance on it—but we probably won’t use it since its in Utah--- but it was the first non black ring he really loved so I nabbed it because I didn’t want him to get a black band). While we were checking out, the lady found out Keith was popping the question that night and told us we should go up to salt lake city because the lights are all up for the holidays… the shocked look on keith’s face gave it away after the lady mentioned it and I knew he was going to ask me at temple square somewhere in the snow colored lights of awesomeness…
After leaving the mall we met up with his two best friends (who are married) and headed to Salt Lake City. We got dinner at Charlie Chows (Yummy) and then walked around temple square with all the pretty lights, took a ton of pictures, and Keith proposed. (See video Here) =) After that it was giddy hot chocolate and lots of phone calls and text messages.
Sunday came and went. AND IT SNOWED 8 INCHES of powder!!! I got up early and did 10 miles on the treadmill to train for the marathon I’m working on (see Amy and my progress here www.icando262.blogspot.com). After church and lunch with his friends at this awesome dinner called One Man Band (literally a restaurant run by one person—u order by calling the kitchen on a phone at the end of your table!!!) We came back home and looked through Christmas decorations, old pictures, and yearbooks, did some laundry and packed me up to go home.
Monday we attempted to go to one of his classes together, but his professor is incompetent so we left early and headed up to salt lake… had the best burgers at 5 guys and fries, and then walked temple square again and took more pictures while we browsed through and revisited what we could now see in 8 inches of freshly fallen powder =)… a sad Farwell at the airport, (I won’t go into the scanner and the pat downs…) and a very boring plane ride home.
But in a little more than 2 weeks my sweetie will be in California for the holidays and I’ll get a full ten days with him…. I can’t wait!!!!!
The Most fantastic Black Friday Ever
I was in Utah on Black Friday, so me and my future fiancé (he hadn’t asked me yet) devised a black Friday shopping plan, and we were 100% successful.
We started out at Midnight at Wal-Mart. I wanted a $3.00 crock pot so I can begin to cook for meals at home, and we wanted 2 Tupper ware sets for $9.00 each—one for me, one for my sister. This way I can make larger batches of food and freeze individual sizes so I’m not stuck eating the same things all week long. We also picked up 2 of the 10 piece picture frame sets—we are going to use them as part of the centerpieces at our wedding reception. Then we can put them all up around the house on the walls because they will match the ones I bought last year. We weren’t able to get the Xbox games we wanted… My sister will be paying be back for her Tupperware since she had to work on BF. She will be sending Keith a box (from her work…. Somehow she’s not getting charged shipping for it) so anything I can’t fit in my suitcase will be shipped home for free.
So we drove to JC Penny so I could get my free snow globe because I collect them every year. I also was able to get a $9 sweatshirt for my fiancé for Christmas since he only has one really good one. The jackets we went to look at were also to short for his long arms and torso…
So we went to target. The store had just opened, he dropped me off to go hunting for a parking space and I was able to get Final Fantasy and Halo for $35.00 a piece (the games we couldn’t get at Walmart). He’s been dying for Halo and refused to buy it for himself or split it with his friend because he couldn’t justify it since he wasn’t working, so that will be a Christmas present to him from me. My mom will be reimbursing me for Final Fantasy. As we were waiting in line to check out, 2 of Keith’s brothers really wanted the 2 terabyte hard drives in the ad for $70.00… someone came around the corner and picked up a 1 terabyte external hard drive and was comparing the two. So I walked over and asked if he wasn’t going to get the larger one if I could have it. He didn’t know the difference between the two and told me to convince him and by this time my now fiancé was back so he explained it to him and he handed us the 2 terabyte drive. 2 seconds later another guy apparently contemplating the same thing handed us his 2 terabyte drive. =) then the lady in front of us decided this line was too long for her and she was going to try the non electronic line… and decided not to get the $12 air mattress. … which was on the list for my sister so we picked it up too. As we finally got up to the front of the line… almost… I just started looking at stuff cause I was bored. The BF ad had a camcorder on sale for $50, but to get the deal u had to wait over in Pharmacy for a ticket… and the line wrapped around the store. I looked on the shelf that has a little lock on it… and saw 4 of the advertised cameras. To be sure, I borrowed the ad from the lady in front of me, and as luck would have it, the guy who helped me get the 2 Xbox games as an old coworker of Keith’s … with the electronics key to the rack. They didn’t move the regular inventory. So Keith called him over, he scanned the item to verify, unlocked it and gave me one, the lady in front of me got one for loaning me the ad, and the guy behind me also got one. There was one left, and Tayh (Keith’s friend) locked it up and walked away. Another person checked out. We looked at each other and decided we would get one for us so we could record the video that later turned out to be my proposal. We called Tayh over again and got the last one, checked out, and scored two $10 target giftcards. My mom later told me she’s pay me for the camcorder as a part of my Christmas presents. =)
Then feeling lucky, we went back to Walmart because it was 6am and the madness had ended. We price matched the Target ad at the register and got an Xbox game for $17.00 that my sister is getting Keith for Christmas. =) and a 4 gig SD card for the camera that my mom is also buying.
We came home, slept, went shooting with his brothers around noon, and then celebrated Thanksgiving on Friday so all of his family members could be there.
Perfection.
We started out at Midnight at Wal-Mart. I wanted a $3.00 crock pot so I can begin to cook for meals at home, and we wanted 2 Tupper ware sets for $9.00 each—one for me, one for my sister. This way I can make larger batches of food and freeze individual sizes so I’m not stuck eating the same things all week long. We also picked up 2 of the 10 piece picture frame sets—we are going to use them as part of the centerpieces at our wedding reception. Then we can put them all up around the house on the walls because they will match the ones I bought last year. We weren’t able to get the Xbox games we wanted… My sister will be paying be back for her Tupperware since she had to work on BF. She will be sending Keith a box (from her work…. Somehow she’s not getting charged shipping for it) so anything I can’t fit in my suitcase will be shipped home for free.
So we drove to JC Penny so I could get my free snow globe because I collect them every year. I also was able to get a $9 sweatshirt for my fiancé for Christmas since he only has one really good one. The jackets we went to look at were also to short for his long arms and torso…
So we went to target. The store had just opened, he dropped me off to go hunting for a parking space and I was able to get Final Fantasy and Halo for $35.00 a piece (the games we couldn’t get at Walmart). He’s been dying for Halo and refused to buy it for himself or split it with his friend because he couldn’t justify it since he wasn’t working, so that will be a Christmas present to him from me. My mom will be reimbursing me for Final Fantasy. As we were waiting in line to check out, 2 of Keith’s brothers really wanted the 2 terabyte hard drives in the ad for $70.00… someone came around the corner and picked up a 1 terabyte external hard drive and was comparing the two. So I walked over and asked if he wasn’t going to get the larger one if I could have it. He didn’t know the difference between the two and told me to convince him and by this time my now fiancé was back so he explained it to him and he handed us the 2 terabyte drive. 2 seconds later another guy apparently contemplating the same thing handed us his 2 terabyte drive. =) then the lady in front of us decided this line was too long for her and she was going to try the non electronic line… and decided not to get the $12 air mattress. … which was on the list for my sister so we picked it up too. As we finally got up to the front of the line… almost… I just started looking at stuff cause I was bored. The BF ad had a camcorder on sale for $50, but to get the deal u had to wait over in Pharmacy for a ticket… and the line wrapped around the store. I looked on the shelf that has a little lock on it… and saw 4 of the advertised cameras. To be sure, I borrowed the ad from the lady in front of me, and as luck would have it, the guy who helped me get the 2 Xbox games as an old coworker of Keith’s … with the electronics key to the rack. They didn’t move the regular inventory. So Keith called him over, he scanned the item to verify, unlocked it and gave me one, the lady in front of me got one for loaning me the ad, and the guy behind me also got one. There was one left, and Tayh (Keith’s friend) locked it up and walked away. Another person checked out. We looked at each other and decided we would get one for us so we could record the video that later turned out to be my proposal. We called Tayh over again and got the last one, checked out, and scored two $10 target giftcards. My mom later told me she’s pay me for the camcorder as a part of my Christmas presents. =)
Then feeling lucky, we went back to Walmart because it was 6am and the madness had ended. We price matched the Target ad at the register and got an Xbox game for $17.00 that my sister is getting Keith for Christmas. =) and a 4 gig SD card for the camera that my mom is also buying.
We came home, slept, went shooting with his brothers around noon, and then celebrated Thanksgiving on Friday so all of his family members could be there.
Perfection.
I applied for another position at work
I had the tests for the interview the day I got back from my trip... and I passed so I had my interview on Wednesday.... A few people applied for the job, and if i get it I will be thrilled, but who knows.... I should find out soon.
****here's to hoping****
Its for an Accounting Clerk position at City Hall... Something i'd really love to do!
Not to mention it would make me more "legit" that I write a PF Blog if i'm actually working in the finance department eh?
****here's to hoping****
Its for an Accounting Clerk position at City Hall... Something i'd really love to do!
Not to mention it would make me more "legit" that I write a PF Blog if i'm actually working in the finance department eh?
Goals for 2011
I had an entire post lined up for 2011, but seeing as i'm now engaged, those goals are going to have to be tweaked!!!
Looking back at this past year, I achieved all of my financial goals, and most of my personal ones. With a wedding on the way, I'm not too sure how much further along we will be able to get as 2011 will be a transition year financially as we settle in to our new lives together. =)
My Fiance will be 100% debt free by the time we stroll down our rose petal isle, and since the only debt we have is the mortgage on the condo, this should help us start our marriage off on the right foot. =)
So here are the plans:
Pay off the Wedding and Reception, and Honeymoon with Cash
We have a very generous gift from my mother of $5,000 grand to use for the wedding and reception, but that won't be cash that we will be getting immediately... Most likely I will be pulling money out of the ef, and having it replaced in a few months.
Get the mortgage below $112,000.00
As long as we keep with the current plan of at least an extra payment a year, this should happen on target according to the spreadsheets.
Max out my Roth IRA
This will be the year I return to mutual funds by opening a Vanguard account.
Finish Buying back my old Retirement...
This is an automated goal, but my elected paycheck deductions will stop mid way through 2011.
Keep my Emergency fund intact
With the wedding, I doubt i'll be able to stock more money aside, and when Fiance moves out to California, he will need to find a job to replace the one he has in Utah. Yes, he has a job lined up to start early Spring in Utah, so when he goes back to Utah in January, he's just going to get a retail job or mutiple part time jobs because he will be taking a symester off school to work (So he can save relocation costs up, money for the honeymoon, and pay back the $2,000.00 he has borrowed from his family for some car repairs, 2 symesters worth of books, and some other smaller non avoidable things he couldn't cover with the minimal income he had coming in.)
The hardest goal on here will be keepting the ef intact. We will have around a month and a half of us just living on one income before the wedding when he moves out to California. After the honeymoon, my then Husband will be job hunting (or hopefully starting a job he was able to apply for and get before the honeymoon). Once we are married, Hubby will go on my health insurance, so we will no longer be able to cash out the additional benefits like I currently do... and we'll have to pay a bit out of pocket for dental and vision...
Instead of getting $176.00 added to my paychecks, we'll be paying an additional $57.00... but i will have finished buying my old retirement by the time the honeymoon is over, which will stop the $33.06 from coming out of paychecks like it does right now.
Combined that with Married tax brackets, (claiming one federal & zero for the state)
It's a loss of around $140.00 a month.
If we claim 2 federally its a loss of $100.00 a month.
If we claim 2 federally, and 2 locally, its a loss of $70.00 a month.
Thankfully I was a smart cookie when I bought my condo and its something we can afford. We should be able to cover all of our necessary bills with my income, and we are hoping to live frugally the first couple years of marriage and save virtually all of the money that my hubby to be will make. (with paying down the mortgae or throwing a bunch at the emergency fund.
I'll be working on a livable wedding budget with fiance in a few weeks when he's in California for the holidays.... in addition to a million things we need to decide for the wedding. Guess the holidays just got a whole lot busier...
Looking back at this past year, I achieved all of my financial goals, and most of my personal ones. With a wedding on the way, I'm not too sure how much further along we will be able to get as 2011 will be a transition year financially as we settle in to our new lives together. =)
My Fiance will be 100% debt free by the time we stroll down our rose petal isle, and since the only debt we have is the mortgage on the condo, this should help us start our marriage off on the right foot. =)
So here are the plans:
Pay off the Wedding and Reception, and Honeymoon with Cash
We have a very generous gift from my mother of $5,000 grand to use for the wedding and reception, but that won't be cash that we will be getting immediately... Most likely I will be pulling money out of the ef, and having it replaced in a few months.
Get the mortgage below $112,000.00
As long as we keep with the current plan of at least an extra payment a year, this should happen on target according to the spreadsheets.
Max out my Roth IRA
This will be the year I return to mutual funds by opening a Vanguard account.
Finish Buying back my old Retirement...
This is an automated goal, but my elected paycheck deductions will stop mid way through 2011.
Keep my Emergency fund intact
With the wedding, I doubt i'll be able to stock more money aside, and when Fiance moves out to California, he will need to find a job to replace the one he has in Utah. Yes, he has a job lined up to start early Spring in Utah, so when he goes back to Utah in January, he's just going to get a retail job or mutiple part time jobs because he will be taking a symester off school to work (So he can save relocation costs up, money for the honeymoon, and pay back the $2,000.00 he has borrowed from his family for some car repairs, 2 symesters worth of books, and some other smaller non avoidable things he couldn't cover with the minimal income he had coming in.)
The hardest goal on here will be keepting the ef intact. We will have around a month and a half of us just living on one income before the wedding when he moves out to California. After the honeymoon, my then Husband will be job hunting (or hopefully starting a job he was able to apply for and get before the honeymoon). Once we are married, Hubby will go on my health insurance, so we will no longer be able to cash out the additional benefits like I currently do... and we'll have to pay a bit out of pocket for dental and vision...
Instead of getting $176.00 added to my paychecks, we'll be paying an additional $57.00... but i will have finished buying my old retirement by the time the honeymoon is over, which will stop the $33.06 from coming out of paychecks like it does right now.
Combined that with Married tax brackets, (claiming one federal & zero for the state)
It's a loss of around $140.00 a month.
If we claim 2 federally its a loss of $100.00 a month.
If we claim 2 federally, and 2 locally, its a loss of $70.00 a month.
Thankfully I was a smart cookie when I bought my condo and its something we can afford. We should be able to cover all of our necessary bills with my income, and we are hoping to live frugally the first couple years of marriage and save virtually all of the money that my hubby to be will make. (with paying down the mortgae or throwing a bunch at the emergency fund.
I'll be working on a livable wedding budget with fiance in a few weeks when he's in California for the holidays.... in addition to a million things we need to decide for the wedding. Guess the holidays just got a whole lot busier...
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Thanksgiving in Utah
it was the absolute most perfect trip ever. I'll be getting married on 7-9-11!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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