2.16.2009
Almost There...
So, if all plans go smoothly, I will have this last blasted credit card paid off by mid-June. Everything should be ok, as long as my dad does not get fired/laid off (in reality there is about a 75% chance of that happening in the next 30-60 days, I'm just trying to stay positive), because then I would have to pay his mortgage/other bills, because no one else can/will help him and he sure as ever is NOT moving in with me.
Yeah that's it, I've just been kicking it at the crib, not spending any money. I haven't bought anything new, I haven't done anything new, so that is all!
Peace
P.S. I hate Calculus
12.30.2008
The year in pictures...
I was reviewing the year in pictures on MSN. I came across Madonna's picture. Now, I'm sure many people love her and that's all fine and dandy. But me personally, I can not stand her. However, she at least had a sense of fashion and fitness. But what the hell has she done with herself??!! I think she's totally let herself go, but in a superfit way. She looks disgusting to me, I'm sorry people, but I'd rather look old and wrinkled and chubby any day compared to the way she looks. I never thought she was particularly attractive (nor particular ugly either) so I'm not too horribly disappointed or anything, but still! Blech!
oh, P.S. I think the above picture has been photo-shopped, but you get the idea, that whole sinewy arm-leg thing just freaks me out.
And then, worst of all, I realized it's an epidemic when I saw a picture of Sarah Jessica Parker. OHhhh noooo!! Maybe it's just that these women are working out the same but getting older, so they look more and more sick. Ewww, look at those arms, not attractive to me dude, unless you are a dude.
12.28.2008
The Ultimate Movie List...
1) The Notebook - Enough said.
2) Superbad - I am a sucker for the ultimate in crude, crass, badass comedy.
3) Can't Hardly Wait - to me this is my generation's version of 16 Candles, it's got all the predictable stereotypes and the perfect mix of comedy and drama.
4) Anchorman - An awesome comedy. Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd are my all-time favorite comedians.
5) The 40 Year Old Virgin - Pure genius.
6) Bobby - I really love this movie, I am especially partial to true stories.
7) Boiler Room - Vin Diesel at his finest.
8) The Shawshank Redemption - A classic
9) Crash - because I love movies that make you think
10) Ray - ditto on the true stories comment.
I definitely have more to add, I'm thinking a total of my top 25, I just have to think on it more.
The mystery of Brad Pitt..
So that means I must make a list of my favorite fabulous movies!!!
The daunting budget..
Mortgage $452 (yes, it's very cheap, but I also live in a house that's less than 800 sq feet)
Car Insurance $70 (yes, that's with full coverage)
Cell Phone $50 (I hate talking on the phone, the average amount of minutes I use per month is around 90, believe it or not!)
Cable internet $60 (no cable TV though, that saves about $50 a month!)
Utilities $150 (Water, electric, gas)
And now the yucky stuff:
Credit Card 1: $175 (my goal is to have this one, at $5400 right now, paid off at end of Aug)
Credit Card 2: $68 (this one will be paid off at end of Jan tho!)
Care Credit (dental loan) $71
Furniture Loan $80
SBA (small business admin) Loan $80 - this was a loan due to my house being flooded, I had insurance for the actual home, but not the contents.
Grand Total: $1256
This number is not at all terrible, but honestly with the economy the way it is, and with me not having a degree yet, my goal is to be able to live on about 1k a month in case of a dire situation. So basically, if I get laid off, it won't be out of my means to take the first job I come across, even if I'd only be making $9 an hr.
Therefore, my two most important goals are paying off CC#1 and CC#2, I know, I should be more worried about savings. But, there's a good reason I can't seem to save a dime, this is due to my money-grubbing family, they have access to my savings account, and anytime there's more than $10 bucks in there, then all of a sudden there's some emergency and they need a loan. So, basically it seems like I'm making more progress by paying off my credit cards, because I actually SEE a difference. I know, it's not logical at all, but once I get my CC's paid off, then I will save money (probably cash at first, and NOT TELL ANYONE) for an emergency fund. My goal is to definitely have at least 6 months of expenses in an emergency fund.
My Current take-home pay: $2250
So, that's about $800 to my credit cards each month, which I've actually been pretty good about paying on (this is because I usually have OT, which is what I use for food/gas). I have managed to be pretty frugal, except for the fact that I eat out every day. But, honestly, when you're only one person, it's a lot more expensive to spend $100 a week on groceries, vs. a meal from taco bell for $2.50. And despite the holiday season, I've been doing excellent.
First of all, I don't celebrate X-mas (this is a long story and I don't want to get into it) and so I've spent exactly $0 for anything regarding the holiday, and, despite the fact that I've made it very clear that I do not celebrate, people still buy/give me stuff. The main thing this year was gift cards, which was a major contributor to the purchases I've made recently. So I've updated my wardrobe and relieved a little stress by shopping, all for $0. I say "relieved a little stress" because it's very hard for me to live on basically $75 bucks a week, like in an emotionally exhausting way. I have to drive half an hour to work (one way), so gas is about $20 a week, so that leaves $55 bucks to eat on. Luckily I have an awesome boyfriend who will buy me dinner and take me to the movies every once in a while. Plus, work occasionally caters lunch, so I'll have a few spare bucks to pick up hot chocolate from Starbucks. So, anyway, I was very thankful to get those gift cards, it allowed me the freedom to get what I wanted/needed. Have I mentioned I love gift cards?! I don't care how impersonal they may seem!! So, I think everything is going well. I plan on paying off those two CC's by August of next year, and maybe even sooner if I get quarterly bonuses. After that, I will be putting that same about (about a grand) towards savings each month, so by February 2010 I will have about 6 months of expenses in savings (Nope, not my current monthly income, just my costs).
Also, just to note, I'm not in too much of a hurry to pay off those dental/furniture loans, only because they will be paid off in 2011, I don't have to worry about paying on those the rest of my life because they're not revolving, so I feel a little better about leaving them alone and just paying the min. payments.
12.18.2008
Making a list...
Here's the list!
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6) A Black or White winter coat, I don't own a heavy coat, and while this may seem odd, I live in Texas and I'm inside 90% of the time, so there's very little need really, but I've always wanted a nice, thick, winter coat.
7)
Okay, so obviously I don't need a lot of this stuff. But it's at least it's a plan.
So what are the odds that I'm going to get all this on $100. I'm going to go with slim to none unless I just completely do not care about quality. But, I can definitely work on the list over the next few months.
**UPDATE
So, I went back to the outlet mall and I got 4 out of the seven things on my list. Yay!!
Jeans $24 (Guess, half off of half off, hah!)
Shoes $30 (Kenneth Cole Reaction, 30% off of half off)
Cute Shirt $16 (Guess, half off)
Sweater(s) $35 (Aeropostale, one was 12.99 originally 49.99 and the other one was half off)
Grand Total: $105, and I officially love sales and I've decided it will be only be rare exceptions that I pay full price for anything!
**Update 2
I got $125 for X-mas this year. So, on black Friday (yikes) I braved the madness and went back to my favorite outlet mall. I've never attempted to shop the day after thanksgiving or X-mas, and now I know why. First of all, the sales really weren't that great, in fact I saw better sales when I went the weekend before and bought the other items on my list, and second of all, the traffic is just absurd, I think it's more irritating than the rude customers and irritated saleswomen.
First, I hit up Kenneth Cole, blech, nothing going on there. Then, I went to Guess (yes again, I freakin love Guess) and also, not much going on. Then I went to BCBG which I absolutely adore even though their stuff is vastly out of my price range, but, it's supposed to be the day of sales. I tried on a few things, and they had TONS of dresses on sale, and I mean on sale, like 70% off, which meant the dresses were still about $90-$125 bucks, too much for me (right now). I might feel better about paying that much for one dress when I have my credit cards paid off, maybe. After I tried on a bunch of clothes (and nothing really looked right, I swear they're making these clothes smaller and smaller), I wondered over to their accessories. And I saw it, the cutest purse ever. I was immediately in love, and it was only $69, marked down from $225, I decided I could pay this much for an absolutely adorable purse, especially since it was so steeply discounted (picture is not exact, but similiar) . It's black though, not purple or brown, but I'm totally okay with that. I left the store and finished my trek around the outlet mall and I came across ALDO. Yay! Just what I needed, a store with super-cute (Albeit somewhat poor-quality) colorful shoes. I went in, and I was immediately in love with the first pair of shoes I saw So, the moral of the story? This is why I never drag anyone shopping with me. Because it took me six hours and two different malls to get only two items. Who would do that to their bf or best gf? I wouldn't, and he would kill me and my gf's would rip my hair out. Now, I only have one item left. Wheehee!!!