I'm trying to build up my emergency fund this month. I'm adding $175 to my account instead of the normal $100.
Rent $670
Health Care $170
Utilities $30 (electric)
Car Payment & Insurance $328
Gas & Parking $100 (started driving to work)
Gym membership $30
Food $200
Fun $100
Emergency Fund $175
Gifts $200
I'm adding about $715 to my retirement account (Roth IRA and 401k)...
Yesterday, I received a $10 check from MySurvey, which I had requested on November 13th. This is the money that I'm going to use to fund my Prosper account. Today, I added another $5 to my down payment account. I received this money by willing out a survey through PineCone research. Today I filled out a short survey and requested another $10 check from MySurvey. In November alone, I've requested $60 from MySurvey (but I only earned about $20 during November because a lot of the points were from previous months). This recent $10 check will be used for Christmas fun....
I ended up purchasing the Aveda brilliant shine serum today. I got my hair cut at an Aveda school for $15. I needed to replace my finishing serum (formerly the Aveda Light Elements). I splurged and spent $23 for this product. I know I like it. Plus, my last bottle lasted over a year and a half.
For the record, my hair looks fabulous!
I signed up with Prosper a few weeks ago. Today, I initiated my first balance transfer. The money will be in my account by December 3rd. I'm excited to bid on my first loan (and a little impatient)....I am a little disappointed that it takes 4 business days. I understand that it takes time, but I want these things to happen immediately.
I'll keep posting about my progress with Prosper!
I earned another $20 through PPP! I just deposited the money into my down payment account. I just wrote about how I surpassed my November goal, and now I've added even more. I'm really proud of how much money I've saved this month (even though my net worth doesn't show any increase). I'm going to try to stay focused and on budget during the Christmas holiday.
If your blog is 90 days old and you haven't signed up for PPP, you should definitely consider it. It's a great way to make money from your blog....even if you have only a few readers....
Alison from Girl and Cents tagged me for a meme last week, so here goes....7 things about me....
I haven't kept up with reading blogs, so I'm not sure who has been tagged....so if you want to participate please feel free!
My net worth decreased $10 this month (-.05%). While I know this really isn't a huge decrease, I've worked extremely hard to see my money do nothing! I know that with my upcoming shopping trips (I still have 2/3 of my holiday shopping to do) my net worth will barely stay above $20k during December.
In the month of November, I have deposited $107.37 into my down payment account. I have surpassed my original goal of depositing $50 during the month of November and also my revised goal of $100. This does not include the money earned from interest (a little over $3). The total amount in my down payment savings account is $1,250.82, which is 4.2% of my $30,000 goal. I realize that I am not close to reaching my goal, but I will be trying to up my savings in the new year! Also, I'm going to start working a few hours a month at my second job in a few weeks. All of the money that I make at my second job goes into my down payment account....maybe if I get extremely motivated, I will work more hours at my second job....
I have been a fan of Fatwallet's cash back program for over a year now. Recently Ms. MiniDucky left a comment about eBates. I only signed up because you get a $5 bonus. Ebates is a great site! It offers cash back (via check or paypal) to stores that Fatwallet doesn't even have listed. It also offers a higher cash back percentage than FatWallet for every store that I've checked (usually only 1-2%), but I have only checked 3 or 4 stores. For all of my Christmas shopping, I will check out both eBates and Fatwallet before I click through to purchase an item!
(I will get $3.48 from a sweater that I purchased from Banana Republic for my mom)
I'm still sick! I went to the doctor (again) and he said it would be another few weeks until I'm healthy. With this extremely frustrating news, I've decided to get a parking pass ($50/month) and start driving to work. Recently the ice would have kept me from riding, but now I'm worried about prolonging my illness....My 2 mile challenge is over! I failed!
I donated $100 to a nonprofit yesterday...it felt really good....especially after my readers shared how much they give....I'm also planning on using some credit card rewards points from a Disney card (I have never used these points for anything) to purchase toys for needy children in the area.
I have to admit that giving feels good! I wish I was able to spend more time volunteering. With my recent illness (I'm still sick), I don't want to push myself too hard until I'm back to normal. Also, I would hate to get a large group of people sick!
I received a $40 check from MySurvey! As I mentioned before, I plan on using this money (and an additional $10 check which I requested last week) to start loaning money through Prosper. A few of my readers have expressed concern about this venture. I plan on loaning money to people with high credit limits. I also won't feel the money is missing because I don't count this alternative income into my budget.
I did a little bit of my Christmas shopping online last night. With all of the news stations reporting about the great sales on cyberMonday, I was extremely disappointed. I didn't notice any exceptional specials yesterday. However, I was able to purchase presents for both of my parents. I still have quite a bit of shopping to do, and I am NOT looking forward to it! I get extremely stressed out trying to pick out the perfect gift. This year, I'm going to try to get practical gifts rather than something amazing (get something the person needs). However, I can't think of a single thing my grandmothers need. They have EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!
I made another small deposit into my down payment account today. The money is from my eBay sales....I only deposited $12, so I'm about $8 short of making my $100 November goal. Since I've been sick, I don't think I will be able to make any money online or through eBay. I think I might just take $8 out of my fun account to reach my goal.
I'm 24 points short of earning a free iPod shuffle through iPod Sweepstakes. I decided I'm going to spend an hour or so doing all of the point opportunities that only require me to copy and paste my e-mail address. I hope to be able to order a shuffle on Monday (and keep my fingers crossed that it will get here before Christmas).
**Update**
I only need 19 points!
Last year at this time, I had the majority of my holiday shopping finished. As of today, I have purchased ZERO gifts! Yesterday I almost broke down and purchased items from QVC. I was too tired to look for my credit card or else someone would have received a Starbucks gift set!
Today I have watched a lot of house flipping shows. My favorite shows are the disaster flippers. While I enjoy the successful flips, I love watching the drama and ridiculous people! As of right now, I never want to own a house!
I don't want anyone to think that I'm recommending they make themselves ill during the holidays...but I'm sick and I'm trying to look on the bright side...I saved a lot of money by getting sick!
I'm staring to feel better, so I think I'll be back to work on Monday. I have to admit that I can't wait to get better, so I can have real human interaction again! Yesterday, between naps, I watched the full Rock of Love marathon (yes, that is the dating show with Brett Michaels). Right now, I'm ashamed to admit that I'm watching the home shopping network!
This is a guest post by Brip Blap.
I won a content on Brip Blap's page. I chose to have him write a guest post for my blog. Brip Blap's blog is amazing! If you haven't checked it out yet, add it to your reader and you'll be hooked!
This is my first guest post, and I want to send a huge thank you to Brip Blap for taking the time to write this post for my blog.
What if I told you I had an organization system that anyone could use effectively almost immediately? When SavingDiva considered and then bought a Moleskine recently, I was reminded of why I enjoy mine so much . I had struggled for years to find a good to-do system. When I finally made the switch to the decidedly low-tech world of paper notebooks, what I didn't realize was that keeping a pocket notebook could help in so many other ways.
Writing is a terrific activity. You can start a blog, entertain yourself or even earn money. In my Moleskine, I've started recording more than just my to-do list. You can use a pocket notebook to:
I have a real prejudice towards paper notebooks. I loved my Palm Pilot, but I never leaned on it like I lean on my Moleskine. Why? Because my Moleskine:
The important step is to try to organize your life into small, easy to control compartments. While just being organized won't make you actually accomplish any more (you still have to do the items on your to-do lists) it will make it easier. Taking all of these lists and thoughts and food diaries and so on and pulling them into one little notebook gives you a lot of control over your hectic life!
I woke up this morning with swollen glands and a pounding headache. Unfortunately, I had to go to work today. While I'm extremely frustrated that I'm sick, I'm going to try to kick this in the butt before I get really sick....
A few readers mentioned that they would prefer disclosure on sponsored posts before the start of the post, and I will try to remember to do that before my sponsored posts. However, I will always mark them as sponsored (tagged as sponsored, at the top, disclosure badge at the bottom).
Recently I have been eating my lunch in the cafeteria at work. While it is relatively inexpensive, I have to admit that it is much more expensive than packing my lunch. Yesterday I stocked up at the grocery store! I will pack my lunch every day next week (all three work days).
I'm also looking forward to an awesome Thanksgiving dinner. My family always makes way too much food, so the leftovers will last through the weekend!
I love my new Moleskine notebook. I can't stop blogging about it! My Moleskine has become a staple in my life. I write down my weight, food intake, and my daily exercise. I've also started to write down blog ideas, to-do lists, and my daily schedule. At first, my boyfriend was mesmorized by the mystique of the Moleskine. Now he doesn't even blink when I pull it out and start writing frantically....
I'm still debating whether pen or pencil works better in the Moleskine. The past few days I have been using pencil, and I like the look. However, I still love the black inkiness of a nice pen.
I think I'm obsessed...
Now that the weather is getting cold I get a little stir crazy over the weekends. Yesterday, I had plans all day. Unfortunately, I don't have any plans today. Before my budgeting days, I used to go shopping every weekend. I added to my credit card debt every lazy Sunday. While I don't feel the urge to go to the mall today, I wish I had something to do. I will go to the gym in a few hours, but I can't spend 6 hours at the gym (and still be able to walk tomorrow).
What do you do instead of shopping?
I've recently increased my goal to deposit $100 in my down payment account during the month of November. Today, I deposited $12 from a few different places. Half of the money is from a PPP that I completed last month. $5 is from a Pinecone survey, and $1 is from the FatWallet cash back program. I've deposited a little over $80 into my down payment account, but I'm unsure of where the last $20 will come from.
After signing up for the Clif Bar 2 Mile Challenge, I thought about how I wanted to do more for the environment. I found the website stopglobalwarming.org. I wanted to post their Take Action list
I’ve signed up for the Clif Bar, 2 mile Challenge. Forty percent of U.S. urban travel is 2 miles or less. Therefore, Clif Bar is encouraging people to ride their bike on trips that are under 2 miles to fight global warming.
I will try to bike to work until there is ice and snow on the ground. I will also try to bike to the gym and get a little extra cardio (to help with the extra 10 pounds I'm carrying around).
Last night, I went out to a nice sushi restaurant....and I didn't ride my bike. I have to admit that I feel a little bit guilty considering the restaurant is under 2 miles from my apartment. It was cold and dark, and I have my limits!
Even as the temperatures dip into the 30s, I'm still riding my bike to work and around town. I've already had to ride about 4.5 miles, and I still have to ride to the gym and home. I just wanted to create a list of ways to survive winter bike commuting
Yesterday, I posted about depositing $68 in my down payment savings account and reaching one of my November goals. Today, I deposited another $6--$5 from PPP and $1 from FatWallet's cash back program.
I know this will be difficult, but I'm going to try to deposit $100 (double my original goal) in my down payment account during the month of November. I will definitely have to list more items on eBay to reach this goal. I also plan on getting a few things listed on Etsy. I'm not very confident in my Etsy sales, so I plan on going hard with my eBay listings.
I've also considering bringing in a little bit of extra income through consignment shops (or used clothing stores). I have quite a few items that are in pretty good shape, but I just don't like them any more. I'm thinking about going to a local consignment shop to see if I could sell them there. I know that craigslist is a cheaper option, but I don't really have to time to deal with buyers coming to my apartment to look at things (plus it makes me a little uncomfortable).
I am also movitvated by Krystal's November PPP challenge. However, she did hit a little snag with her google rating (mine is also a 2) decreasing. I will try to keep my blog uncluttered with PPP posts, but I will also think about trying to make about $50/month through PPP. I plan on depositing any PPP earnings into my down payment account.
After reading Brip Blap's 101 thoughts on losing 100 pounds, I realize that I need to make serious steps in order to stop gaining weight and start losing weight. While some of my steps are not friendly on the budget, I think being happy with my body is more important. Plus, I would fit into a lot of the clothes that I bought a few years ago....
I sold a few items on eBay this weekend. After paying for shipping, I cleared $42.21 this weekend. I deposited all of the money into my down payment account. I have met my November goal of depositing at least $50 into my down payment account. I have deposited $68.88 into my down payment account this month. I plan to try to make additional money through Etsy, but I haven't listed anything yet. I also need to find a few more items to sell on eBay this weekend.
I just redeemed my points on MySurvey.com for a $10 check (1,000 points). I'm still waiting on my $40 check that I ordered last week. With this $50, I will bid on my first loan from Prosper. As Mrs. Micah mentioned, I will be making alternative income with alternative income. Since this will be my first loan at Prosper, I'm going to bid on very safe borrowers. If I lose money on Prosper, I will be fine since it's money that I earned online anyway! :)
Before the end of the year, I would like to be able to donate $50 to charity. I don't really have any wiggle room in my November budget, so I guess I will have to build it into my December budget.
How much money do you donate annually to charity? I'm try to donate $200/year, but I don't really have it built into my budget. I need to make this a priority in my budget especially because it's only $16.67/month.
An MSN article The Economics of Toilet Paper discussed the 4-7% increase on toilet paper that Kimberly-Clark announced. I'm currently using Seventh Generation recycle toilet paper at home. While I like the fact that I'm using recycled toilet paper, I have to admit that I miss my Charmin Ultra. If Cottonelle or Charmin is on sale and I have a coupon, I may not be able to resist! While I find this article ridiculous and unnecessary, it did make me think about my wasteful toilet paper use. When I empty the garbage can in my bathroom, about 75% of the garbage is toilet paper. I use it to blow my nose, smudge eye liner, and correct make-up issues. I will try to cut back...if I have to smudge eyeliner, I will use a single square. I will also invest in Kleenex, which will be much better for my nose in the winter.
What do you do to save on toilet paper? Have you ever thought about this? Are you considering installing a bidet?
In full disclosure, I am not a car person. If I get a flat tire on the side of a highway, I will call AAA to come and change the tire rather than do it myself (I pay for AAA for a reason and I can never get the stupid bolts off). However, I have found a few car repairs that are much easier than changing a tire, but a lot of people don't realize the simplicity of the repairs.
Oil Change--Purchase the oil and oil filter from an auto store for about $20. Not only do you know that the oil filter has been replaced with a brand new filter(I figured out one place that didn't), you can also choose a higher grade oil (if you think it's necessary) to put into your car. Total time: 30 minutes--Open the oil reserve (see, I don't even know the technical terms), empty the oil, remove the oil filter, close the oil reserve (it just screws out), put on the new oil filter, and put oil in the car (this last step takes a little bit of time to make sure you put enough oil in). Money saved: $15
Change your air filter--I was quoted $60 by my local dealership to have my air filter changed, so I took it upon myself to figure out how to do it. You can buy a paper filter which you have to change more frequently for under $10. I purchased a K&N air filter which you clean every 50,000 miles, but is more costly. Changing your air filter will increase your fuel economy and increase the engine's life span. Total Time: 10 minutes
Money Saved: $50
Replace windshield wipers--2 decent windshield wiper blades cost about $14, and my dealership was charging about $50 to replace them. Total time: 10 minutes--you just pull off the old blades, and put on the new blades. The instructions come in the wiper blade packet if you've never done it before. Money Saved: $35
Change Battery--When my battery was about to die, I asked my dealership how much it would cost. They said in order for them to look at the problem would cost $100, and then they would bill accordingly. Needless to say, I was not going to give them a blank check to replace my battery. I drove to a chain auto parts store, borrowed a set of tools, and removed my battery. They diagnosed that my battery cells were dead and helped me pick out a new battery ($90). They also handled the disposal of my old battery ($8). Total Time: 60 minutes
Detailing--On a sunny day, a handful of quarters can pay for a complete car wash and interior cleaning at a do-it-yourself car wash. Total Time: 60 minutes
Total cost--$5. Money Saved: $70
Some additional car care information that I have found invaluable--When you're getting gas; check your oil level, tire pressure (a pressure gauge costs about $2), and clean out the garbage from your car. When I have to wait in my car, I have ArmorAll wipes in the backseat and I clean my dashboard and interior. I also keep plastic grocery bags in the car. I use them for shopping trips (no extra plastic bags entering my apartment) and for tossing extra garbage that manages to accumulate in my car.
I'm leaving town for the weekend, and I'm so ready to escape! While I don't have any concrete plans, I'm just happy to get away from my apartment. The only disappointment is that I won't be able to go to the farmer's market tomorrow morning. I will miss the fresh produce, but I'll purchase organic produce as a replacement.
This weekend trip won't cost very much. I'm staying with friends, so I don't have any hotel costs. I'm also traveling with a friend, so we'll split the fuel cost (about $20-$25). I plan on seeing my parents this weekend (good for a meal out). Other than the meal with my parents, we're planning to eat one meal out (about $20). I think we will also go out for drinks one night (about $10). I think this trip will fit into my regular monthly budget. If I overspend, I do have a little money set aside for travel expenses.
I've now written down breakfast, lunch, and a bunch of snacks into my new Moleskine notebook. I have to admit that I am addicted. However, my afternoon snacking has not been curbed by the notebook. However, I have to take a break from unwrapping to write down what type of candy I'm eating. Also, writing down what I eat makes me watch what I put in my mouth (at least while the food is going in).
On Wednesday, I posted about keeping Google Adsense on my blog and receiving a check in about 2 years. My AdSense revenue spiked (over $4) on Wednesday from 7 clicks. I posted yesterday that I thought it was a fluke. On Thursday, my Google AdSense revenue was $.33 from 2 clicks. While $.33 is high for my blog, I think 2 clicks is a reasonable number.
After I finished working out, I rode my bike from the gym to Borders. I knew that I wanted a Moleskine notebook, but I wanted to shop around before I made my decision. I found blank books that were much less expensive, but they didn't feel as special as the Moleskine. So...I took the plunge and I purchased a Moleskine notebook. I purchased the pocket size ruled notebook. The main purpose of this book is to keep track of my weight loss. I plan on keeping track of how much I sleep (I usually get enough sleep), what I eat (this is the real problem, how much water I drink (as recommended by Krystal), and how much/what type of exercise I complete. I also plan on weighing myself every morning and putting the number on the top of the page.
When I opened the notebook, I noticed there is a section for reward amount. Right now, I have $20, but I wrote the number in pencil. In a few more months, I think my Moleskine notebook will be worth more to me than $20....
I've officially signed up as a lender with Prosper, and I can't wait to start! Unfortunately when I created my November budget, I didn't leave any money for Prosper loans. However, I have a $40 check coming from MySurvey. I was planning on using the check for Christmas shopping, but now I will use the $40 plus $10 from my fun/food account to fund my first Prosper loan. I'm really excited!
Last night I took the advice from a few comments and started knitting a scarf while watching Gossip Girl. I usually don't knit while watching television because I prefer complicated patterns that require a lot of counting, which I find difficult when trying to comprehend why Blair would hook up with Chuck. Last night, I started a television knitting project. I plan on working on this scarf during any of my television viewing (The Office is on tonight).
My current television project is a very simple scarf, and I plan on selling it on Etsy when I finish the progject. I currently don't have any items for sale on Etsy, but I plan on listing a few items next week. I've sold a few hand knit items on Etsy, and I've been really happy with Etsy's customer service. The site is really easy to use, and it's attached to my PayPal account.
Since I posted about the winter coat I ordered, I received the coat. While it is an amazing jacket, it is NOT a winter coat. The description said it had an insulated lining, which is not the case. Therefore, I plan on returning the coat (with about $20 lost to shipping). I've started looking for a new coat, but I plan on purchasing the coat at a brick and mortar store. I usually don't do well with purchasing clothing online, so I'm going to give up the online coat search. There are a few local outdoors stores that I plan on looking at. I also may plan a trip to an REI store if I don't have luck around town.
Yesterday I posted about my Google Adsense revenue. I received a little bit of feedback about changing the background of my google ads, so I changed the color setting. I really don't like the color, so I will be changing it very soon. I also thought I should look at my Google Adsense total to see if I was making money at a faster pace than before. Yesterday, my Google Adsense ads made over $4. Since I've only made $.02 today, I'm going to consider my earnings yesterday as a fluke. Maybe I had an ad for free Quicken on my sidebar and I missed it!
My eBay auctions are going much better than anticipated, so I plan on reaching my goal of $50 into my down payment account relatively quickly. I would also like to thank Ms. MiniDucky for the link to eBates. I had signed up for the site, but I just thought it was a less useful version of fatwallet. I will try to compare cash back options before I purchase an item to maximize my cash back.
Since my public decalaration that I want to lose 10 pounds, I've been pretty good about working out. I've been to the gym 3 times this week (on top of my regular bike riding) and plan on going tonight. I've been doing a little cardio (about 30 minutes) at the gym, but my overall cardio is about 9o minutes per day (riding my bike to work, from work to the gym, and then from the gym to home). Also, I have started up my strength training routine again. Since I'm not very strong right now, I'm starting out slow (and I'm still sore) and I will build into my old routine. I've also been working on my flexibility. I'm trying to get about 15 minutes of stretching in every day.
While working out is going well, my diet has been horrible. I have a serious candy snacking problem when I'm at work. I can eat about 1,000 calories of candy without thinking twice. I'm going to try to start writing down everything I eat. In order to continue to record my food intake, I think I need to buy a cute notebook. I would like something small (to easily fit in my bag), but it has to be adorable. I'm thinking about investing in a Moleskine Notebook (one of Brip Blap's favorite things0--I think Brip Blap is becoming my Oprah). 
I'm considering purchasing one...I might have to take a trip to my local Borders to check out what they look like. If the Moleskine doesn't work out, I'm sure I can find something adorable (and pink) at Target.
I just read a guest post by Brip Blap on Lazy Man and Money, "Alternative Income is a Virus." After reading this article, I realized that I need to get off my bum, stop watching Scrubs, and start pursing the alternate streams of income that I have available to me.
In the next few months,
I also would like to look into other income streams--maybe as a tutor or as an instructor at a local knitting shop. I really love to teach.
Ms. M&P is giving up Google AdSense. In her post about giving up AdSense, I thought about whether or not I should also drop AdSense. When I look at my blog, I never read the Google ads, so I don't have any complaints (yet) about inappropriate material. Then I looked at my earnings...yesterday, I earned $.01. While $.01 is more than zero, it still doesn't give me a lot of faith that I will ever receive a magical $100 check from Google. However, when I looked at my earnings, I had earned about $20 in 7 months. At this rate, I will earn $100 in another 2 years and 4 months.
I recently checked my Google ads, and they were advertising for laminate flooring. While I don't think my readers are interested in laminate flooring, at least I don't have bizarre ads requesting organs or tissue (maybe I will after this post). I think I'm going to stick it out with AdSense. If I'm still blogging in 2 years and 4 months, I'll write a post about my $100 check from Google and how great it feels to receive a random large check.
Do you use Google AdSense? Have you ever received a check from AdSense? Do you think I'm ridiculous for keeping the ads on my blog?
I just added $20.67 to my down payment account! About $8 came from FatWallet's cash back program from my contacts purchase. If you're not already enrolled in FatWallet, I recommend you sign up before the holiday season. If you're going to buy anything, click through Fatwallet's links and you get a percentage given back to you (it's different for every store) 90 days later. A recent purchase, I only received $.40, but I figure it's free money! The other cash is from an eBay sale. Looking at my eBay auctions, I will have no problem of reaching my November goal of depositing at least $50 in my down payment account.
I also forgot about the $40 check that is in the mail....However, I may add that cash to my wimpy Christmas shopping account.
I have a few PF goals, and a few nonPF goals for November. I'll start with my PF goals
And my nonPF goals
I was watching How I Met Your Mother last night....and the topic of irresponsible spending came up again. While both Lily and Marshall (a newly married couple) make irresponsible money decisions, Lily is the one with so much credit card deb that they can only get a mortgage at 18%. Lily is a shopaholic, and she hasn't told her husband Marshall. She had 15 (I'm guess on this number) credit cards that are maxed out because she likes to buy designer clothes. This show is a comedy, but credit card debt is not funny! I kept thinking this is so stupid! Anyway, this is another example of female characters on television being depicted as irrational spending fiends.
I just transferred $5 from my paypal account to my down payment account. The $5 is from a PPP opp. The total amount in my down payment account is $1145.52, which is 3.8% of my $30,000 goal.
I will start working at my second job again in December. I will only work 4-12 hours a month. I make about $18/hour, so it will be nice to have the pay checks going into my down payment account.
Recently I checked my credit reports from all three agencies. However, I didn't look at my credit scores. I'm not going to apply for a loan, so I didn't think it was important to know my credit score. Do you think there is any reason I need to know my score?
My budget for November is light on savings. I have to set money aside for graduate school admissions exams, so I don't think that I will be able to save much money this month.
Rent $670
Health care $170
Utilities $30 (just electric, but I'm trying to keep it under $20)
Insurance $105 (car and rental)
Gas $50 (still trying to keep my gas budget low)
Gym $30
Food $200 (I'm still trying to get this down, but I struggled during October)
Graduate School Application Fees $200
Fun $100
Emergency Fund $75 (I want to contribute $100 every month, but it will be hard this month with the large amount going to the application fees)
Clothing $50
Gifts $100 (saving up for Christmas Gifts)
I wanted to apologize to my readers for the overwhelming number of sponsored posts last week. My blog just hit a Google Ranking of 3 and a Alexa ranking of 1248679. With this rankings bump, I had quite a few opportunities in the $8-$10 range. I will try to keep the sponsored posts to a minimum....and I'll also try to keep up with my random postings about my life, finances, favorite products (yes, mostly beauty products), and whatever thoughts enter my mind.
I received a few comments about how to make additional money for my down payment account. I listened and thought I should try to sell a few things on eBay. Right now, I have five items listed on eBay. I'm going to try to go through my stuff and find a few additional items to sell. I'm also thinking of selling my old CDs on half.com or Amazon (yes, I'm still have CDs form the 90s). I don't really have any clothing items that would be worth selling on eBay, but I'm looking into consignment shops in my area. I have a few items that I just don't wear....I don't have anything that is worth very much money. I like to clean out my apartment more than I really appreciate the money. With my current financial status, I don't think I can turn down any money that comes my way.
I have finished taking both GRE exams (general and subject). Now, I need to start working on my applications. I'm going to figure out what and how many schools I want to send an application too. I have 2 of my 3 letters of recommendation lined up. I also need to put together a solid personal statement. Since I have been out of undergrad for close to 5 years, so I need to cover what I've done/learned since I graduated. Also, I need to outline what I want to do with my future career (which is still to be determined). I'm feeling relief to be done with the exams...but I feel like I have so much work hanging over my head. I also feel like my future is so unsure. My boss has lined up my replacement (we will overlap from May through August), so I will need to find another job if I decide not to attend graduate school (or if I don't get in).
Happy Friday! I thought I would sum up my week in a single post.
I feel like I'm not making any real progress in saving for a down payment. I have about $1200 saved, but my final goal is $30k. I realize that I'm in no rush to purchase a home (I don't even know where I'll be in a year), but I'm still feeling impatient. I'm going to start working at my part time job again in December. I will also try to start picking up extra shifts through my second job.
I know the key to saving is spending less than I earn, but I also feel frustrated because I have such a small emergency fund (about $350). I'm trying to stay motivated to save, but it's hard to keep making sacrifices when the pay-off is so far away.
iFLOOR is a great place to buy flooring for a home renovation project. iFLOOR has a great selection of flooring options--hardwood, laminate, bamboo, cork, area rugs, carpet, tile, and vinyl. Now, iFLOOR is offering a $1,000,000 warranty to protect customers from manufacturers that deny warranty claims for flooring purchases made online. In offering this amazing warranty, iFLOOR reserves the right to take legal justice on behalf of their customers.
Press Release
iFLOOR, America's largest online flooring retailer, today announced a $1,000,000 limited warranty designed to protect its customers from predatory manufacturer policies that exclude warranty coverage from online purchases.
The policy, which goes into effect immediately, offers up to one million dollars of coverage in the event that a customer's warranty claim is denied specifically because they made their purchase online. It is complimentary for every iFLOOR customer, and protects the buyer under the same terms as the original product warranty.
iFLOOR, Inc. CEO, Steve Simonson, came up with the program to combat "scare tactics" used by manufacturers of hardwood floors and laminate flooring. "Their idea is to discourage you from buying at a discount!" wrote Simonson in his blog "It's About Flooring". "This is not right! You deserve to save money! So we're going to take care of this problem once and for all."
And it would appear that federal law is on his side. Section 108 of the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Act, states that, "In general, tie-in sales provisions are not allowed. Such a provision would require a purchaser of the warranted product to buy an item or service from a particular company to use with the warranted product in order to be eligible to receive a remedy under the warranty."
Under iFLOOR's new warranty, a key provision allows for iFLOOR to "seek justice" on behalf of the customer in the event of legal action. According to Simonson, "I'm putting iFLOOR's money where my mouth is."
About iFLOOR, Inc.
Since 1998, iFLOOR.com has been the leading online and retail flooring company, with 36 local retail stores nationwide offering more than 70,000 products, including hardwood floors, laminate flooring, bamboo flooring and cork floors. iFLOOR.com is the largest online flooring retailer according to Internet Retailer Magazine, and was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States for the past three years. Committed to quality customer service, superior selection and friendly expert advice, iFLOOR.com enables customers to buy flooring both online and in its retail stores at a substantial savings over traditional retailers. For more information about iFLOOR, please visit http://www.ifloor.com/.
If you're in the market for new floors for your home renovation project and you don't feel like visiting a bunch of flooring stores, consider iFLOOR. It is easy to look at a variety of options online and there are so many tools (installation help, educational items, etc) available on the website.
I filled out a survey yesterday afternoon for PineCone, and I had $5 in my PayPal account today. As usual, I deposited the money into my down payment account. If anyone hasn't signed up for Pinecone, I would recommend trying to get involved. Yesterday, the survey took under 15 minutes and I was paid today.
I've also started using CashDuck. A few PF bloggers talked about how much money they made through CashDuck, so I thought I would give it a try. Right now I have 22 feathers....with 30 feathers I could get a rubber duck bath toy....hm...I think I might save up for the Duck Bank (50 feathers). I haven't spent much time with this site, but the layout confuses me. I don't know how to navigate to the page with all of the offers.
I have been spending more time on MySurvey. Right now I have enough to cash out for a $40 check (minimum cash out amount is $10). I have filled out a few surveys through the site, but I've also had a few referrals (thanks readers). I like MySurvey because the surveys are about a product or hypothetical product, not personal information (like name, address, zip code, or e-mail address).
What sites do you use? Or do you think your time is better utilized by doing something more productive?
I've always felt like I never have enough money. Right now, I'm making almost double what I was making a few years ago, but I still feel broke. My problem is that I spend my money on a lot of little things, and I don't have any money left over for big purchases. I'm going to try to start a small savings account for nothing....However, I won't let myself spend it until it's over $500. I'll add monetary gifts and left-over money from the budget. When I do spend it, I will splurge on something I would normally not be able to purchase (maybe a new TV--mine is from the garbage or a new couch--mine is a hand-me-down).
Marketing Tips
Direct postcard mailing is an efficient method to reach a geographic target market. You may also include envelopes with print labels and print catalogs for higher saturation. To reach those visiting a geographic region, use print posters placed in high-traffic areas.
