Ending February spending journal

I just completed my February spending journal through MySurvey. The single survey (which took all month to complete) only paid 1,000 points (or $10), but it was a great exercise. I kept track of every penny I spent during February. I will also try to write my purchases down in March. I requested another $10 check through MySurvey, and I received one in the mail today!

Revisiting my budget for February....How did I do?

Rent $670 Right on target!
Utilities $19.33 ($.67 under budget)
Internet $32.99 ($2.01 under budget)
Laundry $10 (I have a few quarters in my car, but I need to get a lot of laundry done).

Gas $140.54 (over budget by $40.54)

Food $153.07 (over budget by $3.07) I decreased my regular food budget ($200) by $50, and I'm happy to see that I was able to cut my spending on food. $75.63 was spent on eating out. $77.44 was spent on groceries.

Fun/Misc $45.79 ($4.21 under budget) I decreased this category by $50 (usually $100) this month to help save money to pay off the car repair bill. I have to admit that I didn't have much fun this month because it all went to misc purchases. For March, I have bumped my fun/misc budget back to $100 and created a beauty category ($15 for hair cut).

Gifts $18.46 (under budget by $11.54) We had a quiet Valentine's Day in...

I would say I did a solid job sticking to my budget except for my gas expenditure. I will try to keep my spending down, but I'm also increasing this category to $125 for March.

Can I still accomplish my New Years Resolutions?

After dismal financial failure in February, I thought I should reevaluate if I could still reach my 2008 resolutions.

1. Increase my net worth to $30,000. For the remaining 10 months, I need to increase my net worth by $8,500 (or $850/month). I plan on saving at least $4,ooo in cash (down payment savings and emergency fund). I also contribute about $700/month to my retirement accounts, but that will end (or at least substantially decrease) if I get in to graduate school.
2. Lose weight. I've already lost 7 pounds, but I want to get down to about 120 pounds by June. I need to lose 4 1/3 pounds per month. I really need to crack down on my diet--get healthy and cut out the junk. I have a serious sweet tooth that I'm constantly battling.
3. $3,000 in EF. I currently have about $200 in my emergency fund after the car repair bill. Excluding interest, I need to contribute about $280/month in order to meet my goal. I only have a $200 contribution included in my March budget. I will have to contribute about $290 from April through December in order to meet the $3,000 goal. I will build $300/month into my budget and cross my fingers that I don't have any more emergencies.
4. $4,000 in my down payment account. I currently have $1,867.84 in my down payment account. Therefore, I need to contribute an additional $2,132.16 (or $213.22/month) if I ignore the interest. I am working a lot at my second job in March, so I plan on contributing about $400. From April through December, I will have to contribute about $192.46.
5. Get into graduate school. I haven't heard anything yet. I'm not sure if that is a good or a bad thing.

I think my resolutions are still attainable. I will have to work a little bit harder to reach them after my February set backs.

February wasn't my month

I had a long list of goals for February that I thought would be relatively easy to achieve. Unfortunately, I had a car repair bill and I got sick....I'm going to be brutally honest...but I really screwed up this month!

1. $200 into my EF--Nope! I think I might be able to keep $200 in my EF after my car repair bill.
2. $200 into my down payment account--Nope! I added $168.34. I'm going to try to add a lot more in March ($400).
3. Weight=130. Nope! I'm currently at 133. I lost 4 pounds, not the 7 that I was working toward.
4. Stick to chore list. YES!!!!!! I love my chore list. It has really helped me keep my apartment clean. I feel great when I walk into my clean apartment!
5. File taxes. Yep! I also received a refund ($450) which helped pay my car repair bill.
6. Track all income & spending! Yes! I wrote down every penny that I spent in my Moleskine notebook.
7. Give an awesome gift to my bf for Valentine's Day. Yep! He loved his colander.
8. Run, Bike, and Swim at least once a week. Nope! I didn't bike at all in February.
9. Take multi-vitamin every day. Nope! I did took the pill every day for the first two weeks. Then...not so much...

Four out of nine....I'm going to work hard (and keep my fingers crossed) that March goes a little more smoothly for me.

February Net Worth

My current net worth is $21,668. My net worth increased by $246 (1.15%) this month because the market rebounded. However, I'm still not back to my high in December of $21,972. I'm happy to see an increase in my net worth considering that I spent so much money to repair my car.

My savings accounts decreased by $629--due to emptying out my car repair fund and emergency fund (total of $800). However, my retirement accounts increased by $847 and my mutual fund increased by $107. It's easier to stay positive investing money in the stock market when your account balance is going up (instead of down).

Birthday Meme

I was tagged by Canadian Saver for another meme....

1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Pick your month of birth.
3. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you and if you would like write some wit or not.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it!

Fun to be with. I have fun hanging out with me....
Friendly. I would like to think that I am...
Always broods about the past and the old friends. I used to rehash old conversations in my mind and kick myself for saying such stupid things. Now, I just let things go.
Easily hurt but takes long to recover. Unfortunately this is true....

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.
FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.
MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.
APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.
MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.
JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.
JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.
AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.
SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.
OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.
NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas.Difficult to fathom.Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.
DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

I'm not going to tag any one because I'm just feeling icky! However, if you think this meme looks like fun, please feel free to tag yourself!

March Goals

I didn't do very well with my February goals, and I will provide a recap later in the week. However, I just put together my goals for March. I have less goals, but each goal means a lot to me.

• $400 into my down payment account. This is double the amount that I added in January and February, but I'm working a LOT at my second job. I think this goal is going to be a little difficult to reach, but I'm going to at least try.
• $200 into my emergency fund. I built this $200 into my budget, so I just need to spend according to my budget to make this goal.
• Pamper myself. With only $15 in my pampering budget for a hair cut, I'm going to have to have a few DIY pampering projects. Manicures-file nails, solar oil on cuticles, polish (OPI passion). Pedicures-exfoliate, hydrate & polish (going to look for a bright color). Facial-Exfoliate, tone, mask & hydrate.
• Weight=130 pounds. I lost 3 pounds in January, and I'm on point to lose 2 or 3 in February. In order to reach my goal, I will have to lose 4 pounds in March.

As always, I'm going to try to stick to my budget. I also decided to run a 5k in March (wish me luck) and put off the triathlon until I can participate in a real one (not an indoor one with timed breaks) this summer.

Taking a sick day....

I'm at home sick, but I feel extremely guilty about it. I don't know why I can't kick back and enjoy a day of rest. Instead, I keep making lists in my head of things that need to be done at work. I really need to learn to relax! :)

Since I visited my boyfriend over the weekend, the food situation in my apartment is dismal. I don't feel up to going to the grocery store, so I'm just going to have to suffer with my pathetically stocked cabinets (thank goodness for Campbell's). I do have eggs, bread, and peanut butter....If I feel like I could cook something, I have frozen vegetables in the freezer. However, I'm just wishing for pudding or ice cream....

With February coming to an end, I realized that I have done a horrible job with my February goals! I had so many goals for February that I lost track. I'm currently working on my March goals. I plan on having fewer goals, but really working hard to achieve them.

On the weight loss front, I'm currently at 135 pounds (137 at the end of January). I'm five pounds away from my February goal (130 pounds), but I'm happy that my weight is going down. I haven't been as diligent about my diet as I should be. I'm trying to totally revamp my diet to contain a lot more vegetables and unprocessed foods. I have to admit that I have been struggling giving up my processed favorites :) I know my body will thank me in the long run.

$.25 well spent....

I survived the drive home. I'm tired, hungry, and sick....When I opened my cabinet, I found 4 cans of Campbell's chicken noodle soup that I purchased during my last grocery shopping trip as an impulse purchase. I am currently heating up a can. I plan on relaxing, eating soup, and reading a magazine.

My budget for February:
Gas $140--Over budget by $40!!
Food $132.40--Under budget by $17.60
Misc/Fun $45.79--Under budget by $4.21

Sick again!

I'm currently visiting my boyfriend :), but I'm sick :( I'm concerned because I don't think I will be able to drive home tonight :(

Update on Spending: Friday
$4 at Taco Bell (hm...maybe this is why I'm sick)
$36 for gas

List and Link Building Meme

I was tagged by BeachGirl to participate in the latest and greatest meme. I have randomly selected 5 of you below to be tagged and I hope that you will similarly publish this post in your blog. You will have to tag 5 other bloggers and just keep adding on to the list. (Do not replace, just keep on adding! Yes we hope it will be a long list!) It’s real easy! Tag others and see your Technorati Authority increase exponentially!

The benefits of Viral Linking:
One of the fastest ways to see your technorati authority explode
Attract large volume of new traffic to your site
Build your community
Make new friends

The Strategist Notebook ~ Link Addiction ~ Ardour of the Heart ~ When Life Becomes a Book ~ The Malaysian Life ~ Yogatta.com ~ What goes under the sun ~ Roshidan’s Cyber Station ~ Sasha says ~ Arts of Physics ~ And the legend lives ~ My View, My Life ~ A Simple Life ~ Juliana RW ~ Mom Knows Everything ~ Beth & Cory's Mom ~ A Mind Forever Voyaging~ enjoying the ride ~ Jennifer's thoughts ~ Mom of 3 Girls ~ Amanda ~ Don't Make Me Get The Flying Monkeys ~ ExPat Mom ~ Just Jessie ~ Wilson Six ~Krisitn ~ Nuttier Than You ~ Shonnte ~ Summer's Nook ~ Laura Williams Musings ~ Melissa's Idea Garden ~ Confessions of an Everyday Housewife ~ Blah Blah Blog ~ Stop the Ride! ~Soap, Blings & Girly Things ~ It's All for the Best ~ Keeping Feet ~ Junky Love in Freehand ~ Getting Out of Debt ~ Free From Broke ~ Money Matters ~ Arohan's Investing Life ~ My Investing Blog ~ Finance and Fat ~ Iowahippiechick ~ ~ Cathlawson.com ~ Making Cents Of Debt ~ DebtDiet ~ MakingMoneyJournal ~ Life Liberty & The Pursuit Of Money Mrs Micah Brightside of Debt Fiscal Musings Paid it Down and Moving Forward Phoenix from the Ashes Canadian Saver The Good Life on a Budget Last One In Line Finding Financial Peace CT Mom Beachgirl's Budget Blog~Saving For a Home of My Own

I am tagging:

1. Bouncing Back From Bankruptcy
2. Give Me Back My Fibe Bucks
3. Life and Debt in Chicago
4. My Journey to Eliminate Debt
5. My Money and Politics

PPP adds to my down payment account

I added another $11 to my down payment account today. I earned the money through a PPP opportunity. I have added $168.34 to my down payment account during the month of February. I need to add an additional $31.66 to my down payment account to meet my February goal of $200. My down payment now has a grand total of $1,867.84, which is 6.23% of my $30,000 goal.

New Colors!

Motivated by Alison at Girl and Cent$, I decided to change the look of my blog. I don't really like green and I never liked the color of my blog. So....time for a change! Let me know what you think!

Winter Blahs....

I'm having a blah day. I've been having a lot of blah days recently. I think it's the a combination of the weather and my job. I'm feeling pretty unmotivated....

On the spending front, I haven't spent very much money this week. I spent:
$19.33 on my electric bill
$35 on internet
$2.73 on groceries

I also will pay have to pay my car repair bill (on a credit card) this week...ugh!

Adding to my down payment account

Yesterday, I had my pay check from my second job automatically deposited into my down payment account. I just added $12.84 to my down payment account from my PayPal account.

$7.25 was from PPP

$5 was from a Pinecone survey I filled out yesterday

$.59 was Fatwallet cashback from a Target online purchase

The current balance in my down payment account is $1,856.84. This is 6.19% of my $30,000 goal. This month, I have added $157.34 to my down payment account. I still need to add $42.66 to reach my February goal of adding $200 to my down payment account.

Updated March Budget

I want to thank Dimples and Fabulously Broke for being blunt about my unrealistic car maintenance budget. I've revamped a few areas of my March budget. Please let me know what you think.

Food $150
Since I am participating in Krystal's February-March challenge, I don't think I will need as much money for food. Therefore, I decreased my food budget from $175.

Car Maintenance $70
I increased this category by $55. I plan on trying to contribute at least $100/month by coming under budget in a few categories.

Beauty $15
This is a new category because I'm feeling a little cramped by my budget. I wanted to give myself a little breathing room to do something decadent--manicure, pedicure, massage, facial, etc. However, I decreased this category by $25. During March, I will only have my hair cut, so no manicure.

Not buying lunch at work?!

I signed up for Krystal's February-March lunch challenge--no buying food or beverages, Monday through Friday, 9-5. This will be pretty difficult for me because I frequently forget to pack my lunch (or I am just to lazy to pack it in the morning). Plus, the cafeteria is inexpensive and delicious....but it is still more expensive than packing my own lunch.

I also think I am going to decrease my food budget to $150 for March. I will contribute the extra $25 to my car maintenance fund (a few of my readers gave me a stern lecture in my comments section about increasing my car maintenance fund). I also think I am going to scrap the manicure for March (-$25 from the beauty account).

Winter is Expensive!

I live in a very cold area. Right now, the temperature is around 5 degrees Fahrenheit (and even colder if you consider the wind chill). During the winter months, I struggle to stick with my budget. Here are a few areas of my budget that require more money during the winter:

1. Gas--I have to drive almost every where. It's frustrating and I spend a lot of money on gas going to places that I could easily bike to in the fall/summer/spring.
2. Parking--$60/month. Since I can't ride my bike to work (too much ice & snow), I have to drive. If I would like to drive to work, I have to pay for parking which is not cheap.
3. Electricity--Since it gets dark early, I have to have the lights in my apartment on around 7 p.m.
4. Car maintenance--I don't have a good reason, but things in my car go crazy in the winter.
5. Working out/Fun--I spend a lot of money doing things in the winter. Whether I'm paying to go rock climbing or just have a coffee with friends, there isn't the option of hanging out outside in a free area during the winter. For example, in the summer I play a lot of tennis on free courts around town. In the winter, I would have to join a tennis club to be able to play which is not in my budget.
6. Clothing--Winter clothing costs a lot more because it requires more fabric. Plus, I'm a huge fan of animal fibers--wool, cashmere, etc. Plus, I wear flip flops almost every day in the summer.
7. Food--Is it just me? Or do you eat more during the winter?

Does any one else have anything they want to add? I didn't add heating costs because heat is included in my rent (yeah, it's great, I know).

March Budget

I'm still crunching the numbers for my March budget, but here is my rough draft:

Rent $670
Utilities $15
Internet $35
Laundry $10

Healthcare $85
Gym $30

Car Payment $250
Insurance $100 (Auto & Renter's)
Gas $125
Parking $60

Food $175 I'm decreasing from my regular $200, but increasing from February's $150.
Misc/Fun $100
Beauty $40 Haircut ($15) & maybe a manicure

Emergency Fund $200
Car Maintenance Fund $15
Travel Fund $100
Gifts $40 Bf and Dad's birthdays are in March
Retirement ~$710

I'm open to any comments!

Case of the Mondays

I definitely have a case of the Mondays! My boyfriend left last night, which left me in a little bit of a bad mood. Plus, the weather is really gross outside. I really just want to curl up in bed and sleep. Why don't people hibernate?

In personal finance news, I'm definitely going to go over my gas budget for February. I need to look for a few ways to make-up for it because my budget has no wiggle room this month. On the bright side, I've received both my state and federal tax refunds (about $450). I have to pay off my credit card with the car repair bill next week, so I won't have to pull any money out of my down payment savings account.

Weekend Spending!

Since my boyfriend was in town, I had to purchase groceries. I also ran out of a few beauty items (q-tips and cotton pads). I thought I would provide a breakdown of my weekend spending (and it's not pretty):

Friday
$5 at the grocery store
$15 for Chinese food
$5 at CVS--Valentine's Candy & eye make-up remover

Saturday
$6.10 at Target--cotton pads, Q-tips, and a card
$24.46 at Kroger--groceries (food for our night in)

Sunday
$10.16 Specialty grocery store--It just opened up in town, so I had to check it out. I purchased some granola, oranges, a protein bar, and a frozen pizza.


Currently, my budget stands at

Food $104.24 ($45.76 remaining)
Fun/Misc $45.79 ($4.21 remaining)
Gas $103.69 (over by $3.69. I am still planning on visiting my boyfriend next weekend. I know that I will go over my gas budget for the month, so I'm going to try to stay under budget for food. I also received a $10 check from MySurvey that I hope to help defray the gas overage.)

Icky weather...

When the weather is unpleasant, I love to curl up in bed with a cup of tea and read a book. I currently have 5 books that I'm reading. I think today will be well spent!

Have a happy Sunday!

Fun night in...

My bf is in town, and I couldn't be happier! On Friday night, we ordered Chinese take-out. It was fabulous. I also had the leftovers for lunch after I worked at my second job this morning (bringing in a little cash). Tonight (Saturday night), we stayed in and made dinner together. It was a lot of fun! However, I'm a little full....Life is good...

Happy Friday!

I'm relieved that I made it to Friday! I had a rough few weeks. This weekend, my boyfriend is visiting (no long driving for me) and we have a fun weekend planned. Unfortunately, I have to work tomorrow :( but my boyfriend has a hair cut scheduled during part of my time at work.

Romantic evening with a Personal Trainer

While the rest of my friends were having romantic dinners on the town, I spent the evening with a personal trainer. This was my first time working out with a personal trainer and I had a lot more fun than I had anticipated. Even though the session was fun (and hard), I don't have personal training sessions in my budget (I won a session through a competition at my gym). The trainer and I had a lot in common--both former swimmers training for triathlons--so we had a lot to talk about between sets. The hour session flew by! My favorite part of the workout was the stretching at the end. It's a luxury to have someone else stretch you.

I checked out The Simple Living Guide from the library today. In order to relax, I plan on curling up with a book and a cup of hot tea. I would say I've had a pretty great Valentine's day!

$10 check

I filled out a survey at MySurvey (I received an e-mail about it), and I was able to request another $10 check! It takes a while to get the checks from MySurvey, so it won't help to pay the car repair bill. I will use it to rebuild my pathetic emergency fund!

A few of my readers have made comments about sites that I should join. If you have a referral code, please post it in the comments. I will probably sign up (if I don't already have an account), and other readers will also be able to use your referral code.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I love Valentine's Day! Even though I will be spending the evening with a personal trainer, I can't help but love this holiday (or any holiday that celebrates candy). I also love the color pink (yes, I'm wearing it today). I am a BIG fan of candy and anything sweet!

Last night, I worked a few hours at my second job. I am working a little bit more this weekend (on Saturday). I have a nice pay check coming at the end of this month :)

In other news, my car was hit when it was sitting in the parking structure. It's not a lot of damage, but it's enough that I noticed it. I'm unsure of what to do. My car is relatively old and I don't really want my insurance rates to skyrocket. I had a similar incident last summer with a lot more damage ($3k) which my insurance company covered.

Update on Peer to Peer Lending

Prosper: Both of my loans through Prosper are in good standing. Both borrowers are paying the minimum every month, so I will be maximizing my interest earnings through these loans. I really like the Prosper set-up. The website is extremely easy to use. The only drawback is the $50 minimum loan. You can receive a $25 sign-up bonus after you fund your first loan (minimum $50).


Lending Club: Both of my loans through Lending Club are also in good standing. Once again, the borrowers are paying the minimum. I am earning slightly less interest on Lending Club than Prosper. The web site is a little more difficult to use. However, you can fund a loan with only $25. Also, you receive $25 for funding your account with $25.

New categories in my budget

This month has been extremely difficult for me. I think it's a combination of the weather, my car, the argument with the dealership, and my extremely tight budget. Starting in March, I'm going to have a pampering category. March will be a little overboard ($40) because I would like to get a manicure and my hair cut. However, I'm still going to get my hair cut at the beauty school because I really like it! I plan on contributing a smaller amount (between $10 and $20) every month and treating myself to a little bit of relaxation (massage, manicure, facial, etc.).

The other new category will be for travel. I wiped out my travel fund in December. Now, I need to rebuild it for a weekend trip for my 5 year college reunion (I'm feeling old). I will need to contribute about $106.67 per month for March, April, and May to have enough according to my trip budget.

$70 Hotel (I will be splitting this cost with friends)
$150 Donation
$50 food/alcohol (most meals are covered)
$50 gas (this is in addition to my monthly gas budget)

Online Survey Sites

I've been a little busy, so I haven't been earning very much with online survey sites. However, I wanted to post my progress with a few of my favorite sites.

PineCone: I've earned $90

MySurvey: $160 (waiting for $10) I am currently working on a 1,000 point survey (1,000 points=$10) that will be finished at the end of February, so I will rack up another $10 check soon.

CashDuck: I currently have 15 feathers (400 needed for a $25 gift certificate). I did redeem my points for a duck bank, which is cute and useful. I'm not a huge fan of cash duck, but I still play around on it when I'm bored.

Car Problems....

My car is back at the dealership. With a $1400 car repair and the repair done at the dealership, I thought everything would be fine. However, the dealership performed a coolant flush incorrectly, but is refusing to take responsibility. I'm extremely frustrated with Chevrolet. I am thinking about selling my car just to be done dealing with this company. I had a horrible experience with the dealership and the Impala isn't winning any awards for reliabilty.

I'm super frustrated!

$20 through PPP

I just deposited $20 into my down payment account from a PPP opportunity. Including this recent addition, I have added $87.76 to my down payment account during February. I have to add $112.24 to meet my monthly goal of $200.

I currently have $1,786.24 in my down payment account. I am 5.95% of the way to reaching my $30,000 goal.

I apologize for the vague bad mood post last week. I will post more about the problem later, but it has to do with the work on my car being totally screwed up (forgot to add engine coolant).

Return and Buy Again

The colander that I bought for my boyfriend from Target was too small. I printed a return receipt from Target's website and I will return it next week.

I just ordered a new gift. I bought another stainless steel colander, but this one should be big enough (I hope). I bought it through Amazon for $20. Using Amazon Prime, I didn't have to pay for shipping and gift will be here in plenty of time for Valentine's Day!

Bad Mood=Bad Day

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. I've been in a bad mood, and my mood is ruining my whole day. A few things didn't go my way yesterday, and it's really upsetting. More on that later....

I received the collander for my boyfriend. It is REALLY tiny....not at all what I had in mind. I have to return it and find a better gift. :(

Finally seeing the bf...

I get to see my boyfriend tomorrow! I know I sound like I'm in elementary school, but I don't care! It's been 3 weeks, which is way too long! We lived together for 3 months (October through January), and I saw him every day. Now, I only see him a few days a week. This has been a rough transition for me.

Laziness strikes!

Last night I was at home and hungry. I was really tired (this is the real problem) and I wanted pizza. I decided that I would order a pizza from a pizza place a few blocks away. I was planning on having my pizza delivered, but the $2 delivery charge plus tip made me change my mind. The few minute drive saved me about $4....the pizza total came to $9.53.

The pizza was worth EVERY penny! I will have at least 2 more meals from the pizza ($3.18/meal). I have $116.06 left in my food budget for this month (reduced budget from $200 to $150).

$30 from MySurvey

Yesterday, I received three $10 checks from MySurvey (requested within 3 weeks of each other). This will reduce my car repair bill a little bit more:

Currently $912.33
-$30 from MySurvey
--------------------
$882.33

I'm still looking for an additional $800 to pay off this bill. I'm trying to avoid wiping out my Emergency Fund. However, it doesn't look like it is going to happen.

The Book Meme

I've been tagged by Canadian Saver to pick up the neartest book....

The rules are:
Open the book to page 123, find the 5th sentence and post the next 3 sentences...

I'm currently reading, Worlds Apart: Why Poverty Persists in Rural America bye Cynthia M. Duncan:

In the 1930s local writer David Cohen observed, "Disturbing ideas crawl like flies around the screen of the Delta but they rarely penetrate. His words still seem apt for Dahlia's white world, despite Sharon and Ed Carter's ambivalence about race and racism, despite the occasional color blind white who tries to relate differently.

Bringing in a little bit of cash from my second job....

My pay check from my second job was deposited into my down payment savings account today ($57.77). The grand total in my down payment account is $1,762.30! This is about 5.9% of my $30,000 goal.

I'm very happy that I will not have to use my down payment savings to pay for my car repair bill. However, I'm feeling a bit down about having to wipe out my entire emergency fund.

$25?

I'm contemplating participating in an indoor triathlon. It's super short, and it's at my gym....but it's $25...any other month, I would be on board, but $25 is half of my fun budget in February (cut from $100 to $50 because of car repairs) and the triathlon doesn't take place until the end of March.

I think the mini-indoor triathlon would give me something to train for, but I'm not sure it's worth the money....an hour of indoor activity that I could do by myself....I'm still considering my options. However, I'm leaning toward signing up.

Update: I weighed 133.8 pounds this morning.

My love for online shopping strikes again....

When I saw the book Triathlon Training in Four Hours a Week mentioned in a bicycling magazine I borrowed from a friend, I knew I had to own it. I even bought it new! I can't remember the last time I purchased a new book for myself.

Before every one starts bringing up the $1400 car repair bill, I had a gift certificate....I had enough to cover the book (new) and shipping (didn't want to spend an extra $12 to get free shipping through Amazon). I could have saved $5 and bought a good copy....but I wanted an untouched copy. Am I being ridiculous?

I have been trying to declutter my life, but this book was calling my name. I have no idea if I'll like it or not (didn't even bother checking it out from the library), but I'm really excited about this book! I'm grinning from ear to ear....Should a book purchase do that?

Working toward my February Goals...kinda....

I thought I would check my progress on my February goals....

1. $200 into my Emergency Fund--With a $1400 car repair bill, I will be lucky if I end Febrary with $200 IN my Emergency Fund. It looks like I am going to have to empty my emergency fund and car maintenace fund to pay for this bill.
2. $200 to my Down Payment Account--I might be able to do this! I will work a few half days at my second job.
3. Weight=130--I'm at 134.6, so I'm doing pretty well!
4. Stick to chore list. My apartment is clean. I have a lot of clean laundry. The chore list is awesome!
5. File taxes. DONE! Refund coming my way! I used TurboTax and clicked through Ebates (5% cashback) to earn a little bit of cash back ($0.96).
6. Track ALL income & spending! Working toward this...it helps that I have a $10 survey that is asking me to track all of my spending (through MySurvey).
7. Give an awesome gift to my bf for Valentine's Day. DONE!
8. Run, Bike, and Swim at least once every week--Working on it...
9. Take multi-vitamin every day. On track to make this one!

Even though my first goal of adding $200 to my emergency fund is no longer a possibility, I'm happy to see that I'm steadily working toward the other eight goals. I have to admit that the car repair bill made me feel like I've been working so hard to save for nothing. I'm frustrated with my car, but I definitely can't afford to buy a new one :(

Tom Brady is hot....so I watched the SuperBowl...

Last night, I went to my sister's house to watch the SuperBowl. I didn't bring anything, and it was just us (I'm not sure if that counts as an official party or not). I even watched the whole game! I realize that it was a good game, but I think I just watched for the talking animal commercials. Also, Tom Brady is pretty easy on the eyes, but the camera shots of the lineman from behind were frightening.

Yesterday, I spent $7.50 on laundry (yes, I let it pile up) and $24.41 on groceries. I have fried rice, cucumbers, and an orange packed for lunch. I will probably go to the gym after work and jog a little bit on the treadmill (too snowy to run outside). I'm planning on grilled cheese and fried rice for dinner :) I have to admit that I'm pretty proud of my cooking skills!

Grocery Shopping & Frugal Recipes

I went to the grocery store with the goal of making my monthly food budget stretch as far as possible ($150 down from $200). I spent $24.41. I have $125.59 left in my food budget for February. Here's what I got:

$3.79 Eggs (organic, free range, grain diet)
$3.49 Romaine Lettuce
$.22 (tax only) I had a free coupon for an Always product.
$2.50 Cheese I'm going to try to make grilled cheese sandwiches.
$2.79 Organic Skim Milk--Half Gallon
$0.93 Frozen Peas
$2.39 Natural Peanut Butter
$1.99 (after coupon) Smuckers Black Raspberry Fruit Spread
$0.88 two small yellow onions
$1.99 baby carrots
$0.99 cucumber
$2.50 5 oranges
-$0.05 bag credit

I feel pretty confident that I can put 5 healthy lunches and 6 reasonable dinners together with my groceries and my pantry. Today, I used SF Money Musing's Fried Rice recipe. I didn't use any pork, but I think it turned out pretty well. I had a bowl for lunch and it was pretty tasty. I will eat this again for dinner tonight and pack some for lunch tomorrow. Next week, I plan on using Laughing at Gilded Butterflies's Chili recipe.

Happy Superbowl Sunday!

Last night I took two Advil PM tablets to go to sleep because I felt wide awake at 10:30 p.m. I usually take these after a long road race (sleep and anti-inflammatory, nothing better), so I haven't taken any since the summer. I also wore an eye mask (usually don't wear this either, wake up when the sun is up, no alarm). When I woke up this morning at 10:30, I felt a little groggy so I ate breakfast (Cinnamon Life, if any one was wondering).

After breakfast, I felt fantastic! I cleaned my entire apartment (not just my chores for today), started a load of laundry (I got quarters yesterday), and took out my recycling (not much garbage). Later today, I have plans to go to the gym with a friend.

Since I don't have cable (and my TV can't pick up anything), I will not be watching the Superbowl at my apartment. Most of my friends are tagging along to their boyfriend's friends' SuperBowl parties. Not feeling like watching the Superbowl with a bunch of guys that would actually care about what's going on in the game, I think I'm going to spend some quality time at the gym. I can check up on the scores while I'm on the treadmill and watch the commercials on youtube tomorrow!

Taking Care of the Car Repair Bill

I have a car repair bill for $1396.93. I'm going to try to pay as much of it as possible without accessing my emergency fund. While I think I will still have to use part of my EF, I just don't want to have to wipe it out to pay this bill...so I have a running tally in my Moleskine of found money that will help pay down this debt.

$1396.93
-$10 MySurvey check
-$1.12 change
-$17.61 (only spent $12.23 on BF's Valentine's Day present, budget for $30)
-$13.77 Lending Club referral plus interest
-$442.10 Tax Refund ($256 for state, $206 for federal, spent $19.90 on TurboTax)
--------------
$912.33 (remaining balance)

I wasn't expecting a tax refund, so the refund provides a nice boost. Now, I will not dip into my down payment account to pay for the car repair. Now, I'm scurrying around trying to find cash so that I don't totally wipe out my emergency fund.

Busy Day....

I'm going to try to get a bunch of stuff done today....

• Visit my secondary checking account to get a roll of quarters.
• Go to my credit union--use the change counter and deposit money for my auto insurance.
• File my taxes
• Go to the gym

I think that sums it up! If any one was following my weight loss, I'm at 135.4 pounds. I think some of the weight on January 30th (weight=137) was due to bloating because I haven't worked out very much recently. I'm still working to get down to 130 by the end of February. Wish me luck!

February 1, 2008 Spending

Spending
$12.39 on Valentine's Day Gift for BF (If I don't buy anything else, I will have $17.61 to add to my car repair bill--budgeted $30)
$25 for gas ($75 left for gas in the budget)

Saving (to help pay for my car repairs)
$.93 in pennies
$10 check from MySurvey (I'm still waiting for a few more checks. I hope they come in February to help with my car repairs)

I logged my spending on MySurvey....I plan on earning this $10!

Cutting expenses....

I am trying to make more money in February through PPP, my second job, and MySurvey. However, I realize that I won't be able to make enough to cover my $1,400 car repair bill. Now I'm considering cutting my expenses.

I currently pay about $35 per month for internet through Comcast. Right now, Comcast High Speed Internet is being advertised for $19.99 per month. Even though I'm still on a promotion, I'm going to see if I can get my bill lowered....


Driving to work is really killing my budget. I pay about $25 per month for gas because I live so close to work. However, I pay a lot for parking--about $60 per month. I'm currently looking for a better solution. Right now, there is too much snow to ride my bike and it's too cold to walk....still looking into other possibilities.

I've also cut my food and fun budget. Both categories were reduced by $50 to $150 and $50, respectively. Since February is a short month, I think I will be able to make it. I plan on using my library card--DVDs, books, CDs, magazines. I'm still working out how to keep my food bill low....no eating out...I plan on eating frozen vegetables (instead of fresh) and avoiding processed foods (it's usually a lot more expensive). Organic food might not be an option this month. I will continue to drink organic milk, but all of the fruits and vegetables are too expensive. I also plan on eating very little meat. I plan on eating green vegetables for iron and eggs for protein.

I'm also looking into picking up extra hours at my second job in February. I have a LOT of hours in March, but not a lot of opportunities for February. Luckily, I will be paid for two shifts that I worked at the end of January soon...

Does any one have any tips for how to reduce my spending this month? Any advice on how to make more money in February?

Bad Roads, Bad Day....

The road conditions are less than perfect today. Luckily, I live really close to work, so my drive was okay. Now that I'm at work, I just want to be at home.

I'm spending another weekend at home. I will see the bf the next weekend, and then the weekend after Valentine's Day. I guess it's a compromise....

Still no acceptance/rejection letters from graduate school....

I plan on tracking all of my expenses for February (every penny). I received a survey invitation through MySurvey that asks me to do the same thing! I have to say what type of purchase it was, what type of payment I used, and the purchase total. The survey pays 1,000 points ($10) at the end of the month. Normally I would think this is a lot of effort for $10. Since I'm doing this anyway, I might as well log in to MySurvey and make $10 for the month.

I purchased by boyfriend's Valentine's Day present yesterday. He said I need to spend under $20...so I bought him a colander from Target. I know it's not very romantic, but he needs one. We're also going to make dinner on Saturday night (the weekend after Valentine's Day). The final menu is still incomplete.