I received a $10 check in the mail from MySurvey. I will get around to depositing it. I plan on adding it to my emergency fund since it could really use a boost. I'm also waiting on a second $10 check. I will have to wait to order any additional checks until after I move (I don't have enough points anyway), so I don't have to wait even longer while the check is forwarded to my new address!
Before I found an apartment, I created a sample budget for the next year. Unfortunately, I was unable to find an apartment and utilities for under $600. I plan on shopping for cheaper car insurance and paying the full amount in August. This will give me $100 of breathing room in my budget.
Rent $625
Electric $100
Internet $30
Food $150
Fun/Misc/Laundry $50
Gas $45
Savings $0
With this budget, I will be unable to save any money. Therefore, I created a goal budget, which I hope to be able to implement by November.
Rent $625
Electric $75 ($25 savings) I will try to keep my electric costs low by using CFLs, turning down my water heater, and using my programmable thermostat.
Internet $30
Food $100 ($50 savings) I plan to avoid eating out to keep my food budget low. I will pack meals and snacks. I will also try meal planning and cooking in bulk.
Fun/Misc/Laundry $50
Gas $20 ($25 savings) I will have free access to public transportation, so I will have to get used to using it. I will also ride my bike as much as possible. I live too far away from things to walk.
Savings $100
Even with my goal budget, I will only be able to save $1200 per year for extras and travel. I will have to start putting away any extra money that I receive--gifts, fellowships, etc. I have also contacted the local branch of the company that I work with part time. The local branch has not contacted me yet, so I sent the hiring manager an e-mail. I also plan on stopping by before I start classes.
Yesterday, I went a little crazy with my spending. I thought I would come clean on my blog.
I feel a little guilty for my excessive spending, but I have room for the purchases in my budget. Plus, I already have two Christmas gifts purchased--my sister and my boyfriend.
My budget for September is going to be a little unusual because I only have to pay 1/2 of my rent (move-in special). I will not be paid during the month of September, so this money will come exclusively from my moving fund.
Rent $312.50
Electric $100
Food $150
Fun $100
Gas $50
Laundry $10
Internet $30
Total=$752.50
With my moving fund at $1,220.81, I should have enough money to cover my September expenses and $150 from August.
After looking at my pay days for August, I realized that I will receive two pay checks during August. Therefore, I will only have to survive September without a pay check. Even with a regular pay check, I will only be able to contribute to my 401(k). I'm estimating that I will spend $150 more than I will bring in during August.
Rent $625
This is for my new apartment. I don't have to pay any rent at my current apartment for August.
Utilities $120
I'm estimating $20 for my current apartment and $100 for my new apartment. The new apartment bill will include connection costs and air conditioning.
Insurance $350
I'm shopping for car insurance and rental insurance. I will try to pay for both types in full (rather than payments) in order to avoid a lot of extra bills.
Gasoline $300
I plan on spending about $250 on gas during my move. I also ordered a $50 Shell gift card through MyPoints.
Hotel $200
I will have to spend 2 nights in a hotel instead of the one. I will try to keep this cost to a minimum. However, I don't feel comfortable sleeping in my car because I will have two bikes (one is very expensive) on a bike rack on my car.
Food $150
This is going to be a struggle. I will try to keep my eating out to a minimum. I'm also trying to consume what is currently in my cupboards. One of my friends is also moving, so I received a few bags of food from her last night.
Internet $60
This includes $30/month fee plus the original $30 set-up charge.
Books/School Stuff $400
I know this is a bit high, but I want to plan for the worst (and hope for the cheapest).
Retirement $450
I am currently only contributing to my 401(k) through work. I stopped contributing to my Roth IRA to build up my cash savings.
Fun/Misc $100
I want to enjoy my first few weeks in the new city before I start classes. I also don't want to say I can't afford something to a potential new friend.
Laundry $20
I have a lot of laundry to do!
I'm currently over budget by $150. I hope to cut the hotel costs down to $80 by staying with a friend ($120 savings). I'm also hoping to keep my new electric bill below $100.
I just received my first payment of $31.10 from SocialSpark. I added the money to my down payment account. My down payment account hit $4,049.79, which is 13.5% of my $30,000 goal.
It's almost the end of July (and I get paid on Friday), so I decided to transfer the excess money in my checking account to my various savings accounts.
I added the budgeted $50 to my clothing fund, which brings the total to $170.18. I need to save $250 for the bridesmaid dress. However, I also need to purchase a new pair of running shoes and a new bra.
I added an additional $200 to my moving fund, which brings my moving fund to $1,220.81. During July, I added a total of $474.13 to my moving account. However, I'm trying to get my account to $2,359.96 by August 15th. I'm currently at 51.7% of my goal.
My emergency fund received a $250 boost. $20 of this money came from MySurvey checks. During July, I have added $670 to my emergency fund ($40 from MySurvey checks). My emergency fund is now at $2,509.96, which is 50.2% of my $5k goal.
My down payment account now has a total of $4,018.69. I just transferred $3 from a PineCone survey and $8 from a PPP opp. This is 13.4% of my long term goal of $30,000.
Even though I have updated my savings goals, I'm still going to add the little tidbits of money that I make online and from this blog to my down payment account. At my current AdSense rate, I will receive a single AdSense payment annually (~$103). I will also have the infrequent PPP and SocialSpark payments.
This is part of a series of posts about being single, frugal, and fabulous! It's how to survive without roommates, parents, and significant others. I'm not claiming to know everything...but I'll share what I've learned.
When I looked for my first apartment, I considered the cost of rent, but not utilities. Therefore, I didn't consider the $100+ that I would have to pay for water, electric, gas, cable, and Internet; and that was with a roommate! By minimizing utility costs you can save money and do something nice for the earth.
Here are a few tips to keep utility sticker shock away:
This is part of a series of posts about being single, frugal, and fabulous! It's how to survive without roommates, parents, and significant others. I'm not claiming to know everything...but I'll share what I've learned.
Women spend a lot of money on their hair. Highlights, color, haircuts, perms, and products really add up month after month. I used to spend a lot on my hair. However, I have learned from my mistakes and I hope you can have a hair evolution of your own.
Since color and highlights are expensive (and you must keep them up), consider going with your natural color. Without paying for hair color, you could afford to save a little bit more and have an occasional manicure.
Try a new hairstyle. I have a hairstyle that I can stretch each hair cut a little longer. Instead of getting my hair cut every 6-8 weeks, I'm able to cut my hair every 3-4 months. If you have a hair cut that requires frequent trims, avoid stretching the haircut past its expiration date or come up with a fantastic hide-your-haircut solution.
Since my lifestyle will be changing significantly in a month, I need to update my savings goals to match my new spending and income patterns. The savings goals for most of my accounts have decreased, but my travel account is increasing.
I will be moving 1,500 miles away from my family and my boyfriend. Therefore, I need to have money set aside for plane tickets home, which is not cheap. Since I have ignored my travel account until now, I really have to work hard to get it to a healthy level. Currently my travel account has $200.64. My goal is to have $900 in this account by November. If I don't have $900, then I won't be able to afford a ticket home for Thanksgiving and will have to wait until Christmas. Right now, my travel account is at 22.3% of my short term goal of $900. My long term goal is to have $2,000 in the account, and I am currently at $10%.
Another new, but important, account is my moving fund. I currently have $1,020.81 in the account. My goal is to have $2,347.50 by 8/15/08. I came up with the magic goal number by estimating my utility bill (only electric), 6 weeks of rent, food, fun/misc, gas (~$280 for moving plus daily driving), hotel costs (while moving), insurance (rental and car), and books.
This blog is dedicated to saving for a down payment. Unfortunately, my lower income will prohibit buying a home until I graduate. On the bright side, I reached my short term goal of $4k (currently at $4,007.69). However, I'm only at 13.3% of my $30k long term goal.
I also need to build my emergency fund. My old goal was $12,000, which would be enough for 6 months of basic needs. Since my income has been drastically reduced, I will be able to pay all of my bills (and eat) with $1,000 per month. Therefore, I changed my short term savings goal to $5k, and my long term goal to $6k. My emergency fund is currently at $2,359.96, which is 47% of my short term goal (39.3% of my long term goal).
My car maintenance account is partially set up for maintenance with a short term goal of $1k, but doubles as a car replacement account with a long term goal of $10k. My account currently has a total of $467.84, but will be significantly reduced when I take it in for the necessary brake work.
My clothing fund is to encourage saving for the bridesmaid dress that I have to purchase. The dress will cost around $250. Right now, my clothing account has a total of $120.18, but I need to purchase a new pair of running shoes and a new bra.
Transitioning back into the student lifestyle will be difficult. I'm going to try to avoid acquiring any credit card debt. I'm also going to try to save at least $50/month.
This is part of a series of posts about being single, frugal, and fabulous! It's how to survive without roommates, parents, and significant others. I'm not claiming to know everything...but I'll share what I've learned.
When I graduated from college and started to receive a pay check, I felt like I had SO much money and had a serious shopping problem. I also would shop for something to do. Now, I've cultivated less expensive hobbies that I can do by myself like knitting, running, biking, etc. I would also recommend doing something more productive with your time like volunteering.
The hardest thing for me to control was my urge to shop. I reigned in my spending by setting a clothing budget and sticking to it! I would keep track of how much I had spent each month.
Currently I spend about $50/month on clothing and make-up. In order to dress fabulously and stay under budget, I've had to perfect my shopping abilities. Sales are my best friends. I've also discovered a love for online shopping. I look for coupons and free shipping codes on a few different websites (try slickdeals or fatwallet for coupon codes). I also go to eBates and click the stores link for cash-back. Sign up for e-mails from your favorite stores only if you can delete them without opening them if you don't need (this does not include wants) any clothing items.
I also recommend avoiding dry clean only items if possible. You'll thank me later.
I contributed $4.13 to my moving fund from half.com sales. This brings my moving fund to $1,020.81. This is 43.5% of my $2,347.50 goal. Unfortunately, I need to meet this goal by August 15th, so I don't think I will make it. However, I'm going to try to get there!
This is part of a series of posts about being single, frugal, and fabulous! It's how to survive without roommates, parents, and significant others. I'm not claiming to know everything...but I'll share what I've learned.
Decorating your first apartment can be difficult and expensive. I hope to provide a few tips to help you keep your sanity and save a few dollars!
Slowly build and put together your rooms. Don't rush in and buy a lot of stuff to decorate your apartment. Your apartment will have a lot more meaning if you slowly acquire decorations through experience. I have a fabulous flower print that I bought at a silent auction at a gallery opening. Plus, I have a fantastic story and a fabulous night to remember when I look at the picture.
In order to create cheap wall decorations, try making your own. Purchase a canvas and a few oil colors. It can make a fun Saturday project! You can match your decor and create something abstract. Also, if you have any artist friends, ask for a piece of their art for your birthday or gift giving occasion. I received a beautiful landscape done by one of my friends for Christmas.
In college, posters were the coolest things to decorate your walls with. Unfortunately, push pins look a little silly in your apartment now. If you can't live without your favorite college posters, frame them. Try using a 40% off coupon at Michael's for purchasing a frame.
I received a $5 paypal payment from PPP. I debated depositing the cash into either my moving fund or my emergency fund. However, I decided to just add the money to my down payment account. This brings my down payment account to $4,007.69, which is 13.3% of my $30,000 goal.
I plan on adding any money made through PPP, SocialSpark, and Google AdSense to my down payment account. I will deposit my second job pay checks into my moving fund. I will divide my checks from MySurvey between my moving account and my emergency fund (I have $20 on the way).
Since my blog is anonymous, I can admit that the first purchase I made with my $25 iTunes gift certificate was I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry.
I'll probably download a few episodes from Dirt, Season 2. I will probably keep buying My Boys episodes too...I can't wait a week until the episode is released to the Internet for free (very unfrugal of me).
I found an old notebook (before my discovery of Moleskine); and I was mesmerized by the old me. At 24, I was just starting to create a budget, pay off my credit cards, and save for retirement. At the time, my parents were paying my car payment and car insurance. I wouldn't have been able to make ends meet because my roommate had skipped town and I couldn't find another one. I cancelled my cable, turned down my heat, and paid $785/month for rent.
I was making about $33,000 and contributing about $5k to my retirement accounts. I hadn't opened my Roth IRA, and I had no serious savings accounts. I was single, working on being happy, developing personal hobbies, and struggling to find out what I wanted to do with my life.
After reading my old entries, I know I'm much happier now. I feel more secure about money. I take my boyfriend for granted. I used to struggle to fill my time alone. Now I enjoy my time alone and get annoyed if people impose on my alone time. I have also settled on a field for graduate school. I also was much more concerned about personal hygiene habits--shaving, hair cuts, styling hair, wearing make-up, etc. I'm still a girly girl, but I won't die if my toe nail polish is smudged!
I watched Morgan Spurlock's 30 days of making minimum wage. I will admit that I was annoyed at first, but then I realized how hard it must be to make ends meet at a minimum wage job.
I laughed when Spurlock was looking for free activities in Columbus, Ohio. I also teared up when I saw their hospital bills. The health care industry is ridiculous and unchecked. It's hard for me to stomach the ridiculous expenses of simple things like ace bandages. In order to avoid a rant, I will just end my discussion here.
Since I'm trying to save as much money as possible, I'm trying to be creative with my gift giving. For my younger sister's birthday, I gave her a subscription to Lucky magazine purchased with Coke Rewards points. I ordered the subscription today, so she will receive an issue by (or near) her birthday. Since I will be 1500 miles away, I won't be able to celebrate her birthday with her. Since it's her 21st birthday, I don't think she would want a cake anyway. I also sent her a free e-card (to be delivered on her birthday).
I've successfully completed two of my five new years resolutions. I will be attending graduate school in the fall. I also hit the $4k mark in my down payment account! A pay check ($158.13) from my second job brings the total of my down payment account to $4,002.69!
For a recap, my new years resolutions were
Since I've reached my down payment goals for this year, I'm going to focus on my emergency fund. As a graduate student, my down payment account has become less of a priority. Therefore, the income from my second job will now be added to my emergency fund. I'm going to try to get my emergency fund to $5k. I will still deposit any money earned blogging (PPP, Google, Social Spark, etc.) into my down payment fund. However, I will continue to deposit MySurvey checks into my moving fund until October, then I will start depositing the checks into my emergency fund.
I transferred $100 to my travel account, which brings the total to $200.64. Unfortunately, this is not enough to buy my ticket home for Christmas. I will try to save some extra cash after I make it through August and September.
I also transferred $100 to my car maintenance fund. This brings the total to $467.84. Most of this account will be devoured by necessary brake work, which will cost about $300. I'm planning on having this work done next week.
I'm back from a fabulous weekend that I spent with my boyfriend! I drove down to visit him, so I wasn't at home. It was nice to get away from my current town. We ate all of our meals in, but we did make a quick trip to the mall. I picked up 3 shirts at Express for $19.90 (including tax). I purchased two shirts for $24.50 and a second clearance shirt for $4.17. I also had a $10 off coupon to bring the total below $20.
I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with packing and moving. Since I'm taking only my car (not a trailer or truck), I have to get rid of a lot of stuff! I thought I would be able to bring everything except my furniture. However, I'm starting to reconsider what will fit into my car. I don't think I'll be able to take my TV, so I'm giving it to my boyfriend (he was the muscle behind the find). I'm going to have to evaluate what items from my kitchen will fit. I plan on bring the majority of my clothing, but I'm going to purchase space saver bags to help with the packing.
I had a $10 check for MySurvey in my mailbox today. I plan on depositing it into my moving account because I have a lot of saving to do before my moving fund hits $2,347.50 (currently at $1,016.68).
I did a few surveys on MySurvey, which put me over 1,000 points (1,000 points=$10). I requested another $10 check! Recently MySurvey has been giving me a lot of survey opportunities, but it goes in spurts. Some months, I don't get any. However, I haven't heard from PineCone in a while.
This is part of a series of posts about being single, frugal, and fabulous! It's how to survive without roommates, parents, and significant others. I'm not claiming to know everything...but I'll share what I've learned.
I am not a fan of my lady days (yes, I just made this term up). However, When I consider the alternatives--being pregnant, old, or male--I realize it's only three days. In order to survive these unpleasant three days every month, I do three things
I added $400 to my emergency fund, which brings the total to $2,359.96. This is the first time that my emergency fund has been over $2k! I am at 19.7% of my $12,000 goal.
I also added $270 to my moving fund. My moving fund is currently at $1,016.68. Since I will be without a paycheck for 6 weeks, I need to revamp my moving budget.
Gas $300
~$280 for the move and a little more for grocery runs. I will take public transportation as much as possible.
Hotel $100
I will try to get a cheaper room, but I plan on stopping when I get tired.
Rent $937.50
This amount is for a month and a half (August 15-September 31)
Food $200
I won't be able to eat out very much. I will eat a lot of Ramen!
Electric $150
I have to pay a turn on fee of $20, but I'm trying to avoid paying a large deposit.
Fun $150
I'll be in a new town, and I want to have a little fun. However, this category will be the first to be slashed if I run out of cash.
Laundry $10
It's a much warmer climate, so I will probably have to do more laundry.
Books + Extra $500
I don't know how much this stuff will cost. I know that I will have to purchase my books and my ID card.
TOTAL=$2,347.50
I've got a lot of saving to do!!!!
I won a $10 Target gift card from Almost Frugal! She gave away a $10 Target gift card (won by me), $10 Barnes and Noble gift card, and a $10 Bath and Body Works gift card. She didn't spend any money on the gift cards, but earned them through MyPoints. I like her already! She's thinking about having another Target gift card giveaway, so check out Almost Frugal!
My sister is getting married next summer, and I need to start setting aside money for the event. I think she's settled on the bridesmaids' dresses, which will cost $250 from J.Crew. I'm going to be on the hunt for coupon codes in the next few months to get the cost down. However, I'm a little worried that she will change her mind again, so I'm going to put off buying the dress.
This is part of a series of posts about being single, frugal, and fabulous! It's how to survive without roommates, parents, and significant others. I'm not claiming to know everything...but I'll share what I've learned.
I hate cleaning, but I also hate clutter. When I had a roommate, we would have a cleaning day once a month and spend the day disinfecting our grossness (each of us blaming the majority of the mess on the other). When I decided to live on my own, I realized that I am responsible for the large stack of dishes in the sink....and it's my fault that the bathroom sink has toothpaste stuck to it.
Since I'm the only one cleaning my apartment, spending a full day cleaning my apartment (ALONE) sounds like torture. I created a cleaning schedule, so I have a chore every day of the week. If I know that I have plans one night, I will double up on chores the night before or after. If I keep up with the list, each chore takes under fifteen minutes since my apartment isn't very big. I've rearranged items on the list to fit my needs (vacuuming on Friday because my bedroom can be very messy if I didn't clean it a few days before), but I think it's a solid outline of necessary chores broken down into a bite-size pieces.
Monday--Clean Kitchen--loading/unloading the dishwasher, washing the floor, wiping down the counters, and cleaning out the refrigerator.
Tuesday--Clean Bathroom--Wipe down the sink and counter, pick up clothes and towels, clean toilet, wipe down tub.
Wednesday--Clean Bedroom--Pick up clothes (mainly), put away clean laundry, change sheets.
Thursday--Clean living room--Dust, pick up random stuff, put dishes in kitchen.
Friday--Vacuum--Vacuuming my entire apartment takes about 10 minutes.
Saturday--Laundry--Since I don't have laundry in my apartment, I try to get at least one load of laundry done a week.
Sunday--Take out garbage and recycling.
I scored a 92% on the BillsIQ scale.
Credit 88/100
Debt 100/100
Budget 94/100
Wealth 96/100
Life Plan 84/100
Even though I'm beyond stressed and busy, I took an extra shift at my second job tomorrow evening. Since I'm going to be without a pay check for a month and a half, earning as much money as possible right now is extremely important!
I also need to look into keeping my employment with my second job company. I'm almost positive there is a branch down there, but I haven't looked into it. My boss (at my part time job) is lazy and incompetent, so I'll have to do it by myself....
This month, Marie Claire had an article for young, single women that are venturing out on their own (sans roommate). I found the article amusing, but not helpful. The article actually recommended on splurging on a chandler ($700+)....WHAT?! I live in an apartment with low ceilings a chandelier would look dumb and I'm sure I would hit my head on it!
I'm going to try to put together my thoughts and experiences about living alone and doing it all while keeping costs down. I admit that I don't have everything figured out, but I do know that a chandelier that could cover a month of rent in a one bedroom starter apartment would be over the top and ridiculous. If any of my readers have topic ideas, please e-mail me or leave a comment.
Every once in a while, I receive an Amazon gift certificate for filling out a survey online (usually $5). I've started saving my Amazon gift certificates for textbooks. I currently have $37.01 in Amazon gift certificates saved up (I broke down and used some=$2.01). I'm don't know if I'll be able to purchase all of my textbooks online, but I'm trying to save enough gift certificates to cover at least one book. Unfortunately, I have a LONG way to go!
I've also abandoned my Nars blush (in Orgasm) for Benefit's bronzer-blush combo product, Dallas. It's the perfect color for summer. I will admit that I use my own blush brush (their little brush is cute, but useless) to apply the product. Since I'm very fair, I have to be careful not to apply to much. However, if I apply self-tanner, Dallas also looks great! While I like the color of Orgasm, the shimmer (almost glitter like) was a little bit too much for day.
I'm also digging my new Benefit mascara, BADgal. Much like DiorShow, the product has an extremely fat wand that puts a lot of product on your lashes without clumping. The mascara does a great job of staying put throughout the day (I rub my eyes a lot), but comes off with my make-up remover (currently using a Neutrogena product).
I deposited an additional $20 (from MySurvey) into my emergency fund, which brings the total to $1,859.96 (15.5% of my $12k goal).
I added $68.90 to my clothing fund (birthday gift, waiting for shoes), which brings the total to $120.18. I need to start saving up for the bridesmaid's dress for next summer and buy a few new t-shirts.
I received another $10 check from MySurvey this weekend. When I checked my e-mail, I even had two survey offers, which I completed this morning. I'm still about 500 points away from my next $10 check...but hey, I need all the help I can get! I will add this $10 to my emergency fund....
This is a sponsored post.
Even though I live in a one bedroom apartment, my bathroom is pretty big (my bathroom is about three times the size of a typical apartment bathroom). However, my bathroom doesn't have a window (a downside of living in an apartment). If I use a candle (and the wick isn't properly trimmed), the candle will put a lot of smoke into my bathroom, which I hate.
I currently have the Seaside Breezes TriScents scented oil air freshner in my bathroom. I really like the Seaside Breezes because it's a nice subtle scent (and it doesn't smell like a flowery grandmother bathroom) that doesn't overwhelm the bathroom. When you go into the bathroom, you don't know which of the three scents will be present! I also like that you can purchase refills and don't have to replace the entire unit when the scented oils are empty. Since my bathroom is big, I don't know if the TriScent unit would work in an extremely small space. However, I'm tempted to move it to my living room...watching television (DVDs rented through Blockbuster online) and relaxing to Seaside Breezes...sounds great!
TriScents are a fun way to keep home smells to a minimum. Visit this page to print a coupon for the Renuzit TriScents Starter Kit. Saving money and a nice scent...sounds good to me!
Today is the annual company picnic. Since I don't want to get a short sleeve t-shirt tan line, I packed a bottle of sunscreen in my work bag.
When I arrived at work, I looked inside my bag...there was sunscreen all over! I was able to wipe the sunscreen off everything except my headphones. No sound is coming out of the left side....I guess I'll have to buy a new pair this weekend. I will probably purchase a set of in ear headphones, and I'll try to keep it under $20.
I wear solid color t-shirts almost every day....under stuff, over stuff...A nice fitting solid t-shirt is my clothing staple for work. Unfortunately, all of my solid color t-shirts (at least 3 years old) are looking pretty horrible. This weekend, I plan on stocking up. I have a $35 gift certificate to Banana Republic...I'll also swing by J. Crew and The Gap. I tried Old Navy once, but the t-shirts only lasted a few months. I will also look for a few solid colored tank tops....
Since returning from vacation, I've been in a funk. I am frustrated about my financial situation and about moving. I don't know how I'm going to make ends meet for a month and a half without a pay check. Only through the kindness of friends and family will I have any furniture in my new apartment.
I also feel overwhelmed with work. I have a lot of things to wrap up at my primary job, but I'm also working a lot of extra shifts at my part time job. The current state of my apartment is disaster mode (it's a total mess). Plus, I need to sort through everything!
I recently read a few other bloggers that are frustrated with their life/financial situation. JW's wife (We Need To Be Debt Free) opened credit cards without his knowledge and racked up $3,800 in credit card debt. Jim's wife (My Debt Blog) was in a car accident (expensive car repairs) and her student loans are growing (I don't know if they're putting any money toward them).
Recently, I haven't had many opportunities through PPP. However, I did receive a payment for $5.50 from a post I wrote last month. This brings my down payment account total to $3,838.03....getting closer to $4k!
When I originally received my graduate school information, I was told that I would start work on the first of September. Therefore, I planned to work most of August, so I wouldn't have a break of pay checks (and keep earning money at a higher rate).
I recently found out that I have to go through an orientation (unpaid). My last day of work will be August 8th. I will not receive a pay check from my new "job" until the end of September. I'm really going to have to watch how I spend my money for the next few months. I'm worried that I will have to spend my entire moving fund and a lot of my emergency fund to make up this gap.
My down payment account is currently at $3,832.53, which is 12.8% of my $30,000 goal. The recent increase ($169.66) was a pay check that I deposited from my second job!!! However, I am now $167.47 away from my year end goal of having $4,000 in my down payment account. I want to reach $4k by the end of July. I'm almost positive that I can reach my goal by the end of the month because I have quite a few shifts at my second job.
Yes, Distractible Jane wroke a Haiku about me....
Saving Diva Haiku.
Diva of Finance
I wonder if her first name
is really "Saving"?
GENIUS!!!!!!!! I love it!
During my visit, I found an apartment ($625/month + electric) and set a move-in date (August 15th). I can check item 7 off of my July goals!
My apartment is nice, but I am worried about my electric bill. I will try to keep my bill low by using the programmable thermostat and sticking to my frugal habits (update on P: her electric bill is over $100 for the summer months).
I will probably have to buy only a few furniture items because I'm getting cast-off furniture from friends and family. This will keep my moving needs low...I also do not need to purchase a laptop because one will be provided for me from the grant that I will be working on.
When I checked my e-mail, I have a lovely $10 in my paypal account from Pinecone. I deposited the money into my down payment account. This brings the total of my down payment account to $3,662.87, which is 12.2% of my $30,000 goal. I need to deposit an additional $337.13 to meet my July goal of reaching $4,000!
Fabulously Broke in the City is still cleaning out her closet! She's lowering prices at her site, Fabulously Broke's Closet, but will close the site down on July 18th. If there was an item you were thinking about purchasing, you should definitely check out her site. Also, 15% of the profits from FB's Closet are donated to the Canadian Cancer Society.
I thought I would highlight my favorite posts this week....
Mark at TheLocoMono provides a breakdown of the borrower's credit grades at Prosper. I have been investing in Prosper for a while, but I haven't understood the ratings. Therefore, I've only loaned to people with A or AA grades.
Dollar Frugal wants a scooter....Me too! I want one because they're cute....but I have a pretty cool bike, so the scooter will have to wait.
Ask Dong also writes in support of brokers. I would have thought that brokers would always make the product more expensive.
Living Off Dividends is renting a property that is being foreclosed!
My Two Dollars gives 35 Ways to Watch Television without Cable or Satellite. I love it!
I had one weekend trip during June, so my restaurant spending looks a little crazy. Overall, I think I had a pretty good month!
Rent $670/$670
Utilities $15/$14.95 I only pay electric.
Laundry $10/$0 I did my laundry at my parents' house over father's day. I still have quarters from May! Plus, my mom gave me a roll of quarters since I won't be able to visit for a while.
Gym $30/$30 I will cancel my gym membership in July.
Car Payment $225/$379.89 I used money from my EF to pay off my car loan. It feels really good to drive a paid off car!
Gas $150/$154.46 I had a weekend trip, trips to see my boyfriend, and I went home for father's day.
Food $200/$281.43 I spent $154.46 at grocery stores and $126.97 at restaurants. I really thought this would be higher! My boyfriend treated me to a few meals out....
Fun/Misc $100/$55.05 I had a lot of fun this month, but I spend the majority of my nights out at restaurants. Therefore, my food budget is way over, but my fun account is way under.
Gifts $50/$45.89 Baby shower gifts and boyfriend's sister's wedding gift.
Retirement $460/$460 Stopped Roth IRA ($250/month) contributions to help bulk up my moving fund.
Emergency Fund $200/$50 Paid off my car loan.
Moving Fund $270/$475.78 I added birthday money and profits from eBay and half.com.
Car Maintenance Fund $100/$100 Saving up for my brake work.
Travel $100/$100
I've been acquiring points through MyPoints, but I hadn't picked out any gift certificates. Today I decided to request a $25 iTunes gift card. Now, I'll be able to buy an occasional song or television show. I don't spend a lot on iTunes (about $15/year), but it would be nice to be able to treat myself for a song or two when the mood strikes.
I can't wait for my gift certificate to arrive!
My net worth is currently $29,441! I'm getting very close to my new years resolution of reaching $30,000. However, I will spend a lot of my savings on the move, laptop, and new furniture. Even though my investments (retirement and mutual funds) took a bit of a tumble (-1.97% and -3.17% respectively), my net worth increased by 4.87%, or $1,368. The majority of the increase came from my savings accounts with an increase of $1,527.
Thank you to all of the people that participated in my poll! 50% of the votes recommended that I should add the money to my moving fund. Therefore, I transferred the money to my moving fund, which brings the total to $745.78.
If any one is interested in signing up for MySurvey, please consider using my referral link.
Recently, Pinecone decreased my payments from $5/per survey to $3/survey. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to participate in 2 surveys. I received the $6 through PayPal and deposited the money into my down payment account.
The small addition brings my down payment account to $3,652.87, which is 12.2% of my $30k goal.
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.
