Even with the move, my net worth increased by 1.97% to $31,336. I'm extremely surprised that my net worth went up. The majority of the increase was in my checking account. I didn't spend as much moving as I thought I would. I won't receive any money in the next month (first pay check from my stipend will be at the beginning of October), so my net worth will go down next month.
I cut my movie subscription service (mentioned in this post), and I have switched to Netflix. I previously had the $20 blockbuster plan (3 at a time, 5 in store rentals/month). Since my fun/misc budget has been slashed in half ($100->$50), I decided to downgrade my service. I switched to the one-at-a-time Netflix option ($9), which includes unlimited streaming Internet watching. I've watched one item on the Internet, but most of the stuff I want to see is going to require actually receiving the DVD in the mail. Even though I'm only saving $11/month, I think this switch was the right decision.
I had a class that runs until 1 p.m. today, which is right through my normal lunch time. I packed snacks, so I wouldn't be starving on my bus ride home. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I chose to have lunch with a few of my classmates. I spent about $7 on a bottle of water and a sandwich.
For the entire month of August, I haven't been doing a good job of tracking my finances. I think I'm just going to let myself slide and assess the damage on Sunday. I've been so overwhelmed with moving that I have allowed myself to swipe my credit card to make myself feel better (which is a very un-pf blogger thing to do).
Be prepared for a train wreck posting on Sunday!
I've been to two different orientations, and I have my third orientation today. I've met a lot of different people at the two orientations; but everyone already has groups of friends, roommates, or significant others to do stuff with. Since I have moved in I've completed 4 novels (nothing worth noting), watched 3 movies (Smart People, Miss Pettigrew lives for a day, 21), and watched 8 episodes of the Gilmore Girls.
Things with my boyfriend are good. We talk on the phone a lot, which I know is a struggle for him. He's coming to visit in October, and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm looking into flights over Thanksgiving to visit him. My parents are supportive about me not going home (and visiting the boyfriend instead) over the Thanksgiving holiday if I'm home for Christmas (which I will be).
My bike was totalled during the trip down here. Luckily my insurance company is going to cover it (minus my deductible). I will have about $700 coming my way soon. I plan on using it to purchase a practical bike that I can ride around town.
I just added $3 to my down payment account from a PineCone survey that I took recently. Currently, my down payment account has $4,088.46, which is 13.6% of my $30,000 goal.
Since I'm putting off home buying for at least a few years, I wonder if $30,000 will be enough for a down payment on a home. I also don't have any idea what area of the country I will be buying in. I am going to stick with my $30k goal, but I realize that I may have to save quite a bit more in the upcoming years.
I just added $131.25 to my travel fund, which brings the total to $332.21. The $131.25 check was my last pay check from my part time job. I have to admit that it was sad to see that extra income disappear.
I am still going to try to visit my boyfriend over Thanksgiving. However, my travel fund of $332.21 will probably not cover the full cost of the flight. I may start adding the checks I earn through MySurvey to my travel fund.
As I promised, I will provide a detailed account of how much I spent during my move. I'm even including the unnecessary spending (iPod armband to fit my new Nike+).
$25 Tip at the Spa--I had a massage paid for with the gift certificate from my coworkers. I had a 90 minute massage and it was fabulous. I have $25 remaining on the gift certificate. I'm thinking about saving up for another massage in a few months.
$23.84 on Space Saver Bags. This expense was really worth it. I was able to fit everything into my car.
$92.95 on gas (this doesn't include the $50 Shell gas card I spent) I planned on spending $250, so I really saved a lot of money in this area. This was helped a lot because my mom paid for half of the gas on the trip down.
$9 on parking. I drove to my orientation because I didn't have the bus schedule worked out yet. I will try to avoid driving to campus when possible because parking is scarce and expensive.
$85.86 on food. I ate out for almost a week. I have to admit that my eating habits were atrocious, and I'm trying to get back into a routine.
$64.84 to get my Internet set-up (and for the first month of service). I estimated $60.
$28.84 on random stuff for my apartment and me (knitting needles, spatula, iPod armband, extra keys)
$243.52 on books (does not include the $37.01 I had saved up in Amazon gift certificates). I guessed I would spend about $400. I purchased two books on half.com; so I hope the sellers will ship the books out promptly because I start classes next week.
I have spent a total of $573.85 in the past two weeks on moving and getting set-up in my new apartment and new town.
I will provide a more detailed moving cost summary. However, I spend significantly less than I had budgeted because my mother drove with me. She covered the hotel and half of the gas costs. I used the $50 Shell gift card (earned through MyPoints) for part of my share of the gas. I also estimated gas prices to be much higher than we paid (we paid $3.55-$3.79/gallon). We also drove between 60 and 65 miles per hour to increase my car's gas mileage.
I also have taken a few trips to visit relatives. I've spent money on gas (~$50), but I have been fed, given cast-off furniture and house supplies. I don't' see my relatives in this part of the country very often, so it's been nice to catch up.
While I was away from the internet, my fantastic readers signed up for MySurvey through my referral link. I was able to redeem my points yesterday for a $30 check! Today, I finished a bunch of surveys (they really stack up when you're away from your computer for a few weeks) and redeemed my points for another $10 check.
Thanks to all of my readers that signed up with MySurvey! I promise to be responsible with the money and add it to my travel fund (for holiday trips home) or to my emergency fund!
I'm working on adjusting to the new bus schedule. There are SO many bus routes (which is a plus) and the buses run more frequently (and have longer hours). I plan on getting a few bus routes worked out and not worrying about the rest. I have the route from my apartment to the main campus worked out. I will probably end up driving to any other locations (secondary campus, grocery store, etc) until I'm able to figure out the rest of the bus lines.
I currently have $4,085.46 in my down payment account. $27.94 is from various PPP opps and PineCone surveys. I also earned $7.73 in interest.
I apologize for being absent around the blogosphere lately. I will return on Friday (scheduled to have my internet)! Getting everything set-up down here has been a lot more time consuming than I had expected. A few highlights--my friend is no longer moving down here (better job offer), I lost my bike (I'm really upset) on the drive down, and I have furniture in my apartment (thank you IKEA).
I don't have any more scheduled posts, but I will try to update my blog on Friday!
This isn't a sponsored post, but I wanted to rave about Space Bags. I bought $40 worth of bags from Linens N Things to help with the move. The amount of space that I saved by packing in the bags was amazing! I was able to collapse my down comforter down to less than 25% of the original size. It was also a major help with clothing, but they didn't save as much space.
I finally received my $50 Shell gift card in the mail. I used to card to help defray the gas costs during my move.
I've now started the 6 week stretch before I receive my next pay check. I'm a little worried, but I have to remember that I have my moving fund and emergency fund to fall back on. I forgot all of the little things that I couldn't bring with me, but needed (cleaning supplies, sponges, etc.) to maintain a tidy apartment.
One of my old friends (haven't spoken in a few years) is also moving to the same city. I'm excited. I think he's going to stay with me (and save on hotel costs) while he searches for an apartment. I'm excited that I'll know at least one person that will be willing to drive me to the airport!
I'm sorry I've been absent from other blogs recently. I've been spending a lot of my time moving, packing, and unpacking. When I finally get Internet access in my new apartment, I will be able to resume my old routine.
When I flew down to look for my new home, I spend $245 for a round-trip flight. I was looking at possible flights home (to visit my bf and family), and I didn't see a flight for less than $475! I looked at various times (with +/- 3 days) and different airports. It looks like I'm going to have to start saving a LOT more for my travel fund. I also might not be able to afford to come back for my sister's bridal shower/bachelorette weekend.
I also looked into Amtrak. The trip would take 36 hours (one way) and cost at least $325 (no sleeping car). By taking the bus, I would shave off 7 hours, but the fare would cost $340!
I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, but it doesn't look like I will be able to travel home for Thanksgiving this year.
I was looking around town, and I found the most amazing gym ever! I totally want to join...I looked at their web page, and I started calculating how much it would cost annually to work out there (I went a little overboard).
$500 for sign-up
$1500 for monthly dues ($125/month)
$480 for a locker ($40/month)
$660 for a six-week shape up (twice weekly with a personal trainer)
$5,520 twice weekly visits with a personal trainer
$6,760 for twice weekly personal yoga sessions
$1,368 for weekly massages (including tip)
$2,448 for monthly facials (including tip)
$1,449 for monthly manicures and pedicures (including tip)
TOTAL $20,685
I don't even have $20k in my retirement accounts yet! However, I would love to have the money to afford something like the schedule outlined above. Unfortunately, I'm sure that I will never feel the urge to spend $20k at a gym!
Time-Warner is making it very difficult for me to get Internet access. The previous inhabitant of my apartment was a subscriber, so I have to fax Time-Warner a copy of my lease to prove that I'm the new tenant. Unfortunately, I don't have a fax machine....
Why me?! I need Internet!
Today, I'm moving into my new apartment. I scheduled this post for today because I knew I wouldn't have time to post. Plus, I don't know when I'll be able to get Time-Warner to hook up my internet. My bed will be delivered today (super excited)
I purchased rental insurance ($123 for the year) for my new apartment, which was number 2 on my list of August goals. I paid the full amount, so I wouldn't have to subtract something else from my small stipend. I budgeted $350 for insurance in August to cover the new rental and car insurance policies. I have $227 remaining, but I think I will have to spend about $270 for my 6 month car insurance premium.
I finally had the recommended brake work completed on my car. I used a $20 off coupon to get the price down to $272.64. This brings my car maintenance account to $196.19, which will also have to cover the oil change necessary after my move.
When I reached the $4k mark with my down payment account, I decided that I needed to shift my priority to my emergency fund. Therefore, I've decided to start depositing my earnings from my part time job into my emergency fund.
Today, I transferred $191.75 into my EF. This brings the total in my emergency fund to $2,706.69. I'm getting closer to my goal of $5k.
Spending $20/month for Blockbuster Online was great when I set aside $100 for entertainment every month. However, I will only have $50/month to split between laundry, fun, and miscellaneous items. Therefore, I've been thinking about cancelling my Blockbuster service or downgrading to a less expensive option.
I'm leaning toward Netflix because of the unlimited hours of streaming video through the Netflix website. I would have to decide between the 1 DVD at a time ($8.99) and 2 DVD at a time ($13.99) options. However, if I don't get Internet access and live close to a Blockbuster, I would probably downgrade to the 1 DVD at a time Blockbuster plan with 2 in-store rentals a month ($11.99+tax).
I also noticed there is a redbox location within a few miles of my new apartment. It would be worth the trip if I could get a free rental code.
I've never tried Netflix, so I'm not familiar with the streaming video option. Has anyone subscribed to this service?
Since my graduate school stipend will be extremely small, I have been brainstorming alternative income streams. I plan on visiting the branch of my part time job. However, my boss and I e-mailed them my information, and no one has tried to contact me. I may try to get a retail job and work on the weekends. I worry that I might spend too much of my pay check shopping.
I also thought about trying to make more of a profit from my blog. However, I don't have the time to dedicate to make this a serious blog. Plus, I use my blog as a journal more than an informational tool. However, I plan on checking out PPP and SocialSpark for opportunities.
I'm hoping that MySurvey will continue to give me a lot of survey opportunities. I also hoping that my change in location will spur more PineCone surveys. I haven't had a lot of luck with other survey sites, and I think my time can be more profitable in other areas.
I just deposited two $10 checks into my account. I'm debating whether I should put them in my emergency fund or my moving fund. I earned the $20 through MySurvey. Since I signed up for MySurvey, I've made a total of $300.
I have 1100 points at MySurvey, which is enough to redeem for a $10 check ($10=1,000 points). However, I'm going to wait after I move, so I don't have to deal with mail forwarding.
Update: I added the $20 to my emergency fun. This brings the total to $2,726.69, which is 54.5% of my $5,000 goal.
My friend and I were unable to get an appointment that fit with our schedules at the spa. I'm disappointed, but I'll be able to spend the money on something more productive....like food. I am disappointed that my friend and I won't be able to reminisce about our shared spa experience.
However, my coworkers gave me a gift certificate for a spa in my new city as a going-away present! I think I'll get a massage...and I don't know what else! I'm really excited. I will try to schedule the appointment before my classes start and I get too busy!
August will be a weird month because I'm moving 1,500 miles, moving into a new apartment, and packing up my current apartment. There are a lot of unknown expenses, which I hope to have covered in the $400 set aside for school stuff and $100 for miscellaneous expenses.
I also have a lot to do before I move--packing, purging, saying good byes--and after I move--switching insurance companies, changing my drivers license, unpacking. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, so I'll make a list!
Let's see how I did with my July Goals
4 out of 7...not too bad!
My current job offers free public transportation. I just have to flash my special little card. Unfortunately, I misplaced the card this morning. Therefore, I would have to pay the full cash fare of $1.
I also didn't have any cash. I ran into Walgreen's and bought conditioner ($4.27) and requested $10 cash back. I did need the conditioner. I've been using sample packets for the last month.
Oh...and I also ate lunch at McDonald's ($4.02).
My net worth is over $30,000! Even though the stock market is going down, my mutual fund decreased by 2.12% and my retirement accounts increased by $110 (even though I deposited $460). The real stand out was my savings accounts, which increased by $28.53%. My checking accounts decreased by $684 because I didn't include any additions after July 31st (paid on August 1st).
I met my net worth goal for 2008. My savings account will dip down for the next few months, but I hope my investments will rebound (*fingers crossed). I hope I can keep my net worth at $30k (and keep growing), but I'm not too confident.
I've started packing my stuff up. However, I have only packed one box that I am bringing with me. The rest of the stuff that I'm packed is going to my siblings or the Salvation Army.
In order to pack, I also need to wash everything. I'm going to try to do one load of laundry a day and packing (or sorting through) one area every day. Today, I'm going to sort through the linen closet. Then the coat closet...then the bathroom....the kitchen....bedroom closet (eek!)....
I've given away a lot of my stuff, but I still have so much more! I don't know what I'm going to do with all of my stuff!
I had an awesome weekend! It wasn't very frugal, but I was able to say good bye to a lot of friend and my bf came up.
On Friday, my bf came up and we watched a movie from Blockbuster Online--$20/month
Saturday morning, my bf brought me a homemade waffle in bed (made from food another friend had given me when she moved out)--FREE
We made Sangria for a BBQ at a friends house--$11 (2 bottles of wine $6, oranges $3, limes $2, sugar, and didn't add triple sec)
We had lunch at Wendy's and McDonald's (favorite items from each place)--$8
For dinner and evening entertainment, I went to my friend's for a BBQ. We had a blast. I'm really going to miss my friends.
On Sunday, my boyfriend made awesome sandwiches (he paid for groceries--FREE
We painted my bedroom ($17) We made the mistake of buying an oil-based paint (messy & hard to clean) and bought an indoor/outdoor paint (fumes made us sick for hours).
We made dinner with leftover groceries, but bought Klondike bars ($4) and watched two movies from Blockbuster (free, turned in two DVDs from the mail).
I travelled a lot during July, so my food spending was a little crazy ($27.79 at the grocery store versus $181.10 at restaurants). Since I'm leaving town, I've been saying my good byes over food. Not very frugal, but I've had a blast!
Let's look at my July budget (budget/actual)
Rent $670/$670
Utilities $15/$14.96
Laundry $10/$5
Food $200/$208.89--Not too bad considering I spent $181.10 at restaurants.
Fun/Misc--$100/$141.85
I spent $20 on drinks, $10 on tolls, $37 on movies (Blockbuster online & Get Smart), $17 to visit a museum, $6 at iTunes, $8 for Tetris on my phone, $22.32 on sunscreen and self-tanner, and $20 vaporized.
Clothing $50/$137.90
I pulled money from my clothing savings account to pay for the shoes I bought. I also purchased 5 new t-shirts.
Gifts $50/$121.37
I bought my sister and my boyfriend's Christmas gifts. I also had to pay for my sister's save-the-dates (I guess my parents aren't going to pay me back).
Healthcare $110/$110
Retirement $460/$460 (no longer contributing to my Roth)
Gym $30/$30
I forgot to cancel my membership, so I'll be charged in August too.
Gas $150/$183.12
I didn't count on having to buy gas during my trip to Texas. I found a new apartment, but I had to fill up the tank.
Emergency Fund $400/$670
Car Maintenance $100/$100
Travel $100/$100
Moving $270/$474.13
I have acquired a guilty pleasure...watching Quarterlife. It is a horrible show, but I'm addicted...At least it's free!
I cancelled my gym membership on Tuesday. Unfortunately, I have to give them 30 days notice, which means I'm going to have to pay my membership fees for August ($30). This will put my August budget OVER by $380 ($150+gym+massage).
I'll be able to work out the first two weeks in August before I move. However, I'm very annoyed that I forgot about giving them 30 days notice!
J.K. Rowling has released The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which includes five fairy tales referred to in the Harry Potter Series.
Even though I purchased a Christmas gift for my boyfriend, I thought about preordering the standard edition for him. Right now, it's only $7.59 at Amazon and it's a hardcover book!
Amazon also has a Collector's Edition, which is absolutely amazing! However, $100 is out of my price range. There are a some extra illustrations, but I think the presentation is what makes the book so special. The book is hidden in a Hogwarts textbook.
I will probably order a copy of this book (the standard edition) when I order a textbook or two from Amazon in a few weeks.
I may break my August budget and go to a spa with a friend on Friday! I'll probably spend about $100 (including tip) for an hour long deep tissue massage. I know this isn't a necessity...but I haven't been to a spa in such a long time (over 2.5 years).
I feel a little silly because I know spending $100 on a massage would be a mistake. However, I don't care! I want to be pampered before I have to sign up for five years of poverty. I might use the income from my part time job to pay for it.
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