Oh my. Has it been that long?? My last post was in February. I kept telling myself that I'd get to writing a post about my progress - and I never got around to it. Life's just pulled me into so many different directions I couldn't keep up.
I'm so amazed and inspired by people who can still manage to blog with their jam packed schedules. I'd love to do that too!
I have a lot of stories and updates to share - I can't wait to get blogging again!
Thanks for reading! Catch you soon :)
Monday, November 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Carpooling vs Public Transportation
I'm pretty late linking to the Saved Quarter Challenge : Saving on Transportation but I've been meaning to post this up =) It's a great way to save money!
Linking to The saved Quarter Challenge : Week 8
As much as I love my job, everyday is just another repeat. I have a 3-4 hour commute to work every weekday. It's a pain. It's a big dent. I HATE IT. Bay Area traffic is so not my BFF. I don't have the opportunity to relocate to a closer branch anytime soon, so I just need to roll with the punches.
Luckily, I'm not the only one who does the daily East Bay to San Francisco commute. In fact, there's a lot of people in our building that commute to scrape a few extra dollars/hour. After getting to know people, I found someone I was "compatible" with. We've been carpooling for more than 3 years! He's become a very close family friend & his wife became my best friend. I've tried carpooling with other people when I worked in San Francisco - and that didn't turn too good. They didn't share the cost of gas right or they complained wayyy too much. I can't tolerate complainers.
Three years ago, I didn't cook much. That changed when I started carpooling with Al. He's an avid cooker-faux chef. He's got recipes, tricks & techniques to share. Being "stuck" in commute together allowed me to pick his brains and come up with meals & menu plans. Sure, I could have learned how to cook watching Food Network, but it's nice to have a coach. We've had plenty of couples nights where we'd alternate cooking for each other. I always have a blast! Friends, Family & Food =) We all started snowboarding together & go on trips together & vent about work (because we both understand & know who we talk about) It's pretty therapeutic. I rarely need to vent with the Hubbs. He's pretty thankful, he hated coming home with work problems.
For the sake of showing you the cost comparison, I whipped up a nice little google spreadsheet. In the bay area, we have the option of taking BART - our Public Intra-County Subway. There are other methods of transportation, i.e. taking the Ferry, Rapid Busses, VanPools etc. I haven't looked into the other options since most weren't as convenient as BART. We live 5 minutes away from a station & work is about a 20 minute hike up a steep hill. Here's my spreadsheet =)
I can go on and on about why I hate driving alone, but I'd like to share some Pro's and Con's:
Bart PRO:
* You don't drive. Someone else does it for you
* You can sleep (with shades on)
* You can read a book, listen to your ipod, watch videos, surf the net on your cellphone
* You can do your makeup. I don't do this, but I see a lot of ladies do it. It's an attention getter . . I'd like to hide behind my shades.
* Bart Passes! They're electric now.
* Commuter Check Rebates from work. Some offer this, some don't.
Bart CON:
* You're stuck on their schedule. There's no fooling around here.
* If you snooze & miss your train, you're LATE.
* If it rains & you're underprepared, you're screwed.
* You can get stuck. I always listen to the radio. There have been plenty of times when BART was running late or a train is stuck somewhere for hours!
* If you're in the middle of the route, you rarely get any seats - so you'd have to squish with everyone during rush hour
* You never know who you're going to sit next to. I've been there. . bums, theives, smelly people, sweaty people, snoring & drooling people . .EEW!
* You snooze, you loose (your wallet, your phone, your bag etc. PICKPOCKETERS. . .)
* If you forget something on the train, consider it gone.
*
Bart isn't as convenient as other public transit - like NYC's metro.
*
Bart runs about every 20 minutes during rush hour. Not like NYC, was it every 5 minutes?
*
You can hop trains, but it isn't like (you guessed it) NYC. They don't intersect much. You're Sometimes better off staying in the train you got in.
*
You can't eat/drink. You can, but Please be respectful. The smell of burritos can make other people hungry, nauseated, etc. Plus, you don't want the train driver calling you out.
*
Public restrooms HIGHLY discouraged. You're gonna have to hold it!
Carpooling PRO:
* The money saved!
* Faster commute with the use of carpool lanes
* Carpool Toll Discount
* Building friendly relationships with carpoolers
* Sharing stories
* Aquiring new ideas
* Sharing food =) - Car snacks are a must in my carpool.
* Someone to talk to thru the traffic
* Just someone to be there when you drive
* Employer sponsored Carpool rebates
* You control your schedule. You can drive slower, or faster.
* If you forget something in your car, it will still be in your car.
Carpooling CON:
* It's hard to trust & find someone
* You have CAR OCD - you have to deal with the other person's sloppiness
* Awkwardness
* You can't talk on the phone
* Your time becomes their time too
* Careful with the attitude! If you're not a people person, then this isn't for you.
* You can still get stuck in traffic.
* The wear & tear on your car vs taking public transportation
* Shared lunches too? I take my lunch alone, and my carpool packs his lunch. We have free time
* Inability to run some errands after work - unless it's somewhere you want to bring your carpool too
* More likely to get into an accident vs taking public transportation
Hope this helps!
Linking to The saved Quarter Challenge : Week 8
As much as I love my job, everyday is just another repeat. I have a 3-4 hour commute to work every weekday. It's a pain. It's a big dent. I HATE IT. Bay Area traffic is so not my BFF. I don't have the opportunity to relocate to a closer branch anytime soon, so I just need to roll with the punches.
Luckily, I'm not the only one who does the daily East Bay to San Francisco commute. In fact, there's a lot of people in our building that commute to scrape a few extra dollars/hour. After getting to know people, I found someone I was "compatible" with. We've been carpooling for more than 3 years! He's become a very close family friend & his wife became my best friend. I've tried carpooling with other people when I worked in San Francisco - and that didn't turn too good. They didn't share the cost of gas right or they complained wayyy too much. I can't tolerate complainers.
Three years ago, I didn't cook much. That changed when I started carpooling with Al. He's an avid cooker-faux chef. He's got recipes, tricks & techniques to share. Being "stuck" in commute together allowed me to pick his brains and come up with meals & menu plans. Sure, I could have learned how to cook watching Food Network, but it's nice to have a coach. We've had plenty of couples nights where we'd alternate cooking for each other. I always have a blast! Friends, Family & Food =) We all started snowboarding together & go on trips together & vent about work (because we both understand & know who we talk about) It's pretty therapeutic. I rarely need to vent with the Hubbs. He's pretty thankful, he hated coming home with work problems.
For the sake of showing you the cost comparison, I whipped up a nice little google spreadsheet. In the bay area, we have the option of taking BART - our Public Intra-County Subway. There are other methods of transportation, i.e. taking the Ferry, Rapid Busses, VanPools etc. I haven't looked into the other options since most weren't as convenient as BART. We live 5 minutes away from a station & work is about a 20 minute hike up a steep hill. Here's my spreadsheet =)
I can go on and on about why I hate driving alone, but I'd like to share some Pro's and Con's:
Bart PRO:
* You don't drive. Someone else does it for you
* You can sleep (with shades on)
* You can read a book, listen to your ipod, watch videos, surf the net on your cellphone
* You can do your makeup. I don't do this, but I see a lot of ladies do it. It's an attention getter . . I'd like to hide behind my shades.
* Bart Passes! They're electric now.
* Commuter Check Rebates from work. Some offer this, some don't.
Bart CON:
* You're stuck on their schedule. There's no fooling around here.
* If you snooze & miss your train, you're LATE.
* If it rains & you're underprepared, you're screwed.
* You can get stuck. I always listen to the radio. There have been plenty of times when BART was running late or a train is stuck somewhere for hours!
* If you're in the middle of the route, you rarely get any seats - so you'd have to squish with everyone during rush hour
* You never know who you're going to sit next to. I've been there. . bums, theives, smelly people, sweaty people, snoring & drooling people . .EEW!
* You snooze, you loose (your wallet, your phone, your bag etc. PICKPOCKETERS. . .)
* If you forget something on the train, consider it gone.
*
Bart isn't as convenient as other public transit - like NYC's metro.
*
Bart runs about every 20 minutes during rush hour. Not like NYC, was it every 5 minutes?
*
You can hop trains, but it isn't like (you guessed it) NYC. They don't intersect much. You're Sometimes better off staying in the train you got in.
*
You can't eat/drink. You can, but Please be respectful. The smell of burritos can make other people hungry, nauseated, etc. Plus, you don't want the train driver calling you out.
*
Public restrooms HIGHLY discouraged. You're gonna have to hold it!
Carpooling PRO:
* The money saved!
* Faster commute with the use of carpool lanes
* Carpool Toll Discount
* Building friendly relationships with carpoolers
* Sharing stories
* Aquiring new ideas
* Sharing food =) - Car snacks are a must in my carpool.
* Someone to talk to thru the traffic
* Just someone to be there when you drive
* Employer sponsored Carpool rebates
* You control your schedule. You can drive slower, or faster.
* If you forget something in your car, it will still be in your car.
Carpooling CON:
* It's hard to trust & find someone
* You have CAR OCD - you have to deal with the other person's sloppiness
* Awkwardness
* You can't talk on the phone
* Your time becomes their time too
* Careful with the attitude! If you're not a people person, then this isn't for you.
* You can still get stuck in traffic.
* The wear & tear on your car vs taking public transportation
* Shared lunches too? I take my lunch alone, and my carpool packs his lunch. We have free time
* Inability to run some errands after work - unless it's somewhere you want to bring your carpool too
* More likely to get into an accident vs taking public transportation
Hope this helps!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
How to Organize Finance : Tax Papers!
Some love, some hate tax season. For me, it's usually a guessing game. I can never figure out how many deductions I should keep so I pay/refund a minimal amount. I'll add that on to my things to do. ;)
You know the time is coming around when you start to open up mail and you receive a whole bunch of tax statements. W2's, Mortgage Statments, Investment Statements, etc. What do you do with them? Put them back in the stack of mail you're yet to sort? File it in the "I'll deal with it later" pile? What happened to all the other papers & receipts you've collected thruought the year, like Donation receipts? Can't find them? I've been there. And I hated it.
This is an easy fix - and it works well for us.
A Tax Envelope!
Nothing really fancy here. It's just a durable envelope with little binder pockets inside. Anything that has to do with taxes goes here. It really helps to have this especially since I'm starting to make monthly trips / pickups to Salvation Army. After I get my donation receipt - I enter it into my .xls with details (optional) and into the Tax Envelope it goes.
I usually have a checklist of paperwork that my Tax Preparer requests - like receipts for deductions, unreimbursed business expenses, and the other regular papers. The checklist changes every year depending on what they need. It's a good reference - I check to see if it belongs in the envelope. If it does, in it goes. It's also a good idea to keep a copy of last year's Tax Return and copies of checks if you paid. I'm a little anal - I print out and highlight the line item of the tax refund/payment and file it with that copy. Better safe than sorry!
I also keep a list of Tax Identifiers for reference like my daughter's day care. Can't call the day care on a Saturday!
As soon as the checklist is complete (Mid February) I call and make an appointment. A few days before going to our Accountant, I do the following :
: Print an Avery Label Templates. One for me, one for Mr. Broke.
It includes --
Tax Year
Last Name,First Name
Last 4 of Social
Phone#
I do this because unorganized people can easily shove our paper into another person's file. I put the phone # in because I saw how hard it was to get out of the Tax Program just to call someone if they have a question about something. I want our Accountant to love us.
Sure most of the informaton is already on the paper/statement, but you won't miss my NEON PINK label! Haven't seen anyone do this - and they like it! I place the labels in a uniform spot - usually on the bottom left of EACH paper, making sure I don't cover any important information. These papers won't be sent off to the IRS - so I can do whatever I please. Should there be something wrong with my bright pink labels, I can easily retrieve another clean copy.
: I make copies of EVERYTHING in the tax folder and put it in a temporary Tax Folder. There was a year when another Accounting office lost some pieces of papers! When the Tax Preparation is done, I file everything away in the long term filing cabinet.
: I also COUNT how many papers I bring to the Accountant. It's simple for me, since I don't need to submit receipts. As soon as everything's done, I re-count my papers and make sure that each paper is accounted for. See, Anal. I'm sure it's safe at their office - they deal with personal stuff all the time - but I'd still like to keep my business confidential. No one needs to have my papers if they don't need them. If they need them, they know where/how to contact me. I don't want my papers mixed in with another person's paperwork resulting in a ugly audit. - It's happened (not to me, fortunately)
I know it seems like a long drawn process, but because everything you need is there already - it doesn't take me more than 20 minutes to complete this preparation. I don't fear tax time like I used to!
Hope this helps!
Linking up to :: Works for Me Wednesday [WFMW]
You know the time is coming around when you start to open up mail and you receive a whole bunch of tax statements. W2's, Mortgage Statments, Investment Statements, etc. What do you do with them? Put them back in the stack of mail you're yet to sort? File it in the "I'll deal with it later" pile? What happened to all the other papers & receipts you've collected thruought the year, like Donation receipts? Can't find them? I've been there. And I hated it.
This is an easy fix - and it works well for us.
A Tax Envelope!
Nothing really fancy here. It's just a durable envelope with little binder pockets inside. Anything that has to do with taxes goes here. It really helps to have this especially since I'm starting to make monthly trips / pickups to Salvation Army. After I get my donation receipt - I enter it into my .xls with details (optional) and into the Tax Envelope it goes.
I usually have a checklist of paperwork that my Tax Preparer requests - like receipts for deductions, unreimbursed business expenses, and the other regular papers. The checklist changes every year depending on what they need. It's a good reference - I check to see if it belongs in the envelope. If it does, in it goes. It's also a good idea to keep a copy of last year's Tax Return and copies of checks if you paid. I'm a little anal - I print out and highlight the line item of the tax refund/payment and file it with that copy. Better safe than sorry!
I also keep a list of Tax Identifiers for reference like my daughter's day care. Can't call the day care on a Saturday!
As soon as the checklist is complete (Mid February) I call and make an appointment. A few days before going to our Accountant, I do the following :
: Print an Avery Label Templates. One for me, one for Mr. Broke.
It includes --
Tax Year
Last Name,First Name
Last 4 of Social
Phone#
I do this because unorganized people can easily shove our paper into another person's file. I put the phone # in because I saw how hard it was to get out of the Tax Program just to call someone if they have a question about something. I want our Accountant to love us.
Sure most of the informaton is already on the paper/statement, but you won't miss my NEON PINK label! Haven't seen anyone do this - and they like it! I place the labels in a uniform spot - usually on the bottom left of EACH paper, making sure I don't cover any important information. These papers won't be sent off to the IRS - so I can do whatever I please. Should there be something wrong with my bright pink labels, I can easily retrieve another clean copy.
: I make copies of EVERYTHING in the tax folder and put it in a temporary Tax Folder. There was a year when another Accounting office lost some pieces of papers! When the Tax Preparation is done, I file everything away in the long term filing cabinet.
: I also COUNT how many papers I bring to the Accountant. It's simple for me, since I don't need to submit receipts. As soon as everything's done, I re-count my papers and make sure that each paper is accounted for. See, Anal. I'm sure it's safe at their office - they deal with personal stuff all the time - but I'd still like to keep my business confidential. No one needs to have my papers if they don't need them. If they need them, they know where/how to contact me. I don't want my papers mixed in with another person's paperwork resulting in a ugly audit. - It's happened (not to me, fortunately)
I know it seems like a long drawn process, but because everything you need is there already - it doesn't take me more than 20 minutes to complete this preparation. I don't fear tax time like I used to!
Hope this helps!
Linking up to :: Works for Me Wednesday [WFMW]
Food for the Brain : Rich Dad Poor Dad
I've been listening to the Dave Ramsey Show on Podcasts everyday. One day - one of the things he said really stuck.
Growing up, I hated reading. HATED. I'd automagically skip to the answer keys on the back and do homework in half the time. I'd ctrl+f anything I need. I wasn't a bad student, in fact, I was active, had honors and found other things to do with my time vs doing homework.
After buying our home, I bumped into an organizing book that changed my life.
The One Minute Organizer changed my life. I was 18. I didn't know they made organizing books! Then, the obsession started. I read about 100 organizing books and I can say I'm a 'pretty' organized person. Things are at my fingertips and I know where most things are. The cleaning part is Mr. Broke's Job.
After struggling in finances, I discovered a few finace blogs. I didn't think much of them till now. Then, everyone started talking about "Baby Steps" and "Debt Snowball" I did a quick google search and stumbled upon Dave Ramsey. Then the world of Financial IQ opened up and I didn't know they made books about personal finance! This was amazing. The last part of 2010 was about reading and re-reading. I really liked Larry Winget's books too.
This week's read is Rich Dad Poor Dad. A classic. I'm a little late - A better late than never, but never late is better. LoL.
This really hit home.
A wakeup call.
It's hump day, and I'm half way thru reading this book. On Track!
There are only two things that can change a person. The people he meets and the books he reads. So read, read, READ!
Growing up, I hated reading. HATED. I'd automagically skip to the answer keys on the back and do homework in half the time. I'd ctrl+f anything I need. I wasn't a bad student, in fact, I was active, had honors and found other things to do with my time vs doing homework.
After buying our home, I bumped into an organizing book that changed my life.
The One Minute Organizer changed my life. I was 18. I didn't know they made organizing books! Then, the obsession started. I read about 100 organizing books and I can say I'm a 'pretty' organized person. Things are at my fingertips and I know where most things are. The cleaning part is Mr. Broke's Job.
After struggling in finances, I discovered a few finace blogs. I didn't think much of them till now. Then, everyone started talking about "Baby Steps" and "Debt Snowball" I did a quick google search and stumbled upon Dave Ramsey. Then the world of Financial IQ opened up and I didn't know they made books about personal finance! This was amazing. The last part of 2010 was about reading and re-reading. I really liked Larry Winget's books too.
This week's read is Rich Dad Poor Dad. A classic. I'm a little late - A better late than never, but never late is better. LoL.
This really hit home.
As your cashflow grows, you can buy some luxuries. An important distinction is that rich people buy luxuries last, while the poor & middle class tend to buy luxuries first.
The poor and the middle class often buy luxuries such as big houses, diamonds, furs, jewelry or boats because they WANT to LOOK rich. They look rich, but in reality they just get deeper in debt on credit. The old-money people, the long-term rich, built their assets column first. Then, the income generated from the asset column bought their luxuries. The poor and middle class buy luxuries with their own sweat, blood and children's inheritence.
A wakeup call.
It's hump day, and I'm half way thru reading this book. On Track!
Tinola : A Filipino Recipe
MMM. Tinola. This was one of the first meals my mom taught me how to cook. It's a Filipino Soul Food. About 3 years ago, I can only cook 3 meals. Tinola (Chicken Soup), Sinigang (Pork/Beef Tamarind Soup) and Filipino Sweet Spaghetti. That's all I had in rotation. Back then, we'd get tired of the same 3 meal rotation and would always go out to eat out or take out. No wonder our dining expense (per mint.com) was >$600 / month!
It's been a while since I cooked a good batch of Tinola. My daughter would always ask for Rice & Soup. I on the other hand, wanted to try out recipes - what can I say? I wanted to expand my baby culinary expertise. LoL.
Today, I went to Lunardi's
. It was traffic going back home & I thought I'd save some time and let the traffic die out while I shop for food. Before roaming around the aisles, I took a look @ their ad. Organic Baby Bok Choy? NO WAY! I.LOVE.Bok Choy. On Sale? HELL YES! Grabbed a few bunches and grabbed some Fulton Valley Organic Chicken Legs & Thighs which I asked the butcher to cut up in smaller pieces. Grabbed some other essentials - Milk, Yogurt (thank god I have an Ap for keeping tabs on what I'm out of. And back home I went. A soon to be organic meal + essentials for less than $10. I also saved $0.05 for brining my own grocery bag which I always keep with me in the car.
As soon as I got home, I popped the pot in the burner and let that heat up while I was putting groceries away.
Here's the recipe!
Ingredients :
E.V.O.O - enough to saute
Ginger - Peeled and sliced. Make them big enough to pick out before serving (although I like ginger, I hate biting into it thinking it's a big juicy piece of chicken. =])
Chopped Onions - I always pre-chop/slice onions and put them in a NonBPA plastic container in the freezer. Only have to cut up onions once all in 1 big batch)
Chicken - I like dark meat. I haven't tried Tinola with chicken breasts, but I would think it would taste a lot leaner. One of the joys of this is the Chicken Fat - explained later.
Water
Fish Sauce (Patis)
Bok Choy - or Spinach. Honestly think that any leafy dark green would do. I tried this with Brocolli before . . it wasn't the business.
Let's make it!
1) Heat up a pan and add a slash of EVOO. Toss in the ginger and stir until the pot becomes fragrant & ginger gets a tad softer. Add the onions. Stir for a little bit then add a sprinkle of Kosher Salt to speed up the process. I'm impatient and I learned this tip from one of my foodie gurus. Transfer this to a plate and set aside.
2) Chicken Juice. Filipinos would usually add chicken after the onions and let that brown, but I learned this trick from a friend. I've tried both ways and I think I get more flavor using this method. I know it's probably just chicken fat, but it makes any chicken dish so flavorful! Place the cleanly washed chicken into the pot and add a splash of water. Cover the pot and let it 'sweat' This process usually takes 10 minutes on high heat. Open the pot, get a nice chicken facial, and then re-place the ginger & onions. Add more water to cover the chicken & let it boil/simmer. Let the chicken cook - no to bloody chicken!
3) When the chicken is almost done, Add a splash of Fish Sauce (Patis) be gentle. It's some potent stuff! This is my mom's secret ingredient. Salt just doesn't give the soup enough soul.
4) About 5 minutes before done, add the greens. Let it wilt? a bit.
5) Serve over (brown) rice with a side of fish sauce to taste.
There you have it. My best recipe - in itt's Organic Version. $5.26 for an Organic Dinner & Left Over Lunches.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Kain Na (Let's Eat!)
Monday, January 31, 2011
End of the Month Reflection : January 2011
 |
January was a tough month. We started off with high hopes, but there were times we messed up. No matter if we did good or not, the month's end is still a good time to look back.
Here's where we started and where we ended up :
:: Make a budget and stick to it - - we met half way. We made a spending plan, but we overspent. I took some personal days off work and indulged in Restaurants with my Besty, my Mommy and my brother. . in 5 separate occasions. $200 over budget. OUCH
:: Get all bills current and pay them by the end of the month - - DONE DONE DONE!! It's been a while since all our bills were paid by the end of the month. What a relief! I can actually close out January and file it away. YAY! We had 4 past due accounts and now only have 2. Still a bummer, but we're a few steps closer.
:: Start an emergency Savings fund - - DONE! I wanted to open an ING account, but apparently, about 7 years ago, I had an ING account that was closed due to inactivity. ING directed me to send a form, but I got lazy. I opened a Smarty Pig account instead. The features were enough for me and I got to post a nice little widget on my side bar =) I'm only 1% in, but it's a start, right?
:: Organize finances - - almost done. While I started to organize 2011, 2008, 2009 AND 2010 haunt me. I had so many unorganized bills I just had to get that out of the way. I finished organizing 2010 finances last week and I was fatigued. I did that 2 weeks straight - investing 30 minutes each night. I had to take some time off and I plan on continuing that this week. It was a hard day @ work today, so I already penciled that project in for tomorrow night.
I have 40 more projects around the house while dealing with the finances. I really need to find some sort of balance.
For February 2011 Our goals are
:: Create a spending plan and try our best to stick with it. I'm hoping to create something realistic this time around. I also need to find ways to avoid spending on stupid things. I recently changed my diet and choose to go 'sustainable' Not necessarily "all Organic". People do have the misconception that going Organic = expensive, but I think I can make it with our $400 budget for groceries.
:: Get all bills paid again! Mr. Broke didn't have the same 'WHOOHOO' reaction as I did. I guess it was something expected. . but I was ecstatic! I'd like to do it all over again. I'd also like to get the last past due account current this month. I also need to make pretty Spending envelopes. =)
:: Continue Organizing 2011 Finances. I'll be posting how we organize our bills next month when it's all done.
:: Make a TAX envelope. We're starting to get Tax Statements in the mail and they're mixed in with other junk mail. I need to make a pocket for these important documents.
:: Bump up the Smarty Pig. Although most money will go toward the past due accounts, I want to bump up the smarty pig to a few more %'s. As soon as the baby emergency is funded, I'll get to start saving for the Buffer. Life would be so much easier by then.
:: Submit our Home Modification to CitiBank. ARGH. I hate Citi. Most people I talk to are incompetent. But it's something we MUST do. Should our Home Modification be approved, we'd be paying 50% less. Something we really need right now.
Here's to a new month!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Feb 2011 Spending Plan
I've always had difficulties making budgets. I can easily write down what we spend - but it's hard for us to stick with the plan.
January's trial budget was a dump. Maybe it was too strict. . But I think we can make this work this time around. I need to enter expenses daily to see how much we really have available to spend. I was too lazy to withdraw money from the ATM this month . . and also used the excuse " I don't have pretty envelopes to put my cash in."
If I have ATM Cards easily available, I spend more than I want to. I HATE it! I've had enough chasing money around. . hate not having money when I need it. . hate looking at no commas in our accounts!
Here is our February 2011 budget. I'm hoping for an income of $7200 which is less than our average $7500-$7700. I've only budgeted $7200 - and if the extra money does come along, it'll go directly to our $2000 emergency fund goal.
In addition to using CASH ONLY for our variable expenses, I'll be writing everything we spend. I was bad about this last month, and I'm hoping it will get better this month. If there's no more money to spend in the envelopes - that's it.
We usually get paid on Friday's, so on Wednesday is BillPayDay - I'm able to pend payments for Friday/Saturday. Then after everything posts, any extra will be transferred to my SmartyPig Account.
Let's hope for a good month.
January's trial budget was a dump. Maybe it was too strict. . But I think we can make this work this time around. I need to enter expenses daily to see how much we really have available to spend. I was too lazy to withdraw money from the ATM this month . . and also used the excuse " I don't have pretty envelopes to put my cash in."
If I have ATM Cards easily available, I spend more than I want to. I HATE it! I've had enough chasing money around. . hate not having money when I need it. . hate looking at no commas in our accounts!
Here is our February 2011 budget. I'm hoping for an income of $7200 which is less than our average $7500-$7700. I've only budgeted $7200 - and if the extra money does come along, it'll go directly to our $2000 emergency fund goal.
In addition to using CASH ONLY for our variable expenses, I'll be writing everything we spend. I was bad about this last month, and I'm hoping it will get better this month. If there's no more money to spend in the envelopes - that's it.
We usually get paid on Friday's, so on Wednesday is BillPayDay - I'm able to pend payments for Friday/Saturday. Then after everything posts, any extra will be transferred to my SmartyPig Account.
Let's hope for a good month.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
I don't see the Louis
Mrs. Broke here.
Last year my mom came by to "show off" of my home to my Aunt who visited from the Philippines. Show off = Yabang in our Filipino language and I guess 'Yabang' is a good thing for them.
My mom showed off my pantry organizing skills and how well kept my closet was... And then my Aunt said "I don't see Louis or Gucci" WTF! My mom quickly said "they're in rotation" WTFagain! Kill. Me. Now.
First off, I have my priorities. If I wanted to, I can skip a few mortgage payments and buy more Louis and Guccis than all my Aunts combined with Lubu heels to match. But I know where money SHOULD go. And that's to home, food, savings and bills to name a few.
Not that I don't want a designer purse, but I am doing perfectly fine with my no name purses and backpacks. Thank you very much. After 5 years of wanting those damn purses, I still can't justify the cost. I can use the money for a roundtrip flight to NYC and go to canal street and buy a decent knockoff - and still get the leisure of traveling. Or I can simply pay off one of my credit cards.
People in my (family) circle have different priorities. And I HATE IT. They rock the LV and the guccisma - but can't find a proper job. They ask for my help to get them a job at a Kaiser Pharmacy - because she's my cousin. Please don't be begging me to help you in if you cant do shit on your own. I've got no idea how your work ethics are and I'm not about to put my clean, hard-earned name so you can slack off and flaunt your dirty laundry.
Yeah, that's great. You got a few LV's but I can still smell the rat piss on your jacket picked up from your rat infested APARTMENT.
I'm not big, nor am I trying to be. In fact, I made this blog to confess how broke I am and I'm finally getting my life straight. My assets got no Ass and this year, they're getting a workout. I say no to going out, because I'd rarer spend time teaching my kid how to cook a home-made meal. But please don't tell me I'm selfish, because I'm not. What wealth is there to spread?
They live on Champagne dreams on a beer budget... If they even had a budget.SMH..
I'm living like no one else - so I can live like no one else. Progress is in the works.
Last year my mom came by to "show off" of my home to my Aunt who visited from the Philippines. Show off = Yabang in our Filipino language and I guess 'Yabang' is a good thing for them.
My mom showed off my pantry organizing skills and how well kept my closet was... And then my Aunt said "I don't see Louis or Gucci" WTF! My mom quickly said "they're in rotation" WTFagain! Kill. Me. Now.
First off, I have my priorities. If I wanted to, I can skip a few mortgage payments and buy more Louis and Guccis than all my Aunts combined with Lubu heels to match. But I know where money SHOULD go. And that's to home, food, savings and bills to name a few.
Not that I don't want a designer purse, but I am doing perfectly fine with my no name purses and backpacks. Thank you very much. After 5 years of wanting those damn purses, I still can't justify the cost. I can use the money for a roundtrip flight to NYC and go to canal street and buy a decent knockoff - and still get the leisure of traveling. Or I can simply pay off one of my credit cards.
People in my (family) circle have different priorities. And I HATE IT. They rock the LV and the guccisma - but can't find a proper job. They ask for my help to get them a job at a Kaiser Pharmacy - because she's my cousin. Please don't be begging me to help you in if you cant do shit on your own. I've got no idea how your work ethics are and I'm not about to put my clean, hard-earned name so you can slack off and flaunt your dirty laundry.
Yeah, that's great. You got a few LV's but I can still smell the rat piss on your jacket picked up from your rat infested APARTMENT.
I'm not big, nor am I trying to be. In fact, I made this blog to confess how broke I am and I'm finally getting my life straight. My assets got no Ass and this year, they're getting a workout. I say no to going out, because I'd rarer spend time teaching my kid how to cook a home-made meal. But please don't tell me I'm selfish, because I'm not. What wealth is there to spread?
They live on Champagne dreams on a beer budget... If they even had a budget.SMH..
I'm living like no one else - so I can live like no one else. Progress is in the works.
My First NO SPEND DAY!
No Spend are hard to come by. I need to gas up about every 2-3 days. I'm too lazy to pack lunch. I go to places where I'm tempted to buy stupid stuff.
I get dozens of emails about the sale of a lifetime. People post recent purchases and good food they eat and I want to out-post them.... Coz I "make" more money than they do. Sigh.. Moving on...
Today was my first official No Spend Day during a work week. Party dance! I'm so proud of myself!
1st Temptation: Went to Barnes and Noble for lunch to look at Personal Finance Books. Saw them cheaper on Amazon, so I decided to skip. I also didn't have the lost of books I want to read with me either.
2nd Temptation: Didn't pack lunch for work. I was Hungry - so I found Instant Miso in my drawer and had a free banana. The McDonalds my coworkers had smelled so good, but so bad for you. 600 calories saved!
To relieve the itch : My Daughter and I went to the library to borrow a few books. We got home early and chores were done by 7pm.
The Contra Costa libraries don't have that many personal finance books, but they have a whole lot of recipe & special diet cookbooks I can try! The online catalog wasn't working either... But can't complain for Free!
To feel better: my coworker paid me back the $2.50 she owed me from the red bull run this past Thursday. That was $2.50 I didn't think I'd get back.
I can sure use a lot more of these no spend days. I could have easily spent $30 on a few books, notebooks that I don't need and lunch. That makes me $30 wiser. I would need to pack lunch - I was hungry!
I get dozens of emails about the sale of a lifetime. People post recent purchases and good food they eat and I want to out-post them.... Coz I "make" more money than they do. Sigh.. Moving on...
Today was my first official No Spend Day during a work week. Party dance! I'm so proud of myself!
1st Temptation: Went to Barnes and Noble for lunch to look at Personal Finance Books. Saw them cheaper on Amazon, so I decided to skip. I also didn't have the lost of books I want to read with me either.
2nd Temptation: Didn't pack lunch for work. I was Hungry - so I found Instant Miso in my drawer and had a free banana. The McDonalds my coworkers had smelled so good, but so bad for you. 600 calories saved!
To relieve the itch : My Daughter and I went to the library to borrow a few books. We got home early and chores were done by 7pm.
The Contra Costa libraries don't have that many personal finance books, but they have a whole lot of recipe & special diet cookbooks I can try! The online catalog wasn't working either... But can't complain for Free!
To feel better: my coworker paid me back the $2.50 she owed me from the red bull run this past Thursday. That was $2.50 I didn't think I'd get back.
I can sure use a lot more of these no spend days. I could have easily spent $30 on a few books, notebooks that I don't need and lunch. That makes me $30 wiser. I would need to pack lunch - I was hungry!
Monday, January 3, 2011
I'm in! "Saved Quarter Challenge: Setting Your Goal"
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I've been on a blogging rut lately and I find these challenges very motivating. I've been a huge follower of The Saved Quarter and found her website very helpful thru tough times. Penny's one of the main reasons why I started a personal money blog.
This week's challenge is to set your goal and write it all down.
I just finished reading "You're Broke Because You Want to Be" by Larry Winget - and a HUGE part of the book is WRITING down what your goals are & actually acting on them. A goal would just be a stupid statement without actually working on it. He advised to create different goals in life - Financial, Personal, Family, Relationship, Home etc. I'll be keeping my 'Personal' Goals to myself but I'll be posting financial goals here.
For 2011 My Financial Goals are:
- Save $2,000 in Liquid Emergency Fund - I'd love to be able to save 1/4 of a year's salary, but for me - I think it's impossible. That would be $16,000! Hopefully next year when everything is running smoothly. I think my goal for $2,000 is more tangible.
- Create a budget. I'm such a looser when it comes to budgeting. I have a basic knowledge of Budgeting, but I just can't stick to it. Maybe I've made my past budgets WAYYY to complicated when budgets should be simple, easy, and basic. I plan on reviewing my budget twice a week (On Wednesdays & Weekends) and adjusting as needed. I need to realize that budgets are not permanent. I also need to make sure that every dollar is accounted for.
2.a - We're gonna give the Envelope Budget a go for variable expenses. - Cut down on Stupid Expenses. This is another weakness.
- Write every expense down.
- No More PAST DUEs/LATES/Overdrawn Accounts. We paid $1,620.50 in Overdrafts/Bank Fees in 2010 = CRAZY. I could have paid a few credit cards down with that money! Or build a darn emergency fund!
- Blog Regularly. I need to really get into the habit of blogging. It's a great way to see progress. As Flylady puts it "Progress not perfection" and I'd like to see PROGRESS. Blogging to me is just to tell my story & to hopefully look back at these hard times in the future and laugh them off. It's also proof that we were Young & Dumb BUT we can overcome.
- Plan meals. I used to follow www.organizingjunkie.org's Menu Plan Mondays. Then, I fell off the bandwagon. Planning menu's ahead of time sure decreased the stress of going home. It also made sure that my family was well fed. It also gave me a good picture of how much money we're spending on food & it also avoids dinners out (costly) and takeouts (usually unhealthy)
We have a lot of work and changing to do and it is going to be WORK! If we can get out of this rut, then anyone can.
So there you have it. Our goals for this year (or before the year's end) Let's go!
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