Financial Updates

I closed my Wachovia bank account. This is all in an effort to make my financial life simpler. It's a process I started a while back but got distracted.

My refund was supposed to be direct deposited into my account by the end of May. The date came and went and no refund. Uncle Sam caused me to fail the $5K/5K challenge for singlema and RevancheGS. I am super competitive by nature, and failure isn't an option. I will be finishing this challenge. My goal was to save $5,000. However, because Uncle Sam held on to my cash, I was only able to save $1,000.

Speaking of Uncle Damn Sam. He held up my refund because he needed additional paperwork. Let's wait and see how long before I get MY money. I have a few financial goals to accomplish with my refund. I'll detail those plans when I have the money in my account.

Things I wish I a decade ago

As I turn 30, there are a few things I wish I knew a decade ago.



1. Credit card debt is not good. A credit card is a tool not to be abused. Don't carry a balance.



2. An emergency fund is a necessity.



3. 4 years of college will go by so fast. Use every opportunity. An unpaid internship is not a bad thing. Let no opportunity pass you by, it is not all about money.



4. Network, Network, Network. Those contacts will be invaluable in the future.

5. Don't stress about your undergraduate major. You may not even use it directly in future jobs. The world doesn't stop if your major isn't declared by sophomore year.

6. Men come and go. Period. The End.

I will add to this list as time goes by.

Summer....kids...Money

The school year is almost over. This means it's time to find something for the kids to do for the entire summer. So far I've come up with a reading program held at Fordham University. It is for 1 month, once per week at a whopping cost of $299. Seems a bit much, but I am strongly contemplating it for both kids for the latter part of the summer. For the beginning of the summer, I am still stumped. A co-worker suggested boys and girls club. I am going to figure this whole thing out before the end of the school year which is June 28th.

So if you are in the NYC area please drop some suggestions.

Financial Updates

Checking account problem
I recently had an oops! Forgot to enter a few things in my register and my checking account into the negative. Thank goodness I checked my account online and noticed before the day ended. I was able to transfer money in.

There are a few things I will be doing to make sure that doesn't happen again:

Keep a larger buffer of cash in my checking account. Apparently am not the most organized person and am cutting it close.

In addition to my paper check register am going to start using Excel to track my checking account.

Use my debit card less and use cash more. That way if I forget a purchase or two it doesn't turn into a huge problem for me.

Tax Refund, 5K challenge, Eating Heatlhy, Exercise, blah, blah

According to the IRS's website my tax refund should be here before the end of the month. This means I will be able to complete my goals for singlema and RevancheGS $5K/5K challenge. Savings to date total $1,000. In my quest to loose 7lbs this month for the challenge, I did 4 mins on the treadmill and 50 leg presses.

In my quest to drop ** lbs, LOL, I joined a local gym in my neighborhood. The cost of this gym is $35 per month. This $35 isn't an additional expense because am eating out less and using that money to pay for the gym.

Eating healthier also costs more. There are now weekly runs to the store to get fruits and vegetables. Am, also trying out new vegetables. Thanks to my tweeps for keeping me motivated. A few days ago I tried kale, it was ok. I'll be trying it again.

I now make smoothies when am in a hurry in the morning instead of buying breakfast. Healthier, tastier and cheaper.

The paycheck from the part-time varies each payday. This doesn't make too much of a difference because I've started saving $50 bi-weekly and using the rest to pay whatever bills are left over. This usually means the bills are paid in advance. Or I use that money for miscellaneous items. This week most of that cash went to buying Claritin, Claritin D, TheraFlu and other household items.

Recently I took a few weeks off from the part-time gig. This enabled me to live without that check for the first time in almost 3 years (yeah it's been that long). Those few week thought me to manage cash flow properly without dipping into savings. It also taught me to be super organized. The check from the part-time gig used to be my back up plan when I forgot to say pay the cell phone or cable bill.

The lesson I've learned is to be organized and manage my cash.

Let the automation begin. Vanguard is the first account that was set up. The auto withdrawals from my checking account begun last week. woot woot.

Financial updates....goals

The first quarter of this year found me trying to get a handle on my cash flow. So far I've done a decent job of it.
My gas and electric bill stayed almost consistent during those first 3 months, so I have a better idea of what next winter will be like. Moving into my new condo obviously came with some additional expenses. So far I haven't had to go further into debt to buy anything.

During this first quarter I managed to put away $1,000 into 2 separate 6 month CDs of $500 each.

The goal for next quarter: April - June

Pay off balance on my car $1995 balance

Pay off my small student loan balance of $575

Open a 6 month CD for $1,000

Save $500 for summer outing with the girls. I know it will cost us more than this for the entire summer but this is a start. That $500 will be on a debit card that will be used solely for our outings.

I am currently working on automating more of my finances. Stay tuned!!

Job...Money

I am working on updating my resume with the help of a friend. It's time to look for a new job. There are layoffs coming at work, it's not if just a matter of when. Management is looking into alternate sources of funding, but usually this just prolongs the inevitable.

In December I started putting aside a few dollars from the part-time gig. I checked the account today and I have $350, this is after U took a few weeks off and skipped a few paychecks.

Automatic savings directly from your check is the shiznit!!!! This was sooo easy. Now if only the day job would let me split up my paycheck. Mmmhhhmmmm gonna set up auto transfer from checking to savings instead of me having to do it. Am hooked.

Paying yourself first is easy, but paying yourself first with automatic savings is so easy even a cave man can do it. LOL

What blogging has done for me financially...

Gave me the opportunity to openly talk about money openly. I don't do that in real life.

Keeps me accountable.

Taught me to pay myself first. Or should I say I knew that before but blogging kept me honest.

I learn something new everyday from other bloggers.

Since I began blogging:
I've paid down a substantial amount of credit card debt, bought a condo, prioritize my bills properly, contribute more to my retirement account and above all......I got more peace of mind where my finances are concerned.

I am no longer living paycheck to paycheck.

Does anyone still use a check register?

I do.

Took a few weeks off from the part-time gig for personal reasons. I am happy to say I didn't suffer financially.

I am a slacker on my taxes, didn't get to them last week as planned. The goal is to send them out before Friday.

A family member called this evening to borrow money. No more lending money to anyone. NO NO and NO.

Updates

Almost done with my taxes, will be mailing them out on Monday.

Moved into my new place in December.

I owe less than $3,000 on my car. It will be good to get of a monthly drain on my cash flow.

One of my student loans has a $595 balance. I was going to pay it off a few weeks ago but I decided not too. It will have to wait until I get my refund.

I'm Back

Alot has taken placed since I last blogged back in November. Time to get back to blogging. This is like my financial diary so I need to keep it updated. Now that I have internet access at home again outside of my blackberry I will be blogging a few times per week.

2010

2009 was a better year than 2008. May the good run continue in 2010. I will continue to practice the things I've learned, and improve on the ones that are still lacking.

Random Rants

My neighbors are having a very loud thanksgiving dinner. I am giving them till 10 pm to shut the hell up.

I had to work today, there were lots of people out shopping on Thanksgiving.

Some people lie to damn much, just lie for no reason. Don't worry it will all come to light.

I love my family, but I don't love being around them. Is that a bad thing?

I was told I enjoy my own company too much. Does that make me anti-social.

If you baby's father is not paying child support, then take him to court. Do I look like the bank? I am working two jobs, maybe you should too.

I think it may be time to give up the part-time gig. I'm still thinking about it.

I'm still waiting on final approval on my new place.

Here are a few details:

It is two bedrooms instead of my current one.

No more stairs.

Washer and dryer inside....no more going to the laundromat.

Dishwasher.....nice

15 minutes off my commute.

Am back...updates

It's been a while since I've blogged. Life has been busy, busy, busy.

New Tires $320 - cash. It's sure feels good using those green backs.

My lease ends in a few weeks and I will not be renewing. I am working on moving as we speak. Details to follow.

I managed to save over 10K for the year. It feels soooo good. How did I do it? I saved all the money from the part-time gig. Also, I received 2 raises for the year, and I saved those also.

Recent Financial Updates

My car has to get new tires ASAP.

I have to move out of my current apartment within the next two to three months.

I just received a very nice raise.

The part-time gig is still around.

Finally managed to lower my cellphone bill.

Changes in banking are coming up soon.

WellsFargo is following Chase and Bank of America

New Retail Shopping Habits

Based on my own personal observations at the part-time gig, it will be very difficult for retailers to get consumers to pay full price again. I've seen countless customers disappointed when the clearance item does not have an additional discount. They balk at retail prices that have no promotional sales. Bad habits, or in this case good habits (saving) will be hard to break.

CNNMoney.com has an article on ways to cut spending by $500 per month.

Savings, savings, savings

I've been saving alot of money lately. It is for a specific goal. I will reveal more later.

Every thing is on the rise

The sales tax in NYC just went up.

The subway fare went up.

My health insurance payment went up.

My car needs tires.

My rent will go up 3 or 4% in November.

The only bright light is my salary goes up 4% this month, and even that doesn't cover the other increases.

All quiet on the financial front. I am still saving a little at a time.

Husbands to be on Bridezilla

Da hell they find these men from without backbones. Geeessshhhhh!!

These women have no class whatsoever.

Hours are definitely on the upswing at the part-time gig. I love it!!

RIP Walkter Cronkite

Your card declined...this means you are over the limit...

plain and simple. I have no other way of explaining it.

I am sick of customers asking me what decline means. Hello!! How do you not know the balance on a small store card with a $1,000 limit.

Gimme a break.

Due to recent family obligations (financially) I've had to make a few changes:
No more buying clothing or accessories or anything of the sorts until September.
I put my Netflix account on hold.
Eating out for lunch is down to maximum once per week.
Will try and keep all variable expenses to a minimum.
No more taking off Saturdays from the part-time gig unless it is a family emergency.

I need to build back up the money I spent from the Efund. Think minimum 2K

Being unorganized can cost you

I was gone for a week and didn't organize my finances like I should have. As a result I got hit with an NSF fee of $20. Oh well, I will chalk that up to a lesson learned the hard way. Now that am back the check book is balanced and all is well in the world again.

I am thankful for...

health

family

friends

my employment (1 full-time and 1 part-time)

a roof over my head, and food on the table

life in general.

I am thankful.

Capital One...

customer service sucks.

I cooked last night and took my lunch to work today. It tastes way better than the crap I buy and it is way cheaper.

Updates

Life is nice and slow. I am not too stressed.

Is the economy picking up? or is it getting worse? There is too much contradicting news right now. I know my economy has gotten a bit better, hours at the part-time gig are steady.

The price of gas keeps creeping up. outch!

Paying yourself first feels soooooo good. soooo good.

Follow me on Twitter

http://twitter.com/tiredofbeingbro

Money on TV!!

I am sitting here watching Bridezillas. This is would be hilarious if it wasn't so sad.

Picture this:
Brand new SUV $58,000

Credit card declined when buying gas: priceless!!

Nice way to start a marriage. Miss bratty bride maxes out her credit card without telling her soon to be husband. Wow!! Starting a marriage in debt in secrecy.

Experian sent me a letter indicating that the balance in question was paid off over a year ago. The letter is great, but hellooooo I need you to update my damn records. I will be following up with them in about 30 days.

Credit Report

I pulled my credit report this week to review for errors. Lo and behold damn Experian still has a balance on a credit card that I paid over a year ago. They are the only one still reporting that card with a balance. The other two agencies has the balance as 0. I disputed the debt and am waiting on a response from Experian.

It is really important to take advantage of the free reports.

Random Thoughts

I don't worry as much about money as I used to. Why? I've finally realized worrying doesn't help, except to give me heart burn. I am learning and making better financial decisions. Does this mean everything is perfect? No, far from it. There is still a long ways to go. However, small steps are getting me there.

My credit card debt is disappearing nicely. It will be a small celebration when it finally reaches $0 by year's end.

There is money in the checking account from week to week.

My eating out has gotten worse in the past few weeks because of family related stress. I haven't been cooking. That has got to improve this weekend, so I have lunch for next week.

My car has over 30K on it and I need the recommended service package for 30K. The estimate is $450. I will be calling a few other places to get prices on it. However, I'm not worried. It will be done next pay day. Saying that feels soooo good.

I've been spending more time talking to the man upstairs!!

Hours at the part-time gig are up, then down, but back up again.

It's Pay Day

Pay day used to bring a certain amount of dread and stress to my life. This is how it used to be:

Look at direct deposit (knowing all well all the money is gone and then some).
Look at number of bills needing to be paid
Pay bills and have no money left by next day (except for cash waiting for bills to clear).

This is what pay day looks like now:

Look at direct deposit
Transfer money into savings
Pay bills (less envelopes in the mail box now)
Checking account cushion of at least $25

Change is good! slow and steady wins the race.

ING Savings Account

The APR is now 1.5%. Oh how times have changed.

I am quite certain that I will be credit card debt free before the end of 2009.

Insurance Premiums Vent

It seems as if every year my health insurance premium goes up. However, every year less and less services and prescriptions are covered.

What to do with the part-time check...updates

Hours at the part-time job has suddenly picked up. This means that my paycheck will go back to its pre 2009 amount. However, for the last few months I've learnt how to adjust without it. So I will be using that amount to get rid of my debt now that my savings goal has been achieved.

My 6 month car insurance premium is due today. I will be paying it all at once, and I didn't even panic. This blog has really helped to improve my finances. I'd like to think all my readers, all 2 or 3 of you. LOL

My savings goal of $5,000 is almost 50/50 in CD's and a regular savings account at the credit union. Using CD's was a critical tool in achieving my savings goal. The threat of loosing the interest before the CD matures was enough for me to keep it there. This may not work for some people but it sure works for me. As for the money in the regular savings account, I like seeing the comma (,) so I won't be touching that either. For someone who is just now leaving the check to check crowd and joining the savings crowd, a comma is a huge thing.

I achieved my savings goal

Now to focus on getting rid of the my debt balance even faster!!! Go meee!!

April 11th taxes E-filed

This is a step up from last year. Next year I'll aim to complete my taxes before the month of April. Baby steps!

Living Expenses - Efund

The basic breakdown of my living expenses adds up to $2,067.66. This does not include any debt repayment except for my student loans which are a total of $200 per month. This breakdown means that I can survive for almost 1.5 months on my current savings. This is good progress. This breakdown could be even less with disconnecting the cable and taking away some features from the cell phone plan.

Savings

I am very close to having $3,000 in the bank. That would be the most I've saved in the past maybe 4 years. Saving is really a habit that has to be developed. I am proof of that.

Slow and Steady wins the savings race.

The Economy is Slowly Rebounding...

in my neck of the woods. Sloooowwwwlllyyyy is the key word here. My hours at the part-time gig went up in the last two weeks. That is my economic indicator. LOL Let's hope this is a continuing trend. I received my highest paycheck since 2009 began. That is a good sign.

Family, Friends and Money

The people around me think I have money to freely give because I have a second gig, aka the part-time job. Helloooooo, I am not out there working a second job to be Ms. Banker. They get on my last nerve.

Updates

Hours at the part-time gig increased in the last two weeks. I am hoping this will be a consistent trend.

I got a raise this week which resulted in a small increase in pay. I am thankful to have a job, and to get an increase. Any increase no matter how small is appreciated and goes a long way.

Eating..Cooking...Money..Etc

Lately I've been cooking more. The key in not getting into a rut is trying new recipes. My new thing is to pick two recipes for the week and purchase my ingredients that week. I will cook twice that week which is usually a serving of five or more (am single). The left overs I freeze until next time. The recipe for tonight was my version of jambalaya. Next up later this week is soup. Not a particular type of soup, but whatever ingredients is in the kitchen type of soup. As long as it is well seasoned there is no problem.

I do not like to cook at all. My new method makes it easier on me, and I actually look forward to trying new recipes. Whole Foods Market has great recipes on their website. Those are the ones I've been using as well as a mix from about.com food section.

In my quest to eat healthier (organic, more whole grains, raw, blah blah blah) grocery shopping is a bit more expensive. However, because I am eating out less when it comes to lunch, my overall food bill is pretty much the same.

My Financial Psyche...Plans etc

The DOW dropped even lower. Now, I am not an expert but can this thing drop any lower??

I am not even sure what is left in my old 403B anymore. I am still contributing to my pension at the current job.

The game plan right now is to continue pay down debt and save as much as I can. I've had to adjust my plans because the income from the part-time gig is almost non existent. However, I am still on track to bring the e-fund to the full goal before June 30, 2009.

My brown bagging is now at almost 100%. I eat out at work maybe once per week. In driving on the weekends I run all my errands in one trip as much as I can.

The small adjustments I've been making has helped me cope with the decrease in income.

Hours at the part-time gig are almost non existent.

I am still doing ok financially. Funny, how quickly we adapt to new financial circumstances.

The Stimulus Package Debate

What are your thoughts?

I've been following this a little too closely. Too many experts too many predictions.

Home-buyer tax credit is it $7,500 or $15,000 or now $8,000.

Will it create jobs or save jobs? Will the states get much needed aide.

I think we should all just wait until the final version is passed. Whether you agree with increased government spending or tax cuts it doesn't matter. The media is going crazy trying to provide information too consumers, but I think right now we are on information overkill. At least I am.

I will not click on anymore news article about the stimulus bill until it is signed into law by President Obama.

My 2 cents.

Updates

Wamu was bought out by Chase recently. As a Wamu customer the only change I've noticed so far is one branch close to my job that is closing by the end of the month.

I added a few dollars to my savings accounts. I am now at almost half of my $5,000 goal.

For the past few months I've been paying all my bills and using my debit card only. No credit cards whatsoever. This is the longest period of time in my adult life that I've gone without using a cc. It feels wonderful.

The price of gas has creeped back up to $2.03 in my area.

The recession has hit me hard

Paycheck from the part-time job is down about 70%. I am still hanging in there till the spring to see if it improves.

I am coping by eating breakfast and lunch at home, driving less and forgoing non essential purchases.

Shares of J Crew up 10%

I need to start a clothing line and have the Obamas wear something. Interestingly enough the J Crew website is having hiccups. I went on there tonight out of curiosity (not buying anything).

Debt Collection Now a WITCH Hunt

NY DailyNews has an article about what I would call new debt collection practices.

The Tax Man Cometh!!!

I did a tax refund estimator on HR Block today, and it's not looking good.

Tomorrow I will be making adjustments at both jobs to make sure this is not repeated next year.

Updates

The e-fund bar has been updated to reflect my 2009 savings goal.

A raise of 4% is right around the corner somewhere.

I am silently praying that Uncle Sam and his bastard child NY State have mercy on me next year.

Paying in cash feels good, walking around with change doesn't.

I am tired of hearing about the Black Friday 2 phenomenon, a.k.a the day after Christmas sale. I have no money to spend anyways, so it does not matter. ( Is it really a phenomenon if it is just made up media hype?)

Gas is now $1.84 per gallon in my area.

Looking around my apartment I realize that I started to accumulate 'stuff'. I will now have to really assess each purchase.

Money Saving Tip

Ladies please take inventory of all beauty products before heading out to the store. You will be surprised to find that you are not running low on supplies as you thought.

Tonight I was bored and decided to take inventory. There are too many half done bottles of products to count. Bath and Body Works will not be getting my money in the after Christmas sale like I planned.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all

2009 Goals

There are only 2 goals for 2009.

1. Add $3,000 to the e-fund bringing the balance to $5,000.

2. Pay off the final balance on my credit card debt.

If I can accomplish these goals within the first half of the year, the rest of the year will be smooth sailing.

I am ending 2008 with over $2,000 in the bank and a few thousand dollars less in credit card debt. Not too shabby.

Now time to look forward to the tax man.

Secret Millionaire on Fox

Did anyone else catch this show? What are your thoughts?

The show is basically millionaires who are sent to live for one week with regular struggling people. At the end of the week they decide who to give away $100,000 to.

Savings Update Side Bar

The savings bar has been updated. I've finally reached and surpassed my $2,000 mark.

Yipeeeee!!!

Gas is $2.29 per gallon in my area

Green Cleaning Products

In an effort to be green, I've started using cleaning products with less chemicals. Starting with my bathroom I am trying out J.R. Watkins Natural Home Care line. It is available at Target. The cleaners are plant based, and the price is comparable to the other cleaners I've bought in the past.

Lay Off Plan

In the unfortunate even that I am laid off in the future, here are a few things I plan on doing to survive:

Ditch the car. It will be sold to the buyer with the best offer.
This eliminates the car and insurance payments.

Break my lease and stay with a family member. This plan has been talked about with said family member, and I have 6 months rent FREE.

After 6 months and nothings happens, I would have to suck it up and move to Florida to be with mom and dad. (This plan is a last resort, I will be homeless with absolutely no income plan.)

Increase hours at the part-time gig. I would have more time to work extra hours.

Downgrade cellphone to the most basic plan AT&T has.

Place student loans in the back burner until a full time job is in hand.

All of the above will be done while pounding the pavement everyday looking for work.

New York City Mayor announces layoffs

Mayor Bloomberg this week announced layoffs as part of the plan to balance the budget. I am a tad bit nervous. From what I know it does not affect me, at least not yet. Time to buckle down even more.

I am coming up with a layoff plan.

Anyone has a back up plan in case they are laid off?

Cable TV and High Speed Internet ..Gone!!

I called the cable company and disconnected. I thought these were items I could not live without. However, with working two jobs I spend so much time outside as it is. The resulting savings is almost $100 per month. This is nothing to sneeze at.

I am still looking at 'fixed' expenses to see what else I can eliminate or lower.

The Grinch that stole Christmas???

The economy.

There will be alot less gift giving this year.

Food Prices Still High

The price of groceries supposedly went up because of the increased gas prices, so now what?
I went grocery shopping today. Hello food people, the prices are still sky high. A gallon of gas in my area has gone down tremendously in the past few weeks. It is now $2.85 per gallon.

When does the price of food come down?

Holiday Jobs

For those looking to get out of debt, now is the time to look at holiday jobs. Hiring will not be as robust as previous years, however the extra income will go a long way to getting rid of debt.
Look at your favorite retailers (but don't spend your check as soon as you get it) and online sites such as hotjobs, and monster. Also, look in your local papers for ads for seasonal hiring.

Kiddie Spa! $20 pedicure

Apparently the economy is not all that bad.

Click here for the article on a Brooklyn kiddie spa that charges $20 for a pedicure.

Suze Orman on Oprah today

'Stop living a lie'.

Powerful words.

College Students turning to food banks for help

Click here to read the story.

This is new to me. I thought all broke college students survived on ramen noodles, stale pizza and hot dogs. I know I did.

Things at the part-time gig are bad. Sales are down considerably. The hours are less and hence my paychecks are less. In spite of all this I am not worried. Why? I have a small savings cushion. It gives me peace of mind. I am even more aggressively paying off debt, revising my goals and forging ahead.

My Wamu taken over by Chase

As of September 25th I am now a Chase customer. Now is the right time to close my wamu account and stick with the credit union and ING only. I've had the wamu account for so long, that I just kept it open. Now they have been acquired by Chase it is only a matter of time before the free checking and all that is gone. Chase does not do free without strings attached.

The Economy in Crisis

The economic news keeps getting worse. Lehman Brothers collapse, AIG near collapse, Wamu might be next...blah blah blah. How does it effect me? What am I doing differently?

Nada, nothing, zip, zero, zilch. I will continue to save and pay down debt just like I've been doing before.

I've been eating out more lately because of my busy schedule. My strategy has been to eat breakfast at home, and split lunch in two for dinner later. So far it has worked sometimes. I need to have some Weight Watchers frozen dinners as back up. They are cheaper and somewhat healthier than buying lunch everyday.

**Singing** I got money lots and lots of money.

See update of sidebar.

It is not exactly at $2,000 but it is close, so close I can taste it.

Financial Updates

My goal is to open a third CD the first week of September. This would put my total in CD's at around $2,000. If am able to get this done it would be a huge accomplishment. Then it hit me this morning, all three CD's will mature before the tax deadline. So, I will open an IRA before the April 15 deadline.

Time to do my research on IRA's.

It may appear as if all my savings is tied up in CD's which the majority of it is. However, my savings account balance is hardly ever below 500 and I am never more than 8 days away from my next paycheck.

The balance owed on my car is less than 7,000. It would be nice to pay this off before years end. However, I will play it by ear and see what happens. This would mean putting almost $1,800 per month for the next 4 months or so. This seems to be a very lofty goal by my calculations. Never say never.


Uncle Sam and I have an understanding. This September am gonna pay that mofo what I owe him and after that he won't bother me no more. As for Spitzer, Pataki, Patterson or whoever is in Albany...I'll get to you when I get to you.

Congratulations to Michael Phelps

8 gold medals at the 2008 Olympics....history has been made.

Rent Increase

As of 12/1/08 my rent will increase 4.5%. This all the more reason for me to pay off debt and buy a co-op or condo.

R.I.P Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes

The good ones are gone too soon.

Savings

The second CD totalling $700 was opened today.


'Slow and steady wins the race'.

Repeat after me: I did not get into debt overnight, so I will not be debt free overnight.

Bridezilla's finances

OK..wait....let me stop cussing like a sailor.

This chick Brandy is tacky, cheap, rude and broke.

She walks into a pay day loan place to get a loan without any paperwork. Because the clerk denies her the loan, chick goes crazy about being discriminated against. Huh!!!

Her credit cards are maxed out and she has no money in the bank. However, she is still spending money on her wedding as if it grows on trees. I would love to see a follow up episode in a year.

Where do they get these brides from?? They get worse with each episode.

Savings Update

Today, I officially passed the $1,000 mark in my savings account. It has been a long time since I've saved over $1,000. Currently I have a little below $1,300. Yeahhhhh, gooooo meeeeeee.

I will not touch, I will not touch, I will not touch, I will not touch.

$600 is currently in a CD until January.

I will be opening another CD in about two weeks. This will be after next paycheck and it will put my savings to over $1,700 (including the CD). I will transfer at least $700 for my next CD.

New York State Budget Issues

New York State is going through budget/financial issues just like the rest of us.

NYC Transit Issues

This is a public service announcement.

To all the NYC Transit performers:

It is 11:30 pm and I just getting off a 12 hour day. I don't care why or what you are performing. Shit as long as you don't kick me with all the jumping and flipping you are doing. However, am too tired to clap, and to broke to give you any cash. As a matter of fact I do not carry cash. I did not ask you to perform any dance so no I don't feel like clapping.

The fare might be going up next year. You paid for one seat so that means you are entitled to ONE SEAT ONLY...take your freakin bag off the damn seat.

To the person that stole my transit check, even though you found it in the building and my name was on it, happy swiping. You could have just dropped in my box or under my door, ding ding, look at the intercom system the names are right there. Hope you were satisfied with the few hours you got cuz it is now inactive. Take your thieving azz to the station and buy your own.

It's all in my head

My relationship with money is ALL about psychology. I have all the tips and ideas in my head. Spend less that you earn, save for retirement..blah blah blah (yeah this is what I hear sometimes).

To overcome my psychological issue when it comes to savings I have stared putting the emergency fund into 6 month CDs. Once it grows by a few hundred dollars I open another CD. This may seem impractical, maybe even crazy to some people. I can hear the questions now, why not just leave all the money in a regular savings account? Well, because I will find bills or something else to spend the money on. If I know it is sitting in a CD I will not touch. Am not a psychologist so please do not ask me to explain. Saving for retirement is easy, it is saving for emergencies and short term issues that is my downfall.

The CD solution is the only thing I could come up with.

Am open to suggestions.

5 Reasons I love Washington Mutual Bank

1. The free checking account is really free. It also includes one overdraft credit per year.

2. Free money orders for those organizations that don't accept online payments.

3. Branches within walking distance to my job and home.

4. The customer service is great.

6. The hours are very convenient.

My goal for 2009 is to buy my own home

Let the preparations begin.

Radom Tidbits and updates

I received a 3.5% raise at the part-time gig.

I am no longer living check to check, waiting for the next check to come in and having it spent before it came in. Breathing easier now.

My back taxes are paid off.

Today I sat down and looked at my yearly income going back 5 years. Oh how far I have come. Next year promises to be better and brighter.

Is it so hard to give up your seat dude? Do you not see that she is wayyyyyyy pregnant? Arggggggghhhhh get your arzzzzzz up. sheesshhhh.

My savings bar will be updated soon to show that I am past the $1,000 mark. Can't wait to get there.

What is your limit on gas??

My limit is $4.75.

Currently gas is $4.39 where I live. Once the price reaches $4.75 that will be it. I will park the car until it goes down (at least that is the plan).