TGIF

Fall, that is. September is my favorite month. It brings new beginnings, fall and prospects. This year, it's bringing the end of my summer of anxiety and hopelessness regarding money. It's been unfun, to put it lightly.

Long story short? Unexpected medical bills and unavoidable expenses are now sitting on my credit card. Yes, I have the money to pay it off in full from savings, no I don't want to actually remove money from savings. Especially when it was so hard to get it in there in the first place (a max. of 25 a month from regular income is not a lot). The money isn't due for another couple of weeks, so I'm still on the fence about it, but I'm thinking I won't. Shame! Any way you swing it, 600 dollars is a lot of money to pull from savings. I don't think I'll be able to do it.

But there is hope. Which is why I love September. BF recently got a part time (or full time, if he wants… he basically takes as many jobs as he wants) gig doing something that's great for him. He can still write (he can even write AT work, something his boss told him he was allowed to do), and make pretty decent money all while making his own hours. Meaning, if there's work he can do it, or not depending on if he has a meeting or something. Now, he hasn't actually started yet (he does a day or two of training next week), but we're holding out hope that he'll be able to bring in 1-2k per month. Folks, that's HUGE since we've been living off my income alone for… over 4 years now. We've drawn up a budget based on him bringing in 1k. We can have our debts paid in full by the end of this year. By January, we could be debt free (er, except my teeny student loan).

So we've made a plan. We're going to bring our current e-fund up to 5k. That's only 500ish dollars. Then we're going to put every extra cent towards debt. We're shooting for December. If he can bring in more money, we could be debt free a lot sooner. I'm ecstatic.

After that, we're going to bring our e-fund up to 15k. It'll be a huge relief. I spent much of August in a panic. Like, anxiety in the pit of my stomach, spending each moment of the day worrying and feeling sick. It was the least fun month ever. Hopefully those days are soon behind me.

Yes, this job could fall thru. It could be slow, and he'll make only a few hundred a month (still a little better than nothing, right?). But we have hope that it'll turn out for the best. I really hope this is the beginning of good things for us. We've decided not to get married until we're 100% debt free… AND flush with savings. And with the ability to pay for our (small) wedding, (big) honeymoon and expensive diamond (selfish? whatever). It could take years, but we'll be better off. I'm so sick of dealing with the stresses of not having any money.

So much so, that we're also canceling cable and netflix (gasp!), downgrading our internet (admittedly, I think this will frustrate me more than it's worth, so we'll see… we have the fastest internet available and it's still slow), and bf found a new health insurance plan that's 50 dollars cheaper. This will all help. We've considered moving to a cheaper apartment, but don't yet feel like it will be worth it. Obviously we can revisit this is we really need to.

Cheers to optimism!

Working towards goals

For a long time now, I've had future goals. But they run along the lines of we'll do this when we have money. And we'll never have money. Which is completely useless, of course. So no, my paychecks aren't quite big enough for us to save as much as I would LIKE to. I can usually squeeze out 50 bucks a month. Maybe. On a good month. So I suppose you can see how I've gotten this bad attitude, but really. That's no excuse.

So I've started the side hustle. Basically, I can complain as long as I want, but it's not going to change anything [uh, unless I win the lottery. But I can't even afford the ticket. [Boyfriend is still doing freelance, but it's unpredictable and slow at the moment. And he's looking for a full time job]. I've been taking on freelance work. I just finished a 1000 dollar contract. I've been selling stuff on ebay, half.com and craigslist. So far, I've made a few hundred dollars from that over just a couple weeks. And for practically NO effort! And for stuff I've been wanting to just get rid of for a really long time now. I've got another 50 dollars coming my way from craigslist tonight. Sweet! All in all, our emergency fund has grown significantly in the past month or two, and is now at 4500. Which is awesome. Nearly a third of our goal!

So my ambitious goal is to have the thing at 10k by the end of the year. [This of course, assumes that Japan won't happen. If it does, this will have to be revised]. Which will definitely take some effort, since I'm nearly +1k short of anticipated monies.

+ 1500 (freelance work)

+ 1450 (freelance work)

+ 1000 (Christmas bonus)

+ 100 (savings contributions from regular budget)

Which leaves us with 8850. Hopefully, I'll have a lot more sales of my stuff. Which will increase that number quite a bit. I also have that other freelance contract (but I can't count on that, because it may take several months to start… I have to finish the first half of it first, which is what I'm doing now.) This also discounts any freelance monies from BF, since that is so unpredictable.

So I'm going to really hustle. How great would it be to start the new year flush with 10 grand in my pocket? It'll definitely make our 15k+ goal achievable next year. Which takes my stress level down about 15,000 notches.

Summer?

Odd that summer is basically over. It really hasn't even felt like it began. Partially due to the gloomy weather California has been having. And partially because we haven't had the money to do summer type things, like go on vacations and such.

Speaking of travel. There is just over 1k sitting in our ING travel fund. And I'm not sure what to do with it. My options:

1. Move it to the emergency fund (I'm tempted. Because it would build that up a bit to 1/3 funded (we've upped our ideal number an additional 5k), and get us towards our goal faster.)

2. Japan is on hold. We were going to go visit my dad, who is working there. Only they've sent him stateside to do some training, and his dates to go back to Japan keep getting pushed back. So he'll go (most likely). But he's not sure when. And we may not be able to swing it depending on timing. So although I feel like I should keep it in the travel fund, realistically I'd rather have it elsewhere. Plus, I can always move it back.

3. Pay off the AMEX? Yeah. The one that was supposed to be paid off with freelance money? Never happened. I want to pay it off and be done with it. Boyfriend wants to save the money. We're at a standstill, so the money remains in the travel fund!

So who knows.

But I do have a freelance project. Part A (which I'm working on… and NEED to finish this weekend) will net me about 1500 dollars. Probably won't see that money for a month though. Part B will earn me close to 5 grand. But that will take several months, so I'm not counting on it yet.

I've also gone on a selling stuff binge. Like everything. I'm keeping 4 books (I use my iPad to read, exclusively). Everything else is listed on half.com + ebay (and I've already sold 5 books and a couple DVDs, so hopefully this keeps up. My profits are only like 17 bucks, but that's cool. I really just want to get rid of this stuff I've been hauling from place to place and NEVER TOUCHING. Ugh! I've listed clothes, shoes, purses, jewelry and everything else I can think of that I no longer want or need. Everything that doesn't sell is being sent to Goodwill. I can't wait.

I am excited for fall to get here (as non-existent as my summer was). 1. The "mood". I just love it. 2. Thanksgiving. 3. Christmas! (And my Christmas bonus!). I love fall.

I hate these tips

There are many tips out there giving ideas on ways to save money. Unfortunately, I do all of these things already. So theoretically, I should have bank. Not the case…

Cook at home often: Daily. All meals. And when we do go out? Subway.

Make your own coffee: Daily. Except for the few times a year when I get a holiday drink at Starbucks or Coffee Bean. Less than $10 a YEAR.

Brown bag lunch at least a few days a week: Try 5 days a week. I simply do not understand how people can afford to eat out every day.

Make a list before going shopping: Duh. I can't remember the last time I didn't. If I'm going in for ONE thing, I write it down.

Go grocery shopping while you are in a hurry: Okay, sometimes I do… but again, that changes nothing, because I have a list!

Watch out for expiration dates on perishable goods: I always check.

Buy in bulk whenever possible: I've been working my way through a ginormous Costo sized box of oatmeal for months.

Buy generic products whenever possible: I do, except for Cheerios, because Joe O's, or any knock off store brand just tastes bad. If Cheerios is my vice, I'm ok with that.

Use grocery store bags to line trash cans: For the small cans in the bathrooms and office, yes. But the ones I get for the kitchen are 3 dollars. And the box lasts more than a year. Seriously.

Pay your bills on time and avoid late fees: I have never, ever, even ONCE paid a bill late. Ever. My credit score isn't high by accident folks.

Be aware of your bank balance and avoid over draft fees: I haven't overdrafted since I began balancing my checking account 4 years ago.

Avoid ATM fees: I do end up paying these crap fees every so often. But only in a situation where there is NO other option. And still, less than $10 a year.

Avoid credit cards with annual fees: Obviously.

Disconnect land line if possible: The last I had a land line was college. And it was free with the room. The idea of having a land line now is laughable.

Instead of buying books, borrow books from the library: I use my ipad. And I only get the free books, except for the ONE book I bought for it. One.

Price check before buying anything expensive: I always check around (if it's a large enough item where this makes sense). For small items, I go where I know it's the cheapest. Eggs are cheapest at Costco. Fruit is cheapest at Ralphs. Cereal and Tea is cheapest at Trader Joes. Etc.

Avoid impulse buying: Please. You have to have money to be able to afford to impulse buy anything. I don't have this problem.

Bottle your own water: Duh.

Avoid the vending machines: I grew out of this habit in college.

Keep your car as long as possible: I hope I can get at least 10 more years out of my PAID OFF(!) car. BF's (PAID OFF) car is 11 years old. And still going strong.

Do regular scheduled maintenance on your vehicles: Without fail.

Avoid buying a new car: There are times where I would agree with this. I personally would not buy a used car, especially if it was my main mode of transportation. I might buy a (slightly) used car if I was to get a second vehicle. But… why would I do that?

Ride your bike or carpool whenever possible: Unfortunately, this is not an option for my commute. I used to.

If you watch a lot of DVDs, get an online DVD store membership: Netflix keeps raising their rates. They're really on thin ice.

If you like watching movies at the theater, go before 6:00 pm: No prob. I'll just quit my job so I can be sure to catch a matinee. Weekend prices are the same, no matter the time of day here.

Regulate your electric use: Always. It drives my poor BF nuts, because the second I (or he) is done with an appliance, I unplug it. I'm nuts like that.

Plan vacations ahead of time: Vacations are luxury I can't afford.

Finally, keep distance from lavish, high-roller friends: None of our friends are high rollers (although they certainly live off their credit cards like they are).

You see why I hate these things? They only help if you HAVE MONEY. Sucks.

Keeping Afloat

A lot has been happening!

1. I'm still on the exercise, eating healthy kick. At this point, I think it's safe to say it's my new lifestyle :-) I never understood the "runners high" until now. I've been running for a couple of months, and I'm loving it! Although I upped my mileage too quickly and my knee has been giving me issues, it's fabulous. I was up to 7 miles, but I've backed down to 4 running and a mile or two walking if I have time. I'm hoping to build back up and complete a half marathon by my birthday next spring! I honestly feel awful if I don't work out now, and it's really made me feel healthy and like I'm living life as opposed to just trudging through it. What a wonderful difference!

2. We have some summer houseguests. I'm not jumping for joy at this one, because well… we all know how much I hate having to deal with roommates. But so far it's working out well. And it feels great to help out friends who decided to pack up their life on the east coast and make a move to the west. They'll be here for 1 or 2 months (which is their firm out date). It's been fun having them here… but it has come at a cost. Boyfriend and I are homebodies, and don't spend a lot of money going out (mainly because we're broke). But we've been spending a little more on restaurants, etc. this week. And we need to stop! We just can't afford it.

3. We're (most likely) going to Japan later this summer/early this fall. It would be a cheap(ish) trip… my flight will be a gift, and boyfriends will be about 1,000. Which is pretty cheap, considering our plans for South Korea didn't happen due to flights being 2-3 times that amount. Most of our lodging would be free. I have an extra paycheck this month, which was going to be put in savings, but is now being put in our travel fund for Japan. No, we can't afford this trip. Yes, we're doing it anyway! The plan is to cover it all with freelance money (I've taken on several projects) and my extra check. We've already paid for our passports out of my extra check (and are awaiting their arrival so we can book our flights! I'm far too risk adverse to book them prior to receiving them). And no, none of this trip will be put on the credit card (which is still carrying a big fat zero balance, thank you!)

4. Financially? Not so much. We're keeping afloat. We have a small emergency fund. We're making it… but that's it. To make it extra fun (note the sarcasm), boyfriends health insurance DOUBLED in price because of the new healthcare laws (bite me, Blue Cross), and due to some lab work I had done (routine stuff, cholesterol, blood glucose, etc), I now owe the hospital 500 dollars. Which makes NO sense to me (the same exact tests a year ago at a different hospital cost less than half of that), but there it is. I worked out a payment plan with them (no interest) in lieu of my having to take it out of savings. But it puts a SERIOUS strain on our already seriously strained budget. I need to have an MRI of my spine to see if they can determine the cause of my continued numbness (which is a whole other issue that has been mostly resolved with exercise, but not cured). I totally can't afford it. I refuse to pay more than 1k OOP (seriously, bite me Blue Cross). Refuse.

So there's that.

Investing in my Self

I decided a month (or so) ago that I needed to grow up. Meaning, I needed to stop living like a couch potato and eating like a kid! See, I'm lucky. I have inhumanley fast metabolism, and I've never needed to watch what I eat, or exercise (and I'm actually underweight). I know, I'm one of THOSE people who everybody hates. But just because I'm thin, doesn't mean I'm healthy. Or in shape. And since I want to live a very very long time, I figured I should get off my butt. Last year I had my cholesterol levels checked, and although my numbers were all in the normal range, my total number was slightly high. Not a LOT, but obviously something needs to change.

So I went on a sugar detox. I did a similar thing for 2ish months last year, but I figured another go at it would help curb cravings. I was one of those people who HAD to have "junk" on a daily basis. Well, it worked! I successfully ditched the sugar (except natural sugars from fruits, and tiny amounts present in things like milk. What I noticed was a shift in the way I was thinking about food. From "what tastes the best" (usually things loaded with empty calories and not so good things) to "what does my body need". I'm the pickiest eater alive, but I've been eating vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Healthy fats. I only eat cheese once a week, max. I use a food scale (seriously, this is the best invention ever!) to measure my portions. And I track every single thing I put in my mouth on thedailyplate.com. Which is also awesome. And free!

I've even gotten into the green monster smoothie craze. Those things are seriously delicious and SUPER filling. And with 2 cups of packed spinach (which you can't taste a BIT), and fruit, it's seriously good for me.

I've had a mini snickers bar in my pantry for 6 weeks. And I have no desire to eat it. Even though I know it would taste good, I know it wouldn't make me FEEL good. I've seriously had a mind shift here… because I'm not willing to eat what's not good for me… on a regular basis. Obviously if I'm at a wedding I'm going to have a small slice of cake, etc. I intend to eat pretty normally when I go to restaurants (because we seriously go like… never.)

But it's not all about the diet. I needed to get moving! I was a complete couch potato. Pathetic, but true. So I got a 10 dollar pedometer, which has become my personal trainer. I MUST hit at least 10k steps a day. Which is completely impossible unless I exercise for an hour a day (for me, this translates to 30 minutes on the elliptical every morning, and a casual walk in the evenings). On weekends I go for more intense hikes in the canyons and yoga. The numbers are seriously motivating for me. I've started yoga again (free on the weekends!), and ballet classes (free for now… until my groupon runs out). I've turned a new leaf.

I have a doctors appointment next week, so I'm excited to see my numbers, and work from there to become healthy. I've already noticed a huge difference in the way I feel. Energetic, happy. I'm rarely ever tired anymore. I never feel like crap after eating. I crave things like apples and kale chips (surprisingly delicious!), instead of ice cream and cookies. Even though I didn't do this to lose weight, I've lost about 3 pounds and I'm becoming more and more toned. Always a good thing!

So in personal finance news, I need to buy a new pair of sneakers (mine are shot… I've had them for 6 years!) and figure out how to continue to pay for ballet class once a week. In that vein, I've been taking on some freelance work and selling stuff on ebay to help offset the costs. I feel like my health is finally a priority, and I'm happy.

Woot!

So the credit card? Paid off! Hats off to the boyfriend who picked up a ton of freelance work :-) Of course, we still have his card to pay off, but we have every reason to believe that it will be done within the month (he's getting a tax refund that will cover it, 90%). Sweet.

This is such a big relief! I'm super upset that we even had a balance on these cards in the first place. It was supposed to be gone by January. That was very, very wrong. But now we can focus on the other one (which has less than 1k balance and should be pretty easy to wipe out quickly). And don't worry. I put the card away. As in not in my wallet. And I know I've done that before, but this time, I mean it. I will seriously freeze it in ice if I need to!

And our emergency fund has 2500 in it now. A very low number (not even a months worth of expenses!), but a number I'm more comfortable with than the mere 1k we DID have in there just last week. Things are looking up.

And if all goes according to plan (which it never does, but here's hoping), we'll have 9-10k in there by very early next year. And that's all on MY salary. Every single cent the boyfriend pulls in goes to that, so hopefully that number will at LEAST double :-D Our goal is to have 50k in emergency savings. Obviously that will take some time, but it's nice to have something to work towards. And of course, there's other stuff we want to save towards. Our wedding (hopefully cheap!) (and my engagement ring… which is going to cost a lot. I like big diamonds!). And a house. Boyfriends mom has a sizeable gift for our future condo. And she's even told us she wants to start looking for places with us this year. Not that I feel comfortable doing so for at least a few years. But it's nice to think about!