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Archive for April, 2015

Payday

April 29th, 2015 at 12:29 am

Next week is payday and looks like will be able to save over half my check. I'm excited because paying down the two CC was the best thing I could have done.

On a different I have two interviews lined up and I'm super excited about those. Not to mention my boss is on vacation.

Over the weekend we had our company picnic and because an employee wasn't on the RSVP list, the woman denied her a meal ticket. I thought this was disgusting, and realized it's okay for me to leave an organization that supports this sort of behavior

Back to normal

April 28th, 2015 at 11:31 am

Looks like the BF is back to normal. For the last few months, he's not been up to date with his bills, now it's back to normal.

First, he was responsible for paying the gym bill. Every month I have ask for the money and he's always late. So I cancelled his membership.

Next, rent is due on the first and he never has his portion until about the 2nd or 3rd.

Well this is what got me all frustrated. I come home last night and he says to me I have to buy X plane ticket. This is his daughter who is off in college (community) in Kentucky. I say okay. He then starts complaining that the prices are going up, I say wait until late Tuesday to see if they go down. He begins to tell me that "I'm not listening that he needs to buy these tickets. " So I'm like well call her mother so that you all can go half, or better yet tell her to get a job (the daughter).
Then it dawned on me, he wants me to buy the ticket. No sir will I spend money on a ticket. You knew in January she was coming home in May, start saving for it.
Rent is due, I'm buying my money order tonight, we go to the Derby and the $400 I set aside for this trip is for that. I'm footing the bill because I'm the one who wants to go. I paid the airfare, set money aside for the hotel, car and spending. I just paid off two CCs and will not add anything to any of them.

I wouldn't have a problem doing if if he paid bills on time.

IRA Challenge, anyone have one?

April 25th, 2015 at 03:36 am

I realized that I have a challenge for everything. For example, 52 Week challenge, $20 Challenge, No spend day challenge, step challenge, but I do not have a IRA/retirement challenge.

I have decided to add an extra $5 to my IRA for every CC that is paid off but I wanted to know if anyone has a challenge for retirement and would like to share?

IRA

April 23rd, 2015 at 07:55 pm

I paid off two CCs and decided I wanted to add $5 a week to my IRA until I can get a control over this debt, I figured something is better than nothing. For each CC I pay off I'll add $5.

Actually, I think I'm going to change this to $10 since I paid off two CCs

Bad news

April 23rd, 2015 at 11:42 am

Yesterday was a whirlwind of a kind of day.

First a colleague, and now friend of mine, informed me that her nephew attempted to molest her daughter. Thank God she has a great relationship with her daughter who told her. I never felt comfortable telling my mother. Not to mention her sister stood be behind her with calling the authorities.

Next, I had the not so good interview and then finally late last night, my sister calls to tell me that my uncle's long time girlfriend passed away. She had multiple forms of cancer, breast, stomach, throat.

So that was what my day looked like, I pray today is a better one.

Ugh!

April 23rd, 2015 at 12:19 am

I was so focused on paying off CC1 that I forgot to pay CC3 yesterday and now I'll be hit with a late fee. Just one day can turn your entire world upside down 😡

On a different note I added week 44 to my 52 Week Challenge, brining my total to $1507.55.

I also had my interview, don't think I wowed them. My nerves got the best of me. But we will see.

CC1 Paid in Full

April 21st, 2015 at 11:48 am

At the start of the year CC1 was about $700, I manage to get this amount down to $330 in about four months; averaging a $100 a month additional payment. Now today I made my final payment. I am so excited I want to scream.

Next, I'll be paying CC2, $500. The strange thing is, I never received a bill this month. It's a HSBC cc and for some reason I have caught the devil trying to log in to view this account online. Needless to say, I know when it's due and what's owed so today it's goodbye. The only thing I have to do is transfer funds to my BoA account so that I can make the payment and the funds will hit the account right away if I use my BoA bill pay.

I tell you, knocking down debt is one of the best feelings ever.

Tomorrow is the big day

April 21st, 2015 at 02:19 am

Tomorrow my tax refund is suppose to hit the bank, I will pay off two CCs first thing in the morning. Then I'll pay all bills that are due on or around the first of the month. I'm so excited about paying off the two CCs. That will free up at least $50 a month.

On a different note I have an interview for a HR manager role. My fingers are crossed, I hope I feel good about the place and it's paying more. I like where I work, but I need to make at least 10k more a year. I have a masters degree, years experience and I am HR certified. The company I work for is so cheap and mistreat its staff that it's company knowledge that they are "cheap". It's the company theme song.

It's funny because when ever anyone resigns they miraculously come up with the money that wasn't budgeted before to offer a raise and promise to hire that second person to help you do the job you were doing, that was technically a job for three people. It's become a joke amongst staff that the HR manager and executive team aren't aware of. Sad but true.

Anyway my fingers are crossed and we will see what happens

Dinner menu

April 20th, 2015 at 12:14 am

Okay today I decided to create a dinner menu and do my grocery shopping based on that menu.

Here it is:
- Sunday - salmon, rice pilaf, sweet potato
- Monday - spaghetti
- Tuesday - baked chicken and pasta
- Wednesday - left over
- Thursday - baked pork chops and corn
- Friday -homemade pizza and salad
- Saturday - salad and sweet potato

I made tonight's dinner, browned the ground beef for spaghetti that I'll place in the crockpot tomorrow. I went ahead and seasoned , froze both the pork chops and chicken, cutting down my cooking time. All in all, including snacks I spent $74 at the grocery store, not bad. I usually spend about $120 a week.

I'm thinking Sunday's will be my day to create my menus

Gym Membership Canceled

April 18th, 2015 at 11:15 pm

Last year the BF and I joined the gym. I knew it was going to be an issue when I provided my checking account number. During that time I had a hard time saying no, now thank goodness I don't.

Long story short, there were months when I got stuck paying the bill. The BF has gotten better when it comes to the bills but it still drives me crazy. Why? I tell him the bill is due and I won't get his portion until weeks later. Therefore I am always stuck paying.

Well last night I reminded him as I always do that the bill was due. His response was "he didn't have any money and that he wasn't worried about a bill but how he was going to get his daughter home from college (buying her plane ticket)." Well needless to say that comment ticked me off. So again, I say to him today that we need to put the bill in his name and he decides to blow up and yells "cancel it!" Well it's cancelled and it feels good.

It ticks me off because this is a bill that is due monthly, and you should be budgeting for it.

Where is my refund?

April 18th, 2015 at 01:49 am

Just checked the status of my refund, and I should have a deposit made to my account next Tuesday.

Not sure whose post I read, but I too will be using 75% of my return towards debt. I like that number, 75%. With that, I should be able to pay off two CCs, add $350 to my EF and keep $200 for the Derby. Not bad, I just can't wait to make those CC payments. Paying off the two CCs will free up about $60 a month that will allow me to pay off CC #3

Lottery

April 16th, 2015 at 01:23 am

We play the lottery at the office and the team won $6 each. Of course I added my winnings to my CC debt. It's not much but every little bit helps. In addition to the $6, I also added an extra $10 to the CC as well $10 to the Challenge account.

Things are trucking 🚛 along and I am super excited about it. I really do believe that by June, I'll have three credit cards paid off and $3,000 saves for the villa I want to buy.

Paid Extra on the CC

April 15th, 2015 at 02:35 am

I say this when ever I start blogging about my finances, "so long as I am blogging I am on track."

Added another $10 to my 52 Week/$20 Challenge today, plus I paid an extra $10.00 on the CC. I received an extra $20.00 and of course I split the two Smile

I manage to get CC 1 (starting balance about $1500) down to only $342 in less than four months, I'd say that's not bad. I can't wait to receive my tax return so that I can pay it off.

Other than that nothing else is happening, just happy to be back on track.

Taxes are done!

April 14th, 2015 at 02:28 am

Yeah I finally completed my tax returns. I remember a time when I would rush to complete the return so that I can get my few hundred dollars. I was always in a jam. Now it feels good to see this as extra, not a rush, having the feeling of I can wait. Though I have debt, I love the fact that I have it under control and am working diligently to pay it off/down.

With that being said, once the funds hit my account, I will be able to knock out CC1 and CC2, I am so excited. Though the plans was to pay off CC3 as well, I decided to tackle this card (balance $500) using the funds saved from CC1 and 2. We're going to the Derby so I'd like to keep some extra cash on me and not use the CC I worked so hard to pay off. That's it in a nutshell 😀

Oops I almost forgot, the BF hinted that "he may need me to put a car in my name." I'm proud to say I didn't entertain the idea and nipped it in the bud. I flat out said no. There was a time when I would stress over things like this. I worked too hard to rebuild my credit. Though I have CC debt, I was surprised to see my score in the high 700s. Ultimately I would like to own a home one day.

Things happen for a reason

April 11th, 2015 at 09:53 pm

A few days ago I was struggling with deciding to pay down the CC or add to my EF/Challenge fund. Because I couldn't decide I split the extra money in half and applied to both.

Today dad gave me $100 so I applied this amount to my CC knocking the debt down to $362 Smile

I figured things happen for a reason. Had I not split the funds and paid the CC it would have been an extra $200 not $100 paid. With dad giving me the $100 I was able to pay a total of $200 on the CC anyway Smile

Now I must complete my tax returns, I'll be taking what ever extra funds I receive and pay down or off two credit cards.

Decisions, decisions, decisions

April 10th, 2015 at 04:21 am

At the start of the year, I said any extra money I receive, I would pay half on the CC debt and the other half towards my $20 challenge.

I received $200 from my brother today. I tossed and turned, trying to decide if I should pay this entire amount ($200) on the CC or half. I initially said I was going to pay down CC debt when I received the money but it really bothered me that I wasn't adding anything to my challenge. So with that, I took half and paid the CC and added the rest to the challenge.

Part of my goal is to save $5000 for the year, (that will give me about 6 months worth of expenses saved) and to pay off two CCs. I must say my methods are working, I should have about $1500 saved by the end of the month, if not more, and three credit cards paid off. With three CCs paid off I can save $75 a month. Smile

Just hoping I made the right decision

Super Proud of Myself

April 9th, 2015 at 11:49 am

I am super proud of myself. I've been keeping up with both the 52 Week Challenge and the $20 Challenge. Today I deposted week 45 of the 52 week challenge (started backwards); $56 was set aside for the $20 Challenge; and $56 was paid on the CC. Dad gave me $112, so I split what ever he gives me between the $20 Challenge and CC debt.

Made my first student loan payment, and it didn't feel stressful Smile

My brother is giving me $200, he always does this because I do his taxes, and his house is in my name ( he has never missed or been late with a payment in four years). Once I get it, I'll pay down a CC, knocking my balance to $375 and when my tax returns are received, it's paid off. First CC of the year.

So with so much great news, I'd love to do the happy dance 💃

Oops I failed to mention in about four months I have socked away $1,343.55 not bad.