Yay! today was my last day. I start my new position as HR director on the 25th, I am truly excited

Monday, I will have a wisdom tooth extracted and then I will place my car in the shop to be repaired/painted.

2013 has really started off to a great start. Four CC paid off plus a new job and next graduation with my Masters degree.

I finally completed my taxes, cost me $75, I should have used Turbo tax. Oh well

My tax return came out to a little over $3100 because I claimed head of the household other wards I would be owing.

So I'll be paying off my CC with the money.

Hello all!

I have been on a little hiatus, we went to Little Rock, Arkansas for my birthday

As you all know, one of my bucket list items is to hit all 50 states, so this year's trip was Arkansas. It was awesome, we went to Little Rock Central High School (site of the Little Rock 9), the Capitol building, the Old State building, Clinton Muesum, and Market Street. So much history, we loved it

From there, on our way back we stopped in Memphis, TN (2 states in 1 ) and toured the Lorrain Hotel (Dr.King's last stop)

I can say while on our trip I was still able to add to my challenge and I also added to the 52 week challenge.

I'll add the totals thus far at a later date.

Prior to our trip to Arkansas I have a ton of things to do. First off for and eye exam, next oil change and tire rotation, then estimates on the car to be painted and last a ton of home work.

I'm excited about the trip overall it shouldn't be too expensive, hotel is about $120 rental car is less than $200, breakfast is at the hotel so all we have left is sight seeing and dinner.

I'm hoping to get away with spending $250 on this trip and BF will do the same.

To Saving Advice. I am so glad we're back up and running, whew!
Never thought I would have been a tad bit upset you were down

It appears as though I can make an entry but cannot read any of the blogs not even my own, anyone else having trouble?

It appears as though I can make an entry but cannot read any of the blogs not even my own, anyone else having trouble?

Happy New Year everyone!



Well it is day one of the new year. So I have decided to list my goals.

1. Pay off CCs 1, 2, 3 and 4
2. Save $2000
3. Visit any state and tour
4. Get all As this semester
5. Purchase the villa I'm currently living in
6. Graduate with my Master's in Human Resource Management
7. Land a much better job
8. Do a little bit more networking and community activities
9. Cancel gym membership by 2/15, if we are not consistant

I think that's it. I made these so simple but doable

Hope everyone is enjoying their day.

Today, I simply stayed home and prepared a very small meal. Just not in the mood to go anywhere.

Mom called out of the blue and invited me over, very surprising (we haven't spoke in almost a year). So I went by for a few minutes.

I have a lot to be thankful for that is for sure.

Enjoy the rest of your day everyone.

Hi all!

Since my last post, I have started grad school and it is challenging yet rewarding. I started in August and will be graduating in August of 2013.

For the last few months I have stuck to my goal of socking away 4% of my take home pay to my IRA and EF

However on a different note, I wrecked my car in a parking garage ( hit a pole) and it will cost $950 just to paint one side but I'm going to get additional qoutes that seems a bit high for me.

Also I'm still looking for a better paying job

Still not speaking to my mom and the back pain has not subsided.
I called the ortho to schedule a MRI

That's it in a nutshell for me.

$256.85 is the amount I owe on my car, thank God. But I won't be able to pay it off this month as planned because I need a new bed
I'll be financing a bed today because I do not want to take the money out of my EF. You see, what I have saved is enough to cover two months rent in case something happens. My goal is to have at least 6-8 months worth of expenses saved.

Here is the plan, finance a bed at Badcock for $800, sell the bed we currently have for $500 and use that money towards the payments of the new bed.

So if all goes well I can have the purchase of the new bed paid off by next month with very little interest.

On a different note, yesterday was pay day and I wasn't able to save anything but at least I have about $300 in disposable funds until next pay day and if call goes well, I should be able to sock half of it away

Next week is my Mother's birthday and I thought about calling her but to be honest I really don't want to, and honestly I probably won't

That's it in a nut shell

OMG! Who would have thought a bed could cause so much pain. Okay we moved into the new place and was left everything, dining room table, sofa, TVs, a bed etc.
Anyhow since we moved in I have been having back pain. At first I thought because we have been moving things. Well long story short and $400 dollars later, I realized it is the bed.
My copayment for each doctor visit is $50, and now therapy is $50 a visit twice a week. Yikes!

Well I thought could it be the bed? So I slept on the couch and realized I felt better. I ended up buying a topper for $79 and it helped but I was still somewhat sore. So the bf bought a piece of plywood and I almost died. So I ended up back on the couch.

Now the plywood is gone so we will see how tonight goes, but I have never experienced such pain.
Lesson learned, not everything given to you is the best, and choose your beds wisely or you'll end up spending an arm and a leg.
Fingers crossed that the topper does it and we don't have to buy a bed

Okay I am a little torn. I can either pay my car off this month or pay off 1 CC or pay another CC almost half way down.
Now of course the CC interest is a lot more than the car but atleast the car would be paid off

Just wondering what you guys would do?

Whew! I received an email from BCBS that my gift card has been shipped. Now I can use that money to pay my cell phone bill if I receive in time along with my Internet bill.

Hopefully, I will have it by the end of the week

Okay we are going into month number 3 and I have not received my $200 from BCBS. Well I called them and was advised that there was a delay and the gift cards will be mailed on the 23rd.
Well I'll give it a few days after that and if not received I will call them again. This is crazy

Okay I picked up the keys today to the new place. I must admit I'm really nervouse. But I've cleaned the master bedroom and bath, wiped down the kitchen counters and cabinets, swept and moped the guest bedroom. I've put away the culinary and made the bed in the master bed room, so when I move in ally I gave to do us shower and get into bed

Tomorrow I will take all my shoes and clothing hanging in the closet, as well as my purses, and belts. Since we are expecting a cold front I'm going to hold off on the sweaters.

I'm really glad we got the keys early it makes the move do much easier.

I plan in having my BF brother-in-law who is a pastor come by and bless the home before we move in.

So that's it in a nutshell.

Just hit the send button for my taxes which will be received in perfect time. The money I socked away for a rainy day will be used towards moving but yet replaced with my taxes. I felt sad that I'll be spending the money towards moving but happy it will be replaced.

Please say a prayer and keep your fingers crossed, BF did an estimate for a job of about $2000, the gentleman stated he needed to discuss it with his wife. I figured if he got the money we could pay the rent up for two months.

Now I'm just in wait mode.

I called BCBS to check the status on my $200 gift card and was told I should receive between this week and next week. Apparently, the GC will be going out this week, whew. I was planning on using the money to buy a living set, but I'll pay my cell phone bill and the cable bill and place the money saved into my EF account.
Furniture at this time is not a must.

Now I'm just waiting on ING to issue a refund for the check I trashed.

We met with HOA today and was approved to move in, so it's officially I will be out of here on March 1st.

I must admit I am a little nervous, but with the grace of God I'm sure everything will be okay.

I plan on looking for a part time job, maybe one or two days a week but we'll see

Today is going to be a busy Sunday. First I'm heading to the storage and will clean out two boxes. Next, I plan on making it to spin class, then I will wash and vacuum my car, do my laundry at the same time, review my January spending, watch the Heat game and finally head to Duffy's for the Super Bowl. Whew, I'm tired from simply typing all this. Lol

Hopefully I will complete everything on my agenda, happy Sunday

Just wanted to wish my extended family ( You ) a Happy New Year! Let's make this the best financial year ever.

Wooohooo and the money keeps on coming in. I will receive a $10 Reward Visa Card from AT&T for making the switch to paperless billing.Plus I should be receiving my $200 gift card from Blue Cross Blue Shield of FL, and $10 from ING. What a way to end the year.

I usually do not mail off rebates but today, I sent in for my $10 rebate from Macy's for a George Foreman Grill I purchased on Black Friday.

I have already paid the bill so once received I will add to my challenge. Noting it here helps me keep track of when my rebate was sent

Today is my last day off before returning to work and I must say I have been a lazy bum all day. The only thing I can say is that I have done some studying, that's it.

I am really enjoying this day, really

I have completed 3 out 4 Lifestyle Improvement Program through BCBS bringing my total to $150 in gift cards
I'll complete the fourth phase between today and tomorrow to earn an additional $50 whooo hoo.

We're planning a trip in January so $200 in gift cards will be nice

Whew I almost missed out on $10 from ING. ING is offering $10 if you paid 5 bills via there bill pay center, so I paid the two additional bills I needed and $10 should be credited to my account by December 31st. Of course once I receive my $10 I'll deposit it to my challenge/EF

Whew, I figured out what to get my BF for Christmas. He mentioned he wants a radio for his car, $60 at Best Buy, also a wet/dry vac $20 at Wal*Mart so all in all his gifts will be under $100.

Also I am racking up points with ShopKicks hopefully I'll have enough points for a $25 GC for Christmas

Okay as I left my doctor's appoinment I headed to Wal*Mart. I pick up some items and was shocked that the tv converter was $19.98, after standing in line which seemed like eternity I got a refund.

Headed to my car, loaded, drove off and realised my cell phone was left in the shopping cart. Thank goodness I wasn't too far away before I realized I left my phone, upon my return it was still there, whew!

Next, on the list, enter cost of items on my price list--check, all done.

Well after I forgot about my $20 which was lost I decided to enroll in the reward program with BCBS. I scheduled my wellness checkup which is free, once the results are in I will complete an online survey which will give me a $50 visa gift card, in addition to the $50 for having the exam. Next I tried registering for the other surveys and for some reason my member number is not being recognized so tomorrow I will call BCBS and get this straighten out, if not I will miss out on $100 gift card.

I'm hoping to have the $200 in gift cards by my birthday, we're planning a trip to Alabama and I would like to use these fund for the trip.

I almost got upset but I decided I will not let this get me down, its a minor set back that will be fixed tomorrow and I can take the last two surveys for my $50 gift card.

First I misplaced/lost $20. This money was to last me until the weekend. I original started out with a little over $80, I went to get my hair done and the cost was $25, I went to Publix and spent $10 after that I have no idea what happened all I know is I was $20 short.

Next, I washed my clothes, hung them on the line and it started to rain so I had to rewash them and go to the laundry mat to dry them, costing me $1.50. I'm not adding this to the challenge because it was out of my control.

Well I think I'll mope over my $20 for another 10 or so minutes and then move on.

On a good note I did collect 25 points using the ShopKick app, I'm hoping to get enough point by my birthday to pay for my hotel room for our trip.

In the end, I am still blogging which is a good thing