Amber's Personal Finance Blog

well woke up with a new look on life but now i have a terrible headache as well as an upset stomach...wow!hope i feel better soon I have so much to do today, such as: wash clothes, head to church, finish cleaning my room and sorting through papers, heading to a kiddie party and then dinner. Tomorrow I plan on heading to workforce alliance for assistance with my resume maybe its not eye catching who knows but I am praying for a job by the end of October

Ok good news I am trying to stay focus as well as positive. Why I stopped blogging? I have no idea but I am definetly starting back and am glad to be back.

Well as you all know I lost my job, finally graduated, wrecked my car. Then the a/c gave out in my car, my power window also stopped working in my car, my laptop crashed and last night my tv stopped working. Oh and I pretty much cleaned out my savings. Thats what has happened to me over the last few months not to mention that i apply for at least 6 jobs a day

On a different note I am trying to stay positive, even though I do not have a regular income I have started the $20 challenge again with a weekly deposit of $10. I cranked up my old laptop and hooked up my desk top's monitor so I am officially back in business until I can get the other repaired (make sue you guys always back up files). My a/c was fixed by a family friend for $160 thank God because had I taken it to a shop I would have easily been looking at a few hundred dollars.

I went a retrieve a TV that I gave my brother a while ago but then a friend called and said he had one. My mom's friend gave me $50 today and I added that to my challenge and then the good news...I got a letter from the unemployment office that my benefits has been extended. THANK YOU LORD!

wow its been a long time and so much has happened...i was let go back in march and still have not found a job, i have managed to go through my savings, run up my credit cards and have graduated finally from college. i just want to thank everyone for checking in on me but i have just been down and out. oh my computer crashed so i am using a cell phone i will check back in in a few days. take care and i miss you guys

I have managed to spend over $200 on clothes and I know a lot has to do with the fact of not keeping track of my finances and now it is time to get back on track ASAP.
On a different note today was a good day at school I manage to start my paper and get my abstract done (1 page) and won't be able to start the rest until next week and I have gathered additional info from my practicum site . The goal is to have it done by the weekend.
I am surprised when my mom gave me $40 towards helping with the water bill, she is one who likes to hold onto her money and yours and yes I am thankful. My uncle also gave me $40, the water bill came to 60 (they have increased the rate by 22%) any how I have an extra $20 yippie

Ok I get up to head to my intern. First my alarm sounds and I decided to lay down an extra 10 minutes. Next thing I know I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off, but I am able to leave right on time in order to get to the hospital bright and early. Next I am waiting for my appointed time. When I finally go in ,the woman I spoke to tell me I am not suppose to start until next week and that she informed me of this. WHAT!!! I say to her in a polite manner, (as much as possible without trying to sound to annoyed) "I sent you an email to confirm this week" she says "you are to start after your first class and an email was sent" or something like that. So I smile and say I'll see you next week, but I am ticked off. So I am thinking maybe I misunderstood, but nope here is a copy of the email I sent her, dated Thursday May 7th:

Good morning C,
I just wanted to confirm that I will be starting next Monday and Wednesdays from 8am-12:30 for the summer internship

Thanks,
Amber

Her response:
Yes Amber. I will see you next week.Thanks

Now did I misunderstand?

I was so upset I forgot to stop at the college to give blood. later I head to class and it was great but then when I got home to down load the assignment windows media player there is no sound arrrrrgh, so I can't even start my assignment and apparently this is common with Vista, so I down load real player and the same thing OMG!. I emailed my professor and now have to wait for a response
So it really wasn't a good day

Ok classes start tomorrow, I am both excited and somber. Excited because starting class tomorrow which makes it's official that this will be my last semester and after working so hard would be finally a college graduate. hmmmm I love how that sounds, lol Somber because I start my internship tomorrow and am hoping that it leads to a job in the end. For some reason I am not nervous which is a good thing, normally I am very nervous when ever I start a job but this seems like I belong there...no butterflies what so ever. Strange
On a different note, I did some shopping this weekend and spent a ton, tomorrow or Tuesday I will calculate just how much; however, there is one shirt for $8 that I will be returning
Also my uncle really went out today for all the moms, we had so much food and music, I saw my nieces and nephews whom I have not seen in months, it felt really good.
Well off to bed, want to well rested for my first day
Good night every one and if you missed my previous post Happy Mother's Day

Just wanted to wish all you mom's a Happy's Mother's Day!!!!!!!!!!!

Today was suppose to be a NSD but I just remembered I should make a payment to the dentist so I left C a message on their voice mail to charge my cc $25, actually this will be charged tomorrow so literally this is still a NSD

Today was officially a no spend day, I am trying to get back in the swing of things. Unfortunately though I can not add to my challenge

OK I go and get my free meal from KFC which only allow one coupon per person, so I decide I am having this for dinner. My mom comes home and I give her a coupon and tell her she should go. She then ask me where my meal is I say in the fridge her response "well you better give it to me because I'm hungry" my response "no that is for my dinner tonight eat the left over ham" Now what am I suppose to do? give her my dinner and go back to KFC because she doesn't feel like going...this is a peeve of mine with her, I don't mind sharing but do I have to share every Christ thing I am eating? Even if it is a small piece of cake and I do mean small, she wants it. It drives me crazy because she doesn't even have to be hungry she only wants it because it's there. It has gotten to the point that if I buy a kids meal and we all know how small of a portion that is (I don't eat much) that I go to the park to eat so that I can eat in peace. I hate this, I really do

Just went and got my free meal from KFC which was great, I tasted a small piece and am saving the rest for dinner tonight.

Ok this post is not about finances but about people in my life.
First my sister, even though she has not asked to borrow money she may as well had. For months my mom and I have been taking her to and from the train station and she has yet to offer any gas money. It's really not even the point about the gas it's the point that she doesn't even offer or maybe ask her sons once a week to pick her up. I'm simply tired and so is my mom, it not like she lives close. I know if she gave me $5 she would be short on her rent or lights or something, the point is just offer let me say no and ask your kids some times
Next a friend of mine, boy it is true when you see some one and think they are doing great you simply really don't know. Ok C is behind on her mortgage which is going into foreclosure, her lights were turned off and her car which was paid off she took out a loan and is now behind. Her husband was living with her and now he is gone (she was behind prior to him leaving). After being informed that her lights were off I felt really bad and sent her $20 I figured she could at least buy dinner or something I know it's not much. Anyhow she called her dad up who asked her to get all her finances in order (totals) basically he wired her $15k to pay her bills. What does she do? Buy a new laptop, fix her desk top computer, a new Iphone, buy mother day's card and gift cards her her mom, aunts and cousin---gift card? come on. Now I am pissed because I sent you $20 that I myself don't have and you basically waste the money your dad gave you. I said to her pay off your truck which was about $7k and I know her dad included this amount in the money he sent her, she tells me she can't live in a truck. Umph I say call the bank and try and get this resolve the longer you wait the more fees they are tacking on(regarding her mortgage). She says she knows. I am thinking to myself you have got to be kidding me. The longer you hold onto this money the more you're going to nickle and dime through it. I even said to her go down to the bank, in person and try and get this thing resolve, did she budge? Of course not. If I came into $15k I would pay my car off and the 1 cc that I owe. Plus she is not working. Then on Sunday she went to some festival she has dined out every day for the last few weeks and then she gets upset because her dad is calling questioning what she has done with her money...unbelievable

I don't have much to report, I wanted to go to the movies today but it's either the movies today or networking tomorrow and I am not spending money both days, so let me think about it

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Hi all,
I'm just checking in, know it's been awhile but facebook has consumed me. I am still unemployed, but am really not looking (I have put in some applications). I got a B in my finance class and a C in my management class
hmmmm what else, my savings is still fairly high but for the last few weeks I have been dining out so that has got to come to an end, meaning I have got to keep up with my blogs here.
Umph I start classes next week and as well as my internship and after that I will be graduating...yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So that's it for now and thank you Ralph for reminding me that I have a family here

Ok I receieved a check (partial) from the stipend that I am doing with a local organization in the amount of $500 It was a nice surprise because I thought I would not receive this money until the end of the project. The rest is due to come at the end of the stipend.
Of course my mom checked the mail and the first thing she said was here is the check you've been watining on and me not thinkng opened the enevlope and said oh this is from P then her response was how much did you get. I ABOSLUTLEY HATE IT WHEN SHE ASK ME ABOUT MY ^&((&^$ FINANCES. So because I am caught off guard I say $500, her response oh you can take me to lunch tomorrow. When in Hell was the last time she has taken me out to lunch even on my birthday I paid for us to have dinner. She knows I am not working and every penny that I get I put in my EF to pay my bills. It just really ticks me off that she always has her hand out. I pray that I can finish school land a job and buy me a house to get out of here.
However, the check that I am expecting from another company still have not come Sorry to vent but I was so upset

I printed out some business cards for my brother who sent me $20 and my mom gave me $30 about three weeks ago. I have been holding on to these $30 until the water bill came which was less this month ($48.01) so with the money that my mom gave me as well as the money from my brother I wrote the check today for the water bill this was really nice since I am watching every dime.
On a different note I did a temp gig last week and was to receive a check of $90 this week and I still have not received it I am annoyed, even though I really don't need it at this very moment but I would like to have it earning the small amount in interest. In about two weeks I should be receiving a check from the internship that I am doing with an organization in the amount of $1000 I plan on paying down my BoA cc with those funds

I was offered a job today and had to turn it down, had she called me last week I would have accepted. But I have since registered for school, found an internship and committed to it. Some times I second guess my decisions but this one I had no problem with and I do believe that it is God's will and I have made the right decision. I also got my unemployment check today to I transferred next month's car payment to my EF
Oh and my biopsy came back with very mild dysplasia nothing to worry about so I follow up with the doc in 6months
All in all I feel really good and excited about school

Sorry I haven't been around too much but I finally joined facebook and now I'm addicted, lol but so much has gone on.
I went and did a one day gig at the Area Agency on Aging and the woman really wants me to intern. I also got a call back from a job that I applied and interviewed with about a month ago. But now that I have decided to finish school I think that is the best thing to do and hold off on unemployment atleast until graduation in August
I found 4 pennies on Thursday and picked them up with out even thinking about it then found at two yesterday and was only able to retrieve one because as soon as I was going to pick up the other a woman walked over and stepped right on it
hmmm let's see I had another interview at the hospital for a part time position and the guy was so nice he have me a bunch of numbers for leads on possible internships for the summer. Well guess what one worked out and I will be interning at the hospital for the summer I am so excited because this is where I would like to work in the long run. Well that is it for now

Well I received my tax return and of course my mom had her hand out. I usually give her $200 but since I am not working I gave her $150. I thought she would have said don't worry about it since I wasn't working but she took it anyway.... I should have known
So I wrote the check for my car, paid a $100 on the light bill, paid my internet bill, and cell phone bill all were paid early for the month of April. I'd rather have a credit than to be scrounging around next month trying to come up with the money. I also scheduled my May payment on CC number 2. Even though some of these funds won't be deducted until next month I went ahead and deducted them from my registrar.
I was also able to sock away $900 in to my savings account (this will cover two months car payments).
I should be getting my first unemployment check of about $600 so I'll pay May's car payment and put the remainder into my savings account
I forgot I got a gig next Tuesday answering the phone for $10 an hour for eight hours. This is the place in which I may intern. I went before to do some volunteer work and the HR woman really liked me but the woman she set me up with was so rude I never went back and she sense that. So when I contacted her for an internship she was really excited and then she ask me what hours I was looking for I told her I was wasn't working so any time before 5 since classes start in the summer at 4:45 anyhow she offered me this temporary gig. hmmm you never know I may get a job out of this and this place is a government agency

This is why I simply decided to finish school. I get this call to come in for a interview yesterday so I say ok. Well an hour before our meeting the interviewer calls to cancel an reschedule. Ok fine, but an hour before our second meeting she cancels. This burns me up. Why call if you are so busy?
Anyhow the first day of the internship was ok, I'm feeling out things and go back on Thursday

I have decided to finish my education and not worry about a job. It is going to be tight but only for a few months, well the end of July will be graduation. I figured I would be more marketable with a bachelor's than searching for a job and explaining that I am currently in school and can't work Tuesday or Thursday evening and then explaining what my plans are after graduation. It definitely going to be tough but the opportunity cost in the long run will be worth. However, I will continue to look for a part-time job

I went to a presentation put on today by Plan Parenthood and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women about HIV awareness. I learned some things that I never knew. Like if your T cells drop below 200 you are then classified as an AIDS patient and even if your T cells increase for years and never drop you are still classified as an AIDS patient. At first I did not want to go but am glad I did, since I am not working I am definitely going to try to attend a lot more of these community outreach programs, it's free and informative

I got 4 hours of studying in and still haven't completed one chapter. I can't wait until school is over. I am currently majoring in health administration ( a business degree) and with this degree the way the economy is, any one with a business/finance degree is pretty much having a hard time finding a job. I am considering going back to school in the fall and obtaining my respiratory therapist license. It is a two year program...we'll see

I got a call on Wednesday regarding a front desk position, when I called back the girl says to me that T wants you to come in and fill out an application and meet with some one. So I say when would be a good time she says Friday any time between 8:30 and 4. So today I go in at 10:30am only to be told that the office manager was not in and if I can come in on Monday or if I wanted to fill out the application. Basically she wanted me to come back and my response, I'll fill out the application and leave it. If she wants me to come in then she will call. I left my resume again and a few letter of recommendations
On a different note, I decided to go ahead and pay my auto insurance for a six month period since I have the money and have no idea when I would find a job ($632.09)
My classmate called to tell me she was just diagnosed with Lupus, so please keep her in your prayers
Tomorrow if I don't do anything else , I am going to the library

Well today I didn't get a call but I was busy as $#@$%. I went with my brother to help him get his passport (almost 3 hours) then I had class. Usually there are a ton of jobs posted but today there were only 2 and 1 I have to mail my resume tomorrow
I hate when companies want you to mail in a resume, but oh well

Ok I'm in my room and my mom comes in with the mail and says to me M sent you your check. I say I know I checked this morning and it was deposited, she then says how much did he pay you? I absolutely hate when she does this, it is none of your business or anyone else for that matter how much money I make and besides I am not working so this money is going into my EF account to pay up coming bills, bottom line. But I simply said he paid me for the two weeks and left it at that
On a different note I got two hours in (studying) and actually found a couple more jobs I could apply for. Now I'm going to read "Beneath the Bruises" which is a book on domestic violence

I have decided to attend different functions in the community pertaining to health care. I figured this will give me an opportunity to get involved as well an opportunity to meet some executives and network. I was planning on doing this anyway but never got around to it, wish I had
Anyhow on the job front, nothing. I only saw two possible openings and applied for both. It amazes me you apply for a ton of positions and only get a couple of calls

Well I think so... my to do list was to:
-Fax resume to two location--done
-Call Dr's office to schedule an interview--done
-Second interview with hospital B--done
-Deposit Pinecone check--done
-Mail application to the city of LW--done
-Work on paper--done
-Study finance

Well I didn't work on my finance homework but I did finish up my taxes so I'll head to the library tomorrow to work on my home work for finance after I check out any new posting online for a job

I hate when my mother ask me questions about my finances. I said to her well I finally did my taxes and her response how much are you getting? I wanted to scream none of your business, it drives me crazy that she wants to know. Few weeks ago she ask me what my salary was. I think things like that are private mother or not. I'm sure she's expecting something now. This is not a bonus for me this is money to pay future bills if I do not land a job
Yes I blog about my finances because it helps me mentally and I don't really know anyone here personally so I can say what's on my mind and not feel uncomfortable about my finances