Amber's Personal Finance Blog

It has been a while since I have posted anything (lol a week) but I have some updates. I added to my challenge/home account brining my new to $4142 from $4107 that is a good thing the bad news is I have been buying breakfast every day this week So starting today I am back to saving and not spending

Now that the Sopranos is over I can now cancel HBO, so my cable bill should drop...lol I am sure they had a lot of cancellations

I am earning about a buck a day in interest on my ING account that is nice, I can't wait until I am able to double hell triple this amount. It's nice feeling to be interested in how much money I am earning. So of course all this extra money will be going to my new home

Went to the mechanic today because of course my a/c is out. Anyhow the mechanc just tighten something and it was back working. He did no charge me but I gave him a $5 tip

Well my week is ending and it was great.I brought my lunch and breakast for the last 5 days to work and also had dinner at home So a buck for the day was added to my challenge ($5) since I am adding the $5 a day to my cc that too is down (this was because I did not eat out)
I also took my mid-term and missed only 3 questions

New challenge $4080

Well it is true my mom friend whose sister died the other day, died from an overdose. Unfortuantely she has a small child. Apparently she has been on drugs for a while, it is really scary.
This is the second person I know who has died from an overdose in just 1 week

Again I made breakfast, lunch and dinner; so I added my $5 to my cc balance brining new total to $1268.65

I can not wait until this is paid off. Next week is payday so I can pretty much pay a third or a little more of the bill. I hate having cc debt

Well I saved $2.69 on the water bill this month so I added that amount to my challenge

New total: $4075 I can't wait until I hit $5000

Well I checked my pressure (BP) and it was 111/67 which is great. I have been watching my pressure because at one point it was really high. Now the doctor's office just called and told me that all my blood work came back negative

well I had breakfast at home as well as lunch and dinner is alreay in the making
So in order to get my cc down by the end of the month I am adding all my no spend day funds to the cc.

New balance $1274.37
I can't wait until payday when I can knock this in half

Was all I could say. This couple that my mom worked for, for years; the husband's sister was found dead in a hotel room. She was missing for a few days, I think once again it was drugs. I was told by a co-worker that she was the biggest pot head and when I last saw her I thought she looked like Hell; but she was the nicest person

What is it about these drugs that has such a hold on these people, it is crazy

Today was a no spend day and I normally add $5 to my challenge/home account but since I have accumalated CC debt I added it to my credit card.

However, I did add my weekly $25 to my challenge today. I use to do this thing with my mom and family members where we all put in X amount of dollars and we each got a draw. I figured why not earn interest on my money and besides, that was a time when I couldn't save a dollar

New cc debt $1279.37
Challenge home balance $4055.43

I realized why I moved back home in the first place, I can not afford to live on my own with a car payment. When I first moved out I was able to pay my rent and car note ( I had completely stop paying cc at this point) Then my car was paid off and I started paying off old debt I was doing great then I got a cc and was paying ontime, everything was lovely except I was not saving any money. Fast forward now my car is beyond repair and it is time for a new car now I am struggling with the cc debt as well as car and rent payments; so I decid to move back home. Now every thing is ok, next my car is totaled now every thing is great. Since then (my car accident) I have since paid off debt and have managed to save a couple of thousands dollars. Anyhow starting this month I decided to sock away what I was paying in rent and car payment and I am litterly broke. I have about $120 to last me until my next paycheck (two and half weeks) and my fake car payment will be due along with cable, phone and electric, not to mention the water bill. Eventhough I am pretending, I can't help but wonder what if this is for real? I wouldn't be able it eat. Then I think will I be able to afford a house and everything else that comes along with it? Now I am worried

When I check the deadline for payments for school summer A was due end of May and Summer B mid July. So of course I paid the first part of the summer, now I get a notice of a late fee ($75) because if you registered before may 18 then the money for both terms were due by the end of May. Now this is ridiculous

Now I have to put this on my cc or deplete my saving I am raving mad I will be calling that school first thing Monday morning

As you all know I put all my dental work on the CC but my goal is to have it paid off by the end of June, so the challenge/new home account is on hold But I know I have to pay this off. Anyhow today I had breakfast at home and I alreay prepared lunch so $5 will go on the cc and I also hung out two loads a clothes to dry so that is $2 plus yesterday I did not eat out so that was another $5; all towrds the cc

New total $869.71

Yep I got a $.78 raise on my part-time job today which was great I am really happy. This amount will go to my car account
Seems like I am having a great start, a raise plus a bonus o my part-time job. I guess har work really pays off

my cc is back up, I put my dental work on the cc next pay period I have to pay at least half, I refuse to pay interest. Now I have to hold off from the challenge and add every extra buck to the cc. I refuse to have cc debt
No way Jose

Income
Income/Interest $3.08
Other Income
Gifts Received $20.00
Total Other Income $20.00
Refund (items returned) $142.36

Wages & Salary - Unassigned $3,284.72
Total Wages & Salary $3,284.72
Income - Unassigned $0.00
Total Income $3,450.16

Expenses

Gasoline $131.45
Maintenance $87.98
Total Automobile $219.43
Bills
Cable/Satellite Television $82.85
Cellular (paid twice) $167.20
Electricity $106.70
Online/Internet Service $122.05
Telephone $46.57
Water & Sewer $41.39
Total Bills $566.76
Charitable Donations $20.00
Clothing $116.74
Dining Out(down) $75.71
Education
Books $29.00
Tuition $240.40
Total Education $269.40
Gifts(too high) $190.91
Groceries $194.83
Healthcare
Dental $401.65
Physician $15.00
Prescriptions $56.98
Total Healthcare $473.63
Hobbies/Leisure
Books & Magazines $20.00
Total Hobbies/Leisure $20.00
Household
Furnishings $18.99
House Cleaning $2.50
Total Household $21.49
Job Expense
Non-Reimbursed $10.69
Total Job Expense $10.69
Leisure
Entertaining $76.75
Newspaper $5.04
Total Leisure $81.79
Miscellaneous $87.45
Personal Care $288.98
Sales Tax $18.57
School Supplies $0.61
Snack $4.79
Taxes
Federal Income Tax $313.03
Medicare Tax $47.63
Social Security Tax $203.65
Total Taxes $564.31
Expense - Unassigned $133.57
Total Expenses $3,359.66

Income less Expenses $90.50

I just added to $30 I would have spent at tne hair salon to my challenge. I decided not to go this week and try the week and a half method vs the every week method at $30 a pop

New total $4047.38

My friend's ex was found dead today in right next to his mom. I unfortunately; immediately thought a drug overdose but we will not know until the autospy is performed. She dated him years ago he was such a looser, thank God she left him. Unfortunately there is a small child involved who loves her dad no matter what and I really feel bad for her

$635 at the dentist today. If it is one thing that I have learned and that is to take care of your teeth. My god, this is so expensive. I did put this on the credit card and plan on paying off (I will pay off) before the next billing cycle. I just did not want to clean out my saving and take funds away from my house fund and besides I will not acrue any interest before then. I still have a ew more things to take care of, inregards to my teeth but I am holding off right now

I just wanted to say thanks to every one on this site, who not only read my blogs but encourage me as well. I have come a long way and still have a way to go but blogging has really help me open my eyes. Now you all know that I got a bonus today and the old me would have thought about all the things I could buy but instead my focus was on upping my challenge.

I feel as though we are one big family here and I am comfortable with blogging and sharing things that I am afraid to share with family members or friends. I don't know but we all share something here and it is wonderful.

I am aware that $4000 to some is not a lot but to me I feel like a millionare, lol... I have never just saved $4000 not even $200 for that matter. lol but any how I am happy

Last year, I wrote about my attempted suicide and my battle with depression, I can honetly say sincee I have joined this site I am the happiest I have every been in a long time (even though I am single)

Just felt like I needed to share this with you and again I just want to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!

oops I forgot I added $7 more dollars to my challenge

New total $4007.00

PS for anyone who is going through anything, I know how you feel; just hang in there the best is yet to come

What a nice surprise today I got a two week bonus check in addition to my regular pay I am so happy. So I transferred the funds to my challenge (may as well since I was not expecting it ) and I have met my $4000 goal for my challenge this month. I am so excited. Now for June I need to up my challenge from $4000 to $6000 and then I will be on track with adding $1000 a month for the year. I can actually sense one day I will be a home owner wow am I happy

New total for my challenge a whopping $4000 the most I have ever saved yippie

I was on a roll and just broke my cycle today not only did I buy breakfast but lunch als0 so I had to add $11 to the challenge. It is not the $11 that I am upset about but the fact that I was too lazy to pack lunch

New total $2660.94

This is crazy, even though I am saving for my dream home I was wondering why wasn't I paying rent?

Basically before I moved home my rent was $475 a month plus a $348.11 for a car payment (before I totaled my car) and now that I have no bills other than what I help my mom out with (cable, light water and phone) a light bulb went off and I think I should start it back up. So as of June 1st I now have a car payment and rent; this should really boost my savings. I am also adding this catagory to my money software so that I will stay on track. All funds for rent will go my challenge/home account and funds for car payment will go to my new/used car account

Just wanted to wish every one a happy and safe Memorial Day

I like the idea of the $20 challenge, since starting I have been really saving and not touching these funds. I just added another $10 for not buying breakfast or lunch new total $2644.94(I made a mistake in an earlier post regarding my balance). At my age I am a shame to admit but I never had a savings with more than about $200 or so dollars, it feels really good
When ever I add even just a dollar I know I am closer to home ownership

Well that is not the case with my challenge (knock on wood) I have been fortunate to add and continue to add with out withdrawing, I am so happy. I just added $9 which brings my total to $2694.94 I was really hoping to have atleast $3000 by the end of the month but no such luck; my original goal was $4000 but minor things came up

For every day, I do not buy breakfast or lunch I add $5 to my challenge and let me tell you it has really been helping me to up my challenge. At the start of the month I had $2337.99 now I have $2595.15