Amber's Personal Finance Blog

Today was a good day, filled up the car ($18.33) gas prices were $2.32. Went to class which went by pretty fast(thank God). Then hit the grocery store and saved .30 on Irish Spring with my coupon

So I added $1.49 to the challenge cash account after rounding up today, new total $1.49

I never experienced paydays when I am not broke. Since I have taken on this seriousness with my finances I always seem to have some cash left over until the next pay period. I just checked the bank and my funds are there from the part-time job ($234.90). So to even everything out I paid $34.90 on the cc debt.

Previous total: $2584.36
New total:$2549.26
Challenge total:$393.15

Ok I paid another $19.01 extra on my debt. Tomorrow is payday from tmy part-time job so I rounded up the money in my personal account to make it an even $200.00 so of course I use the extra funds on the cc yippie!!!!!!! Anything extra I am either saving in my challenge saving account or putting it towards my challenge debt account, so things are looking up

Previous total $2603.37
New Total: $2584.36

Total applied to debt challenge:$358.25

Ok now that I got my raise which is almost $50.00 extra each pay period, I will live as though I did not receive this extra money and transer all funds to my EF. I was thinking about using it towards my debt but I already pay twice as much on that and since I want about $6000.00 saved before I actually start saving for a house, so for now I am living as if I did not get a raise

Well I got my pay stub today and there was a note from the boss which stated thanks for the hard work and a 85 cent raise. So I am not complaining because that was nice my annual raise be in January

Well we got paid today, so I am happy. Paid a ton bills but atleast I still have some extra cash...the car maybe going into the shop so I can't add any extra on th debt than what I already have
Today's spending:
Loan Payment to my brother: $100
Cellular: $68.20
Water:$43.08
Tithes: $20.00
CC debt: $115
Student Loan: $20
Groceries:$29.46
Personal Care:$5.76
Sales tax: $1.09
Total $402.59

Well I paid an extra $115 on the credit cards So I am happy. I also paid an extra $20.00 on my student loan

Extra Debt Payment/$20 Challenge Total:
$359.24

Saved a $1.80 today using my good 'ol coupons, so /i am adding this amount to my challenge money.

Total $24.88

I closed my high interest cc with the monthly fee of $4.00 just for having their account. I decided that I may as well close it then that way I am not tempted to use it. I am sure my already low score will go lower since I close this account but I am not ready to purchase anything in the future any time soon so I guess I am ok. Simply closing this account has given me some feelings of freedom so I am happy. Now I have to work on paying the balance. When I was asked why I was closing and being that I have never been late in the last 4+ years that I actually had the account you would think they would have offered me a low interest rate with no fee but instead they just simply closed it, but I am free

I am annoyed because my boss wanted to go to Sweet Tomatoes since she missed the free lunch on Friday. Well of course I did not bring in any lunch because we were going to Sweet Tomatoes, well I be...I get here and she is leaving at 12 and will not be having lunch so I ended up spending $7.73 on lunch that I did not want to eat in the first place (well spend the money that is) Then I go there (Sweet Tomatoes) and there is no where to park the cops are giving out tickets if you park in the lot next to the restuarant..lucky for me I did not get ticket. I then hand the girl my coupon and was told they do not accept coupons, now I am more annoyed. So to make a long story short I round up the change and added 7.00 to the cc debt a total of $7.03 (matched the money wasted)

Normally I but the Sunday paper for the coupons but since October is a month of frugality I decided not to waste the $1.25 ( normally I forget I even have coupons) Anyway I get to my part-time job and my co-worker saved the paper for me (yippie) I got a ton of coupons that I will use since October is the month of frugality for me. So I am adding a $1.25 to my challenge money

I was wondering if you could add a feature. When we click on the " all entries" to few all blogs, could you possibly add a feature so that we may veiw the preious or next blog with out going to the main menu again while we are viewing one in particular?

Thanks in advance

I came into work today at 3pm and just finished up studying a few minutes before 8...wow. I Also check my grade from the lab assignment on Thursday, I got a "B"(85%)...not too good. I really thought I aced the assignment. So instead of adding $3.00 for an "A" I will be adding $2.00 to the challenge money for the "B" so right now I have a "B" average in the class. My other class; we have not had one test and a mid term is in about two weeks I have knpw idea what to study but we will see. But I have rad the chapters and taken notes. I'll read over them again tomorrow in case I missed something.

And I started the day off right, "no spending" so I am adding a buck to the cc debt. This is the month that I am taking frugality by storm. I plan on not eating out at all except for Monday, I promised the boss we can go over to Sweet Tomatoe since she missed the free lunch on Friday (me and my big mouth)but atleast I am not paying for her, it's every woman for herself. Also my goal for the month is to cut CC debt in half and up EF to $1500.00.

Previous CC debt $2726.39
New toatl:$2725.39

Gas:$113.01
Car Maintenance: $300
Electricty: $163.28
Student Loan: $28.00
Auto Ins :$207.43
Cable: $65.87
Telephone:$40.75
Cloting $33.98
Dining Out:$41.06
Gifts: $47.77
Healthcare:$32.64
Personal $26.59
Cleaning Supplies:$14.10
Groceries:$180.04
School Supplies: $19.16
CC Payments:$383.65
Job exp (not refunded)$18.38
Misc:$848.48
Sales Tax: $65.86
Interest on CC: $58.34

Well I did get my notenook, which did it in for me regarding miscellanous spending and going back and forward to school boost my gas spending. Overall for the month I spent a lot more than anticipated I'll have to be really frugal for October

Today was another no spend day so I paid another buck on the cc.

Total: $2726.39

I was checking my ING account and notice that I actually tansferred a total of $1274.17 in order to pay down cc debt, so I guess I am making some progress not to mention all the extra's I have paid thus far, that was in a different account. I had about $8000.00 in debt when I started working on gettig it paid down/off in December of 2005 so looks like I really should be happy

After balancing my HSBC account I notive that I did not account for the interest incurred on my cc for September but that is ok because I paid $25.00 on that card and another $14.00 on the high interest card

Total for challenge/cc debt $52.22
Previous Balance:$2754.85
New Balance:$2727.29

Well I did forget, the college allos you to pay 50% the first part of the semester for tuiion and 50% midway through. Well I forgot I owed $370.30 and had to add that to the CC thank God payday is next week. But I did pay $2.60 on the high interest CC. Seems like when you make a step forward you always go back two
Previous total $2387.16
New Total:$2754.85

Ok I am doing pretty well I did not spend any money today so I am paying a buck to the cc company/challenge

Previous Total:$2390.34
New Total: $2389.34

Oops in checking my account I actually owe $2387.16 that's even better

I went to the mall to get my free undies and past through Macy's I kept looking at one particular dress and then placed a skirt on hold, but I did not get them Boy did this take some discipline but I am happy I just kept asking myself "need or want" " no cc debt or cc " house or live at home the rest of my life" needless to say I will not be back tomorrow to pick up the skirt. They'll be others

Well I am heading to Victoria Secret today to get another pair of free undies before my coupon expires ( a $7.50 value) once I pick them up I am adding this amount to the challenge/cc debt

Today was a no spend day so I am adding 1 dollar to the challenge/cc account
Previous total:$2392.34
New Total: $2392.34

I need to start keeping track how much of my challenge money is used towards CC debt and how much I actually stash away, right now I have been paying the cc debt

I came home on break to fix a quick lunch (sandwich) before heading to class well some one ate the last slice of cheese. So I did not have time to actually cook so guess what i had to buy some. $3.16 wasted but I did match this amount and paid on the CC which is now reduced to $2389.15, prevoious total $2392.34

I hate lending anyone money but I remember the times where I barely had anything so I went ahead and let my sister borrow a $100.00. I know I may have mad a mistake but I can stand the pinch. She will pay me back but when she says Friday she means not this Friday but 5 Friday's from now (lol). However, I did tell her to keep $60.00 for the broadband service that I have on her account ( it was cheaper this way for me) so she really owed me $40.00

I was told once that one must atleast put in two hours of studying a day for each class taken I agree, but since i was unable to do any at work (full-time job) today I had to putin my two hours tonight and I just finished at 10:45 so I am reading emails, blogging and just plain 'ol surfing (I am on break ) and I will look over my notes in a few for about an a half hour...wow I totally forgot what it was like

Today was a no spend day, my co-worker treated me to lunch that was nice. So I decided to add a dollar to the challenge and pay my CC a buck. I wanted to see if it would allow such a small transaction and I was really surprise it did so I am down by a buck

New total $2392.34

Well my boss finally decided to hire some months later after Jodi left ( and I miss very much) Anyway I had to train all day so I actually worked for a change...lol I was unable to surf the net, read my email/blogs or study But in all I do like this girl she seems to be nice and I think we will get a long well. So now I am making up for lost time...lol, all I can say is it was really weird today...fyi I do my job well, accurate and fast that is what my boss like about me I am just organized so I am normally done really early even if I start late, Jodi and I were two peas in a pod and worked very well togther i just hope evrything works out with this girl because I do like her

I bought some hamburger helper for the first time (taco) but I did not care for it. So since i spent almost two dollars I guess I have to gobble it up. Some tims thoough, if you let food sit over night it tends to taste better the next day, we'll see.

I am adding a buck to the challenge, only because the money I spent late last night was on a fixed expense so
basically I did not waste any money today
New tota:$16.90