Amber's Personal Finance Blog

I have come to the realization that you really cannot save if you have all this damn (pardon me) cc debt. Even though I only have two active accounts left to pay off and then one charge off, in which I have not included in my balance due for CC ...it is enough to drive you crazy. I plan on paying off CC2 next pay period if it kills me. I just realize as well, that school will be starting really soon (August) and all I have saved is $107.00 towards my tuition which is not even equivalent to half of my tuition or books, so I have to up my game now seriously. I mean I have got to cut corners some place. Since the new month I have not eaten out so that is a plus and I have been eating leftovers since Sunday; I can't imagine what else to cut. I refuse to buy any books this month, and I refuse to deduct from the challenge/new home account unless it is an extreme emergency. So we will have to wait and see. Hopefully I will have at least $75.00 left over by next pay period and I can add that to the education account

Did some shopping today, bought my God-daughter an out fit for today as well as her 3 year old daughter who is extremley jealous of her.

Gifts: $22.86
Personal Care: $5.94
Sales Tax: $1.88
Added: $1.32

Just wanted to wish every one a happy and safe 4th of July. My uncle and God daughter's parents are having a BBQ but I will be sleeping all day long as well as reading in between

Just round up some change and added $.99 to the challenge brining my total to $240.78. So I am happy

Well just checked in to see if I needed to report to jury duty on Wednesday and guess what I do. My juror number is 515. I am not too upset about it but everyone else ( the boss) seems to be, why? Isn't suppose to be our civil duty? I have been on a jury before and had no problems with it, but I guess some people do

Well I went to donate blood today and because I have very small veins they were unable to draw any blood. But I got a GC for free lunch at Chick fil a and $20.00 GC for home depot ( I will give my mom $10.00 and use $10.00 for hurricane supplies...batteries) So I made out pretty good today

I am so upset that I started so late in life to really take a good look at my finances. I am 32 and just really started contributing this year to my IRA account on regular basis, I only have about 686.00 in that account Now I am on my part-time job which offers a 401K plan. Mow I am unsure how much I can contribute( I have so much cc debt)I was thinking about 4% which is only about $10.00 ( I do not make much here) or even 8% which will be about $20.00. Right now I contribute $40.00 to my IRA account after taxes on a monthly basis atleast my part-time job will match. If I had did this let's say at the age of 16 when I started working I would have so much money right now

Did soime shopping today and pick up D batteries for hurricane season, I forgot tomorrow we donate blood and you'll get a $20.00 GC for Home Depot in whic I could have used for the D batteries, but I am sure there are other things on my list that I can pick up at Home depot

Todays Spending
Groceries:$28.05
Hurricane Supplies: $9.88
Leisure: Newspaper: $1.25
Sales Tax:.90
Trsf to Challenge: +.92
Total: $40.08
New toral for challenge: $239.79

Paid the first bill for the month, the water bill $43.08, it wasn't due until the 10th but I figured I would get it out of the way. I also added to the challenge, $2.92 bringing my total to $237.84

Well since my sister never cashed the check for $150.00 I decided to pay extra on CC2 since I am trying to pay it off tne month of July. So I added $75.00 decreasing the balance from $746 to $671.00

Old CC Debt for curent accounts:$2690.32
New balance for curent CC debt: $2615.32

The check I wrote my sister for $150.00 was never cashed she called to tell me she id not need the money and did not cash the check. I am so happy because getting paid from her is like pulling teeth

I can not be lieve it is Jluy already. My goal for this month is to continue decreasing my CC debt and pay off CC 2 this month,the blance is $871.00. CC 2 the plans is to get it down to about $1500.00 from $1900.00 goal is to pay off by September. I also need to work on my grocery bill, I was bale to decrease it from $140.68 (40%) from the month before now to increasing this month ( June) by 21% to $170.33 Dinining out for May was 173.74 increased by 34%. Now ending in June I decreased my eating out by 47% to $91.80,. So even though I did really well with dining out the grocery bill went up. I decided to print a calendar for the month with what's for dinner on it for the month ans stick to that grocery bill I should save big time that way. We will see

Well went through my egister and found the $11.00 (additional to the challenge) I made an extra $15.00 on my part-time job and transferred $11.00 of that to the challenge. So I am glad it wasn't an error in which I would be deducting this amount from my challenge, I just forgot to add it so the total of $234.92 is correct On 6/8 I had $837.15 in the challenge account and was fustrated about all the money I owe on CC's and decided hey pay off the CC then I only had $49.00 now I am back up to $234.92 less than a month I was able to save $185.92 in about 3 weeks not to mention teh money I saved in My Misc account, Education account as well as my personal account totaling about $625.00 for the month So I did very well for June

I have no clue but I show my current balance of $224.71 in my challenge account but when I checked the actual balance online my balance shows $231.83 less the $3.09 I just added (?) A little more than $10.00 difference so when I go home tonight I have to balance this account
So my new total is actually $234.92

Headed out to Target today, needed some personal things and found 2 coupons in my wallet which expired today so that worked out. Saved $1.00 on double D batteries (stocking up for hurricane season) and $2.00 on facial scrub so $3.00 bucks added to the challenge as well as .09 cents (rounding up the change)so I am happy

New total: $223.89

Well I ended up lending my sister the $150.00 we will see if she pays me back today, I am sure she will have some kind of excuse...she always does. Anyway I do not know why I do it, lend out money that is. I am always annoyed, because when the day rolls around to repaid you can never find that person, I guess I have not learned my lesson yet

I am so glad the month has ended. Bills are paid and I was able to send off another extra $125.00 on CC 2
I also added about 16.00 to the challenge today bringing my new total to $220.80(I met my $100.00 goal this month . Taking a look back I was able to cut down on eating out, that is always good news.
As I look back I did pretty good this month, 3 cc's paid off and 1 student loan

Misc:$121.76
Student Loan: $280.07 (paid in full)
Groceries: $162.79
Gifts : $67.08
gas: $50.01
HUrricane Supplies: $41.39
Clothing:$46.11
Home bills (cable, Cell, etc) $509.84
Tithes: $60.00
Dining out $91.80
Healthcare: $21.65
Leisure:$34.51
Personel: $69.26
So all and all I did pretty good

I went to Chick-fil-a today, and was a little upset I spent almost $6.00, but on mOnday they are having a blood drive and they are giving away a $20.00 gift card to Home Depot ( I can get D batteries for the Hurricane) and a prize pack for the restuarant. Being that I donate anyway this will be a nice treat I can't wait

Ok just entered my paycheck into my register not including the part-time job'spay and paid all bills even extra on the cc's. So here we go

$75.00 EF
$30.00 Misc Account
$20.00 Personal Account
$20.00 Eduction account
$20.00 IRA
$25.00 Challenge/New home account
$134.54 lights
$40.00 water bill
$20.00 Tithes/offerings
$40.22 on CC 1 ( bal: $1944.32)
$40.00 on CC 2 (bal $871.00)
$40.00 C-phone #1
$52.00 C-phone #2
$39.85 Cable

Previous balance on CC:$2895.54

Had a pretty good day the boss actually did the payroll today, so that means we'll get paid on Friday; that is first. We all pretended as if we did not know if the banks will be open on Monday so he went ahead and did them .So I am happy I can set up all my bills to be paid on Friday.

I met my old boss who I loved for lunch cost me $21.00 at the Olive Garden, the food was terrible so we ended up with a $20.00 GC which I will not use for a while
so all in all everything turned out ok

Had a half day today and did some shopping. I can't believe this month is already over and I still have funds left in my checking account but today I sepnt a total $27.65, most of this stuff I could have done with out but oh well. Iwas even able to add $2.45 to the challenge so guess it was not too bad today

Today's spending:
Personel Care: $12.94
Lunch: $8.18
Books: $4.84
Sales Tax: $1.89

New challenge total:$178.28

Just balanced my checkbook and was off $13.00 so I am happy ( entered in transactions twice)Then I added $3.62 to the challenge brining my total to $175.93, it was a no spend day so I just added the $1.00 for the no spending and $2.62 to round up the change

I ended lending my siser $150.00 boy I tell ya, she needed for her house payment she is suppose topay me back on Friday we will see. Me and my big mouth I told her about the check from the insurance company

I can not stand the girl that works with me, she makes no attempt to solve any problems on her own. I called a patient to remind him of his 6/27 appointment well then I was helping another patient and being the "no class" person she is she interrupted me at least 4 times before I finally said to her handle it I am with a patient my mean my God. Earlier I called a patient who needed to set up his appointments well in the mean time another patient came in well I am helping the new patient and the phone rings she answers tell me this guy is calling me back I say to her all he needs to do is schedule well she kept in on hold so long waiting for me to take the call he finally hung up. She drives me bonkers and I can not stand her. There is no need in complaining to the office manager because she adores her (tow peas in a pod)
But other than that I attempted the marketing thing again and had lunch with a couple of clients and were able to get tone referral so that was ok but over all I am going to kill some one ( just talking, not really)

I knew I was not going to spend a dime today, so I added my dollar to the challenge before the day was over. I am glad to report it was a no spending I can't tell you the last time I had one of those.

As you all know I am in the process of cleaning up my credit. Any way there are a few MD bills being reported which I do not doubt, but the only thing listed are the amounts and not the original creditor or cotnact information.So I am disputing these charges with Equifax, the only one reporting the bills. I think it is from my car accidnet when I went to the hospital but I am not sure hopefully they'll eithre validate or remove it all together.

Next I went through my up coming bills and realize by July 16 at the rate I am going I will have CC 2 paid off ($911.00 balance)and one left to go ( about $1900.00 balance) so I am excited about that.

Gosh I can not wait to cream " I am debt free"

My brother came back from his trip to the Keys and told me not repay my mom the $50.00 he will pay her back. So that means I really did get the extra $30.00 So I am happy. I decided to stay in today and therefore there will be no spending, so I am adding $1.00 to the challenge/new home money brining my new total to $172.31

Well I was complaining about all the money I have been spending, but I also have been paying down debt as well as paying my offerings/tithes. Well I was rushing today to get to my part-time job and my mom handed me a check from my insurance company for $187.50 Last year or the year before I was in a car accident and totaled my car well my insurance company fought the other company and apparently won the case and I got some of my deductible back yeah!!!!!! I am so happy. So I look at it as a blessing all my charitable contributions were given back to me 4x more than what I actually contributed, boy am I thankful. I have gotten my overall debt down to about 3000.00 in the last month or so boy it really feels good. I can�t wait to call in on the Dave Ramsey show and yell I am debt free. So I am adding my refund tomy EF account

Well I gased up the car, went and bought lunch so tomorrow I should have a no spend day for the first time in a while. we will see. Today I spent a pretty penny
$77.57 total
Groceries:$25.66
Gifts: $24.88
Hurricane Supplies:$13.88
Sales Tax: $3.31

I am trying to stock up on hurricane supplies before the season gets very active, this is something I should have been doing all year round but if I buy something each week I should be ok
I also added $1.04 to the challenge but had to withdraw from my EF for today's purchases

Today�s Spending:

Gas: $15.00
Snack: $2.77
Gifts: $8.99
Misc: 1.00
Money added to Savings: $4.03
Sales tax: 1.11
Total: $39.19

Today is not my day, spent way too much money today. It all started with lunch and chipping in the extra at work. Now I come home trying to attempt my Friday night routine checking my Microsoft Money 2006 and updating it with the online transactions that was entered in earlier, well of course it is not working and I have to reenter all transaction, darn. I also had a fight at Kmart. One of the toys I picked up had 6.99 (missmarked) anyway it rang up $34.99 and of course they did not want to give it to me for the $6.99 I guess that is why they're losing business, poor customer service