Amber's Personal Finance Blog

Well had my first lunch today MD was simply ok did not say much. However he did state he wuld try and refer more patients (sigh) because I here this a lot. Well I did get an extra $50.00 for a bonus which I placed in my savings so that worked out. But I am hoping to find that one MD who refers tons of patients
that would be really nice.

Well finally did it, set up my budget using Excel, (I also use Money 2006 as well) so here it is: Keep in mind I do not pay rent but decided to include this in my budget in order to build my EF, money for a down payment on a house and my auto account in case my car breaks down so here we go:

Monthly Income budget Actual Difference
Paycheck 1 $999.40 $0.00 $999.40

Federal $97.41 $0.00 $97.41

SSN Tax $61.96 $0.00 $61.96

MedTax $14.49 $0.00 $14.49

Total $825.54 $0.00 $825.54

Paycheck 2$ 1,183.50 $0.00 $1,183.50

Federal Tax $125.03 $0.00 $125.03

SSN Tax $73.38 $0.00 $73.38

Medicare Tax $17.16 $0.00 $17.16

Total $967.93 $0.00 $967.93

Total $1,793.47 $0.00 $1,793.47


Housing Budgeted Actual Difference
Rent/Mtg $300.00 $0.00 $300.00
Utilites $140.00 $0.00 $140.00
Water $40.00 $0.00 S40.00

Total $480.00 $0.00 $480.00


Car Budgeted Actual Difference
Gas $80.00 $0.00 $80.00

Insurance(qrtly)$188.00 $0.00 $188.00

Mantainencere $5.00 $0.00 $5.00

Total $273.00 $0.00 $273.00

Debts Budgeted Actual Difference
Merrick Bank $52.00 $0.00 $52.00
Capitol One $33.00 $0.00 $33.00
Household Bank $25.00 $0.00 $25.00
Discover Card $50.00 $0.00 $50.00
Personal loan $100.00 $0.00 $100.00
StudentLN#1 $7.00 $0.00 $7.00
StudentLN #2 $20.00 $0.00 $20.00

Total $287.00 $0.00 $287.00

Miscs Budgeted Actual Difference

Church $20.00 $0.00 $20.00
Food $120.00 $0.00 $120.00 Tuition/Supplies$75.00 $0.00 $75.00 Medicines $10.00 $0.00 $10.00
Entertainment $70.00 $0.00 $70.00
Clothing $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Haircuts $20.00 $0.00 $20.00
Gifts $20.00 $0.00 $20.00
Cash $50.00 $0.00 $50.00
Other $100.00 $0.00 $100.00

Total $485.00 $0.00 $485.00

Monthly Expense Budgeted Actual Difference Housing $480.00$0.00 $480.00
Car $273.00 $0.00 $273.00
Debts $287.00 $0.00 $287.00
Miscellaneous $485.00 $0.00 $485.00

I decided to set up a budget on excel boy is this time consuming especially since I am not all the familiar with Excel, Thank goodness I am able to copy values and formulas because I would probably be here all night but I know in the long run it will be well worth it

Well I have been at it now for about 3 weeks, marketing that is so far I have not had any referrals but I was able to set up 3 lunches over the next 3 weeks. One MD who is having emergency sugery seems as though he could be a very good prospect only because he is a friend of my friend and would probably be doing him and me both a favor. I'll keep you guys posted

I was currently using Microsoft Money 2005 Standard, which allows me to view my account on online. However, I just purchased Microsoft Money Deluxe 2006 which is suppose to allow me to enter in transaction, View spending by category, Forecast your cash flow, track upcoming and paid bills, and view in-depth reports about your spending habits does anyone know how to set this up?

I love to read and hard cover books range from $15.00-$22.00. Well now that I am on this get out of debt plan I decided to use my public library (wow) I have not seen that place since 1993 and guess what I owed them $13.00+ a replacement fee for my library card, but I must say it was well worth. I have read at least 6 books since I dedcided to return to the library and saved me any where from $50.00 to a $100.00 easily. Just wanted to remind every one that you do not have to buy books & that the library could be your best friend

A while ago you guys may remembering me asking for tips on marketing (thanks), well what I have learned is it�s who you know not what you know. Wish me luck; I was able to set up a few up coming lunches and a breakfast through a friend who could possibly give me some leads.

Wow I like this new method of rounding my change to the nearest dollar it�s a little tedious but it is working, added $6.14 to my challenge money since the 11th and an extra $15.00 on the 20th (just some extra cash I had) So now my challenge money is up to
$197.48. I haven�t sold anything yet but I will soon

Wow the month is not over yet and one more checks to go. I was able to pay all my bills this last pay period (Friday) and pay little extra on debt. Here is the break down regarding my savings:

$75.00 to my EF
$67.50 to my miscellaneous EF (this is the first time in a while I can actually deposit this money with out withdrawing it within the next few days YEAHHHHHHH!)
$15.00 towards my housing account (Kept with ING and this money is actually being used for my $20.00 challenge)
$10.00 towards my car account (for oil changes, rotation of tires etc�also an ING account)
$20.00 towards my ME Account (if I want to go out, splurge etc)
$5.00 towards my new furniture account (HSBC account)
Totaling $192.50 in savings wow plus my dad gave me $30.00 yesterday
And yet I still have $155.00 left to last me to the 28th of the month more than enough,
Every one always ask me why do you have so many different accounts well because I have different reasons to save and with my Money 2006 Deluxe it makes it easy to keep track

This is such an accomplishment because before I started listening to D.Ramsey, Suze Orman not to mention hitting every financial website (blog) there is as well as reading so many financial books I could not save one cent so this is a big accomplishment. Now I have gotten to the point where I do not want to tough any of my money & I love seeing my saving grow. Hopefully with the will of God and everyone else I will be able to purchase my first home by the end of next year wish me luck & be debt free

I drive 89 Toyota Camry that I am sure my friends laugh at first it bothered me but now I see it as a blessing I had �01 Camry that was totaled last year my dad gave me this car (�89) and starting May I will start depositing the money I was paying for my car into my Housing and car account splitting the 348.11 between the two

Right now my totaling savings is $1150.00 wow I did it

Since March 1st I was able to up my $20.00 challenge to $176.34 adding a total of $22.39 by simply rounding my change up to the nearest dollar.It's only the 11th and I still have 20 days to ago I am so excited hopefully by the end of the year I would have saved atleast $1500 in which I am applying to a purchase of a new home. I'm definately going to continue this trend adding as much as I can every month...trying to save at least $15000 in a two year period

Hi guys,
I was wondering if you can give me some tips, I am marketing (new part-time position) for a physical therapy clinic�I am trying to get MD�s to send us patients.

Anyone have any tips?

Since I have decided to do my own �Total Money Make Over�
(taking the title from D. Ramsey) I have definitely seen some changes in my financial life. Got paid yesterday and socked away a little more than a $100.00. I was also able to take my car to the shop and get the brakes done for $131.00 without dipping into my EF and mechanic put freeon in my car at half price costing me only $25.00. I am wondering if I should use the extra $25.00 I would have paid for the freeon towards paying a CC debt, place in my savings or hold on to it until my next payday, just in case I end up running short�what do you guys think?

New month new budget�I� have decided to make some changes to my budget, last month I went over a little but was able to still save

So far I have upped my EF to $638.00, my $20.00 challenged increased by $133.11 giving me a grand total of $153.11 ending the month of February leaving me with $14846.89 left towards a purchase of my new home ( lol). My auto account something new I just started in case the car needs any repairs or in time a new one is needed, I am at $19.49 but with my plans I am sure it too will increase significantly

In the beginning I used Dave Ramsey�s �total Money Make Over� in order to get my snow ball going, I�ve paid a total of 4 credit cards freeing up $70.00 extra a month, now I have decided to take that $70.00 and pay towards my high interest credit card. Unlike Dave, I am funding my EF as I go, but I did open up a miscellaneous account adding 67.50 each pay period giving me a total of $135.00 for some reason I find myself using this money but at least I have not touched my EF fund and wow is it nice to see it grow.

I found this great tip on MSN Money Central which stated to use the 10% rule, it works like this:
1st 10% of my paycheck I deposit in my EF account
Then I take 10% of what is leftover and deposit into my miscellaneous account (for small emergency) the next 10% I deposit into my IRA account (unfortunately I am unable to deposit 10% but I make sure I deposit 15.00 each pay period totaling 30.00 a month, something is better than nothing) now I pay bills; the only exception that I have made to this rule is what ever my paycheck is I subtract $750.00 to use with the 10% rule and the difference I am using to pay down my credit cards so if my check is 900.00 then $150.00 is used to pay towards my high interest credit cards

Just wanted to share some of my ideas on how to get out of debt�hope it helps some one because it sure have helped me (4 credit cards paid in full 5 more to go)

Oh boy I was only able to save .72 cents today, which I added to my $20.00 challenge bringing the total to 151.83. Wow I have to laugh because my mom always says every penny counts so we�ll have to see.

Now that I have started trying to clean up my act, when ever I eat out or spend any money on some thing that is not a necessity I am ticked off.

Had a hair appointment yesterday, hadn't been in almost 3 months (use to go twice a week) and spent $30.00; which could've have been used to pay a CC or applied to my $20.00 challenge. I am so upset; I could barely sleep last night because of it.

Sometimes I think I am letting this "debt freedom" so to speak take over my life...it's all I can think about L

Well I saved $2.36 today so I added that amount to my $20.00 Challenge I am at a total of $150.61 I only have $14849.39 to go...lol.. My goal is to reach $15000 in the next year and a half. It is neat that I have entered this challenge there for I think I will meet my goal; I hate to lose out on a challenge

Lord knows I have made some very bad decisions when it came to credit (living well over my means or like the Jones) However, now that I have found websites like this one, I use them to my advantage more� like a form of therapy. I thought about entering Debtors Anonymous, but these sites are much better. I guess I can hide behind the computer and know one knows who I am. I use to think � blah� when it came to therapy but now I know it helps especially when you have a group of people some just like you, some better off than you, but it feels so good to get advice from everyone and the words of encouragement are AWESOME.

My mother who is great at saving never really taught me to save it wasn�t until I was much older and then she started yelling � you need to save your money�� I wish she had taken the time when I was younger to encourage me to save �but know need to dwell on the past. So thank you in advance for all your support

While surfing the net I found this site, as you all know I am trying very hard to clean up my act when it comes to my finances. Please check this out and let me know what you all think:


http://www.montana.edu/wwwpb/pubs/mt8703.pdf

Yeah I was able to add to my $20.00 challenge had some extra cash and now at $147.00 and it's only February

I though I would never have an EF because an emergency always came up. But I persisted and now I am at $650.00 a few more pay checks and I would have reached my $1000 goal next I'll strive for $2500.00
Boy it feels really good the closer I get to be being financially free and reaching goals that I was never able to meet in the past

Yeah!!!! I just paid off 2 credit cards and upped my emergency fund. I am so excited

Well I got an extra 55.00 this pay period and added that money to my $20.00 challenge. I took the advice from another site and changed my personal allowances on W-4 form with my employer so rather than giving Uncle Sam my extra cash with out interest I will earn 4.75%(ING) towards my savings

Just wanted to say hello to everyone and introduce myself

I wanted to join in on the $20.00 challenge so here I am. I am new to this site so here is a little bit about my self: 32 year old female working towards my BA major: Health Administration. I am currently a part-time student who lives at home with mom (trying to save up 20% down for a new home purhcase. I've had some major credit problems in the past so any input from anyone at this point is encouraging. I have paid off 2 credit cards and working towards 3 more...Wish me luck