October 2014 Goals

It will be similar from September, but different. I need to keep reminding myself about the one week cash diet. I will start this next week from October 4-10. Payday is on the 3rd - so i'll check in once I withdraw $200 from my check.

Financial

• Track daily spending 
• Do not use credit cards
• TWO no spend days per week
• Keep the weekly spending around $200/week 
• Use cash for ONE week - budgeted $200
• Pay $1200 to debt for the month of October
• Put in $100 to the Christmas fund this month

Personal

• Work out at least 3 days every week  
• Read / Listen to a new book
• Learn to cook something new this month

What are your goals this October?

Week 16 : It's been SUMMER the past year and I am OVER it!

No more hot weather for us please! 

Current Debts:
Its payday! Below are the amounts that were taken off and paid into the debt. I cant wait until that shows under $20k.

*** The payment for the personal loan is included on this paycheck - however, the payment is automatically taken out the 2nd of the month, so I will not be posting it until then but will be calculating that to include in the September total payment 

Current	Current	Paid	Ending
Personal Loan	7,521.00	***	7,521.00
Student Loan	6,600.00	100.00	6,500.00
CC#1	5,990.00	100.00	5,890.00
CC#2	274.00	100.00	174.00
CC#3	259.00	100.00	159.00
Car Insurance	471.00	50.00	421.00
TOTAL	21,115.00	450.00	20,665.00

Starting Debt: $21,115 || Paid/Interest: -$450 || Ending Debt:*$20,655

Weekly Spending: 
Bad week... but I still had a no spend day. Need to be more mindful when shopping - that seems to be a lot especially when trying to pay off debt, but I feel like I need a break from all this. The $100 is for my sanity!

Sat - $30 Gas | $30 Lunch | $10 Shopping | $5 Drinks | $13 Parking
Sun - $12 Lunch
Mon - $18 Lunch
Tue - No Spend Day!
Wed - $107 Shopping | $10 Lunch
Thu - $2 Drinks 
Fri - $50 Gas

Weekly Spending Start $200 || End $287 || Roll over -$87

Pending Expenses:
I need to start saving up AGAIN for my Christmas Shopping. I actually want to get this done by Thanksgiving. Starting at $0 today and the goal is $500 to cover everybody.

Current $0 | Goal $500 | $500 more to go




How was your spending week?

Week 15 : Football, Pumpkin and everything in between

... Like another wedding this weekend!
I think this is the last one for this year at least. I don't really mind going to weddings - I don't understand why people do not like going to these events. They're fun! free food, free drinks... lots of people to talk to and lots of people to make fun of.

OMG I still laugh watching this....

No fantasy leagues this year for me since that payment went to CC#1, but I sure will be following  football games still!!! Go Chargers! 

Pumpkin everything! lol #psl is really quite good, but right now my fall-go-to-drink (started this past summer) is the Oprah Chai from Starbucks. I used to get an iced one over the summer and I usually make it dirty (Dirty Oprah anyone?) - which is the Chai mixed with espresso. Try it! Let me know how you like it!

Current Debts:
No paycheck this week. An additional payment of $50 was made for CC#1 and some of the payments DID NOT post yet on my mint.com account.

Payments made this past week were:

• Personal Loan $500
• Car Insurance $85.74

	Start	Current	Ending
Personal Loan	7,450.00	8,026.00	(576.00)
Student Loan	6,588.00	6,598.00	(10.00)
CC#1	6,040.00	5,990.00	50.00
CC#2	100.00	100.00	-
CC#3	259.00	259.00	-
Car Insurance	558.00	557.00	1.00
TOTAL	20,995.00	21,530.00	(535.00)

Starting Debt: $20,995 || Paid/Interest: -$535 || Ending Debt:*$21,530

Weekly Spending: 
Whhhhaaaaaat! Under $200 again... under $150... under $100!!! What happened this week? Well technically if we added the flights it would've been more than my weekly goal - but me just dance around the corner for a while that I was able to be under $100 this week (on regular spending). Whoooot!

Sat -  $12 Breakfast
Sun - $6 Coffee
Mon - $24 Transportation | $8 Grocery
Tue - *No Spend Day* | Travel $250*
Wed - $8 Lunch
Thu - *No Spend Day*
Fri - $10 Lunch | $30 Nails

Weekly Spending Start $200 || End $98 || Roll over $102

Pending Expenses:
Yes, Florida trip was booked but I did not add it into my weekly spending!


How was your weekend?

Debt Breakdown Part III : Personal Loan

When I got my first full time job out of college, I was so determined to get my debt paid off. At the time, I probably had about $10k in credit card debts - other than Visa, Master Card and Amex. I also had Best Buy, Nordstroms and a gas card from Shell. I wasn't reading any PF blogs at the time but mostly CNN money or MSN Money where they give little tid-bits on what to do with CC debt etc. I thought it would be a great idea to consolidate into a personal loan since my bank was offering me a great APR. I thought this will give me an actual time frame to pay off debt. I borrowed against my car about the time I paid it off.

That obviously did not happen to plan - what happened was the now "paid off" credit cards were used to keep up with the Joneses. I felt like I had so much more room to spend money on - It started with a full on new work wardrobe, Traveling since I get two weeks off from my full time jobs, eating at these schmacy restaurants etc.- all courtesy of American Express, Visa and MasterCard. Thanks guys! I felt like I was on top of the world because now I can 'afford' everything and at this time, I was getting paid more.

The whole vicious cycle happened again and now I am back to square 'two' lol. My second consolidation happened exactly last year to get these credit cards paid off - obviously there were some leaks again because as you can see I have credit card payments within my totals. I am waiting for the day to pay off this current personal loan.

Lesson Learned 
I promised myself that this was going to be the last time I will take out a personal loan to consolidate credit cards. I am determined to pay this off now before paying off CC#1 just to get it off my back.







Have you ever used a personal loan to consolidate credit cards?

Week 14 : Gym time!

I was able to go to the gym 3 times this week - just taking 1-hour cardio classes.

But I want to be able to get back to my peak where I can run a 5k for almost every workout. It actually feels great right now. I am not as lethargic and tired at work. I am also able to get a good night sleep - before, I kept tossing and turning . I also want to start going to the gym earlier, before work!


Current Debts:
Its Payday and the debt increased - now at $817. No, I did not spend anything on the CC the past two weeks... but I added my car insurance and seems like CC#3 isn't going to refund the fees from my travel drama last July.

However, it looks like a chunk was paid off this month since it looks like I paid a lot on my personal loan, but half of that was from my previous paycheck. The loan is always due on the 1st or 2nd of the month and I usually leave a certain amount from the previous paycheck to pay off the monthly fees due. The bill pay for the personal loan was for $500 and the monthly due was $396 - total of $896. Also, an additional $60 was also paid for CC#1 this pay period.

Gaaaah when is this going to end! I am really hoping that I can beat the Target Date I have set for myself in paying off these debts!

	Start	Paid	Ending
Personal Loan	8,346.00	896.00	7,450.00
Student Loan	6,688.00	100.00	6,588.00
CC#1	6,200.00	160.00	6,040.00
CC#2	200.00	100.00	100.00
CC#3	259.00	-	259.00
Car Insurance	558.00	-	558.00
TOTAL	22,251.00	1,256.00	20,995.00

Starting Debt: $21,434+$817 = $22,251 || Paid: $1,256 || Ending Debt:* $20,995

Weekly Spending: 
I am quite surprised that I am under $200, better yet under the original target amount of $150. Why cant every week be like this - spending wise

Sat - $20 Lunch 
Sun - $55 Gas
Mon - $1.50 Parking | $10 Drinks
Tue - No Spend Day! 
Wed - No Spend Day! 
Thu - $45 Gas | $7 Dinner (Tip)
Fri - $5 Dinner


Weekly Spending Start $200 || End $143.50  || Roll over $56.50

Pending Expenses:

Other than the birthdays and celebrations this month - Florida will be the biggest expense. We are in the process of looking for a good airline deal right now and hotel deals right now. Any suggestions?

Debt Breakdown Part II : Car Loan

not the actual car*

I first got my license when I was a senior in high school and my parents gave me a 1988 Honda Prelude. At the time, I thought they got it for me because I was their favorite daughter =) but come to realize that whole summer I became their errand girl. I wasn't really the kid that went out a lot - I was scared of getting pulled over, so I never drank and drove. My parents also paid for gas. I think their only caveat was for me to concentrate on school. I started Junior College at the time - my parents paid for school, books and gas (I remembered gas at 95c - the lowest me and my BFF found). I had the job at the retail store, but eventually quit after a couple of months.

not the actual car*

After two 1/2 years in a Junior College, I had to transfer into a University - about 35 miles from home. At this time the Honda was in bad shape (I cant even drive it on the freeway), I did not have much credit and my dad thought I was not responsible or probably did not have enough money to pay for a new car. So he gave me a 'deal' - I was going to take their 1999 Toyota Camry which had about a couple of months until its paid off. I thought "Ugh, I am driving an old people car!" - I wanted to be cool... I needed to be cool. After driving the "old people car" for almost 2 years. I begged my dad to co-sign a car loan with me. I gave him the most ridiculous reasons why I needed a new car ... there was a loud noise (break pads changed!), the car wouldn't start (battery changed!), the A/C wasn't working - well he told me to put up with it! But eventually, the car gave out (there was some kind of recall too from what I remembered).

not the actual car*

I told him I wanted a TRUCK, so they took me to a dealership. They co-signed a loan with me through their credit union (this is how I became a member), but they never told me how much the credit unions loan we got approved of (My parents never really talked about money with us). Toyota trucks were nixed off my list at first - they were expensive! I asked my dad if I can just get a Ford Ranger - but he had a preconceived idea that fords aren't reliable, I checked out and test drove a Nissan Frontier - my dad DID NOT like it (huh?). So we went back to the Toyota dealership and got me a 2005 Toyota Tacoma. Still at this point I did not have any idea what the total loan was - My dad asked me if I can afford the $450/mo payments and I said yes! I signed the loooooooong papers along with my parents - didn't even know how the negotiations went. Plus, I did not even get to drive the car off the lot - thanks dad!

Car loan $25,000* - Trade in Camry $4,000* = $21,000* + taxes $3,000*

First car loan while in college $24,000* with a part-time job as a server at a local restaurant. What a smart cookie!







What was your first car? How much was your first car loan?

Debt Breakdown Part I : Credit Cards

My first 'real' job was at a retail store around Christmas time my first year in college. I had to beg my dad that I NEED a job. I told him that I want to start paying for my own gas (he gave me my first car) and have allowance for school. I don't know why I wanted to grow up so fast... I regret that to this day! I think I just wanted a job because I wanted to be able to buy that things that my friends parents were able to get to them. I remember feeling so exhausted on my first day and kept telling myself that this better be worth it! The pain went away after getting my first check for... dun dun dun.... $300. I felt like a bazillionaire and off to the mall I went... it was gone before the next check came along and the vicious cycle started.

My friend told me that she got approved for a credit card and treated us out for lunch and dinners here and there She was able to buy anything she wanted when we went shopping. I was jealous - I wanted to keep up with he, so I opened my first credit card from Capital One Visa with a $500 limit. Off to the mall I went again and again and again - I probably maxed it out within months of having the card. But not to fret, I was only paying $50/mo for the card and when I paid the minimum for the month I was able to squeeze in a lunch or dinner for $20... then its MAXED out again.

Then I got approved for another visa card for $1000. I have probably opened 3 or 4 more credit cards after that where the limit ranged from $1000-$3000 - all almost maxed out by around the time I got my first full time job out of college. I used to travel a lot with them and the per diem was paid back to us after we do our expense reports (I hate expense reports!). I was on a spending spree - Bought knick kacks as souvenirs, shopped and ate out - A LOT (The only thing that the company reimbursed me for) On top of that, I had a car payment to pay and the lovely student loans kicked in. I was broke! The first job out of college was only paying me $40k and I wanted a way out.

This was when I started to make some changes. The first financial book I read was Robert Kiyosaki "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". I don't remember details from the book at all but   From what I remembered my debt breakdown were approx $46,000

Car Loan	20,000.00*
Student Loan	16,000.00*
Credit Cards	10,000.00*
TOTAL	46,000.00*

How did you get into debt?

September 2014 Goals

HAPPY LABOR DAY! I hope you were off and was able to spend this sort of 'final' holiday of the summer with family and friends

Spiffy picture from a bbq I attended today

Gosh.... Where did the time go? I cant believe its the last quarter of 2014 already! I will need to buckle down with my goals. I am also adding a couple of non-Monetary goals for the month of September

• Track daily spending - I track it using an excel spreadsheet where I have categories by the purchase date, Card/Cash, Category that it falls into the budget, Name of the place and the Amount.
• Keep the weekly spending around $200/week - I bumped it up from $150 since I couldn't keep to that amount and I just get frustrated.
• Use cash for ONE week - I am going to try this for a week. Withdraw $200 on a Saturday morning and leave all my debit cards at home. I'll post about this for the month.
• Allocate $1200 to debt for the month of September - A big chunk of this will be paid to the Personal Loan. I just want to be under $20k by the end of this month
• Do not use credit cards - Leaving them ALL at home starting today.
• At least ONE day of no spending per week - This will be easy during the work week
• Work out at least 3 days every week - I printed out the gym classes available for September and marked the ones I will be interested in going.
• Read / Finish a book - I have a couple of purchased unread books on my Kindle. Just a matter of picking and choosing which one to start today! (So NO Spend there!) 

Any FUN goals you want to accomplish this September?

Week 13 : New Outlook

 I am now trying to get back to the rhythm of going to the gym this past week - the same time I am trying to revamp my debt payments. I am hoping for good positive changes will start this time - health and money wise.

J and I are contemplating on getting the next tier of our gym membership. I am currently paying $25/mo (Homie hookup – jk. I tried to cancel a while ago and they locked me in at this rate. It used to be $30), and this will bump it up to $35/mo with more access to their ‘super’ clubs. One of them is really close to where I work at and this is why I am also thinking about upgrading. There is also a COSTCO deal where you pay a lump sum of $650 for 2 years which is broken down to $27/mo instead of the $35 - but I don’t have that kind of money right now to pay upfront.

I know some of you are probably thinking, you should cut back on spending money on that since you’re in the middle of your debt repayment. But right now I just want to be a little selfish and not deprive myself of EVERYTHING – so we’ll see. I am fine with the current membership I have, but it means driving 5+ miles out from work or from home if I want to keep my current membership.

Current Debts:
No paycheck this week and I didn't really log the amounts from last week. Below are the 'current' amounts for each debt.

	Current	Paid	Total
Personal Loan	8,346.00	-	8,346.00
Student Loan	6,688.00	-	6,688.00
CC#1	6,200.00	-	6,200.00
CC#2	200.00	-	200.00
CC#3	-	-	-
TOTAL	21,434.00	-	21,434.00

Starting Debt: $21,434 || Paid: $0 || Ending Debt:$21,434

Weekly Spending:

I don't really have a target amount to spend for the week. However, I will continue to log all my daily expenses under this category. I will continue to try and stop eating out as much. I will start and kind of started bringing lunch to work now so that definitely made a big difference the past few weeks.

Sat - $44 Gas | $35 Drinks
Sun - No Spend Day!
Mon -  $8 Lunch
Tue - $12 Dinner
Wed - $67 Gift
Thu - $20 Gas | $9 Dinner
Fri - No Spend Day!


Weekly Spending Total : $195


Pending Expenses:
Birthday season for us just started. You can probably see the gift purchase from above. I am excited to have almost every weekend of September booked for birthday celebrations, a wedding and other celebrations - but its going to be expensive! I already tried to tally each weekend and will TRY to minimize any kind of expense for the week



I am excited though that there will also be a holiday almost every month - working in the financial field, we pretty much get most of the bank holidays! Plus, since I don't have any left since that vacation... I look forward to long weekends now. HAPPY SEPTEMBER!!!!