Saturday, May 31, 2014

Week 0 : Let’s DO this!

Well that was a lie... I was $24,490 in debt after tallying everything up WTF! Waaaahhhh!

I decided to get all my debts paid off. I am on a biweekly paycheck and got paid 5/30 that’s why I included May as Week 0. I am hoping to update every week, to hold myself accountable and try not to overspend on the weekends. Here goes nothing....


Below is the breakdown of the debts that I have:

Week 0: Current Debt
I added May, as previously noted, because there were a couple of payments that went towards my debt.

 Current  Paid  Remaining* 
 Personal Loan            9,436.00                396.00            9,040.00
 Student Loan            7,246.00                100.00            7,146.00
 CC#1            6,661.00                  50.00            6,611.00
 CC#2                930.00                100.00                830.00
 CC#3                217.00                  50.00                167.00
 Total          24,490.00                696.00          23,794.00

Week 0 Starting Debt $24,490 || Paid $596 || Ending Debt $23,794

I wanted to pay off CC#3 this month, but I did not budget for it this paycheck.

Weekly Spending: 
I also wanted to keep a weekly $100 budget. This is what I have spent for Week 0. I start this on weekends because that when I spend A LOT. 
  • Saturday - n/a
  • Sunday - n/a
  • Monday - decided to do the weekly $100 budget
  • Tuesday - $9 Lunch
  • Wednesday - $7 Toll Roads
  • Thursday - $20 gas | $10 Dinner
  • Friday - $50 gas

Weekly Spending Start $100 || End $96 || Roll over $4

This week I used my debit card, but I took out $100 in cash last Friday to start this challenge for week 1. I hope it was as easy as the previous week.

Pending Expenses:
  • June 2014 – I will be paying for a party favor $100 
  • July 2014 – International trip for a wedding – I will be out for 2 weeks. I am hoping to get a budget going by then so I don’t overspend. Right now, I am budgeting $600 for the two weeks I will be spending there. The flight tickets are paid and included into one of the CC and hopefully we can get lodging for free out there. 
  • December 2014 - Christmas! I need to start on my Christmas budget now. This year, I am thinking of allocating $300
Pending Expenses Total : $1000 || Saved up $0 || Ending $1000

Friday, May 30, 2014

I scream, you scream...

I love to eat and I love to check out new places around my area. So I am also going to be featuring a couple of restaurants/food places that are fairly reasonably priced - or not!


We found this place searching for an ice cream place around the area. We have been waiting on Hammonds ice cream to open - which I have already tried at the North Park Festival of Arts. I cant wait until I can try the rest of their selection. Anyways, this place was tucked away inside a 76 gas station food mart... it was so out of place!



... But I think their cookies can compete with good ol' Uncle Biffs and The Cravory (almost!). We had their chocolate chip, s'mores and snickerdoodle cookie - but I would totally go back for their ice creams. They are currently running a special of 4/$5 cookies.

I think this place deserves a chance. Definitely check this place out to satisfy your sweet tooth on a budget

 Zooies Cookies And Ice Cream
3010 Market St
San DiegoCA 92102


Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Paying off Debt

How do people do it? I found Blonde on a Budget’s blog after seeing an article on how she paid off her $30,000 debt in two years. I thought to myself… hey, I have almost the same amount of debt that she has – I can do this! BUT ITS HARD!!


I started reading PF blogs since I graduated college and have been obsessed reading about debt repayment, budgets, savings etc. I tried to make my own and sometimes to the point where I start obsessing about it daily – entering each and every expense in cash or credit into my spreadsheet and I realize that whenever I have an ‘out-of-control-I-deserve-this-purchase’ purchase… I get scared looking at my spreadsheet for weeks, sometimes even months. Then try to readjust and go back to square one… it’s a vicious cycle. I don’t have self-control LIFE always happens.

I am writing this because I am back at square one and want to be more serious on tackling this debt. After taking a peek at my spreadsheet and just had an anxiety attack since I realized I only paid off $3,800 where I started (July 2013) at $27,000. I ONLY PAID OFF $3800? Reedonkulous! Now a full calendar cycle has gone by again and here I am trying to get back on paying off ALL my debt completely.

How am I going to start? 

This week, I just want to be able to spend $100 (cash) for ALL expenses until Sunday 6/1. Then I will redraft my budget for the first week of June and budget in another chunk of cash for my MISC expenses.


What are you guys doing right now to pay off debt?