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Home > Archive: October, 2007

Archive for October, 2007

Going Back

October 27th, 2007 at 06:09 am

I haven't been doing too well in the spending arena. Some of it has been going to the grocery store way too often to pick up "just one thing" and ending up spending upwards of $15+. Some of it has been bigger ticket items - like I guess what you could call a mini-vacation, next weekend I'm going on a Women's Ministry Retreat with one of my best friends and her mom - cost $190 (room, board, activities). I also bit the bullet and took $450 out of short term savings and paid for 4 months of 2x a week personal training sessions. I had my third session today.

The big ticket items I honestly feel are worthwhile items. I had been looking into personal training as an option since late last year, but never could find any inexpensive options until I checked into the gym at my new office building. Still . . . that is a lot of money out all at once (It was actually $600 for 3 months of training 3x a week - But I only wanted 2x a week - so he extended it a month -- then he gave me $150 discount for paying upfront in cash.)

The Retreat - Well if not anything else, it will be good to have a whole weekend to spend with my friend sans kids and hubby. It may have some spiritual benefit for me as well, which would be appreciated, and I may reconnect with some people I haven't seen in a long time.

In a short while I will be spending $160 on 10 weeks of 1x a week Calentic's classes. This coming week will be my 10th class and I have found it very helpful - although I haven't lost any weight nor inches. But I don't fault the class for that -- I fault all my ahem . . "extra" purchases at the grocery store. Frown

One thing I've been realizing the past few months is that I've been getting a LOT more slack on my credit card spending. Don't get me wrong - the balance is still being paid off in full each month -- I'm just having to dip into next month's "salary" to do so. So, technically I'm NOT living one month ahead anymore.

I'm really not liking where I see myself headed.

So, here's my plan.

1. I'm going to go ahead and take the $160 out of short term savings -- but at the same time, I am going to start putting $64/mo into a sinking fund slated for that particular class. That way when the next renewal time comes up, I will not have to take money from anywhere except the account specific to it.

2. My credit card , starting Nov 1. will be used ONLY to pay rent, gas, toll tag, and car repair - or for the occasional reimbursable work expense. (It is a points credit card - my rent is an easy way of earning a lot of points each month.)

3. I am going to pay off all charges on my credit card as of Oct. 31 - so that it'll start with a fresh slate on Nov. 1. (I think I'll try and see if they'll change my end of billing cycle to the 30th of each month - it would make for a much cleaner budget.)

4. Groceries, entertainment, clothing, etc., will be paid for via cash or debit card. My budgeted amount for groceries, entertainment, clothing, etc is $50/week.
I am hoping that this will help cut down my buying the "extra" foods as well as help encourage me to use up the "good for me" foods instead of them sitting in the fridge for two weeks and growing mold. Ugh!

5. November is a 5 Friday/5 paycheck month for me. I am going to put the first paycheck into my Emergency Fund/Car Fund. The next paycheck will partially have to be used to fund November's spending, but by December I should be back on a one-month surplus in checking.

6. I am going to allocate the remainder of my short term savings towards Christmas gifts. I acutally have already taken care of a few people already, but I know that it'll cost me a minimum of $50 at work (my contribution to the head honcho's presents, plus we're doing a "grab bag" gift exchange - one gift up to a value of $25).

Then of course I have my bf and his family to consider -- Of course, I still haven't met his mom or his brother/family, so I'm not really sure if I need to worry about getting any of them something.

So, anyway, I'm going back and trying again - both financial fitness and health/fitness wise. I am also seriously considering going back to school and getting my Master's online - either in Library Sciences W/a School Librarian certification or something else related to Reading. If I do it, it will take probably three years because I plan on paying for it with cash all the way through - which means probably only one class per semester (about $1,100 for 3 credits at one place I checked out.) It also means that I'm going to have to take the GRE. Ugh. It also means that I will have to get really, really tight with my finances. So, I guess you could say I'm going to give it a practice run starting in November. Smile

So, that's my book for October. Smile