Life is pretty weird lately and therefore, my $ situation has been strange too. I received 2 windfalls, yet neither one can go to my credit card debt (I need to save it so I can pay my mortgage). Here's the scoop...
* 2 weeks ago I was driving and noticed that every time I stepped on my breaks, they would make a sound like something dragging under my car. I brought it to my mechanic so he could check it out and $934 later, I had new breaks and a few other odds and ends fixed too. Yikes. That's a boat load of money which I knew I had to pay but I made a deal with them to pay in installments.
* Last Sunday, the 29th, I got into a car accident and my car is totaled. Yay. So happy I put the money in my car. (sarcasm noted?) Oh, and I had just filled up my tank for a mere $26.00.
* Yesterday, the insurance co. calls me to say that I am getting a check for $2,486.00. It was supposed to be $3486.00 but I have a $1,000.00 deductible. So now I have to buy a new car. I have access to my mom's car but it's too big to drive around the city and park it in my spot.
I have my heart set on a RAV4 but they are pricey!! The last thing I can afford are another set of monthly payments. However, I did find a Mazda 626 which is reasonable and it looks nice.
My other windfall was a tax refund in the amount of $7,400.00 due to the condo I purchased last year. It's more of a loan but it's nice to have some cash now. I have to pay back $500 per year over the next 15 years. Starting in 2009 anyone who buys property gets an $8,000 tax credit - no need to pay it back. Great...
That's almost $10,000 that could have gone towards my cc debt and now is not due to my mortgage. I love my condo and don't regret buying it but I am not happy to not have a job!!
My substitute teaching gig only pays once a month and I'm waiting for my March paycheck which I am estimating to be approx. $1480 before taxes. Wow. Can't wait for that check! I've been temping for a small family owned business and I am owed for 32 of work there. I'm not sure how much I get an hour but whatever it is, I'll take it!
I am also returning a lot of items I bought for passover as I am planning on going to my sister's and she is fully stocked so we'll see how much I save there. So far, I've returned $36.00 worth of items and it's fun to see the balance on my cc get lower b/c of that. However, the money seems to be flowing out as quickly as it's flowing in. Went to the dry cleaners today to have 3 pieces altered and guess how much? $45!!! That sounds high but it might not be as ridiculous as I think. I also stopped by another dry cleaners and had some stuff cleaned for 99 cents an item. How could I not?
Ah, how I wish I could use the 10k for debt!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Passover Expenses
Yesterday was absolutely beautiful so I ran errands and went shopping for Passover items. It is probably the most intense Jewish holiday as it requires a complete kitchen overhaul and no leavened bread, grains, or legumes for a period of 8 days. A completely separate set of pots, pans, dishes, silverware, glasses, all serving pieces, etc. are required.
Every year of my life with the exception of maybe 6 years, I have spent Passover at a hotel in FL. After all, it's much easier to lock up your house and head for sunny Miami. This year, I have decided to stay home and will therefore, need to keep my kitchen Passover-friendly.
Since I have nothing in terms of passover kitchen items, I had to buy the basics - this includes sponges, food storage bags, tin foil, serving trays, etc...I also have decided to do this on the cheap as much as possible so I went to Big Lots, a dollar store, and Home Goods. My damage was $79.06 at Big Lots, $13.05 at the Dollar Store and $60.47 at Home Goods. Total: $152.58. Not bad but still kind of steep.
I might end up returning a 52 piece silverware set I scored for $39.99. It depends on whether or not I use paper goods or real paper.
This is going to be an expensive holiday and I am trying to keep my budget below $1000 but we'll see how realistic that is...
Every year of my life with the exception of maybe 6 years, I have spent Passover at a hotel in FL. After all, it's much easier to lock up your house and head for sunny Miami. This year, I have decided to stay home and will therefore, need to keep my kitchen Passover-friendly.
Since I have nothing in terms of passover kitchen items, I had to buy the basics - this includes sponges, food storage bags, tin foil, serving trays, etc...I also have decided to do this on the cheap as much as possible so I went to Big Lots, a dollar store, and Home Goods. My damage was $79.06 at Big Lots, $13.05 at the Dollar Store and $60.47 at Home Goods. Total: $152.58. Not bad but still kind of steep.
I might end up returning a 52 piece silverware set I scored for $39.99. It depends on whether or not I use paper goods or real paper.
This is going to be an expensive holiday and I am trying to keep my budget below $1000 but we'll see how realistic that is...
Monday, March 16, 2009
My total credit card spending so far this month is $555.10. This includes food, gas, gifts, etc. I did fill up recently so that's another $25 or so.
Non-credit card spending includes $90 for a medical test not covered by insurance. (I have to look into this.)
Then there is this issue of the new unemployment debit card. It is a nice idea and somewhat convenient but not really. For me, I need as much money as possible to go into my checking account so that way I don't have to dip into my ING savings account until absolutely necessary. Plus, stupid f'ing Chase bank will charge me $6.00/month if I don't have direct deposit or make 5 purchases with my bank card. I hate Chase, think they are one of the worst banks EVER and hate to use them. I only opened up a Chase account b/c they were offering a $125 bonus for a new account. How could I turn that down?
Oh, so to back track. I have a variety of bank accounts. I use my BOA for all payments, ie mortgage, assessments, disability, student loan, com ed,...you get the idea. The Chase account is for charity and the INGs are for saving. So without a steady paycheck going into any of these accounts, I am forced to transfer all over the place. PITA! I had always split my pay check btw the different accounts. Now, if I want to transfer money, I have to take it off the debit card which costs approx. $3.00 in fees.
Disgusting. I refuse to pay ATM fees unless necessary and desperate so what I've been doing is buying items and getting cash back. However, the limit on cash back is $100. Doesn't help when I need to transfer $500 into my account. So I signed up for direct deposit which will hopefully take effect this week.
More to come...
Non-credit card spending includes $90 for a medical test not covered by insurance. (I have to look into this.)
Then there is this issue of the new unemployment debit card. It is a nice idea and somewhat convenient but not really. For me, I need as much money as possible to go into my checking account so that way I don't have to dip into my ING savings account until absolutely necessary. Plus, stupid f'ing Chase bank will charge me $6.00/month if I don't have direct deposit or make 5 purchases with my bank card. I hate Chase, think they are one of the worst banks EVER and hate to use them. I only opened up a Chase account b/c they were offering a $125 bonus for a new account. How could I turn that down?
Oh, so to back track. I have a variety of bank accounts. I use my BOA for all payments, ie mortgage, assessments, disability, student loan, com ed,...you get the idea. The Chase account is for charity and the INGs are for saving. So without a steady paycheck going into any of these accounts, I am forced to transfer all over the place. PITA! I had always split my pay check btw the different accounts. Now, if I want to transfer money, I have to take it off the debit card which costs approx. $3.00 in fees.
Disgusting. I refuse to pay ATM fees unless necessary and desperate so what I've been doing is buying items and getting cash back. However, the limit on cash back is $100. Doesn't help when I need to transfer $500 into my account. So I signed up for direct deposit which will hopefully take effect this week.
More to come...
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
My February spending looks like this (not including mortgage, assessments and other fixed expenses).
Groceries: $136.21
Dining Out: $60.15
Gas: $103.36
Prescription: $59.48
CVS: $46.43
Target: $72.02
CTA (public transport): $40.00
Theater Tix (Don't Dress for Dinner and Miss Saigon) $87.70
Taxis in NYC (to and from LGA): $47.50
Gifts: $285.51 (wow! That's for 2 weddings, a shower gift, and a 3 year anniversary gift)
Total: $938.36 - Way too high for someone who is unemployed. I have a feeling there was more given that I bought new windshield wipers for $17 and didn't remember until just now...Oh, I also have a few charges at Kinko's for faxing, printing a resume, and making copies. I could use a paycheck!
March should hopefully be cheaper as I have a pretty stocked kitchen aside from a few odds and ends and can just use what I have. Spending so far, day 3 of the month looks like this:
Groceries: $28.19
Netflix: $9.71
Gifts: $40
Laundry: $4.00
Let's see how I can do...
Groceries: $136.21
Dining Out: $60.15
Gas: $103.36
Prescription: $59.48
CVS: $46.43
Target: $72.02
CTA (public transport): $40.00
Theater Tix (Don't Dress for Dinner and Miss Saigon) $87.70
Taxis in NYC (to and from LGA): $47.50
Gifts: $285.51 (wow! That's for 2 weddings, a shower gift, and a 3 year anniversary gift)
Total: $938.36 - Way too high for someone who is unemployed. I have a feeling there was more given that I bought new windshield wipers for $17 and didn't remember until just now...Oh, I also have a few charges at Kinko's for faxing, printing a resume, and making copies. I could use a paycheck!
March should hopefully be cheaper as I have a pretty stocked kitchen aside from a few odds and ends and can just use what I have. Spending so far, day 3 of the month looks like this:
Groceries: $28.19
Netflix: $9.71
Gifts: $40
Laundry: $4.00
Let's see how I can do...
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
So I thought I'd have more time to blog since I lost my job but that hasn't been the case. Since I became unemployed, I have been substitute teaching at my old high school. It's been fun being back there and I even chaperoned a weekend retreat for the girls! We went skiing in WI and stayed at a resort in the Dells.
I have also been really proactive in trying to find a job. I've been applying for a lot of things online (which never seems to have a great result) and I've also been applying for retail positions too. I haven't been in retail since college when I ran a small boutique but I would be happy to get back into it. So now it's a waiting game.
As for money, I have been spending a decent sum. I'll post my spending later once I've figured everything out but it is less than I have spent in recent months.
On a positive note, due to the fact that I bought a home (condo) in 2008, I will be receiving a $7500 tax refund, minus what I owed the state of IL, which is around $100. The accounting firm also needs to be paid so I'm guessing that's between $90-$150. The catch is I do have to pay the $7500 back but it's $500 every April for 15 years. The payback rule was nixed as of 1/1/09 so anyone who buys property in 2009 will get to keep their refund. Bummer. But it's better than owing and I am grateful to have an additional source of income.
More to come once I've determined what I've spent so far.
I have also been really proactive in trying to find a job. I've been applying for a lot of things online (which never seems to have a great result) and I've also been applying for retail positions too. I haven't been in retail since college when I ran a small boutique but I would be happy to get back into it. So now it's a waiting game.
As for money, I have been spending a decent sum. I'll post my spending later once I've figured everything out but it is less than I have spent in recent months.
On a positive note, due to the fact that I bought a home (condo) in 2008, I will be receiving a $7500 tax refund, minus what I owed the state of IL, which is around $100. The accounting firm also needs to be paid so I'm guessing that's between $90-$150. The catch is I do have to pay the $7500 back but it's $500 every April for 15 years. The payback rule was nixed as of 1/1/09 so anyone who buys property in 2009 will get to keep their refund. Bummer. But it's better than owing and I am grateful to have an additional source of income.
More to come once I've determined what I've spent so far.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The Latest
I know it's been forever since I last blogged but I've been crazy busy. I don't even remember where I last left off, so here are a few highlights of my life over the last 5 months.
- Lost my job but received 2 months severance and 3 months employer paid portion of COBRA (My portion was $47.00 per month)
- Within 2 weeks of losing my job, I found a consulting job slated to go from October 2008-April 2009.
- Found out on January 12, 2009 that my contract would be ending on Jan. 30th. No biggie b/c I am not happy here at all (I'll give details eventually) but I am worried about my cash flow. As of today, I have about $6,400 in savings which should cover me for a while but I have crazy expenses coming up. Mainly...
- I just got on a 6 month healthcare plan from BCBS and it is $112.00 per month. The catch is I have to pay everything up front! So instead of one credit card having a balance of $209.00 it's now $889 dollars!
- Went on a little shopping spree at Macy's last month while in FL ($350 ticket, $225 at Macys) and now it's due 2/3/09.
- Went back to FL for mom and dad's 50th wedding anniversary. Amazing trip but airfare was pricey! It was paid for back in October but still.
- Bought another plane ticket for a niece who is getting married on Feb. 9th ($285)
- Need to buy 3 shower/wedding gifts, not to mention one bachelorette party.
- Overall expenses for Feb including mortgage/assessments are approx. $3200. I think I can swing most of it but I might have to do a balance transfer. Yes, the 3% charge is ridiculous but it's cheaper than the interest rate.
Now that you are caught up on my life, you can see why I have't been the best blogger. I have some free time coming up so hopefully I can devote more time to this.
Despite the set backs, I have been pretty good about both saving cash and paying off my cards. My current balance on one card is $18,800 and another one (with a rate of 1.5%) is at $2,100. So I'm not doing great but not terribly either.
My goal is to make February a non-spending month as much as possible. I do not need clothes - I have interview suits and I have 2 work wardrobes so whether I find a job at a corporate or casual place, I should be set. Anticipated spending is food and taxi money in NYC. Otherwise, I will try to be good.
More to come...
Monday, August 25, 2008
Weekend Update
After I posted on Friday, I got a phone call from one of my recruiters who asked me if the bf and I could use 2 free tickets to the Cubs game on Saturday at noon. Uh, YEAH. I gladly accepted them and off we were! It was a great game against the Nationals (we won!) and we had amazing seats in the first section right behind the first base line.
Money-wise, it seemed we spent a lot but I'm not sure we actually did. I bought a Cubs shirt for $25. I have no baseball gear other than a sparkly B shirt (for the Boston Red Sox) which I wore to the White Sox/Red Sox game a few weeks ago. I should have worn White Sox gear but I didn't have any. So how could I go to a Cubs game with no Cubs gear?! That was my spending for the day aside from $9 in Subway sandwiches for us. At the game, BF spent, $12.50 for two beers, $3.50 for a bottle of water, and $8.00 on a hot dog and a slice of pizza. Crazy. I guess overall, it's not crazy it just sounds bad.
Sunday, I spent $13.00 on food and $120.00 at Bed Bath. I bought a few odds and ends, such as a paper towel holder, a beach towel (yes, I know the beach season is over), those Debbie Meyer green bags to keep produce fresh (I'm a sucker but I am tired of always throwing away food. I want to see if these work) and two shelving units, 1 three-tier and one 4 tier. I need something nice to store all my crap in. :) I am also trying to schedule an appointment for a designer to come out and look at my closets and we keep rescheduling so who knows when that will happen...
Meanwhile, I forgot to mention that I am planning on running a 5k in September. Not quite sure I'll be ready but I am going to continue training and see where I am on Sept. 27th. I've been working out and training on a fairly consistent basis so I am hoping I can be ready to race. My big investment was a $55 pair of running shoes. I'll keep you posted on all progress.
Money-wise, it seemed we spent a lot but I'm not sure we actually did. I bought a Cubs shirt for $25. I have no baseball gear other than a sparkly B shirt (for the Boston Red Sox) which I wore to the White Sox/Red Sox game a few weeks ago. I should have worn White Sox gear but I didn't have any. So how could I go to a Cubs game with no Cubs gear?! That was my spending for the day aside from $9 in Subway sandwiches for us. At the game, BF spent, $12.50 for two beers, $3.50 for a bottle of water, and $8.00 on a hot dog and a slice of pizza. Crazy. I guess overall, it's not crazy it just sounds bad.
Sunday, I spent $13.00 on food and $120.00 at Bed Bath. I bought a few odds and ends, such as a paper towel holder, a beach towel (yes, I know the beach season is over), those Debbie Meyer green bags to keep produce fresh (I'm a sucker but I am tired of always throwing away food. I want to see if these work) and two shelving units, 1 three-tier and one 4 tier. I need something nice to store all my crap in. :) I am also trying to schedule an appointment for a designer to come out and look at my closets and we keep rescheduling so who knows when that will happen...
Meanwhile, I forgot to mention that I am planning on running a 5k in September. Not quite sure I'll be ready but I am going to continue training and see where I am on Sept. 27th. I've been working out and training on a fairly consistent basis so I am hoping I can be ready to race. My big investment was a $55 pair of running shoes. I'll keep you posted on all progress.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
