Weekly Money Check Up

The weekly money check up is hosted by My Pretty Pennies. See her post here! :)

[image via]

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on renewing my AAA membership for $48.

2. Today I feel good towards money. Why? Because it's a three paycheck month! :)

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free/inexpensive thing I did last week that made me happy was have a Sunday night roommate family potluck dinner. I contributed homemade hummus and a bag of chips, so it was an inexpensive side dish. The company was worth any cost, thought!

4. I will consider this week a success if I renew my car's registration! It's due by Oct 26th and I'll be out of town on vacation...

5. If I could could quit my job for a month and travel throughout one country, I would choose ohh this is a hard one! I'm obsessed with India and Vietnam, but I've been to both those countries already... so, I'll go with Egypt. :)

Free Samples

I've been getting quite a few free samples in the mail recently! It's really easy to sign up for them and I've received some good things. So far, no spam snail mail but I do get spam e-mail... so I use an old e-mail address when I register. Here are some of my recent freebies:

• Burt's Bees Natural Toothpaste
• Canned tuna + canned tuna chickpea salad
• Mini Thai Cashew Chicken from Panda Express
  
• PowerBar Energy Gel Blasts (still available here)
• Starbucks VIA
• Always Sanitary Pads (+ coupon for a FREE 18-pack!)
  
• SouthBeach Living FiberFit Bar
  

Here's what I'm still waiting for in the mail:

• Organic samples (various? the site wasn't specific...)
  
• Nexxus Shampoo & Conditioner sample (this is a brand I use and love!)
  
• Kraft Sandwich Ship Mayo sample
  
• Other things I can't remember right now! :)
  

This & That

My life has been very busy lately, and I am loving it! :) I went home two weekends ago for my younger brother's college graduation and spent $18.50 over 4 days. Gotta love it when my parents spoil me on my few trips home every year!

My social life has been blowing up, which is exactly what I have been needing. Most of my best friends moved away after college and those I met while studying abroad live in other states, all around the country. Let me tell you: it's very difficult to make friends after college. I joined a book club last August through Meetup and I'm finally getting close to some of the girls. One of them has invited me out for happy hour and I've seen a movie with another. You know what's a great feeling? Becoming friends with someone where it's so easy to get together and you talk as if you've been friends for years! :) Now, if only I could meet some other single girlfriends?!

I also went to SeaWorld on Sunday with my roommates and spent $7 on dinner since our park tickets were free! On Monday I had a no-spend-day when I went to a free outdoors bootcamp in the evening. A girl I know from college is trying to become a personal trainer and wants to work with some women so she invited a bunch of us to her make-shift bootcamps... which are basically just getting together outside to work out. It was fun and really refreshing to be in the beautiful park at the bay since I'm always inside at the gym, even if it was just her, her roommate and myself! In fact, my legs are still sore from all the drills we did: sprints, lunges, and squats. We also used free weights, resistance bands and did some mat work plus 10 minutes of stretching at the end. She was really good and targeted all different muscles, plus she made sure we were doing everything correctly. She's going to offer the sessions 3x a week to start and eventually get up to 5-6x a week, for FREE until she gets her personal training certificate! :)

Last night I spent $13 for dinner at my book club meeting. A little more than I had anticipated, but I absolutely love the group so I'll pay that 1-2x a month for the wonderful company! Today my department at work had teambuilding at the local fair. Our tickets were comped but we had to purchase our own lunch, so I spent $7.50 on a delicious gyro. No fried poptarts/twinkies/butter for me! (Yes. You read that right: FRIED BUTTER. Gag!)

To top off my increased social activities, I'm finally heading to Denver this weekend! So. Excited. Since USA won their soccer game today, I'll probably end up watching the game with my friend at some bar on Saturday and she's going to show me all around Denver on Sunday. A quick 48-hour trip, but weekend getaways are one of my favorite things to do! :) I've budgeted $200 for it.

I've also started my apartment hunt! I'm seeing a second place tomorrow so I'll post about both places soon. Happy Wednesday! :)

Laptop Issues

My Dell laptop is having issues! It was my graduation present from my parents two years ago and it's held up well. I had to re-install the operating system a few months ago when I got a ridiculous virus, and I ended up putting Windows 7 on it. However, starting middle of last week I've been getting disk error warning messages. Yikes!

I back my computer up once a month, but I immediately backed it up again once I started seeing the messages. I'm fairly tech-savvy, so I know the hard-drive is probably dying. Sad! My roommate took a second look at the message and agreed with my conclusion. He's doing some research for me to try to find the best deal on buying a new hard-drive plus some additional RAM, which my laptop is definitely in need of since it's not really equipped to run the new operating system. (It used to have Windows XP... and I definitely did not want to put Vista on it!) This will probably run me ~$140, according to roommate. Not horrible and totally worth it! Plus I know how to do the installation myself. :) But, I *might* take the money from my emergency fund, as it IS a large expense that doesn't fit into my regular budget... We'll see, maybe I can finagle it into June's budget since I am going out of town for two of four weekends!

I mentioned the fact that I was having some laptop issues to my parents last week. They know I take really good care of all my belongings, especially my electronics. A few days later, they e-mailed me and said they'd be willing to split the cost of a new laptop with me in the near future if it came to that...but only if I become a Mac user! What! I did not expect their generosity, so I'm thinking within the next two years, or sooner if it really gives out, I'll save up half the cost of a new MacBook. My FIRST Mac computer!! (I told myself when I got this Dell laptop that, whenever it died on me, that my next computer would be a Mac.) :)

Closet Cleanout

I did some spring cleaning this afternoon! Thanks to Me in Millions and her Great Closet Cleanout idea. I had been telling myself for the past few weeks that I need to get rid of a few things and just organize my drawers, so this was the perfect way to get me to really do it. (Luckily, my small closet itself is very clean anyway. I totally wish I had an amazing closet like the one above, though!) Here's what I got rid of:

• 6 shirts
• 3 zip-up hoodies
  
• 2 cardigans
• 2 tank tops
  
• 2 skirt slips
• 1 sweater
  
• 1 pair of pants
• 1 bra
  
• 1 pair of heels
  
• a couple of socks
  

I forgot to take pictures, but it wasn't that much stuff, as it all fit into one paper grocery bag. Now the bag is sitting in the back of my car! My co-worker's sister-in-law is about my size (very short and petite...I still fit into kids' sizes!) so I'm waiting to hear if she's interested in any of the items. Otherwise, it'll all go to the Goodwill up the road! :)

Next up? I'm definitely excited to do some shopping to replace some of the articles of clothing! Happy Sunday!

Sunday Updates

In bullet point format:

• I went over my weekend staycation budget by $5.84. I'm totally okay with that!
  
• I've been slowing adding weight lifting to my workout regime, so now it's kickboxing classes 2x a week and weights 2-3x a week.
• Finished reading The Girl Who Played with Fire and Sarah's Key recently. Both were awesome, in really different ways! :)
  
• I got some new prescriptions recently. Picked them up at Target yesterday... thank GOODNESS for insurance + generics! $52.85 out of pocket, but they will last me the rest of the year.
• I'm obsessed with the Sally Hanser Nail Color Pen my Mom sent me in a recent care package. I'm horrible at giving myself a manicure (my hands are NOT steady!) but this is a lot easier than normal nail polish... not perfect, but good enough! :)
• Went on a date on Wednesday! I had a great time and it seemed like he did, too. (He kissed me when he walked me to my door.) But now it's Sunday and I haven't heard from him...
  
• Purchased some groceries this weekend. Great buys (thanks to awesome sales and coupons) included a Kashi frozen meal for $3, a dozen natural, large eggs for $0.88, a Betty Crocker Warm Delights cake for $0.05, a free package of McCormick's seasoning mix and a free package of Uncle Ben's Roasted Garlic Whole Grain Rice Medley. Yum!
  
• My Mom included $40 for me in the recent care package (love her!) so I put $20 in my CL/25th Fund and am using $20 for whatever I feel like... so far, a Starbucks happy hour frappuchino ($1.83) and a burrito for Friday's dinner ($6.43). Oh, and I think $1 for parking?

I've already made a white bean dip today (healthy snack for the week!) and I'm about to cook some burritos for this week's lunches as well as chop up veggies in advance. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday! :)

A Spending List

I never report my daily/weekly spending, but this week has been a little crazy and busy, so I thought I would just for fun!

$7, Drink at a bar on Saturday with friends
$3.30, Starbucks on Sunday (breakfast prior to my cooking class)
$25, Charity
$6, Dinner out
$1, Book Club fee
$14.13, Wine from Trader Joe's (gift for a friend)
$8.12, CVS (2 cards & a gift bag)

I had expected to spend about $14 on dinner tonight for my friend's graduation, but her family graciously paid for everyone! So kind! :) However, there are going to be some more expenses the rest of the week! I found what I want to buy my Mom for Mother's Day, which will run me $30. I'll also be going out with friends on Friday, dinner and drinks, ~$20.

I Wish...

I wish I could afford to buy lunch more than once every other week.

I wish I earned more money.

I wish there was a financial literacy program I could volunteer with in my city.

I wish I could replace my entire wardrobe, except for a few select items.

I wish I lived closer to my family and most of my best friends, who are all in other states.

I wish I could max out my 401k.

I wish I could travel abroad every year, on my own dime.

I wish I had a boyfriend, especially one who is successful, driven and financially responsible.

(I'm sure some of my wishes will come true soon enough!) :)

Friday Ramblings

Well, I somehow survived Vegas Trip 2010 last weekend! It was a blast, I couldn't have asked for a better or more fun group of friends to go with. I even made a new friend, and oddly enough my fortune cookie at the Rio Carnival World Buffet ringed true: Watch for a stranger to soon become a friend. :)

I'm not quite done with the final cost breakdown, as I'm still waiting to hear from one of the people about the total cost of hotel room plus gas. I think my share will be approximately $80. I lost $30 gambling, which is the most I've EVER gambled in Vegas! I think I'll be at around $375-$400 for the 3-day weekend, which isn't bad at all! Definitely put my Travel Fund to good use.

I've had a very busy week. Recovering from the trip and Daylight Savings Time, my golf class, kickboxing, yoga, and hanging out with some friends. Tonight I finally have time to relax, do laundry and clean the apartment. A good night in! I'm also hoping to get a lot of reading done. I'm horrible when it comes to reading; I usually have a few books going at once and right now is no exception. Time to finish Unaccustomed Earth, then read The Alchemist for next week's book club and hopefully get back into Shantaram. :)

Tomorrow I'll be volunteering in the afternoon and in the evening I'm off to see the Swedish movie version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I'm very excited! I love independent films and this one actually looks like a fantastic book-to-film one. (Or so the reviews say...) On Sunday I'm supposed to go to the driving range with some of the girls and I'll also probably run some errands.

What are your weekend plans?

Happy Friday!

In bullet point format :)

• It's PAYDAY!
• I rented a movie from Redbox using a free promo code.
• I had $100 leftover from my February budget, which I put into my Roth IRA.
• My roommate's parents are in town... and they're taking us out to my favorite restaurant for dinner tomorrow night! :)
  
• I'm going over to a friend's place for dinner on Sunday to watch the Oscars (The Hurt Locker FTW!) and have dinner. I'll be making this appetizer and I'm excited!
• I bought a cute beach coverup dress for $21, which was the remainder of my clothing allowance I gave myself from my bonus.
• I put $85 into my CL/25th Fund! :)

Have a great weekend!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you are all having a love-filled day... whether you are taken or single! :)

Today I'm doing some some volunteer work that's also a singles mixer. I'm really excited because it's something I've never done before but also seems like a lot of fun with the Valentine's Day twist they've added to it. Also, my Mom mailed me a fantastic Valentine's Day package! She's the best!

Ferrero Rocher is my favorite chocolate! And I love anything cinnamon flavored, the lollipops look sooo good. The stuffed dog is supposed to be a replica of our family dog who lives with my parents, so this little guy is going to hang out in my cubicle now :) Hmm... I've been considering a new camera, maybe the 4GB SD card will help me consider it more seriously? (My current digital camera is over 4 years old and doesn't take the best pictures, lol.)

I'm so thankful for all the amazing love in my life of my friends and my family... and every day should be one where we show love!

SuperBowl Sunday!

Happy Superbowl Sunday!

My roommates and I are having a mini party at our apartment. We spent the morning cleaning up and now we're skipping lunch to make a bunch of food and get organized for approximately 15 friends. My share of our supplies is $29.32, which isn't too bad considering we bought a bunch of beer, smoked salmon, chips and ingredients for two appetizers I'm making for the game! Here's what I'm making:

• Taco Dip in my crockpot
• Homemade Fries: Baked red potato wedges seasoned with olive oil + curry powder + salt/pepper
  

By the way, I've never been a sports fan but this year my roommates have gotten me into baseball and are still slowly working on football. If my fantasy playoff football team does decent after the game, maybe I'll finally be a convert! ;) Have a great day!

Do you have any Superbowl traditions? How about recipes?

Updates!

In bullet point form!

• Studying, studying, studying... I've been doing practice exams and problems. My scores aren't quite where they need to be to pass, but I'm not giving up. 3 weeks to go, I'm hitting it hard!
  
• My finances are still doing good. I have almost invested $4,000 into my Roth IRA for 2009! I might even be able to make it to the fully-funded $5K mark. I also treated myself to some much-needed shopping (retail therapy, anyone?!) recently... $280 on 2 new pairs of high heels and 1 pair of rain boots plus $23 on a new sweater. (And I opened a store credit card in the process - but it's where I do 80% of my shopping, no annual fee, rewards and of course I'll pay it off in full each month!)
  
• I have a few Christmas presents done... Mom, Dad and roommates. Still need to buy for friends and brother.
  
• I had a few car expenses this month for tab renewal and new insurance. Thank goodness for my car fund!
  
• The guy I was recently dating for a month pulled the disappearing act on me out of nowhere, just after Halloween. I was really falling for him, so it was (is!) both confusing and depressing. I'm just glad I have my studying and great friends to lean on when my heart is hurting. Sigh. :(
  
• I'm going home for Thanksgiving and Christmas! I can't wait to see my parents and my brother soon for extended periods of time. Both breaks will be much needed, though Thanksgiving will mostly be devoted to studying.

Busy!

Studying has taken over most of my time! I go to the library 3x a week and Starbucks about 2x. Surprisingly, I'm enjoying it. I really like the challenge and it's keeping my mind in great shape :) (Don't worry - I won't stop blogging, it just might be more infrequent!)

This weekend I have a girlfriend visiting me from Saturday to Sunday! We're planning on going out for an easy hike, grabbing some dinner and she might join me at yoga on Sunday morning. :)

My spending is going well. Nothing excessive so far! I did spend all my clothing budget last month on this jacket (hooray for the price adjustment!) and it arrived earlier this week - I am in love!! :) Last weekend I spent around $100, all on groceries and some supplies for the apartment. I do a lot of batch cooking and bought all the things I needed to make a lot of simple meals for the month - it'll help me while I'm studying so I don't have to think/worry about dinner!

I woke up this morning not feeling well, so I'm taking my first sick day of the year. I'm feeling a little better after getting more sleep, but I don't have the energy to get ready and go to work. Luckily I don't have any deadlines, plus 90% of the department (including both my boss and team leader) is out today anyway so it would have been a very slow day.

And really, I need to fix/update my blog. I tried last weekend and failed. Here goes round two this weekend! :)

Personal Finance Mad Lib

There's a really fun personal finance mad lib created by Punch Debt In The Face going around the blogosphere, so I thought I would join in!

Hi, my name is Money Maus. I currently have $14 dollars in my wallet. When I started managing my finances I was worth $4K, and now have a net worth of $22K. I currently work in finance and have been doing it for 1 year. I make roughly $35K per year. I want to have $2MM+ waiting for me when it comes time to retire. Aside from learning about finances, I really enjoy text messages. I think the world would be a better place if greed didn't exist. I had chicken/ravioli/broccoli for dinner last night and it was scrumptious. I have had 4 significant others over the course of my lifetime (counting awkward middle school relationships and relationships that lasted 4 months or less). One thing that makes me different is my petite size. Now that I'm done with this mad lib, I think I'm going to go to sleep.

Twitter

I joined Twitter yesterday! You can follow me here.

What's funny is I used Twitter over a year ago. I got bored with it as hardly any of my friends used it. Now I'm excited to start it up again as a somewhat anonymous blogger. :)

Long Term Wants

1. LASIK (I've worn contacts since I was 12)
2. Christian Louboutin heels
3. Condo in/near a downtown location
4. Mini Cooper
5. Fantastic wardrobe

And not necessarily in that order. :)

Annoyed!

There are a few things right now that I am annoyed with:

1. The boy I have been dating. We have next to nothing in common, I'm not that attracted to him and he is basically a puppy dog/is also smothering me. He's just not my type. So, I'm breaking it off with him later this weekend. (We've only been on 4 dates, including today's lackluster lunch date, plus other 2 hang-out sessions...) Time to find other guys to date!

2. Our cable got shut off today. When we moved into the place in August, we were giddy that the cable had not yet been shut off after the previous renters left. We knew it would happen eventually and now, it did. After 6 months. Time to check out bundled deals and see what we can get! (Thank goodness my raise is in effect so I can afford the $10 or so extra per month.)

3. My credit limit. It's only $750 because I got my FIRST credit card in June 2008. (The limit started at $500 but was increased to the current amount in August.) Now that I want to register for an industry exam, the ONLY form of payment they take is credit card and you can only pay online. There is a note on the payment page that specifically states to not use a debit card. And my credit limit isn't high enough to cover the total cost. I called my credit card company to see if they could increase the limit but it's a no-go.

Lame on all three accounts!

Loose Change

I used to collect quarters when I had to do my laundry at a laundromat. I found that little baggie when I was cleaning out one of my drawers recently. Counting it up, I had $8.

I keep some quarters at work. Our vending machines are subsidized to $0.50 for everything, so when I feel like a snack and haven't brought one from home, I don't mind using a few quarters now and then!

I also have a small tin that I use to collect my loose change. About once a month (or more often if I remember), I empty most of my change into the tin. Now that it's 2009, I want to collect my change more aggressively and use it for Christmas gifts at the end of the year (you can get gift cards/certificates from CoinStar machines and bypass the counting fee) or into one of my savings funds. :)

What do you with your loose change?

10 Must-Haves

I am going to respond to Penny's question about 10 Must-Haves, in no particular order except #1.

1. My Family/Friends - My Mom is my best friend and my Dad introduced me to the joys of traveling and turned me into a foodie. My friends keep me grounded and make sure I have fun!

2. Internet - I am addicted to e-mail, reading blogs, catching up on TV shows, chatting with friends, Facebook, etc. (I could manage without a cell phone. I think.)

3. Excel - So I can keep my personal finances in order!

4. Good Food - This includes cooking and restaurants. Mostly ethnic food!!

5. Travel - I love to travel. I wouldn't be who I am today without my study-abroad experience or the fact that my parents had taken me to 16 different countries by the time I was 15. :)

6. Laptop - Without my laptop, I wouldn't be able to use the Internet or Excel or do online banking...

7. Online Banking - Seriously. Enough said!

8. Comfy Pants - I love to be comfortable! :)

9. Make-up - It feels good to look presentable.

10. Contacts & Car - Tie (so, technically, 11 must-haves!) because without my contacts I couldn't see and without my car I couldn't get to work as public transportation is next to nil where I live.

What are your 10 must-haves?