And, of course, we can't forget this little nugget:
There is always a silver lining to the grayest of days!! Happy tuesday!!
A
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Oh, tuesday.....
Today was brutal. I'm talking a 12 shift at the hospital with no lunch break and just a few minutes here and there to gulp a few diet cokes between patients brutal. Ugh. The pile of paperwork waiting for me in the morning makes me cringe. BUT...the crazy hectic day made it impossible for me to stop at Starbucks during my shift to buy overpriced coffee, thus helping me stick to my "$10 or less" rule for the week. Plus, T found out he will be able to include an extra $750 commission payment onto this pay period, which means more money to feed the credit card beast!!! Woohooo!! And best of all, I got to come home to this sweet little face....
Monday, February 27, 2012
Weekend Wrap-Up
I decided that since most of our money seems to disappear over the weekend, it might be worth my time to start keeping track of all the nickels and dimes we part with. And since I am fairly certain this will be majorly discouraging, it might also be worthwhile to set a few goals for the following week.
Before I start the shameful recap, let me explain a few things about our current budget. T and I have one checking account that serves to fund all of our household expenses, from the mortgage to pug food (and believe you me, there is a LOT of freakin' pug food). We have a savings account which currently houses our EF and new car fund (I am hoping to split the two when I can remember to haul my procrastinating butt into our branch and fill out the paperwork). We contribute 17% of my salary to our 401k, save $400 per month in out EF/car fund, and add about $100 a month to T's IRA.
In addition (and hear me out before you cringe), we each have our own checking account. We allow ourselves $50 a week "allowance" from our take home pay, which is transferred to these accounts. And for the time being, we are allowing any side income/bonuses/etc to stay in our personal accounts. This is our ONLY blow money. The only money we can spend any which way we choose with no (alright, just minimal) judgement from each other. It ain't perfect, but it seems to be keeping the peace.
Weekend Wrap-Up
This weekend was perfect. T had a family obligation saturday, so I was on my own. But not in a bad way. I actually loved every minute of the day. I ran over to the office to finish a few evaluations, met my sweet friend Sara for lunch and shopping (hence the mexican food & Bath and Body Works spluuuurge), cleaned the house and played with my puggies, and met another Sarah for a loooong walk & talk, followed by pedicures. Blissful! T and I made dinner together ( The Pioneer Woman's Pasta With Artichokes), and relaxed on the couch. Sunday we ran some errands, headed out to Dallas to watch the Stars, and spent the evening catching up on Law & Order, CSI, and Criminal Minds. Love us some crime shows!
The Damage:
$106.00- Target (groceries and of course, pug treats)
$35.50- 7-11 (gas)
$34.00- pedicure (much needed after a 5.5 mile walk & talk with one of my favorite friends)
$21.45- Gloria's (isn't mexican food for lunch with a great friend a necessity?!)
$18.00- Haircut for T
$4.34- Starbucks
$15.00- parking at AAC
$7.00- diet Dr. Pepper at the AAC (What. A. Rip)
$30.00- food/ huge beers at the AAC
$23.53- take-out
$27.00- Bath & Body Works
For a grand total of : $321.82
Breaking it down a little more and we spent:
1. $141.50 (our checking account)
2. $117.32 (A's blow money)
3. $63.00 (T's blow money)
The Good: We stayed within (and actually have a few buckaroos leftover) our food budget for the month of February!! We allow for $450. 00 per month. Also, we are right on track for our gas budget for the month....
The Bad: $86.32 on FOOD?!?!? Ugh, and too be totally honest, I felt bloated and guilty after every single junk food treat. Eating out is definitely not helping me save money or drop the last 5 pounds! Lesson learned.
The Ugly: I spent $117.32 in 2 freakin' days. I know it's blow money and it is supposed to guilt-free spending, keep me from feeling deprived and going on an online shopping bender and all that jazz, but seriously. I can do better.
Monday Musings (in effort to eradicate weekend guilt):
Move: Run three times this week with T, and work in a long walk or two on the off days.
Eat: Eliminate daily stops at the grocery store to pick up an item or two. We've created and shopped for a menu for the next 6 days, now I just need to muster up some willpower to stick to it!!
Spend: My weekly blow money purchases shall not exceed $10.00 from now through Friday. They just shall not. No questions asked!
Save: Add and extra $50 to our EF after friday's paycheck
Acknowledge: I am thankful for a wonderful job in a tough economy. Instead of boo-hooing about going back to work tomorrow, I am determined to be thankful for a job to go back to!
Anticipate: So excited for our belated Valentine's date...we have GREAT seats for the Mavs game this saturday night!!!
Organize: My closet gives the appearance that we have recently been robbed. It's time to straighten things up.
Words:
"And the wind may come/and the rain may fall/but we stand together/or we don't stand at all"
Amy Ray
How was your weekend? What do you hope to accomplish this week?
A
Before I start the shameful recap, let me explain a few things about our current budget. T and I have one checking account that serves to fund all of our household expenses, from the mortgage to pug food (and believe you me, there is a LOT of freakin' pug food). We have a savings account which currently houses our EF and new car fund (I am hoping to split the two when I can remember to haul my procrastinating butt into our branch and fill out the paperwork). We contribute 17% of my salary to our 401k, save $400 per month in out EF/car fund, and add about $100 a month to T's IRA.
In addition (and hear me out before you cringe), we each have our own checking account. We allow ourselves $50 a week "allowance" from our take home pay, which is transferred to these accounts. And for the time being, we are allowing any side income/bonuses/etc to stay in our personal accounts. This is our ONLY blow money. The only money we can spend any which way we choose with no (alright, just minimal) judgement from each other. It ain't perfect, but it seems to be keeping the peace.
Weekend Wrap-Up
This weekend was perfect. T had a family obligation saturday, so I was on my own. But not in a bad way. I actually loved every minute of the day. I ran over to the office to finish a few evaluations, met my sweet friend Sara for lunch and shopping (hence the mexican food & Bath and Body Works spluuuurge), cleaned the house and played with my puggies, and met another Sarah for a loooong walk & talk, followed by pedicures. Blissful! T and I made dinner together ( The Pioneer Woman's Pasta With Artichokes), and relaxed on the couch. Sunday we ran some errands, headed out to Dallas to watch the Stars, and spent the evening catching up on Law & Order, CSI, and Criminal Minds. Love us some crime shows!
The Damage:
$106.00- Target (groceries and of course, pug treats)
$35.50- 7-11 (gas)
$34.00- pedicure (much needed after a 5.5 mile walk & talk with one of my favorite friends)
$21.45- Gloria's (isn't mexican food for lunch with a great friend a necessity?!)
$18.00- Haircut for T
$4.34- Starbucks
$15.00- parking at AAC
$7.00- diet Dr. Pepper at the AAC (What. A. Rip)
$30.00- food/ huge beers at the AAC
$23.53- take-out
$27.00- Bath & Body Works
For a grand total of : $321.82
Breaking it down a little more and we spent:
1. $141.50 (our checking account)
2. $117.32 (A's blow money)
3. $63.00 (T's blow money)
The Good: We stayed within (and actually have a few buckaroos leftover) our food budget for the month of February!! We allow for $450. 00 per month. Also, we are right on track for our gas budget for the month....
The Bad: $86.32 on FOOD?!?!? Ugh, and too be totally honest, I felt bloated and guilty after every single junk food treat. Eating out is definitely not helping me save money or drop the last 5 pounds! Lesson learned.
The Ugly: I spent $117.32 in 2 freakin' days. I know it's blow money and it is supposed to guilt-free spending, keep me from feeling deprived and going on an online shopping bender and all that jazz, but seriously. I can do better.
Monday Musings (in effort to eradicate weekend guilt):
Move: Run three times this week with T, and work in a long walk or two on the off days.
Eat: Eliminate daily stops at the grocery store to pick up an item or two. We've created and shopped for a menu for the next 6 days, now I just need to muster up some willpower to stick to it!!
Spend: My weekly blow money purchases shall not exceed $10.00 from now through Friday. They just shall not. No questions asked!
Save: Add and extra $50 to our EF after friday's paycheck
Acknowledge: I am thankful for a wonderful job in a tough economy. Instead of boo-hooing about going back to work tomorrow, I am determined to be thankful for a job to go back to!
Anticipate: So excited for our belated Valentine's date...we have GREAT seats for the Mavs game this saturday night!!!
Organize: My closet gives the appearance that we have recently been robbed. It's time to straighten things up.
Words:
"And the wind may come/and the rain may fall/but we stand together/or we don't stand at all"
Amy Ray
How was your weekend? What do you hope to accomplish this week?
A
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
coffee and spreadsheets...
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Is it strange that immediately following the delicious sip of coffee and immediately preceding my dive into bed at night I am usually pouring over our debt budget, tweaking spreadsheets, or logging in to our online banking to make sure everything is as it should be?
Strange. Laughable. Slightly pathetic. And hopefully, a little endearing (at least I hope T finds this habit endearing and not absolutely maddening!) And probably a sign that I should spend a wee bit of that time researching new hobbies....
Surely I am not the only one obsessively spreadsheet checking and online banking?!?
A
Monday, February 20, 2012
A little shy....
Welcome, welcome, welcome! This has been a long time in the making, including many "almost started a blog but chickened out" moments. For some reason, it seems like the right time.
But first, we should get to know one another. I'm a newlywed, living it up (on a budget, or course) in the Lone Star State. I'm a native East Coast girl, so Texas has taken some getting used to. Now I don't give a second glance to the longhorn across the street from my neighborhood grocery store, in his tiny little field. Or the occasional horse & cowboy trotting along side a major highway. I am even starting to think cowgirl boots are something I MUST have (once I can pay cash, of course).
I work for a pediatric hospital, where I get the opportunity to meet cute little nuggets and work with some amazing people. My husband (T) and I own a sweet little bungalow that I am super attached to, despite it's shortcomings. We have a small herd of snuggly, snorting little pugs. I love to read, run, cook, and travel. I'm a strict vegetarian who prefers to eat vegan. And my sweet husband? Getting by on vegetarian fare but (not so) secretly sneaking off to McDonalds, Chik Fil-A, or Taco Bueno when he just can't make due with one more salad. Life is good for us for many reasons, and we see this. But, hey, isn't there always room for improvement?
And now, the good stuff. While we both have good jobs, we can't seem to get the money thang under control. I wouldn't say we're broke, just.....a little shy. A little shy of paying off our credit cards, a little shy of a fully funded emergency account, a little shy of contributing the recommended 15% to our retirement account. And believe me, we have been close. Like painfully, frustratingly close to paying off our credit cards, but something always seems to get in the way. And I'm starting to think that something is ME. Do I live within my means? Ummm....not always, but I really want to learn how to. Do I charge things I don't have cash for? Sure. But enough is enough. Do I spend hours creating budgets and spreadsheets and plans and lists about how we should divy up our income? Yessssss. Do we live by those budgets? I mean, initially, yes. But eventually? No.
Currently, we have between $7,000-$8,000 in credit card debt, and approximately $6,000 in auto loans. Blech. Did I mention we need a new car? We are crossing our fingers T's car will last until we can settle this annoying debt and learn to stick to a budget. BUT....we have a decent EF and contribute 14% of our salaries to retirement accounts. So, not all ugly.
I'm hoping this blog will hold me accountable and give me the chance to learn from other bloggers who have beat the debt-blues. But, I swear, it won't be all doom and money gloom. Promise!
A
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