Fruitbowlk's Personal Finance Blog

It will take two weeks to get them back I can't wait to see how much my EF account will go up I can't seem to keep it over the $2,000 mark. That's something I need to work on. Hopefully after the cc debt is paid off I can put more money toward my ef account and keep the balance over $2000. My goal is 5,000 before the end of the year lets see of I hit the goal.

I have Three months before I'm debt free. Be on the look out for my debt free shout/dance.

I received my w-2 last saturday for just waiting for dh to get his and we probably will file next month. I have no big plans for my half of the tax return my plan is to put it in my EF.

I just found out that I will be able to get atlease 9 hours in ot a week if I would like it. And you'll know that I would but I'm not sure I will be able to. My husband license is suspended and I pick him up so that will interfer with my ot. I'm also have to pick my dd up from daycare. And if I let her stay there for an extra 3 hours I think that might eat up my ot? Well I pray that everything works out that I can make some extra money.

I will be getting $413.10 Tuition Reimbursement on top of my new salary increase on the 15th of this month. WooHoo. I debating should I transfer the money to my EF or should I send it to pay down my cc debt? I am leaning towards cc debt. I had already made plans to increase my payments from $405.05 an month to $500.00 a month to pay off my cc debt quicker. Wow if I make my $500.00 payment and add my $413.10 Tuition Reimbursement to my cc debt it would be $913.10. In addition, it would decrease my cc debt to $1350.85. Oh, my can or will I do it? I hope so.

Oh yea I'm also getting my money back from the cancelled cruise trip that I was suppose to have taken in Dec 08. I will place that in my Checking account.

I finally got the GPS nuvi 200w series that I have been wanting. I was suppose to go on Suze Orman can I afford it but it fell through and when they called me again I wasn't as excited as the first time so I blew them off. I actully got it on Black friday for a very discounted price and It's the best gift ever.

Merry Christmas too All.

I just found out what I will be making next year and I am pleased. Now I have to make sure I pay off my debt quicker increase my EF faster and start my house downpayment. I know everyone would sugguest living off of what I made this year but I'm not too sure how to do that? I want to take a few nice vacations since I haven't been on any in a while. when I say nice I don't mean expensive. I mean nice quite peaceful.

Do you'll have any sugguest on what I should do I don't want to get out of hand. I want to continue on my savings/investing/get out of debt plan.

1. Become debt free.
2. Have 6-8 months EF
3. Start to save for a house down payment.
4. Keep up with my monthly budget.
5. Take a paid in full vacation for me and my dd b-day in Aug.

We started a new program at work. Where we are allowed to cash in our unused sick/vacation time up to 40 hours. Before we had to roll a certain amount over or the unused time would roll over into our std time. I took advantage of this and I will have an addition almost 700 in my paycheck. I have already decided to deposit it in my EF so that I can meet my end of the year goal of $2000 in my ef.

I open my dd saving account the day she turned 1 years old and we decided to keep a piggy bank for her and deposit all of our loose change at the end of the day. Close to the end of the year I go to the bank and deposit all of the loose change that has been collected all year long. So today was that day and the total amount was $89.10. Which brings her saving account to $558.07. This is more money than most adult are able to save. This is a great way to save without a lot of stress about doing so. I have recommended this option to a couple of friends that have a hard saving their monies.

I went on an interview yesterday for a seasonal job. And will be starting in a few weeks. I will be using this money to boost of my Emergency Fund. I'm a little behind where I like to be at this point. The faster I increase this account the quicker I can start to save for my house which is my main goal.

I earn $100 e-Rewards currency = $50 in Upromise savings. How exciting.
I have already converted it to Upromise college savings account which would bring it up to almost $100.00.

Saturday I went to the mall with my friend and when we got back to my place I stop by the mailbox and then while I was backing up I hit the curb. So Sunday morning I wake up and my front bumper on the passager side of my car was nearly torn off. The first thing that came to mind was someone hit my car. I didn't see any damages last night and I could have swore I got up in the middle of the night and looked out the window and didn't se any damages to my car. So I'm not really sure what happen. Anyways I went to the the non-emergency number to report that this has happen to my car but the recorder came on. Then I was going to call the insurance company so that I could get my car fix but I got to thinking my car will be 10 years old in two years it has around 86,000 miles on it. IS it really worth putting money into? I don't think so. I check on KBB and this is what my car is worth if I sell it privately....

Excellent
$3,770

Good
$3,395

Fair
$2,945

I can only image how much a body shop would cost me to fix the front bumper. I think i will save my money and continue to save for my next car.

I locked my keys in my apartment this morning. Good thing I have an defected car window so we was able to get into my car. I had to call the apt. people to let me in. They charged me $100 how insane.

Every year I save money in a Christmas account well this year I do not really need it so I rolled it over to my EF. I cannot believe how much it is increasing. I know most people would say put it towards your Debt Elimation but I have to feel secure and I do not feel secure without a good size Emergency Fund. Push come to shove I could always take some form my Emergency fund and put it towards my debt to pay it off quicker than 9 months. However, for right now I think this is the best choice for me.

Well nothing major was wrong with my car. It's was the battery. I also got an oil change and they had to plug two of my tires and also rotate them. All in all it cost me 142.06. I didn't have to use my EF after all.

My car broke down today Thank GOD it broke down when we got back home and not while I was at work or the store. I hope it's nothing major. I don't get paid until tuesday so I might have to use my EF. Thank GOD for an EF.

I just open Suze Ormen's save yourself account with TD AMERITRADE. I decided to close my x-mas account at the cu and open up one with TD AMERITRADE so that I can get that "free" $100 at the end of 12 months. I'm excited about this.

Hey,
I have tons of baby stuff that I need to get rid of so I have been going on to Craig list in the wanted section to see who needs baby stuff and e-mailing them if I have what they are looking for yesterday I sold my dd's Exersaucer for $25 they are coming to get it tomorrow. I never now how much to sell things for. I was debating wither I should use it towards my debt. (DR way) or deposit it in my dd saving account towards college. I decided to put it towards debt since I am not on that step yet and the sooner I get out of debt the faster I can start saving for my next big goal a house after fully funding my Emergency Fund.

So I applied to be on Suze Orman's show can you afford it? And I receive a call today. I'm going to be on the show. Yeepeee. I want to get a gps system and I want her to advise me on wither I should get it or not.

I made $25 babysitting my father-in law kids for 2 hours. not bad for the orginal plan I had to do nothing on a friday night. I put in in my account to pay my bills. What funny is we pay daycare $20 a day to keep our daugher. lol

I just applied for a part-time job so that I can bring more income in. I need to hurry up, pay off this cc debt, increase my EF, and start to save for my house. I need to work on increasing my salary so that I can afford to buy a house. So I am working on my AAS degree hopefully that will bring up my salary. In January, we should get a standard of living raise but I have been disappointed the last few years. Nevertheless, I need not to complain because it is a salary. I went looking at town homes and they are nice. I just wish the yard were bigger. However, I am not even able to afford that on the salary I am making now. In addition, it looks like my job might be ending in the next year or two. Therefore, I have a lot on my plate.

Ok. I pay 405.00 a month to Target and everytime I think about what I could be doing with that money it makes me mad. I wish I would have found this board, Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman in my twenty maybe I wouldn't be in this mess. I would be so much further head. I guess 30 isn't a bad place to start but I'm upset. I guess I should be grateful that this is my only debt. My target date to be finish paying this debt off is the summer of 2009. but hopefully I can pay it off quicker with extra payments. I get so excited when it's payday because I know that this debt is being knocked down but it seems like its taking forever.

I have been looking for an home church and I think I found one. I have to go a couple more Sunday to make sure it's the right church for my family. Well in Sept. they are starting Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University and I plan to register for the class. I don't feel like I'm in a bad financial situation but I know that I could be in a better one. But since I have been reading financial books,listening to CD's,and Watching DVD I have progressed so much. I am also so greatful for this Board which gives me the motavation to save invest and pay off of debt which helps me prepare myself for the future.

Ok. I was so excited to go to the Bahamas in Dec. I just found out Friday that the trip will be cancelled due to lack of payment on the other people part. So now I will put that money towards my EF. It has been put on hold for a min. I have been getting real agressive with my debt elimation. But the Good news is that Another trip to the Bahamas has come along for 2010. And I'm going to that one. I will be debt free by then with a fully funded EF. Also by then I will have had started on my House Fund. So things are going well.

I have been waiting for broadband to come into my area and clearwire has finally came. So starting on Thursay 7/31/08. I will have broadband instead of dial up. Yeepee. I will save around $22.42 a month give or take. I will turn off my house phone that cost me $42.43-$50.00 a month and aol that cost me 9.99 a month. My new payment will be 35.00 a month. So now I can put more money towards my EF or my credit card debt.

I will be starting back going to school next month. I'm so excited. Introduction to Business Statistics will be my last class before I graduate with my AAS degree in Infomation systems Technology. This class will cost me 279.45 not including books. I have set up a payment plan so that I don't have to come out my pocket with the whole amount. Normally my job pays for my classes but since this will be my second time taking it I will have to wait until I pass the class to be reimbused for books and Tuition. Wish me luck.

A few years ago I took out a 401k Loan and Monday will be my last payment. I'm so excited. Now that I'm more into my finaces I know that that was a stupid move and I will never do that again. Well I don't have to because I have my starter EF in place. Now I will have an addition $138 a month in my paycheck which will go towards paying off my Target Credit Card Debt. Knowlege if power or should I say the use of knowlege of power.

Hello everyone,

We received our stimulus payment yesterday. So I have completed Baby step 1. Now I'm on to baby step two. Target here I come. I have decided to pay $405 a month to pay off my cc in a year. I'm so excited about my accomplishment so far. But I have to say saving can become an addiction. I love to see my account grow. I haven't really saved a decent amount of money since I was in my early twenties so to get back to saving is a great thing for me.

Well I hope you all are having fun with saving and decreasing you'll debt. Good luck.

I received an e-mail from aol last week stating:

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To avoid this price change you must choose a new plan or cancel before your first AOL bill after July 18, 2008. Otherwise, your continued subscription to the AOL service constitutes your acceptance of this change. To review your current billing information, including price and bill date