What I Have:
Checking: $1,265.92
Savings: $1,804.19
What I Owe:
Wells Fargo: $82,888.05
Credit Card: $66.69
Target Card: $48.19
Utility: $169.07 (fucking Texas heat)
Med Bill: $22.07
My Plan:
-Pay off Target Card Balance
-Pay of Credit Card (however, I believe my renter's insurance bill goes through tomorrow so the balance will just be upped to $125 again but at least I'll be making a nice chunk payment.
-Pay of Med Bill
-Pay $600 on my student loan
-Save $100-$200 dollars for my fall trip (my goal is to save about $1000)
Showing posts with label bills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bills. Show all posts
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
After Pay Day
Things have been so hectic. I'm still in the middle of trying to refinance my student loan and it's extremely frustrating. Wells Fargo keeps saying the my Mom doesn't qualify for a cosigner (even though she's my current cosigner). At first we thought that Wells Fargo looking at her debt to income ratio and not considering that most of her debt comes from this particular student loan. Then, in one of my many, many delightful chats with a rep they said that Wells Fargo makes sure not to consider the loan they are currently holding against someone if all they are trying to do is refinance. My mom had already faxed in a few credit reports showing that the only outstanding debt she has is this loan. Of course I tried to explain that to them and they did their usual, "well I can't discuss this with you because you're not the cosigner" bullshit so I had to get off the phone, ring up my mom, and have her call back.
So, she calls back and gets another rep who tries to tell her all sorts of nonsense but luckily I told me mom to request a supervisory review because they were clearly being misleading. We should know if the next few days what they decide. The thing that's REALLY frustrating about all of this??? It's probably all worth nothing. All I want is a low, fixed rate. When I first started paying back this piece of shit loan I wanted a fixed rate because over the long run it's the smarter choice (and Lord knows I'm a stickler for consistency) but all they could offer me at the type was a variable rate of 8.5% versus a fixed rate of 13%. That's so freakin' ridiculous. That's credit card rate ridiculous. This time around I do qualify for a fixed rate as low as 7.49% and I would love that! All I want is to be able to plan down to the penny where my money is going, to not live in fear of this slimy, fat cat banking hiking up my rates on whatever whim they like.
What I have:
Checking: $51.12 (after rent + student loan + lots of ice cream this weekend)
Savings: $1800.41
What I Owe:
Wells Fargo Student Loan: $82,888.05
Credit Card: $58.76
During my lovely chat with Wells Fargo I also decide to cancel my auto withdraw. I'm so sick of being broke every first of the month. I end up with like 20 bucks left over so I have to rely on my credit card or dip into my savings and I hate doing that. Since I'm so ahead in payments I have some wiggle room to figure out a way to pay back a lot but not in such a way that leaves me scrambling.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
6 Month of Loan Payments
I have put off the entry forever. Which is strange because I'm very proud of what I have accomplished. I think I'm just being utterly lazy.
Let's review! I had originally wanted to save 1k a month until I could make a chunk $10,000 payment. However after some research I realized I would get slightly better results by making two monthly payments. So it began, I have lived off of only a few hundred (if not less each month). I pay rent, student loans, bills, gas and grocery and whatever left is mine for either saving or fun. Most months I end up with around $20 bucks in my account before payday.
What I Paid in 2012
Amt Toward Amt Towards
Principle Interest
January $6.54 $739.06
February $116.89 $628.71
March $96.05 $649.55
April $75.11 $670.49
May $118.89 $626.71
June $95.05 $650.55
July $117.29 $628.31
August $97.19 $648.41
September $97.89 $647.71
October $119.47 $626.13
November $99.46 $646.14
December $120.99 $624.61
TOTAL $1,160.82 $7,786.38
Seriously, look at January, only $6 bucks towards principle!!?!?!? Fuck you Wells Fargo. I didn't really keep track of my payments during the first year, I set up automatic payments and just didn't deal with it. I didn't want to think of what was going to principle or how much I was paying in interest or even how long it was going to take. I didn't feel like I had the power to, even if I knew what kind of financial trouble I was in there was nothing I could do about it. Once I got a new (and much, much, much better) job I was able to have the extra cash to take care of business.
What I Paid in 2013 (so far!!)
Amt Toward Amt Toward
Principle Interest
January $101.04 $644.56
January pt2 $708.44 $291.56
February $394.37 $351.23
February pt2 $712.04 $287.96
March $459.96 $285.64
March pt2 $715.86 $284.14
April $403.41 $342.19
April pt2 $719.51 $280.49
May $427.72 $626.71
May pt2 $723.25 $276.75
June $412.41 $333.19
June pt2 $446.45 $253.55
TOTAL $6,224.46 $3,949.14
Payment Amt Toward Amt Toward
MAde Principle Interest
July $745.60 $415.81 $329.79
July pt2 $600.00 $ $
August $ $ $
August pt2 $ $ $
September $ $ $
September pt2 $ $ $
October $ $ $
October pt2 $ $ $
November $ $ $
November pt2 $ $ $
December $ $ $
December pt2 $ $ $
TOTAL $1345.60 $414.81 $329.79
I am so proud of what I've been able to do with this loan. I've paid close to 600% more in just 6 months than what I paid in my first year. I will end up paying close to the same amount of interest (if not slightly lower) this year even though I'm paying so much more. I sometime's get so discouraged because I have so far to go but I just have to remind myself that I'm only 27 years old and I've only been at this for 6 months.
Let's review! I had originally wanted to save 1k a month until I could make a chunk $10,000 payment. However after some research I realized I would get slightly better results by making two monthly payments. So it began, I have lived off of only a few hundred (if not less each month). I pay rent, student loans, bills, gas and grocery and whatever left is mine for either saving or fun. Most months I end up with around $20 bucks in my account before payday.
What I Paid in 2012
Amt Toward Amt Towards
Principle Interest
January $6.54 $739.06
February $116.89 $628.71
March $96.05 $649.55
April $75.11 $670.49
May $118.89 $626.71
June $95.05 $650.55
July $117.29 $628.31
August $97.19 $648.41
September $97.89 $647.71
October $119.47 $626.13
November $99.46 $646.14
December $120.99 $624.61
TOTAL $1,160.82 $7,786.38
Seriously, look at January, only $6 bucks towards principle!!?!?!? Fuck you Wells Fargo. I didn't really keep track of my payments during the first year, I set up automatic payments and just didn't deal with it. I didn't want to think of what was going to principle or how much I was paying in interest or even how long it was going to take. I didn't feel like I had the power to, even if I knew what kind of financial trouble I was in there was nothing I could do about it. Once I got a new (and much, much, much better) job I was able to have the extra cash to take care of business.
What I Paid in 2013 (so far!!)
Amt Toward Amt Toward
Principle Interest
January $101.04 $644.56
January pt2 $708.44 $291.56
February $394.37 $351.23
February pt2 $712.04 $287.96
March $459.96 $285.64
March pt2 $715.86 $284.14
April $403.41 $342.19
April pt2 $719.51 $280.49
May $427.72 $626.71
May pt2 $723.25 $276.75
June $412.41 $333.19
June pt2 $446.45 $253.55
TOTAL $6,224.46 $3,949.14
Payment Amt Toward Amt Toward
MAde Principle Interest
July $745.60 $415.81 $329.79
July pt2 $600.00 $ $
August $ $ $
August pt2 $ $ $
September $ $ $
September pt2 $ $ $
October $ $ $
October pt2 $ $ $
November $ $ $
November pt2 $ $ $
December $ $ $
December pt2 $ $ $
TOTAL $1345.60 $414.81 $329.79
I am so proud of what I've been able to do with this loan. I've paid close to 600% more in just 6 months than what I paid in my first year. I will end up paying close to the same amount of interest (if not slightly lower) this year even though I'm paying so much more. I sometime's get so discouraged because I have so far to go but I just have to remind myself that I'm only 27 years old and I've only been at this for 6 months.
Monday, June 17, 2013
After Bill Pay
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| Found this while online, isn't it terrifying? This is why I'm so aggressive when it comes to wiping out my debt. |
What I have:
Checking: $225.05
Savings: $1800.64
What I owe:
Credit Card: $17.31**
Student Loan: 83,303.86
Like I said in a previous post instead of my usual $1000 chunk payment I went a little soft this time so I could catch up on bills. I'm still really excited because my next payment should knock me down to 82k which is so freaking exciting. I can't believe how much that I have paid off in just 6 months. I still get a little bummed when I think about how far I have to go and how many roadblocks that I might face but I just have to keep staying positive. The one thing that I do know is that I have more student debt than most people and that with all my hard work I will pay off my debt faster than most people even dream about <3
**I seriously paid off my entire credit card and then the auto payment went through for my gym membership.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Pay Day Check In
I love pay day :) However this pay day is going to be slightly different than previous pay days. I really have to catch up on bills. As awesome as it feels to pay off so much from my student loans it is terrible to realize you only have $50 bucks to live off of for two weeks and some how try to stretch groceries and gas out of that.
What I have:
Checking: $1289.22
Savings: $1800.63
What I owe:
Utilities: $150
Credit Card: $185.86
Student Loan: $83,750.31
My Plan:
-Pay off Credit Card
-Pay Utility Bill
-Pay $700 to student loan
Once the dust clears from that I'm planning on going grocery shopping and purchasing my father a Father's Day gift. After all that's done I should have around $100-$50 remaining. I want to put some additional funds in my savings. I really prefer at least $2,000 in savings and I want to eventually grow it. I think I need to work into my budget a monthly savings contribution.
What I have:
Checking: $1289.22
Savings: $1800.63
What I owe:
Utilities: $150
Credit Card: $185.86
Student Loan: $83,750.31
My Plan:
-Pay off Credit Card
-Pay Utility Bill
-Pay $700 to student loan
Once the dust clears from that I'm planning on going grocery shopping and purchasing my father a Father's Day gift. After all that's done I should have around $100-$50 remaining. I want to put some additional funds in my savings. I really prefer at least $2,000 in savings and I want to eventually grow it. I think I need to work into my budget a monthly savings contribution.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
After Bill Pay
Ugh, right now my finances suck. Not really terrible pleased with where I'm at currently.
What I have
Checking: $17.68
Savings: $1823.94
What I Owe
Student Loan: $83.750.71
Credit Card: $165.86
I realized something the other day. My spending freeze is like an extreme diet. Instead of going slow and steady, hitting the gym and watching my intake I'm starving myself and running marathons. I'm really proud of how much I've paid off on my student loans but right now I need to work out a livable budget.
I've tried to balance too much on too little. My budget is perfect when things are going right but when they're not or when something comes up (car issues, birthdays, computer problems) it leaves me scrambling and without any money (example: I have $17 bucks to live off of for the next two weeks).
When I get paid again on the 15th instead of immediately paying a huge chunk payment and living off the rest, I'm going to pay off my credit card and pay any remaining bills (I think my utilities should be due around that time) with the remaining I'll then get food and maybe a tank of gas AND THEN I'll pay a chunk towards my student loan. I'm bummed because I won't see the huge decrease I like but I'm getting so tired of being so stressed and broke. I realized the other day that I'm not really broke at all, I make awesome money and I'm causing myself financial hardship by living outside of my means with my student loan repayments. Living within your means doesn't just refer to spending habits but saving habits and debt repayment habits.
In happier news: Can you believe how freakin' close I am to paying off 10k in principal on this loan?!?!?!?! Realistically I consider myself only in repayment for this year (I think the first year I only knocked off something sad like $900 in principal). In 6 months I have paid off $6,250 in principal!!!!
Monday, June 3, 2013
Resolution Check In: Halfway through 2013
I can't believe that this year is almost over with. Time is seriously zooming past. Since this year is halfway over I wanted to check in on my New Years Resolutions to see if I'm making any progress or if I need to re-evaluate my goals.
New Years Resolutions:
1. Run Capital 10k in one hour or less: Sort of? I ran the Capital 10k in 1 hour and 4 minutes which is (obviously) 4 minutes longer than 1 hour but it is 10 minutes less than the first time I ran the Cap10k. I still want to improve on my speed for running but I'm happy with my performance in the race.
2. Complete Fun Run: I ran the Color Run a few weeks ago and it was a blast. I honestly think it was some of my best running time too. One of the people in my race group had an awesome pace and I kept up the entire way. I definitely think I broke my usual 10 minute mile.
4. No desserts for the month of January: I did really well at this goal. I was surprised too because I'm such a sugar addict (for example, during this 2 day weekend I got ice cream 3 times). I've definitely had a few bad days in my diet recently but for the most part I'm happy with where I'm at health wise.
5. 50 squats a day during the month of January: Loved and hated this challenge. This plus weight lifting completely changed my legs. I'm a classic pear and I thought it was impossible to lose weight from my thighs but weight training has made them more toned and sexier. I think it's incredible funny/ironic that itty bitty 90 lbs girls long for a thigh gap and I have one now simple due to how wide set my thighs are.
6. Save at least $1000 a month for Student loans and make a $10,000 chunk payment: This was my original goal until I crunched the numbers and realized I would see better results with more payments. I plan on making a post about my success over the last 6 months in repayment. I'm already down around $7000 :)
7. Get a new driver's license: Never doubt the power of allowing yourself to accomplish easy goals. Feeling accomplished and driven is so good for the psyche.
8. Go to the gyno and try to find a birth control I like: Going to the doctors this week, not sure about birth control. Obviously, I don't want a baby right now because they're expensive and I have no money but I have never found a BC pill that I like. I figure I'll discuss with my doctor my options and see if I can find one that works for me.
10. Sign up for the Capital 10k: Obviously couldn't complete Goal #1 without this but seriously, allowing yourself to accomplish easy goals or tasks is so motivating.
11. Redecorate my bedroom: Found an amazing deal for an entire new bed set for only like $200 bucks. God new curtains and new bedspread and the room looks so much more grown up now.
12. Write a short story of book: My computer crapped out months ago and I just don't feel comfortable writing on my boyfriends computer. I'm hoping to get my computer fixed soon and I definitely want to start writing again.
13. Reupholster my ugly painted chair: I honestly don't know if I'm ever going to do this. The chair is gorgeous to look at (very rustic and shabby chic) but soooo gross to sit on (crunchy fabric paint).
14. Learn more hairstyles than the same bullshit I constantly wear: Nope :( However this is the healthiest my hair has been in 10 years. I haven't dyed my hair in over a year (maybe longer) and I've cut off all the processed stuff. My hair is much lighter in color than I had anticipated but I look pretty good. Sometime it's hard to fight the urge to dye it all of the time but I just remember how annoying upkeep is and how expensive constantly dying it can be.
15. Cook new recipes: Yes? No? I've definitely tried new things but not on such a level that I feel it justifies crossing this item off. I had a completely lazy weekend where I spent hours on Pinterest so I have lots of new recipes to try.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
You Might Be Broke If......
-You've ever re-used a coffee filter
-You have no shame in using rubber bands and tape to hold together everyday items
-You can easily ignore any sound that might mean an appliance is breaking
-You have paid for groceries in loose change
-You experience overwhelming joy when there's free food at work
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Financial Update: After Bill Pay
So I did a Pay Day check in a few days ago but I wanted to re-check in (checker in? No, that's not right...) to see my finances after I spent a late Mother's Day with my Mom and after most of my bill payments went through.
Checking: $152.42
Savings: $1822.20
Pocket Book: Like $2 bucks?? I spent the remainder of my cash on Powerball tickets (that did not go well).
What I owe on my credit card: $119.92
What I owe Wells Fargo: $84,162.72
I treated my mom to lunch which cost $50 (put on my credit card) BUT she treated me to a full tank of gas, a hair cut, and a mani/pedi. I might go ahead and pay another $50 or so on my credit card but probably closer to next pay day. I still need to go grocery shopping but that should only cost me around $50.
I can't believe how far down my loan has gone in only 5 months. I'm so close to paying off $10,000 in principle. I think once that happens (and I potentially get a raise sometime in October) I might start shifting around how much I pay. I want to help my mom with the student loan that she has for me. She owes around $38k and I'd like to help her pay it off so she can save for retirement.
I keep looking at the financial road map I made; in just two years I will be close to only owing around $50,000. Then I can slow down on the payments and start saving for a house. I try to broach the idea of buying a house with my boyfriend but he doesn't really seem that into it which is a bummer but not terribly unexpected. Like most things in life I'll probably do that on my own (or with the help of my mom, haha). I figure I can easily save up the $20,000 or so down payment and I should have rocking credit so hopefully I can find a cute little house to call my own.
Checking: $152.42
Savings: $1822.20
Pocket Book: Like $2 bucks?? I spent the remainder of my cash on Powerball tickets (that did not go well).
What I owe on my credit card: $119.92
What I owe Wells Fargo: $84,162.72
I treated my mom to lunch which cost $50 (put on my credit card) BUT she treated me to a full tank of gas, a hair cut, and a mani/pedi. I might go ahead and pay another $50 or so on my credit card but probably closer to next pay day. I still need to go grocery shopping but that should only cost me around $50.
I can't believe how far down my loan has gone in only 5 months. I'm so close to paying off $10,000 in principle. I think once that happens (and I potentially get a raise sometime in October) I might start shifting around how much I pay. I want to help my mom with the student loan that she has for me. She owes around $38k and I'd like to help her pay it off so she can save for retirement.
I keep looking at the financial road map I made; in just two years I will be close to only owing around $50,000. Then I can slow down on the payments and start saving for a house. I try to broach the idea of buying a house with my boyfriend but he doesn't really seem that into it which is a bummer but not terribly unexpected. Like most things in life I'll probably do that on my own (or with the help of my mom, haha). I figure I can easily save up the $20,000 or so down payment and I should have rocking credit so hopefully I can find a cute little house to call my own.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Pay Day Finances
I want to start monitoring my spending/debt more closely. I feel that it will help to keep me more strict and honest with my budget plus it really feeds my Type A personality to organize everything.
Today I got paid (yay!) which means that I have to go in and pay all my bills (boo!). Here's the current breakdown:
What I have:
Checking: $1318.93
Savings: $1825.18
Pocket book: $20 from babysitting
What I owe:
Credit card: $109.36
Utilities: $116.51
I plan on using the money I have from babysitting to put gas into my tank (I'm going home this weekend for a late mother's day and will definitely need it). I'm also babysitting tonight and the $30 or $40 bucks I earn from that will go towards paying for photos I had printed for my Mom's Mother's Day gift (only $10!) and then a birthday happy hour I plan on attending this Friday. If I pay all of my bills plus my usual $1000 on my student loans I will only have $93 left in my checking and I will have put nothing away for savings. Sort of a bummer.
My plan is to pay my utility bill in full (because lights and air conditioning are pretty nifty), pay $50 towards my credit card, and pay $1000 towards my student loan.
I find the only way I can stomach paying so much on my student loan is to do it very early in the morning on pay day. That way I'm still sleepy/out of it and my brain doesn't have time to process all the fun things I could do with an extra grand each month. Plus, since it's pay day I'm not used to seeing so much in my bank account. Most days when I log into my account I see something awesome like I only have $27 bucks to live on for 2 weeks.
The thing that makes it easier is that I'm telling myself that I'm just doing it for one year. Now I do have a 5 year plan to pay off my 90k student loan but all I'm holding myself accountable for is one year. I just have to pay a lot this year and next year things will be easier. I will have paid it (hopefully) down into the $70,000 ish area which will be easier to deal with/look at/live with than 90K. Once I've done my first year I'll look at my budget and realize that by the end of year two I should have it down to around $50k. Once I get it below $50k I can slow down a bit. The interest each month will be lower, it's a more typical student loan amount than close to $100k. I'll be able to save more for a house and maybe even feel more comfortable spending money on fun things. I've just got to take it one pay day at a time.
Today I got paid (yay!) which means that I have to go in and pay all my bills (boo!). Here's the current breakdown:
What I have:
Checking: $1318.93
Savings: $1825.18
Pocket book: $20 from babysitting
What I owe:
Credit card: $109.36
Utilities: $116.51
I plan on using the money I have from babysitting to put gas into my tank (I'm going home this weekend for a late mother's day and will definitely need it). I'm also babysitting tonight and the $30 or $40 bucks I earn from that will go towards paying for photos I had printed for my Mom's Mother's Day gift (only $10!) and then a birthday happy hour I plan on attending this Friday. If I pay all of my bills plus my usual $1000 on my student loans I will only have $93 left in my checking and I will have put nothing away for savings. Sort of a bummer.
My plan is to pay my utility bill in full (because lights and air conditioning are pretty nifty), pay $50 towards my credit card, and pay $1000 towards my student loan.
I find the only way I can stomach paying so much on my student loan is to do it very early in the morning on pay day. That way I'm still sleepy/out of it and my brain doesn't have time to process all the fun things I could do with an extra grand each month. Plus, since it's pay day I'm not used to seeing so much in my bank account. Most days when I log into my account I see something awesome like I only have $27 bucks to live on for 2 weeks.
The thing that makes it easier is that I'm telling myself that I'm just doing it for one year. Now I do have a 5 year plan to pay off my 90k student loan but all I'm holding myself accountable for is one year. I just have to pay a lot this year and next year things will be easier. I will have paid it (hopefully) down into the $70,000 ish area which will be easier to deal with/look at/live with than 90K. Once I've done my first year I'll look at my budget and realize that by the end of year two I should have it down to around $50k. Once I get it below $50k I can slow down a bit. The interest each month will be lower, it's a more typical student loan amount than close to $100k. I'll be able to save more for a house and maybe even feel more comfortable spending money on fun things. I've just got to take it one pay day at a time.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Birthday on the Cheap!
I just spent an amazing birthday weekend with my sister and I'm pretty proud of how I kept my spending under control.
Here's the wrap-up
Food:
I mentioned in my last post about how cheap and easy home made birthday cake and ice cream is. But, most people don't like to live off of just cake and sweets so we had to pick up some food and drinks. If you've read this blog at all you know I fancy booze and my absolute favorite liquor store is Cost Co. You don't have to be a member to purchase liquor (at least at the one's in Texas, they have a separate room for the hard liquor and any one can buy from it). My sister and I picked up a giant bottle of Tequila for only $20 bucks and then went to HEB and got some regular house food (morning and lunch staples like bagels, bananas, eggs, and yogurt) as well as ingredients for quesadillas. My total bill was only $44 bucks which isn't the best but not too bad for food for a week.
Entertainment
My sister loves coming up to Austin and shopping at stores they don't have in her town. We entertained ourselves for hours on window shopping. We're also both pop culture shows so we watched a ton of TV and movies. She had purchased the tickets for the show earlier so that was a cost I didn't have to worry about.
Unnecessary but lovely purchase:
Bought my boyfriend lunch at a great gourmet burger joint (my sister insisted on paying for herself): $28 bucks
A new pair of Betsey Johnson sunglasses: $20 bucks
A new wall plug and 3 new scents from Bath and Body Works:$20
Yes, it was unnecessary and not really apart of my budget to spend $68 dollars on these things. BUT I manage to live off of around $300 a month (covering my utility bill, gas, food, and social life) because I spend every other dime on student loans. I haven't purchased new sunglasses in more than 5 years. The one's I have been using were a pair of Betsey Johnson's my ex bought for me years ago.
Here are my new glasses:
Here's the wrap-up
Food:
I mentioned in my last post about how cheap and easy home made birthday cake and ice cream is. But, most people don't like to live off of just cake and sweets so we had to pick up some food and drinks. If you've read this blog at all you know I fancy booze and my absolute favorite liquor store is Cost Co. You don't have to be a member to purchase liquor (at least at the one's in Texas, they have a separate room for the hard liquor and any one can buy from it). My sister and I picked up a giant bottle of Tequila for only $20 bucks and then went to HEB and got some regular house food (morning and lunch staples like bagels, bananas, eggs, and yogurt) as well as ingredients for quesadillas. My total bill was only $44 bucks which isn't the best but not too bad for food for a week.
Entertainment
My sister loves coming up to Austin and shopping at stores they don't have in her town. We entertained ourselves for hours on window shopping. We're also both pop culture shows so we watched a ton of TV and movies. She had purchased the tickets for the show earlier so that was a cost I didn't have to worry about.
Unnecessary but lovely purchase:
Bought my boyfriend lunch at a great gourmet burger joint (my sister insisted on paying for herself): $28 bucks
A new pair of Betsey Johnson sunglasses: $20 bucks
A new wall plug and 3 new scents from Bath and Body Works:$20
Yes, it was unnecessary and not really apart of my budget to spend $68 dollars on these things. BUT I manage to live off of around $300 a month (covering my utility bill, gas, food, and social life) because I spend every other dime on student loans. I haven't purchased new sunglasses in more than 5 years. The one's I have been using were a pair of Betsey Johnson's my ex bought for me years ago.
Here are my new glasses:
They were originally around $70 so paying only $20 for them was a steal. Plus they came with an adorable bright pink sunglass case.
I feel pretty good about this weekend. I have around $70 in my checking account and around $100 on my credit card. I don't have any bills on my credit card due and when I get paid on the 15th I can pay off my credit card and add a little more to my savings.
I've mentioned before how much I really enjoy And Then We Saved. Their big idea is a spending fast. Basically spending on only the absolute necessities (food, housing) and either saving the rest or paying off debt. I realized that even though I sometimes spend some cash on unnecessary things I'm pretty much on spending fast. 70% of my income goes towards student loans (literally, I did math to figure that out, that's not just a guess). And like I said above the rest is spent on rent, food, gas, and utilities. Yes, anything after that probably could go into savings but I'm glad it goes into fun things like Fun Run races (I did the color run this weekend and it was amazing!) or shoes or sunglasses or unnecessary scent thingies from Bath and Body Works.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Crunching Numbers
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Looking back I have no idea how I managed to scrap an extra $745.60 out of my 2011 finances. I know I couldn't really afford to make any more payments on my previous student loan which was embarrassing and frustrating. Luckily, my Mom was able to help me with that. I am very proud to say that I have made every student loan payment now myself and even though it's hard I feel very accomplished for doing this.
How I saved money this past year:
-Got a better job where I make about $10,000 more a year (thank you Lord!!)
-Moved in with my boyfriend, splitting the costs of bills is a life saver
-Free cable and Internet due to my boyfriends job (yes!)
I've been taking the bus more and more which is great at saving on gas costs. I've been terrible about it this past month because it's been really cold and I've been working two jobs. Leaving the house at 5am or 6am and getting off at 10pm is hard enough without having to wait for a bus. But it's definitely my goal to take it more this month. Got to pinch pennies where ever you can!
If you noticed above the difference between what I spend now versus what I make leaves a nice little chunk of ~$1000 left each month. This would be the extra $1000 I plan on spending each month on my student loans. I had contemplated just making an additional payment each month and putting the rest in savings but the difference is pretty astounding:
I remember every time I called Wells Fargo and asked for help I never understood why they only thing they suggested was paying more. Now I sort of get it, it's the interest that kills you. I'm at about 8% interest right now and most of what I pay doesn't do anything to chip away at the principal loan. They way I see it, this year I'm paying around $6000 dollars in interest no matter what, I'd rather pay a little extra and pay off $3000 more of my loan. I've done the math for about 2 years out and if I keep making huge payments I could knock it down to around $50,000 which is so much more manageable than close to $100,000. Now, this math is all based around my interest rate staying at 8%, knowing my luck it'll skyrocket to a million and I'll just die. However, if that doesn't happen, or if *gasp* luck could smile down upon me and LOWER that interest rate I can make such a huge interest in 2 years. I'm a little bummed about not being able to save for a house but once I pay off this thing I'll have so much extra cash it'll take me a year to save up.
So that's it. That's my financial goal for this year. Pay as much of this silly, stupid, God awful loan off as I can. However, here's the catch. I want to be able to do it and still have a life. I read an article recently about a guy who managed to pay off $26,500 in student debt in 2 years. This is great. Except dude did some CRAZY ass shit, like not turning on the heater in Atlanta winters. I turn on the heater and I live in Texas. He also sometimes ate spoiled food. I'm all about financial goals and sacrifices but I want to prove that it is entirely possible to save money and pay off debt without becoming a shell of a person. I can live life and live it BETTER than before because I'm becoming more and more financially sound.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Despair?
I'm not sure what is going on with me but I've been really bummed out lately. More than bummed out. I'm not sure I would call it depression because I've never really experienced anything like this. I've been trying all week to put it into words and I've been struggling to pin point what has gotten me to this place. I guess it's a few things so I'm hoping by putting it down in writing I can get a firm grasp of this situation and change it.
First of all things with my boyfriend are kind of blah. I'm not sure when it happened and I can't really figure out if one of us is to "blame" but something has changed (or maybe nothing has changed and this depression is making me think that something has changed). When we first got together he was such a positive force in my life and I was so proud and happy. Now it feels that he's gotten super comfortable and doesn't even try anymore. We've been dating less than 4 months. Granted, I've only been in two long term relationships before but this seems a bit early to get comfortable. Again, I can't describe the feeling but I feel distance between us. I don't feel happy anymore.
THEN, there's my overwhelming debt. I feel trapped and burden by this enormous thing that I can't control or fix. I feel so sad that this is my life. There's been a lot of recent studies about how negatively social networking is affecting how people feel and I completely understand. When I log on to Facebook and I see people I knew in high school and they're married, having babies, and living in houses I feel so ashamed and sad that I'm not at that point (I honestly don't care about marriage and babies but I want a house more than anything). This wasn't supposed to be my life. I had potential. Now, I'm 26 and living alone in single bedroom apartment and I can't afford to get my hair cut. Most of my friends had family that paid for their college so no one really understands what I'm going through. I have no extra money, I'm worried all of the time and I feel so beyond pathetic. And honestly I don't see that changing.
I read some article today about a man who managed to pay off his $90,000 college debt in 7 months. I was so excited thinking that there was something I could do to get rid of this debt only to find out the guy paid off his debt with his six figure salary and sneaking flasks into bars. AWESOME. I can sneak flasks into bars till the fucking cows come home and it won't change the fact that this guy did what he did because he makes 3 times my gross annual salary.
I really hit bottom yesterday when I received a notice from my insurance saying they're not going to cover most of my dental work and the portion that I need to cover is $1200. I bawled my eyes out. It's such a stupid thing to cry over but I think it was just my breaking point. After a good 12 hour cry and How I Met Your Mother marathon I started to feel better (plus, talking with a co-worker who gave great insurance appeal advice). After taking some time to really examine my life and my heart I've come to a few conclusions:
I cannot count on my boyfriend (or anyone, for that matter) to help me
I don't mean this in a depressing, "everyone dies alone" super dramatic way. I just have to release and recognize that the only person who can change my life is me. I can't waste my time hoping for some magical solution to bring itself to me and fix all of my problems. If I'm not happy being this broke or living this way I'm the one responsible for fixing it.
My worth isn't what I own or where I live
Facebook and Pinterest are dangerous, evil places. That article I mentioned above talked about when it comes to social networking people create their own "brand" (like companies marketing a product). No one goes on to Facebook to advertise what a fuck up they are or how they gained weight or lost a job or whatever. People go on to Facebook to post vacation photos and celebrity encounters. People only share the good times, not the bad and that's not reality. I have to spend less time on social media for my own mental health and happiness and I have to remind myself that most people are only "advertising" the good times, not the bad and for the most part everyone struggles with some aspect of life.
I need to maintain perspective
I've mentioned before that when sad times hit I usually give myself a day to deal with how sad/depressed I feel. I throw a mean pity party. There's drinking, excessive crying, blaming God, and lots of couch time. It's great but it's not a party I want to go to often. So, while I think it's healthy to work through emotions I don't want to dwell on them. This is where perspective comes in. If, after my one day pity party extravaganza, I keep dwelling I must remind myself how lucky I truly am. In the past week one of the stories catching the attention of the nation is about a beautiful, young woman who cut herself while zip-lining and got infected with a flesh eating bacteria. While doctors think she may live they have had to amputate one entire leg, her remaining foot, and at least one of her hands (not to mention soft tissue on her abdomen). Whenever my mind tries to drift back to that "woe is me" place I imagine sitting down with this 24 year old woman and trying to explain to her how hard my life is. The ridiculousness of it snaps me right back to normal thought. Yes, I have debt. Yes, I have HUGE debt but I didn't get most of my body cut off. Heck, worse stuff happens to people everyday than debt.
I can't wait on fate
I keep waiting for someone or something to change my life. While I do believe we all have a destiny I think sometimes I use "fate" as a crutch so I don't have to make decisions. My anxiety stems from the overwhelming fear that I'm making the wrong decision. I've messed up in the past and now I feel terrified that I'll once again fuck something up. But I can't live that way. I have to take control of my own life even if it's scary.
I'm honestly not sure what I'm going to do. I have a few ideas but they're big and scary life changing ones. I just know that I'm not happy right now and I want to change that . I want to be free of this debt, I want to one day own a house, I want to be happy.
First of all things with my boyfriend are kind of blah. I'm not sure when it happened and I can't really figure out if one of us is to "blame" but something has changed (or maybe nothing has changed and this depression is making me think that something has changed). When we first got together he was such a positive force in my life and I was so proud and happy. Now it feels that he's gotten super comfortable and doesn't even try anymore. We've been dating less than 4 months. Granted, I've only been in two long term relationships before but this seems a bit early to get comfortable. Again, I can't describe the feeling but I feel distance between us. I don't feel happy anymore.
THEN, there's my overwhelming debt. I feel trapped and burden by this enormous thing that I can't control or fix. I feel so sad that this is my life. There's been a lot of recent studies about how negatively social networking is affecting how people feel and I completely understand. When I log on to Facebook and I see people I knew in high school and they're married, having babies, and living in houses I feel so ashamed and sad that I'm not at that point (I honestly don't care about marriage and babies but I want a house more than anything). This wasn't supposed to be my life. I had potential. Now, I'm 26 and living alone in single bedroom apartment and I can't afford to get my hair cut. Most of my friends had family that paid for their college so no one really understands what I'm going through. I have no extra money, I'm worried all of the time and I feel so beyond pathetic. And honestly I don't see that changing.
I read some article today about a man who managed to pay off his $90,000 college debt in 7 months. I was so excited thinking that there was something I could do to get rid of this debt only to find out the guy paid off his debt with his six figure salary and sneaking flasks into bars. AWESOME. I can sneak flasks into bars till the fucking cows come home and it won't change the fact that this guy did what he did because he makes 3 times my gross annual salary.
I really hit bottom yesterday when I received a notice from my insurance saying they're not going to cover most of my dental work and the portion that I need to cover is $1200. I bawled my eyes out. It's such a stupid thing to cry over but I think it was just my breaking point. After a good 12 hour cry and How I Met Your Mother marathon I started to feel better (plus, talking with a co-worker who gave great insurance appeal advice). After taking some time to really examine my life and my heart I've come to a few conclusions:
I cannot count on my boyfriend (or anyone, for that matter) to help me
I don't mean this in a depressing, "everyone dies alone" super dramatic way. I just have to release and recognize that the only person who can change my life is me. I can't waste my time hoping for some magical solution to bring itself to me and fix all of my problems. If I'm not happy being this broke or living this way I'm the one responsible for fixing it.
My worth isn't what I own or where I live
Facebook and Pinterest are dangerous, evil places. That article I mentioned above talked about when it comes to social networking people create their own "brand" (like companies marketing a product). No one goes on to Facebook to advertise what a fuck up they are or how they gained weight or lost a job or whatever. People go on to Facebook to post vacation photos and celebrity encounters. People only share the good times, not the bad and that's not reality. I have to spend less time on social media for my own mental health and happiness and I have to remind myself that most people are only "advertising" the good times, not the bad and for the most part everyone struggles with some aspect of life.
I need to maintain perspective
I've mentioned before that when sad times hit I usually give myself a day to deal with how sad/depressed I feel. I throw a mean pity party. There's drinking, excessive crying, blaming God, and lots of couch time. It's great but it's not a party I want to go to often. So, while I think it's healthy to work through emotions I don't want to dwell on them. This is where perspective comes in. If, after my one day pity party extravaganza, I keep dwelling I must remind myself how lucky I truly am. In the past week one of the stories catching the attention of the nation is about a beautiful, young woman who cut herself while zip-lining and got infected with a flesh eating bacteria. While doctors think she may live they have had to amputate one entire leg, her remaining foot, and at least one of her hands (not to mention soft tissue on her abdomen). Whenever my mind tries to drift back to that "woe is me" place I imagine sitting down with this 24 year old woman and trying to explain to her how hard my life is. The ridiculousness of it snaps me right back to normal thought. Yes, I have debt. Yes, I have HUGE debt but I didn't get most of my body cut off. Heck, worse stuff happens to people everyday than debt.
I can't wait on fate
I keep waiting for someone or something to change my life. While I do believe we all have a destiny I think sometimes I use "fate" as a crutch so I don't have to make decisions. My anxiety stems from the overwhelming fear that I'm making the wrong decision. I've messed up in the past and now I feel terrified that I'll once again fuck something up. But I can't live that way. I have to take control of my own life even if it's scary.
I'm honestly not sure what I'm going to do. I have a few ideas but they're big and scary life changing ones. I just know that I'm not happy right now and I want to change that . I want to be free of this debt, I want to one day own a house, I want to be happy.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Catching up
I have like, zero time to update but it's been a while and I enjoy checking in. Lots of ups and downs this week.
-Car needed new belts or some bull shit -$150 (WTF car, I don't even own any belts and you got THREE new ones??? That's fucked up).
+Got a bump in pay due to a market survey, up $0.52 an hour!!!
-Went to the dentist and I need $650 in dental work because I brush my teeth like I'm cleaning grout from tile.
I guess that's life. You get a little more money but you have more expenses. I only have $75 left to pay off for my car and I'm going to do the dental work in chunks so I can make payments. In other news my boo moved closer to me and his new place is swanky. Wood floors, two levels, tile back splash in the kitchen. I've already planned a million parties to host there, much to his delight, I'm sure.
I'll be back soon, this week I'm all graveyards PLUS multiple shifts at my second job. Luckily, a mix of sugar and delirium keep me steady through my 13+ hour shifts.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Wells Fargo is Mind Fucking Me
So after weeks of pure hell trying to deal with Wells Fargo it looks like I might finally get my loans consolidated. YAY, right? NOPE. It appears that Wells Fargo is the king of mind fucks. Seriously, I doubt anyone could touch the bull shit this bank has put me and my family through.
If you remember my original loan monthly payment was $821. My new monthly re payment is......* Drum roll*
Yep, $748.68!! A whooping saving of $72.32. After weeks of tears and stress and ulcers that kept me up at night it's all worth it because I saved less than a hundred-fucking-dollars. Don't worry it gets better.
As it turns out I have a special relationship with Wells Fargo. So special that I get a MASSIVE discount of 0.250%. All along I thought Wells Fargo was fucking me out of hate and spite but it's clear they're fucking up my life out of love.
I always thought I was good at math but after looking at this bank statement it's clear that I know nothing about numbers. I borrowed around $80,000 which is somehow $91,000 and then $91,000 equals $224,000. SUPER. I could have gotten a better deal with the mob. The original amount of $821 a month projected I end up paying around $147,000...how did consolidation make it worse????
Yep, $748.68!! A whooping saving of $72.32. After weeks of tears and stress and ulcers that kept me up at night it's all worth it because I saved less than a hundred-fucking-dollars. Don't worry it gets better.
As it turns out I have a special relationship with Wells Fargo. So special that I get a MASSIVE discount of 0.250%. All along I thought Wells Fargo was fucking me out of hate and spite but it's clear they're fucking up my life out of love.
I always thought I was good at math but after looking at this bank statement it's clear that I know nothing about numbers. I borrowed around $80,000 which is somehow $91,000 and then $91,000 equals $224,000. SUPER. I could have gotten a better deal with the mob. The original amount of $821 a month projected I end up paying around $147,000...how did consolidation make it worse???? I fucking hate this whole thing. I should have never gone back to school, the increase I get in pay with another degree will never equal what I will pay out in a life time. I feel like I will never escape this debt. It feels like a punishment, a life sentence of stress. I'd have an easier time trying to empty the ocean with a teaspoon. It's to the point I'm starting to think crazy thoughts, like, maybe I should do porn or nude photos. So glad I got a great education that can only be paid back through whore-dom. Also, throwing myself in front of a city bus or maybe black mailing a politician. Both equally appealing at this point in my life. Charging my boyfriend for sex? SEEMS REASONABLE. Rob a casino a la Oceans Eleven? TOTALLY DOABLE.
I'm emailing friends asking if they know about jobs, I'm picking up shifts at my old work, I'm trolling Craigslist like a fiend. I just want to live in world where re-paying my student loans doesn't mean killing myself with work or having to live the life of a pauper.
Since there's nothing I can do about this bullshit (at least at this point and time) I'm going to use the last hours of my day off to drown myself in a bottle of skunk wine and television. Also, eventually brownies. And yes, I did say skunk wine. I have to drink old skunk-y wine because I can't afford a $5 bottle of Yellow Tail.
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