Things I am Willing to Spend Money On // Bucket List

Saving money/getting out of debt isn't solely about being frugal and never having fun (although it can feel that way....a lot). For me, saving money is about eliminating unnecessary spending so I can save towards doing something I really, really, REALLY want to do. I want to make a list where I can keep track of things I want to motivate myself. Skipping a fancy $5 coffee is easy when you think of all the fun stuff that 5 bucks can go towards.

Things I am Willing to Spend Money On
1. Laser hair removal for my lower legs: I found a deal for $500!!
2. New iPhone: around $300
3. Fix my computer: DC jack repair is usually $100
4. Getting my passport: Total cost for fees and paperwork about $165
5. Laser eye surgery: my insurance should pay for some of it and I've seen deals for as cheap as $600 per eye


Bucket List
1. Travel to Canada: Boyfriend has found flights for as cheap as $350. First I have to get my passport (see #4 above)
2. Travel to Europe
3. Travel to East Coast w/ my boyfriend: we're in the middle of planning this trip, I want to save around $1000 to cover all the museums and restaurants I want to  visit.
4. Pay off my college debt
5. Own a home
6. Have/adopt/foster a couple of kids

Revisiting my thankful place...

First let's start this post with the required, "I'm terrible at updating this thing...blah blah blah...I swear to post more...blah blah blah".

The past few weeks I hit a bit of a rough spot. Just felt really bummed about my place in life. I'm 27 and I'm no where near these big life events that I think I should be. Luckily, I'm feeling so much better and happier and I realized that it's been far too long since I posted things that I'm thankful for. I spend so much time on this blog complaining about my debt and my bills and I should focus more on the riches I do have.

What I'm Thankful For:
1. Paying off my debt: in the past three months I have paid off THREE times as much of my principle debt than I have in the past year. The first year that I was paying off my college loan I only knocked off about $1200 in principle now I'm knocking off around that much each month. It's been incredible hard to see so much of my check go each month to bills but I know at the end of this year I'll be so much happier and that much closer to ultimately paying my debt off.

2. My friends and family: I have such supportive and amazing family. That really all there is to it. In this wild and crazy world I have so many people that I love that love me back and that's really very special.

3. My boyfriend: Yeah, he gets a number all his own. I seriously love this guy. I never thought I would live with someone again and now I can't imagine living without him. When he's not home I get so sad and when we're together it's the best part of my day. Our work schedules are completed jacked and we sometimes go days with only seeing each other briefly at night but last night we actually went to bed at the same time and it was so nice. Just to lay with him and laugh and fall asleep together.

4. My job: I really do love my job and even on days where it's hard I'm still so luckily to do what I love.  I was able to go from a job with low pay and terrible treatment to a job with amazing pay, great hours, and awesome co-workers. I'm really blessed.


There's a million more daily things I'm thankful for: great weather, good running trails, Dr Who on instant Netflix, insane genes that allow me to eat my weight in sugar and not get diabetes, sunshine, laughter, and so much more. Even though it's taking me a few months to save the extra cash I'm finally going to be able to buy a sewing machine and I'm so excited to start sewing again. I want to try my hand at DIY clothes/up cycling and quilting. I'm hoping to be able to post more about cheap DIY projects.

Best and Worst of 2012

Another year has gone by and I want to try my hand at another "Best of" list. This list is "me" specific but I like documenting the highs of this past year. So without further ado here the best things of 2012.

Best Author: Gillian Flynn

A few months ago I briefly tried my hand at being in a book club. The book club didn't work out due to no one wanting to pick the second book out but that is neither here nor there. What did work out was our first choice, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. A few of my girlfriends had read it early in the year and raved about it but I just never had any motivation to go out and pick it up. I'm so glad that I finally did. Flynn is seriously one of my favorite new authors. Almost immediately after finishing Gone Girl I picked up her two other books, Sharp Objects and Dark Places. She knows how to beautifully write about woman struggling with darkness and about the nature of evil. I would recommend her to anyone who loves dark and twisting novels.

Best Guy: My Boo

Okay, this is not meant to be cheesy or lame (and yet, I know it's going to be) but dang am I happy with my guy. I have ALWAYS dated the bad boy or the wild guy. You know, they don't own a car (or it's a giant pile of junk) and maybe their cell phones turned off because they can't afford the bill and they really hate their retail job but they never apply for another job and they're emotionally distant and irresponsible. I have dated dudes with tattoos on their heads and no other ambitions but to work at the coffee house/music shop/record store. But then I tried my hand at dating a guy with his life together and man oh man I don't know why I didn't do this sooner. Seriously, my boyfriend is amazing. He's one of the best cooks I have ever known, he tucks me in every night when I have to go to bed early because of my job. He's a fearless killer of bugs and he's so warm and open and lovely. I have honestly never been happier. Guys like him make me realize why people still get married, before I could never understand how people could do it, it seemed terrifying. But now it just makes sense, when you find someone so perfect you never let them go.

Best New Development: Self Acceptance

I'm not trying to get new age-y here but getting older has rocked. When I was younger I sort of feared the aging process, it seemed less fun and glamorous. I was out of my mind, every year that passes I am happier and more myself. I feel more at ease with who I am and what my life is than ever before. I like my looks and my body and all these hang ups that I used to have are no longer an issue in my life.Take for instance my weight. I have never been terribly over weight but growing up I really struggled with self image and my size. I was always a few inches taller and a few pounds heavier then every girl I knew. I was so self conscious over my looks. At one point in my life I was really heavy which I then counteracted by becoming entirely too thin. But over the last couple of years I've sort of figured it all out. I love food, I probably have an unhealthy relationship with it. I love food for it's taste rather than for the fact that it's simply fuel for my body. Through a pretty healthy balance of working out, eating good most of the times and allowing myself treats I have found a way to manage my weight without losing my mind. I'm 5'9" and range between 130 lbs and 140 lbs. I run, I do yoga and I also eat cake and drink wine. I'm happy.

Best Career Move: My New Job

I am so in love with my new job. So freaking in love. I get to do work that really excites me and pushes me mentally and physically. I am trying new things that used to scare me and I'm making more money than I ever could at my old job. I am so thankful to God and the universe for getting me to this place. Again, not trying to get new age-y but I feel so beyond blessed for this opportunity and this career path. There were so many qualified candidates for this position and I'm so humbled that I was thought one of the best to do the job.

  

Best Movies and TV: Dark Knight Rises, The Avengers, and Homeland

I love action movies and I love comic books. The last couple of years there have been so many amazing comic movies put out but this year saw two of my favorites. After watching all of the super heroes tales finally seeing them all come together in The Avengers was so rewarding. I loved that movie (which shouldn't be that surprising because I'm a giant Joss Whedon nerd). I loved the final film in the Dark Knight series, it had such heart was beautifully acted. And dang, has Homeland been such an amazing series to get into. So many twists and turns and you never know who to trust or who's working for the other side. 

Worst of 2012

I've never done a "Worst of " but there were a few things that occurred this year that deserve to be called out for how horrible/tragic/annoying that they are.

Worst Repeat Crime: Mass Shootings

I believe in the right for citizens to own guns. I don't think more laws against guns is the solution because criminals will never follow laws and there should not be an added burden to law abiding citizens. But there has to be something done about these mass shootings that are occurring throughout the US. The last shoot at Sandy Hook broke my heart. We as a country need to come together to figure out a way to stop violence without giving up too many of our rights. Let's stop funneling money to wasteful and useless in devours and start helping those suffering with mental illness. 

Worst Government Issue: Fiscal Cliff

It is so beyond frustrating that Republicans and Democrats are so focused on one upping each other that our country is on the brink of this Fiscal Cliff bullshit. Poor people should not be paying more in taxes than billionaires. That's ridiculous. However, I do agree that companies that provide jobs and economic boosts should benefit from some tax cuts. There has to be a way to find a happy median. Let's work together to fix this country and benefit all instead of the few.

Worst Big Bad Company: Wells Fargo

I feel slightly ill including my student loan issues in the same category as the horrible tragedy that killed children but banks like Wells Fargo (and any other that bank that holds student loans) should be ashamed of their behavior. This country has something like a trillion dollars in student loan debt. I am hard working and totally willing to pay off my debts but when I pay nearly $800 a month in loans (with only $100 going towards principal) I will never get out from under this debt. I believe that there has to be something we can do so banks can get their money back and students like me can pay off their debts without living in the poor house.

So I guess that's my lists. It's been a wonderful year and I'm so thankful for my life and my loved ones. I hope 2013 is even better than this lovely year.

Changes!!!

So I'm really gung-ho about making some positive changes in my life right now. First step: I've changed my "About Me" from "Broke ass wino trying to get out of debt" to "Broke ass wino trying to improve my life in every way without the use of money". After my life semi-depressing entry I started to really think about what I wanted and how I could get it. My whole life I've been poor and it's never really bothered me because I'm (usually) a happy, healthy, and thankful person. But there's this idea in modern American culture that the ONLY way to improve ANY part of your life is by spending money. Want to get fit? Better dole out lots of cash on expensive gyms and organic foods. Want to be happy? You need all of the latest gadgets and gizmos and a big fancy house. IT'S CRAZY.

Just because I'm broke (and I mean seriously broke, I have less than a $1 in my bank until payday this Friday) doesn't mean that I can't live the best possible life. I can get fit, I can have happy relationships, I can have a beautiful home. Yes, it would probably be much, much easier if I had money but it's not impossible!

So! What's my plan?
1. Get Fit: I mentioned in my last post that I wanted to lose weight/get fit. How can I do this without money?? The two main parts of fitness are diet and exercise. I joined a gym years ago and the $30 bucks it costs me a month completely works in my budget. BUT it's also possible to workout with out a gym. The internet is amazing. Go to Youtube and find exercise clips, go to a free park and do lunges and situps. Run around the local high school football field. Honestly, the only reason I even joined a gym is because running outside in the Texas heat can cause some serious damage to a girl as pale as I am.

There's this idea that eating healthy has to cost a pretty penny. You know what makes grocery shopping cost  a lot?? Poor meal planning. Right now it's summer and fruits are incredible cheap. Last time I went grocery shopping I got a whole seedless watermelon, nectarines, beans, quinoa, and a few other items for less then $20 bucks. Shop the bulk food and whole food sections. A bag of beans costs $1 and makes 4 times as much as 1 can of pre made black beans. It also has less sodium. Right now I'm chowing down on 1 cup cooked quinoa and 1 cup cooked black beans all for about 442 calories.

Now, the hard part about dieting and getting fit is you have to find what works for YOU. I've mentioned before I really love The Token Fat Girl and she posted today about how, for her, counting calories is a waste and leads to counter productive eating. For me, I need to count calories because I can become SO consumed by my competitive nature and try to eat less and less that I end up GAINING weight because my body isn't getting what it needs. It seems odd that in order to lose weight you have to eat more sometimes but it's true. If you're body is working out too much and not getting the right nutrition your metabolism is going to shut down. I have a handy (and FREE!) app on my iPhone that helps me keep tabs. It's insane that I can snack all day and then when I check my calories I'm still a few hundred away from my goal.

2. Get out of Debt: This one is hardy and will take the longest. Right now I'm in a rough spot. Life has been doling out the usual stuff (dead car battery, dentist, bad tire, etc) and, like I said above, I have $1 left in my account. I'm just really thankful that my apartment is taking their sweet time to cash my rent check so hopefully I can make it until Friday. But by the end of this year I'm hoping that I'll be in a much better spot: paying less in rent and paying more towards my loan. This loan isn't going to go away over night and with the interest rates the first few years are going to be the hardest but I know that I can pay it off.

3. Be Happy: This one is pretty ridiculous but I don't see any reason why I can's live an awesome and fun life  just because I'm broke. My situation is a little different because my boyfriend has money so I still get to do fun things because he can pay but even if he wasn't around I think it's entirely possible to be poor and happy. I'm lucky that I live in Austin that has so many fun and free things. Free movies in the park, gorgeous rivers and green belts open to the public, opportunities to volunteer to help others, the list goes on and on. Yes, I'd probably be REALLY happy if I had millions of dollars and could pay off all of my debts and travel the world but I don't NEED money to be happy.

ALSO:
I just finished two really amazing books that I want to recommend. I mentioned that I joined a library a few months ago and they've started to offer eBooks to rent. Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton and Never Look Away by Linwood Barclay. Plus this helps me reach my goal of two books a month! I figure, those two books can take care of June and sometime tonight I'll see about downloading two new books for July. 

New Year's Resolutions: Accountability Time

So if you remember this post I, like many millions (billions?) of people, made some New Years Eve Resolutions. In years past I would usually be gung-ho about changes for most of January and then stop giving an F around the end of February. However, now that I'm trying to document life via a blog I'm really trying to hold my self accountable. Now that we're about 2 months into 2012 I figure it's about time to check in on my progress.

Resolutions
1. Join a library/read more: Done and done!! I joined the public library in January and have been really good about checking out books. The intention was that reading is good for you (at least better than watching hours of tv) however, I have a bad habit of checking out low quality books. I mainly stay in the mystery/crime section of the library. I guess I don't get enough crime drama at work. Honestly, the books I check out border on Pulp: sexy millionaire detective Voort is desperate to solve a serious of sexy murders during a New York heat wave. Spoiler alert: everything is very sexy and gritty. Oh well, I like reading about crime even if it's far stretched and far sexier than any real crime.

2. Lose weight: Check! I feel so much better after making such slight changes. Cutting the fat and skin off my chicken, switching to corn tortillas instead of flour, and portion control. I'm not trying to be model skinny I just want to feel comfortable in my clothes. Plus, when I maintain a healthy and low weight I fit into more of my wardrobe which means I don't have the urge to go out and buy new things.

3. Run more/run 10k in less than an hour: YEP! I joined a running group at work and while my schedule has made it hard to attend I'm doing really great at going to the gym. Just yesterday I went for a 4 mile run around my neighborhood. I really wanted to run the Capital 10k but it's only a month away and I'm not ready for that. However, there are around 1083984903 5Ks a day here in Austin so I want to definitely sign up for one of those. My new, modified goal is to run a 5K in less than 30 minutes (which should be totally doable!).

4. Pay off debt: Not done just yet. I'm getting back a HUGE tax return which I will put towards paying off my first college loan. I graduate from the University of Texas in 2007 and my student loan is almost already paid off (thanks in large part to massive support from my Mom). I should be able to pay off the remaining balance by the end of this year. Then, I'm going to try to refinance my loan with Wells Fargo.

5. Second job: No luck :( I honestly blame my schedule. I was, without ANY fair notice switched to graveyard shifts for a month which has made it impossible to find more work. My hope is that once I'm back to my normal shift (or, once I even GET a normal shift) I can pick up more hours at my old job. They're opening a second location and it's about to be SXSW which means more hours for everyone.

6. Date up: Super done. I mentioned in this post that I had started to see someone new and things are seriously awesome. I want to pinch myself because it's hard to believe that I've met someone so wonderful. We've been seeing each other for more than a month and I'm 99% sure he is my boyfriend but we haven't made it Facebook official (I'm in my 20s, this is how we measure things). He has his life SO together. He has a grown up job and insurance and he takes me out and plans stuff. For Valentine's Day he made me dinner and took me to a drive in to see Breakfast at Tiffany's. I'm honestly crazy about him and I can't believe that I wasted so much time with my ex when this great guy was RIGHT there!

7. Take myself on dates: Not really :( However, this is really not my fault. Work has been super crazy and I started dating my new fella. It's hard to take yourself on dates when an amazing guy keeps taking you on dates (first world problems). Honestly, I'm willing to completely give up on this resolution simply because I'm so happy in life right now. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one to lose myself in relationships but this resolution was about treating myself right and caring about myself and right now it feels like I couldn't be treated any better. I'm happy with life in a way that I haven't been in a long time.

8. Craft more: Fail. Again, I'm going to blame my work schedule. Working graveyard shifts has really messed up my mind and it's hard to think about craftiness when I'm completely out of it. Plus, there hasn't really been any projects that I've been excited about. However, I was thinking about modifying this resolution. I wanted to craft more to make my little living space wonderful. I think another way I could achieve that goal is by evaluating and modifying my possessions and life style. I've always enjoyed living in a clean home but lately I've really focused on organization and key items. I've re-organized spaces and my mind feels so clear. I've also been clearing out the clutter. I have a bad habit of keeping things from a mixture of wanting to save money and anxiety over throwing away something I might potentially need. I've tried to face these fears head on by recognizing that it's okay to get rid of some things. I've donated items to charity and I've allowed myself to throw away items that are no longer useful (i.e. the rusted and dirty chairs I've kept in the trunk of my car for YEARS. I honestly don't know why I did that).

So, two months in and I'm 4 out of 8 for resolutions. Not too shabby. I honestly feel better than I have in years. I've become less focused on possessions and more focused on using what I have. For instance, I have sensitive skin which means I use lots of lotions. This has led to countless bottles of lotion everywhere. So many half used bottles and so many different kids (scented, unscented, travel size, holiday themed, some contain slight sparkle for a tan effect, ayayyaya). I have decided that I cannot buy something new until I'm completely done with what I have. When it comes to lotion this means that I'm using 2 year old Plum Sparkle Christmas lotion. But this is good. I've realized how much of a consumer I was being and how little I valued what I owned. Now I'm appreciating all the things I've had and I'm saving all sorts of money.

Ways to keep it cheap/save money while grocery shopping

Ever since rough money times hit I've been searching for the best ways to save money. I've found some great tips which led me to easy life changes and I've honestly seen real savings. I've also found some awful tips that, while I'm sure save money, seem like such a pain in the ass that it's just not worth it. So, because I care deeply for you my dear internet peeps I've compiled my top 8 ways to save money while grocery shopping that are easy and require basically zero effort.

Saving money on food

This chick knows what's up

1. Buy bulk meat and freeze: Due to the fact that I have a history of not playing well with others I live alone. I know I could save tons of money by having a roommate but honestly, living alone rocks. BUT that isn't the point of this tip. The point is that even though I live alone I can still save money by buying certain items in bulk. At H.E.B. (my grocery store of choice, apparently they're only in Texas? I feel sorry for non-Texans because H.E.B. rocks) they have family packs of chicken which contain around 12 thighs for around $5-$6 dollars. I buy one of these packs around twice a month and I'm set for meat. As soon as I get home I open up the giant pack and separate the pieces into different Tupperware containers (I used to use zip lock baggies but I hated wasting them, with Tupperware I don't hurt the environment AND I save on having to re-buy zip lock bags). I store everything in the freezer until I'm ready to eat. I've done this with ground hamburger, ground turkey, and sausage. It’s incredibly easy and I always have something to cook with (which means no extra trips to the store which I HATE).



2. Only buy vegetables that you will use that week: I used to have a really bad habit of just buying way too much stuff and not shopping smart. In one trip I’d buy 3 tomatoes, a package of mushrooms, fresh green beans, lettuce, onions, squash, etc. While this kind of shopping makes for a healthy diet it also makes for a trashcan full of rotten vegetables. Again, because I live alone, there’s just no reasonable way I can eat all of those vegetables before they go bad. Now I try to plan out what I want and buy accordingly; by buying only for what I know I’m going to eat I’m saving so much money AND guilt because I’m not tossing away un-used food.


3. Frozen and canned goods: Frozen and canned goods seem to have a bad rap but if you shop smart they can be tasty and save-y (don’t judge me on my lame rhyming skills). I love a diet full of veggies but a diet full of veggies can get pretty expensive. Things like canned corn and canned tomatoes last forever and honestly taste good. Sometime s when a large quantity of berries is about to go bad H.E.B. has insane sales (raspberries and blueberries for $0.98 a package!!!!!). When that happens I buy around 4 packages and either take them to Girls Night for a healthy snack or throw them in my freezer to later add to protein shakes or homemade ice cream. I’ll also buy sugar free fruit cups or cans. I always have fruit in my place but I don’t have to worry about it rotting. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had some store bought frozen broccoli that tasted like death but there are lovely canned and frozen products out there that taste just as good as fresh.


4. Buy bulk rice, beans, and pasta: A can of black beans is around $1.29 while a bag of black beans in $0.99. A can of black beans has around two servings (or one if you’re a fatty like me) while a bag of beans can make MANY, MANY, MANY servings. Yes, a can of black beans is much easier to cook but it’s honestly not that big of a hassle to remember to soak a pot of beans overnight. I have two bags of black beans, one bag of rice ,and one insanely big bag of noodles from my Mom’s place and I can live off of this stuff for the next month or maybe two EASILY.

5. Compare price per ounce: Most store labels have a small section where they list how much the item costs per ounce. What looks like a deal honestly may not be. I recently purchased some conditioner and while I spent around 10 minutes in the hair care area I ended up finding a conditioner that’s good for my hair but was a good deal per ounce. Let me give you an example: one conditioner is $4.99 while the other is $6.99. Taken at face value the first conditioner looks like the better deal, right? However, on closer inspection the first bottle contains 5.5 ounces of conditioner while the second bottle contains 10 ounces. For only $2 more you get nearly DOUBLE the amount of product. This can be applied to almost any product in the store (cheese, sauces, dips, etc).

I feel bad for other states that aren't fortunate enough to have Combo Locos

6. Combo loco: So H.E.B. has this promotional deal called Combo Loco where they have insane savings. It’s usually something like: buy one package of H.E.B. brand sausage and get a free pack of tortillas, salsa, and chips!!!! Sometimes the combinations that are promoted don’t apply to my lifestyle (I try not to have soda in the house….unless it’s coke zero for boozey time) but all I have to do is check the front of the store for the listed deals. Getting free food rocks and it only takes around 5 seconds of my life to check out the deals. I’m not sure if other states/stores offer this kind of buy one get one free deal but I hope they do because it’s pretty neat.


7. Coupons: I get exhausted watching coupon shows. It just seems like so much work for not a big pay off. The idea of spending my time clipping away seems like Hell. However, there are ways that coupons can help out without ruining/wasting your life. Again, at H.E.B. (has my love for this store been expressed enough????) they have an area at the front of the store which is just a wall of coupons. All I have to do is stop by before I start shopping and check out if there’s a coupon for anything I want. Sometimes there is and sometimes there’s not but it’s not out of my way at all. Also, a good portion of the times they have coupons posted throughout the store near the sale items. Just the other day I was able to get Silk brand soy milk with a coupon and it made it cheaper than the store brand. While checking out most stores have promotions where coupons will print out with your receipt based on the products you’ve already purchased. It’s easy to just tuck those away in your purse and store them for the next time you have to go grocery shopping.

So freakin' amazing

8. CROCK POT/cook in bulk: If you don’t have a crock pot GO OUT AND BUY ONE!!!!! It has been the best investment of my life. I purchased a fairly large crock pot for $29.99 and it has truly changed the way I eat (my Lord, I sound like an infomercial). Let’s talk about why crock pots rock everything: 1) they cook food for you while you sleep 2) big, hearty, healthy recipes 3) easy as shit. Best recipe: turn the crock pot on, put in some chicken, black beans, can of Mexican style tomatoes, some onions, and some broth or water. Let it cook over night. In the morning scope out the chicken bones, add more liquid and add rice. In 30 minutes you have an awesome stew like thing or taco filling thing. When I’m eating at home I just scoop it into corn tortillas and when I take it for work I just fill up a Tupperware container and it’s perfectly delicious on its own.

New Years Resolutions 2012

So it's a new year which means new changes, new me, etc. I usually try not to make resolutions because for the most part they are relatively impossible to keep. So this year I decided to switch up my usually resolutions. Instead of creating a list of vague hopes that are impossible to measure I've decided to make a simple check list. A list of black and white and absolutely no gray. A girl at my work made a resolution to think more positively. How do you measure that? How do you hold yourself accountable? I'm not down with that level of uncertainty so my list is easy; either I do these things this year or I don't. No gray area. No confusion. Just how I like it :)

Resolutions
1. Join a library/read more: My overall hopes/dreams for this year would be to finally gather the courage to cut my cable (don't judge my addiction) and entertain my self through Netflix, the movies at the library, and books. Cutting the cable would save me around $50 bucks a month and I might actually have free time to go out and live life instead of watching 19 hours of Law and Order on my days off. I remember as a child I used to LOVE reading but then reading became a chore for school and my passion faded. I want to rekindle my love for literature.

2. Lose weight: UGH, I hate this resolution. Honestly, I like my body (it looks pretty banging) but ever since I stopped being a vegan I've been "vacation eating". You know how when you're on vacation you eat like shit 24/7 but it's nothing to feel bad about because you're on vacation? It's similar to birthday eating. Well, I've started to drift to a scary, I could gain a million pounds and end up on the Biggest Loser place. I know some of the weight gain was due to not being able to run due to sickness. In one week I started running again, cutting the skin off of my chicken, and switching back to soy milk for my morning coffee and I lost 7 lbs. Being a non-vegan during holidays is ROUGH. Treats and eats everywhere. So I've just got to go back to normal eating and exercise.

3. Run more/run 10k in less than an hour: I love running but I've been making a lot of excuses to get out of it lately. I signed up for a running class to train for a 5k and my hopes is that I can do the Capital 10k in a few months. I did it a few years ago and I felt so proud of myself. I think my time was something lame like 1 hour 14 minutes so I want to cut that time by a few minutes. I know I'm completely capable of doing this I just have to hold myself accountable.

4. Pay off debt: I already have the money saved up for my second loan payment. My goal this year is to pay off my UT loan and then consolidate my loan again and hopefully get a lower payment.

5. Second job: So this goes along with Resolution #4. If I can get a steady 2nd job I would be that much closer to paying off my debt. I absolutely hate living with debt and the more I can pay off the happier I'll be. Unfortunately getting a second job has been harder than I originally imagined.

6. Date up: I honestly prefer the single lifestyle BUT if I do date someone this year I really, really want to date up. I hope that doesn't come off as conceded or asshole-y but I have to stop dating dudes who don't have their shit together. If I date I want to date a guy with a working car that is up to state code. Nothing sames lame like having to drive everywhere because your boyfriend has no vehicle. I want a nice guy who has his shit together as much, if not more, than I do.

7. Take myself on dates: Just because I'm broke doesn't mean I don't have to treat myself with kindness. I want to take myself to movies or dinners or just do nice things. Spending $20 bucks on myself once a month isn't really doing to make that much of a difference in my student loans.

8. Craft more: I really want to turn this blog into something cute, filled with great recipes and DIY crafts. Someplace with awesome tips on saving money and ways to still decorate and live life but on the cheap. I like what I've done so far and I really want to continue.

ALSO: I finally got off my lazy ass and posted more items to my Ebay store (or just relisted some of the items that I had taken off). Take a look HERE.