I can't take my winter course becaues I have to pay my tuition bill for fall semester first. Dag. I really want and NEED this class. What am I going to do? And I need to buy a new mattress and I'm also going to help my brother with tuitio in the spring. The bills are piling up.
I thank God that I am able to go to school. But tuition is is is is......
I'm just going to say it like
Jimmy McMillan said it's, "... too damn high."
I've got to pay about $2000 ($400 is for student insurance) and I just signed up for a winter course at the U of I that meets from December 22-January 16 because I need to class and it's online and only 4 weeks and that tuition for one class--just the tuition is $1200. I have to get a book and pay to take the test. Dag. There goes my Christmas present. But, thank God anyway!!
Since I've had to move, my budget has taken a hit, but I need to GET BACK ON TRACK! It's Black Friday season and I'm in need of a new bed, so I'm gonna buy one, but only for $180. It's not the one I want, but price overrides right now.
I'm getting back on track....
When I moved, I gave away my sofa and my dining room set and a whole lotta other stuff. It's just stuff, right? I can always buy something new.
It was a for a good cause.
I wasn't really in the market for a new sofa. I mean, I really don't need one...especially since I don't have company very often, but then a friend asked if I she could stay the night when she is in town.
OK....so now I need a sofa.
I went sofa shopping.
The one I like was about $500, but then I saw one for $300 and one for $400 and I've finally made my decision:
This is my new sofa:
It's $300 and if I want the love seat to go with it, it's $588, but I don't want the love seat...just the sofa. And I think I'm gonna get this ottoman. It's only $100 bucks and it's my favorite color:
Who doesn't like something FREE?! I got a flyer in the mail from Sams Club. They said I get a free rotisserie chicken. I got excited and headed to get my FREE dinner. I understand marketing and I know that they sent it to me to get me into the store so that I could buy something. After all, who goes to the store just to get one thing? Plus, if you are getting something FREE that means you have money to buy something else too. And that was my plan. I was going to get two rotisserie chicken. It would be like I'm paying half price for each and those things will be dinner for me for almost two weeks. What a deal, right??
WRONG!!
Because the Sams Club in my city doesn't sell rotisserie chicken. HUH????
WHY-DO-I-HAVE-A-COUPON-FOR-A-FREE-CHICKEN-THAT-I-CAN'T-GET??
What sense does that make?
Now I have to troll for a Sams Club to find a FREE chicken. I'm beginning to rethink this whole FREE deal. Maybe I just need to get on a phone and call around to find a location that has them. There has got to be an 800 number for this.
Unless I have a surprise coming soon, I have only 4 paychecks left in this year. And the problem with that is I have a $2000 tuition bill that I HAVE to pay. So that means $500 per paycheck. God, I NEED some help, please?! I wanted to go to Ohio to hang out with my sis and fam for Christimas, but i'm forcasting that I would be home alone in my empty apartment. I have no furniture. I am looking for a nice L-shaped glass top desk that I might be getting soon because I NEED it for work, but other than that, I have no furniture. Only a miracle would get me some before the end of the year. My paychecks should total:
Nov 13=$1800
Nov 28=$1700
Dec 13=$2000
Dec 28=$1800
And from each month I have the following expenses
Rent=$575
Tithes=$600
DR=$150
Car Ins=$100
Ret=$100
Int=$50
Phone=$55
Total=$1630
And that doesn't add in gas, food, etc. So, it's gonna be tight. I know I can pay all my bills with one check and have plenty left over, but food and gas take up a lot and I also give an offerring at church that's not included in my tithes. God, I need help!!
I just moved.
And it was EXHAUSTING. My body is tired and I have to work. OMG, I have got to put some hours in or I will be broke at the end of next month and I need my Christmas money.
I was initially going to call some movers, but I called one guy and he wanted to charge me $300 to move my stuff from storage to my new place. WHAT??
I just took 3 days and moved EVERYTHING myself, with the exception of my treadmill because that was definitely a two man job and I paid 2 guys $30 buck to move it for me.
Thank you God.
So, $30 and 3 days and I'm moved. Now I just need to put everything up.....oh boy. God, give me strength.
I spent $2600 in 2 days.
$600 deposit for my new apartment
$575 first month's rent
$1000 for a pledge for my church
$352 for tithes
$150 for giving to church
$150 for rent for staying with my friend for half the month.
That was A LOT of dough in a short amount of time. AND I still need furniture for my new place.
*sigh*
I need a personal accountant. I don't like this budgeting stuff. I MUST do it on a regular basis or it piles up. JUST LIKE LAUNDRY and I don't like laundry (whine). OMG, so I'm updating my budget today because I HAVE to and there are less than 2 weeks left in the month and I need to start on my November budget.
Happy accounting.
***Update: I just finished and I'm missing about $300 in expenses. (shoulder slump).
I'm still learning this budgeting stuff...
Budgeting is giving me anxiety. And I'm moving into prayer mode because it is too much going on and I need PEACE!!
I have to move. I HAVE to move. There is no way around it, so that means paying a deposit and first month's rent. So, that will be about $1200. I also have to pay tuition. I HAVE to pay tuition and that's about $2000. Then there are other obligations for this month to the tune of $1500. Where is all this money going to come from? I can't work more hours because I'm over 28 hours for the year. So I need to work 5 hours less per pay period.
I'm not complaining. God has blessed me with a take home income of about $3800-$4000 per month, so I'm not complaining, I'm trying trying to make all the numbers fit and with the impromtu trip to Chicago and the ramifications from that, I'm just a little anxious. And I'm hungry and I want to scrap this fast today, but I know I CAN'T. God is too GOOD TO ME!! And I LOVE HIM, so I have to keep going, but this is stressful. If I can get myself settled into a place I'd be more happy...but then I won't have any furniture and a friend just asked me if she could stay with me when she moves to another city because her job is still here. I told her that would be no problem because I have to have my place by the end of this month.
The furniture that I want will cost me about $5000, but I don't have that. When I just did my budget, I have about $2700 in the bank and I'm behind on paying my student loan. Not really behind, I've paid, but only the minimum which is getting me no where. I need to pay about $1000 per month to see some real results.
Lord, I know you are here with me, just give me some peace, please? Thank you, Lord!!
I'm done with FPU and now my safety net is gone and I don't like it. Of course I'm supposed to get my own accountability partner, but I don't like this aloneness while I'm trying to get debtfree.
God, help me with my relationships, please!!
I HAVE GOT TO STAY FOCUSED!!!
I just spent $92 for a hotel in Chicago (that I'm not going to use), $35 for train tickets, $45 for a hotel room in Bloomington, about $20 for printing, $15 for food and $16 for some Garrets Popcorn for my mom. All to get two grants in the office to Chicago ON TIME!!
The $92 was money down the drain and I'm not happy about it.
Background....
About 4 or maybe 5 years ago, I can't remember, I started working for a non-profit and my job was to help with grant writing. I assembled a team (well the team was already there) and we wrote a grant for an after school program. I was excited about it, but it was tedious work. Grant writing is not easy. We stayed up late nights because all of us had day jobs, so this grant writing was something we did in our free time. We were under a steep deadline and we knew it wasn't going to be able to be mailed and get to the office on time, so I drove to Springfield to drop it off by the deadline time of 2:00 pm and I got there at 2:27pm (or something close like that) and it was marked with the date and time it came in. We got a letter in the mail that it was late so it would not be read. I was crushed. I poured my time and energy into that project...
Some time later, the same thing happened with another after school program. This time we had to submit it online, but it was a federal grant which was way more rigorous. It was due to be uploaded by 4;00 pm, I didn't make the deadline, so I didn't even submit it.
Now, the same grant has come up again and we decided to write it again. I worked and worked and the team that was one about 7 people was now only 2, and the deadline was Monday, October 6. My goal was to be done by Friday, September 26, but working and homework and other stuff was in my way and then the stupid stuff happened in Chicago....that screwed me up. Crazy, right?
So that means I wasn't done until Tuesday night and I didn't trust the mail so I decided to take the grant to the office in Chicago myself. I booked a room for Thursday night, booked a train ticket and THEN I remembered, Ihave to be out of town for work on Thursday night and I can't cancel. AAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!
I wanted to scream, but I was too tired to, so I changed my train reservations, but I couldn't do anything about the hotel because I bought it on Priceline. UGH!!! I can't wait to be out of debt. I'm not using these bargain basement sights that sometimes are not even bargains if you can't cancel and you waste your money....
So, how did I get a Chicago Public Library Card?
As I was traveling on the train I realized that I forgot a page in the grant. So worked on it on the train and had to go to the library once I was in Chicage to print it out.
I got to the library (after walking for like 10 blocks) and was told that I needed a library card to use the computer and because I had a library card where I lived, that qualified me. So I got a card, put some money on it was printed way (it wasn't that easy, but this blog post is already long). I got the grant to the building on time. I even got another grant completed while I was in Chicago and turned that one in too. Thank God!!!
I just don't know why I had to go through so much hell to get it turned in?!!
Now I just pray for favor. God grant us favor being awarded the grant.
Now for my $92...I'm on the phone now trying to get the hotel transferred into my sister's name so that she and her husband can have a night at the hotel...
I was going to buy a new phone because mine was acting crazy. The button is not working, but Thank God I found a solution. I just don't lock my phone. I set the screen to NEVER go off and to alleviate me purse dialing someone, I just deleted the calling icon from the home screen. I have a windows phone, so there are tiles on the opening screening like Window 8.
Also, I've been reviewing my plan and right now I'm on the $50 prepaid plan with AT&T Go Phone and I don't use very many minutes, so I'm going to go down to the $40 plan which gives me 500 min of calling, unlimited text and a certain amount of data. This will save me about $120 a year. Every little bit helps!!
Posted by
I Hope
,
9:44 AM
I have been moderately strict on my budget. Some things I have just stopped doing because I want to be debt free. Movie going is one of those pleasures that I stopped, but I didn't just stop for my budget, I stopped because I had no time and to go and there was nothing that I wanted to spend $8-$15 to see.
But, this weekend I went!
And I loved watching the Equalizer with Denzel Washington. I didn't quite like th ending, but it was an action packed movie. I stopped at Taco Bell, as usual, to get something to munch on while watching...Hey, I'm budgetting, I can't affored movie theatre popcorn!!!
October is here. Well, not exactly. I have 5 days, but because I get paid on the 13 & 28 (or the Friday before if either of those days land on a Saturday or Sunday), my month starts early. An off I go on my budgeting journey.
My first purchase...
A new cell phone. UGH!!
I just bought this phone a year ago and it's crap. I keep pushing the button to turn it on and it won't come on. The only way I can get it to come on is to plug it in. OMG. So, I need to clump down some ends to get a new one. But, since I'm on a budget, I'm simply going to get the same phone that is $39.99. I bought it for $100 in August of last year. And since there is a new model for $100, this model is on sale. I wonder if I can get it cheaper, for like $10 plus shipping. Ima check Amazon.
One of the reasons Ima stick with this phone is because it's cheap and I just bought a case for it for less than $5 so I'm not gonna buy some other phone that I need to buy a new case for.
My next purchase after that would be a NEW PLACE TO STAY.
Yes, I have to move!
I've been trying to move since April, but now I really have to. My roommate is going to be moving in with her mom who seems to be ailing and she keeps asking her if she would move in with her. So since she is leaving, I am too, but I think my roommate wants me to take over her lease. NOPE. Not that I don't want to, but I really don't want to. The apartment is cute, but I like ther other one better and if I could get this house, I'd go for it!! But it looks like the apartment will be what I will be moving to....
Happy budgeting!!
I have been working my butt off. My goal is to work over a 100 hours this pay period. I won't see the check until the end of October, but I need it to pay down my debt. I have two weeks left in FPU and I've only paid $180 on my debt, so I want to be able to pay $1000 on my debt in addition to my tuition which is about $2000 this semester because I decided to drop my other health insurance and use the school health insurance which is cheaper.
I did get a little off track in September with my budget and that's because I zeroed out my envelops when I gave an offering at church, so I need to keep my focus even in giving. I keep listening to the debt free screams on Dave Ramey's radio show and it keeps me motivated. One day that will be me!!!
I'm speaking optimistically and faithfully because this budget stuff is for the birds, but I'm going to do it because I AM A GAZELLE and I'm NOT gonna get tired of running.
I got a little off track because I gave an offering for church from my envelops. My heart was in the right place, but it screwed me up. Dangit. So, now I need to get back on track.
God, I NEED YOUR help to get back on track.
I have been doing well on my budget, but I might have run into a few snafus....
My tooth hurts and it NEEDS to be fixed and I don't have dental insurance. My car NEEDS an oil change and it NEEDS to be fixed ASAP. Dag, I don't want to have to use my emergency fund for this, but it looks like I might have to.
GOD HELP ME, PLEASE!!!!!
I am in Baby Step Two: The Debt Snowball.
The concept is that a person would list their debts from smallest to largest and attack them one at a time, regardless of the interest rate as to pick up momentum in paying off debts.
If a person had a $200 medical bill and was paying $50 a month, a $600 credit card bill and was paying $80 a month and a car loan of $10,000 and was paying $150 a month. The would list them like so:
$200...$50 per month
$600...$80 per month
$10,000...$150 per month.
The person would then do all they could to pay off that $200 bill, in addition to trying to add to the $50 per month all while paying the minimum on the other debts. Once it was paid, the person would add the $50 payment to the $80 payment so pay $130 on the $600 bill and anything extra that they could get their hands one. Then, once that is paid, the would add the $130 to the $150 per month to pay the car off. So that snow ball would get bigger and bigger until all the debt is paid.
The problem with my debt is that I only have one, so it's one HUGE snowball. So, I just need to do some heavy lifting to get this thing rolling. And it's heavy, but I'm lifting!! My goal is $1000 a month on my debt. At that rate I should be able to pay off my loan in less than 5 years, but we will see!!
As of September 1, I am officially using the envelope system. And it is work. I got so used to just checking my account everyday instead of balancing a checkbook, I forgot how tedious it is. The envelope system is reminds of balancing a checkbook because you have to record what you spend the money on. But, I'm doing it because I'm a gazelle and I want to GET OUT OF DEBT ASAP!!!!
I have had to move some money around just for times sake, but I'm keeping a record. Debt free, here I come!!!
This budget thing is a challenge. I'm in month two of doing a zero-based budget. August was a fail. I was either over or under. The problem is I get paid on the 13 and the 28 so my months overlap. I can't quite seem to get it to line up right. So I started again for September and since my take home income is approximately $4000 a month, I decided to just do 25% for each category.
Charity--25%
Living--25%
Debt--25%
Personal--25%
Charity is everything I give to the church and other people.
Living includes my rent, utilities, food, anything that is a necessity,etc.
Debt is anyone I owe and
Personal is more of the wants and things that fluctuate such gas, work expenses, restaurants, etc.
Hopefully this will help me with my budget.
One baby step at a time.
Well, actually it's one bite at a time, but to conquer this debt, I'm taking one baby step at a time. These are the baby steps that Dave Ramsey proposes:
Baby Step One: $1000 Emergency fund
Baby Step Two: Debt Snowball
Baby Step Three: Saving 3-6 months of expenses
Baby Step Four: Invest 15% of income
Baby Step Five: Save a college fund for the children
Baby Step Six: Pay of home early
Baby Step Seven: Build wealth and give
I've complete Baby Step One. THANK GOD!!!! Now I"m doing my Debt Snowball. The only debt I have is my student loan, so I'll be rolling along...
Happy rolling!!
Posted by
I Hope
,
7:39 AM
I've never been good with money. It slips out of my hand faster than water can dry after I wash them. I wasn't taught about money and as a matter of fact I grew up poor....
My mom was a teen parent. Statistically teen parents live in poverty. We were a statistic. The money we had was food stamps. Not the plastic cards that they have now...the actual book of food stamps. I'm not sure how much my mom used to get in a month, but we used to load up on groceries once a month. When we did get money from my grandfather I wasn't one of those children who would save mine.. Nope, it was right to the store. So spending was my joy, not saving. When I was 18 I got my first job at Grandpa's. It was a local department store. I was a cashier. This was the summer before I went to college. I knew enough then that I needed some money to go to college so I had motivation to save. Yes, I spent money too, but I was going to be away from my family--mainly my grandparents who took care of me--and I wasn't going to have anyone to ask for money. So I saved. When I got to college, I immediately got a job--a dishwasher in the cafeteria. It was embarassing, but I needed money. Along with that job I got credit cards because we all know now that credit card companies prey on college students and YES, they got me.
My first bout with debt was in college. I can't remember how many credit cards I had, but I really drowing in debt. It wasn't a conscious decision back then, but right now I do not own a credit card and I probably never will again!
So my 20s were riddled with paying off those pesky sharks.
My junior year in college I got a letter in the mail.....
I didn't have enough financial aid to cover the cost of my college expenses. I was terrified, but the letter stated that I could talk to the financial aid people. So off to the office I went and the guy simply said, you can get a loan. I didn't know anything about student loans, but I knew that I NEEDED to finish college. If I didn't I would end up with more food stamps--which, btw, my mom sent me while I was in college because she didn't have money to send me. So I signed the dotted line to the tune of $17,000 for my junior and senior year.
I graduated and got a job, but I was in debt. Credit cards and student loans.
Then I bought a car.
I was so excited!!
Now that I look back on it I was so naive.
$30,000 in debt at age 23.
My plan was always to go to graduate school. But, I was in debt working as a teacher. So, without thinking I got another student loan. $35,000. I was still paying on my car loan and my credit cards, but I accumulated more debt.
Because I was drowing in so much debt and not managing my money correctly, I had several collection accounts.
Finally, I started thinking.....this debt is not a good thing, but I didn't know how to manage my money so I couldn't get out. I tried on my own to learn and I did a budget and talked to a credit counseling, but nothing was clicking. Now here I am years later taking financial peace university and it makes sense.
God has blessed me with a job making about $70,000 a year and because He has blessed me with this, I have to manage what He has given me. So off I go....
$53,000
That's how much money I owe the federal government for my degree. $17,000 for undergraduate and $35,000 for graduate school. It's not the exact amount, but I like round figures. And I'm going through the Financial Peace University to help me pay off this money. It is my only debt besides a doctors bill that I just got from when I broke my toe a few months ago.
And this is my blog that will chronicle my journey....
