Happy Birthday to Me!!

On Friday I turned 27 and enjoyed a beautiful day in Atlantic City, breakfast, the movie "For Colored Girls", and a shopping spree complements of my husband. I also took Friday and today (Monday) off of work. Today I am focused on all the things that I want to do this year as well as cleaning the house and getting quotes on certain repairs that are needed before we can rent the house out.

I'm still thinking about different goals I want for this year but as soon as I figure them out you will be the first to know.

How was your weekend? Anything exciting happen?

Reached a Goal!

It's 6:30 this morning and I seem to have gotten up on the right side of the bed! I have had whopping cough for the past week and its been killing me. It's still here today but not as extreme. The major project I had been working is on is pretty much complete as of 10:00pm last night.

I also saved my goal of $500 for Christmas presents. Whooohooo!!! This means will not being using the credit cards this Christmas!

I am learning to celebrate the many small blessing that life offers, they deserve just as much attention as the large blessings.

until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

Off for a mini vacation!

We are going to upstate PA this weekend for some fishing, yard sales, and family time. We are driving up in the car so we will have to pay for some gas and tolls. Boobee's grandfather and cousin ( who is one of my bridesmaids) will also be coming so hopefully they can help pay for some gas and tolls, but if not we have it covered.

We are staying at a hotel where I get a discount so the cost for the entire three days we are staying is under $300.00.

Food will be taken care of by family for the most part, so I am budgeting $250.00 for the entire trip. This also includes a gift for a little cousin's birthday. I will be saving all receipts, to see if I can do it.

Wish me much success!


YBP

Are you truly using ING Direct?

I know I am.

I have started 3 sub savings accounts with ING Direct. They have three different purposes. One is for Christmas 2010, one is for Car expenses and repairs ( which includes my six month insurance renewal, registration, inspections, and oil changes) and an account to fund my summer in NYC. I eventually will add more money to Christmas Account and make it a Birthday/ Christmas Account.

As it stands I am contributing $50.00 every two weeks into each account for a total of $300 a month.

I am so not trying to use credit cards this year for anything (okay, I am putting wedding expenses on credit card, only because I'm paying international vendors).

until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

Christmas Fund started

Hi everyone,

I am in Charleston, SC for a wedding but finances are on my mind. One of my goals for the year is to not put any Christmas gifts on credit cards as I did last year. I was considering opening up a Christmas Club account with one of the local credit unions, however I figured ING Direct was just as good.

As you know I have a ING savings account for my 5 weeks in NYC, as well as a ING savings for car expenses. I also utilize my ING checking account to pay for any expenses that come out of those savings accounts. Today I added another ING savings account to the ones that I already have called " Christmas Account". I will fund $100.00 a month from now until December giving me $900.00 to use for Christmas presents.

How are you saving for Christmas?


Until next time, think prosperous thoughts


YBP

A semi frugal Valentine's Day

Sorry about the lack of updates. I have had bronchitis for the past week or so. I missed 2 1/2 days of teaching and was cooped up with antibiotics and Tylenol with codeine in it. Either way I'm better and can't wait for tom morrow.

What I'm doing for Valentine's Day

My SO and I will spending Valentine's day thru President's Day at The Ritz Carlton in Washington, DC for $75.00 a night. How? Its a perk of the job... the second job. I would love to get a facial or something while I'm done there. Perhaps we will see some sights but most of all I would just really like to rest with my Boo.

Oh DC readers.. my boo has never had chicken with mambo sauce...if you know a good place where I get some please let me know.

Trying to Budget for 2009

I am back and in full effect!!! My New Years Eve and Day were wonderful. On New Year's eve I went to church until about 12:30 and then had a nice party at my house that lasted until 4:30 in the morning. New Year's Day I slept in and my guy made me a big breakfast to take away the hangover. Through out the day I reflected on the things I wanted for my life in this new year, but I also took some time to be thankful for all the blessings I received last year and in prior years.

With that said it is time to look forward. There are so many things that I want to accomplish this year and many more that I would like to accomplish by the time I am 30 and its not going to happen if the money is not right.

So YBP decided to begin budgeting from day 1 of 2009. I am really going to keep track of my daily spending, net worth, debts and saving. Doing this is not a want or a maybe... this is something that I need to do.

I have tried many different budgeting tools but this year I am going to use Fabulously broke in the City's budgeting worksheet. So far I really like it. It is in really bold colors and has many different spreadsheets and graphs so one can really break down and understand what is going on in their financial life. I am still playing around with it but so far so good. I will give a full review probably towards the end of the month or early next month.

more later

until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

An expensive yet fulfilling Christmas

I know its a little late but Merry Christmas everyone! I had a very fulfilling day although it did go over budget by about $500.00. I had many gifts to buy but I felt so good giving them out on Christmas morning. I also got a few surprises. My guy got me a Dolce and Gabanna handbag, a Coach handbag, and also went half with my on a 42" LCD TV.

The next week I will be off from school and working on grad school applications. I will also be doing some more planning for 2009. This time of year is my time to reflect and begin journaling for '09.

Catch you after the new year!

until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

I Reached my monthly saving goal

I wanted to save $1000.00 this month in order to bring my emergency fund saving to $4000.00. I went above that. My TD Ameritrade account balance is now $4023.10. And I still get two more paychecks this month. I think I maybe able to set a super goal of getting it to $5000.00 by January 3.

In other news... I pretty much finished my shopping. I brought my brothers and my parents their gifts, I also bought my boyfriend a pair of boots and just have a few other small things to get and then I'm finished. I am glad I had a little bit of money saved specifically for Christmas because I did not have to put everything on a credit or card or mess my savings goal.

I'm about to leave for work so I will post more later.

until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

Started the Christmas Shopping.... with Video Games

I started my Christmas shopping and I already spent $288.00. I bought for 3 people, my two little brothers and my boyfriends mother.

What did I buy?

3 Video Games for my brothers' XBox 360- Fallout 3, Gears of War 2 and Call of Duty World at War. Those games are expensive!!! I bought them from Amazon.com and they were $59.99 a piece. I also had to pay for shipping to upstate New York and with tax that came to roughly $205.00

I also bought my boyfriend's mom a mixer for $83.99 from Target. He is going to give me half the money for it which is good.

I only have to buy for my boyfriend, my parents, and his sister. I have about $300 left. I will probably buy his sister and her baby some stuff from Gap or Old Navy on sale. My parents will probably get something Christian Related, and my boyfriend some Boots, and a DVD player.

At first I didn't feel in the Christmas spirit but buying for my brothers really made me change my spirit.

How is your Christmas shopping going?

until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

Black Friday Ads Posted

I found this website on accident last year and decided to take a peak at it this year to see what some stores will be offering for Black Friday. My favorite ad is Walmart ( not my beloved Target). It looks like I may be able to get all Christmas Shopping done there on Black Friday, if I get there early enough.

I am in the process of reconfiguring my office to make it more workable and so I also think I will be getting a few things simply for it. It looks like Walmart will have an HP Deskjet Printer, Copier Fax for only $29.00

I also may pick up the papasan chair for $30.00. I am also sure they will have some type of window panels and maybe a desk for sale.

Do you plan to do any shopping on Black Friday?

until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

A frugal Birthday

My Birthday is tomorrow... I will be 25 years old. Wow!!! My goal for the year was to buy my first house and well I achieved it. I had planned to go to the spa tomorrow after work but now I am against that. I need to save as much money as possible right now.

I want to have quiet birthday but I really want to treat myself. If you have any ideas on how to do that frugally, please let me know.


until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP