The Last Supper

......in my beloved Crockpot!

Crock pots are a great way to make healthy, inexpensive meals for those of us on the a budget and with very little time. I actually use mine alot.

Last night before I went to bed I put some oxtails and shortribs in the crock pot to cook on low. The smell of them woke me up early this morning. I hurried downstairs to check on them and broke the lid right of the pot. I am truly saddened by the this event but overjoyed that I can finally buy a new one.

When I wanted to buy a new one Boobee wouldn't let me because he said we had a perfectly good one, but.......NOT ANYMORE!!!

I have been looking on Amazon.com and see several models that I am interested in. I can't wait until fall, I will be making chili, gumbo, stews and soups every week. I'll let you now what model I decide on but for now all the fun is in looking at different models and comparing prices and features.

Do you crock pot? What are some of your favorite recipes?

YBP

Allowance Challenge

Chitown over a windy city blues had a great post on possibly using the allowance system to control spending.

Basically this means you are giving yourself a set amount of money to spend each week and after you have spent it there should be no more spending. Reader Aaren commented on how she puts $250.00 a month into a separate checking account that is simply for her allowance and gas. There are several other PF bloggers that are trying the allowance system as a way to focus on goals such as saving more and paying off debt.

I want to try to use the allowance system for one month and would love to have some people participate with me so we can hold each other accountable.

I know DD is moving in the beginning of the month and the first weekend of the month is also the 4th of July but lets all see if we can pick an amount for an allowance to give ourselves for the month. Perhaps we can post at the end of every week how we did with spending and what we bought with our allowance. We can update on our blogs how we did each week.

Who's in??

Not too Happy!!

I have been very frivolous with my spending. I have close to $4000 in credit card debt that I have to pay off within the next two months. Mostly expenses associated with the wedding.

I am so mad at myself!

I need to go back to tracking my spending. I am so thankful this is the end of the month! June will be a brand new start!

until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

Allowance Anyone?

A dear blogger friend of mine Aaren has given me so many ideas on how to make saving money easier by using my ING Direct Savings Account. I am so thankful for her and the advice that she has given me.

Another idea she mentioned was using the ING Direct Electric Orange Account as a Allowance Account in which she transfers money from her linked account to the EO account to use for different purchases.

Can I just say I LOVE THAT IDEA!

so, I'm going to try it out. I have been spending a lot of money on hair products and makeup (I was a late bloomer y'all LOL)

I rarely use my electric orange account and this would be a great opportunity to not only use it but to separate my blow money from my Bank of America household expenses and everyday account.

Thoughts, Comments or Questions??

until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

Half mine

My home computer and printer is half mine. Remember I put the $2100 purchase of my 27 inch IMAC on my credit card???

Well yesterday and today were pay days for me. Two jobs=two paychecks back to back. I sent half the cost of the purchase to the credit card company today and have the other half set up to be taken out on April 1, 2010. I said I would have it paid off by April and it will be!

until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

Strange feelings

It seems like the more money I save, the more money I want to spend. The higher and higher my emergency fund gets the more comfortable I feel spending money.

Not a good look at all!!


Anyone else feeling the same way?


until next time, think prosperous thoughts


YBP

Dying to buy some dining room furniture

On the 18th my future inlaws are coming over for dinner and Sunday night Eagles football. I have decided that I want to cook and will be making a splendid dinner of shrimp and chicken gumbo, ham or baked chicken, rice, sweet potatoes ( topped with marshmallows), baked macaroni and cheese, string beans and carrots, cornbread and something for dessert, along with with my mother's renowned fruit drink to quench the thirst. I have also decided that since I am going to go through all the effort of cooking I want my dining room to look suitable for them.

I have a rickety glass table set that I bought of craigslist a few years ago but I have decided I need an upgrade. So I am buying this beautiful table and chair set as this lovely server to go with it.

Now the question is how am I going to pay for it? Cash of course. I am using part of my check this week to pay my car off, but I am also going to put $300 in the tuck for this set. Next pay period I am going to take $800 from my paycheck and go right raymour and flanagan to buy it. The total cost is $1050 plus a 75.00 delivery fee. I am sure my FI will also contribute to the cost as well so I might even have to contribute less.

Now all I need is some curtains, placemats, napkins,napkin holders, serving dishes, silverware, plates.... ( the list goes on and on)

Until next time, think prosperous thoughts


YBP

i'm tempted

to buy a new bed. American Signature furniture has a really good 36 hour sale in which they have a really nice queen bed for $199.00 instead of the regular price of $499.00. I technically don't have the money for it, but I did get an increase on one of my credit cards that I could use for it.

Do I really need a new bed? Hellz Yeah! I am tired of sleeping with a mattress and box spring on the floor. But I will not put that expense on a credit card. I am expecting about $600.00 this month for the after school class that I teach, so I could use part of that.

Decisions to make, I'm trying to hold of on the bed since I will be in Manhattan for the summer. Pray for me y'all!

Until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

On my way to Panama

I am sitting here at Newark International Airport because I missed my 8:30 am flight. I am here to until 4:30 which is when the next flight to panama leaves.

Oh well. I brought $400.00 in spending money and one major credit card, however I did also buy a bunch of clothes for the trip. My posting is going to be sporadic over the next few day.

On a different note, I can't believe I paid $7.95 to use the Internet here. That bites!!!


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.

What to do with an $8000 tax refund?

I filed my taxes last night. It was very simple and I used H&R Block Tax Cut Premium. I usually use the regular edition but since I bought the house this year I figured maybe its time to upgrade.

According to the Taxcut I saved $1500.00 by deducting my mortgage interest, student loans, and contributing to a tax deferred retirement plan.

But the even better news is that with the first time homebuyers credit my refund will be $8239.00.

What I am going to do is put that money right into my emergency fund, although I may take $1000.00 and apply it to my car loan. I want my car paid off by the summer- its my #1 goal for 2009!

I also need to buy a plane ticket to Panama, but at only $356.00 round trip, I could actually pay for it out of my paycheck.

What would you do with an $8000 refund?

until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

Over $200.00 on Groceries

You have got to be kidding me. I have never in my life spent over 200.00 on groceries... until today and today I spent $230.31. Where did it all go...

Well for almost 2 weeks I was on the Master Cleanse. Then I went away to NYC ( where I had a wonderful time by the way) since I came back I have been eating a lot of soup and oatmeal, the only healthy things I had in the house.

I went to grocery store today and bought lots of fresh fruit, veggies, hummus, and tons of other high fiber low fat type foods. Organic and fresh food tend to be way more expensive the the foods that are not good for you. I want to eat healthy I just can not afford to spend over $200 a month on food.

so are there any suggestions... how can I reduce my grocery budget and still eat healthy?

until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

Off to the NYC!!!

I am going to NYC for a couple days (leaving early Sunday morning). Its kinda like a breather away from everyone and everything. Once I get back I have to start hitting the books very hard. For that reason I want this to be very relaxing long weekend.

So far the costs have not been that bad at all. Because I live in Philly Greyhound runs to NY every hour. The best part is the price... only $24.00 round trip. Gotta Love it!

I will be staying in Manhattan at one of the hotels that I get a discount at... $99.00. I will also have 100.00 worth of spending money and I am going to use that very wisely.

Nothing else is going on in the personal finance area. I am still tracking my spending, and trying not to spend! That's about it for now.

Until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

I've been a bad girl and other news!!!

Its only January 11 and I have already gone over my budget for the miscellaneous category. I decided that this year I was going to become more healthy and start eating and exercising more. I have been on the Master Cleanse for the past five days and I am feeling great, but I wanted to make some lifestyle changes for after I get off the cleanse. I began researching super foods and decided to buy some... in fact I spent 31.00 buying Gogi Berries and Acai supplements from Amazon.com. At least my order qualified for free shipping so that is one thing I didn't have to pay for!

Good News:
I will be receiving a refund check from grad school for over $3000 sometime this month or early next month. That is going right into my emergency fund! I may need to use some of it to pay for a summer class but for now I am keeping it stashed away! I don't think I will have a problem reaching my goal of $20,000 for the year. With this economy I believe I definitely need it.

School News:
The new semester starts this week. I really can't wait. I am taking 3 classes and one of them is an online class. I thought online classes were easy but from looking at the syllabus I was totally wrong.

One thing I was not wrong about was the price of books. 3 classes and four books... total $286.00, and that's buying used! I need to hurry up and write me one!

After this semester I have two more classes to take during the summer ( hopefully summer session 1) and then I am done with this degree. Essentially, around the same time I am done teaching for the year will also be the same time I am done with my Masters. Now that is something to look forward to!


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

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

Now is the time to be proactive!

I really believe that now is the time to be proactive. You can't wait for someone to change your situation. You have to change it yourself. I believe that I have to be responsible for my own life, and in turn I am responsible for the outcome of my life. I have made a very drastic (in my view) change to my financial planning.

I have decided to stop contributing to my 403B in order to ramp up my savings and pay off debt. I was contributing $220.00 am month pre tax which decreased my take home pay about $150.00 a month. From now until December 31 I will be contributing that money to my emergency fund, and then next year I will be using it to help pay off my car loan and the rest of my student loans.

As far as Christmas shopping goes, I will be going to Kmart and putting some things on layaway, I have about $700.00 in a Christmas fund, but I have decided I will not spend that money right now. I would rather pay as I go. My budget this year is going to be about $300.00!

As soon as I get to kmart I will post on the layaway process. Maybe because the economy is so bad more stores will start allowing customers to use layaway!

until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

Out of Control Spending!!!

Some of it was necessary but jeez... in the past two days this is what I have been spending my money on

Books for 3 Grad Classes: $387.01 my gosh books are so expensive. I am doing my Masters in Multicultural Education and had to drive up to the Mainline area outside of Philadelphia to visit the bookstore of the university I am attending and was shocked that were no used books left so I had to buy brand new ones. Yes Brand New Books! And then I had to order 2 of the books from Amazon.com, and with those I had to pay for shipping.. but the great about it was that I paid for these books in cash out my checking account! I did not put this on a credit card!

so again

Grad Books $387.01
Cable Bill $ 102.00
Staples $130.40 ( for classroom/school supplies, 100.00 reimbursed by school district)
Pizza Hut $26.65
Target $36.34 ( necessities for tenants)
Movies $20.00 ( went to see Tropic Thunder for the second time)

Total: $702.40 YIKES!!!!

I still have to pay the Mortgage and make a payment to my debt snowball. I have a checking account balance of $2373.77 so it looks like I won't be able to send $1500 to my student loans yet... but as soon as I get my refund check I will be reimbursing myself for those books and sending an extra payment of $387.01 right to those student loans!

Today there will be a bit more spending. I have decided to upgrade my wardrobe a bit so I will be trekking to Philadelphia Premium Outlets to buy some pieces that I need. I am budgeting 250.00, and I am going to stay in budget. I have a few coupons and a shopping list and I am going to stay on budget.

I am following Small Budget Big Style's post on what a Young Professional needs in her wardrobe. check out http://smallbudgetbigstyle.blogspot.com for more info. It's a great post.

until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP

Would you buy these sneakers?

I sure as hell wouldn't. I bet a couple of my students will come to school next month with a pair of these. They are the new Quest Love from Roots fame designed air force ones. They are only on sale in three places: New York, LA and of course PHILLY!!! I was watching the news today and the reporter was saying that people have been lined up for days in front of this store in downtown Philadelphia hoping to get a pair of them. Guess how much they are selling for. $225!!!! That is more than my car payment. Most of the people in the line were twenty somethings... People spend money on the weirdest things.... I wonder if they have an emergency fund are saving for a house, or paying of debt. I hope they are not putting the cost on a credit card!!!

Until next time, think prosperous thoughts

YBP