Rent: $1524-Reduction didn't happen, but in speaking with the manager of the building it would seem that if things don't change, she won't charge us a penalty if we decide to leave early due to the ugliness of the building.
Discover Balance: $3077-probably another $1000 or so going to it at month's end
WAMU Balance: $2654-slowly plugging away at it, it will also get about $1000 at month's end
MB Balance: $0.00-rockin!
Electric: $60-don't see this changing too much
Groceries: $300-$400/mnth-the price of fresh ingredients just sucks in the Windy City
Transportation: $86/mnth-train pass
Savings: $1000-woohoo, we've moved up in the world!
Fun Money: this is pretty much ZERO this month.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
A Rainbow After the Storm
Well after having possibly the worst 2 weeks of my life recently, I'm ready for a little bit of a "pick me up" and by golly, I finally got it! A while back, my husband's OT was taken away and as a consequence, about a quarter of his paycheck up and vanished. Shortly after that happened, someone at his work was given the ole' heave-ho and my husband was given the guy's job. After receiving some certificates saying he was proficient in the job, the boss decided it was finally time to give him salary (which is paid monthly instead of semi-monthly, ugh) and a decent raise! I'm absolutely floored that this finally came to pass! However, with that said, we are still trying to pare down our expenses so that we can live almost exclusively on 1 of my paychecks so that we can bank whatever is left. I'm finally renouncing my spendthrift ways! Those old spending habits are just too incredibly ugly to repeat. Let's hope I can take the high road and do it right this time!
Monthly Bills/Balances-September 2009
I realize this post is a little late into the month, but better late than never!
Rent: $1524 (looking for a reduction since it has become apparent that our building is now a dorm for disgusting college kids that have their parents pay their rent for them!)
Discover Balance: $4953, throwing $2k to this at month's end
WAMU Balance: $3149, paid a substantial amount of money to it, but when it rains it pours! Hubs had to fly to see a dying family member and the pug decided she needed a urinary tract infection to go with her yearly shots from the vet, so needless to say, this balance will be receiving about $700 at month's end as well
MB Balance: $0.00-the only balance I can get excited about right now!
Electric: $60-still around the same as last month as it's been a little warm out
Groceries: $300-$400/mnth-slowing but surely we are whittling this down
Transportation: $86/mnth-train pass
Savings: $300-it's not much, but it's something
Fun Money: we have about $200 fun money this month, so we will have to spend it wisely methinks.
Rent: $1524 (looking for a reduction since it has become apparent that our building is now a dorm for disgusting college kids that have their parents pay their rent for them!)
Discover Balance: $4953, throwing $2k to this at month's end
WAMU Balance: $3149, paid a substantial amount of money to it, but when it rains it pours! Hubs had to fly to see a dying family member and the pug decided she needed a urinary tract infection to go with her yearly shots from the vet, so needless to say, this balance will be receiving about $700 at month's end as well
MB Balance: $0.00-the only balance I can get excited about right now!
Electric: $60-still around the same as last month as it's been a little warm out
Groceries: $300-$400/mnth-slowing but surely we are whittling this down
Transportation: $86/mnth-train pass
Savings: $300-it's not much, but it's something
Fun Money: we have about $200 fun money this month, so we will have to spend it wisely methinks.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Monthly Bills/Balances-August 2009
Rent: $1524
Discover Balance: $5248, just made a big ole' payment on that sucker!
WAMU Balance: $3240 but planning on throwing $2600 at it this month
MB Balance: $125.85-had a big night out, but this will get paid out of our fun money this week
Electric: $60-this went up a little bit but we've cranked the A/C up even further as August begins to take hold and produce some "dog days of summer"
Groceries: $400-$500/mnth-actually working on paring this down again
Transportation: $86/mnth-train pass
Savings: still nothing and probably will stay that way until december
Fun Money: we have about $400 for the month (after paying the MB card) so that we don't feel totally strapped and wind up doing something stupid like going and charging up more on the credit!
Discover Balance: $5248, just made a big ole' payment on that sucker!
WAMU Balance: $3240 but planning on throwing $2600 at it this month
MB Balance: $125.85-had a big night out, but this will get paid out of our fun money this week
Electric: $60-this went up a little bit but we've cranked the A/C up even further as August begins to take hold and produce some "dog days of summer"
Groceries: $400-$500/mnth-actually working on paring this down again
Transportation: $86/mnth-train pass
Savings: still nothing and probably will stay that way until december
Fun Money: we have about $400 for the month (after paying the MB card) so that we don't feel totally strapped and wind up doing something stupid like going and charging up more on the credit!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monthly Bills/Balances-July 2009
Rent: $1524
Discover Balance: oh boy, here goes...$6328.00...yeah, that hurts
WAMU Balance: not so good here either....$3417.00...stupid auto loan deficiency!
AMEX Balance: This card is closed!
MB Balance: $0.00-at least something looks ok on the balance sheet
Electric: $53-this is probably the most it will ever get to as we are using the A/C full bore right now
Groceries: $400-$500/mnth-when did fruits and veggies get so expensive?
Transportation: $86/mnth-this will remain constant for my train pass
Savings: nada
Fun Money: only a couple hundred here-things are tight until we pay off that ridiculous Discover/WAMU balance!
Discover Balance: oh boy, here goes...$6328.00...yeah, that hurts
WAMU Balance: not so good here either....$3417.00...stupid auto loan deficiency!
AMEX Balance: This card is closed!
MB Balance: $0.00-at least something looks ok on the balance sheet
Electric: $53-this is probably the most it will ever get to as we are using the A/C full bore right now
Groceries: $400-$500/mnth-when did fruits and veggies get so expensive?
Transportation: $86/mnth-this will remain constant for my train pass
Savings: nada
Fun Money: only a couple hundred here-things are tight until we pay off that ridiculous Discover/WAMU balance!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Reality Check!
Check please! Reality check that is. I got just the one I have been needing today. Here's the situation: A few months ago, my husband lost a good portion of his paycheck due to cutbacks at work. We lost our house and let our cars go back as we moved somewhere that doesn't require a car to get around. All of those things combined freed up a lot of cash. Well of course rather than be frugal and intelligent with the extra cash, we did some dumb things. We did however set up a payment plan with GMAC to pay the remaining balance after the truck was sold at auction. On Wednesday of this week, Toyota's collectors call me to demand the balance, offered a settlement amount that we couldn't pay and told me I was a loser essentially. So fast forward to this morning, and I receive a phone call advising we are about to be sued by Toyota for the remaining balance. Yikes! So, I ask if the settlement amount can be put on my credit card because I just don't have that kind of money laying around in my checking account. So, a long story short, Toyota has been paid in full (settlement amount), GMAC will be paid shortly, and I'm now keenly aware of how little money is left over for the next 3 months while we go whole hog on paying off the credit card. An expensive lesson to be sure, but comforting to know that I now have my head on straight and the value of the dollar couldn't be more straightforward!
Monday, May 4, 2009
The Monthly Bills/Balances-May 2009
Rent: $1524
Discover Balance: $162.00-just using this for the rewards this month
WAMU Balance: $0.00-yay!
AMEX Balance: $0.00-woohoo!
MB Balance: $0.00-fabulousness!
Electric: $30-this is a give or take estimate as we have yet to receive an actual bill
Groceries: $500/mnth-this has gone up considerably as we have substantially changed how we eat and where we shop (Whole Foods anyone?)
Transportation: $86/mnth-I have to buy a train card every month to get to work
Savings: $2550
Fun Money: nothing set up for this month-the weather is improving and we can get out and do stuff for free!
Discover Balance: $162.00-just using this for the rewards this month
WAMU Balance: $0.00-yay!
AMEX Balance: $0.00-woohoo!
MB Balance: $0.00-fabulousness!
Electric: $30-this is a give or take estimate as we have yet to receive an actual bill
Groceries: $500/mnth-this has gone up considerably as we have substantially changed how we eat and where we shop (Whole Foods anyone?)
Transportation: $86/mnth-I have to buy a train card every month to get to work
Savings: $2550
Fun Money: nothing set up for this month-the weather is improving and we can get out and do stuff for free!
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