52 Week Money Challenge

For those of you checking in to see something deep and meaningful, you won't find it here today.  But, it may be helpful anyway.

One of my goals for 2013 is to save $10,000.  I'm not exactly bringing home big bucks these days and I'm not interested in cutting back my lifestyle too much, so it's going to be a bit of a challenge.

First, my spending habits.  I don't have a rigid budget.  I guess you could say I do the envelope system.....in my head.  I don't make huge purchases.  I don't like to get even close to overdrawing, so I spend if I know I have the money, and if I want to make a purchase that would push me below this magical "suddenly I might be scared if I had an emergency" threshold, I either wait till payday or don't buy it.  That being said, I still fritter money away...not so bad but I know there should be more left over every month than I actually have.

The Game Plan: I'm debt free (!!!!!!!!) as of December, so my student loan payment, which used to go to my parents, will now go straight to the savings account.  Amount to be saved: $6000.  $4000 to go.

Step One: Cut Back
I read several articles about how to cut back and they weren't super helpful for me, but maybe they are for others.  I already don't have cable (I do have the streaming-only version of Netflix and I'm not willing to give that up).  They tell you to give up drinking....well maybe that makes a difference for some people. I was going through maybe two bottles of cheap wine a month, but ok, I'll cut back to one.  So that's $120 extra saved over the course of the year.  They tell you to give up magazine subscriptions since you read it once and never learn anything so important that you need to keep them.  Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending how you look at it), all of my magazine subscriptions are gifts from others.  Savings: Zero.  They tell you to stop going to movies -- I haven't been to a movie in the theater in a year.  Not that I don't enjoy it but I just don't think to do it.  Then they suggest you cut out name brands...yeah, been doing that one, too.  You get the idea.  Apparently I am doing extremely well in my spending when compared to the average American.

Step Two: Control the Incidentals
Is there a 12 step program for people who get a stomachache from purchasing $75 items who at the same time will spend $75 on 15 things without blinking an eye?  Because I might need it.

I don't really have an "entertainment" budget since I rarely do anything.  I know the money is there and I don't spend it on expensive things.  The problem is that, like my father, $5 rounds to zero in my mental check register and it doesn't in real life.  I will spend $2 for a Sheetz Latte on the way to church, $10 on Kindle books or $1.29 on an iTunes download without thinking.  In my mind I haven't spent the money.  It was shocking to me when I totaled up my "freebies" of the last three months.  Oops!  Solution: iTunes and Kindle need there own budget categories and I can't go over. I'll save the difference, though I'm still not sure what that will be.

Step Three: Save the "Bonus"
Part of my job at the high school is serving as the SAT and ACT test coordinator.  While it really stinks to give up a Saturday morning once a month, the pay is pretty good.  I've never really counted it in my budget and I should have, since last year it kicked my butt at tax time (I did take that into account this year).  Still, when I budget expenses, that money is not included in my start value.........so.........it should still be there.  But it's not.  Stupid Sheetz and it's toasted marshmallow Latte's.  You took  my SAT money.  While I can't be sure of the exact amount I will earn from those tests in advance (my pay is based on the number of tests taken at my site), I do know that I will be able to save AT LEAST $2046 if I get the minimum payment each time.

Step Four: The 52 Week Money Challenge
I saw this on Pinterest and decided to go for it.  Basically, the graphic said to save the dollar amount of what week of the year it is ($1 the first week, $27 the 27th week and so on).  Instead of counting up with the savings, I am counting down.  Last Friday I moved $52 over to my savings account and this Friday it will be $51.  I did this for two reasons.  First, I am motivated right now so $52 was not painful.  I am pumped!  I doubt I will be as excited in November, but this way I'll only have to give up $7 when momentum is waning.  Along that same vein, I always spend more money at the end of the year (Christmas gifts...Christmas COOKIES) and I know I wouldn't follow through.  How much will I save this way?  $1378.

This brings us to a current savings anticipated total of................$9452!!!!!

Only $548 to go.  I actually feel a lot better about this now that I've written it down.

I know I haven't shown you my "real" budget, but if you have any suggestions about where I can "find" the rest, please leave a comment.

Happy Saving!

First Gift

So last night when I took Finn out for his last walk before bed, I looked up at the stars and sang this song.

And ask I got to the end of the second verse...I saw it.  A shooting star!

You're rich in love and You're slow to anger
Your name is great and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find.

BAM! Shooting star.

Maybe I should retitle my journal "Ten Thousand Gifts".  One thousand might not begin to cover it.

New Year, New Post

This blog has been an epic failure lately.  I often find myself creating posts in my head but then fail to ever sit down and type them.  2012 was a hectic year.

I took some time this morning to journal and think about my goals for 2013.  While I won't write them down here (there are 6), I will say that blogging fairly regularly is one of them.  To my 3 readers, you are welcome.

The past couple years I have also picked a one word theme.  This year's theme?  Gratitude.

This year I will focus on God's gifts.  Inspired by Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts, I will begin keeping my own list of all I've been given.  I will post some here.

For now, I want to highlight all the "gifts" mentioned in the first seven verses of Isaiah 43.

He created me.
He formed me.
He redeemed me.
He has called me by name.
I am His.
He is with me.  He will be with me.
He will not let me be consumed.
He is my Lord and my God.
The Holy One - my SAVIOR.
I am precious in His eyes.
He LOVES me.
There is nothing He wouldn't give to deliver me.
He is with me -- I have nothing to fear.
He has fought for me, is fighting for me, will fight for me all the days of my life.

Gratitude.  I think we're off to a good start.

Abbreviated Life Update

1. My sister now lives in South Africa, and I am going to visit in December.
2. I moved to a new house last Thursday. It is amazing! This means Finley Wendell (yes, my dog has a middle name) now lives with me full-time. I will post pictures as soon as I find and charge my camera.
3. In March, I began a second career as a Mary Kay consultant.  This is still something new for me, and I'm not making much money yet, but it is a fun hobby and I am hoping to grow this business.
4. I'm taking my time on Mary Kay though, because in May, I accepted a slightly different position at my current job.  I am now the unofficial (in other words, don't use the title under any circumstances) director of school counseling at my school. Except that I'm not the director. I just don't know how else to describe the job - my job description includes all of those responsibilities and I have the 12 month contract and the pay (heck, the title is even printed on top of the description, they just crossed it off in Sharpie...). The point is, I don't have 5 years experience so I can't be the director or lead counselor, etc. But as of July 1, I now perform all the duties of a director and they are no longer looking to hire one. Whatever. I am nervous but excited and hope that I am able to make a great place even better. My kids will be JUNIORS this year! They're halfway done, and I'm already missing them. I've watched them grow and change so much, and I truly care about them deeply. I am so blessed to work here.
5. My only trip of the summer will be to travel to Dallas in the beginning of August for the Mary Kay seminar.  I hope that this will help me get the tools to really get this business going.  I want to be wearing a red jacket by September 15th -- that means I must recruit 3 new business owners.  This is a remarkable company, and I would love to talk to you about the opportunity if you are interested. :)

Not Afraid

Again I have proved to be one of the worst bloggers in the world.

I've decided to do better. I will post at least once a week, even if it is short.

I refuse to make this a journal -- but it also doesn't have to be so deep that every post is a sermon.

For now, here is what I am learning.

God did NOT give me a spirit of fear, but of POWER, LOVE and a sound mind.  His perfect love casts out all fear.

I will not be afraid.  I am a beloved child of God.  He has set me free, and I shall fear no thing...nothing from my past, nothing in my present, and nothing that could be on the horizon.

I belong to Him.