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Job update

January 31st, 2014 at 04:44 am

Haven't been posting very well lately. Most of you may have seen that my current boss was going to cut his hours, which obviously cuts my hours. One of my co-workers let me know about a part time job. It is at our local District Court. I got the job! And I start on Monday, February 3rd! I'm so excited! It is very part time, but that's okay. They offered me $1.00 more than what I am making at the law firm. Then when I talked to my boss at the firm, he matched it. Woo hoo!

In March, I will also start working at our YMCA's daycare. My son can also come with me after 5:00. So, I'll be getting paid and have my son there! Smile It doesn't start until 3:00 in the afternoon and I will be off work at my other two jobs every day by 2:00, except for the first Monday and Tuesday, and fourth Monday every month.

In the end, I will be making more then what I make now!!!! It seems like everytime our family has a set back, God gives us an even bigger blessing! Smile

Can't wait to start the new job on Monday!!

Expenses for the year (outside of our monthly budget)

January 8th, 2014 at 08:43 pm

Fiance and I looked at some expenses we will have this year that are not monthly, just one time/once a year expenses. This is what we have

Surgery: $4,500.00
Recovery time from work: $5,500.00
College Books - Spring term: $100.00
Dress Shopping: $300.00
Cousins baby shower gift: $20.00
Sisters baby shower: $400.00
Sisters baby shower gift: $200.00
Retreat for marriage prep: $360.00
Roof: $1,500.00
Trip out of town for cousins bachelorette party: $200.00
Daughters birthday: $200.00
Fiance's vehicle registration: $200.00
Wedding gift to friends: $50.00
Lincoln trip for cousins wedding: $300.00
Wedding gift to cousin: $50.00
Sons birthday party: $250.00
Vacation: $500.00
My vehicle registration: $200.00
Christmas: $500.00
My Roth IRA: $5,500.00
Fiance's Roth IRA: $5,500.00

WOW! That's $26,330.00!! So much stuff going on this year! And I guess we decided to wait on gutters until we do siding, which will hopefully be next year!

I said I wanted to purchase my college books for this semester last weekend, but I will do it today. Hopefully it comes in under that $100.00!

Weekend To-Do List

January 4th, 2014 at 03:35 pm

Take down Christmas decorations []
Clean kitchen []
Organize/fold kids clothes []
Fold my clothes []
Take FOCUS "test" (for marriage prep) []
Second marriage prep meeting with our priest []
Going to get the hair done []
Make pottery pot with daughter []
Order college books []

Not a huge to-do list this weekend!

2013 Review

January 2nd, 2014 at 09:44 pm

2013 Review

Fully funded the emergency fund: $12,000.00
Got engaged on 3/30/13
Paid cash for fiancé to buy a pick up: $3,000.00
Started spend/save/give with daughter
Had our healthy baby boy!
Cash flowed my maternity leave: $1,500.00
Fully funded my Roth IRA: $5,500.00
Savings balance: $1,776.91 ($100.00 minimum balance)
Paid my car off!
Daughter’s savings: $40.00 (this is just a guess)
Son’s savings: $115.00
College for daughter: $1,515.00
College for son: $415.00
Got through two more college classes

Merry Christmas from Nebraska

December 26th, 2013 at 06:33 am

We hope that everyone had a wonderful and blessed Christmas! This was our sons first Christmas and he got spoiled! One more Christmas on Sunday.

Have a great rest of the year everybody!

Another contribution!

December 24th, 2013 at 07:33 am

My sons great aunt contributed $100 to his college savings through GradSave! So thankful for such wonderful family! Went to the store tonight and bought a variety pack of thank you cards. We'll start sending those out to let people know that we appreciate it!

Merry Christmas Eve everyone! I have to work half a day. And then it's hurry and wrap presents! At 5 we will go to church, 6 go to my step grandmother's, 6:30 go to my parents for dinner and presents.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Change cashed in/Splurge

December 10th, 2013 at 05:28 pm

I usually spend cash for as many things as I can. I save all of the change to pay daughter for her chores and then anything above that I put into my 6 month-old sons piggy bank(s). Well, his bank(s) were full so I deposited into my savings account that I don't really use and it earns a little bit of interest. The balance on that account is $65.66!

And then I splurged a little bit. I knew that Dave Ramsey was coming out with a new book that he and his daughter wrote, it comes out April, 2014. I saw on their facebook page that they were letting people pre-purchase it and then you get the Financial Peace Junior now and the book "Smart Money Smart Kids" in April. That was $35.00. So I'm waiting for Financial Peace Junior that we will use with our daughter. I probably didn't get much of a deal, but I was going back and forth on whether or not to purchase Financial Peace Junior because I really want it. So, I got it!

I have had a bit of a spending problem lately. Ugh! I think it's because it's end of the year/Christmas and I'm stressing out over getting my college classes done.

Being productive and college

December 4th, 2013 at 05:57 pm

I am such a list girl and very goal oriented, it even drives me insane!
There has to be a list of things I need to get done around the house – or they won’t get done.
I have to write out a list of homework to get done – or it will just sit there and pile up, which I was very bad about this semester.
I have to write goals for work – or I’ll get distracted too easily.
And money – I have to have a goal for money – or I’ll find something to spend it on.
Neither of my parents were like this, so I’m not sure where I get it. I’m not usually one to be on top of things, but I really can be with a goal/to-do list. Today, I wrote myself a to-do list at work and it’s already halfway done – prepared a bunch of documents. Mainly need to do a little filing and lots of billing now. I think I’ll go ahead a write myself a to-do list for tonight.

I can’t wait until classes are over so that I can get back on top of house work!

Update on college: My advisor e-mailed me and said that they are going to offer two of the three classes that I still need. I have signed up – just need to find out what books I need! I absolutely cannot wait to be done!! I don’t know if it’s the fact that I’ll be done with school – although, I’m a procrastinator, I think I like taking classes and learning; or if it’s the fact that I’ll finally graduate, and have a degree and have something to show for my long 3 ½ years of working on an associate’s degree. Going to get it done before wedding after all!

2014 Financial

December 4th, 2013 at 05:50 pm

2014 Financial:

My Income: $1,300.00/per MONTH (after taxes) – Yuck!
Other income: $1,500.00 – tax return
$1,000.00 – other

Monthly Expenses (does not include savings, retirement or college):
Bills: $400.00 (Cell phone, internet, tv, gas, electricity, water, car insurance)
Fuel: $120.00 (My fuel)
Groceries: $100.00 (I only pay a small percentage of groceries)
Babysitter: $50.00 - $65.00 (Depends on how many days and how long. I pay 35% toward babysitter. We will have to switch babysitters in June, 2013, so we’ll see if it becomes more expensive.
Misc.: $80.00
TOTAL: $670.00 - $685.00
Other:
Will be left with about $500.00/month for retirement/college/savings

Random expenses in 2014:
1.Wedding Gifts = $100.00
2.Wedding Travel = $500.00
3.Car Registration(s) = $500.00
4.Kids’ birthday parties = $300.00 ($150.00 each for cake & ice cream, party supplies, presents, etc.)
5.Vacation = $500.00 (Not sure we’ll take one)
6.Clothing = $500.00 – we are all really in need of some clothes!
7.Home (random doings) = $150.00 – the house is so blah right now!
8.Birthday gifts/Graduation gifts = $150.00
9.Christmas = $400.00
Total Random = $3,100.00

Investments in 2014:
College:$300.00 for the year (fiancé does another $300.00)
Retirement:$5,500.00 for the year (fiancé max’s out his Roth also)

Savings will go toward:
Shoulder surgery: $4,500.00 $4,000.00/$4,500.00
Recover time: $5,500.00
Roof: $2,000.00
Gutters: $1,200.00

I don't know how to manage next year:
1. Throw tax return and other at retirement so I don't have to budget so much for that - if I do that I'd contribute $58.00/week to retirement; or
2. Throw tax return and other at random expenses so that they are covered and we don't have to worry about it. Save monthly for retirement and surgery, time off, and house improvements; or
3. Throw tax return and other at surgery, time, and house improvements so we can get that out of the way.

I think I could cash flow us through fiance's time off work for surgery if I throw it at retirement. I just don't know the best way to go about it.

Fiance will also help with everything except my portion of college, and retirement.

Any ideas?! We have a lot going on next year!

Update on college and son

November 20th, 2013 at 06:41 am

I would like to thank everyone for their input on my last post!

Gave son two tablets and after a little swaying, he is asleep and I got some homework done!!!! I have 24 days to turn in my homework and like 52 assignments left to do/turn in.. Ouch!

In regards to my college and graduating next semester, my advisor emailed me today and said "I'm sure we can find a way to work this out". She said that she'll talk to her supervisor and to give her a few days! I will follow up with her in a week or so if I don't hear anything before then.

Update

October 30th, 2013 at 03:18 am

Fiance got his bonus and it was $700.00!!!! That's about $2, 600.00 we have so far for shoulder surgery.

Here's an update on our goals:
Shoulder surgery: $4,000.00
Fiances time off: $6,000.00
Roof: $2,000.00
Gutters: $1,500.00
Fence: $10,000.00
Siding: $15,00.00

Yikes!! :-(

Some good news!

October 23rd, 2013 at 07:37 pm

Fiance got a letter last month from his bank that he has his mortgage through. The escrow payment is changing...not sure why. But his monthly payment will be $50.00 less a month (starts in November) because of escrow going down. He also gets his surplus returned to him, which is $224.15. What good news! :-)

Also, last year we had to buy a refrigerator because ours broke on us and fiance put it on his Sears credit card, it was no interest for a year and we had no emergency fund back then. Last payment is this month, so that will be another $70.00/month!

September 17th

September 18th, 2013 at 04:43 pm

Yesterday was a pretty productive day. Son had his two month appointment and had to get three shots...poor baby! Fiance and I found out that we are actually going to be able to replace the roof for basically nothing - holding back $500.00 for unexpected expenses. I got a homework assignment turned in for one class and another assignment halfway done for my other college class! Also got some laundry washed and dried..which is the easy part.

My goals for tonight:
1. unload/load dishwasher
2. wash/dry laundry
3. get SOME laundry folded!!! (this is always my problem)
4. complete/turn in a homework assignment

New goals!!

September 16th, 2013 at 10:36 pm

My fiance and I talked to our parents this weekend about what they wanted to contribute to the wedding. The wedding will be paid for! I will probably still hold back about $2,000.00 until we're sure that everything gets paid for.

Our new goals (I really have no idea how much things will cost. I'm just trying to get a ballpark idea and hopefully figuring too high):

1. Wedding (just in case) $500.00/$500.00
2. Shoulder surgery for fiance $0.00/$5,000.00
3. Income for time off during recovery $0.00/$20,000.00
4. Roof $500.00/$500.00 (my step-dad manages a roofing company where we live and can get us shingles for nothing and my biological father can help install it)
5. Siding $1,000.00/$7,000.00 (my step-dad also use to own his own business doing siding and roofing so he can help side our house)
6. Privacy fence $0.00/$5,000.00
7. Replace kitchen cupboards/cabinets $0.00/8,000.00
8. Finish basement (mainly wall under stairs and ceiling $0.00/$5,000.00
9. Family vehicle $0.00/$15,000.00

Accomplished something!

September 13th, 2013 at 08:14 pm

I got something accomplished last night!! It wasn’t much…but it was something! Load of dishes in the dishwasher, living room tidied up, and kids’ room picked up! I listen to the Dave Ramsey show to help me get through cleaning. I also had to leave my son in his car seat when we got home to keep him asleep for a while.

I can at least breath now in my own home! Hopefully tonight I can get some laundry done!! We’ll see. I’m not getting my hopes up.