Back in March, my brother asked me if I wanted to sign up to run a 8k to support the One Love Foundation. I impulsively agreed and told myself that I would start my training that week. I had five weeks to get in shape and be able to run an 8k. To some people, this is a small task. To a former Virginia Tech Varisty Lacrosse player, this is a nightmare.
I have been an athlete my entire life. I am positive that I was on some sort of athletic field or court at least five days a week during my childhood and into my teens. During the other two days of the week and between competitive sporting events, I was running around my neighborhood playing Capture the Flag and Kick the Can. My point? I was constantly running. As I dove deeper into high school athletics, I began to trim the fat off my athletic repertoire and stayed focused on playing lacrosse and basketball. I had a brief stint on the cross country team during my sophomore year but the sheer pain on my parents faces as they had to sit through races was enough to make me throw in the towel (and the fact that I was terrible). To this day, I stand by the feeling that basketball was my passion. I was happy practicing every day and had a very anxious/nervous/excited feeling before every game. The only problem was that I sucked. Being a decent player in the "B" division of a yuppy private school conference was certainly not taking me anywhere past a trophy at graduation. I accepted the fact that lacrosse was the sport that was going to lead me to a college scholarship and after one weekend trip to Blacksburg, VA, I knew where I would be spending the next four years of my life.
As mentioned, I was never completely passionate about lacrosse, I was just above average at it. I was a mediocre player compared to the cream of the crop players that come out of Baltimore private schools. But being mediocre in this area, still gets you a sholarship to a great school. I admit though, my heart was never 100% in it. So this is me taking the blame for about 5% of my misery playing lacrosse at Virginia Tech. I attribute the other 95% to my coach.
And now we are back to running. I played lacrosse for two years at VT and this was about one year and eleven months too long. Two hour practices consisted of half conditioning (at least) and the rest lacrosse. For those college athletes reading this and thinking to themselves, "oh please it wasn't that bad," mark my words. It was ABUSIVE. By age 20 I had undergone two hip surgeries with an outlook that had me on the track for more if I continued playing. I talked to my friends at top five programs and they were appalled at the amount of conditioning we had to do on a daily basis. Fast forward eight years and I wonder why the thought of running makes me cringe....
So as I signed up to run the 8k, as usual, I put off any type of training and decided I was simply going to "wing it." The race was on a Saturday morning and the Thursday before I went out on a date to a sushi restaurant. As my luck would have it, I got food poisoning and was completely out of commission leading up to the start line at the race. I had barely eaten for two days and could only imagine how great it was going to be finishing my 8k at the same time as the half-marathoners. My brother encouraged me to pace myself and I would be fine. I was completely unaware of the concept of pacing myself. I always ran to beat someone else or to not get screamed at. I took his advice and took my sweet time. I ran the entire race (besides one giant hill) and finished in 53 minutes. I was shocked! Running was actually enjoyable?
Since that race in April, I have been running as much as possible....and verrrry slowly. I take my time, enjoy the weather, and clear my head after a long day at work. Most recently, I discovered the Nike + gps i phone app. This app is amazing! It tracks your runs for either time or distance. You can "virtually" run with other people and feel like you have a running partner without having to small talk during the run. As I said, I have been an athlete for my entire life, so I still have a competitive edge. My virtual running partner is a coworker of mine (we will call him Bromeo) and it has turned into a friendly competition each morning with who ran more the night before. If anyone else wants in on this, download the app and let me know! We could have a virutal running club.
In order to keep myself motivated during this little kick, I am going to be THAT person that posts my runs on Facebook. Trust me, I know this is lame, but it's motivational and holds me accountable to what I am saying right now. I fully expect to be "hidden" from several people.
There are a few morals to this story:
1. Do something you normally wouldn't do...running that 8k has changed me quite a bit
2. Get an i phone
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Change Can't be Planned....
It has been quite awhile since I wrote my last blog and I apologize to my large fan base for my absence (please note the sarcasm). Quite a bit has happened in my life over the past 6 weeks and if there is one thing that I have come to realize, it is that change can't be planned. The basis of my blog is about taking change one step at a time. It seemed like a great concept when I was attempting to tackle my financial hurricane of spending, or when I "planned" to make March all about working out and getting in shape. But, apparently life can throw you some cruveballs, and over the past 6 weeks weeks I got hit with quite a few. Although where I am right now is not exactly where I assumed I would be, I can say with assurance that the 12 month allotment I gave myself to change has fast-tracked itself and I am the happiest I have been in years.
In the beginning of March I woke up one morning and found myself suddenly single (literally got dumped in the morning). While I could go on and on about what I have learned from this relationship and the "soul searching" that didn't happen, I am not Carrie Bradshaw. The fact of the matter is that my ex and I had very little in common. He is a wonderful person and I have nothing but respect for him, but in hindsight it was not a good match. Having similar friends and hanging out at the same bars is not a recipe for happily ever after. The best part about becoming single is realizing that you can take the time to be as selfish as you want to be. I make dinner with my roommates, go to bed early, go to bed late, go out to dinner with friends, etc...Now, I was never held back from doing any of these things in my last relationship, but right now I only have to think for myself, and I love every second of it!
Curveball #2 was a new job opportunity. My job at the time involved mass amounts of traveling and working from a home office. I used to think this would be a golden opportunity...false. Working from home + driving in the car for 7 hours a day = schizophrenia (I realize this is my second reference to schizophrenia and I am starting to wonder if I may be on to something....). Regardless, it was miserable. I am now a firm believer that if you are unhappy in your professional life, your mood and attitude are directly affected 24 hours a day. My new career has me working in an office, Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. Although this sounds monotonous, it is the opposite. Everyone in my office is under the age of 35. Jokes are constantly flying, and the atmosphere is extremely positive. I am excited to go to work every morning, and I know longer have the Sunday Scaries (you know, when you spend the weekend partying and can't sleep on Sundays due to extreme anxiety about the work week and your bank account). So my happiness with my career has been directly translating over to my personal life. Probably because I now spend all of my personal time with my coworkers.....I can imagine many blogs will be written on office dynamics.
To avoid making this blog too long, I am going to wrap up and continue with my preaching in a few days. And while I dont plan on continuing with attacking a different issue each month (what did we learn today? Change can't be planned), I will keep the same name for the blog and hope that 12 notable changes happen to me this year.
In the beginning of March I woke up one morning and found myself suddenly single (literally got dumped in the morning). While I could go on and on about what I have learned from this relationship and the "soul searching" that didn't happen, I am not Carrie Bradshaw. The fact of the matter is that my ex and I had very little in common. He is a wonderful person and I have nothing but respect for him, but in hindsight it was not a good match. Having similar friends and hanging out at the same bars is not a recipe for happily ever after. The best part about becoming single is realizing that you can take the time to be as selfish as you want to be. I make dinner with my roommates, go to bed early, go to bed late, go out to dinner with friends, etc...Now, I was never held back from doing any of these things in my last relationship, but right now I only have to think for myself, and I love every second of it!
Curveball #2 was a new job opportunity. My job at the time involved mass amounts of traveling and working from a home office. I used to think this would be a golden opportunity...false. Working from home + driving in the car for 7 hours a day = schizophrenia (I realize this is my second reference to schizophrenia and I am starting to wonder if I may be on to something....). Regardless, it was miserable. I am now a firm believer that if you are unhappy in your professional life, your mood and attitude are directly affected 24 hours a day. My new career has me working in an office, Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. Although this sounds monotonous, it is the opposite. Everyone in my office is under the age of 35. Jokes are constantly flying, and the atmosphere is extremely positive. I am excited to go to work every morning, and I know longer have the Sunday Scaries (you know, when you spend the weekend partying and can't sleep on Sundays due to extreme anxiety about the work week and your bank account). So my happiness with my career has been directly translating over to my personal life. Probably because I now spend all of my personal time with my coworkers.....I can imagine many blogs will be written on office dynamics.
To avoid making this blog too long, I am going to wrap up and continue with my preaching in a few days. And while I dont plan on continuing with attacking a different issue each month (what did we learn today? Change can't be planned), I will keep the same name for the blog and hope that 12 notable changes happen to me this year.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Grrrrr, Google
Eight days ago the unthinkable happened. I woke up with no emails from my gmail account on my phone. When I went to sign on to gmail, I was informed that my google account had been disabled. The webpage that appeared let me know that I had violated the terms and conditions set by google. If I felt that my account had been wrongly disabled I could write an email to the address provided.
I immediately emailed the given address and acted like a model citizen that would never do anything to warrant disabling of my account. Yet, deep down inside I wondered what I did wrong. I even read the entire terms and conditions contract thingie from start to finish. Please note that this happened on a Monday morning. I would have done anything to avoid beginning my work day and a part of me was excited to have this challenge. This was NOT a short read. The jist of what I read was that you have to be a suspected serial killer to have your google account disabled. I knew this was a mistake....
Then it occurred to me that my entire google account being gone also meant my precious blog. I am still about 5 years behind in technology and the "world wide web" so this took a few minutes. I knew that I had to have somehow said something in my blog to have it shut down. Is there an underground world of schizophrenics that go to the circus that were offended I outed them? Is two-buck-chuck not to be smuggled over state lines? Is Ms. Frugalista mad that I dogged her for selling a 120 page book for $14.95?
Turns out, Google, a leader in the world of technology, nuked 150,000 gmail accounts for no reason. There are some 193 million gmail accounts and, according to an article, that is .08% of gmail users. Pretty much I won the Google lottery and I have nothing to show for it. Thanks Google.
So I am officially back up and running as of two days ago. To sum up February....it was hard. $100/week is no joke. I saved some money and I paid off my credit card. Mission: accomplished.
Now on to March. I will be writing my March opening blog right after I post this one. I didn't want to blend them together. Stay tuned.....
I immediately emailed the given address and acted like a model citizen that would never do anything to warrant disabling of my account. Yet, deep down inside I wondered what I did wrong. I even read the entire terms and conditions contract thingie from start to finish. Please note that this happened on a Monday morning. I would have done anything to avoid beginning my work day and a part of me was excited to have this challenge. This was NOT a short read. The jist of what I read was that you have to be a suspected serial killer to have your google account disabled. I knew this was a mistake....
Then it occurred to me that my entire google account being gone also meant my precious blog. I am still about 5 years behind in technology and the "world wide web" so this took a few minutes. I knew that I had to have somehow said something in my blog to have it shut down. Is there an underground world of schizophrenics that go to the circus that were offended I outed them? Is two-buck-chuck not to be smuggled over state lines? Is Ms. Frugalista mad that I dogged her for selling a 120 page book for $14.95?
Turns out, Google, a leader in the world of technology, nuked 150,000 gmail accounts for no reason. There are some 193 million gmail accounts and, according to an article, that is .08% of gmail users. Pretty much I won the Google lottery and I have nothing to show for it. Thanks Google.
So I am officially back up and running as of two days ago. To sum up February....it was hard. $100/week is no joke. I saved some money and I paid off my credit card. Mission: accomplished.
Now on to March. I will be writing my March opening blog right after I post this one. I didn't want to blend them together. Stay tuned.....
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Frugalista
Sixteen days into the month of February I finally cracked. Although I have allowed myself $100/week for food, drinks, and shopping, I think we all know that there is NO room for shopping in this budget. I celebrated my triumph of no shopping for 12 days this weekend to Howard. He looked at me in utter shock. "Are you serious that 12 days is a long time to not shop?" I looked back at him with the look of a sad puppy dog, acknowledging how truly naive he was to my comment, and told him that 12 days of no shopping was equivalent to him choosing not to attend a Ravens home game. Suddenly, it clicked....
Although I say "I cracked," I do believe that this was for good reason and could have been much worse. I got out of my car while visiting a client and knew that I wanted to at least walk into a few shops that were near the salon. For the past few weeks I have allowed myself this luxury, yet I leave my wallet in the car. I don't think it is wrong of me to want to check out the Spring styles or to strangely sniff the clothes to smell the exuberance of new cotton. Although sales associates frown upon the latter. Today, I brought my check card and license. For some reason I thought this was better than the entire purse, like I was going to not buy something because I didn't have my car keys or cell phone as well. My first stop was Barnes and Noble. I wandered the isles and checked out the best sellers, new cookbooks, and shockingly found myself spending an extended period of time in the self help section. Interesting. As I was getting ready to leave the store, I felt a book called "The Frugalista Files" jumping off the table and into my arms. Two things about this book: 1) It is based off a blog written by a 20-something girl that found herself broke and in debt because she didn't want to give up her fabulous lifestyle. I CANNOT BELIEVE that someone has stolen my thunder! I bet she didn't think to write about something different each month. 2) Based on the idea behind the book, I was shocked and fairly annoyed when I saw that the book was $14.95. And even more shocked that the Canadians have to pay $17.95. Regardless, the book is 165 pages of EXACTLY what I should be reading to get myself back on track and I have to pay $14.95 for it? This Natalie P. McNeal would have gotten a wordy letter from me had I let this buy (yes, I bought it) taken me completely off track of my monthly goals. Buying just one item opens a vicious door to quickly spending hundreds.
Luckily, this book was the only damage I did today to my bank account. I went into Target and Ann Taylor Loft after this, and didn't buy anything. Not because I didn't want, and wasn't now prepared to blow everything, I just luckily didn't see anything that I wanted.
I'm looking forward to reading the book and learning a few new tricks. This author has a lot to make for after all she put me through today.
Although I say "I cracked," I do believe that this was for good reason and could have been much worse. I got out of my car while visiting a client and knew that I wanted to at least walk into a few shops that were near the salon. For the past few weeks I have allowed myself this luxury, yet I leave my wallet in the car. I don't think it is wrong of me to want to check out the Spring styles or to strangely sniff the clothes to smell the exuberance of new cotton. Although sales associates frown upon the latter. Today, I brought my check card and license. For some reason I thought this was better than the entire purse, like I was going to not buy something because I didn't have my car keys or cell phone as well. My first stop was Barnes and Noble. I wandered the isles and checked out the best sellers, new cookbooks, and shockingly found myself spending an extended period of time in the self help section. Interesting. As I was getting ready to leave the store, I felt a book called "The Frugalista Files" jumping off the table and into my arms. Two things about this book: 1) It is based off a blog written by a 20-something girl that found herself broke and in debt because she didn't want to give up her fabulous lifestyle. I CANNOT BELIEVE that someone has stolen my thunder! I bet she didn't think to write about something different each month. 2) Based on the idea behind the book, I was shocked and fairly annoyed when I saw that the book was $14.95. And even more shocked that the Canadians have to pay $17.95. Regardless, the book is 165 pages of EXACTLY what I should be reading to get myself back on track and I have to pay $14.95 for it? This Natalie P. McNeal would have gotten a wordy letter from me had I let this buy (yes, I bought it) taken me completely off track of my monthly goals. Buying just one item opens a vicious door to quickly spending hundreds.
Luckily, this book was the only damage I did today to my bank account. I went into Target and Ann Taylor Loft after this, and didn't buy anything. Not because I didn't want, and wasn't now prepared to blow everything, I just luckily didn't see anything that I wanted.
I'm looking forward to reading the book and learning a few new tricks. This author has a lot to make for after all she put me through today.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Girls Night
Last night I was able to spend some much needed time with three of my girlfriends from high school. It is always nice to take a night away from boyfriends, husbands, and babies to gossip about the unimportant things in life and to simply "check-in" with your friends. Throughout the night I realized that no matter where each of us are in our lives, we all seem to be in the same boat when it comes to finances. No, all of my friends aren't spreading themselves so thin that they found the need to start a blog about being a financial mess, BUT it was apparent that everyone has money on the forefront of their minds at all times. I guess what it comes down to is that all of life's decisions and choices somehow or another involve money. We had serious conversations and we had downright hilarious conversations (I never knew having a mother-in-law could be such a task!), but by the end of the night I found myself feeling huge amounts of admiration for each one of these ladies, all for very different reasons. Here are there stories.... (yes, I watch too much Law & Order)
**names are changed, yet not as obvious as Howard.
We decided to have the girls night at Cheetah's house because she lives next to Whole Food's. You must understand that we are NOT the type of girls to eat healthy and be excited about Whole Foods. Cheetah was devastated as she told us the story about trying to find junk food at Whole Foods after a long day of drinking for a Raven's Game. I believe vegan chicken wings were involved; I would rather starve. Anyway, Cheetah had us to her house because she has mastered the Whole Foods meal schedule. With these options and this schedule, she gets away with looking like she slaved over the stove all day. Admiration #1 for Cheetah. She beat the system. Here is the schedule:
Monday- Meatloaf night. $10 meatloaf for $6. Cheetah swears it is the best meatloaf. I hear the word meatloaf and think of Will Farrell in Wedding Crashers, "maaaaaaaaa, the meatloaf!!!"
Tuesday- Buy 1, get one free pizza night. Approximately 16 inch pizzas and a variety of toppings. Comes frozen with no box. No box = no delivery = homemade.
Wednesday-Buy 1 soup, get 1 free night. Cheetah made it very clear to me that Chili was an option. Phew
Thursday- Soup and grilled cheese night. This is not from whole foods. This is leftover soup and a homemade grilled cheese. Now, grilled cheese is something I can handle. Sometimes I jazz it up with a slice of tomato, but only if I'm showing off.
Friday- Dip Night. Yup.
The moral of the story is that if you live near Whole Foods, take advantage. This is a great way to cut back on groceries AND look like you are Martha Flippin Stewart.
Rosalita is six months pregnant. She didn't drink any wine. Impressive. She has always been the friend that encourages me to take advantage of my single years and if I want something, buy it. Because once you have someone looking over your shoulder, a mortgage to pay, and savings to create, the frivolous items are few and far between. Maybe she should have been a culprit from blog #1? Kidding. I listened last night as Rosalita talked about negotiating maternity leave with her company and childcare options when she goes back to work. My head was spinning. Weren't we just living together in a rat infested house, cracking open natty lights at noon? I was overly impressed with her maturity and grace as she prepares to become a mother. Not to mention the basketball on her stomach and the lack of any baby weight on her body. She is one hot mama!
I admire my friend, Skywalker, for two reasons. First and foremost, she drank the disgusting wine that I brought with me last night. Girls night did not mean that I was going to break my budget. So, unfortunately, I brought a $9 1.5 liter of wine. It really wasn't too bad going down and I was impressed. Skywalker and I almost polished off the entire bottle. But if she is like me, her head was pounding this morning. Lesson learned; don't drink my contributed wine during Financial Freedom February. Skywalker is in a unique situation right now. Her and her husband just submitted their top five list for his residency program. I have no idea if I explained that correctly, but if you are like me, just imagine Meredith Gray and George O'Malley at Seattle Grace. Ultimately, Skywalker and her husband chose their #1 choice in an expensive city, but the best hospital in the country. #2 choice was almost equally as impressive of a hospital yet in a city where cost of living is relatively inexpensive. Let me start by saying that her attitude towards all of this was amazing. She believes that no matter what happens, they will be happy (she is right!). Through our conversations last night, I began to see just how much goes in to a decision like this. From what I gathered, the biggest factor was the cost of living. Ultimately, Skywalker and her husband want children. Will they raise their children in a condo in the city, or in a five bedroom farmhouse on many acres of land? This was obviously a tough decision. I kept thinking, wow! She is a patient, loving, amazing wife. I am sure at some point, I will be faced with similar decisions about the quality of life for my family. I can only hope that I exemplify the same unselfish qualities that Skywalker is exhibiting right now.
So that was girls night, minus all of the gossip :) We have all come really far over the past five years, but no matter what, these nights keep us grounded.
**names are changed, yet not as obvious as Howard.
We decided to have the girls night at Cheetah's house because she lives next to Whole Food's. You must understand that we are NOT the type of girls to eat healthy and be excited about Whole Foods. Cheetah was devastated as she told us the story about trying to find junk food at Whole Foods after a long day of drinking for a Raven's Game. I believe vegan chicken wings were involved; I would rather starve. Anyway, Cheetah had us to her house because she has mastered the Whole Foods meal schedule. With these options and this schedule, she gets away with looking like she slaved over the stove all day. Admiration #1 for Cheetah. She beat the system. Here is the schedule:
Monday- Meatloaf night. $10 meatloaf for $6. Cheetah swears it is the best meatloaf. I hear the word meatloaf and think of Will Farrell in Wedding Crashers, "maaaaaaaaa, the meatloaf!!!"
Tuesday- Buy 1, get one free pizza night. Approximately 16 inch pizzas and a variety of toppings. Comes frozen with no box. No box = no delivery = homemade.
Wednesday-Buy 1 soup, get 1 free night. Cheetah made it very clear to me that Chili was an option. Phew
Thursday- Soup and grilled cheese night. This is not from whole foods. This is leftover soup and a homemade grilled cheese. Now, grilled cheese is something I can handle. Sometimes I jazz it up with a slice of tomato, but only if I'm showing off.
Friday- Dip Night. Yup.
The moral of the story is that if you live near Whole Foods, take advantage. This is a great way to cut back on groceries AND look like you are Martha Flippin Stewart.
Rosalita is six months pregnant. She didn't drink any wine. Impressive. She has always been the friend that encourages me to take advantage of my single years and if I want something, buy it. Because once you have someone looking over your shoulder, a mortgage to pay, and savings to create, the frivolous items are few and far between. Maybe she should have been a culprit from blog #1? Kidding. I listened last night as Rosalita talked about negotiating maternity leave with her company and childcare options when she goes back to work. My head was spinning. Weren't we just living together in a rat infested house, cracking open natty lights at noon? I was overly impressed with her maturity and grace as she prepares to become a mother. Not to mention the basketball on her stomach and the lack of any baby weight on her body. She is one hot mama!
I admire my friend, Skywalker, for two reasons. First and foremost, she drank the disgusting wine that I brought with me last night. Girls night did not mean that I was going to break my budget. So, unfortunately, I brought a $9 1.5 liter of wine. It really wasn't too bad going down and I was impressed. Skywalker and I almost polished off the entire bottle. But if she is like me, her head was pounding this morning. Lesson learned; don't drink my contributed wine during Financial Freedom February. Skywalker is in a unique situation right now. Her and her husband just submitted their top five list for his residency program. I have no idea if I explained that correctly, but if you are like me, just imagine Meredith Gray and George O'Malley at Seattle Grace. Ultimately, Skywalker and her husband chose their #1 choice in an expensive city, but the best hospital in the country. #2 choice was almost equally as impressive of a hospital yet in a city where cost of living is relatively inexpensive. Let me start by saying that her attitude towards all of this was amazing. She believes that no matter what happens, they will be happy (she is right!). Through our conversations last night, I began to see just how much goes in to a decision like this. From what I gathered, the biggest factor was the cost of living. Ultimately, Skywalker and her husband want children. Will they raise their children in a condo in the city, or in a five bedroom farmhouse on many acres of land? This was obviously a tough decision. I kept thinking, wow! She is a patient, loving, amazing wife. I am sure at some point, I will be faced with similar decisions about the quality of life for my family. I can only hope that I exemplify the same unselfish qualities that Skywalker is exhibiting right now.
So that was girls night, minus all of the gossip :) We have all come really far over the past five years, but no matter what, these nights keep us grounded.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Week One Down
There are many goals that I have set for myself during Financial Freedom February. Some are very small strides that include not spending $50 at Rite Aid on nail polish, lip gloss, or any other item that I simply MUST try. Other goals include ending the month with no credit card debt, and at least $1,500 in my savings account. For me to accomplish being debt free with a teensy bit of savings, I decided that I would attempt to spend only $100/week on food, drink, and shopping. This seemed like a very cut-and-dry mission, but after the first week I noticed that there were any stipulations. Regardless, I came very close to achieving my goal and ended the week spending $112.00. Here is how it went....
On Monday, I took $100 of cash out of my bank account. For the first few days, I spend minimal amounts of money on eating, sticking to bagels, pasta, and sandwiches. While a part of me was hopeful that this challenge would allow me to lose a few pounds, false. Apparently carbs are very cheap and can be bought, cooked in bulk. Take a guess at what March will be about....
So then Wednesday came around and I was thrown a curve ball. I was traveling to Richmond and Norfolk for an overnight work trip. Before leaving Baltimore, I went to my local coffee house for a cup of Joe and ran into three friends. They had all read my blog, so I asked their opinion. My company pays for my meals when I am on the road. Do I count my meals while traveling towards my $100/week? Or do I embrace the filet in my future? All three friends agreed...the purpose of my blog is for me to save my money. If someone else is paying, I should by all means accept. While traveling Wednesday and Thursday, I expensed my meals. This made made my goal a bit more achievable, although I still feel like I am cheating somehow because not everyone has this luxury. But like my friends said, if someone else is paying, all is fair.
Friday came around and my boyfriend and I went to dinner with two other couples. I knew in my head that I was going to blow my budget, but it was a great night, and I was ok with it. I wasn't going to become that annoying person that is always penny pinching and making everyone else uncomfortable. I agreed to go to dinner, so I was going to spend money. The bill came, I took out my check card, and my boyfriend (let's refer to him as Howard from here on out) refused to let me pay. I didn't even do the prolonged purse grab where I gradually take my wallet out as I bat my eyes lovingly. With conviction I took out the card and put it in front of him. Maybe this technique works better? I plan to experiment more with this. So, again I am taken back to the $100/week and what counts and what doesn't. Trust me, I am not trying to become some independent women that needs "no man to make me happy." If Howard would like to pay, that is a very nice gesture, and really nothing out of the ordinary. Although he won't be treated to a nice dinner from me during this month, I see many delicious pasta dishes in his immediate future.
Going into Sunday, I still had $35 of cash in my wallet. Typically, this would have been MORE than enough to get me through the day. I could have even shown my face at church and gave money in the collection. Or I could have finally bought a coffee maker and really cut down on my weekly expenses. Instead, it was Super Bowl Sunday and I committed to making pulled pork for Howard's party. I spent $47 at the grocery store using my check card. Although I went over my budget, the night ended with about 4 out of the 6lbs of pulled pork left over. Well worth it because this will account for quite a few meals this week.
As I go into the second week of my challenge, I now know that there are a few exceptions to my $100/week goal. If I am traveling, I will by all means let my company pay. Relationships are about give and take. If Howard would like to pay for a meal, I will let him. At the same time, I will not take advantage of my luck and will make more meals at home that are within my budget.
I was very excited to get an email this morning from a good friend asking me how my first week went. She told me that she took out $100 from her bank account this morning and is going to try the challenge this week. I was thrilled to hear that others are hopping on board! I am looking forward to including other people's successes in my blogs, as well as suggestions they may have to be successful.
Let's have a savvy week!
-L
On Monday, I took $100 of cash out of my bank account. For the first few days, I spend minimal amounts of money on eating, sticking to bagels, pasta, and sandwiches. While a part of me was hopeful that this challenge would allow me to lose a few pounds, false. Apparently carbs are very cheap and can be bought, cooked in bulk. Take a guess at what March will be about....
So then Wednesday came around and I was thrown a curve ball. I was traveling to Richmond and Norfolk for an overnight work trip. Before leaving Baltimore, I went to my local coffee house for a cup of Joe and ran into three friends. They had all read my blog, so I asked their opinion. My company pays for my meals when I am on the road. Do I count my meals while traveling towards my $100/week? Or do I embrace the filet in my future? All three friends agreed...the purpose of my blog is for me to save my money. If someone else is paying, I should by all means accept. While traveling Wednesday and Thursday, I expensed my meals. This made made my goal a bit more achievable, although I still feel like I am cheating somehow because not everyone has this luxury. But like my friends said, if someone else is paying, all is fair.
Friday came around and my boyfriend and I went to dinner with two other couples. I knew in my head that I was going to blow my budget, but it was a great night, and I was ok with it. I wasn't going to become that annoying person that is always penny pinching and making everyone else uncomfortable. I agreed to go to dinner, so I was going to spend money. The bill came, I took out my check card, and my boyfriend (let's refer to him as Howard from here on out) refused to let me pay. I didn't even do the prolonged purse grab where I gradually take my wallet out as I bat my eyes lovingly. With conviction I took out the card and put it in front of him. Maybe this technique works better? I plan to experiment more with this. So, again I am taken back to the $100/week and what counts and what doesn't. Trust me, I am not trying to become some independent women that needs "no man to make me happy." If Howard would like to pay, that is a very nice gesture, and really nothing out of the ordinary. Although he won't be treated to a nice dinner from me during this month, I see many delicious pasta dishes in his immediate future.
Going into Sunday, I still had $35 of cash in my wallet. Typically, this would have been MORE than enough to get me through the day. I could have even shown my face at church and gave money in the collection. Or I could have finally bought a coffee maker and really cut down on my weekly expenses. Instead, it was Super Bowl Sunday and I committed to making pulled pork for Howard's party. I spent $47 at the grocery store using my check card. Although I went over my budget, the night ended with about 4 out of the 6lbs of pulled pork left over. Well worth it because this will account for quite a few meals this week.
As I go into the second week of my challenge, I now know that there are a few exceptions to my $100/week goal. If I am traveling, I will by all means let my company pay. Relationships are about give and take. If Howard would like to pay for a meal, I will let him. At the same time, I will not take advantage of my luck and will make more meals at home that are within my budget.
I was very excited to get an email this morning from a good friend asking me how my first week went. She told me that she took out $100 from her bank account this morning and is going to try the challenge this week. I was thrilled to hear that others are hopping on board! I am looking forward to including other people's successes in my blogs, as well as suggestions they may have to be successful.
Let's have a savvy week!
-L
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Virginia is for Lovers
I spent the better part of my drive to Richmond, Va today to think about what I would write about next. It occurred to me that I have the same routine each morning. This usually occurs around 5am when my dog has decided to move from one side of the bed to the next, stand on my head, stare at me, and demand to be let under the covers. I willingly agree because I have no idea how to say no to her...ever. So with this daily, sudden, too soon, wakening, I always reach over to my phone and check my emails. I would like to say I check for important work emails, but really I am bracing myself for the fantastic daily deals that are coming in from jcrew.com, anntaylorloft.com, sephora.com, groupon.com, and living social.com. Without fail, one of these emails will have something amazing to offer me. How could I possibly resist 60% off sale items at Ann Taylor Loft? or the 6 hot yoga classes from Bikram, offered by Groupon, that I will NEVER use?
This morning was like every other morning. Although on my drive to Richmond I made the bold decision to unsubscribe from these temptations on the spot. Literally, my texting, emailing, unsubscribing while driving needs to stop. Needless to say, I got the job done. If I didn't have a dog, I would say I have more hours of sleep to look forward to each morning. No dice.
So as I said, this was my thought process this morning. I was so proud of my first step to avoiding shopping temptations. AND THEN IT HIT ME....
In the state of Virginia you can buy "2-buck-chuck" from Trader Joe's!!!! This was a greater realization than anything that crossed my mind in the hours prior. "2-buck-chuck," for those deprived souls that don't know, is a delicious bottle of wine that only costs $3.29/bottle (used to cost $2). My biggest concern throughout this entire cost-cutting extravaganza was how I was going to continue drinking the amount of wine that I tend to drink (seriously). Problem solved. You better believe I bought 5 bottles and then walked next door to Food Lion and bought a six-pack of Ramen.
This morning was like every other morning. Although on my drive to Richmond I made the bold decision to unsubscribe from these temptations on the spot. Literally, my texting, emailing, unsubscribing while driving needs to stop. Needless to say, I got the job done. If I didn't have a dog, I would say I have more hours of sleep to look forward to each morning. No dice.
So as I said, this was my thought process this morning. I was so proud of my first step to avoiding shopping temptations. AND THEN IT HIT ME....
In the state of Virginia you can buy "2-buck-chuck" from Trader Joe's!!!! This was a greater realization than anything that crossed my mind in the hours prior. "2-buck-chuck," for those deprived souls that don't know, is a delicious bottle of wine that only costs $3.29/bottle (used to cost $2). My biggest concern throughout this entire cost-cutting extravaganza was how I was going to continue drinking the amount of wine that I tend to drink (seriously). Problem solved. You better believe I bought 5 bottles and then walked next door to Food Lion and bought a six-pack of Ramen.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Financial Freedom February!
Wow! I actually did it. I managed to create a blog. I wouldn't say I am the most technologically savvy person, so this blog may take some time to look "spiffy."
I woke up this morning and decided to create a blog about my life. I am 27 years old, not married, childless, and my career choices have been comparable to how, I would imagine, a schizophrenic feels at a circus....use your imagination.
So with that being said, I have A LOT to get off my chest. I mean...blog about. I mean...give advice about.
The idea behind my blog is that change and growing up in your mid to late twenties can't be tackled all at once. I cannot decide on January 1st that I am going to get my finances together, lose weight, live healthier, fall in love, and devote more time to family all at once. Let me tell you what is going to happen (speaking from experience). You try everything at once, you feel great for a week and then BAM! One of your goals starts to dissipate and the rest scatter with it.
12 Months, 12 Cracks at Change. I have decided that instead of tackling "life" all at once, I am going to take the various sectors of life and approach them by month. So let's begin...
February: Financial Freedom February!
I choose "Financial Freedom February" to be my first month-long blog topic because I am a hot mess with my finances. That being said, I will wait a few weeks to share this blog with both my parents and boyfriend. I am hopeful that by then they won't take the time to refer to my first ever blog. And although I am mature enough to admit this financial irresponsibility, it is fitting for a 27 year old like myself to blame others for this mess.
Culprit #1: Apollo. Apollo is the wonderful landlord of mine that had myself and three roommates sign a lease in June, move in July 10th, and then foreclosed on his (our) home August 31st. Although I would like to be furious about his irresponsible actions (uhhem who am I to talk), I have been living rent free since September 1st. If I did my math correctly, I should have saved $3,750. My current savings account has $400.65. Apollo is to blame because I was unexpectedly given an extra $725/month. Naturally, with such little notice, I spent it all. On what? No clue.
Culprit #2: My Job. I travel on a daily basis to different salons along the east coast. Salons are typically in shopping centers. I go to salons, I work. I go next door, I spend. It is a nasty habit I am having trouble breaking. If the stores are in front of me, I go in. Once I am in, coming out empty handed is almost impossible.
Culprit #3: Canton Square. The Canton Square Association should pay a psychiatrist to sit on one of the park benches and counsel the countless amount of people that sacrifice their diets, wallets, livers, pride, and dignity to their venues on a nightly basis. This topic could have an entire month devoted to it (stayed tuned for "Square Sucks the life out of you September). But for now, I am simply saying I throw away money on The Square entirely too often.
As you can see, my financial instability is due to the outside influences that I encounter on a daily basis This couldn't possibly be my fault could it? If a stranger in the park ever offered candy to me as a child, I wouldn't be here today. I want instant gratification, regardless of consequences.
Thank goodness for "Financial Freedom February!" I ask you to follow me this month as I tackle the financial challenges that come my way.
My first goal is to spend $100/week. This includes food, drink, and shopping. Here we go......
I woke up this morning and decided to create a blog about my life. I am 27 years old, not married, childless, and my career choices have been comparable to how, I would imagine, a schizophrenic feels at a circus....use your imagination.
So with that being said, I have A LOT to get off my chest. I mean...blog about. I mean...give advice about.
The idea behind my blog is that change and growing up in your mid to late twenties can't be tackled all at once. I cannot decide on January 1st that I am going to get my finances together, lose weight, live healthier, fall in love, and devote more time to family all at once. Let me tell you what is going to happen (speaking from experience). You try everything at once, you feel great for a week and then BAM! One of your goals starts to dissipate and the rest scatter with it.
12 Months, 12 Cracks at Change. I have decided that instead of tackling "life" all at once, I am going to take the various sectors of life and approach them by month. So let's begin...
February: Financial Freedom February!
I choose "Financial Freedom February" to be my first month-long blog topic because I am a hot mess with my finances. That being said, I will wait a few weeks to share this blog with both my parents and boyfriend. I am hopeful that by then they won't take the time to refer to my first ever blog. And although I am mature enough to admit this financial irresponsibility, it is fitting for a 27 year old like myself to blame others for this mess.
Culprit #1: Apollo. Apollo is the wonderful landlord of mine that had myself and three roommates sign a lease in June, move in July 10th, and then foreclosed on his (our) home August 31st. Although I would like to be furious about his irresponsible actions (uhhem who am I to talk), I have been living rent free since September 1st. If I did my math correctly, I should have saved $3,750. My current savings account has $400.65. Apollo is to blame because I was unexpectedly given an extra $725/month. Naturally, with such little notice, I spent it all. On what? No clue.
Culprit #2: My Job. I travel on a daily basis to different salons along the east coast. Salons are typically in shopping centers. I go to salons, I work. I go next door, I spend. It is a nasty habit I am having trouble breaking. If the stores are in front of me, I go in. Once I am in, coming out empty handed is almost impossible.
Culprit #3: Canton Square. The Canton Square Association should pay a psychiatrist to sit on one of the park benches and counsel the countless amount of people that sacrifice their diets, wallets, livers, pride, and dignity to their venues on a nightly basis. This topic could have an entire month devoted to it (stayed tuned for "Square Sucks the life out of you September). But for now, I am simply saying I throw away money on The Square entirely too often.
As you can see, my financial instability is due to the outside influences that I encounter on a daily basis This couldn't possibly be my fault could it? If a stranger in the park ever offered candy to me as a child, I wouldn't be here today. I want instant gratification, regardless of consequences.
Thank goodness for "Financial Freedom February!" I ask you to follow me this month as I tackle the financial challenges that come my way.
My first goal is to spend $100/week. This includes food, drink, and shopping. Here we go......
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