True Confessions

Guys, I've fallen off the bandwagon. I can't even remember what I bought, but I definitely have bought something!!! BUT, I haven't bought anything for the last two weeks. And I'm staying out of the mall!!! NO GOING THERE! It's trouble.

I moved home last Saturday. My lease was up and it just made more sense to move home and save money than to try and lease an apartment for five months without a roommate (my roommate wanted to move home, too). I'm going to save at least $500/month on rent alone!

But, back to the no shopping strike. I'm back on it and more committed. I'll keep you posted!

Shopaholics Anonymous

Okay.... so, my finances are on track and I'm still socking away money to expand my emergency fund (my goal is to increase it by $1500 before I get married in August). But, I can't seem to stay out of the mall and off the internet! So, as of today, February 7, 2009, I am declaring a shopping ban (retailers, I'm sorry) for three months until May 7, 2009, with one exception: A pair of reasonably priced black pumps.

Why the exception? I NEED a new pair. And by need, it's not just a strong urge or desire, but a necessity. My pair is so worn out, the sole is completely worn at the tip (I mean, white material is showing!), and I've replaced the taps on the heel at least 3 times. It's time to give it up! I have my eye on a pair that are around $35.00 and I'm hoping to find a coupon to get an addition % off.

Other than a pair of new black pumps, I can't buy any other clothing item or accessories for myself (I won't be able to buy a brown bag until May). My purchases are limited to toiletries (nothing extraordinary), food, and items for my wedding.

:::: Sigh ::::

This is going to be tough, but I'm going to do it! Every time I resist the urge to buy something, I'm going to put the money into a new savings account just to see how much I would've spent on shopping! LOL!

Wish me the best!

Frugal Tips

It's been forever since I posted, and I apologize. Life has been busy. But, I wanted to share a few frugal tips that I use.

1. Shop on Ebay - Ebay is an excellent resource where you can find small, inexpensive items like electronics accessories. Why pay $10.00 at Target for iPod earphones when you can buy them on Ebay for half the price (including shipping)? Or why spend $20.00 at Sprint to buy a case for your Blackberry when you can buy one on Ebay for $4.95 (shipping included)?

2. Before you buy anything online at a store (i.e. Gap, Banana Republic, JCPenney), run a search in your favorite search engine (google, yahoo, etc.) for coupons. You will usually be able to find coupon codes that can save you the cost of shipping or more.

That's all for now. I'll update you on wedding details and financial fitness goals later!

Happy New Year!

A new year is here. A fresh start. A time to evaluate progress towards old goals and implement new goals. I didn't set any new year resolutions last year, but I did set a few goals around mid-February

1. Fund a $1,000 emergency fund - ACCOMPLISHED I was able to meet this goal by pairing down my expenses and funneling any extra money into a high-interest savings account.

2. Pay off my credit cards - IN PROGRESS I didn't reach this goal. However, I am very excited and pleased with my progress - as of today, my credit card debt is $2,742.00. I've paid off all but 1 card!!!! And my debt has been reduced from $7,986.22! I've paid off a total of $5,243.22! Even though I didn't meet my goal, I have significant progress towards it! I'm so encouraged. I'll have the rest of it paid off by March.

3. Pay off medical bills - ACCOMPLISHED Unfortunately I didn't write down the total amount of past due medical bills. I know I had three bills and I'd estimate the total was between $600 and $800. I set up payment plans with each provider, and stuck to my set payment amount of $50.00 until the bills were paid in full around August of 2008. YAY!


I'm very pleased with the progress I made towards reaching my goals for 2008. My goals for 2009? Planning a wedding and finding a job!