Where did May go?

Wow time certainly flies!  I can't believe we are the last day of May and starting June in a few hours.

Lets see how my goals went:

• Pay off Student Loan # 1 - CHECK!!!  It's PAID IN FULL
• Add $750 to emergency fund bringing it to $1500 - CHECK!!!  It's currently at $1658.00
• Try to eat less chocolate!  - This is going to be so hard!  I'm so addicted. - Well maybe... a little less.  But not really a check at all.

 Not too bad.  I'm happy with that.  Only a few goals but it's a start.  It will help be get comfortable with setting goals.

Budget is basically remaining the same.  Car payment and insurances are the big items for this pay and the addition to the emergency fund.  I will make another small payment on the credit card.  Groceries and entertainment jars are remaining a little low so I can boost the amount I can add to the efund and I will bump them up when it's fully funded.

On a different note, I went to the bank today to cash in the excess change from the yard sale and I needed to get $40 to finish funding my jars for the next two weeks.  I had a bag of change and a roll of quarters.  I told the cashier what I wanted and said that she could just deposit the remainder of the change into my account.  She counted the changed and told me that there was only $38.40.  I was confused because I was sure it should have been $48.40 but I thought maybe I miscounted or something and just asked for the $40 from my account anyway.  As I drove home it was really bugging me and by the time I got in the house I was determined to figure out what went wrong.  First thing I did was look at the paperwork where I had tallied the amount of changed and it showed the amount I thought I had.  So I logged into my bank account.  Well there was an additional deposit of $10.00 made after I left the bank.  Yay!!!  I think she must of set the roll of quarters to the side and forgot to add it in the total.  I am just thankful that it was deposited into my account and that I wasn't going crazy.

YARD SALE $$$

 $250... I made 250 bucks!!!

I thought I set the bar really really high when I said I would like to make $300 but I came pretty close.  Got rid of a tonne of stuff!  What didn't sell went right into my car and to the Salvation Army for donation.  They only wanted clothes so the few things they didn't want I will take somewhere else on Monday or toss them.

So between today and last yard sale (no more yard sales either!) I made $345.00.  I will donate 10% to charity and the rest will go towards my emergency fund!!!

Thanks for all your support and encouragement!  Hope all the other yard sales today did just as well or better!  :)

Have a great weekend all!  And long weekend for my American friends!

This, that and the other....

I must start by saying, I love my new life!  I've been doing the "budget" thing for a number of years now but it hadn't clicked and didn't "work".  But now, I have money in the bank!  And I have NO desire to spend it.  In fact, other than groceries and such, I haven't spent money on anything since I started.  I do budget some for entertainment so its not like I'm sitting around twiddling my thumbs.  When there is something I need to spend money on I am much more cautious.

I am still working on building my emergency fund to the goal amount of $2000.00.  But I am making progress.  In fact, this weekend is the next yard sale.  I have picked up a bunch of stuff that my friend gave me to sell.  I would love to make $300 this weekend.  Not sure if that's even possible but I am hoping to have little to nothing left over.  Stuff will go cheap at the very least.

I'm not really having trouble staying on my budget.  With the jars, its great.  If there is money in it, I can use it.  If its empty, I have to wait until the next payday.  It does require me to be conscious when spending but it doesn't feel restricting either.  It's working for me.

I have been very fortunate as well.  I have been given a bunch of second hand clothes and really don't need to purchase anything.  I can probably get by without spending money on clothes until my debt is paid off.  I will certainly try.  I'm not a big clothes person anyway.  I have minimal shoes and spend the most on replacing my runners and I try to stretch them out for as long as possible.  But that can cause some painful injuries so I have to be reasonable about spending money there.  I am using up all the health and beauty products I have stored up.  I won't need to buy soap or body wash for at least a year!

This past weekend was a long weekend and I had a really good weekend.  I spent little to no money too!  I mowed, went running, rollerblading and went for a nice long road bike ride.  Hmm well the road bike ride was eventful.  I actually did a flip over the handle bars and got injured but nothing severe.  Thankfully!  I have a few bruises, an injured shoulder and a bit of whiplash.  Could of been much, much worse.  And yes, I was wearing a helmet.  I had been trying to sell my bike but I really enjoy being able to go biking with the gang.  I think I will keep it (also thankfully the bike wasn't damaged).

Well I think thats enough rambling for now.  I'll post after the yard sale and update my ticker!

Cruelty Free Products

I'm looking for some suggestions from you on your favourite cruelty free products.  (see my babies in my title bar)

Since we are approaching summer (well here anyway) I am really interested in some sunscreens.

But any suggestions on any personal care products, make up and even household cleaners (or anything else) is greatly appreciated.  

Thanks!

My First (and second) Cars

This post is inspired by Niki at Debt Free By Thirty.  She wrote The story of my first car.  Please stop by her blog if you haven't already and read this post.  It's a great read.  Niki was inspired by Minting Nickel's post Signs My Car May Be A Hooptie.  Also a good post.

My very first car was a gift from my mother.  It was her car for about 6 years (she bought it when it was a few years old).  It was a little blue Hyundai Excel.  She had gotten a "new to her" van and was so kind to pass the car on to me. I moved a couple of hours away from home and the car was a real blessing.  I lived far from school and far from home.  This meant I didn't have to use the bus and I was able to travel back home to visit as often as was possible.  It was a great little car and didn't have too many problems....  just one really loud one!  The exhaust was leaking.  She was affectionately known as "Blue Thunder".   I sold here when I was done with school and moving on to the next chapter in my life.

Not my car, mine was blue.

My second car came along about a year after Blue Thunder and I parted ways.  My brother, a mechanic, had found a car that was perfect for me.  I paid cold hard cash for her.  She was owned by an older lady and had been stored in an underground garage for a few years before she decided to sell her.  I paid $800.00 for a 1986 (this was in 2002) Oldsmobile Firenza Coupe also in blue.

Also not my car since she was blue too.

She needed a name, so I thought and pondered.  I finally decided on Blue Retro.  It fit her perfectly.  She was a great car!!!  Not without her problems though.  She was aged and had been stored for too long.  Once she hit the air she started having some issues. 

She used to go through tranny fluid like crazy, so much so that I carried a 4 litre jug with me at all times.  The starter had issues so I also had to carry a metal bar with me so that I could "tap" the starter when she wouldn't start.  

But I think the worst issue by far was when her heater broke, in the middle of winter.  I was living in Ottawa at the time and my brother was in Toronto.  

One memorable journey, in particular,  I was heading back to Ottawa and my brother didn't have time to check out the heater and see if he could fix the issue for me so... I bundled up.  It was a very cold day.  I even borrowed a blanket from my brother so I could cover up my legs.  Keep in mind this is about a five hour drive.  During my drive I had to stop and scrape ice off the inside of the windshield and I had to stop at some rest stops to warm up.  I had that blanket tucked in so tight, I had sweaters and a jacket on.  A toque and mittens.  By the time I got home I couldn't feel my toes anymore.

But she lasted for 4 years!  I learned lots about cars from her.  She payed for herself many, many times over.  Yes she cost money in repairs but never that much at a time.  Sometimes I still miss her.  She certainly had personality.

Have a great long weekend for those of you who get it and a great weekend for the rest of you!

Emergency Fund is Growing! and "Pyramid Structure" Businesses

Well another pay day has come.  I was able to add $330 to my Efund.  I am $820 away from my goal of $2000.  I am hoping that by the end of the month it will be at about $1700.

I am continuing to pay the minimum payments on my debt until the efund is fully funded.  Even still I was able to cut two links off of my "chain of debt".  It won't loose many links until I am able to start paying extra on my debts.

I was approached to sign up for a company that is a type of pyramid structure (in this case it's supposed to be a "chain").  I am not signing up.  I am extremely skeptical about these types of companies and don't agree that in some cases it should cost money to make money.  Have any of you had an experiences with pyramid structure businesses, good or bad?  Or do you have an opinion on them?

Motivation

Head over Heels... in Debt! found a motivational idea on Gail Vaz-Oxlade's website.  

"Remember the chain links we all made as kids in school. This week, make a paper chain link where each link is worth $100 of your consumer debt.  So if you owe $23,600, your chain would have 236 links. Hang your chain somewhere you’ll see it a lot: over your bed, in the kitchen, beside the TV. Each time you pay off $100 of your debt, cut off one of your links. This is a great way to remind yourself of the progress you’re making in becoming debt-free forever."  

She has encouraged others to join in on the fun so I decided I would.  I made 89 links and here's how my living room is now decorated.  

I'm really looking forward to cutting links off and getting rid of  my new "decoration".  

Do you have any motivational ideas that work for you?

Yard Sale Profits

All in all I'd have to call it a success.  I didn't sell much stuff but I did make $96.25 in total (including the early sale of $30 the other day).  The goal I wanted to reach was $100.00 so I almost made it.  I will put the remaining items out again with the big community yard sale.  At that sale I plan on putting up an "everything must go" sign.  What doesn't sell at that point goes straight to a local goodwill shop.  The weather cooperated for the majority of the morning but there were some showers.  Every little bit helps build the emergency fund!

Happy Mother's Day to all you mom's out there.

Another one bites the dust!

Well another student loan bites the dust!!!  Yes, I say another, because long before I started blogging I paid off 2 others.  Now only 1 remains!!!  What a wonderful way to start the weekend!  The burden is a little lighter.

Have a great weekend!

Selling Stuff!

I posted my yard sale on kijiji this afternoon and about 5 minutes later I received an email about it.  It was from a lady asking if she could stop by before because she wasn't going to be around on Saturday.  I guess she was interested in some of the items I had mentioned in the ad.  She stopped by and picked up a few things and I ended up with $30.00.  Yay!  :)

Also a friend of mine has a bunch of stuff in her basement that she is wanting to get rid of.  She and her husband have been planning on packing it up and dropping it off for donations but hadn't gotten around to it yet.  She knows about my get debt free plan and I had casually mentioned I was having a yard sale.  Well she offered me the items in her basement to sell.  Very cool!  She said as long as I do all the work, whatever money it brings is mine.  I am totally taking her up on the offer.  We have a big community yard sale coming up in a few weeks so I will have another yard sale that day with her items.  I am hoping to bring in at least $200.00 from the yard sales.

Are you doing (or have you done) anything to bring in some extra money for your debt pay off or emergency fund?

What excitement do you have planned for the weekend?

I think I need some May Goals

• Pay off Student Loan # 1 - this will be done by next week at the latest.  YAY!!!!
• Add $750 to emergency fund bringing it to $1500 
• Try to eat less chocolate!  - This is going to be so hard!  I'm so addicted.

Ok let's start with this and see how it goes.  As I said in an earlier post, I'm not so good with goal setting.  :)

Off topic - I got made fun of today!  When my boss went to do the coffee run today I asked her to take my travel mug for my coffee.  I always try to be conscious of the environment but usually don't bother to ask others to take my mug on the coffee run because they don't like it.  She laughed.  I explained that I was helping the environment and saving 0.10.  She thought I was crazy!  LOL  Oh well it's my 0.10 and I'm not embarrassed!  :) She was nice enough to do it for me anyway.

Just need to say thanks!

I need to say another huge thank you to all my PF blogger friends!  For all your support and encouragement and for sharing your stories and struggles.  I am so glad to have such great supporters to be along for the journey. 

Since I started this blog I feel like I have come along pretty far, even though its not necessarily "far on paper".  And I feel like a big burden is being lifted.  Having some money in an emergency fund and having a plan is so freeing.  I don't worry about finances anywhere near as much.  Even the little things that would of thrown me off track financially and become a big deal are more just like a little hiccup now. 

I say no to things way more now.  Even tonight when I "bee-lined" through Wal-mart to get some bunny veggies and litter, I noticed the royal wedding magazines, and for a split second I thought about stopping and looking and possibly purchasing.  Then I realized what I was thinking and what a waste that would be, I continued on my way and didn't avert my eyes anymore.  :)  Feels good, even the little things like that.

I spent a good amount of time yesterday pricing all the items for my upcoming yard sale so as soon as there is good weather I am ready to go.  Yay!!  Hoping for some extra cash for the efund.

Half Marathoner!

I did it!  Today was the big day and I completed the half marathon (13 miles or 21.1 km).  I never would of thought 5 years ago that I would ever run a 5km run so to have just completed a half marathon is awesome. 

On another note, I am being given a monetary gift to use to pay off my Student Loan #1 which is at $300.00.  WOW!  I am so grateful!  This will also put me ahead with my emergency fund!  So thrilled about this!

I found some more items for my yard sale which I am hoping to have next Saturday but I may wait because there will be a big neighbourhood one in 3 weeks.  I'm not sure which would be better to do.  I suppose I could do both....  what do you think?

I also have another question.  I was given a gift a few years ago of a Arshia 126 piece stainless steel cutlery set in a beautiful wooden case.  I've been searching online to try to find out what it would be worth.  I've never used it or even taken the cutlery out of the packaging.  I can't find anything and I'm just wondering how you guys might figure out how to price something like that and what do you think would be the best way to sell it?

Hope you are having a great weekend!
Little Lamb