School update & Spending Fast REDUX

Hey, gang.

Hold tight, 'cause this is gonna be a long one!
I've been through this before.  If you want to, feel free to read backwards through those posts and see how far I went in 2012 with my Spending Fast.  I paid off nearly half my debt!  It was amazing, difficult, liberating, quite a struggle, but so rewarding.

Then 2013 came.  And shit happened. 

My boyfriend and I broke up, and I moved out.  I suddenly had to pay a new deposit, a new rent, re-stock my fridge with groceries, pay for any moving costs (thank GOD I had friends to help though).  

I made excuses.  I spent money on things I didn't need to make myself feel better.  I went out to eat, I bought drinks, I ignored my troubles.   

I went on a vacation.  Although the vacation was done on a budget (which I'm very proud of), and it was one I'll never regret taking - it was still an expense.  An expense that I helped pay for by using my credit cards.

I lost my job.  Suddenly I had no income.  NONE.  I turned to my credit cards to console me, yet again.  I also still needed to eat, pay for gas, and everything else. I did get a new job relatively fast (which I'm unbelievably grateful for), but it's only part-time right now.  

I needed dental work.  Desperately.  My tooth was becoming so painful due to a filling that fell out that I needed to get fixed a year ago, and because I waited so long I had to get a crown.  Which cost me over $1,600 in money I don't have.  Add it to the credit card.  

I decided to go to school.  Orientation fees, doctor's visits, application fees - the list goes on & on.  And my financial aid would barely cover my tuition and other expenses - and yet, how would I pay for my credit card bills??  

I'm certainly glad that none of these things happened BEFORE I started the Spending Fast, otherwise I'd be in even more trouble now.  However...

...Remember my ending amount after the spending fast?  Here's a refresher of how much I accomplished in 2012:
$13,168.04 - Starting Debt at Jan 1, 2012
$7,169.78 - Ending Debt at Dec 17, 2012

Pretty amazing huh?
Well, guess where my debt is now.  I currently owe:
$13,829.64 - as of August 9th, 2013

I actually managed to rack up even MORE debt than when I started the Spending Fast the first time around. SHIT.

I guess it's not something you can just change overnight.  And getting out of debt is not about just getting DOWN your debt.  It's about getting COMPLETELY OUT of debt.  And SAVING money so that when the shit hits the fan, you can turn to your savings INSTEAD of your credit cards.

Well, here I am again.  Frustrated, dissapointed, and scared.

What to do now?  Well, get back on the horse that bucked ya.  Start over.

Therefore I have decided that I cannot possibly go back to school this year.  
This has by far been one of the hardest choices I've ever had to make.  I have been struggling with this decision, but it's the only solution I can find.  I can't get out of my debt while accruing more debt - especially at a school where the tuition is so ridiculously high.

When I finally realized what I needed to do, I was so upset I thought I would burst.  My heart felt like it was broken.  I sobbed until I could hardly breathe.

I did so much work to get to where I am.  I did all of the paperwork, spent hours submitting the proper forms & applications, hounded my advisers for help, got all of my appointments done, went to orientation, met all my requirement.  I literally spent months getting ready for this.

And now, with only one month from starting my next chapter in life - it's delayed.

This year has been a strange one.  They say that every handful of years or so we go through a "year of change".  Where everything is just a complete clusterfuck, you lose your place in the world, you go through some growing pains, cry a lot, and change a lot.  It's sucky at the time, but it brings about a new year of growth and hope.  I am pretty sure I'm in one of those years right now.  And it sucks.  But I know that good will come.

So here I am, trying to be brave.  Trying to embrace what life has in store for me no matter what.

Being an adult is fucking hard.

And so, with this, I'm beginning my Spending Fast for the second (and last) time.  This time, I'm not going to do it for a year.  I'm going to do it for as long as it takes.  As long as it takes to pay off my debt, and get my savings going.  As long as it takes to be financially secure.  And if delaying school for another year or two is what it's going to take, I'm going to do it.

I'm going to start blogging about my progress again too, which is why I'm making this public.  Yes, it's a shameless plug for support and encouragement, but hey, I'll take what I can get.  And if my struggle can help others become debt-free as well then that will be worth it.  We are not alone.  This is not just a problem I struggle with - it's a problem THOUSANDS of Americans struggle with.

If you haven't watched this yet, please check out the documentary film Maxed Out.


I believe it's still available on Netflix Instant.  I would highly recommend it.

One different thing I'm going to be doing this time around is that I'm going to get some professional help.  I'm talking to a Financial Adviser / Financial Planner who will help me get back on track.  I figure they know a lot more about this stuff than I do, and they can help me figure out my budget, how to get my savings going again, how much I can afford to put towards everything, etc.  I mean, it's what they get paid to do!

I'm also going to use this time to research companies, volunteer with cooking schools / non-profits that already do what I'm looking to do with my future in nutrition.  I'm going to find a school that can work within my needs, and help me reach my goals without costing me a small fortune.  I may need to hold off on pulling the trigger for a little while, but now that I know what I want to do with my life I know that will keep me motivated.

I have always been driven by my heart and sometimes it takes a little while for my head to catch up.  Sometimes diving in before asking if there's a safety net actually works.  Sometimes I land in a pile of rainbows and marshmallow fluff, and I'm so glad I took the leap of faith.  And sometimes, I hit the ground.  And it really fucking hurts.  But I have to deal with it, brush myself off and start over.

Last night I was talking to my friend Geneva about all of this.
Geneva: "So, do you feel like a weight has been lifted from your shoulders now that you've made this decision?"
Me: "Yes. I really do."
Geneva: "Then you made the right choice."

So here I go again.  Broken, a little battered, but not yet defeated.

------------------
If you'd like to start a Spending Fast as well, please check out the blog that inspired it all here.  Anna is an amazing person, and really knows what she's talking about!

Spending Fast - FINAL MONTH (1-year total)

Welp, the 1-year Spending Fast is coming to a close!
Although my debt is definitely not gone, it has reduced significantly since the beginning of 2012.

$13,168.04 - Starting Debt at Jan 1, 2012
$7,169.78 - Current Debt at Dec 17, 2012

That means I've paid off nearly $6k in debt this year - $5,998.26 to be exact!  I still have a ways to go, but if I keep the same determination going this year I believe that by 2014 I can be 100% debt-free.  And oh what a wonderful feeling it will be!

Image via Pinterest

Although I'm dissapointed that my debt isn't fully paid off by now, I understand that certain aspects of my life (and certain choices), caused it to be that way.  I took a lower paying job, I know that I spent money at times when I probably shouldn't have (but man, it was still worth it - and I'm definitely not perfect), etc.  But I've learned so much this year, and I'm ready to take that to 2013 with me.

I already know I'm going to take some kind of vacation next year, so that will definitely dip into what will go towards my debt - but life is short, and I'm tired of putting vacations on hold!  And I'm OK with that - I've accepted it.  If that means taking a little more time to get completely debt free, then I'll take it.  I still gotta live my life!

I know that it's a constant struggle, but I'm going to stick with it.  How wonderful when I can actually put money towards my savings every month instead of credit cards & interest.  How wonderful that my money won't be completely GONE the day after I receive every paycheck!  Oh man, I can't wait.

And that's what keeps me going.
Well, that and all the love & support from my family & friends of course. :)
Love you guys!  And here's to being debt-free by 2014!

Spending Fast - 10 Months Down!

Holy crap!  I can't believe it's been almost an entire year since I began my spending fast!  Only 2 months left of 2012 - how nuts is that?  I have a feeling they're just going to FLY by too.  

This month it was a little easier to not spend money due to the fact that I literally could not spend anything (because I didn't have anything left over after my bills were paid).  In fact, I was a little bit under which makes me terribly nervous. 

The new job change was definitely worth it, but I knew I'd be a bit tight over the next few months before I was making enough money to keep putting stuff towards my debt while still being able to live my life.  I'm hoping it will get easier but it has been a struggle, and with the holidays coming up I'm sure there will be more struggles to come. 

But hopefully I will be debt-free in the near future (hopefully, hopefully), and be able to live on my smaller income in happiness while still setting aside money in my savings.  I hope that's not just a pipe dream, and I'm praying that the day will come in the next year or so.  I already feel so blessed to have come as far as I have on this journey, and I've learned so much about myself.  I just need to keep plugging away and just get there! 

Here are some ways I'm planning to survive the holiday season (without going broke): 

- My family & I decided to draw names for gifts this year.  We drew names from a hat, and we'll only get a gift for one person (instead of all 5), then do stockings for each person.  Gifts are not what Christmas is about anyway, and this will help us keep the spirit of gift giving alive, while enjoying the true joys of the season.

- Handmade / re-purposed gifts for all!  I'm sure that I have many things already that could be spruced up / re-painted / made personal so that I could give them to friends as gifts - I just need to get creative about it.  

- Food not Booze.  If someone has us over for a get-together or birthday gathering, I'll plan to bring a food item (like a homemade pie) instead of a bottle of wine.  The ingredients that go into a pie are much less expensive than getting a $10 bottle o' booze.  Especially if buying in season!

- Handmade cards!  I have a huge stack of blank cards that I bought a very long time ago and never used.  So instead of purchasing Christmas cards, I'm going to make my own!  They'll be much more personal, and really, much more fun.

Those are my plans so far, and I need to figure out how to make the time to get everything done!  The last month has been a complete whirlwind (I can't believe it's almost November!!), and I'm sure the next will be the same.  "Pie Season" is the busiest time of year at the bakery, so wish me luck!  

Happy Saving! :) 

Spending Fast - 9 months down!

Well this month has been full of changes, but my Spending Fast is still going well!  

My debt has been going down a little more (slowly but surely), but I did realize an area that I've been slacking on - and that's the booze. 

Not that I'm a big boozer or anything, but a bottle of wine here, a pint of beer there - it really adds up!  I've been allowing myself the occasional treat, but it seems that "occasional" has begun to mean "whenever I want it".  Yikes. 

So that's something I need to work on.  Especially with a much smaller paycheck coming in, I will need to be very careful so that I can still get my debt down!  

I don't have a "money not spent" sheet to show you today (I haven't been using it lately since I haven't been on my computer as much lately), but I do have an update on my amounts! :) 

I started out with $13,168.04 of debt at the beginning of this year. 
I'm now left with $7,256.38 as of the end of this month. 

So it's not a huge jump from last month, but it's still dropped!  That's great!  
Therefore, I've paid off $5,911.56 of my debt in the past 9 months.  

The best part is I'm in the $500 range for paying off my largest / highest interest bill - the one that was over $4k when I started this whole thing!  I feel pretty darn happy about that. 

I'll keep plugging away!  I'm glad that when tax season comes I should have a decent amount coming back to me that I can put towards it as well.  Hopefully by the end of next year I'll be 100% debt free - with money in savings too!!  YEAH!  

Spending Fast Update - 8 months down! Oh, and I GOT A NEW JOB!! :D

HEY GANG!!! 

So I'll tell you all about my new super awesome job that I'm totally excited about in just a minute (even though I know you're dying with anticipation), but as far as my Spending Fast goes, I think I did pretty darn well this month!  

I'm mostly excited about my Discover bill (the biggest one with the highest interest rate).  Check out THIS awesomeness: 

STARTING AMOUNT:  $4,423.11
CURRENT AMOUNT:  $1,017.41

SHIT. YES. 
I was so happy when I realized how close I am to getting that number under a grand.  Especially since that $4k number pretty much made me cry at the beginning of this year.  There's nothing you can't do if you just put your mind to it!  WOOT! 

Here is how I did with non-spending during the month of August: 

AUG
Date	Not buying	Approx $ not spent	Total $ Saved
8/1/2012	Derby Dues	$50.00	$50.00
8/4/2012	Waterworld (couldn't get free tix this year) :(	$40.00	$90.00
8/5/2012	Concert (Megan & I decided not to go, and save the $)	$8.00	$98.00
8/6/2012	Free burrito AND free chips & queso!!  (thanks, Qdoba!)	$13.00	$111.00
8/9/2012	Lunch at Breck Brewery (brought my own lunch, just went to say hi)	$15.00	$126.00
8/9/2012	Flavored Vodka (really wanted to get this for hot cocoa)	$20.00	$146.00
8/16/2012	Dress at Ross (I can't believe I walked out without it!  I'm growing!)	$15.00	$161.00
8/20/2012	The Clymb - big sale (would've gotten free stuff, but still $8 to ship!)	$8.00	$169.00
8/27/2012	TJ Maxx stuff (bought over weekend - returned items due to guilt)	$35.00	$204.00
8/27/2012	Comemerative beer mug (sale) for Oktoberfest (dangit!)	$10.00	$214.00
8/29/2012	Bottle of wine (really wanted one!)	$10.00	$224.00

Not too shabby!  
I started out with $13,168.04 of debt at the beginning of this year. 
I'm now left with $7,863.64 - that means I've paid off $5,304.40 in the past 8 months!  WOOHOO!  

And now on to the big news... 
I'm going to be working at a BAKERY!! 
I'm so doggone excited. 
Unfortunately this means I'll be taking a pretty big pay cut (the debt will now be decreasing in much smaller baby-steps), but I'll finally, FINALLY be doing something that I'm really excited about.  

I'm just starting as a "team member" - which means helping customers, probably cleaning, helping with prep work & all that, but I'm hoping to eventually move up the ranks.  The people at this bakery seem pretty darn awesome too, and I can't wait to start with them!  

OH, and did I mention the best part?  They're going to have me decorating CUPCAKES!!!  :D  

SO. AWESOME. 

Funny story on how it all happened actually.... 
On Wednesday I was thinking about how I really wanted to do something where I wasn't sitting at a desk all day.  That it would be fun to be working with food and people - both of which I enjoy doing so much!  Then I thought "What about a bakery?"

I went on Craigslist, and lo & behold, a bakery near my house was hiring. 

I was so excited that I emailed them my resume and explained how thrilled I was for the opportunity. 

That night, I decided to take a bit more initiative. 

Firstly, I prayed.  I haven't prayed in a long time, and I was much overdue.  I realized that I needed a little extra help - I could come so far, but I needed another little push in any way I could find it.  I realized that the money wasn't important - my happiness was.  That's what I truly wanted, and I prayed for it with all my heart. 

Secondly, I got up early, and scooted my butt down to the bakery with my resume.  I decided, they needed to meet me in person.  The email wasn't gonna cut it. 

Luckily, they wanted to do an interview on the spot!  I was totally honest about what I wanted to do, and explained how excited I was to work with them.  I told them that I love baking and cooking at home, and I'd be thrilled to do anything in regards to that - and I was more than ready to get out from behind a desk again.

The hired me right then & there!! 

The girl said that they had been through a bunch of interviews, and that they were just about to call someone that they would be OK with hiring...

...then I walked in the door. 

I cried the whole way home of happiness!!  
And of course, thanked God for the help. :) 
 
So this does mean that I will be away from the computer more, and posts may be a bit more infrequent starting next month.  But you know what?  That's OK with me.  I will be away from a computer and out living my life.  Don't worry though, I'll still keep you kids updated every chance I get!  

Especially about the opportunity to come and eat some cupcakes. :) 

I'm SO ridiculously excited about this new chapter in my life!!

Spending Fast Update - 7 months down, 5 to go!

This month has been quite a whirlwind, but I did much better on my Spending Fast than I could have ever hoped.  It was a bittersweet moment, because although I realized I have a decent chunk paid - I still have a long way to go.  I realized that if I keep going the rate I'm going right now, I will still have another full year from this month (July) before I have my debt fully paid off. 

Ouch. 

I was really hoping to start 2013 with a clean slate, but sometimes things just don't happen the way we want 'em to.  This whole thing has been a HUGE learning process for me, and I'm so glad that I'm doing it.  It has been a long hard road so far, but it's paving the way for my future.  And that makes me feel good. 

Here's how I did the month of July, and how much I estimated that I saved: 

JUL
Date	Not buying	Approx $ not spent	Total $ Saved
7/1/12	Derby Dues	$50.00	$50.00
7/5/12	Lunch (didn't like the one I brought, but I resisted!)	$8.00	$58.00
7/8/12	Book Club dish (wanted to just buy something - used what I had at home!)	$15.00	$73.00
7/19/12	Lunch (didn't bring one - ran home to make lunch instead of buying!)	$8.00	$81.00
7/15-22/12	Underground Music Showcase (concert series - really wanted to go!!)	$30.00	$111.00
7/24/12	Coffee (wanted to buy on way to work - made it at work instead)	$4.00	$115.00
7/25/2012	Florence & the machine tix (Dad's treat!)	$50.00	$165.00
7/27/2012	Friday night event	$5.00	$170.00
7/27/2012	Friday night event (another one)	$10.00	$180.00
7/27/2012	Coffee (on break)	$4.00	$184.00
7/28/2012	Dinner at Red Rocks (we brought it instead of buying on the way up)	$10.00	$194.00
7/28/2012	Shopping (mom treated me to some stuff - so sweet of her!)	$100.00	$294.00
7/29/2012	Lunch (we brought it with us instead)	$20.00	$314.00
7/29/2012	Coffee (wanted to get it at Farmer's Market - brought my own instead)	$4.00	$318.00

That's a heck of a lot of money saved!  And I still managed to have a ton of fun, so that was pretty rad. :) 

Even better news?  Remember how last month I said I couldn't wait to get to the $4k mark with paying down my debt?  

Well, I passed it.  AND THEN SOME.  In fact, I'm almost to the $5k mark! 
WOOOHOOO!!!

Starting debt (as of 1/1/12):  $13,168.04
Debt remaining (as of 7/31/12): $8,256.59
Amount paid off so far: $4,911.45

Yah, that made me pretty darn happy today!

Just gotta stick with it, keep putting as much money as I can towards it every month (although not go too overboard - as I learned the hard way), and stay positive.  

Hopefully sooner rather than later I'll be here: 

Doing something like this to celebrate: 

Hellz yeah. :D

As always, thanks to my friends & family for all of your love and support through this journey! 

XO

Spending Fast Update - 6 months down, 6 to go!

Yep, that about sums it up. 
June was hard.  Not just because it's the beginning of the summer and all that, but with the unexpected 2 weeks in Oklahoma and everything that went with that - I didn't track my savings for June.  I spent some money, and am not going to beat myself up over it.  So there. 

Unfortunately that does mean that I'm not as close to paying off my debt as I would like to be at the 6-month mark.  BUT I'm working my butt off at getting back on track, and it's gonna happen.  I just need to keep working hard and keep my chin up.  

The good news is, my debt is down $3,837.75 since January.  I want it to hit the $4k mark SO BAD - but it will get there soon!  I can feel it! 

So it looks like this year-long spending fast might take a little longer than a year... and possibly closer to 2.  Unless I magically get more money coming in soon, or a higher paying job (one of the two). ;) 

I'll keep my fingers crossed! 

Thanks (as always) for your love & support! 
XO

Refashioning Tips - Update your closet (for free!)

I randomly came across this blog yesterday through my Pinterest page, and I'm just loving all of this girl's refashioning ideas!  She takes old clothes and makes them new again - and shows you how she does it through her blog.  SO awesome.  

Now I need to get myself a sewing machine! ;)  

Here are some tips that she gives on her site (for "Refashion 101"): 

1. Learn to use your sewing machine. This is huge for me. Your clothing will most likely look homemade if you are just tying knots, or gluing things on. You only need to know the basics of sewing for most refashion projects, but doing real seams will make a world of difference in making your clothing look professional.

2. Utilize Pinterest. There are so many amazing ideas on there, but not just DIY projects. Most of the things I make or refashion come from outfits I see models or other bloggers wearing. An idea is usually sparked when I see a model wearing a shirt with a similar color or pattern to a shirt I already own, and from there I can figure out how to manipulate my shirt to look like the models'.

3. Make a "repair box" and then go through your closet and put everything in there that you don't wear.  Going through your closet one piece at a time lets you know what you have to work with when refashioning. Then when you see a refashioning idea, you know exactly what you own and how you can use it to make a piece you love. Also, work on each piece in the repair box one at a time. Seeing each item individually can help the task seem easier. Attacking your whole closet at once will get overwhelming really fast. Some of my clothes have only needed a simple seam for me to love them again (baggy sleeves are a big one for me...I've taken in so many sleeves and suddenly the cardigan or shirt fits me like a dream and makes me love it again).

4. Clean out your closet. I have a strict policy that I don't keep anything in my closet that I don't like and won't wear. I either get rid of it or put it in the repair box. Having a big closet full of clothes that I don't like makes me unhappy. Who cares if you have a lot of clothes in your closet if you hate them all? It's okay if your closet is small if you love and will wear every single item in there.

5. Don't be limited to your closet only.  Utilize your husband's (or boyfriend, or brother) old clothes, if he's going to get rid of them. I did that with my polo refashion, and it's now one of my favorite tops. Also, there may be lots of potential in cheap thrifted items -- taking in the sides or hemming the bottom can often make an awful piece into an amazing piece.

6. Accept the fact that some clothes are not fixable. I've sent plenty of shirts to Goodwill, or thrown them away, because there is nothing I can do with them (after I've tried). Don't hang on to it forever, hoping that it will somehow get new life, or it will become a thorn in your side or a wet blanket for your creativity. Sometimes you just have to throw things away. It's okay.

7. Learn how to layer. Pinterest is another great guide for this, as are fashion blogs. Style is about putting pieces together in interesting and creative ways. If you learn how to mix pieces, you have endless outfit possibilities, even if you're using the same pieces over and over. Use belts, scarves, cardigans, and tights to mix and match your clothing, and make it feel new and fresh. I've had some of the same pieces in my closet for years that I've always worn the same way, and suddenly when I layer them together, new interesting outfits are born.

8. Re-purpose. Put a shirt on over a dress, and turn that dress into a skirt for a day. Or the opposite -- put a skirt on over the dress and turn it into a top. Use a thin scarf as a belt, or a headwrap. Wrap long necklaces around your wrist to create the look of several bracelets. When you start thinking outside of the box, style and creativity start developing.

9. If you can, buy something new every once in a while. Having a new piece in your wardrobe can spark new ideas, make a bunch of new outfits, and make you feel like your closet is staying current. 

 
 I love love LOVE tip #8 about re-purposing things that you wouldn't wear in a "typical" way - sometimes I struggle to think outside of the box for sure. 

Check out Merricks Art here, and send her some love!  Her style is super duper cute, and she has some really amazing & creative ideas. 

I really want to go through my closet and give it a facelift, especially since I can't go shopping due to my Spending Fast.  Not only is this method FREE, but it's totally green!  I LOVE THAT! 

All photos from Merricks Art blog. 

Spending Fast Update - 5 months down, 7 to go!

Well, I just got back from my trip to Pennsylvania, and I have many many photos to share with you all!  

Not yet though, that will take a little bit o' time to sort through. ;) 

But here's my recap for the month of May for my Spending Fast!!

MAY
Date	Not buying	Approx $ not spent	Total $ Saved
5/1/12	Derby Dues	$50.00	$50.00
5/1/12	Lunch w/ Katy & Kat in the park (instead of going to a restaurant)	$8.00	$58.00
5/2/12	Was running late today - almost decided to buy lunch instead of bring it!	$8.00	$66.00
5/4/12	Dinner at the Garvey's (instead of going out to dinner)	$25.00	$91.00
5/6/12	Cayden - 2nd b-day gift (gave him a b-day balloon instead!)	$10.00	$101.00
5/13/12	Taryn's Graduation - couldn't get a gift, so threw her a party instead	$25.00	$126.00
5/19/12	Outlaws Game (Ryan gave us free tickets!)	$32.00	$158.00
5/19/12	Money NOT spent on booze at the Outlaws game	$15.00	$173.00
5/14/12	ALMOST bought fake eyelashes at Sally's (but didn't) - that was hard!	$12.00	$185.00
5/24-28/12	Many lunches / Dinners in Pennsylvania (thanks mom & dad!!)	$100.00	$285.00
5/28/12	Shoes (that I resisted buying, amazingly)	$30.00	$315.00

I did have quite a few moments this month where I spent when I didn't need to spend.  That was frustrating, and I felt guilty afterward - but I enjoyed it at the time!  After doing some quick calculations I realized that I'd spent about $100 this month on non-need stuff!!  ARGH!!!  I SO could have put that towards my debt.  And what kills me is that it was for a coffee here.  A drink there.  A $10 dress.  Little things that I could have resisted with a little will power to get me closer to debt-freedom.

Sigh.  Baby steps.  

At least I'm more aware of it now!  I had my fun, and I'm going to correct it.   


The GOOD news though, is.... I'M UNDER THE $10K MARK!  WOOT!!!


That means I've paid off just under $3,500 worth of debt in the past 5 months. 

I was hoping to be a bit further along by now, but I’m still pretty thrilled by that number. Sometimes shit happens though, and my money needs to go to car / bike / scooter repairs, health needs, un-forseen events, etc.  Also having more income would be a HUGE help because I could put more money towards everything each month without screwing myself – but that ain’t happening just yet.  Workin' on it. 

I just need to keep plugging away, as I always do! 

Yeah! 

As always, thanks for your love, encouragement, and support. :)  

Spending Fast Update: 4 Months Down - 8 to Go!

This month began all the spring-time-fun-stuff, which made it challenging for me to not spend money!  Luckily going to the park & playing outdoors doesn't cost anything, so I've been finding my own ways around it.  

I realized this month that because of the spending fast (and because of doing Weight Watchers again for the last couple of weeks), that I've been drinking a LOT less alcohol.  I mean, I don't think I drank that often before but I guess I drank a bit more than I thought!  Now I can actually feel a bit lightheaded after only a couple of drinks, and honestly it makes me want to stop all together when I start feeling that way.  It's kind of an awesome thing actually, and I was SO PROUD of myself over this past weekend. 

My sister bought John and I a big ol' case of light beer to kind of pay us back for letting her stay with us for free for the past month.  I was so excited about chillin' out and drinking a few this past weekend, but I was out of "cheat points" for my Weight Watchers plan!  I was dissapointed at first, but I realized that I could have them next week if I wanted to - I just had to be good this weekend and stick to my plan.  And I managed to make it through Saturday AND Sunday without having one beer - and it felt GREAT. 

GO ME!! :D 

Here's my recap for April for money that I DIDN'T spend (but wanted to):

APR
Date	Not buying	Approx $ not spent	Total $ Saved
4/1/12	Derby Dues	$50.00	$50.00
4/3/12	Wine for movie! (Taryn's treat)	$7.00	$57.00
4/4/12	Dinner with Renee & Katy (we brought stuff to share instead of going out)	$25.00	$82.00
4/5/12	Clothing swap (instead of shopping!)	$80.00	$162.00
4/6/12	Drink at Jackson's	$5.00	$167.00
4/6/12	Drink at Mile High Sci-Fi	$4.00	$171.00
4/10/12	Didn't go to a show that only cost $1.  How lame am I?!	$1.00	$172.00
4/12/12	Really wanted a coffee on the way to work this morning	$4.00	$176.00
4/12/12	Really REALLY wanted to order take-out instead of cooking	$30.00	$206.00
4/14/12	Sean's Birthday - would've gotten a drink	$6.00	$212.00
4/14/12	Falling Rock - wanted to stay & get a drink	$6.00	$218.00
4/13/12	Wanted to get a bottle of wine to bring to friend's house	$10.00	$228.00
4/22/12	Thai take-out (Taryn got dinner for the two of us instead)	$15.00	$243.00
4/27/12	Lightrail Pass (took Taryn's school ID instead)	$10.00	$253.00
4/27/12	Snack (really wanted one today - ice cream, anything!)	$6.00	$259.00
4/28/12	Brunch (was going to go out)	$20.00	$279.00
4/29/12	Concert - I really wanted to go to this! (April Smith & the Great Picture Show)	$10.00	$289.00
4/27/12	Glass of Wine at a play (mom bought instead)	$7.00	$296.00

Unfortunately I haven't paid as much off my debt as I've wanted to this month, due to a couple unforeseen circumstances (a late 1099 that I had to pay taxes on, insurance I didn't know I'd have to be paying, etc).  

But the GOOD news is, that I'm only $88 away from being BELOW the $10k mark.  I haven't been below that mark in a very long time.  At least 3-years, I think.  So I am pretty sure I'll be doing a little celebration dance when I get down into the $9k range.  :) 

As always - thanks to everyone for your continued support & encouragement!! 

Spending Fast Update: 3 months down, 9 to go!

This month was not as successful as the other two unfortunately, but I still think I did pretty well!  I had a couple of moments of weakness (I did purchase 2 meals at restaurants - about $20 a piece total).  I'm frustrated about that, but I'm not perfect and I'm not going to beat myself up over it.  I think I could've done better, but I still did well, and I did pay down my debt some more, so that's great! 

Here is how I did for the month of March with NOT spending:

Date	Not buying	Approx $ not spent	Total $ Saved
3/1/12	Derby Dues	$50.00	$50.00
3/2/12	Dinner at Steubens (Brian's B-day)	$15.00	$65.00
3/4/12	Going out to brunch for my b-day (had people over instead)	$25.00	$90.00
3/3/12	Out for drinks for my b-day	$30.00	$120.00
3/1/12	Google Offer ($10 for $20 at City-O-City) - ugh… really wanted that!	$10.00	$130.00
3/3/12	Drinks at the bout	$18.00	$148.00
3/3/12	Taco Bell (thank GOODNESS John didn't let me do this!)	$10.00	$158.00
3/7/12	Gift basket donation (donated handmade items instead)	$10.00	$168.00
3/7/12	Bowling (friends had a free coupon!)	$15.00	$183.00
3/10/12	Additional Drink at Clothing Swap w/ Katy (had 1 free drink, wanted another!)	$8.00	$191.00
3/15/12	Lunch (the one I brought wasn't very yummy again)	$8.00	$199.00
3/17/12	Large Green Beer (while at Breckenridge)	$6.00	$205.00
3/23/12	Lunch (I REALLY wanted to go & get an Arepas today!)	$6.00	$211.00
3/21/12	2 bottles of wine (I used gift card money!  WOOT!)	$20.00	$231.00
3/27/12	Glass of wine or beer / Queso & chips (I REALLY needed this today…)	$10.00	$241.00
3/28/12	Hunger Games movie ticket (my mom treated me!)	$12.00	$253.00
3/29/12	TJ Maxx (I had $3 left on a gift card, but wanted much more than that)	$20.00	$273.00
3/29/12	Bottle of wine (John got it)	$11.00	$284.00

So I did not spend $284.00 this month!  Not too bad if I say so myself.
It also means that since the end of February (to the end of March), I've paid off $1,285.29!! 

Woooooohooooooo!!!  That's great news.  In total since I started the spending fast 3 months ago in January, I have paid off a whopping $2,664.69 off my debt. 

I'm almost to the $3k mark!!  It's so close I can taste it!!  And it's also amazing how much money you can save up when you really put your mind to it, huh? :) 

For more information about the Spending Fast and inspiration - visit And Then She Saved!

Accessories Swap (and SPRING is here!)

Over the weekend, Katy and I went to the Accessories Swap in Denver at the Curtis Hotel.  It was $5 to get in (thanks, Cat A Combs - this is one of the things I used the b-day money you gave me for!), and you could bring up to 10 items to exchange for other items.  It was SO much fun!  

Here's how it works: 
You go through your gently-used accessories (shoes, bags, purses, earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets, belts, scarves, hats, etc.) and bring them along with you.  They had "inspectors" to go through your stuff, then they set them up at tables according to what type of accessories they are.  

If you brought 10 items, you get to pick out 10 new items (well, new to you!) from the tables to take home with you!  If you brought 6, you take home 6, and so on.  Pretty genius!  

Since Katy & I got there early enough, we each got a free drink ticket.  So we both got a glass of Chardonnay, and were handed purses to "design" (aka - act like kids and color stuff).  The top winners got free AWESOME handbags from handbags.com!  Pretty rad, huh? 

We chatted with some of the other girls there, got our picture taken at the photo booth, and ran into the videographer for Katy's wedding there who was working the event!  They even had a manicure station set up, a DJ, and a button-making station (I made one with skeletons on it, and Katy made one with $100 bills on it.  Haha!). 

 











We were also given buttons from And Then She Saved - the blog started by Anna Newell Jones that inspired me to start my spending fast!  She was there, and I was so thrilled to meet her.  More on that later! :) 
 

This is the purse that I designed... cute huh? ;)  I told the girls I was inspired by Betsey Johnson (true, by the way).  And guess what?  Both Katy & I WON the design contest!!  How awesome is that?  There were other winners too, but we were pretty thrilled that both of ours got chosen.  We each won a free handbag!  Cat, your $5 went farther than I thought it would!   Haha!  

 
Cuppy-cakes for the taking?  YES PLEASE!!  I love this photo of Katy... she hates it.  Ah well, it still gets a spot on the blog. :) 

The swap tables just before we got in there!  There was some pretty amazing stuff, honestly - I came out with a few necklaces, some pretty amazing rhinestone dangly earrings (about 3 pairs), 1 messenger bag (with TONS of pockets!), a black handbag (totally needed one of those), and my most favorite thing of all - a pair of black high-heeled CROCS!!  

Man, I'm getting old if that's the thing I was most excited about.  Haha!  They're amazing though - and SO comfy.  You'd never know that they are Crocs!!  

OH and we had to get a picture with these two ladies!!  Katy knew them from high school, and we ran into them there.  The names go as follows (which is why I needed a picture):  Beth, Katy, Katie, Beth.  Haha! 

Me and Anna from "And Then She Saved"!  It was so great to meet her and tell her how much her blog inspired me to start my own Spending Fast.  She was super sweet, and so much fun to chat with!  Turns out her sister actually plays roller derby too - how rad is that?  It was totally the cherry on top of the evening.  

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On another note, it has been absolutely GORGEOUS weather-wise in Denver lately!  I finally took Audrey 2 (my little pink scooter) to the repair shop to get her ready for Spring - so hopefully she'll be as good as new soon!  

This is the other pair of pants I got with my gift certificate from H&M.  Very Springy, eh?  I was enjoying the sunshine on my break (reading outside is one of my favorite things to do when it's nice outside), and decided to snap a pic.  There's my crappy flip-phone I've been using too since I lost my good one on the slopes - haha!  Hey, it works. 


Hope you all had a great weekend, and that you're enjoying the sunshine too! :)