It's bill pay day! Realized that I had budgeted $30 more than what I actually spent on my phone bill. Last month I had some extra charges from my trip to Canada, and now it's back to normal. Hurrah!

Also moved some money around and deposited some checks. Things are not much different than yesterday. ha.

***

Last night DH and I went through all of our books - we have a LOT. As it was, we filled up 5 book shelves. I'm happy to report that we've gotten our collection to a little over 1 shelf. We're both avid readers, and have amassed many through book sales at the library, and tons just over the years. While we love having them, most are volumes we'll never read (or read again), they take up so much room, and will be such a pain to move when we relocate.

Looking at the shelf, too, it's all books that we *actually* plan on reading, or really love. DH also suggested we work by the rule that if we buy another book we need to get rid of one in our possession, which I think is a fabulous idea.

I'd like to go through and sell some of them, but I'm afraid that the majority will go for peanuts. I've worked through most of our old textbooks to see if we could get any money out of them already. I wish there was a place to sell them by the pound. haha. I feel like we'd make a mint...

In other simplification news, I've decided to go on a Social Media cleanse for the next week. Partially because I have a lot to do and need to get rid of the distraction, and partially because I feel like I just need a break from it. I live on Facebook and Pinterest - and while I find that Pinterest is a great resource for inspiration, I'm a bit overwhelmed by the inspiration. If I'm going to take a break, I'd rather it be mindful and something I enjoy a bit more. Like reading.

Should be a no-spend. Heading to the library to use their laser engraver to make a sign for clients, and stopping by the probate court to try and snag a copy of our marriage license so I can finally get the whole name change process underway. All this administrative stuff is a pain. But once it's done I'll be much happier for it

So that's that. Back to work now - hope you all have a great day! Happy saving!!

Looking over October, I feel that I did really well. I went over budget in the categories that I generally do: groceries, restaurants, and shopping (which is anything not included in my usual expenses). Honestly, looking at them, though, I tend to aim really low. So I'll be readjusting this month to be a bit more realistic.

That being said, I hope I spend far less than those targets I set this month. We shall see.

Here is the basic breakdown:

[img]13634[/imgLooking over October, I feel that I did really well. I went over budget in the categories that I generally do: groceries, restaurants, and shopping (which is anything not included in my usual expenses). Honestly, looking at them, though, I tend to aim really low. So I'll be readjusting this month to be a bit more realistic.

That being said, I hope I spend far less than those targets I set this month. We shall see.

Here is the basic breakdown:

Tax Savings: $2,000
Rent: $350
Groceries: $300
Shopping: $300
Student Loans: $260
Restaurants: $200
Credit Card: $200
Car Payment: $182
Cell Phone: $87
Fuel: $80
Car Insurance: $69
Internet: $67
Business Expenses (misc.): $500
Renters Insurance: $11

Things will change this month, too, because I'll be getting my name changed and then opening up our joint account. So this budget is kind of a stop-gap as well until DH and my finances are combined. But that's still essentially what I'm hoping for as a max. So that's that.

***

As for this weekend's update, I ended up out all day yesterday. Went straight from my shoot in the morning to the area where my shoot was in the evening. Didn't want to be in the car an extra hour. So I stopped for lunch and then hit a little antique store, where I found an end table! I've been on the hunt - this one was a cute mid-century modern, exactly what I wanted, and was only $45. So that was my planned purchase for this week, perfect after hitting my workout goal for the week

I did stop and grab some beer yesterday as well, on our way to a couple of parties for Halloween.

Also, ordered 5 pairs of glasses from Warby Parker to try on at home. It's free to try them on, so I figured I would give it a go. I haven't gotten new glasses in a couple of years, and I think a new pair will keep me from wanting to wear my contacts all the time. So essentially, it will save me money in the end. Though I need to get more contacts as well. Hoping I can stretch my 12 week supply to over double that, only wearing them for work (which is slow in the winter) and special events. Given that order is about $80, I feel like it'll be worth it. And then I can wear those glasses for 2-3 years. I'm so thankful my vision stopped getting worse. At least it's predictable now!

Alright - that's enough for now. Hope you all had a lovely weekend! ]

Things will change this month, too, because I'll be getting my name changed and then opening up our joint account. So this budget is kind of a stop-gap as well until DH and my finances are combined. But that's still essentially what I'm hoping for as a max. So that's that.

***

As for this weekend's update, I ended up out all day yesterday. Went straight from my shoot in the morning to the area where my shoot was in the evening. Didn't want to be in the car an extra hour. So I stopped for lunch and then hit a little antique store, where I found an end table! I've been on the hunt - this one was a cute mid-century modern, exactly what I wanted, and was only $45. So that was my planned purchase for this week, perfect after hitting my workout goal for the week

I did stop and grab some beer yesterday as well, on our way to a couple of parties for Halloween.

Also, ordered 5 pairs of glasses from Warby Parker to try on at home. It's free to try them on, so I figured I would give it a go. I haven't gotten new glasses in a couple of years, and I think a new pair will keep me from wanting to wear my contacts all the time. So essentially, it will save me money in the end. Though I need to get more contacts as well. Hoping I can stretch my 12 week supply to over double that, only wearing them for work (which is slow in the winter) and special events. Given that order is about $80, I feel like it'll be worth it. And then I can wear those glasses for 2-3 years. I'm so thankful my vision stopped getting worse. At least it's predictable now!

Alright - that's enough for now. Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

I did no spending yesterday, so not much has changed. Upon reviewing my budget, though, I realized I put in the full amount for business expenses. Most of that is paid out of an account not linked to my Mint - so I need to readjust there (eventually I'll have a mint account specifically for my business, or just use my Quickbooks effectively).

Yesterday made this delicious recipe in the crockpot, found on Pinterest. I highly recommend:

http://damndelicious.net/2013/11/02/slow-cooker-crockpot-honey-sesame-chicken/

I didn't have any sesame seeds, but I did sub half of the vegetable oil with sesame oil, so you got some of that nice flavor. All in all, fantastic meal. And inexpensive, too.

Tonight is either perogies (the extras I froze after making them last week) or a frozen pizza. Forgot to thaw the ham, so that will likely be saved for next week.

No plans for tonight, but likely will be out or at someone's house hanging with friends. Tomorrow I've got two shoots, and one possibly on Sunday. Also two halloween parties tomorrow night. So it'll be a busy weekend!

Hope you all enjoy!

So as I mentioned yesterday, my debit card wasn't working at Aldi - then yesterday I noticed a couple of transactions that were not ones that I made. After scrutinizing a bit further, I took a look at my card. Lo and behold, my sister-in-law and I had accidentally switched cards when we went to dinner on Sunday. So I was not victim of identity theft after all! She came over yesterday to switch back and have some lunch. All in all, a great resolution.

***

This morning I took a look at my budget (as I'm trying to get into the habit of doing ever morning) on mint. DH caught a glimpse and asked what my Mint page was - I explained to him and told him where I was going over budget. Taking a look at my restaurant budget, I've spent $146 and I budgeted $100. When we took a look at it together, I realized I had only gone out to dinner or lunch 3 times this month! The rest were stops to get coffee or pick up breakfast from Dunkin. While that all adds up, I'm super proud of myself for our very few trips out for dinner. All that cooking has paid off! My grocery budget is also about $30 over, but I only budgeted $200. Lastly, I'm over on my shopping budget. Allowed myself $150 and have spent $288 - so almost double. This is both my clothes/homegoods/entertainment as well as misc budget. Pretty much anything that doesn't fall in my normal expenses gets dumped here. Honestly, I think I need to give myself a bit more wiggle room on that one. But not by much. haha. I did buy 2 sweaters, a coat, 2 kindle books, and home stuff at IKEA and Big Lots (most of the IKEA purchase came out of joint money, though). My Hulu subscription is also included in this. All things considered, at least I scored some amazing deals. That being said, I need to be on a spending diet and don't want to rationalize purchases.

***

My Huntington transfer hit my account today, so I'll be transferring that now to DH's account and my tax debt from last year is over and done with. Woo! Took me far longer than I wanted it to, but with the wedding things got tight there for a bit. Now I need to really start saving for this year's taxes. I'm supposed to finish a job that will pay $6k, and my thought is that most or all of that will go toward my taxes. But in case (for whatever reason) that falls through, I'm going to start saving regardless. Then once I have things under control, I'm going to start setting aside 40% of every payment I receive. Like I should have been doing all along :/

***

That's it for today! Hope you all have a good one!

Yesterday ended up being a very productive day! Started off with a new morning routine - including 30 minutes on my elliptical-thingy (it's just got the pedals, and is really small).

I ran some errands - had to ship off that lens to the manufacturer. It's under warranty, but I had to pay for the shipping. I put insurance on it, and it ended up being about $20 all together. Better that than anything happening to it. The thing cost me $1,200 and is a work essential item.

Deposited a check in my business account, which was available this morning - I paid myself the $1,600 and will be transferring that to DH as soon as it hits, which will clear my tax debt to him from last year. Phew! Now it's time to start saving for this year :/

On the way home I went to Aldi to pick up some last minute odds and ends for dinner. For whatever reason, my debit card wasn't working - it said invalid PIN, but it's been the same for years and years. After jumping on my account this morning, I see two charges that I'm fairly certain I didn't make so... looks like I'll be calling the bank. Not sure why someone committing fraud would use my info to get $4.99 worth of Arby's, but there it is. Considering DH and I are swearing off fast food for a year I can with great displeasure say it wasn't me. haha.

So it looks like I'll have a quick call with the bank. Again. This has happened more times than I would like. They keep telling me not to use my debit card to make online purchases, but that always seems to be the best course of action for me. I really just need to tackle my CC debt so I'm not near my max and can just pay it off every month. Sigh. We'll get there!

***

Oh - the new coat! I almost forgot to mention it (despite it being in the title). I had my eye on one for about $295, but then rethought that plan and looked at a few online consignment shops. I found a handful that I liked, and have been continuing - well, one of them was marked down to $45 and I jumped on it. It's a brand new black pea coat from Zara. Considering I've been rocking my navy blue one from Target, I think it'll do. Navy just doesn't really match most of my wardrobe. But I think this one will!

At any rate, I hope you all enjoy your Tuesday!!

Okay, maybe it doesn't come as a *total* surprise, but some of my military student loan payments went through this month and I didn't realize it until today. About $1,500 worth - so we're getting there! I'm not entirely sure how it works in terms of payment dispersement, as the payments have only started rolling in last year and it's been a nightmare of a process. But I'll take what I can get at this point.

***

The weekend went well - one of my shoots was cancelled due to rain, but the other two went fantastically. Yesterday it was just GORGEOUS and I was taking family photos for a friend. I don't usually do free shoots, but she was my wedding photographer and did our engagement photos for free, so it was more of a trade We both own our own businesses, so she's like my unofficial coworker. We get together and edit photos, vent about our work, and any time we're stuck on something we have the other to reach out to. It's a really great business relationship - and it's blossomed into a very close friendship as well. Asking her to shoot my wedding was a no-brainer.

***

This week will be far less overwhelming than last - as I cancelled my Nashville trip. So I had nothing booked during the week. Woo! I'm hoping, however, to use all of that uninterrupted time to really get caught up.

Today, however, I have some errands to run. One of my lenses is having trouble catching focus and I'll be sending it to be looked at and adjusted. Thankfully it's under warranty, so I'll just have to pay for shipping.

Tonight we're having friends over for dinner. I have to grab 2 things at the store, but then I wont be setting foot in the grocery store again until November. We're quite a bit over budget. I think I need to adjust my budget for next month, though. I have lofty goals, but I think I may have been a *bit* unrealistic this time around

At any rate, hope you all have a lovely week!!!

Well, the week is almost over, but I still have 3 more shoots. ha! So not quite over for me... the week has been going fairly well. Traveled to Pittsburgh for a shoot that went really well, covered an event last night, and today I'm catching up on grocery shopping and a bit of cleaning as well as my editing.

Hit IKEA when I was in Pitts - it was nice to be able to make that trip a business expense. I probably would have made a trip out there at some point soon regardless. We needed a duvet badly now that it's getting cold, and I couldn't find them as cheaply anywhere else. So to the magical wonderland we went!

I brought along $200 cash from our wedding gift stash to spend there. Anything over that amount would come out of my personal account, but I was more or less setting that as my budget. I went $9 over. Not too shabby. Things I purchased:

- Duvet
- Duvet cover
- Extra blanket
- 2 throw pillows
- 2 throw pillow covers
- 2 matching lamps
- 2 "bowl plates"
- Paper towel holder
- Random brush for shower
- Pack of 2 power strips

The main objective was the bedding, and the difference is startling in our bedroom. We actually look like we have a grown-up bed now. haha. Also, the lighting for the bedroom was a HUGE improvement. We were working with 2 dorm-style work lamps that were probably $5 each, and didn't match. I love the new lamps - classy, and only $20 each.



Now I just need to clean our night stands... and eventually replace them so they match. But that can wait for sure. I really want to start making our home feel a bit more polished, but DH is getting sticker shock. We've lived in an apartment with a mixing of old furniture from his parent's house and stuff I've bought. As I was perusing on Overstock the other day he looked at a side table I was looking at and didn't understand why it was so expensive. I don't think he understands at all how much furniture really costs. Outside of our bed and cheap couch, he hasn't really made any furniture purchases. So I figure slow and steady is the way to go. haha. I also don't want to break the bank with wants that outweigh needs, either. So it'll be a very slow process indeed. Or at least about making purchases that have a high-impact for less.

At any rate, time for me to get back to work! Hope you are all having a great Friday!

It really was - DH and I "took off" Friday to attend his cousin's wedding. I put that in quotes because I actually had a shoot that morning about an hour away. It went well, just lead to a lot of running around that morning. I had been so busy with stuff that I forgot to try on the dress I planned on wearing that day. It looked frumpy and I had no shoes to match (I bought this dress a while back for $15, intending to get some strappy heels). Long story short, I took a trip to Target to look for a cheap solution to my shoe problem. I found nothing, and instead walked out with a new dress - thankfully on sale for only $20. Fits me fantastically, which is a slight miracle. I'll get a lot of use out of it, so I'm pretty pumped.

The wedding was a blast. Danced until the wee hours of the night. But then I had to wake up at 7am to get ready and drive back an hour and a half to shoot a client's wedding. Thankfully it was a shorter day. Only worked 5 hours, then went home and slept for about 14 hours. Not an exaggeration at all. I woke up just long enough to eat a couple pieces of the frozen pizza DH made, then fell back asleep. I felt pretty rough.

Yesterday I still felt pretty sore and tired, despite all of the sleep. Ended up hitting Big Lots with a friend and spent $50 - on a cast iron skillet, a new drying pad for our dishes (I probably could have gotten much more use out of the one we have. I'm kicking myself now), a few odds and ends, and then 2 king-sized extra firm pillows. We got a king-sized bed over a year ago, and I've been talking about getting the right sized pillows ever since. Our standard sized ones look pretty silly in the extra long cases, and most of our pillows are old and flat or super cushy. My neck and back has been killing me for the last few weeks, so I decided it was time. They were only $12 each, and after just one night they were worth every penny.

That being said, my "shopping" budget for the month is over by quite a bit. After all of the traveling and stopping at Starbucks, my restaurant budget is to the max now. So I need to really focus on cooking at home the rest of the month.

***

Today I'm hitting hte editing hard - and marking a few more tasks off the list. I've had some new inquiries in the last week, and booked a new client! Always a good sign Actually, this week is going to be incredibly packed - I have 5 different shoots, and a whole lot of editing to get done. I'm also leaving for Nashville next week, and don't quite feel ready.

I'm not sure if maybe I should cancel my trip and wait until December to make the trek down there. I want to start making connections, but if I'm not prepared, I'm not sure it's worth it for me to spend the money and the time. My resources might be better used elsewhere this month.

So that's my update! I hope you all have a lovely day!!

Should be a no-spend day today (woo!). Checked the budget and so far still in the green, but my restaurant allotment is maxed out, and my shopping budget is close to as well. So something to keep an eye on moving forward.

***

Right now I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I've got several weddings to edit, and there just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day for everything I need to accomplish to make my business work and still enjoy my personal life. I'm sure some of that could be remedied by better time management - it's not all a "woe is me" situation, but nonetheless it's frustrating and exhausting.

This morning I had my BNI meeting - the next week will consist of zero one-on-one meetings. I've had my fill for a couple of weeks, and I have other things to focus on. But I did get 2 inquiries yesterday, one from another BNI chapter. So I guess that means all of that networking was somewhat worth it.

The rest of the day will be a (hopefully) very high-volume editing day. I need to get focused and push out at least a good 1,000 photos. Ideally, I would come closer to 1,500. So at least I have a goal. Though I will be taking a break this evening to make dinner. I'm really wanting to make these perogies, and my potatoes will go bad if I don't use them in the next few days. Tomorrow DH and I will be at a wedding, and Saturday I'll be photographing a wedding, so I'll likely not be up for cooking anything intricate.

I may also have a shoot tomorrow morning. We'll see how the weather holds out. All in all, a very busy week. Next week I have 3 - possibly 4 shoots. The week following that I'll be in Nashville doing all of my networking. And I still need to get the materials together for that. Also, we're supposed to leave for our honeymoon in one month exactly, and we haven't booked it. ha.

Can you tell I'm a last-minute kind of person? That honeymoon is going to be so nice. I just have a lot of work to do in the mean time.

So with that being said, it's back to work.

Hope you all have a lovely day!

Yesterday DH had off of work for Columbus Day - so I spent some time finishing up the wedding I've been editing, but we also had a bit of fun. We went for an 8 mile hike that just about kicked my butt. I haven't been working out for months, and it was clear that I'm very much out of shape. But it was a really nice day, and we really enjoyed ourselves. We're going to try and make hiking more of a habit.

After our hike we swung by the grocery store to grab some lunch and pick up pumpkins. We didn't end up carving them last night, though. Partly because I had to finish up those photos, and partly because I was so pooped from the hike that I ended up falling asleep during our online class. So carving them after wasn't going to work. So at some point this week, we're going to do that

This week is going to be incredibly busy. I have another wedding due on Saturday - but I'll be taking Friday off for DH's cousin's wedding, and then Saturday I'll be shooting another wedding. So I really have the next three days to get it all edited. Not impossible, but that probably means late nights until then.

Thankfully, after I finish this one I don't have another hard deadline until November.

***

Spending over the weekend was more or less on meals - we did get breakfast Saturday, brunch Sunday, and then lunch yesterday. We could have definitely stuck to meals at home. We'll have to work on that going forward. At least limit ourselves to 1-2 restaurant meals every week.

At any rate, I better get to all of that work I mentioned!! Hope you all have a lovely Tuesday!

So last night I ended up going over to our friend's house with DH for poker night. He gave me a quick crash course on how to play before we left, and it ended up being a good time. Given that it was my first time, I didn't do terribly well - but it was only a $10 buy-in and I enjoyed it. He didn't end up winning either, but hey. Entertainment for $10/person isn't so bad. And he fronted the money.

We haven't mixed our finances yet, so we're still in the mindset that it's "his" and "my" money. I know that will change as soon as we get things going. Still waiting for our marriage license to come back from the probate court so I can embark on the exciting adventure of changing my name, replacing IDs, and then opening a joint account together. I think we may be meeting with a financial adviser. We have one in my BNI group, and it seems like a good way to kick off on the right foot. But it'll be an interesting transition. DH makes a LOT more money than I do, and I often worry about feeling like I'm not pulling my weight. Or it coming off that way. Now that we're married, the "team" mentality hasn't quite sunk in. Though I'm sure that's something that comes with time.

***

Today DH went off with friends to watch football. I stayed behind to edit photos. This week is going to be busy busy busy, as I've got a couple of deadlines to meet and two days I'm taking off work during the week.

I was going to cook dinner tonight, but we have so much leftover from yesterday's dinner that I think we'll just do that, and I'll cook tomorrow when I'm not attempting to edit a few thousand photos.

I also want to celebrate some tiny victories. Friends asked me to go to the mall a few times this week and I declined. I've also done a lot of online consignment shopping, and have yet to make a purchase. Just looking for a new winter coat. I've had my eye on one for over a year now, but it's about $300. I know I can score a better deal, but I still want to invest in something that I love and will last.

Thankfully, we have a bit of time before it becomes urgent. So we'll see. My coat from last year is still functional and we'll be living in a warmer climate next year. So maybe I'll go with something cute and much cheaper and hold off on the big coat investment until we move back. At any rate, I'm rambling now.

Hope you all have a lovely Sunday!!

So this is the first Saturday in a really long time that I haven't had anything planned - work related or otherwise. It feels good. I've got some editing to do, but the fact that I don't *have* to put on real clothes or makeup if I don't want to is a real comfort for me. One I've missed.

DH is planning to pay poker tonight with friends and watch the big US vs. Mexico cup game, so I'm not sure what my plans are. On one hand, I don't really know how to play poker. On the other, I could learn and possibly win some cash (and hang out with friends). But I don't know. I kind of like the idea of just hanging out at home as well. I've got plenty to do. And a whole slew of Netflix movies I could watch...

I also have a ton of work I need to get done this weekend, so it may make more sense to do that today so tomorrow and Monday will be open for relaxation.

***

In other news, we looked at some options for my health insurance - now that we're married, I can get on DH's work plan. But it's a bit absurd how much it would jump! As of right now, he only pays about $38 per pay period for his medical. It jumps to about $130 when he adds me on. I'm used to paying around $50 for Tricare so... I'm wondering if I should at least get a couple of other quotes. For a healthy 29 year old with no known medical issues, who knows. I don't have much experience with all of this. But in all honesty, I'm just excited to have insurance again.

There's a member of my BNI group that is an independent contractor and deals in health insurance, so I might have him put together a quote, so at least I have some basis of comparison.

Anyhoo. Hope you are all enjoying your weekend!

I can't believe the week is almost over! Time is certainly flying right now. Today I substituted at another BNI meeting - the group was pretty good, and there was an interior designer that seemed interested in doing some photos in the spring. So it was certainly a trip worth making (even if I had to drive 45 min away to get there at 7:30am). After that meeting, I headed to a local coffee shop to do a one-on-one meeting with one of the members of my BNI group. Spent about $10 on coffee and breakfast, but at least they can be written off.

Also grabbed gas this morning, and spent $12 on a kindle book last night. I would have gotten it from the library - but it's brand new, and it's Mindy Kaling's new book. I will reread it religiously because I practically worship her.

So I'm still under budget as of today. Things are going well.

Tonight we're going to a comedy thing at the Hofbrau House around here. Friends won free tickets, so we'll be getting in for free. I haven't talked to DH about dinner, so we might end up eating there. Or just having a couple of drinks and eating at home. We'll see.

The rest of the weekend should be a good time, and relatively cheap. We're planning to carve pumpkins, go on a hike, and hang out with friends. I think one of the days we might hit brunch at a restaurant near our house. Sunday night I'm making my perogies and having friends over for dinner. Should be a good time.

I also need to get some work done tomorrow, so I think I'm going to wake up and get an early start.

Now, back to work! TGIF!!

Three days in a row. Wooo! Doing alright.

So I logged into Mint this morning to look at my budget. So far, so good for the most part. My income is on track, and the only place I'm starting to near my limit is groceries - which was largely due to the extra $50 I spent yesterday on some bigger ticket items. But I think I can stretch things pretty far for the rest of them month. At least I'm hoping. If I'm a bit over, at least it's because I'm cooking, right? Also, I see a nice challenge in trying to use the stuff that's been in our cupboards and freezer. It helps me get creative.

Dropped off my car payment yesterday, so that should hit. Today shouldn't see too much in the way of spending. I do need to get gas before tomorrow, as I'm on E and heading over to the other side of town early in the morning to hit another BNI meeting. This morning's meeting was really productive (in my own chapter). Met an interior designer saying she's desperately in need of a photographer right now. So good things are happening!

Dinner tonight will be leftovers. I made a double batch of meatloaf last night, so I don't have to cook tonight. This is good considering it's going to be a late night of editing. Trying to meet a deadline a couple of days ahead of schedule.

So that's my update! Hope you all have a wonderful Thursday!

Wednesdays are my shopping days, because that's a good friend has that day off of work - and we go shopping together every week. It's kind of our weird, nerdy thing. haha. But mostly, we both are lightweight obsessed with Aldi. And Target. So it works out.

This week I spent $43.03 at Aldi and $54.20 at Target - mostly because we were out of cat food ($17.49 for the big bag), BADLY needed to replace our furnace filter ($12.39), and needed more vitamins ($8.19). The remaining items at Target were lean cuisines, a box of Kraft mac & cheese, and a random item for $5 that will be a gift to friends. All in all, a very productive trip. On the menu for this coming week:

- Meatloaf + Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Homemade Perogies
- Turkey Tenderloin + Butternut Squash Risotto
- Split Pea Soup
- Lasagne Rolls
- Emergency Pizza

We call frozen pizzas in our house "emergency pizza" because it's really a backup. We keep them around when we don't feel like cooking or are craving junk, to keep us from running out to a restaurant. A $2.50 pizza in the freezer tends to be a better bet than spending $20 out. And we have those garbage food cravings more than I care to admit...

Tonight I'll be making the meatloaf for us and our friends' dinner night. We trade off every week, so it's a nice treat for one couple to not have to cook, and it's an excuse to get together and play board games. I'm thinking we'll have a friend or two over on Sunday when I make the perogies as well. I've never made them myself, but this past week I did an authentic Hungarian chicken paprikas that was soooooo good, and now I'm feeling adventurous

Really, I'm just excited that I'm in the mood to cook again. Last night I was stoked that the husband was at a work dinner so I didn't have to cook... but then I was really craving Chinese. So I made myself fried rice and baked a batch of peanut butter cookies on top of that. So much for not cooking. haha.

But honestly, we save so much money when we do cook - and this past week we used up everything we purchased. I'm trying to rid us of the bad habit of buying food and letting it go bad. Another habit that I'm not proud to admit, and is more true than I'd like it to be. Now that I've got a bit more time to prepare my menu and actually cook, I'm seeing it as a nice challenge.

***

Speaking of having more time, this weekend will be the first in 3 months where I don't have a single shoot (or am getting married). It feels GLORIOUS to have the whole weekend to use however I want. While I'm sure I'll spend at least a few hours editing, we've also planned some fun fall activities. Mostly carving pumpkins and hiking. Cheap, and a lot of fun. Can't wait!!

Hope you are all having a great Wednesday!

So things are going well this week - we actually cooked all of the meals we intended to over the last week, finishing up last night with delicious omelettes and bacon. Tomorrow I go grocery shopping, so I'll be making my list tonight.

I hopped on Mint and checked my budget for the month. So far so good. Last week I *did* buy a shirt while I was at Target getting the rest of my groceries after Aldi... but that's not going to happen again this month. Frivolous spending ban.

I moved some money from my business to personal account, and then sent a $1,000 payment to DH for last year's taxes. I'm way behind on paying him back. A couple of people seemed surprised when they found out I was still planning to pay him back even after we're married now. But yes. I hold up my end of the bargain. That's money he can keep in his personal account and do with it what he likes. He'll end up indirectly spending it on me when I'm super broke this winter, anyway haha. But really, let's hope not.

Tonight, DH is at a work dinner, and I'll be eating random stuff from the cupboards - or a lean cuisine, which sounds delightful. It's always kind of nice when he's away for dinner. It makes me feel like I'm a weird, single girl living on my own again (aka, I don't have to cook).

***

I'm in the process of planning a trip down to Nashville later this month - I need to start doing some serious networking. I've got one event I'm hitting, and then 2 BNI meetings. I'm already in a chapter here in Ohio, but I think it'll be a great way to start meeting people once I'm down there. My goal is to schedule one shoot while I'm in the area as well - I've reached out to a musical group who was looking for a photographer on Craigslist, so hopefully that will work out. I'll also be scheduling meetings with wedding vendors, so I'm going to make as much out of the few days I have.

I haven't figured out where I'm staying yet, but it's looking like it will probably be AirBnB, to keep costs down. Thankfully, all of the expenses will at least be write-offs, and I'll get quite a bit of mileage. I just need to get the prep done. I need to print new business cards, samples, and probably some kind of flyer or promotional piece. I'll be trying to keep my expenses down for all of that as much as I can, but they're important - so I'm going to bite the bullet.

All in all, though, I'm excited to get down there and start making connections. Moving my business to a whole new city where I know absolutely nobody is a bit intimidating, but I love a challenge. And hopefully I'll schedule a couple of shoots down there in the winter. I need to start getting Nashville imagery on my site, and hopefully some musical artists - that's such a big market for me to break into. I'm thinking I might just go to an open mic night or something and try and connect with people there as well. Who knows! I might even bring my guitar and join in also

At any rate, I hope you are all having a lovely Tuesday!

Here we are again... another one of those times that I disappear from this site for months and come back in desperate need of getting my s#!t together...

So a lot has happened since May. I turned 29 (woo!). Wedding season began, and with it my busiest time of year. Also, I got married just last month (double woo!). And now finally things are calming down. Well, now I'm playing catchup following all of that craziness... but soon! Soon things will be very calm. And now they are calm enough now for me to look around and freak out a bit. Because things are a bit rough, at least financially.

In the midst of the wedding craziness, I was spending much more than I should - on the wedding itself, and then on restaurant meals (because we hardly cooked from August through September), and also on two different trips I took over the summer. One, granted, was for work - so I have some write-offs there at least... but still. Not cheap.

But mostly I'm freaking out a little because things ARE going to be calm here soon, and while that's great for my sanity... it's not as great for my bank account. And I have bills (and taxes!) to pay.

I've started looking things over, getting a feel for where I'm actually at right now, what I need to make up, and brainstorming ways to get more bookings through the winter so I'm not set up for failure. I've also put myself on a very serious spending ban.

And that's just to get me up to speed. Soon, we'll get our marriage license back, open a joint account, and start figuring out what our finances are going to look like as a married couple. Which we talked about prior to actually getting married - we just have to actually put it all into practice and hammer out the details.

And on top of that, we're moving out of state in just 7 short months. And there's a lot of prep that needs to go into that so... things will remain quite interesting!

Given all of these details, I really need to make my budget a priority. And getting on SA regularly to record my updates is a great way of doing that. I just have to hold myself accountable. So here I am. Ready to get this party started!

I seriously can't believe how quickly this year is going by. But I'm happy to be done with April - a busy and rather crazy month gone by. But then again, my busy season for work is starting...

Can't a girl get a break?

These last couple of weeks have been particularly crazy. Several shoots, two weddings, and I assisted a friend with school portraits for two days. Things are still in overdrive, but this weekend I'll have a bit of time to decompress. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to it!

***

In good news, I'm starting to hear from my lenders about my military school loan repayment. Nothing has posted quite yet, but this is the first time the process has come this far, so it's rather exciting. Also, my one lender put my loans in forebearance as a courtesy - which is great, because I can use that money to put toward my higher interest loans.

***

Wedding planning has pretty much been at a standstill for the last 2 months, but we really need to get that on track. We're 4 months and 12 days away (according to my countdown app) and still need to take care of some big things, including:

- Collecting addresses
- Sending out save the dates
- Designing and printing invites
- Finding officiant
- Finding DJ
- Locking down a block of hotel rooms

There are several other things to be done as well, these are just our more immediate concerns. We've been really relaxed through this process, but I know I'm going to get more stressed the closer the time gets, and I should be getting as much done before I'm knee deep in everyone else's weddings.

***

My last bit of news is about A's work situation. He's been rather miserable at his current job, and had let his boss know that he's looking and planned to be elsewhere by June. He's been speaking with his previous boss about heading back to his old job. They wanted a 2 year commitment from him, and discussed the possibility of him working remotely the second year, as we're planning to move.

Yesterday he told me that not only had they formally offered the position to him, but he'll be paid the same (we were expecting a drop in his salary). His current employer is also working on getting someone in right away, so he might be making the change even earlier than expected - which would make him incredibly happy. It's been heartbreaking seeing him so stressed out for so long. He works hard, is a bright guy, and deserves to not loathe going in to the office.

So his situation is about to get better, and that also means that we're in a good place for moving. We don't have to worry about him finding a job once we get there. Things are going to be much more secure. I know that taking his old job wasn't his preferred choice, but he's going to be happy and that gives him a couple of years to figure out what he wants to do next. He knows he's on his way out of the financial industry, but he has no clue where he'd like to be. We've talked about all sorts of different options, but he couldn't pin down even a possibility. I think having the time and the security to check other things out will be great for him. And this new/old position will allow him to do just that.

Now I just have to focus on transitioning my business to that area - something I'll start doing once we're 100% certain that Nashville will be our city.

Exciting stuff!!

The next year is going to be full of so many changes. I can't wait to see what it will all bring

Everyone have a great day!

When I first started my photography business, it came about as a "maybe I could do this for money" experiment. Now it's something a bit more, but I've noticed that the important elements of my business - brand, client management, administration and accounting, and marketing - have all kind of evolved ad hoc.

Now, I'm trying to do the work of formalizing everything and planning to go from where I am to where I really want to be. Income for the most part is steady, but I'd like to focus more on transitioning to a boutique model - taking on less clients, but focusing on giving them an amazing experience.

So for the last week I've been really trying to nail down who my ideal client is, what sorts of products I'd really like to be focusing on, and how I should be shaping those important elements of the business.

Needless to say, it's been a busy week! Throw in a wedding this past weekend, and one coming up... I'm going to be out of steam before long!

Nonetheless, it's got me really excited about where things can go, and I feel a lot more secure about transitioning the brand (and my physical location!) with a plan in place. I have a hard time narrowing my focus - I tend to want to do everything, and be everything to everyone. But I'm comfortable with where I'm headed, and right now I'm feeling a lot of momentum. I just have to figure out the details of how the transition will take place, what timing makes sense, and how I can lessen the blow of a rebranding effort. Thankfully, I'm not several years in - so I think it'll be pretty easy. Restructuring my website and building out a customer database that's optimal will be the real work of it. Oh, and hiring an accountant. That needs to happen soon.

So that's that.

***

As for spending, things have been pretty good. I paid all of the May bills I could. No real spending on things I don't need.

I transferred $1,000 to A to start my repayment of my tax money, so that's some progress.

Also collected some client payments this week, and got another booking for 2016! So I'll have a deposit coming in on top of that.

I have to say I'm ready to be leaving April. This was a pretty crazy month for me financially, with taxes due and my ill preparedness. But things are looking up! I'm feeling ready for the fresh start of the spring - and ready for it to start actually feeling like spring. Bring on the warm weather!

Now that things have settled down on the tax front, and business has started picking up... it's time to play catchup! Time to start tackling those goals:

[ ] Pay A back for taxes ($4,800)
[ ] Save for EF ($2,000)
[ ] Pay down CCs (approx. $5,000)
[ ] Pay down Sallie Mae Loan (It's at $10,300ish right now. A constant battle...)

I also need to set up my estimated tax payments. So I don't end up with this problem next year.

That being said, I got a $1,400 payment in the mail yesterday (woo!) and have another about the same before the end of the week (woo again!). Right now I have about $2,645 to work with, and that second payment will bring me up to almost $4,000.

So now comes the matter of allocating money.

I'll pay my bills first, of course. Then I'll set aside the $1,656 I'll need for my Q1 estimated tax payment, and anything left goes to A. Next month I should be able to pay off the remainder of the tax money I owe - as I'll be *hopefully* finishing up a project that has a $7,000 value. My plan is also to put money into my savings next month. I don't have enough booked out for June and July to cover my expenses yet.

***

In other news, I got an email from the readiness NCO at my former unit - my army contract ended back in November, and we're still trying to get my student loan payments in order. She sent me forms to fill out and I was confused, as I had just filled them out last year and hadn't seen a payment posted yet.

She said the new forms are for my final payment. So I'm going in there next week to finish up the final steps and get some timeframe for when the payments will be made. My contract included $18k in student loan repayment, which will eliminate about 30% of my debt. Not bad. Unfortunately, it will likely only cover my non-private loans (which are the ones without astronomical interest rates). But I'm certainly not going to complain. That's $18k I wouldn't have had otherwise! I just hope we finally get it in motion. I was in the military for 6 years, and that paperwork is such craziness that it hasn't been until now that we're starting to get it right. ugh.

***

I think that's it for me now. I hope you all have a wonderful day!

This has been a rather crazy month - my business has been picking up, which is phenomenal, but comes with an adjustment period. We had 2 big birthdays the first week, and celebrated my fiance's just this past weekend. And, of course, taxes were due.

We had A's surprise hotel 30th Birthday party Saturday. It went absolutely well, and I would count it a huge success. I spent $279 on the room, but friends covered our meals and drinks at dinner (very nice of them) and a couple of other friends provided drinks and snacks for the room. We decked out the hotel room in silly decorations, and probably over 100 photos of A as a kid. It was pretty funny. After our little celebration, we hit the casino - where A quickly made $800 at the roulette table! We decided to stop there, and bought everyone a round of drinks, then headed back to the room. It seemed that everyone enjoyed themselves - and A loved the surprise. Which was all that mattered, of course Such fun, but I'm so glad that we're done with celebrations for the month. I'm not sure my body could handle more crazy party nights.

***

Taxes have been deducted from my account, so I'm feeling more comfortable and solid about my bank account again. Whereas I know roughly what is *in* the account after deducting the big sums, I like it just being gone so I don't have to do any mental math. Which I'm generally awful at. haha.

***

Update on A's job situation: After a few more days of thinking it over and discussing it with a couple close friends, he decided to take his old job back. He feels it would give him time to explore what he really wants to do while having a steady paycheck. This is, of course, what I wanted him to do - and I looked him in the eye a few different times and made sure that's really what he wants and he isn't just doing it because it's what I want him to do. I'd hate for him to live in regret or feel resentful because he felt pressured to make a decision. Even if I believe it was the right one.

He swears up and down it's how he feels, so I'm very proud of him and grateful that he's willing to sacrifice exploring something new now to put in the time and research necessary to find a real path and plan.

He let his old boss know last week, and now they're sending it up the chain to make sure the people above him are on board. So it's still not set in stone, but he'll be meeting with them in the next couple of weeks to discuss and sort out details if it's a go.

Assuming everything will work out, we're going to for sure move in a year, as we planned before this crisis of identity came to pass. So I think we're both feeling more secure in that certainty. Hopefully everything will gel quickly - as I need to start doing my own leg work transitioning my business to another city, without any real network or connection to that market.

***

Speaking of networks, I went with a friend this last week to a networking group called BNI. Apparently it's a worldwide referral-based networking franchise. The group in our city is just getting off the ground and is in the formation stages, but it seems like it could be a good place to start getting more B2B clients. The membership fees are a bit pricey - it's a little over $100 to apply (I'm sure I would get in) and it's about $400/year after that. Steep, but if it actually brought me business I'm obviously happy putting the money there. If I got one referral it would likely pay for itself. So I'm 97% certain I'll be joining.

I just feel that traditional advertising in the photography business is a bit of a waste - with the market being so saturated, I rely a lot on word of mouth and my network. And the nice thing about this group is that I have exclusivity in my category - so I would be the only photographer on board. I paid $300 for a table at a bridal show, so shelling out $500 for a group that meets weekly seems like a worthwhile investment.

***

So that's that. Things are calming down just in time for my business to really start ramping up! That being said, I should get to work - I really have to focus on staying on top of everything!

I hope everyone has a fantastic Monday!

And by that I mean, I'm cleaning and working out. haha. The fiance's parents and sister are coming up to have dinner for his birthday, which was earlier in the week. It'll be a nice day

Spending this week was a little more than expected with his B-day. I got him an e-cigarette as a gift, as he's quitting smoking. We also had a really nice steak dinner that was almost $100. I have a separate budget for his birthday stuff this month, so I'm still not exceeding anything on my usual budgets.

Next weekend we'll be doing our "big" celebration, and I'll be spending quite a bit. Thankfully, I've taken on a couple more projects this week, and I'm getting paid for a big one soon. I'd feel guilty for the spending, but honestly he's helped me so much financially in the past few years. His 30th deserves to be big.

Speaking of his helping me, we transferred $4,800 to my account yesterday so I can finish filing my taxes. The payback period will begin as soon as I have this month all figured out.

The only other expense I had this week were the save the dates for the wedding - I designed them myself and the printing was pretty cheap. We spent under $50. Now it's time to collect those addresses!

Coming up this week, I need to make my car payment, take care of the cable bill, and grab some more groceries (though that should be no more than $30).

It's going to be a fairly busy week - I've got a prospective client meeting tomorrow morning. Thursday I'm going to this BNI networking meeting - to check it out, and evaluate whether or not the dues are worth the referrals I would get. I don't mind paying a few hundred dollars if it actually pays off. And I feel like the corporate side of my business is something that is expanding quickly, and really well suited to my background in marketing. Saturday I've got a baby session in the morning and then I'm photographing an event in the evening - then going directly to dinner with friends, and then to the hotel room to party for the fiance's party.

It'll go quickly, but I've still got so much planning to do!

Hope you all enjoy the rest of your Sunday

It's been a low-spend week so far - and a productive one! So things are looking good right now. I'll be heading to the grocery store to pick up a couple of things, but it shouldn't be more than $15 worth of items.

I do need to drop off my car payment, but beyond that my bills are current.

I spent some time the other day going through my monthly budget and making things a bit more realistic based on my actual spending. I mapped it out for the rest of the year, so I had an accurate number for each month, particularly for expenses that happen a limited number of times per year. It also gave me a better understanding of some of my recurring monthly expenses that have gotten away from my estimates (particularly business expenses). I decided to cancel a couple of them because I'm probably not using them enough to warrant the expense.

Also need to send back a pair of shoes I purchased on Zappos. They don't fit, and in all honesty I don't really *need* them, so back they go. More money in my account.

***

It's my fiance's 30th Birthday tomorrow, and it's really going to be a couple of weeks' worth of celebrating. Tomorrow I'm taking the day off work to hang out with him. I'm going to make breakfast, and we'll probably go out to dinner.

Next weekend I'm throwing him a surprise party, and getting a hotel room downtown for the night. So from a financial standpoint, that should be it - but of course I want to get him a gift as well. I'm going to keep it as simple as possible. Mostly because I just don't have the cash to do anything crazy. But the guy is letting me borrow over $5k for my taxes. And he only turns 30 once! I'm going to get him an e-cig starter set, as he's quitting smoking after his birthday (hooray!). If I can come up with anything else cool in the next 24 hours, I'll do that as well, but I feel like that will be enough.

So that's it - Things are moving along, and business is picking up. Just have to keep swimming

I have this bad habit - one I'm sure I share with many people in this country and around the world, but a bad one nonetheless. If you ignore something, it isn't real. You don't have to deal with it. If something is ailing my body, I don't go to the doctor. A diagnosis acknowledges its existence. Kind of like once you name that stray dog you took in, you know that dog is yours forever.

This time, it was taxes. It's April, and the deadline is quickly approaching. I hadn't actually started filing until this past week. I knew it was going to be bad, but I didn't have to acknowledge just how bad until I actually saw a number. So I lived my merry, blissful life spending what I wanted ignorant of the actual damage.

Now that I've seen the number, it's a pretty big blow, and the comfort of that ignorance is pretty much shattered. More so because I underestimated what I would owe by about $2,000. And my savings have dwindled in the last few months while business has been painfully, painfully slow. This is my first year living solely on my business income (without a rather large contracted, part-time job to cover me in the winter months). I didn't realize just how much I was going to need to save prior to the winter to really get me through. Or what my tax burden really is.

Make no mistake, this was all my responsibility and poor planning. But in some ways, this was a good learning experience for me.

All I can say is that I'm thankful I have a fiance that is able and willing to lend me the money until business picks up. Because if I didn't, I'm not sure what I would do. I really am so very lucky. I feel terrible regardless asking him to front me $4,500 - but I'm confident I'll be able to pay him back in the next few months, so it will all be fine.

I just need to start paying estimated taxes during the course of the year and saving for next winter. Really, I should have been paying estimated taxes all of 2014 - but in honesty, never really learned how to go about doing that (I'm sure it's not difficult). I do for my local taxes, but not federal.

I think the biggest learning experience is understanding just how much of my income I'm going to be able to realistically use. I need to do a better job of budgeting my income in an after-taxes capacity.

Again, these are all things that I should have been doing this year. But nothing I can do about it now but move forward a smarter, more responsible person. And next year not be silly and ignore the problem until it solidifies into a tangible emergency. I've really let things go in the financial department, and it's time to start picking up the pieces.

Sheesh. Being a grown up is hard.

***

In other (better) news, we took our trip to Nashville last week to scope out neighborhoods and get a feel for whether we'd like to move there. I'm happy to say we loved it, and it showed the positive side of things feeling more "real" by actually naming and experiencing them.

We're both definitely ready for a change, and it seems like it's got a lot to offer at a rather affordable cost of living (at least compared to some of the other cities we were considering). It's got a great night life, a few neighborhoods that we really enjoyed, full of creative people doing what they love. And, of course, the (much) warmer weather is a huge plus. So as of right now, I'm 98% certain we'll be moving there next May when our lease expires.

So yay for that!

***

And an update re: work - things are starting to pick up, and it feels good to be busy again (and, of course, having a stream of money coming in).

So that's my life right now. Time to get to work!

I know, the title sounds a bit silly. And it caught my eye for sure. It's a book written by a Japanese woman named Marie Kondo - who has developed the "KonMari" method for decluttering and organizing your belongings. And I've become lightweight obsessed with it. haha.

Here's the link (no, I'm not getting paid for writing this. unfortunately):

http://www.amazon.com/The-Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering/dp/1607747308

Minimalism is something I've been striving for these last couple of months. I've been on a crusade to pare down the number of belongings I have. Partially because I know we just have too much *stuff* and partially because we're moving in about a year, and I absolutely loathe moving. The less stuff, the better time I feel I'll have.

I've been attempting to adhere to the 333 Project Capsule Wardrobe (http://theproject333.com/), and now even *she* is caught up in the tidying madness.

So what's the hubbub? She has you start with going through all of your belongings (starting with the things that tend to be easier to part with, like clothes) and you hold each object in your hands while you evaluate whether or not it "sparks joy" within you.

That's pretty much it.

Sounds cheesy, and trust me, the process feels pretty cheesy too. But the logic is sound. It's minimalism, but instead of framing it as owning less, it's framed as only owning the possessions that bring you happiness and actually encouraging you to live the kind of life you want to lead.

It just makes so much sense, and I'm really enjoying the process of understanding who I am through it all. The clothes were an interesting experiment, because even despite trying this whole capsule wardrobe thing out for months, I was still able to fill 3 bags of clothes. Clothes that didn't fit me well (I've put on quite a bit of weight in the last year), clothes that felt way too young (I'm at that weird transition period where I'll be 30 next year and struggling to find a style that feels grown up without being too mature), clothes that I've only worn once and feel guilty letting go of, clothes that I've been keeping in case I lost all that weight... that will never fit.

I'm a gal who loves the feeling of purging (things), and I'm definitely feeling more at ease with my wardrobe.

The only problem is that I'm finding that not a ton of my clothes really "spark joy." And that makes me want to shop to fit the kind of person and lifestyle I want to become. Granted, I feel like I always want to start shopping when the seasons change - because less of my clothes fit, or feel outdated. But because I started my whole "tidying" process by understanding the kind of life I'd like to be living, I want to align reality with that vision.

So there will be a little bit of shopping, but I'm still going through my process of considering my priorities as I make these purchases - is it something that I will truly make use of, is it worth the expense, would I rather have a great vacation or this object? Do I own something that can be used for this purpose already?

Adventure, luxury, and relaxation are my "theme" words for my home, but for me luxury has more to do with how it feels than how much it costs. Like, pretty bar soaps to me feel luxurious, flowy fabrics, fresh flowers, and small pastries with my coffee in the morning. None of those things are exceptionally expensive. Honestly, uncluttered space in general feels like luxury - it makes me think of pristine hotel rooms with minimal, harmonious design.

I'm not running out to buy all new furniture, but I am trying to organize and edit my belongings to reflect those themes. Because we don't own a house (wont for a few years) and are moving out of state soon, I'm at peace with my furniture - I'll work on getting away from the hodge-podge, unmatching sets when we'll be staying put.

While I want to feel like I'm living a life of adventure, luxury, and relaxation, I'm also a practical gal who wants to appreciate the things she has and be content with having "enough." It's about striking a balance.

I've started a really specific list of things I'd like to buy. I don't have to purchase them all at once, so they'll still have to be purchased within the limits of my budget. And of course, I'll still be trying to score a deal Just because I'm trying to find more quality items doesn't mean I can't scour the sale sections at the pricey stores.

So that's a really long breakdown. I hope it wasn't terribly boring! I do recommend the book to anyone trying to get a hold on their belongings. It's definitely Marie Kondo is definitely Japanese. The way she phrases things are adorable and contemplative. If you can look past the avid use of the word "tidying" (not a term I would use often) and her whimsical understanding of things having feelings (she often talks to and thanks her things for the work they do for her), it's really a great read. And will at least get you thinking!

So I had another booking! Right in under the wire So I can add that $500 deposit to my monthly earnings, getting me just under $2k for the month. Still a far cry from what I was expecting, but I'll certainly take it.

If the woman I met with last night ends up booking, then I've met my 2015 readjusted goal. So that's encouraging. Now I just need to really focus on 2016 and booking portrait sessions. My goal is only 7 for the year, so I feel like that will be entirely doable. Nonetheless, time to start now!

Emailed a client that's had an outstanding invoice since December. ha. They've got me in the queue now - so funds will start rolling in. Just in time to pay all my bills. phew. I can't wait for the payments for my big project to start rolling in. I've still got to repay my savings account for money I pulled out, and really start in on my CCs. They're both pretty much at their limits.

I also need to start the process of filing my taxes. I've been avoiding it mostly because I need that repaid savings money to pay them, and I'm afraid of what the total is going to look like. I haven't been paying them along the course of the year - which I of course should be doing. Instead, I've been adding money to my savings every month, so I have to pay the entirety of my taxes for the year.

That being said, my expenses were pretty substantial, and I get deductions for paying the interest on my student loans. So I'm hoping that they're not as high as I expect them to be. But we'll see. This is really the only time of year I working solely as a business owner/contractor. But I'll get through it, just like I do every year. And make my system a bit more manageable for 2015.

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

What. A. Week.

Things started out rough, but they've increasingly gotten better the closer to the weekend we've gotten. Go figure

I hopped on Mint and took a look at my monthly budget and spending to see the damage, as February will be coming to a close in a measly 2 days. Seriously, how fast is time moving this year. Amirite?

Income *---

Income this month was pretty much alarming. I budgeted for $3,250. I actually only made $1,422. Part of the difference is about $1k in outstanding invoices that my clients haven't paid. But still my budget was supposed to be a conservative number - in reality I expected to book another wedding or two (particularly because my bookings were so poor in January).

In good news, though, I did have a contract signed this week, ending my painful dry spell. And I've met and/or talked with a handful of prospective clients this week - and feel confident that at least two of them will be booking with me for 2015.

Still no 2016 dates on my calendar. I'm not sure if people are just procrastinating more this year, but ah well. We're planning on moving out of state in May 2016 - so it's probably not terrible that my calendar isn't full of weddings in Ohio.

Spending *---

I've got to say I'm a bit proud of myself. Most months my budget is awash with red come the end of the month. This month? I only went over in two categories: Business Expenses and Credit Card Payments. Clearly I'm not upset to be paying more on my CC.

I have a really hard time staying within my budget for my business. Most of the time, they are necessary purchases - printer ink cartridges, parking downtown so I can work my big project, prints for clients, etc.

I was $150 over my budget. The only "extra" I purchased this month was an online class for $50 that was worth every penny. The $50 in printer cartridges was unexpected as well. I also spent $190 in client prints - which are included in their packages, so they're non-optional. I guess I kind of forget how much it all adds up.

Nonetheless, I'm very proud of myself for not going over in any other category. I did have some purchases that I'm sure were non-essential - clothing purchases (all work clothes), some nail polish that was definitely more "my day has been crap so I'm going to treat myself" than a necessity. I did buy lunch a couple of days, and I'm going to keep that to a minimum going forward. We didn't really go out much this month, though. So our entertainment spending was record-breaking low.

I didn't use even half my budget for restaurants, and I used zero of it for bars/alcohol. I also managed to only spend $16 on gas this entire month. I'm not sure how that happened, but I'll take it!

Rest of the Year Outlook *---

Looking at my bookings for the year, I've got $30k total income so far. My goal for the year was to hit $42k - so I've got $12k to book still.

I looked over my model to readjust my goals:

- 2 more weddings in 2015
- 7 portrait sessions
- 5 event/commercial
- 10 weddings for 2016

If I can make those targets, I'll meet my goal. I think that's entirely doable, and I hope I'm right. Well, I hope I go above and beyond my goal really - because my expenses are going to be way above my predictions (particularly in the case of my business), and I want to make sure I'm not struggling. Running a business is just frickin' expensive. But honestly, it's everything to me.

Anyhoo, I hope you all had a great February, and will have a successful March! Bring on the nice(r) weather!

It was a busy week. And I'm still adjusting to having to go into the office a couple of days a week. It's obviously no big deal... I just need to get into my groove. I was also out of town on Wednesday, and that kind of threw off the balance in my life.

I did stop at this consignment shop called the Clothes Mentor on Wednesday to look for things I can wear to the office and/or client meetings. I found two dresses that I really loved and payed $35 all together for both.

I made food to bring in for lunch on Thursday. Friday I went to lunch with a friend, but I only ended up spending about $5. There's this El Salvadorian restaurant in the area that I absolutely love. The food is delicious, and it's dirt cheap. So it worked out well

One of my clients finally paid their invoice, so that relieved a bit of pressure. Things are going well on my big project for the most part - my clients are of course dragging on their end of things, so it's going to get behind schedule really quick. The rest of it will involve trying to do everything myself. haha.

I also had 3 client calls/meetings this week for weddings - and I'm 99% certain that at least one of them is going to book. I'll be doing a bit of networking this coming week, so hopefully things will continue to progress there.

***

We hit Sam's Club yesterday and picked up a bunch of stuff. Paper products, chicken broth, some snacks, toothpaste. The fiance footed the bill for that trip, which was nice. I generally pay for our groceries every week (he pays for a disproportionate amount of the rent + utilities, so it works out). But when he picks up some of the items it's always nice on my budget.

I did hit Target and Aldi today, and spent about $40 total. That'll last us for probably the next 2 weeks. We'll see.

Beyond groceries and lunch the other day, the only thing I've spent money on was a breakout class from the photography community I'm a part of. I still need to go through and take in all of the material. I'm excited to get started on it, though.

I also broke down and subscribed to Hulu. I can't watch Mindy any other way because we don't pay for any kind of cable package - I can't even watch it on the Fox channel. The fiance pays for Netflix, so I can't really complain about dropping $8/month for Hulu. I use it enough for it to be worth the cost. I'm also catching up on my Parks & Rec. Good stuff.

***

On the wedding front, I've got the quote for my photographer. She's a friend of mine, and giving us a free engagement shoot (which is so nice of her). Even though I'm a photographer, I'm still only hiring someone for the "big" parts of the day. So I'm only paying for 3 hours of coverage. She's charging me $600 for everything.

It's a steal. I budgeted $1,500 for the photos, and so we're going to have a LOT of wiggle room. We also decided on a caterer and are expecting to only have to spend about $1,500 - $500 less than I budgeted. Needless to say, things are going very well in terms of planning. My bridesmaids all ordered their dresses this week - Modcloth had a 25% off sale on dresses, so they were only $40. Very exciting

***

So we're planning on moving in spring 2016 - and had narrowed our choices down to 4 cities. I did some research this weekend, and put together a matrix with some basic cost of living, income, and amenity information to see how they all compared. We've since thrown out Charleston (too expensive) and Asheville (not quite the feel we're looking for). So it's between Nashville and Kansas City now. That gives us a bit more structure, and knocks off two of the trips we were going to take this year. Which is going to save us time and money, of course.

It was fun to start looking into neighborhoods and stuff to do in each of the cities, too. It's got me excited to get out and experience a new place. It's starting to feel much more real.

***

That's about it. I spent a bit of time going through my emails and doing some admin stuff for my business this afternoon. The rest of the day I'm going to try and force myself to do some work. But I'll more likely go through some of this photography class.

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

It's been a busy week thus far - and very productive. The fiance is out of town for work, so I had the house to myself Monday night. That being said, dinner was very low-key.

I love cooking, and I love cooking for the both of us. But some days I just miss living alone... eating a bowl of cereal in my underwear instead of having to consider anyone else's dinner preferences Simpler times. haha.

But really, we cook very consistently, and I love the food we eat. It's a lot easier to avoid restaurants when you really enjoy the food you make at home.

Yesterday I went into the office. It's my first week on the big website project, and it's nice to get out of the house. Of course, we haven't gone grocery shopping... so I hit the restaurant at the ground floor of our building. $7 for a hummus platter. I need to start bringing lunch. So today I'm going to swing by the store and pick up some random items and lunch stuff.

We still have 2 meals from last week we didn't get around to making (our leftovers held us over quite a bit). So we don't have too much in the way of meal items to get. Nonetheless, I'll go through and do my meal planning before heading to Aldi.

I also spent $6 on parking yesterday. I need to start taking the train in. Or just getting to the parking garage early. It's only $4/day with the early bird rate. And a trip 2 ways on the train is $4.40. I'm already starting to miss working from home every day :/ Thankfully, it's only 2 days a week for a couple of months. A small investment for how much I'm making on the project. But there's really no reason for me to blow a bunch of money on lunch. Even though I loooove the restaurants downtown. Just need to maintain focus

***

I drove down to my hometown last night to hang out with friends, and today I'm working from my mom's house. She's on vacation, and my sister needed a ride to campus. So here I am. I'll hang out with my sister for a little bit when she gets out of class and then head back home - we have our weekly dinner night with friends and the fiance gets back from his little business trip, so it'll be nice to see him.

***

Had to move some money around again yesterday - I can't wait to get a payment from this project. And some of my outstanding invoices paid. I owe my savings account $1,500 now. And I haven't really been spending on anything outside of bills and business expenses (had to order photo books for a couple of clients). I'm really happy I had the money in the account to begin with, and thank goodness I did, but I haven't even started to look at my taxes yet, and that money was earmarked for paying them. So it'll be important to have that on hand come April. Ah, the joy of owning a business that's slow in the colder months...

Hope everyone is doing well and staying warm!

I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day - and stayed warm! There was an incredibly crazy snow storm here in Ohio yesterday. Thankfully, we didn't have to leave the house - but I really feel for anyone that had to brave the roads.

Our low-key celebration was enjoyable as ever. It mostly consisted of watching movies and eating a TON of food. The fiance brought me breakfast in bed (