Well, I wrote out a long post, but then it somehow got deleted. grr.

So to give you a much shorter update:

Called PNC and got that money credited to my CC from IKEA moved to my savings account. Emergency fund is now up to $469.14. Sold yet another book, which makes 3 now. Mailing those out today, and money will be added again to the EF. I feel like I'm going to hit this goal in no time.

Paid gas bill today, and I'll be mailing out my rent check as well. Yesterday was a NSD, which was nice. Brought coffee and lunch from home. Get free dinners on Monday night classes (a perk of the dean teaching your class).

I'll be getting my paycheck and GI bill this week, so I may actually be able to round out this EF in the next couple of weeks. That would be really nice!

Taking the day off work. I've reached my breaking point in the last week, and need to re-prioritize a bit and make sure I'm maintaining my sanity. Not the easiest thing in the world for me to do, but at this point I'm not doing myself any favors by running into the ground.

It's the 3 year anniversary of me and BF's first date. Tonight we're recreating it by watching Zombieland and getting Steak and Shake. Yum Hope you all have a fantastic day!

Yesterday I had a NSD, which felt good. Brought my coffee from home again, along with my lunch. For whatever reason I get a catered dinner every Monday night (the perks of having the dean teach my class?), so free sandwiches and pasta salad for dinner.

Called PNC and got the money that was credited by IKEA moved from my CC to my savings account. Also moved money from my oDesk account to my checking. Just payed my gas bill, and will mail out my rent check today. I'm also mailing out the now 3 books I've sold this week on Amazon. That money will go to the emergency fund- which is now at $469.14. I feel like I'm going to hit $1,000 in no time.

I'm not just moving money around, though. I feel like I really need to take some time to re-prioritize things in my life. It's a little too early in the semester to be having mental breakdowns, and work has been really rough for the last couple of weeks. I tend to throw my entire being into my work. I'm a very all-or-nothing kinda girl. A perfectionist at heart, I tend to get in over my head with my tasks without any real regard to my energy levels or sanity.

Letting myself hit the breaking point is never a good thing. It's time to take a little step back and make sure I'm approaching life in a healthy manner. It does me no good to get to the point of exhaustion. Then I get nothing productive accomplished. Being okay with things not being perfect and saying no are two things I'm really terrible.

In general, I'm just really bad at staying in the present. I used to let my life be dominated by the past. These days, I'm ruled by the future. It's not a good way to be, and I need to work at staying where I'm at. Because I'm not going to be happy always looking ahead.

So today I'm not working. I'm doing some school work, running errands, and doing my best to relax. I have a date night with the BF tonight. Tomorrow is the 3 year anniversary of our first date... which is a nice thought It's been a wild ride. We get to celebrate a few different anniversaries given we've broken up and gotten back together... but this is certainly a really fun one. In honor, we're watching Zombieland and getting steak and shake-- recreating that first date. It'll be a really fun time, and a nice way to spend some time with him amidst my crazy schedule.

Hope you all have a great day!

So September is wrapping up and I'm getting my finances in order to be on the right track for the rest of the year. I have my budget all mapped out for October:



I broke down yesterday and cancelled my Netflix account. If I really want to watch something, I can use the BF's account, anyway. The hard part was canceling my Birchbox subscription. I'm a bit obsessed. But after accumulating quite a few products I still haven't used, I feel that I can at least take a break for a while. So that frees up $17.99 more a month. Not a huge leap, of course, but every little bit helps and I have to be committed to this thing.

Went to the grocery store today- and putting that expense on October, as I'll actually be eating all of the food in that month. Went to Aldi, only spent $23.47. I still have a bunch of stuff from last week, and I of course wont use everything this week. I'm sure I'll still have at least half the bag of chicken breasts I bought next week. I'm trying to stick with only frozen veggies these days. I just don't have time to cook, and I like the idea of not everything going bad before I have the opportunity to make it. I am, though, about to make a huge pot of chili to eat throughout the week. Last Sunday I cooked two different meals and it lasted me pretty much all week. I'm hoping to eat out at restaurants even less this week.

Verified my enrollment in the GI Bill system, transferred some money from my oDesk account I forgot was there, and have some money coming from a couple of text books I sold over the weekend on Amazon.

My emergency fund is sitting at $387.21 right now. My budget for October is $1,601.34 and my projected income is $1,607.58 (not including the extra income I've generated in the last couple of days). I factored in a $400 contribution to my emergency fund in there, but that income will (hopefully) be added as well. If I could hit $1,000 by the end of the month I would be absolutely stoked.... so that's the goal I'm shooting for. I think it's entirely do-able.

I'm going to keep my eye on that goal for the month, and it'll be my only one. If I hit it much sooner than later, even better. My next goal will be paying off my smallest loan- which is $1,603.26. It's not the smallest interest rate, but I totally believe the logic behind Dave Ramsey's smallest-first pitch. It's not my lowest interest rate, either, so I don't feel awful about tackling that one first. I think my big (and potentially far too lofty) goal is to have that one paid off by the first of the year. That really only gives me 2 months to pay it off after saving up my $1,00 in emergency fund money. But we'll see if I can make any miracles happen. Baby steps!

Hope you all had a great September, and have a successful October either way!

So my tax refund hit today, and I'm here trying to decide how I want to split up the $3k. There are bills that I still have yet to pay, so those will obviously go first. Then I'll also be having my car looked at today, so I can solve the check engine light problem. It's also my mom's birthday, and I have no idea what in the world to get her. After that, I need to figure out how much of my debt I want to pay off with it, and how much I want to put into savings.

That will be the hard part. I'm trying to save roughly $4k for trips this year-- including one to Germany. I'm also trying to pay off roughly $5k of my debt this year also. I'm thinking for right now I'll put $1k toward debt and $1k into my savings, then reassess at the end of the month where I stand... because my GI bill is messed up right now and I cant get a hold of the people to fix it... so I'm currently low on funds.

It's so exciting to think that one thousand dollars are going to be paid on my loans. Granted, that's peanuts compared to the whole, but regardless... It still is above and beyond what I get charged in interest every month. If only I could do that every month! lol. It's so frustrating to know that I accumulate $300/month in interest from just the one company. It seems criminal... ah well. Gotta do what I gotta do, I guess.

An article of mine got published at Buildipedia.com yesterday, and turned out rather fabulous. If you guys wanna take a read:

Is Parking Policy Stunting Urban Sustainability?

That's really all I've got for now. Still in relative shock, and needing to get to work! I have a very busy day ahead of me. I hope you all have a good one.

So a couple of days ago I returned from my incredible 3-week vacation in the Pacific Islands. It was a good time-- there were certainly some rough spots, and I'm very relieved to get home, but otherwise it is a beautiful place and I would love to visit again.

While I was away, Christmas passed. Then my favorite time of the year quickly approached-- The New Year. I'm one of those people that really loves the feeling of a fresh start. Call it corny, but this makes the first of the year my favorite day. I spend hours formulating my yearly goals and coming up with strategies for obtaining those goals. This year was no exception.

I've had "themes" for many of my years passed. Last year was the "Me Year"-- mostly focused on gaining personal independence both emotionally and practically. That year was incredibly difficult but also incredibly successful. The year previous to was the year of my ex boyfriend and the craziness that surrounded his deployment and my experiences in basic training. Very happy to be past all that.

This year (again sounding quite corny) is the "Love Year." When I say love I don't mean it necessarily in a romantic way. I think of love as a very anti-fairytale like action rather than a feeling. It's about being supportive, caring, respectful, committed, and giving. Now that I've gained my independence, this year is about loving myself, my SO, my family and friends, as well as the world community around me to the best of my ability. I guess I could call it the "Giving Year," but I think love is more appropriate.

That being said, the majority of my goals are geared toward this theme. I of course have the usual weight-loss goal carried over from last year. I also want to pick up my yoga practice again and do some projects (sewing mostly). Improving my relationship with the boy is on the list, however. Spending more time with family and friends is as well, and getting more involved with volunteer work. The boy and I sat down and had a "workshop" determining what aspects of our relationship we would like to improve, as well as a way to address these problems. We don't feel our relationship is BAD, but it seems silly not to approach our recurring problems in a constructive manner. One of our goals is to commit to those solutions and actually follow through-- to reduce fighting and strengthen our bonds even more.

One of my other important goals is to simplify life. I'm a workaholic. A big one. I pack my schedule so tight that sometimes I have trouble finding time to breathe. As a result, I'm trying to slow things down a bit, so I can spend this extra time with others-- or just relaxing. This will carry over to the financial realm as well. If I can use what I have, and don't really NEED anything, I can simplify and not get more stuff. I really don't need more stuff, anyway.

My goals for 2010 were fairly successful. There were many that I did accomplish, and am quite happy with (ex. buying a car and moving into my own apartment). Some that I'm not crushed didn't happen (ex. getting a tattoo). Overall, I can't beat myself up at all. I grew and matured a lot in 2010, and I'm a MUCH healthier person (emotionally) now than I was a year ago. Much.

I'll stop rambling on now... lol.

***

Spent $10 for my Yoga class today, which is money well worth it. Usually a class for students is only $5, but I only had a 10 on me... Next week I'll bring correct change They don't really have a "register," per se. Just a basket where you throw your payment.

Went grocery shopping yesterday, and spent $67 for the two of us. Not terrible, not great. Because I'm now on a diet, my grocery list is including a couple specialty food items and much more produce. We also had to grab a few things, though, that we just needed to replenish and will last us a while (ex. olive oil and garlic). Many things we bought will carry us through for a while.

This week coming up is the first week of my last semester as an undergrad. It is also the boy's first week of work at his new job. I'll be packing lunches all week long. No use in spending an arm and a leg on food at the university. It'll be a better chance of eating healthy as well. I still have a couple books to purchase, but otherwise they weren't *too* bad, depending on what you consider bad. It'll probably be about $250 when it's all said and done.

I got my check from the university from my leftover grant money, so I'll be heading to the bank Monday. Trying to keep the rest of the weekend low/no spend, but Sunday will be rough. The boy and I are doing brunch at a restaurant with friends, spending lunch with my friend (we'll probably cook though), and doing dinner at my mom's (a make-up Christmas). Busy busy!

I'll stop here. Too much to catch up on, but so much to actually do as well Everyone have a great day!

So I dropped the ball a bit this month-- I already knew that, but totaling up my spending for the month certainly brought the point home. I ended up $400 under budget, but only because I still have yet to get my car fixed and I didn't really put any money into savings :/

This coming month will be interesting, because I'll be across the world for half of it. The same is to be said for January. One thing is for sure, however: I need to stop spending money on stupid crap. I spent about $60 on clothes in November. I guess this isn't awful considering I haven't purchased clothes for months, and I got a LOT. I discovered Plato's closet. If you've never heard of it, it's a consignment shop chain that has name brand clothes for incredibly great prices. I got a pair of Old Navy kahkis for $7. A shirt for $2. I've really been wanting to update my wardrobe recently. I've been feeling like my clothes are too "teen-like." As a result, I dont really feel comfortable wearing many of them. I know I'm only 24, but I'm still feeling the pressure to dress my age and not look like I'm in high school. It's also encouraging me to wear real clothes and not sweatpants out everywhere.

Beyond that, BF and I hit too many restaurants this month. I need to make a conscious effort to avoid that. I've been having incredible cravings for Thai food... I think I just need to stock up on curry fixin's and find a great recipe for coconut soup.

This week is the last of class this semester. I'm knee-deep in take-home finals and tests. Lab notebooks. I'm happy to be saying goodbye to that stupid thing. I'm looking forward to the end of this semester. It was a long, not so pleasant one.

That's all for now. I've got work to do!

So I had to get my lady checkup today-- the army requires it, and it's mandatory to get my prescriptions refilled every year. But because it's been a year, Planned Parenthood had to reassess my financial standing.

Hot diggity, I qualify for donation-based care.

It makes me both happy and sad. Happy, of course, because that means less money out of my pocket. Sad because it means I'm really darn poor. lol.

I gave them a $50 donation-- which is MUCH less than I would have paid for the exam and 3 month supply of my prescription. I think last year I paid $80 for the exam, and 3 months of pills for me usually runs $36. I figure every three months I'll give them a $10-15 donation and call it even. How exciting!

Last month I had to get a dental check-up for the military, and the hygienists gave me a free cleaning-- very exciting for someone who hasn't seen a dentist in prob 2 years. Let's hope the free health services train keeps rolling!

I think the only other thing I need to do soon is get a new pair of glasses. I heard walmart does exams for very affordable prices, and a friend of mine grabbed a few pairs online for next to nothing and loved them. I think I may have to go that route. If I could get a new pair under $100 with the exam, I will be thrilled. Guess we'll see how things go!

Alrighty, back to work for me. Just had to share the happy but bittersweet news. lol.

So it's been a while. I've been wrapped up in school, work, and taking the awful GRE. I didn't do nearly as well on the GRE as I had thought I would, but my score is good enough to qualify for my top choice program. That's all that really matters.

In good news, BF got the job he applied for. This is fantastic, as he's been looking for a while. He graduates in December, and as soon as we get back from vacation he'll start full time, making a salary of $52k per year. Not bad It's really exciting for both of us. Obviously it will benefit both of us financially, and it eases many of the anxieties we had about finances when we come home from vaca.

It's amazing to think that in the "real world" in higher paying jobs that people really make that much money. I've never made more than $25k. He'll make in one week what I make in almost a month. Insane.

Obviously, this also brings hopes of marriage in the next two years a bit closer. Very happy times over here

Other than that, I have no real exciting news. The GRE is over, and I'm organizing my finances for November. It was a bit of a spendy month, but I still dont have my car fixed up for winter... I need to get on that ASAP. I also have my lady check-up this week, so it'll be another $80 or so, and grad school application fees will total up to $110 this month. Income is a bit strapped this month, as well. It's rather sad. I'm really broke again.

We could have done much better in October. We didn't go out and buy anything frivolous, but we did eat out at restaurants more than we should have. I had to dip into my savings a couple times to cover basic expenses. Not cool. This month we're going to be better, at least after this first week.

We have a wedding to go to this coming weekend, and we're taking a trip to Pittsburgh the night before the wedding for some fun. I don't think the actual wedding will be bad, but that trip out to PA will obviously run us for food and such. It'll be spendy, but it'll also count for our "date night" this month. If we decide to do anything else special this month it will be at home, probably watching movies on the couch because it is FREEZING in our apartment. We will not be eating at any restaurants after next weekend.

We have yet to turn on the heat, despite frigid temperatures. We're trying to hold out a bit longer, but we'll see how bad it gets. Groceries this week were fantastic. For the last month or so we've been at right about $60-- for all of it, which we split. This week we totaled $37. Fantastic, and I have a great menu lined up on top of it We had some leftover stuff from last week, so that's part of the rationale behind the drop. But regardless, that saved money is certainly needed.

I looked at my loan totals again to update my net worth. It's depressing to see it drop every month. I amass about $300 extra dollars every month in interest, if I don't make any payments to Sallie Mae. I'm trying my best to free up cash to contribute to my debt, but it's been really hard. I'm still trying to save up for vacation money and dipping into my savings. Needless to say, I wont be purchasing that camera. I'll just have to make due with what I've got. I cant really afford to amass another $800-1000 in debt for something that isn't entirely necessary. It was a want, not a need. It's more important for me to fix my car and apply to grad schools right now, and Christmas is coming up next month.

I'll stop here, as I don't have much more to report and have a TON of work to do. Hope you all enjoy your Halloween!

So quick update: No major spending, but I have a few expenses coming up. Need to replace my windshield, take the kitty to the vet, and get my yearly checkup at the "girl doctors" (lol). And, of course, vacation is coming up in December. And Xmas. And getting that camera I want so bad.

What I guess I want to bring up here today is my student loans. I updated the totals on October 1, right... and got on Sallie Mae yesterday to see what the total was, because I was thinking of making a payment on it.

October 1: $34,017.09
October 15: $34,124.76

wtf???

It truly amazes me that I gained over $100 in interest in the matter of 2 weeks. So this got me thinking, and I pulled up a loan payment calculator, and put in some figures and realized that if I wanted to pay it off in 10 years that I would have to pay over $400/month. That is absolutely ludicrous. If I want to pay it off in 20 years, still $300. Gaa!!!

So.

These are obviously scary figures, and I need to develop some sort of action plan. I mean, that isn't even the entirety of my student debt. That's just what I've got through Sallie Mae... It is, however, the highest interest rates I've got (9.25% for the majority of it).

I'm going to try and pay a target of $300/month, and obviously any additional income will go towards debt/savings as usual. It's just rather sad that my schooling has cost me this much. I'm not sure if calling them up and asking for a lower interest rate would do anything. Regardless, it's a bit distressing. I can cover my bills alright, and even put a bit into savings, but this is kind of ridiculous.

Income for this month hasn't been as high as I had hoped it would be, but I'm working on it yet, and I have a few payments due that haven't been sent to me yet. I also have drill this weekend, which will provide a bit of income also.

Regardless, I was highly motivated to make a $50 payment on those loans yesterday. I know, it's not much. But every little bit counts!

In good news, the Army requires me to get a dental examination-- which I got today. The Army does NOT cover cleanings, but the fabulous people at the office I went to donates them to soldiers for free So I got my first cleaning in about 2 years for free. Happy day. I take terrible care of my teeth, and I thought I would have cavities, but as it turns out I don't have one... but my gums are in bad shape. I need to start a better regiment. Thankfully, the office also gave me a goodie bag (I love that), so I'm stocked on toothbrush and even more toothpaste, and mouthwash.

It's rough not having any medical insurance. I know that it's going to be required here soon, but as of this week I'm not *too* concerned about it. Mostly because the BF got a job He's going to be making over $50k per year, with benefits. Though we're not married yet, we plan to be in a couple years. So by the time that I'm required to have insurance, I should. Crazy to think about. BF getting a job is a big step, as he's graduating with his masters in December, and he's had a lot of trouble finding anything. The market is just horrible right now. But he's good to go now, and I'll start my last semester of undergrad. Woo!

I have a campus visit at the Grad school I really want to go to next week. I'm really excited, but also really anxious-- because that means the GRE is even closer! I haven't studied nearly as much as I want to. I need to step up my game.

I should stop rambling now, and get to work. That money's not gonna make itself!

So yesterday was my and BF's 1 year anniversary. We decided to celebrate a couple times-- once yesterday and also this weekend. The thing is, we're both pretty strapped for cash. Gifts will in fact be exchanged this weekend. I would have opted out, but I really wanted to get him FIFA 2011 He's been wanting it for a while. So that's what I'm getting for him. The actual celebrations, however, weren't/wont be too pricey.

Our first date was to see a movie, then we stopped at Steak n' Shake for milkshakes and french fries. Though neither of those things happened last night, I did make a delicious steak dinner for us (his request), and we did watch a movie at home. For free. Oh, and I made milkshakes It was nice to make dinner together, and to relax and cuddle a bit.

This weekend we're heading up to Cleveland to have dinner at this fab little wine bar and go see the orchestra play. Whereas the wine bar will certainly be an expense, I get free tickets to the orchestra just for being in the military. Woo! So dinner will be the only celebration expense in all this hubbub. Not bad!

Other than that, not really tons of news. I'm entirely swamped right now... which explains why I'm procrastinating here on SA. I had 2 phone interviews today for two pieces I'm working on. My deadline is tomorrow and I haven't even started writing. Bah. At least I got the interviews all done... and I'm elated because one of them was with an interior designer that's done celebrity work-- which is really cool. She was incredibly fabulous to talk to, as well.

These two articles are grossing me a nice amount of cash, so I want to make sure they're quality. I'm excited to write them. I do love writing about design and interiors.

Work is as busy as ever, but I'm also knee-deep in all of this grad school craziness. I'll be happy when the applications are sent and everything is dealt with. It's quite a process.

I suppose I should stop procrastinating and get back to work now... I just wanted to check in. Hope everyone is doing well! Cheers!

Well, it is in fact the last day of september. I can't believe that the time has flown by so quickly!! It was a rather exciting month for me because... it's the highest total for freelancing income I've hit yet! Nothing *terribly* groundbreaking, but I made a total of $542.51 this month freelancing alone. With drill pay and babysitting income it pulled my total income for the month to $870.82!

While this doesn't seem like much (and it's not), I didn't have my GI bill payment. So starting in October, that income will be raised by $533, and I'll be doing well (at least well enough). I'm also hoping that the freelancing income will improve. I picked up 2 new clients in the last week, and I also have to big articles that I'll be publishing this month ($100 each woo!). So I know this coming month will be a good one.

It's exciting to think about. If I can build my career up even more, I'll be in a really good place.

I haven't really made any business-related expenditures yet, but I think a big one is coming up... I really want to buy a good camera. A digital SLR, and very possibly a Canon Rebel. I'm really looking to spend under $600, and I know I just paid my CC off, but I'm definitely willing to charge it-- because I really want it before vacation. My trip to Micronesia in December will be so much better if I have it... I really want some stellar photos, and I can certainly use the camera for my writing and blogging.

I dont really make too many big technological purchases. I spent a whopping $300 on my laptop. I had the same phone I got free with my contract until the contracted ended and I got another free one. I'm really not into frivolous purchases, but I really want to learn more about photography, and have the proper equipment to do it well.

I'm not really trying to self-justify here. I'm getting one, no matter! lol. It's just really important to me (I guess important enough to bore you with it).

What I'm curious about is if I can list it as a business expense when tax time comes around... hmm. If so, that would be pretty stellar. I'm rather excited for tax season. lol. I'm expecting a rather large(r) return this year... and it wont all go to my CC

So. Other than that, there's not much to say. My goals this month were:

[ ]Stay under budget
[x]Don’t spend any money on clothes
[x]Don’t use CC at all
[x]Generate $400 in Freelancing Income
[x]Keep track of finances all month
[x]Put $200 in savings

The only one I did not accomplish was staying under budget. BUT, I was only $20.65 over-- and I had the unexpected expense of paying for my GRE registration ($160). So really, I count it a total win. Of course, I did not get all the car repairs I had planned on getting done... so that means a bigger budget for next month. Thank goodness I'll have so much extra income!

Alright, I'm done for now. Cheers, everyone!

I feel like every time I write a post here it's discussing the crazy business that I experience... this time is no different. It really is the story of my life.

However, I'm one of those people that really enjoys being busy (and by that I mean goes crazy if I'm not). Thus, it is a blessing. It also means that I'm making money.

Between homework, several clients, one that I picked up again (and very happy about), studying for the GRE, trying to figure out what grad schools I'm going to apply to, cooking, writing this new food blog I've got going on, trying to kickstart a new business, lose about 5 more pounds, and spend some quality time with the BF... I'm pretty booked. lol.

The good news is, though, that I'm juggling all this relatively well. I do have a couple tests this thursday I probably should start studying for. And a couple big ticket articles I haven't really started on that are due on the 6th... but I haven't gotten my questionnaires back yet for those...

Regardless, things are good.

It wasn't a super spendy week. That's the glory of being so busy. I did go out both friday and saturday night. It's been a while, so I certainly deserved it! Friday I went with a friend to dinner... mostly to catch up. I only spent $15 with tip. Later hit the bar to do some dancing. Only had one drink, and my friend paid for it So good stuff there. I got the plates for my car on friday as well. That was about $45.

Last night was date night with BF

So today was grocery shopping day. BF and I hit the store, and came out with relatively low spending-- but mostly because I already dropped $50 at the Asian grocery store this week. Also had to stop at Borders to grab a GRE study book. Ran me $30, and of course I couldn't get out of Borders with only that Bargain books will be the death of me... lol. I picked up a copy of Stephen Colbert's book (steal my heart), and a copy of one of Suze Orman's books to give to my mom. I felt she could use a little uplifting reading.

This week shouldn't be so bad on spending. Tomorrow I'll be neck-deep in homework, and BF and I are hitting the rec in the afternoon. Then class. The rest of the week I dont really have anything planned. Except the weekend-- date night! However, I bought a coupon on Groupon for the restaurant we're going to, so that should cover the majority of our dinner date.

Other than that, not a whole lot is going on. Just trying to keep the spending low. I upgraded my phone today, so that should be coming in the mail soon. I always get the free phone. I was surprised looking through those available-- I could have gotten all sorts of Blackberry's or Palm crazy phones for free, but they all require the outrageous data plans... no thank you. I dont want anything with a keyboard, touch screen, or internet. I want a phone. I want to make calls and send texts. That's it. I've had the same one for the last 2 years, and I'm only upgrading because it's not holding a charge as well as it used to But hopefully my new Samsung will be as wonderful to me as my current one.

I have my drill pay hitting this wednesday, and have to get plates for my car before thursday, so there will be a bit of spending, but some income as well!

Overall, the week is going to be incredibly busy. It seems there is never enough time in the day... Ah well, hope everyone has a good one!

Well, it was incredibly long, but incredibly productive week... and it's not even over yet! lol. It was the first week of my revamped diet, and exercise plan. I'm really trying to lose 8 pounds or so. I'm not really overweight necessarily, but I'm too heavy compared to where I'm used to being. I think eating healthier is just a good idea in general, anyway.

So monday was salsa class. BF and I both went, and it was a really good time, and free! The only issue is that when we do too much spinning I tend to get nauseous. Nonetheless, I think we'll be back again next week. It's free the first 3 times, and then only $20 for the year. Yay for being a college student.

The rest of the week nothing particularly exciting went on. Worked a lot. Been busy writing, especially with this new client. I'm making about $25/day with her alone, just for a few articles. A few of them have been really obscure topics, though...

We had friends over wednesday night for dinner. I babysit their kids wednesday evenings now, so we figured we'd entertain this week. I made chicken parmesan-- for the first time-- and it turned out fantastic. Tuesday night I cooked enchiladas for the first time and they were absolutely delicious. Probably not the healthiest option, but so good, and packed with black beans and spinach, so at least it has a little bit of nutritional value.

Lunches were all packed. I still have yet to spend one cent on food on campus. Very exciting I eat healthier, and cant afford to pay $5-10/day for lunch.

I'm having these crazy pains right under my left rib cage a lot recently, and it's starting to worry me. I've always had them, but usually I only get them every few months or so, and never for more than a minute or so. My mom has gallbladder issues and gets them, too. She told me to take tums, and it works. But I'm not sure if it's gallbladder problems. Everything I looked at online points to my symptoms-- the back pain, the nausea, but those sharp pains are always said to be on the right side with gallbladder problems...

I did a bit more research and thought maybe it could be kidney issues. I guess there's some crazy freak thing that happens with nerves that could cause it, too, but if that was the case the tums wouldn't help it.

I guess I just need to see a doctor. Like I said, I've had them for a long time, even since high school-- but they usually come and go quickly. They kept up for over a half hour a couple weeks ago, and only when I took a tums. I dont see how my diet would contribute to it, as I haven't really eaten anything greasy lately, but who knows... maybe it's all the cheese! lol.

At any rate, it's going to be a busy weekend. Much work, and much homework to do! Today BF and I are supposed to hit the rec, do some swimming. Should be fun. He's heading back home tonight, and I'll probably stay at home and relax. I need it!

Well, I had drill this past weekend, and it was certainly a long one. Muta 5, which means we go friday night, saturday, and sunday... It was particularly long because saturday I had to go make up my weapon qualification, which meant a long day on the range. I did, however, qualify at 35/40 targets hit-- one away from being deemed an "expert" marksman, err markswoman

My PT test, then, was yesterday morning. I didn't go above and beyond for the pushups and situps, as I wanted to save my energy for the run. I had no idea how I was going to do. my pass rate would have been to do the 2 miles in 19:30. I ended up finishing at 16:06. Not bad! Certainly much better than I thought I would do... I'm glad I started running at the Rec when the semester started.

I dont have to take another test til next year, but I'm going to focus on continuing this physical exercise, and eating healthy. I weighed myself yesterday-- 147 lbs. Better than the 152 last time, but still... I'm not comfortable at this weight, though I would by no means call myself fat.

So I'm going to start working on losing 8 pounds to begin with. I want to be under 140. So healthier eating, here I come! And more physical activity!

As for spending over the weekend...

My flatiron decided to short out on me in the middle of straightening my hair... lol. It's pretty necessary that I replace it. It was also like 3-4 years old... so I'm not surprised. That was, however, a $35 replacement. On top of that, I needed to do some grocery shopping for the week. We planned our meals, and the total came up to about $36/person (BF and I split groceries in half every week). Not bad, but not great-- however, we're trying to eat healthier and we're also having friends of ours over for dinner wednesday night.

Also put gas in my car. It turns out that $20 lasts me about 2 weeks. Very nice.

HOWEVER, my check-engine light is on, I need to replace a headlight bulb, and the windshield (as it has a rock chip, and I dont want it to continue spiderwebbing when it gets cold). I also need to get plates by the end of the month... Oh, the joys of owning a car... I did not miss them all those years.

So to wrap this up, money will likely be tight the rest of the month, but that's okay. At least my CC is paid off!!! Every time I look at my online banking it makes me smile

Hope everyone has a great monday!

It was a rather low-key weekend, with minimal spending. Good stuff. Now it's back to class for me, and back to work. I picked up another writing gig through oDesk.com, so I'll be doing some writing on a wedding blog. Different for me, but pretty exciting!

Business is going really well, actually (outside of one client who doesn't seem to ever want to pay me/respond to my emails). It's nice to see that things didn't completely drop out over the summer and I can still make a bit of money doing this. Even better? I've gotten to the point where I can be fairly picky about what I write, which is really nice.

Today I'll be on campus all day, so I'll be packing a lunch. I have yet to spend any money for food on campus. Woo! Granted, it is only the 3rd week... ah well. Come to think of it, I cant believe it's already week 3! Time flies these days...

I'm going to try and make this a low-spend week. I've got drill this weekend, so it wont be too bad. No plans for the weeknights yet, so we'll see, I guess. Still have plenty of gas in my car and went grocery shopping yesterday. Probably spent a bit too much, but I cant beat myself up for that. I'm trying to eat healthier. At least I'm not off spending my money on stupid stuff, and wont be eating out at restaurants all week.

Come to think of it, I'm going to try and keep unnecessary spending down altogether. Last month was Art in the Square, so I spent a bit of money on jewelry/hand crafted soap/produce, etc. This month I dont have a whole lot coming up. Just date night and perhaps a Crew Game. Or possibly a trip to Pittsburgh. We'll see.

I really need to get saving for this trip in December! It's not too far off... so exciting! Oh, and we have to buy our plane tickets this week. It'll be pretty official, then. Good stuff

Alright, off to the grind. Everyone have a great day!

Well, I feel pretty awful today. My allergies went into hyperdrive, and with no meds that seem to do a thing, I'm pretty miserable. Along with that once a month ordeal us girls deal with, it's been quite a day. I'm pretty tired as well.

As it were, BF and I were supposed to go camping this weekend with friends of his. He left a few hours ago, and I decided to stay home. I was sad to not go, but if I'm going to be miserable the whole time, and out in the woods with more plants (read: ragweed), then it doesn't seem to me a good idea. Besides, we were going to take Charlie (the new kitten), which would have been fine, but it's a 2 hour car ride. I figured I'd spare him.

I've been having a rough night's sleep all week because Charlie gets bored and decides he wants to claw at/bite my feet while I sleep. It may seem like a fun game to him, but it's been doing a number on my energy levels.

So this weekend will be spent in a productive manner. I have a ton of writing I can get done, of course, and homework as well. I think tonight I'm going to write a couple articles, then relax a bit. I made dinner already-- a crazy concoction using butternut squash, pineapple, and rice-- with indian spices. Pretty good for something I randomly threw together using what I had at home.

I'm trying to make this a low-spend weekend. Potentially, I could get away with just hiding out in the apartment. I think I may get up and go to yoga in the morning because I missed it on wednesday. I'm sure I can use it, but we'll see how I feel in the morning. I may just do it at home.

My financial situation is alright for the time being, but it seems I have more expenses piling up left and right. I forgot Christmas is coming up... and I'm going to have to replace the windshield on my car probably next month. There's a spot where it looked like a rock hit it, and I dont want it to get really bad when the weather gets cold.

I'm also going to need to buy plates, and tell our landlord we got a cat, so there will be a deposit for that as well. And we have to take the baby to the vet and start vaccines.

So yes, my CC is paid off, but I'm more or less broke again. lol. At least I'll be able to buy that plane ticket next week. But otherwise pretty broke.

So what does that mean?? More writing. I'm starting to babysit once a week, for friends of BF. That'll be $25 extra income per week. But until the 31st, I have no GI. Once I do, things will be a bit easier.

Well, I guess I should stop procrastinating and start writing. This money's not gonna make itself!

Well, I have nothing terribly exciting to report today. No class, and I spent the majority of the day NOT working... bah.

As for spending:

Put about $20 in my tank, which put me at about 3/4 full. Not bad. I'm hoping this will last me all week, and part of next week. Trying to keep my gas under $80 for the month.

Went to the animal clinic not far away to pick up some flea meds for the baby. Got Revolution, and applied it. I'm sure that will help the problem, and avoid some future problems when I take him camping this weekend. Also stopped at Petsmart. I needed to get him a harness. Person at the animal clinic says she walks her cat and the collar does no good. I suspected as much, but my silly boyfriend doth protest everything. I also picked up a different brand of treats. He wont touch the ones we got him, but these seemed to go over really well. Apparently the kid likes fish flavor and not chicken. Also picked up a couple cans of Fancy Feast. It's more or less Charlie crack.

After baby was taken care of, I ran to Staples-- had to get a notebook for my chem class and some post-its.

I was going to go to Yoga tonight, but decided to stay home and get some work done, then hang out with the boy instead. Haven't gotten so much done, per se, but at least I saved $5, right? lol.

I did get some things done today. Not a total waste. Just not as productive as I generally like to be. Too much messing around and not a whole lot of actually working. And yet here I am procrastinating more

Alright. Time to go and get to work!

Well, I'm busy finishing up a few writing assignments this morning, then need to finish straightening up the apartment before BF's parents get here. Today is the day we get all dressed up and BF gives his presentation for his internship. Fabulous. We'll probably go out afterward for a little while. I'm hoping we dont spend too much.

Haven't really spent a whole lot this week. Picked up a few things at the grocery store-- milk, eggs, etc. The last two nights we spent in, one we practiced (well, I learned he practiced) some German language, then started putting together a puzzle we bought at the store for $2.50. Last night we watched a movie we got through Netflix.

Tomorrow we leave for vacation, and I am totally stoked. But I'm also a bit rushed to get all of these articles done. I have one more for the first assignment, so that will be done in the next hour. The next assignment is two shorter articles, which should be relatively easy to write. That frees up the remainder of my assignments for after vacation (as some of them will be written about Amish Country).

I'm happy with the low level of spending, and hopefully this three day hiatus wont send me overboard or anything. I have high expectations for my frugality, but I also want to enjoy myself and relax. It's going to be a good time.

So... I'm back to work. These articles aren't going to write themselves! ha...

My summer job has ended, yes. I am, however, not without things to do! It seems my writing has picked up incredibly quickly. I have a nice number of assignments to finish today. It's right back to business as usual over here

I do have a shorter timeframe, as I have a presentation to go to tomorrow that BF is giving. His internship project got picked for public review, so that's incredibly exciting. His parents are coming over as well, so we need to clean the apt today as well.

Thursday I leave for vacation, and I'm gone til Sunday. Nothing crazy, just a few days of relaxation. I'm super excited for it, though. I certainly could use it.

Alrighty, enough of this blabber then, time to get to work!

So... my summer job has ended and it is in fact time to get down to business. My finances have suffered over the last few months. Haven't had any time to write, and didn't make nearly enough money. Now that I'm free to do some writing, however, I feel the tides turning. I've already picked up a few assignments, and I'm ready to start making some cash.

This is incredibly fortunate, considering I'm quite broke and have a LOT to pay for at the moment. Ordered my books today-- using Chegg.com, a book rental place. It about cut my costs in half, which is awesome. I'm sad, obviously, that I wont be able to keep any of them, but when I think of how many times I've actually opened one of my old textbooks I realize it's more important for me to save the money now. I usually dont make more than half of what I buy them for when I sell them anyway.

I also have a small vacation this week Much needed... just a few days at a small Bed and Breakfast in Amish Country. We'll be chilling in the room (read: jacuzzi), doing some horseback riding, hiking, wine tasting, and a whole lot of eating. Very happy about it. Class starts next week.

Classes are all paid for.

WOOOoooOOOooOOOooOOOooOOoo!!!!!!!!

That's right, all went off without a hitch. My balance at the university is a big fat ZERO. Actually, I got quite a bit of grant money from the government, so I should also be receiving more money in the mail. Glory day, it's a miracle.

Still no bonus money Working on it...

I'm pretty much not spending any money outside of vacation for the rest of the month. I'm incredibly broke, especially considering I'll be buying my plane ticket to Micronesia in the next few weeks. I'll have to charge some of it, and pay back when I get some of this money the military owes me. Let's hope it's soon.

All moved in to the new place. Everything is set, my projects are all for the most part finished. Pictures to come soon.

Things with BF are great, fantastic compared to the challenges we met this summer. I'm quite happy with things at the moment.

Alright, that's enough for now. I'll be updating MUCH more frequently from now on Later, kids!

Well, it was a busy weekend, catching up and spending time with the BF. Very relaxing, but now it's back to the grind.

I didn't get quite as much work today as I had hoped I would, but I definitely got a lot accomplished administratively. Called the Dean's office this morning and *finally* put a fire under someone's butt to get my intercollege transfer through. As of today I am officially a Sociology major, and consequently, I was able to fix my GI Bill paperwork. I'll be backpaid for last semester. Woo!

I got the necessary paperwork to get my scholarship application in (again). This time I'll make sure it goes through, and triple check far before the fall semester begins.

Went to the Soc department and got into the full class I need to graduate. Then I finished scheduling my classes. It's going to be a full semester for sure, but with my GI bill in place and freelancing going so well, I shouldn't have to worry about getting a job. At most, an internship in the spring.

So all that is under wraps. I just have to head to the armory tomorrow to get some paperwork to them to be processed. After, of course, my job interview

I'm really hoping I get this job. It will in fact eat away my entire summer, but I think it will be a wonderful experience nonetheless. It is a live-on-site position, as a director at a camp for children with special needs. I think it will be incredibly rewarding, and a great position.

Other than that, the only financial news I have is that I paid $75 on my CC today, and went grocery shopping. Paypal froze up on me because they for some reason suspected that a third party infiltrated my account. I have to get that all worked out tomorrow.

That's about it! Very busy week, but it's alright. I'm happy to be home and around the people I love. It's off to bed, though. I have a big day tomorrow!

So an unexpected event happened yesterday-- my brother surprised my mom by driving up from GA to see her on mother's day. Such a relief, as she's been really down, and this improved her mood tenfold. I couldn't be happier about that. BF is still going over today to give her my card, and hang out for a bit.

Speaking of the cards, I made both my mom and BF's mom one... and apparently she absolutely loved it, which is really nice I love making personalized gifts, and the fact that she appreciated and liked it so much made me feel good. I'll have to keep that in mind for later gifts. Speaking of gifts, I really should start thinking about Xmas!

It seems silly to start thinking so early, but as I mentioned, I prefer to do homemade gifts, and some of these take quite a while to do. I crochet, I have a sewing machine, and I love crafting of all types. So I'll have to start thinking about what I want to make for everyone this year.

I dont really have any other exciting news except what I've already expressed in previous emails. It's mind blowing to me that I've already been away from home for almost a month. I leave to go back friday!!! Cant wait No news on this job yet, though I did fax in the application on friday, and I should be getting my reference sheets in the next few days.

I definitely have a busy week ahead of me, but I'm going to get as much work done during the week. I'm not doing a bit of work this weekend. No way.

I hope everyone has a great monday, and a productive week!

No, not the lottery, but I hit the $1000 mark in my savings account... needless to say, this is really exciting for me. I dont think I've EVER had that much in savings at any given time. Only $200 more to get to my goal for moving expenses.

It's funny, too, because the place I think I want to move into only has a $99 security deposit. Considering split rent, that could mean I only really spend about $400 in the first month. Extra money is great That will give me a bit of a buffer for a few months.

In other good news, I just finished designing and released my VERY OWN WEBSITE! Check it out if you like and let me know what you think:

www.TaraSturm.com

The last bit of good news is that this site I'm mildly involved in may hire me on as a contributor, and I love the site. It'll be a great location for future work. I love seeing progress!

Between the business cards, the website, and new gigs popping up left and right, I feel like I've done pretty good this month in building up my freelancing career. Let's keep it coming... hehe.

Other than that, no big news. Just going to classes and working. Trying to make that money! I'm excited for May... not only do I anticipate some great financial strides, but it's my Birthday at the end of the month. Big 24, I'll be camping. I cant wait.

I'll end it here, and hope you all have a wonderful day

Yesterday I built my May spreadsheet in anticipation of May... which is surprisingly this weekend... lol.

It seems my estimates for April were off a bit, but I can adjust my expected income for May accordingly. I've reached just about every goal-- except for making my moving goal. Well, sort of. I had to pull $500 from my savings for the trip to AZ, and I've since replaced it (without reimbursement or payment from the Army, mind you), but I have not reached the target amount yet. The good news, though, is that I have just under $300 left to add. I'll have it in there (hopefully) by the second week in May.

Speaking of goals, my freelancing goal was $100 and to date I have made $424 this month in freelancing income. That doesn't count the other social networking gig on the side. Just purely writing. How freaking awesome is that?!? That's a huge jump from March's $75... lol. Consequently, I'm setting my May goal to $500, but budgeting $400 to be on the safe side. I may budget more like $350 on the safe side, actually.

This is all so very exciting. I just have to keep working hard... and putting my income where it needs to go. That being said, I think I'm staying on base this weekend. I was going to hike, but I think my time could be even better spent by the pool I have some reading I wanted to get done anyway!

It's off to PT for me now, I hope you all have a wonderful day!

So I've been in AZ for a week now, and the situation is MUCH better than expected. Though I had a big issue getting my plane tickets paid for, because a certain person at my unit doesn't seem to want to do her job-- or at least do it correctly. But nonetheless, I am here, waiting for that travel voucher so I can get my plane ticket reimbursed. It was heartbreaking to put it on my CC, but I had to get here, and now I'm glad I did.

I do not have to pay for meals, and there are vans we can check out during evenings and on the weekends (dont even have to pay for gas). All is well, and I'm having a wonderful time, actually.

I've been trying not to spend so much money. A few trips to Walmart to pick up some essentials-- coffee for my little coffee pot in the room. I could just get coffee at the DFAC, but I hear it's awful, and I need my Dunkin Donuts and flavored creamer... it's my little bit of home I want to hang on to

My schedule is great. We've been getting 2 hour breaks for lunch, and get off work at 2pm most days. Eeeeasy. PT only 3 mornings a week, and plenty of time to work work work and write write write! Oh, and get school work done!

Over the weekend I went hiking up in the mountains, and I plan to go back with the group this weekend. It was a 15 mile hike total, but it didn't feel so, and there are these waterfalls with natural pools, and it's in this canyon and just GORGEOUS. I took tons of pictures, but my camera cord is somewhere lost at home, so I wont be able to download them for a few weeks.

There's a pool, which I will be checking out this week. There's also a game room in our dorm building that has a pool tabe, a phoosball table, ping pong. My neighbor and me were down there this weekend playing and drinking a couple beers (we're allowed to have it, and keep it in our rooms. That mini fridge has been incredibly helpful).

So overall, it's been a great experience. It hasn't gotten too hot yet, and I know it will. But for now it's perfect. Honestly, I couldn't ask for a better situation.

In other news, I dont think I'm going to have a job when I get home. The company is losing accounts and the sales people aren't picking up the slack... my boss told me yesterday we may all get laid off. This isn't a total surprise or heartbreak to me, because I was planning on finding another job this summer, but I'm sad that the company is doing so poorly. Ah well. Business is business. I dont have a plan B to fall back on, but perhaps that will get my butt in gear to actually find the new job. Freelancing still persists.

I'll end this now, as it's getting rather lengthy, but I hope you are all doing well! Everyone have a great day!

So I wrote this big long post yesterday, and it got deleted. So I gave up. I'm starting fresh today :/

So things are pretty hectic over here. I'm leaving for AZ on sunday, and I'm not even close to ready. I don't even have an address for where I'm going after I get off the plane... bah.

So really the frustration is just working with those in charge at my unit. It's so surprising just how unorganized people in the Army can be... but I keep reminding myself I just need to get there. Once I'm there I'll figure things out. I'll assess the situation and see what's best for the whole deal.

Apparently I'm NOT getting a rental car, because it's not on my orders. Actually, I was informed that nothing will be reimbursed if it's not on my orders, but I will be getting per diem? But I have no idea how much per day. It's all so confusing and I have a sneaking suspicion I'm going to have a hard time dealing with all these people.

Really, the only issue is that supposedly the dining facilities are closed on the weekends... which means I'm screwed if I want to eat because I'm going to have to take a taxi into town (read: $75-100 ride) just to eat. Alternatives are being explored now. If I can, I'm going to just purchase a bicycle. I'm just not sure where I'm going to keep it. So I'll see how plausible it is the first week, then just ship it back home.

So on top of my hideous list of things I need to do to prepare for my trip, I also have to take a final on wednesday, and I have a huge bulk of writing to do. The great news is that with an increased volume of writing, I've increased my income. The bad news is that I've got so much more to do. I'm enjoying the additional income, though. Especially considering the cut hours at work :/

Speaking of my writing, I've got up to $243 this month so far in income. More coming! It's really nice to see the progress. I worked so hard last month building a foundation for all this, and it's starting to pay off Here are a few of the articles I published yesterday:

The Best Summer Beers with Fruit Flavor
Why Earrings are my Must-Have Fashion Accessory
Ranch Dressing: Misunderstood Condiment or Potential for Gou...

Well, that's it for now! Just trying to get ready and make money! (and not lose my mind in the process) I hope everyone is doing well, and I'll be back shortly

Well, I leave for AZ in a week, and things are getting hectic. I have a lot to accomplish before I leave, and not a whole lot of time to get it all done. This of course includes an exam and a final (that I have yet read ahead to learn the material it is covering). I also need to pack, run a crapload of errands, and keep up with a busy (and growing) freelancing workload.

Best part? National city is switching over to PNC this week in my area. Happy day, more inconvenience.

Well, that's not the best part. I guess the fact that I fly out in less than a week, and still have no idea where I'm going once I hit the airport is worse, but hopefully that will be remedied prior to my departure :/

All that being said, things are going okay financially. As previously mentioned, my freelancing workload has increased, and with it so has the income. I'm up to $243.27 in freelancing income for the month, which astounds me and puts me way over my $100 goal for the month. Especially considering I've picked up about $100 worth of work today. It's going to be a good month for me in that respect Just think, the month is only half done!

It seems all the foundational work and research I did last month is really paying off. It makes me incredibly excited to see where everything goes. Oh, and I got my fancy new businesscards in the mail It makes me feel all too professional. It's almost like I'm a real writer! lol.

Here are a couple articles I published recently:

The Best Summer Beers with Fruit Flavor
Why Earrings are my Must-Have Fashion Accessory
Ranch Dressing: Misunderstood condiment or potential for gou...

In other financial news, BF's b-day was this past weekend, so it was obviously a spendy time. I still haven't exceeded my entertainment budget for the month, but I'm already over on groceries... I'm hoping it'll all even out in the end. I really dont think I'm going to make my budget for the month, but my income I believe is going to be more than expected.

At any rate, I better get back to work! So much to do!

So, it's only April 6th, and I've already hit my goal to generate $100 in freelancing income. As of right now, I've made $146.79!!! Can you believe that?? I'm so excited Not sure I can keep that dollar amount up EVERY week, but it's a hell of a goal! It's just super exciting given that I only made $75 for the entirety of last month's freelance revenue. I love reaching goals...

Actually, reaching this goal is entirely appropriate for today's Daily Haiku Poem:

Getting There

I published one other piece today:

Advice for the New Student at the University of Akron

Obviously reaching this goal will get me closer to reaching the rest It's these other goals that really keep me motivated to keep writing and getting my name out there. It feels so great to see the kind of progress I'm making-- not only because of the numbers, but because I have people approaching me to write for them. It makes me feel so proud of myself. I've been workin my bum off... I like knowing it's actually paying off.

Along with that great piece of news, it is absolutely GORGEOUS outside. Nothin like working all day with the warm breeze blowing through the screen door. I absolutely love it.

Welp, I hope everyone is well, and experiencing as wonderful weather as I am! Have a great day everyone.

Unfortunately, I have no exciting news to speak of. It's been a busy day, and it was definitely a busy weekend. I'm 3 articles away from finishing up a job I'm working on-- and thus getting paid I have 5 I have to write for these new people before the end of the week, and interviews to conduct for a couple. Busy busy!

I published a couple things today:

Daily Haiku: One Brick at a Time
3 Great Locations for a First Date in Akron, Ohio

Back to work now! Hope everyone is having a fabulous monday!