Now alot of people will say that you need a budget. I have even heard Brenda make comments as she is ordering craft supplies that something isn't in her budget (I don't really think she makes a budget). She is probably like me and will just shop as long as money is in the bank account.
So I thought I would give it a try for this month. Now to figure out what I actually spend money on.
Groceries:$100
Eating out:$80
Qwest:$100
Birthday gifts:$30
Post office:$25
Comp/Cam:$30
Magazines:$20
Bathroom stuff:$15
See my rent & utilities are automatically taken out of my paycheck before I even get paid so I don't have to budget for those, and the rent amount is always different depending on how many hours I work.
I don't own a car so I'm not budgeting for gas or insurance. I don't have a phone or cable TV so there really isn't much for me to budget for this month.
Almost forgot to add in Qwest for my wi-fi service. I haven't gotten a bill from them yet...guess I should go to their site later and find out why.
I almost wasn't going to put bathroom stuff on this list as I'm pretty sure that I already have enough shampoo, but decided to add $15 as a "just in case I need it".
This budget only comes up to $400...so I guess the rest of my money should just go into savings...yeah right, lets see if that really happens.
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Sunday, August 1, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Payday
I checked my bank account online early this morning to find out how much my paycheck was for today...$297.82
I worked 72.52 hours @ $7.73
Deductions total was $262.76...$162.88 was for NH.
$602.24 is my total in the bank right now. It would have been more, But I took $300 out a few weeks ago when I went to Jerome.
I had my review at work today...it was really good. I'm getting a .14 raise, that will go back to 6-21-2010 and that will be on my next check. I thought this years review was better then last years...but my raise was bigger last year. Oh Well.
I probably won't even try to guess how much it will actually be. No need to count your chickens before they hatch.
I have another 3-day weekend coming up Sunday (8/1)--Tuesday (8/3). Time for more cleaning.
I've been checking for jobs this week on coolworks.com, getting ready for that plan "B" I guess.
I worked 72.52 hours @ $7.73
Deductions total was $262.76...$162.88 was for NH.
$602.24 is my total in the bank right now. It would have been more, But I took $300 out a few weeks ago when I went to Jerome.
I had my review at work today...it was really good. I'm getting a .14 raise, that will go back to 6-21-2010 and that will be on my next check. I thought this years review was better then last years...but my raise was bigger last year. Oh Well.
I probably won't even try to guess how much it will actually be. No need to count your chickens before they hatch.
I have another 3-day weekend coming up Sunday (8/1)--Tuesday (8/3). Time for more cleaning.
I've been checking for jobs this week on coolworks.com, getting ready for that plan "B" I guess.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Lists/Process
My Process
Plan your project – make a list – evaluate present system, what is working, what isn’t working, – develop timeline
Remove items – start from a clean slate – empty the space completely – remove then sort & purge
Organize into piles – donate/toss/sell/keep/ – sort like with like – purge excess –
Containerize – find storage solutions/containers – establish limits – designate a space for items being kept
Evaluate plan – how is your system working for you – are you able to work your system? What needs to be modified? A good system should be easy to maintain
Solve/simplify anything that isn’t working for you – revise accordingly
Smile, relax and enjoy your hard work!
Sometimes this system might not work the first time I try to do something...but I must remember not to give up.
Course my oldest daughter would laugh if she could see all my lists now because she once told me that I make a list for EVERYTHING. She said I make lists more then anyone she has ever known and she is probably right.
This weekend, I have started with the space under my bed. Now the bed sits way up high...bottom of bedframe reaches my hips when I stand next to it. So there is lots of space underneath.
I totally took everything out from uder there yesterday, and then started with the 3 empty (15 QT)plastic tubs and 1 box. I also have another bigger plastic tub and will use that later.
The problem with storing stuff under the bed is that if I filled up that space with boxes then I would have trouble getting to boxes that would be pushed to the back corner without dragging out boxes sitting in front.
I'm putting books I want to keep for now into the box now. Whatever books don't fit in that 1 box will be going out to the free table downstairs. Hopefully someone else in this building will want to read them.
Well this process is going rather slowly, mainly because I'm still spending to much time online. But as long as I keep at it a little everyday...it will be done when Summer is over.
Plan your project – make a list – evaluate present system, what is working, what isn’t working, – develop timeline
Remove items – start from a clean slate – empty the space completely – remove then sort & purge
Organize into piles – donate/toss/sell/keep/ – sort like with like – purge excess –
Containerize – find storage solutions/containers – establish limits – designate a space for items being kept
Evaluate plan – how is your system working for you – are you able to work your system? What needs to be modified? A good system should be easy to maintain
Solve/simplify anything that isn’t working for you – revise accordingly
Smile, relax and enjoy your hard work!
Sometimes this system might not work the first time I try to do something...but I must remember not to give up.
Course my oldest daughter would laugh if she could see all my lists now because she once told me that I make a list for EVERYTHING. She said I make lists more then anyone she has ever known and she is probably right.
This weekend, I have started with the space under my bed. Now the bed sits way up high...bottom of bedframe reaches my hips when I stand next to it. So there is lots of space underneath.
I totally took everything out from uder there yesterday, and then started with the 3 empty (15 QT)plastic tubs and 1 box. I also have another bigger plastic tub and will use that later.
The problem with storing stuff under the bed is that if I filled up that space with boxes then I would have trouble getting to boxes that would be pushed to the back corner without dragging out boxes sitting in front.
I'm putting books I want to keep for now into the box now. Whatever books don't fit in that 1 box will be going out to the free table downstairs. Hopefully someone else in this building will want to read them.
Well this process is going rather slowly, mainly because I'm still spending to much time online. But as long as I keep at it a little everyday...it will be done when Summer is over.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Procrastination
Seems that I have spent a lifetime procrastinating. My ex-husband said I lived in the "Land of Later" because I would always say I would do something...Later. Course sometimes later never came around.
“Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.”
Spanish Proverb
“How soon ‘not now’ becomes ‘never’.”
Martin Luther
“A year from now you may wish you had started today.”
Karen Lamb
“To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.”
Eva Young
I know what I should do, or what I want to do, but I still end up spending hours on the internet (just like I'm doing this morning).
I've read that if you have trouble getting started, to just choose 1 thing to change. Make sure it's a goal that you choose for yourself and not a goal that someone else chooses for you.
Well I already know what I NEED...I need to declutter my room.
Problem is I also WANT....to feed my addiction of being online all day.
And yes, there was a time years ago that I could spend a whole weekend sitting at a computer and ignoring everything else.
Supposedly there are 4 reasons why we procrastinate:
1. Fear of Failure.
2. Feeling Overwhelmed.
3. Human Nature.
4. Perspective./Difficulty
I think they forgot #5 Addiction to something else, or would that fall under 'human nature'?
Often I will use the excuse that I don't have enough time for what I need to do.
Another excuse is that I'm to tired from work to do anything else.
We all have the same 24 hours in a day. I usually sleep about 6 hours, which means I have 18 hours left for other things. On workdays I'm gone from 5am-3pm, so work takes care of 10 hours. Which means I still have 8 hours during every workday to jump into my goal of decluttering my room.
I'm an a 3-day weekend from work right now so I have even more time to devote to decluttering, but have I done anything to my room this morning....NO, obviously I'm online typing this and doing other internet stuff.
“Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.”
Spanish Proverb
“How soon ‘not now’ becomes ‘never’.”
Martin Luther
“A year from now you may wish you had started today.”
Karen Lamb
“To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.”
Eva Young
I know what I should do, or what I want to do, but I still end up spending hours on the internet (just like I'm doing this morning).
I've read that if you have trouble getting started, to just choose 1 thing to change. Make sure it's a goal that you choose for yourself and not a goal that someone else chooses for you.
Well I already know what I NEED...I need to declutter my room.
Problem is I also WANT....to feed my addiction of being online all day.
And yes, there was a time years ago that I could spend a whole weekend sitting at a computer and ignoring everything else.
Supposedly there are 4 reasons why we procrastinate:
1. Fear of Failure.
2. Feeling Overwhelmed.
3. Human Nature.
4. Perspective./Difficulty
I think they forgot #5 Addiction to something else, or would that fall under 'human nature'?
Often I will use the excuse that I don't have enough time for what I need to do.
Another excuse is that I'm to tired from work to do anything else.
We all have the same 24 hours in a day. I usually sleep about 6 hours, which means I have 18 hours left for other things. On workdays I'm gone from 5am-3pm, so work takes care of 10 hours. Which means I still have 8 hours during every workday to jump into my goal of decluttering my room.
I'm an a 3-day weekend from work right now so I have even more time to devote to decluttering, but have I done anything to my room this morning....NO, obviously I'm online typing this and doing other internet stuff.
Friday, July 23, 2010
3-day weekend with my stuff
Ok, I was reading
http://manvsdebt.com/stuff
And I liked the way Adam had all his belongings listed out. I decided to make my own list...hoping that it will keep me on track when weeding out my room. I made my list by saying to myself "If you had to quit your job for any reason and move this week, what would you need to take with you"? I guess I'll pretend I already have the van I mentioned in yesterdays blog and only keep what would go into that. Guess I will need to schedule a yardsale soon too.
I’m on a 3-day weekend right now, so I’m getting serious about weeding out my room starting tonight.
Seeing as I’m single & live alone and don’t have any stuff left with family, I assume my list could be smaller then Adam's when I’m done. (or maybe not)
I hope to only have 9 boxes in my room when finished. 1 box for each category, if an item don’t fit in the box then it don’t fit in my life. Sorry, but for now I'm not going to list every item that will go into each #box.
#1 Bathroom stuff
#2 Kitchen stuff
#3 Misc Household
#4 Tech Stuff (this term came from Adam,usually I called it the camera/computer box)
#5 Important Stuff (got that idea/term from Adam)
#6 Clothes
#7 Books
#8 Pictures (until I can scan them onto my computer..taken before I got a digital camera)
#9 Jewelrymaking supplies
Oh I know myself well enough to know that this will be tough because I am what some people would call a "packrat" or "hoarder". If you do an online search for both terms you would find a description of me. Well enough is enough....I QUIT!! I'm starting over, starting now.
http://manvsdebt.com/stuff
And I liked the way Adam had all his belongings listed out. I decided to make my own list...hoping that it will keep me on track when weeding out my room. I made my list by saying to myself "If you had to quit your job for any reason and move this week, what would you need to take with you"? I guess I'll pretend I already have the van I mentioned in yesterdays blog and only keep what would go into that. Guess I will need to schedule a yardsale soon too.
I’m on a 3-day weekend right now, so I’m getting serious about weeding out my room starting tonight.
Seeing as I’m single & live alone and don’t have any stuff left with family, I assume my list could be smaller then Adam's when I’m done. (or maybe not)
I hope to only have 9 boxes in my room when finished. 1 box for each category, if an item don’t fit in the box then it don’t fit in my life. Sorry, but for now I'm not going to list every item that will go into each #box.
#1 Bathroom stuff
#2 Kitchen stuff
#3 Misc Household
#4 Tech Stuff (this term came from Adam,usually I called it the camera/computer box)
#5 Important Stuff (got that idea/term from Adam)
#6 Clothes
#7 Books
#8 Pictures (until I can scan them onto my computer..taken before I got a digital camera)
#9 Jewelrymaking supplies
Oh I know myself well enough to know that this will be tough because I am what some people would call a "packrat" or "hoarder". If you do an online search for both terms you would find a description of me. Well enough is enough....I QUIT!! I'm starting over, starting now.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Makeover for Life
http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/how-to-imagine-your-ideal-reality/
Now I read that blog yesterday, and it got me thinking. In fact I thought of it alot while I was at work today, too.
Now 1 of my brothers will ask me about my goals & dreams a couple times a year. I used to joke to my brother that he was like a racehorse. If you have ever gone to a horse race, then you probably saw that horses had "blockers" on their head that prevented them from getting distracted by anything around them. All the horse could see was straight ahead which was toward the finish line (their goal). My brother has been in the military for 25 years and he has more college degrees then anyone I know, and he got them all by the time he was 40. I wish I could be more like him.
I had already come to the conclusion that goals were something that you actively work towards, and dreams are just that...DREAMS, a fantasy, some far-fetched idea that could be the next Monday night movie or best selling novel. In my wildest daydream I can be 4 inches taller, with different colored eyes & famous living in a mansion instead of this dorm room I'm sitting in. But of course I know that daydream will never be reality and I accept that.
Now according to some people, we all have to have a goal, but if a goal is something that you are working towards, then I must not really have any goal. I have a hard time sticking to just one thing at a time. I lose focus easily.
"Why is setting goals important? Because goals can help you do, be, and experience everything you want in life. Instead of just letting life happen to you, goals allow you to make your life happen." Part of my problem has always been to analyze the heck out of everything and to take forever to make a final decision on anything. Usually if I do decide to go for something, it will end up being to late.
Now in the blog mentioned above, Everett says to dream big and list what you want to accomplish in one years time.
I think I will do this slightly different then what he probably had planned.
PLAN A:
My goal for the rest of this Summer: weed out my room!! By the end of Summer it will become my "minimalist dreamworld".
By the end of Autumn: Pay off my old court fine of $1,500.
For the end of March: I hope to get my driver's license back & hike to Phantom Ranch for a birthday weekend.
By July 2011 (1 year from now): I want to buy a used van that is already converted into a living space.
And in about another year~Summer 2012, I want to travel, take & sell photos while living in that van.
I'm still debating whether I really want to take on the burden of owning a vehicle again. I can make a list of pros & cons about owning a vehicle, so I might just scrap that idea. If I decide not to get a van then I will just skip the court fine and continue saving money...for "plan B" which I will explain when the time comes.
http://manvsdebt.com/sell-your-crap-survey/
This is another interesting blog that I probably should read more often. Adam asked for pictures of clutter, and today I sent him quite a few pictures of different areas of my room...OMG, what was I thinking? Now if that don't motivate me to declutter this roomful of crap then nothing will. I have no idea what he will really do with the pictures, but I'll have to send him new pictures in September of the "new & improved" room.
Now I read that blog yesterday, and it got me thinking. In fact I thought of it alot while I was at work today, too.
Now 1 of my brothers will ask me about my goals & dreams a couple times a year. I used to joke to my brother that he was like a racehorse. If you have ever gone to a horse race, then you probably saw that horses had "blockers" on their head that prevented them from getting distracted by anything around them. All the horse could see was straight ahead which was toward the finish line (their goal). My brother has been in the military for 25 years and he has more college degrees then anyone I know, and he got them all by the time he was 40. I wish I could be more like him.
I had already come to the conclusion that goals were something that you actively work towards, and dreams are just that...DREAMS, a fantasy, some far-fetched idea that could be the next Monday night movie or best selling novel. In my wildest daydream I can be 4 inches taller, with different colored eyes & famous living in a mansion instead of this dorm room I'm sitting in. But of course I know that daydream will never be reality and I accept that.
Now according to some people, we all have to have a goal, but if a goal is something that you are working towards, then I must not really have any goal. I have a hard time sticking to just one thing at a time. I lose focus easily.
"Why is setting goals important? Because goals can help you do, be, and experience everything you want in life. Instead of just letting life happen to you, goals allow you to make your life happen." Part of my problem has always been to analyze the heck out of everything and to take forever to make a final decision on anything. Usually if I do decide to go for something, it will end up being to late.
Now in the blog mentioned above, Everett says to dream big and list what you want to accomplish in one years time.
I think I will do this slightly different then what he probably had planned.
PLAN A:
My goal for the rest of this Summer: weed out my room!! By the end of Summer it will become my "minimalist dreamworld".
By the end of Autumn: Pay off my old court fine of $1,500.
For the end of March: I hope to get my driver's license back & hike to Phantom Ranch for a birthday weekend.
By July 2011 (1 year from now): I want to buy a used van that is already converted into a living space.
And in about another year~Summer 2012, I want to travel, take & sell photos while living in that van.
I'm still debating whether I really want to take on the burden of owning a vehicle again. I can make a list of pros & cons about owning a vehicle, so I might just scrap that idea. If I decide not to get a van then I will just skip the court fine and continue saving money...for "plan B" which I will explain when the time comes.
http://manvsdebt.com/sell-your-crap-survey/
This is another interesting blog that I probably should read more often. Adam asked for pictures of clutter, and today I sent him quite a few pictures of different areas of my room...OMG, what was I thinking? Now if that don't motivate me to declutter this roomful of crap then nothing will. I have no idea what he will really do with the pictures, but I'll have to send him new pictures in September of the "new & improved" room.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Need a morning routine
There must be a reason that doctors tell new parents to put their babies on a schedule for everything.
As unprepared & flexible as I am with my everyday activities, I have noticed that I am better prepared for my day when I force myself to get off the computer to follow some sort of routine.
My alarm clock has not even been plugged in for over 2 years. I go to bed early enough so that I wake up on my own before work, but I never wake up at the same time every day. Usually it doesn't matter if I wake up 4 hours earlier then when I have to catch the bus or 30 minutes before. Either way, I will spend time online checking emails and facebook.
Today I got up before 1am and never got around to making coffee until 1:50am because I was to busy on the laptop. I haven't looked for my uniform for work yet, I have not jumped in the shower or brushed my hair. Lately my addiction to the internet has taken over my life again...over an hour later, and I am still online and drinking coffee.
I need to set some sort of routine every morning that will include a little excerise, cleaning up in my room, breakfast and maybe laundry (if I don't do laundry the night before). This morning I woke up in plenty of time for all those activities but have done none of them because I spent my morning online.
Would be less of a hassle if I remembered to do laundry in the evenings, and had everything I need for work set out, before I go to bed.
As unprepared & flexible as I am with my everyday activities, I have noticed that I am better prepared for my day when I force myself to get off the computer to follow some sort of routine.
My alarm clock has not even been plugged in for over 2 years. I go to bed early enough so that I wake up on my own before work, but I never wake up at the same time every day. Usually it doesn't matter if I wake up 4 hours earlier then when I have to catch the bus or 30 minutes before. Either way, I will spend time online checking emails and facebook.
Today I got up before 1am and never got around to making coffee until 1:50am because I was to busy on the laptop. I haven't looked for my uniform for work yet, I have not jumped in the shower or brushed my hair. Lately my addiction to the internet has taken over my life again...over an hour later, and I am still online and drinking coffee.
I need to set some sort of routine every morning that will include a little excerise, cleaning up in my room, breakfast and maybe laundry (if I don't do laundry the night before). This morning I woke up in plenty of time for all those activities but have done none of them because I spent my morning online.
Would be less of a hassle if I remembered to do laundry in the evenings, and had everything I need for work set out, before I go to bed.
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