I Outed Myself and Happy New Year

I have been meaning to write this post forever!!

 Last month I was at my BF’s house and was writing a post. Now you have to understand that for as long as I have been blogging up to that point I had never bothered to let him know I was blogging about finances. It’s very likely that he already knew, he’s most defiantly NOT a stupid man and I confess I didn’t work hard to hid it (I never cleared my mac’s history). Any ways he asked to use it while I was doing something else which of course I let him. Be fore I handed it over to him I cleared all the pages I had open so that he couldn’t see what I was working on (writing a post). A little while later I sat down and looked over at what he was working on. One of the internet tabs he had open was my blog. I asked him what that tab was and he casually replied ‘oh just something you must have had open’ Ok I know I closed everything, which means he didn’t want me to know that he was reading my blog secretly. It was time to come clean.

 My heart was razing honestly I was like confessing I had broken the window to my parents. So I said well do you know what it is, he said not really. I confessed “BF love, that’s my blog for the last year I have been blogging about my finances.” “Oh he said, you didn’t mention it sooner.” I confessed to him that I was worried about telling him. He said “why I already know everything anyways.” He’s right he does, I haven’t hid anything from him. Student debt has defined a large aspect of our relationship early on.
One of the reasons that I didn’t post much in November and early December I realized was because of this issue. I wasn’t 100% sure how comfortable I was with him having free access to the blog and with the possibility of having to censoring the things I blog about.   I think I am over it now and I feel much more at ease with things.

Actually I think one of the things that helped me was the talk we had this pass visit. My BF told me how vulnerable he felt within our relationship.  You see I know a lot about him, more so than anyone else. He told me that if I ever betrayed his trust he would have a very hard time not just trusting but opening up again to someone else in a relationship or in general. I am in the same place as he is there are many things that I have opened up to him about that I haven’t to anyone else about.
Now that I have ‘outed’ myself to the only person that it truly matter, for me to, I fell I can get back on the blogging bag wagon and make 2012 more successful for my blogging career what ever that means.

What is a Girl Todo?

Today I drove home from Port Hope and on the way I thought to myself 'did I pack my lap top?' Moment of freek out! As it turns out I left it at my BF's house... (thank God). However the down side is that my goals and other reports I have on it for Month and Year end updates won't happen until later next week :(

Also once again using the comp. at work I have limited access to post and comment. So frustrating.

Please bare will me while I sort out my lastest mess up!

Weekly Spending Re-cap December 12-25

December 12
$18.53~ Walmart (photos)

December 13
$50.26~ Gas

December 14
Christmas Gift

December 15
No Spend Day

December 16
$45.72~ Gas
$26.54~ Gas

December 17
No Spend Day

December 18
No Spend Day

December 19
No Spend Day

December 20
$3.39~ Walmart (photos)

December 21
No Spend Day

December 22
Christmas Gfits
Stocking stuffers
$52. 55~ Bluenotes (cloths)

December 23
No Spend Day

December 24
No Spend Day

December 25
No Spend Day


* I am going to be away for a couple of days seeing my BF so I might not beable to blog until later this week. If not I hope everyone is enjoy the left overs and having lots of fun with our any pre-holiday stress!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

First off I want to say thank you  to Travis my Secret Santa gift was lovely! It's a lovely black soft blanket! Oh and I can't forget he sent me a cat colouring book!! I think I might have been more excited about that then the blanket! No one sends 'adults' colouring books anymore and its a right shame!!

Second-although that's really not the right thing to call it- I would like to say thank you to Little Lamb who gave me a Blogging Award. THANK YOU! It was very kind of you to think of me and very mean of me not to knowledge  it sooner.

Since its Christmas I want to leave you with a little bit of Canadian Love. This gentleman did everything related to this video, and when I say everything, I MEAN EVERYTHING!! All the instruments, the video shooting and editing.

(PS: He has lovely green eyes)



MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

How are You Coming with Christmas?

I know today is Sunday and normally I do my weekly Spending Updates. But I wanted to catch up with everyone today instead. I went to Michael's Crafts, that is a dangerous place to go into. I spent just over $200 of my Christmas bonus on scrap booking stuff.  The strange thing is that even though I spend a lot of money I have no buyers remorse. Remember the shoes I bought last October, I suffered buyers remorse then so I know what it feels like. I guess its because the last time I bought any scrap booking stuff was February 2010 when I was in Vancouver for the Olympics, I bought stuff for the event. I guess if you work out the math, the $209/22 months works out to be about $9.50 a month spent. I am ok with that.  I also bough stuff for my sister to use for her scrapbook as well, gata share the love :)

I got my Secret Santa card from Tanner! Thank you so much, I loved the card. My Secret Santa gift hasn't come in but I am still hopeful.

The tree is up, the lights outside are up and the house is decorated. I still have my brother's gift to get but other then that all I have left is rapping.  I am so on the ball its great, well I think I am. Ask me in  a few days when I'm surrounded by by raping and fighting the cats for the ribbon.

*I am having problems with blogspot so bare with me.

Weekly Spending Re-cap Nov 28-Dec 11, 2011

* I am so sorry its been so long since I have done a spending update! I feel so ashamed for being so lazzy!! I started this last night to post for Monday but the online banking site was down.

November 28
$2.75~ food
November 29
$98.08~ cell phone bill *on visa
November 30
(Christmas Gifts Budgeted fo)
December 1
NO SPEND DAY
Decmeber 2
NO SPEND DAY
December 3
$50.29~ gas
December 4
NO SPEND DAY
December 5
$7.93~ food
December 6
$3.38~ drink for mom
December 7
$14.11~ food
( Christmas Gifts Budgeted for)
$18.07~ cat litter
December 8
$4.07~ photos
December 9
$60~ Dentist x-rays * on visa
$2.86~ bagel
December 10
NO SPEND DAY
December 11
NO SPEND DAY

~ Man life gets expensive this time of the year.

Braces

First off I have always wanted braces, since grade 7 when it was clear I needed them. The braces will fix my left canine tooth that is out of place and my left central incisor which is also out of place. Now realistically I could do nothing about it but I have always been self conscious about my teeth. I friend jokingly use to call me fang because when I smiled the canine sticks out and hangs over my lip. So I often avoid smiling. This past year I saved up to buy a car, so I know I can manage to pay about $3,000-4,000 with out it impacting my over all goals. I got a quote for 3,000 and he is willing to fix only what I want him to fix which is just my top teeth. My insurance will cover 50% up to a life time max of $2,500. I have decided that this year I am going to get braces. I am not going to get the invisalign; its just too costly. I am going to get the regular old metal ones. I think they are a good investment and will help improve myself image. I have decided that I am going to also do a fixable payment plan with the dentist because he offers 0% interest on the plan.

Cost brake down:
Estimate: $3,000
Insurance: 50% up too 2,500
Time line: 18 months to 2 years
Interest for payment plan: ZREO

Yesterday before work I drove down town to get a full xray of my teeth done. It cost me $60 and I am hoping the insurance will cover a chunk of it. I had to put it on my visa card because I didn't have the money budgeted for. But that's ok because by the end of the month it will all balance out.  January 25th I go for my first appointment to be fitted for braces. I am super excited!

I Tried to be a Shopaholic....

I have just got back from 8h of non stop mall shopping. Mom wanted to get her shopping under way and pick up clothing for my sister and myself. For christmas from her I asked just for work related clothing and I needed a new pair of black high healed boots. We got my sister 3 pairs of pants and some other stuff, my stuff is a secret until Christmas. For mom she needed a cocktail dress for her work Christmas party, so we did a lot of looking around for that.

I discovered two things today.

FIRST: mom and I shop very differently! I go in a store,  see one or two things I try them on. If they fit I get them if not I am out of the store.  With mom first we started with 3 tops and before I knew it I was trying on 1/2 the store! It can get overwhelming but I mustered though.

SECOND: I am not a person that can shop for pleasure. Shopping for the sake of shopping does NOTHING for me!! I am amazed that there are so many people who find shopping fun.


Please if you are a reformed shopaholic or in remission please tell me what do you get out of it? Be as descriptive as you like because I just don't get it!

Hello Hello!

Sorry I haven't been around much. Just haven't had much to talk about. Happily (I might just jinxes myself) nothing in the finances dptm  has been happening. Actually that's not exactly true. Yesterday at work we got the traditional white envelops. In the envelops dictates if and what raises are for the next year and bonuses.  The upside is I got both. The raise was measly but the bonus isn't bad; hopefully I'll get to keep some after the tax man has commeath.  I won't know how much of a hit I will have taken until tomorrow when payslips are out. Oh Bank how efficient you are! Actually I'll be happy with the bonus if I can keep 1/2 of it, because I have about that amount budgeted for.... I know a big no no in the PF world.

I'm so happy to have a budget. Because when the budget gets a large influx of money injected into it its very easy to let that money get frittered away. With a budget it will hopefully keep me on tack with my spending and really make the money mean something to my overall financial  outlook.

November OSAP and LoC Update

Since November has come and gone it's time to update my progress on my OSAP. I mentioned a while back that I over paid my LoC so that extra amount will be included in this total as well.

October's balance on OSAP: $7,712.67

November 9~ $165.59

November 9~ $19.17

November 18~ $84.33

November 25~ $550.00

Amount paid after interested added: $819.09-33.58= $785.21
Daily interest for the month of October: $1.10
Total  monthly interest: $ 33.58

% interest is calculated at: 5.5%


New OSAP balance: $6,921.75

Regular payment to LoC $250

Monthly Interest: $90.26

Amount after interest taken off and extra payment:

 $250- 90.26+250=409.74

Current $15,000 extra fund stands at: $10,045.58+785.21+409.74=$11,240.53

I am really happy with my OSAP number I was hoping to get it under 7,000 this past month even with interest added and I did. 
Time to up date the side bars!

This and That...

Molly is back to her old self, Thank GOD! Colours (the white cat) not so sure about him have to talk to Grandma still about that one. After work I went out for dinner with a friend, his treat. By the time I got on my way home it was 5:30pm, and I hit the heart of GTA rush hour traffic. It was GROSS, I normally miss the brunt of it because I am done by 4 and at home 4:30-4:45pm depending on when I leave the office. Next week I am moving to a condensed work week 2-12am shifts 4 nights a week. I have yet to decide if I am going to enjoy this shift. I'm a morning person so the adjustment is going to be tough. But I am going to bring my scrap booking stuff and scrap book at my desk, best part of the job!

I spent the evening filing old monthly bills and budgets. One of those things that needs to get done when a quiet time comes around like tonight.  I put together my budget for this month, its a 3 pay month which is great. I need to dig myself up out of the mess that I made for myself last month with the accident and over paying my LoC. Because I over paid my LoC I had to put my cell phone in my visa so for the first time in several months I have had to budget money to cover the cost of my visa...sigh. As a result I will not get to put as much into my OSAP as I would have liked, most frustrating.

I have got my LoC numbers but not my OSAP numbers, I hope to have it by the end of tomorrow. So I cam update my side bars and blog about it tomorrow.

I'm Tellin' Ya when it Rains it Pores

Last night I came home to find the bag of Denture Sticks ripped open, culprit; the white cat Colours. However once open the dogs had a feast. I suspect Molly had the most based on today. Molly slept with me last night and when I woke up I found bits of vomit and pee on my carpet. A little while later I realized that Molly was very sick. She had clearly eaten to much of a good thing and it was not sitting with her right. I called my grandma for advise, for all her faults when it comes to animals she's a wealth of knowledge. Her advise: Metamucil original, spoon it into her mouth and watch it work it's magic.

Do you know how difficult to get and expensive Metamucil is!

I'm standing in Lowblaws and they have berry flavour, citrus flavour and jumbo size. The highest cost going at  $25.99! CRAZY! And then there was the different kinds or variety, synthetic, natural, organic. I had to talk to pharmacist because I had no idea what the different kinds were. Turns out the stuff I wanted in a decent size and price was behind the counter! Its like they hide the reasonable stuff in an attempt to sell the over prised stuff.  *Light bulb* I bet that's exactly what they do!

It did the trick but let me tell you it wasn't pretty. I spent most of the morning and early afternoon cleaning up surprises.  

On top of that I tried another of Grandma's tips. To cure urinary track infections cook barley and feed the barley to the animal or drain the water off and provide the water for drinking. I am not sure how long I have to feed it to the cat (have to make another call to Grandma) but it went down well the first time. 

On a more positive side I got some christmas shopping done. But I am worried I am going though the money really fast I blew though 300$ today like it was nothing! And I still have to get my sister covered and my brother! My $800 is down to less then 1/2 *gulp.*

I did get my Secret Santa card and gift out. I really hope my Secret Santa gift doesn't get repossessed stolen in customs.   

I WOULD LOVE TO WIN 500 DOLLARS !!

WOULD YOU??


 “the $500 Give Me Back My Five Bucks competition, sponsored by Life Insurance Finder, the life insurance experts”.


My financial bucket list  includes:
1) Pay for the damages to my car from my accident (1100 to date)
2) Pay down my OSAP so that its at or under $5,000 by the end of this year and have it done by the end of may 2012 so I can focus on the $25,000 student Line of Credit
3) start my braces fund $3500 since I will be getting braces January 2012.

Weekly Spending Re-cap Nov 14-27th

November 14

No Spend Day


November 15


$23.98~ movie tickets for Twilight 


November 16


$5.18~ Shoppers for Shampoo


$1.49~ Loblaws for a box of tea 


$55.37~ Loblaws Joe fresh *hockey related 


$76.28~ Newson’s *Hockey related


November 17


$5.99~ Metro box of tea 


$48.58~ cat food


November 18


$78~ Deal find (Xmas gift)


November 19


No Spend Day 


November 20 


$27.32~ Wal-mart 2 new tires (exchange) *accident expense


$181~ CAA membership renewal *accident expense 


$11.29~ Swiss chalet food

 
November 21

 
No Spend Day


November 22

 
No Spend Day

 
November 23 


No Spend Day 


November 24 


$2.75~ food 


$20.14~ gas for mom’s car 

$90~ new tire *accident related


November 25 


No Spend Day 


November 26 


No Spend Day 


November 27

No Spend Day

Why CAA is WORTH EVERY PENNY!!

Disclaimer: I am not being paid for this article I am not getting any kick backs, this has been my experience and the views expressed are my own.

Tomorrow at 7:30 am it will be 1 week since I had my collision. As it stands my car has been in the shop almost 1 full week and in that time frame the flowing has been replaced or done to my car:

1)     3 new tires

2)     2 new rims

3)     1 new radiator

4)     1 new searing belt

5)     Front passengers wheel support straitened out

6)     Straightening out of the rad hose (might still need to be replaced)

7)     Wheel support welded together

8)     Complete realignment

After all the above has been done and the alignment results come back it will dictate if the car is safe again or if more work is needed.

At the time of my collision I though I had only broken 1 tire and a rim, I quickly discovered that I had two tires busted. It was not unit I was able to move the car off the golf course it was on, did realise that the radiator was leaking. And once I got it to the mechanic’s,  I realise the full extend of the damage that had happened. 

For a good 45 min I was stranded on the Green while I waited for my dad to come with a board to provide a base for the jack as the grass was too soft. In that time frame more then 20 cars drove by me. In fact one car even called the police stating a stolen car had been left on the Golf Course. But NO ONE STOPED. Not one person who passed and gocked at me stopped to ask if I was A) ok or B) needed help.

Now I am very lucky that I was not heart in anyway, had I been I very well would have been in worse shape as a result of waiting for assistance.

It quickly  became clear that with the leaking rad and a flat back tire the only thing I was going to be able to do was get the car off the Green and limp drive it slowly home. Lucky I live 5 mins away from where the collision happened. I still had the issue of getting it to the mechanic’s a full 30 min away. I called CAA. No questions asked no paper work to sign the guy came with the tow truck and even offered to give me a lift along the way. He dropped off the car and off he went. I never saw a bill nor was I even asked how I was going to pay for it.

Had I not had my dad to help me out I could have called CAA to help me fix the flat tires originally. In fact noticing that the back passenger’s tire was flat before even hocking the car to be towed, the tow man brought out his portable air machine and pumped the tire up “don’t need to cause any more damage” he commented. 

I have had my car less then 6 months and my CAA membership for 11. Within that short time frame I have used them twice. Last Sunday and this past summer to unlock a friend’s car; she had locked her keys in and herself out. I have not paid a dime nor has my use of the coverage ever been quested. Every time I have called in and I admit it’s only twice they have been friendly, understanding and very accommodating. CAA also has a system where they will text your cell phone to keep you up-to-date on when the tow truck or assistance will be arriving.

I knew having CAA was important but it truly did not hit home until last Sunday. Another great thing is that CAA while Canada wide has partnered with AAA (American Automotive Association) to help members who are traveling across the border.  You can stop in and flash your car to get free maps or local expert advice. Something my BF and I used on our crazy 5 state DC trip this past summer. They offer insurance from personal to pet and discounts at stores and hotels. Honestly I don’t think I will ever use every service they offer. But having this magic little card is worth the $180 I paid for my BF and mine. As a society we seam to have no problem forking over thousands of dollars each year to expensive trips, cars and other items, yet bulk at spending only a few hundred for the ‘just in case or what if’ times in our life.

I strongly recommend, encourage, force your hand to get CAA or its equivalent in your home country (Canada, USA, Britain, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Singapore, Malaysia, Southern India, Australia, and the list goes on and on…)

Do you have a cat?

I have three cats. And one of them (I think) keeps peeing in my room on my cloths. The litter box is in my room so I can't make heads or tails of the situation. What I am most concerned  about is that the cat has a urinary track infection and ignoring it is the worst thing possible. But am I jumping to conclusions, has anyone deal with this before? My cat has been doing its on and off of a couple of months and every time seams to be different. When I researched it the article I read said that you had to treat every incident as an isolated event due to a different reason. But it happened yesterday and again today.  So I am wondering if I am ignoring a larger problem.

What do you think?

PS: Happy Thanksgiving!

Life Has Its Up's and Down's

I am so sorry I have been MIA. Life has been an expensive mess, toped off with Sunday. I am hoping that once I have finished paying for what happened on Sunday things will start to settle back in an uneventful life. I had actually written a post on Saturday but forgot to post it before I left to go to a Christmas party.

Yesterday was a write off for me as I was in an car accident.  I am fine but the car not so much. I blow a tire and lost control of the car drove it over the median and than over curb onto a golf course between hole 8 and 9. I busted 3 tires and 2 rims. I destroyed one of the caps on the radiator and now have to get a new radiator. I need an alignment and what ever else needs to be straitened out. All and all $900 starting. Now the thing is really the car isn't worth the money but I don't have $5,000 to go out and get another one and I do have $1,000 to fix this one. So that's what I am going to do.

My BF hadn't had a chance to pay for our annual CAA membership and he didn't have the money. So I paid for it on my visa $189. Between that and hockey last week my visa is maxed out... well at least to high for me to be conferrable!

They say things happen in 3's; with all the craziness that was yesterday I paid my LoC twice and have left myself short for my insurance payment.  While I have money and can make up the shortfall with out dipping into my  EF I am totally frustrated with myself. In the long run it will all workout but in the short term I am completely tapped out. 

Weekly Spending Recap October 31- November 13 2011

 I didn't get a chance to do a spending recap last week so I am getting caught up.

October 31
NO Spend Day
November 1
$18.04~ Cat litter

$125~ Heart and Stroke Calendars

$25~ Heart and Stroke Calendars
November 2
No Spend Day
November 3
NO Spend Day
November 4
No Spend Day
November 5
No Spend Day
November 6
No Spend Day
November 7
$26.30~ Gas
$49.49~Gas
$24.95~ Gas
November 8
$15.72~ shoppers Drug mart
$3.37~ Shoppers Drug mart
November 9
$3.94~ Anti-freeze windshield washer
November 10
No Spend Day
November 11
No Spend Day
November 12
No Spend Day
November 13
 No Spend Day


*My Spending looks so much better in a by-weekly format then it does in a weekly format. However not  doing the weekly spending recap is pure laziness on my part so I'll stick to weekly. 

Blogging Anniversary

Yesterday was my blogging anniversary. But to be honest it was over showed by more important things yesterday. I am ok with that. November 11th is... well I have no words to explain how I feel about the day. There is so much we have to be thankful for and there are no words to express how thankful I am for what every person did to help in the war efforts.

Hopefully there will be many more to come, along with big changes (when I get around to it)

Monthly Goals

This past month and I think the month before I have been feeling very down with life. I am not sure exactly why though I feel as though I have been stuck in a rut. My money and debt repayment hasn't dropped, I’m not by nature an emotional spender but my enthusiasm for it has drastically declined. So has my desire to get things done. As a result of the funk I seam to be in my blogging has declined. Don't worry I'm not dropping of the planet or anything. I'm still reading and cheering you all on form the sidelines, my posting has been sluggish. Any ways I have decided not to set any goals this months so that when I recap and have got very few done I'm not as depressed.

October goals:

 
1) Mail Funeral CD (NOT DONE)
- find address
-mail CD


2) Catalogue books just put on shelf (NOT DONE)

3) Sort out more books to go to Thia's (DONE)


4) Do 6 pages in scrapbook (NOT DONE)


5) Sort out OSAP, LoC and budgets (DONE)


6) change backing accounts around and sign paper work ( DONE)


7) Get Hardy Boy's and Nancy Drew books to friend (DONE)


-call friend to set up get together

living in the Cool!

Its currently 65F in my house and I can't get the heat to turn on for some reason. So I have a blanket over my legs and a thick sweater. I just yanked the filter which needs to be replaced so hopefully without that blocking the air it will start to rise! Sarah says: rise air rise blow me over with HOT HOT AIR!!

There are lots of things I should be doing now but I am watching Independence Day a great movie! It just occurred to me that we own a 40' TV screen and I'm watching it on a 29' so next commercial I'm moving down stars. Large screen ~ I'm LOVIN' IT..... although I have a snug a bug cat on my lap!

In over news work has placed a back out period over any person booking vacation January and February. Which kills my hope of getting reading week off which means that Texas is out of the question, my road trip is shoot.  :(   I now have no idea what vacation I will book, I mean what's the point of going to a hot country in the middle of JULY! Arg! I am really upset but you know the part that gets me the most is I can't even book weekends off! WHY you ask? beets the heck out of me! But of course the Big Bank does its scheduling in India so no one is responsible or has the power to change anything! Arg... if only I wasn't in debt! Yup you heard it right debt keeps me tied to a job that tries hard to dictate my life, and the options out there are limited.

Ok enough of a rant on my end...

Life has its positive aspects. I need to focus on  the positive a little more.

Oh I promised Little Lamb I would spread the word about helping families! Carla's Half Dozen Daily is looking to raise money to buy farm animals. I actually have already done it! I bought my Grandma 3 agricultural packs for families to start farming from World Vision.  I have been debating about actually buying another one for my BF's parents. I am  big fan of this kind of charity its a tangible thing and it helps families for generations. As the old saying goes: give a man a fish feed him for a day, teach the man how to fish feed him for life!

So please help if you can help, if not pass the message on!

October OSAP Update

Since October has come and gone it's time to update my progress on my OSAP. I mentioned a while back that I was going to liquidate the mutual fund I had and put the money back into my OSAP. I did that this month so the numbers will reflect that.

September's  balance on OSAP:

October 3~ $1,023.57
October 6~ $158.09
October 6~ $38.17
October 21~ $555.00
October 24~ $14.75

Amount paid after interested added: $1,789.58-34.10= $1,755.48
Daily interest for the month of October: $1.10
Total  monthly interest: $ 34.10

Current outstanding balance on OSAP: $7,712.67

Current $15,000 extra fund stands at $8,290.10+1,755.48= 10,045.58


time to up date the side bars!

Murphy Must GO!!!

Today is my day off which means that its the day of running around. One of the tasks was cleaning the cat litters. For three cats (Max, Salem and Colours) we have 2 litters. One in my room and the other one is in mom's bathroom. So I got both litters emptied and when I went to fill them back up I realized I didn't have enough litter for both litters. Enter Murphy!! Let me tell you 3 cats and only 1 litter, THIS IS A TRUE EMERGENCY!!! As it was I was planing on changing up the cat litter. The stuff I previously had was to dusty; when the cat sneezes you know its dusty!!  As well the previous litter was cheep but not all that effective in odour control. Trust me something that is important when the litter is in my bedroom. Do you know were this is going... you guessed it... I went out and bought cat litter today.  You can scold me all you want but I'll have it paid off by pay day any ways. And I am not willing to go without 1 litter box just for the sake of 19$.

However I would like to ask Murphy to kindly step out! 

weekly Spending Recap October 24-30 2011

As I mentioned before I am on a no spending week except for gas because I have money put a side for that. As it stands I have warn the shoes out twice now so I guess there not going back.  Its funny sometimes when you tell your story out loud someone helps to make it a bit better. I told my dad about the frost and my crash with a pillion and the next morning early in the morning my dad showed up at my mom's place before I had even got out of bed (6:45 am) and left me a snow brush with a scrapper. Isn't he wonderful!!

October 24
No Spending Day


October 25
10.92~ coffee Tree

October 26
No Spending Day


October 27
79.15~ shoes

October 28
$44.07~ dry cleaning (budgeted for and planed)

October 29
No Spending Day


October 30
No Spending Day


                        HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

Murphy Came...

We battled, I won!

Yes after I declared no more spending for 7 days, Murphy showed up at my door not once but twice!

This morning when I got to my car it had frost on it. I thought I could just get by with the windshield fluid and wipers. As a drove to work it became increasingly clear to me that the more I spayed the more the window freezed over. The thing is I don't have a snow brush yet, after all I got my car in July, no snow. I pulled over to the side and popped my trunk to see what I could use to get the frost off.  There Murphy was waving at me and saying "Best go out and get a scrapper." I wasn't willing to be beat so I took the little funnel I keep in the back and did the best job I could scraping the frost off.

When I got to work I realized that the  lunch I had made last night and packed this morning I left at home. There he was again saying "you'll have to buy your lunch." I decided that I wasn't going to give in and to curve my desire I didn't go to the caff for lunch but sat at my desk. Often people will leave in the Kitchenette things that they don't want to eat, someone left an orange and a banana which had for the outside seen better days. So I had that and 1/2 a cookie a friend shared with me with two cups of tea. So I made it though the day.

Before I got home I picked up my dry cleaning which was a planed for expense. I had two coats that needed to be picked up and winter is coming.

The end result was Me 1, Murphy 0

Confession Time

This past month I put 50$ a pay way to pay for the cost of my coat dry cleaning. This next month I am planing to put way 50$ a pay to get a few pieces of clothing. I need two pairs of shoes 1) Mary Jane style black shoes 2) knee-high healed black boots, a few tank-tops to go under sweeter tops and blouses. I didn't think I would be able to get the boots and the shoes under $100, but I was hoping to get close.

Here's the catch. Today I went into Winner's and found a pair of shoes that aren't Marry Jane's but close to it and I love them, but not the cost. I spent $79.15. Trust me I was suffering major buyer's regret. I have exactly $1.66 left in my account and I owe my car fund 50$.

Before I even paid I asked what the return policy was, I have up till January 5th to decide on keeping the shoes as long as they have not been warn outside.  So here's the thing I now have no money for 7 days until next Thursday which is pay day. So if I can get to the end of week with out spending a dime than I can keep the shoes and still have 50$ for the other stuff- IF I can last until pay day without any money.

This is to the new challenge: Get though 7 days without buying anything that isn't gas or cat related (already budgeted for).

Wish me luck, I am going to need it!

Weekly Spending Re-Cap October 17-23 and Getting Back on the Horse

October 17
$47.73 gas
October 18
$9.35~ sizzling wok
$6.08~ bellevue husky peter ( I have no idea what this was? o.O??)
October 19
No Spending day
October 20
No Spending day
October 21
7.72~ food
$28.24~ oil for oil change
October 22
No Spending day
October 23
$10.60~ extreme pita

54.99~ christmas gift for my sister

Jane mentioned that she had fallen off the band wagon and I confess I have a few days as well. Since today is Monday how about we refocuses and get back on that horse! Jane I am talking to you! Can we all recommit to that?

Ramblings of a Girl at Work

This weekend is the Sewing and Craft show. I didn’t mention it to mom until last might. She was a little disappointed. I told her she could go today but she said she would rather paint her room. A good answer I thought. The truth is I have much too much in the way of unfinished projects and projects still to start, between beading, cross-stitching, scrapbooking and sewing. I didn’t really see the point in going.

I have to go through my cloths at some point and get rid of a lot of them. I hate doing it though. Since I haven’t changed in size since before 7^th grade it seams silly to get rid of cloths that still fit. I have a nice figure (despite my slight muffin top) and many of the shifts and pants do little to accent it. Truth be told my wardroom needs a bit more updates, you can only look 15 in jeans and t-shift for so long before it gets a bit ridicules in a work and ‘adultish’ environment.   I also need to just take all my cloths out and refold and put back away. I have summer cloths and winter cloths all messed up together. So at some point I will have to take some time to sort thought cloths.

Yesterday before I wrote my blog post but after I got home I decided to recock the exterior door frame of the fount of the house. It needed to be done like 2 years ago but I didn’t realise it until this past summer.  During a heavily storm water started to pour though the interior wood door frame. I also have to re-due the cocking around the bath tubs and mom’s stand up show inside the house but that’s for another day. I don’t own the house but I seam to be the one that does most of the structural repairs. I want so badly to have a place of my own. How much I hate to be in debt. The sad part is I can’t honestly say I think it was worth it.  In this economy my education seams more like a liability than an asset.

PS: i'll post my spending recap later this evening

The ABC's

I have been feeling a little down of late. Feeling as though I have stagnated myself. I was hoping that by taking my French class it would rejuvenate me and I guess of a while it did. Maybe I am feeling this way because every plan this weekend has gone to hell in a hand basket. Friday my friend decided he wanted to have an early night and ditched our plans together. Then I made plans with my mom who ditched me as well. A another friend called and said what you doing and since I had no real plans he said after he was done work he would swing by.  He went home to shower and promptly fell a sleep on his couch which was the end of getting together. And today my plan to hang with my mechanic and get the greatly needed oil change done on my car was laid to waste when times some how got crossed (though I don't know how it happened). As for tomorrow's plan we'll have to see how that goes. I am not even excited about the amount of my OSAP I will have paid off this month. I think I have got myself stuck in a rut and I am not sure how to get out of it.

A few bloggers have already done this and I thought it was a neat idea so I am copying it!

A-Age: 25

B-Bed Size - Twin


C-Chore you hate – Dusting

D-Dogs – I live with 2 dogs


E-Essential start to your day – brushing my teeth


F-Favorite Colour- green

G-Gold or Silver – white gold or silver


H-Height - 5' 2 1/2" (always dreamed of being 5' 5" feet, but never made it)


I- Interests – reading, baking, finances, politics and history

J-Job Title- Licensed Insurance advisor


K-Kids – no


L-Live – In Toronto


M-Mothers Name –  Annette


N-Nickname - to many to write


O-Overnight hospital stays – so far, none!


P-Pet Peeves – loud eating, nail clipping and people who don't signal when driving


Q-Quotes from films – I don't really remember movies...I just enjoy them, while I'm watching them


R-Right or Left Handed – left


S-Siblings – 1 full sister, 3 step brother and I had a step sister.


T-Time you wake up - usually get up around 6:45am


U-Underwear – umm...weird question... fitting??


V-Vegetables you hate – beets, bustle sprouts, cabbage


W-What makes you run late – traffic


X-X-Rays you’ve had – teeth, knee, rear end.


Y-Yummy food that you make – cookies, pies… I love to bake


Z-Zoo animals – bungled tigers

Now I am off to do my scissors, I hope everyone is keeping up!

Its Pay Day Today!

Pay Day is one of these strange creatures, where your never quite sure if your getting a head or catching up. Are you paying the bills that are due this month and thus catching up or are you paying for next month as I do with my basic cell phone plan.

One of the things about Pay Day is that I get to pay my funds money. Theoretically I am paying myself but I don't look at it that way. For example last night a friend asked if I wanted to go out grab a bit to eat. I explained that I had $3.00 left in my account, which is true. Three dollars was all that was left over from my allocated spending money. What I neglected to mention was that I had three to four grand saved up between my different funds. You see he wouldn't understand that, that money is for rainy days. I could lay out the "aren't I a better saver than him" because I know his financial  situation. In fact I will be creating his budget for him in an attempt to get him on a 'savings track'.  What I will say is if I had his cash flow my debt would be half to three quarters gone.

I could be in a worse situation. A lady at work this morning had just finished paying her bills and by the time she had done she had over drafted her account by more than $1700. I stopped over to say good morning to her and she mentioned it to me. I confess all I said to her was "well I guess its time to budget." Not the most considerate of things.

The point of this post incase you were wondering was to remind myself and you (if you need it) that everyone is in different places financially. But that you have to be humble and thankful for what you have accomplished and done thus far.


note: 3.00 snowflaked jar at: $520.16