Weekly Spending Re-Cap July 25-31

July 25 (Monday)

no Spend day

July 26 (Tuesday)

No Spend day

July 27 (Wednesday)

No Spend day

July 28 (Thursday)

$192.87  Wal-mart Second set of new tires for car 

July 29 (Friday)

$151.36 Mike Pazak for safety inspection and e-test for car

July 30 (Saturday)

$86.35 for plate sticker for car

$11.05 Canadian Tire  glass cleaner to clean windows in car

$51.04 to fill up gas tank

$ 18.06 Cosco 2 boxes of cat litter

$11.95 monthly Bank Service fees

July 31 (Sunday)
$2.25 sponges
$17.61 Gas top-up 

Well I was at first kinda back on track with my spending. But man did I fall of  the band wagon so to speak.  But the good news is I got all my weekly goals done. My car is now legal for the road, my BF has got some stuff moved in and we have one coat painted in his room. I am going to do the second one today. I finally met up with my prof and got my Duke of Ed book signed by him and his letter came in the mail.

 My car fund is no longer at the $1,000 mark and after first and last month's insurance bill it will drop again. But I am ok with that, as long as I still have a few hundred in the account left to start building it back up I'll be happy. Despite how much I have paid out for the car I still got a decent car for under $4800 and its mine 100%. No car payments just gas and insurance, things that I can tweak as I learn more about the cost of a car.

I need a little bit of advice. I made a large payment to my LoC on July 28 but TD has not got it. SO when I called them up to get my updated figures this month they do not include my last payment of the month. Should I update my LoC with out the July 28th payment  and include it on August or should I weight for a couple of days until the payment shows on their system which will be after this long weekend and then include it in my LoC update. In the past that's what I have always done because in my  mind it's part of  say July's budget not August's budget. But what you think???

Snowflaked $10 left over from paying cell phone bill into retirement fund. Jar at 424.69 + 10 = $434.69
Retirement fund owing 363.58-10= 353.58

I am so frustrated

I have credit card debt and its not even mine, but its on my credit card. Argg I want to scream!!

Mom didn't pay the storage unit last month and to prevent us from having another 75$ late charge I put both last month's and this month's on my card. And before then, last week she asked if I was working to put a Groupon on my credit card for her because her cards were maxed. So between the Groupon and the storage unit my credit card is at $500.00. Now here is is the kicker, I don't think she thinks she has to pay me back! And on top of all this I will have to pay interest! I am so angry about this, I don't know what to do about it.

I know she can't balance her own cheque book, let alown pay her debts on mine.

The night before pay day

To day is the night before pay day and I had $13.37 left in my chequing account. So I have snow flaked that into my retirement fund to try and reduce what I owe the fund.

Owing $376.95-13.37=363.58 still owing

snowflake jar 411.32 +13.37= 424.69 new balance.

Weekly Money Check-Up

Your going to think me pathetic but I am so excited to be writing this post. Things have been really crazy these past couple of weeks that I haven't had time to do one, and I confess I missed it. This time last week I was studying for my A&S exam that was last Wednesday. Well I am happy to report that I passed first time around.  Now that the work stuff is finally out of the way, I can focus on getting my personal goals completed.

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on a Car, the starting cost was $3,000.  

2. Today I am thankful  having a full time job. I know I have said that several times but, I am glad especially with it no longer hanging over my head. I have the luxury of knowing that I will have a steady pay coming in during these strange economic times.
 
3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was Learning and changing my car's oil and filter. I got burnt as SH**  and I am suffering from it now, but let me tell you its very empowering to know that I can change my own oil! 


4. I will consider this week a success if I  get my Duke of ED book signed by my Prof. this weekend, getting my BF moved in his new place and my car passing safety with out any major issues. Lofty goals I know.

5. A good friend is some you are completely conferrable around.

Weekly Spending Re-Cap July 18-24

I am not looking forward to this Weekly Spending Re-cap. I was so happy last week because I was able to get back on track with my spending. This week was so off track, but mostly because of the car.


July 18 (Monday)
No Spend Day 

July 19 (Tuesday)
$25.00 Bus tickets


July 20 (Wednesday)
$20.00 MTO Used Vehicle report
$1.25 2L jug of water 


July 21 (Thursday)
$2.05 Aramark Lunch


July 22 (Friday)
$3,000.00 cost of car
$321.00 MTO registration (car stuff)
$46.27 Petro V Plus gas (first tank of many…)


July 23 (Saturday)
$22.59 Canadian Tire (car stuff)
$38.22 Wal-mart (car stuff)
$8.73 Canadian Tire car stuff 
$204.17 Wal-mart Car Stuff
$14.44 Shopper’s Drug mart
$13.88 Macdonald’s for 2
$8.73 Chips for movie


July 24 (Sunday)
No Spend Day


WOW… I didn’t realize how much I have spent this week. It’s depressing to look at it all. Next week I have to get back on track.


 I also forgot to mention that on top of all the stuff that we did to the car we also put in this stuff to flush the engine. I used a product called STP that’s designed to unclog dirty fuel injectors in just one treatment. I don’t think the car has ever been done. So it seamed like the right thing to do.


I called my dad’s mechanic to book an appointment for him to look at the car. It has to pass safety and I don’t know what that will cost me.

I am Bleeding Money...

Did I mention cars are a money pit. Today I bled more money. I decided that since the car was new to me I wanted to have an oil change done. I also picked up an air freshener, funnels, windshield fluid and plate bolds.  My BF knows how to change the oil so we got the stuff to do it ourselves. The car also had a squeaking noise it was making every time it braked so we thought the brake pads needed to be replaced. The girl I bought it from had just had the  rotors changed but not the brake pads. So she had those in the back of her car, I got them for free. Turns out the brakes don't need to be changed. But the from two tires were so bald, there is no way the car would pass safety and they needed to be rotated. We thought we might be able to get a way with just the rotation for now. We got half way though the tire rotation and the pressure gun stopped working. Since I work tomorrow there is no way I could drive home and then to work with a tire rotation 50% done. So we called Canadian Tire but they were booked. So we called Wal-mart and they were free. Since we were going down there any ways it made sense to get the 2 tires replaced. So I did that as well. We discovered in the process of changing the tires that they were really low on air, I am talking one tire only had 1/3 the amount of air in it that it should have had. So now that the airs have the right amount of air my fuel economy should go up! Yahoo for that!

The good news is, I can change my own oil, the brakes didn't need to be changed, the tires have been rotated and I have 2 new tires. The bad news is I have bled more money today. The other bad news is that because we were out in the sun. I now have the grossest sun burn between where my jeans stopped and my tank top was riding up while getting underneath the car.

Canadian tire $22. 59 (oil)
Wal-mart 38.22 (filter 2x, washer fluid, air fresher)
Canadian tire $8.73 (funnels)
Wal-mart $204.17 ( new tires and rotation)
Shoppers Drug Mart $14.44 (Aloe gel and drinks)

Total spent today: $289.15

Next up is to see the mechanic so it can pass safety inspection, sort out the e-testing stuff and buying a real plate sticker for the year. I also have to pay for my insurance another $600+ in August.

Forget the freedom stuff... given me the bus and my money back. Actually the whole 2.5h on 2 buses and walking just to get home when its 30 min by car, maybe the car is worth it. I just hope it passes inspection, that's my next major thing.

I Own A Money Pit A.K.A. A Car

As it turns out I might have been a bit hasty. Turns out she had her phone stolen, which makes sense since her voice message was changed back to the default message.  She called me late last night but I was sleeping so she left a voice mail. I called her back this morning. I got my insurance sorted out,  went up to see her gave the money to her and together we went to Service Ontario to get the registration of the the car transferred over.  On the right you will notice that I got rid of my Car Fund tracker, and have added what's left of my car fund down at the bottom under Other Funds. So I am now the owner of a 2005 Pontiac Wave, burnt orange in colour.  

Brake down of cost:

Cost to by car: $3,000
Taxes: 286.00
To buy plates: $10.00
To buy temp. plates:$25.00
Map and wipes: $27.61
First tank of gas: $46.27
My monthly Insurance 2X: $428.90 to be taken out August 3 (not paid yet)
Insurance payment: $214.41 to be taken out August 22 ( not paid yet)

current spent to date: $3394.88

Since the car was sold as is. I have to still get it certified but before I can do that the brakes have to be changed and the car has to be e-tested. Now the girl I bought it off says that she had it e-tested but doesn't have the paper work since she submitted it to the MTO, so I have to get that sorted out as well.

My insurance is the bare bones, because there is nothing that's going though it. Unless the car is 110% right off I will not put anything though insurance. Its just not worth it the car is not worth that much.

I now need to figure out how far I can get on one take of gas so I can budget for how much I will be spending on gas. I will also have to budget for insurance coming out of my account. Back to the drawing board with my budget.

I am Melting....

I was trying to write this post in my head while I was doing stuff for job #2.  And to be honest I wasn't come out right. I am upset with myself the car slipped though my fingers. It turned out it was a great car in great shape and I complicated it.  I haven't found anything else yet. And time is running out, its getting desperate. I mentioned a while back that I pulled my credit score finally. Well its not so hot, its in the low 600's. I can't say I expected it to be any place else. I just wish it wasn't that low. I also know with out a doubt that even if I could afford to finance a car of any sort, I wouldn't get the financing. I have spent the last 24h being upset with myself and my situation. But its time to pick myself up and get on with life. I am brain storming other car types. I am trying to brain storm other car models that might be in my budget.  Basically I would like a car that's a hatch back because I play hockey and is good on gas. If you come up with any ideas let me know.

We are under extreme heat warnings, and when it gets hot I don't eat.  I just don't feel like eating. I am sure that the lack of food hasn't really helped my mood either.

I paid my Christmas fund back.

$35.39 snowflaked +375.93 = $411.32 current value of snowflake jar


I hope everyone is staying cool!

Weekly Spending Re-Cap July 11-17

July 11(Monday)
No Spend Day 
July 12 (Tuesday)
$25 TransUnion (credit score) 


July 13 (Wednesday)
No Spend Day 


July 14 (Thursday)
$48.58 Cat food (one bag, 3 cats)
$25 to mom for HP part 2 tickets


July 15 (Friday)
No Spend Day 


July 16 (Friday)
No Spend Day 


July 17(Saturday)
No Spend Day


 July 18 (Sunday)
No Spend Day

Finally back to what my spending weeks should look like. You have no idea how happy that makes me. 

On a different note I have been thinking about this car that I saw on Friday. I know it has a warranty void on it but I can’t imagine what good the manufacturer’s warranty would be to me for on a 6 year old car. And if I did get it I would still have over 1,000 left in my car fund. I still have to talk to my insurance though to see if they will cover it and what that would mean to my insurance . But I think I want the car… the problem is do I want the car because its cheep and the only car I have really seen in my budget or because I trust the person enough and my own inspection on the car that I don’t believe it was in any major accidents that caused the void in warranty. I know what I said about Pontiac wave’s  in my previous post. And I stand by it. But I don’t need the car to last me 10 years, only 4 if that. I need it more now than I hope to need it in 3 year… I want to be out of the country by then. You see I am in two minds about it. Of course no one has been around to talk to about this. So I have been musing over it which is never a good thing. Because I can talk myself in to just about anything. So am I pep talking myself in to settling for this car??? I don’t know…. What I do know is I have hit the car savings wall. I want to get the car and move on with other things in my life, like my LoC.

Bits and Bites of My Life

Hi, Hi…
I know I said I have been busy but I really have been. I am still reading everyone’s blogs. I haven’t been commenting because I do it while at work and I can only creep the blog not post on it. On Thursday I went to see Harry Potter #7 part 2. What a great movie, it was amazing! Best one of the lot! But it’s a 3h movie and so by the time I got home it was 3am. I didn’t end up going to bed until 4. I had to be up on Friday to see a car. A great car at a great price, but when I ran the vin # it had been flagged with “void warrantee.”  Talk about being crushed. I still have to decide if I am willing to take the risk or not.

After that I went to the bank and then to my dad’s to help him learn Skype. When I got home I started out again and did 5.5h of my second job. I didn’t get home until 10pm. At which point I walked the dogs, watered the plants, made dinner/ today’s lunch and had dinner before going to bed at 12am. A 14h day yesterday was. As I type this I am currently at work. 

I got paid on Thursday from Job#1 and I got my first pay form job #2. The budget is a bit messed up this week. I have played around with the numbers so as to boost my car fund. It makes me cry though.  Had I not done that, by the end of this month I would have had my LoC down under $26,000. That’s only $1,000 off from $25,000. I would be over the moon happy to reach $25,000 by September. Sadly I really don’t think that will happen…

You know what’s crazy, on Thursday and Friday I went to Scotia to do banking and both times I have forgot to take the change I have to snowflake into my Christmas Fund. I think I have enough to completely replenish it. On Wednesday night I snowflaked $4.99 into it. I motivated  to get that fund back up to where it was. I also took $10.00 from job#2 pay to pay back the Christmas fund.

Replenish Christmas fund: $10+$10+$4.99= $35.01 outstanding. 

Yesterday my friend Megan paid me back the $40 of which $25 was put back into my Emergency fund and $15 was put into my LoC. Also I deposited my GST/HST cheque into my LoC, total of $91.63. Last but not least I paid off my visa in full 83.71 which includes that gas and the cost of pulling my credit score. I am now credit card debt free again! lol

Car Men are Funny Folk

‘Car  Men’ are funny creatures. Like Upendilife I am car shopping. I will by the end of this week be just under my $5,000 goal and I have hit the saving fatigue wall. I am sick of saving money for something that I don’t feel is worth it in comparison to my LoC… cars are a diminishing asset after all. Any ways my BF who likes to consider himself a ‘Car Man’ was not happy that my search was only focused around the Toyota Echo hatch back. He complained that I wasn’t giving myself enough options and that I should consider the Pontiac Wave and the Suzuki Swift as well.

A while back, I did a bit of research and found that while the Wave was a lot cheaper it also did not have stellar reviews. I did try to express this but it was lost on def ears with both by Bf and my mom. And to be fair I am sure I didn’t scream loud enough, because there was a bit a lot of bias towards the echo on my part. So, on his advice I shifted focus to the Wave; since I had given up hope on the Echo ever being in my price range. Today I dropped my BF a few links on the wave that I have looked in to. I think he has clued in that I am serious about the shopping since before it was a half ass attempt on my part, I am sure that frustrated him in the beginning. As it turns out I got a text back form him that I should stop looking into the Wave’s because they have terrible used car reviews in his words “don’t bother with the Wave. It has much worse used car ratings than the Hyundi accent.” I feel like I could have told him this, not that it was worse then the Accent because I didn’t know that. But that the Wave had not so good reviews as a used car.

I am now back to square one. Time is running out for me. Mom goes up to the cottage for the month of August and I have to have a car by then or getting to work is going to be a challenge. I am dreading the thought that I might have to pay dealer prices and then finance a used car. It seams that my ‘worst case scenario’ might just become my ‘best and only option.’

I have learned one thing from this experience. I need to learn manual! A manual car is significantly cheaper than an automatic one.

On a side note, I called TransUnion today to get my credit score. If I am going to go into a financing option I want to know how bad it’s going to be…. Sigh. I haven't really got the heart to talk about my score tonight.   

Weekly money Check-Up

Money Check-Up brought to you compliments My Pretty Pennies.

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was $60 withdrawal for camping trip.

2. Today I am thankful for a steady pay cheque. I don't feel in control of my finances are the moment. I feel like I need to take just one pay and wipe off a few out standing debts, like my credit card debt and my stuff with my Christmas fund and my retirement fund.  But a steady pay lets me know that if all else fails I can still pay my basic bills.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy I went salsa dancing. Had a great time and it was exactly what I needed.

4. I will consider this week a success if I get my duke of ed stuff done and sent off to my prof. 

5. The strangest thing I have ever eaten is heart is up there, it was rubbery. raw fish, I love sushi... I am not sure how to answer this question. Oh I know the answer! one live worm straight out of the dirt! Yup I think that answers it!

I haven't done one of these is such a long time! It feels nice to be back on track again. Working two jobs has taken a lot out of me. 

Weekly Spending Re-Cap July 4-10

I am back from my camping trip with the BF and his friends. Let me tell you my friends on Sat the crazy week that I had last week really caught up with me. I was so bushed I even had an afternoon nap. Which never happens unless I am sick.  I have a confession, I am dreading do my weekly spending update. Because I know I spend way to much money this week on all the wrong things!! *hang head in shame*

July 4 (Monday)
No Spend Day

July 5 (Tuesday)
No Spend Day

July 6 (Wednesday)
$12 Rona

July 7 (Thursday)
No Spend Day

July 8 (Friday)
$7.06 lunch
$8.46 Macdonald's dinner
$60.00 withdrawal from Christmas fund
$1.50 ATM fee
$1.50 Bank fee
$1.46 valu-mart for drink

July 9 (Saturday)
$11 on two second hand books

July (Sunday)
No Spend Day

Also I have another confession... I took $60 from my Christmas fund again. But I put $10 back so now I only owe it $50 again... sigh how upsetting is that!

I really hope I can get back on track!

Monthly Goals Update

I am sorry I haven't blogged in a while I have been really busy. I have been working 2 jobs, my full time job and my second job which is on contract gig. On top of that I was studying for my A&S pre- test which I wrote today. I am so very happy to report that I passed it with flying colours!!! Now its on to the provincial test. My manager today tried to get me to commit to a specific date for it and I told her no. So I have to talk to her about that tomorrow morning.

I am suppose to be going on a camping trip this weekend. As much as I want to go there is so much crap to do at home that it would be a great time to do it. Any ways we will see how it goes.

I don't have anything else to talk about, the last couple of days have flown by and I have done nothing interesting.

How your week has been going well!

Weekly Spending Re-Cap June 27-July 3

June 27 (Monday)
No Spend Day


June 28 (Tuesday)
$21.04 shoppers candy for boy and me for movie... my skin is suffering now

June 29 (Wednesday)
$40.00 taken out for Ribfest  (but $20 still in jar not spent)

June 30 (Thursday)
$11.95 bank fees

July 1 (Friday)
No Spend Day

July 2(Saturday)

$8.79 Wendy's lunch 

July 3 (Sunday)
$5.75 (paper and bingo ticket because I felt bad for spending $2.25 on my debt)

Wow this was likely the worst week I have had. But besides this weekend's buys it was worth it 100%.  Hopefully next week won't be so bad.

June Goals Assessed, July Goals set, Yearly Goals Reviewed

If you didn't pick it up in the title its: Goal review time!!


June Goals:

1)     Pass LLQP re qualifying exam with at least 60% Fail

2)     Get vol. section of Duke of ED filled out and signed Fail

3)     Get Rez Project section of duke of ED signed Fail

4)     Get LoC under $28,000.00 Pass

5)     Get car fund up to $4000.00 Pass

Well there isn't much to confess. Although I seam to have a much better time completing financial goals. I think this is because I budgeted for them. As for my Duke of Ed stuff I need to get my butt in to high gear because it needs to be submitted Sept 1 at the latest. As for my test we continue to work at it. 

July goals:

1)pass pre qualifier for A&S

2) get Rez project for Duke of Ed filled out 

          -write letter for prof to rejig 

          -mail book to prof to fill out

3)Get vol section for Duke of Ed signed

          -fill out vol section

          -hand to TM to fill out

4)buy car

         -find car

         -buy car

         -sort out insurance

4)Order credit score 

5) get ride of out standing credit card debt ($65)

So there you have it, my July goals!

As for my 2011Goals, I am on track with some but not will all of them.

My progress with my financial:

1) I am currently at $5,200.30, not as far along as I would like but not bad.

2) I have now got a second job. I haven't been paid yet, so its not crossed off until the cheque is in the mail, so to speak.

3) 6% of my income works out to be $2,142, I currently have have $1002.30 invested.

4)My Christmas fund goal of 800 is currently at $520.13 and I no longer owe this fund money

5)cell phone bill cutting is on hold until Sept when my current contract runs out and I look into switching prover and phones

6) on the list for this month #4

The personal goals are going a lot slower than I would like.

Personal:

1) reading books are on hold until this test stuff is out of the way

2) need to pick up the pace on my Duke of Ed's

3) this is the most interesting one of them all, In the process of cleaning out the garage I 'found' 5 more boxes of books... So I now have to go through them and make room for the books... that's still to be done

4) haven't started yet hopefully in Oct   

5) haven't done this yet

6) have made 1/2 ass attempt still more to do

7) On going project

June Line of Credit Update

May's LoC outstanding balance: $-29,089.81

June 2~ $407.55 (pay 1)
June 2~ $4.24 (snowflake)
June 2~ $1.68 (storage snowflake)
June 13~ $100 HST deposit
June 21~ $500.00 (pay 2)
June 30~$325.00 (pay 3 extra payment)

Total paid $1,338.47
Amount paid after interest added $1,338.47-105.24 =1233.23
Daily interest for the month of June:$ 3.508
Total monthly interest: $105.24

Current outstanding balance in LoC: $27,856.58

Snowflake jar: $5.00 into Christmas fund from last pay. $4.24+$1.68= $5.92+ $370.01= $375.93


Note: I can't remember the last time I added to my $15,000 extra fund, currently it stands at $3967.07. So 3967.07+1233.23= $5200.00 extra. Will have to update my bar now. 

Happy CANADA'S DAY!!!! 


You look good for being 144!