Friday, April 30, 2010

Focus Friday

Focus Friday

Big plans in this short week!

Meal plans for the week
Breakfasts
  • Oatmeal
  • Waffles
  • Pancakes
  • Cereal
Lunches
  • turkey sandwiches
  • egg salad sandwiches
  • chicken salad sandwiches or wraps
  • tuna sandwiches
  • soup
Dinners
Snacks
  • fresh fruit
  • yoplait yogurts
  • granola bars
  • sugar free jello with sugar free coolwhip
  • mini ricecakes
  • veggies with hummus
  • apple salsa i made with tortilla
  • cottage cheese

Friday - out with my friend Jaimie tonight for a girls night

Saturday- Opening day for baseball, then maybe to the wineries for my friend Sharon's birthday, italian american club for a taste testing, inbetween yardwork

Sunday- dinner for britts bday, work 7pm metro --- last night

Monday- work lake 7p

Tuesday- work lake 7p, zak's first bb game at 6:15, i'm going to miss it (I hope it rains)


Wednesday- work lake 7p


Thursday- baseball game 6:15, off that night, probably laundry or something like that


Still need to study more. I finally mowed the grass the other day and finished our stones in the yard, but still need to plant grass and weed.

This week kinda stinks for work, but HEY it's ONE JOB!!!



May Financial Goals

Last month:

  • Cut back on grocery bill, clip coupons--Trying to do $100/mo this month
  • split $1000 between house fund $265, emergency fund $265, Roth IRA that I will be opening 1/10 $416, $20 Zak
  • I have my emergency fund established and that's the rest of my savings. I would contribute my $265 from emergency and $265 of house plus rest of money into it every month. I have to look into it more though. Now as i look i'm thinking Capital One's Intrest plus saving account. Well I used that account and if you maintain a $15000 every month then you get a 10% increase in interest at the end of the quarter. I will be able to do that. I moved my money today and then moved my emergency fund which I dont get the 10% on but still a way better interest rate. I also will be moving Zak's savings and house savings when they get bigger ($2500 at least)---started 2/10
  • SPRING CLEAN---did this, the house needs cleaned again but it was sparkling!
  • plant grass and rota-til backyard---had to wait to plant grass, the money situation this month wasn't great
  • keep making meals every night---didnt do too bad at all
  • use the "envelope" system this month to pay things. At the end of the month all the singles and change will go into our awesome Hawaiian punch saving jug for the wedding :) (i've decided for next month i'll go back to using my credit card and just every purchase ill do the same, milk $1.50= $.50 to wedding fund etc and add it all in at the end of the month.---alright, i'll admit it, im better with a credit card. I would order out at work, stop and get food/coffee for no reason. I will be doing the same thing, but rounding up the dollar and putting change at the end of the month into our change jar. Also my 2%cash back will add up more too. I will be adding that to our funds.
  • Host Zak's Birthday party---BIG money crunch. But boy was it fun :)
  • Help Adam host his mom's party---ditto to this!



    This Month:
    • Cut back on grocery bill, clip coupons--Trying to do $100/mo this month
    • split $1000 between house fund $265, emergency fund $265, Roth IRA that I will be opening 1/10 $416, $20 Zak
    • I have my emergency fund established and that's the rest of my savings. I would contribute my $265 from emergency and $265 of house plus rest of money into it every month. I have to look into it more though. Now as i look i'm thinking Capital One's Intrest plus saving account. Well I used that account and if you maintain a $15000 every month then you get a 10% increase in interest at the end of the quarter. I will be able to do that. I moved my money today and then moved my emergency fund which I dont get the 10% on but still a way better interest rate. I also will be moving Zak's savings and house savings when they get bigger ($2500 at least)---started 2/10
    • Yesterday I opened an acct at smartypig.com for our wedding..
    • Also 5/9 PNC is offering $150 to open an account for the virtual wallet. I can't wait to open it! 

    • plant grass and mulch and fix up the yard
    • "spring up" the curtains in the house, wash and dry them
    • clean at least 1x/wk
    • buy food for meals, and try not going over budget
    • no clothes this month!!!!
    • craigslist/ebay some stuff in garage rest to goodwill---garage is EMPTY
    • dryclean wedding dress---dropped it off!
    Expenses I expect this month:
    • Yard ($100)
    • Gifts ($100 mandy and sean's, sharon's bday, mothers day)
    • dryclean wedding dress ($150)
    • doctors ($30)
    • car ($140 for detailed cleaning and oil change)
    • total expected expenses: $420
       
    • Wedding plans this month:
    • pick out invites--Did this!
    • pick a hall--Did this!
    • really start a fund
    • pick out cake server thing and gifts for party

    We're just gonna wait til next month.....with the envelope thing everything's screwy.

    Thursday, April 22, 2010

    Focus Friday

    Focus Friday

    Is it seriously Friday already?!? Where does the time go??

    Meal plans for the week
    Breakfasts
    • Oatmeal
    • Waffles
    • Pancakes
    • Cereal
    Lunches
    • turkey sandwiches
    • egg salad sandwiches
    • tuna sandwiches
    • soup
    Dinners
    Snacks
    • fresh fruit
    • yoplait yogurts
    • granola bars
    • sugar free jello with sugar free coolwhip
    • mini ricecakes
    • veggies with hummus
    • cottage cheese

    Friday - workout, dig in yard, drop off paperwork at daycare, look for lawnmower manual, call margie from the manor, call fr kevin, move $$, make new voicemail, work at 7, zak baseball at 6


    Saturday- michaella's party at 3, on call at lake 11am, work metro 11pm---better not get called in!!

    Sunday- march of dimes walk, work 7pm metro

    Monday- workout, yardwork, grocery shop

    Tuesday- study, workout, laundry, clean


    Wednesday- meet with 4 reception halls and make an appointment with italian american club, baseball game at 6, metro 11p

     
    Thursday- 7pm curious george at library, metro 11p, study/workout

     

    The weather hasn't been helping yard week. We have been running like crazy and I'm wrapping up my time at metro...
     

    I need to study more, hopefully this week i'll be able to squeeze some in. I want to get this yard started....



    Thursday, April 15, 2010

    Focus Friday

    Focus Friday

    We had such a busy week that I barely cooked! We had no time!!

    Meal plans for the week
    Breakfasts
    • Oatmeal
    • Waffles
    • Pancakes
    • Cereal
    Lunches
    • turkey sandwiches--gotta buy turkey
    • egg salad sandwiches--gotta buy eggs
    • tuna sandwiches
    • soup--gotta buy
    Dinners
    Snacks
    • fresh fruit--gotta buy
    • yogurt with granola --gotta buy
    • yoplait yogurts
    • granola bars
    • sugar free jello with sugar free coolwhip
    • mini ricecakes
    • veggies with hummus ---gotta buy
    • cottage cheese

    Friday - going to old navy to try to get 50% off!, sleeping, going to sushi night with my wonderful sister and friend, throwing a load of laundry in, coming home and crashing for the night i'm sure


    Saturday- rummage sale i may hit up in the AM, baseball practice for zak, throw a load of laundry in, maybe a run in there, wedding at 4 for kelly, go to store and get them a gift!, grocery shop, on call at 3am

    Sunday- sunday school 9:30am, yardwork, metro 7p, try to do more laundry, hopefully its done by then


    Tuesday- compnency day 8-2:30p then visiting reception halls 3p and 4p, more yardwork, study for an hour


    Thursday- workout, RNC 6-10pm, study for an hour prior

    So i'm trying to make this a YARD week! We will see how the weather does for that. I dug up some bushes the other day and loosened some dirt. Adams going to rotatil. We still have to buy mulch, soil, grass seed, and plants.

    Also, I need to study more. I have the RNC class Thursday which is the last one, then we will see what happens. So, hopefully the nights i'm off i can study at least an hour.

    Friday, April 2, 2010

    Focus Friday

    Focus Friday

    Lots of happenings this week!!

    Meal plans for the week
    Breakfasts

    • Oatmeal
    • Waffles
    • Pancakes
    • Cereal
    Lunches

    • turkey sandwiches
    • egg salad sandwiches
    • tuna sandwiches
    • soup
    Dinners

    Snacks

    • fresh fruit
    • yogurt with granola
    • yoplait yogurts
    • granola bars
    • pretzels
    • sugar free jello with sugar free coolwhip
    • raisins
    • mini ricecakes
    • veggies with hummus
    • cottage cheese


    Friday - gym, work metro 7p (calling off because it's zak's party the next day), uncle dan is coming over, cleaning the house for the party, finalize shopping list for party


    Saturday- baseball meeting 10am, baseball practice 1pm, zaks party 3 pm, adam's cousins and sister are coming over later that night

    Sunday- on call 3am, clean house, Adam's mom's surprise party, study

    Monday- workout, metro 11pm, laundry, study, make a yard list

    Tuesday- OFF, workout, study, grocery shop, play baseball with zak if it's nice...

    Wednesday- workout in am, tripoint meeting til 8:30 then work til 7am

    Thursday- metro 7pm, zak daycare


    April Financial Goals

    Last month:

    • Cut back on grocery bill, clip coupons--Trying to do $100/mo this month
    • split $1000 between house fund $265, emergency fund $265, Roth IRA that I will be opening 1/10 $416, $20 Zak
    • I have my emergency fund established and that's the rest of my savings. I would contribute my $265 from emergency and $265 of house plus rest of money into it every month. I have to look into it more though. Now as i look i'm thinking Capital One's Intrest plus saving account. Well I used that account and if you maintain a $15000 every month then you get a 10% increase in interest at the end of the quarter. I will be able to do that. I moved my money today and then moved my emergency fund which I dont get the 10% on but still a way better interest rate. I also will be moving Zak's savings and house savings when they get bigger ($2500 at least)---started 2/10
    • Finish offers for the $500 visa giftcard--GOT IT!! Using for Gas this month.


    This Month:
    • SPRING CLEAN
    • plant grass and rota-til backyard
    • keep making meals every night
    • use the "envelope" system this month to pay things. At the end of the month all the singles and change will go into our awesome Hawaiian punch saving jug for the wedding :) (i've decided for next month i'll go back to using my credit card and just every purchase ill do the same, milk $1.50= $.50 to wedding fund etc and add it all in at the end of the month.
    • Host Zak's Birthday party
    • Help Adam host his mom's party
    NEW COLUMN:

    Expenses I expect this month:

    • Yard ($300 i want a weed wacker and leaf blower)
    • Party ($100)
    • Gifts ($100 zak and michaella bday and easter)
    • Kelly's wedding ($25)
    • doctors ($50)
    • total expected expenses: $575
      Wedding plans this month:
    • preliminary guest list
    • call and see how much it is going to be to cater
    • call dry cleaning places for dress cleaning (look in entertainment book)
    • insure ring
    • call the church

    Ok Red is last month and Purple is this months:
    For my accounts according to mint.com:
    • PERSONAL
    • Etrade (high yeild savings account): 1,475.52 3977.66 up $2502.14
    • Etrade (house fund): $265.36 932.64 up $667.28
    • Etrade (emergency fund): $1.66 same
    • Chase (low yeild checking): $3,972.55 $180.80 down $3791.75
    • Charles Schwab (high yeild checking): $1831.59 $1831.59 same
    • Charles Schwab savings: 1,281.97 $1281.97 same
    • First Merit checking: 1,022.48 $2763.18 up $1740.70
    • Capital One emergency: $15,015.39 $15,032.08 up 16.69
    • Capital One Savings: $3,933.83 $4,203.48 up 569.65

    • INVESTMENTS
    • Charles Schwab Roth IRA (5/09 opened): 6,101.59 same
    • LHS retirement account: 3,740.13 $4066.26 down $326.13
    • OPERS retirement account: $8,454.47 $9168.35 up $713.88
    • Zak's Etrade savings account: 1,535.34 $1575.93 up $40.59
    • Zak's CollegeAdvantage fund: 1,126.59 $1208.84 up $28.69
    • MISC
    • Coupon savings this month: $96.98! (go adam for an AWESOME dunkin donuts deal!)
    • Speedy points: 148282 up 406
    • Swagbucks! New: 680 (all swagbucks are now 10)
    • Shop at home.com points: $13.62 same

    Totals: up $5496.46 actual money for March. That's better...