Writing Contest

My financial plan for the next 10 years is a question I'm always asking myself. Being 25 years old I look at the last 5 years and see how much better off I am financially. I am a single mom of a 4 year old child and before I got my RN degree we were struggling. When I had a steady income I created a budget for myself. After all the apartment living, I was able to purchase my first home. Again, I rethought the budget. Now, I have a boyfriend. He is paying off his debt while I still maintain our budget. We do well. I am a big coupon clipper and use them wisely. I work night shift to accommodate my son and get a couple extra incentives.

In the future we have decided to pay for our own wedding. I would like to start a wedding fund within the next year for us to fund the wedding. I also contribute $422/mo to my ROTH IRA. My jobs, yes jobs, provide a good retirement, but I like to fund my own retirement. I have an age aggressive option. I also fund my sons college. I don't give him as much to his account because as selfish as it sounds, I want to make sure i'm taken care of. He will be fine when he goes to college because there are loan options. And like me, he will have to pay for his education.

My big expenses with having a child is of course daycare. I pay $400/mo in that alone. I can see why couples choose to be stay at home moms or dads.

My financial goals for myself in 2010 are to fund my Roth to its max again, keep my 2 jobs and thrive at them by obtaining certificates and continuing to teach. I also will be funding my son's kindergarten in full of $2000. For fun, I would like to take a vacation. Not sure where yet, but it's on the list. We also have cut back on our grocery bill. Attempting to pay only $100/month for the 3 of us. I always cook meals which helps that a lot.

The next 10 years, I hope to be married (funding my own wedding), have another child or two (which means finish the basement which is a financial cost), and just enjoy my family without having to worry about money because we will have our budget to follow.

The recession hasn't really affected me because I have started my financial life/journey when I was in my own recession. Struggling to give my son what he needed without child support, working 2 minimum wage jobs, and going to school. I am financially flourishing considering where I came from. Sometimes when I do wonder how were going to afford something, I think back to where I was. If I lost my job, I have another to fall back on. If I lost that, I have about $18,000 in an emergency fund. Luckily, with my career I wouldn't have to worry too long because nursing has a shortage. If inflation became a bigger issue, budgeting would have to change. If a depression happened, we would definitely get rid of luxuries (cell phone, TV etc).

Advice I would give those in their 20s is budget budget budget!! Don't spend more than you make. Be creative with things to do that doesn't cost money. Think about your future, not just the moment in time. Get RID of credit cards. SAVE SAVE SAVE. Become computer savvy. Use websites and blogs to give you new goals and ideas for financial success. Oh and PLAN PLAN PLAN for the future and for now. If you need to finish your degree, go back to school, NOW, not in 10 more years.

Focus Friday

Focus Friday

Friday - Zak hockey at 10am, Metro 7pm
breakfast: raisin bran crunch
lunch: turkey sandwich
dinner: leftover spinach penne, salad
snack: apple, granola

Saturday- little league sign up by 2pm, on call at metro at 11
breakfast: coffee, banana
lunch (or dinner lol darn night shift): Cheesy Meat Lasagna
dinner: something small

Sunday- sunday school 9:30, tripoint 7pm, workout if i'm not called in
breakfast: oatmeal
lunch: Cheesy Chicken & brocolli
dinner: sandwich, salad

Monday- on call 11p, laundry, clean my room
breakfast- oatmeal
lunch- sandwich, salad
dinner- Nacho Supreme
snack- raisins, granola bar

Tuesday- on call 11p-3a, workout
breakfast: oatmeal
lunch: sandwich
dinner- leftovers
snack- fruit

Wednesday- metro meeting 7am, work metro 11p, zak daycare
breakfast- waffles
lunch- salad
dinner- Cheesy Meat Lasagna
snack- fruit, cottage cheese

Thursday- cardiojam, zak daycare
Breakfast: oatmeal
Lunch: Sandwich
Dinner: Nacho Supreme
snack: banana, yogurt, apple

Focus Friday

Focus Friday ---or sunday :-)

Friday - we started hockey and stuff, busy day

Saturday- busy day, finished kitchen

Sunday- had family over for dinner and cleaned and work

Monday- Get depo shot, go to walmart, work 7p metro,zak daycare
breakfast- oatmeal
lunch- sandwich
dinner- leftovers
snack- raisins, granola bar

Tuesday- zak daycare, take down xmas lights, laundry, clean car, oil change?
dinner- Creamy chicken Penne
snack- fruit

Wednesday- distribute flyers to local schools, ymca, libraries, lakeland, daycare, go thru mail, submit insurance recipet to bank
breakfast- waffles
lunch- salad
dinner- Cheesy Meat Lasagna
snack- fruit, cottage cheese

Thursday- look for Lake hospitals W2s, call tax lady, cardiojam
Breakfast: oatmeal
Lunch: Sandwich
Dinner: Nacho Supreme
snack: banana, yogurt, apple

The kitchen is completed. I'm so happy. Our next project is just to touch up paint in the living room. Then, Zaks room. That will be a bigger project.

Focus Friday

Focus Friday

Friday - was horrible, bad migraine, stayed up all day, all in all bad bad day

Saturday- We went sled riding for the first time :)
breakfast: oatmeal
lunch: sandwich
dinner: - three cheese chicken penne

Sunday- workout, sunday school, work on kitchen
breakfast- waffles
lunch- leftover pizza
dinner- leftovers
snack- yogurt

Monday- workout in AM, work Metro
breakfast- oatmeal
lunch- sandwich
dinner- leftovers
snack- raisins, granola bar

Tuesday- work metro, zak daycare
breakfast- cereal
lunch- sandwhich
dinner- Whole wheat pasta with ricotta and veggies
snack- banana, granola bar

Wednesday- work metro, zak daycare
breakfast- waffles
lunch- salad
dinner- leftovers
snack- raisins, granola bar

Thursday- meet my boss at lakewest, cardiojam class at 6:30, zak daycare
Breakfast: oatmeal
Lunch: Sandwich
Dinner: Pasta with eggplant sauce
snack: banana, yogurt, apple

All my free time will be doing housework and tearing down wallpaper in the kitchen.

progress in new years resolution

• Family

1/10, 3/10, 5/10 then maybe camp Get Zak signed up for classes every session at the y.--Zaks all signed up. We are going to attend next week Hockey

• Work

5/10 Rnc--I emailed my manager to see about this

• Home

1/10 2/10 3/10 Paint rooms--This weekend were removing wallpaper

• Financial
  

1/10 Clear house fund to pay off windows--waiting for my paper bill and going to write a check
12/10 Max out Roth again--started my funding :)

• Self

1/10 3/10 5/10 7/10 9/10 11/10Y classes--Cardiojam next week!
3d wk gym--worked the last 4, hopefully going tomorrow morning
1/10 2/10 3/10 4/10 5/10 6/10 7/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 11/10 12/10Scrapbook zaks pics--Check this out! 2009 Scrapbook
Now I would like to do the last couple years...
...........There's a little update

New Years Goals

New Years Goals

• Family

every month/week recipes
6/10 Camper with Adam and Zak
every 2 weeks do a library day with Zak :)

• Work

5/10 renew Rnc, do more ceu hours
2/10 start faciliator job hopefully 
anytime I would like to sell more online

all year Teach more caring for kids classes

• Home

Just repairs, next year BASEMENT!!!

• Financial

12/10 Save 15000 total
all year save $500/mo wedding, Zaks $25/mo in savings and budget for camp ($115/week for 10 weeks i believe), house funds and emergency fund $100 in each/mo,roth $416/mo= $13,692 + $1,150 for camp = $1236/mo then bills.
then: $50/wk groceries
         $50/mo gas
         $60/mo cleaning lady
         $72/mo electric
         $790/mo mortgage
         $182/mo in car gas
         $20/mo life insurance
         $40/mo entertainment (people over, going out etc)
         $30/mo pharmacy 
         $20/mo fast food (we are no longer buying out coffee)
         $110/mo gifts
         any auto repairs i'll pull from savings
         $180/mo cell phone and home internet
         $100/mo house stuff/decor etc
        =$1654


=$2990 total
More coupon savings!!!

• Self

1/10 3/10 5/10 7/10 9/10 11/10Y classes
3d wk gym and my race this year
2/10 off birth control
2/10 2010 Scrapbook (Ive been so lazy on this)
3/10 clear computer, back it up, and organize!!

January financial goals and 2009 year in review

Goals for December:

• Get Christmas shopping finished and enjoy a nice christmas--it was the best ever
  
• Get Adam all moved in--done!!
• Tomorrow I got a plumber coming for my washer and dryer, hopefully no more "glitches"---whatta mess. its good now though
  
• Start contributing $275/mo for 11 months to windows bill (started 7/09)--I'm going to pay these off this month.
  

• split $1000 between house fund $265, emergency fund $265, Roth IRA that I will be opening 1/10 $416, $20 Zak--Well, I maxed out my Roth!! I will be starting a new one and still contributing the same
  

On to January:

• Move housefund money to pay off windows and then pay for some of washer and dryer
• buy electric fireplace for the sunroom
• buy paint for rooms
• start the kitchen makeover
• plan a day for family/friends to visit
• plan a night for a adam and janine date (we havent had one yet lol)
• re email refinance guy and tax lady

Ok Red is last month and Purple is this months:
For my accounts according to mint.com:

• PERSONAL
  
• Etrade (high yeild savings account): $17,525.08 18,786.58 down $1261.50
  
• Etrade (house fund): 3238.02 2,705.44 up $532.58
• Etrade (emergency fund): $3664.80 $3,131.87 up $532.82
• Chase (low yeild checking): $2179.18 $2,324.96 down $145.78
• Charles Schwab (high yeild checking): $395.37 $258.03 down $137.34
• Charles Schwab savings: $557.43 $3,022.43 down $2465
• First Merit checking: $2,113.38 up $2,113.38
  
  
• INVESTMENTS
• Charles Schwab Roth IRA (5/09 opened): $5296.04 $5,257.59 up $38.45
• LHS retirement account: $3729.75 $3,599.09 up $130.66
  
• OPERS retirement account: $7680.68 $7,090.20 up $590.48
  
• Zak's Etrade savings account: $1,494.11 $1,453.49 up $40.62
  
• Zak's CollegeAdvantage fund: $1095.79 $822.60 up $273.19
• MISC
  
• Coupon savings this month: $137.22
  
• Speedy points: 145400 up 681
  
• Swagbucks! New: 50
• Shop at home.com points: $13.62 same

Totals: up $3178.78 actual money for January
Total savings for 2009: $27,801.93 That's impressive for myself :)