save money like crazy

Well… those boots… I love those boots and wear them almost every day. Even had them re-soled I wear them so much.

Basically, the tried and true still works. Don’t spend beyond your means, and let yourself have at least just a tiny bit of fun, and you’ll be able to have cash in the bank.

1. Cole Hann
2. Furniture
3. Food

Let me explain. Not that I’m THAT into fashion. But I had to get those boots. They were too cool and I know I will wear them for the next 10 years and they’ll look cooler with age. The leather’s a great color and all the buckles make the boots look very worldy/travely. Apparently the guilt is oozing out with the $100 I spent and the 6 sentences I have typed regarding a pair of boots. (What’s wrong with me?!)

Furniture – we had none and needed a few basic items, like a mattress, etc (due to our recent big move).

Food – apparently we eat WAY too much. I’ve noticed lately that we have been wasting a little of it, too, like salad. We really have not been eating out and I do enjoy cooking in our home, so the dishes are pretty healthy, but I need to figure out what we need to buy without wasting as much.

All in all, moving is expensive. We need to get back to our safety cushion, which now is pretty deflated. I bet we can do it. I mean, anyone can, you just have to have willpower!!!! Yeah!

with an old car….

will put you into debt. I think we’ll be able to handle it, though. Hopefully, my goal is to have 2/3 of it paid off in 6 mos… it’s difficult though. We’re in this insanely big city with a million things to do, yet we are bored out of our minds. Cabin fever we will call it, but we don’t want to spend a penny if we don’t have to, and we don’t really know anyone, so hopefully that will help our saving methods! (Though, we really would like to get out a little and meet new people – which I’m sure we eventually will!)

I just totally paid off one of my credit cards – it wasn’t too much, but for some reason I could never pay it off for about 5 years. It is so gone now!!! Just one more to go. This may sound stupid, but it’s amazing what you can do when you are paying attention!!!!! If I stay on track I should be able to get rid of the last and final one within the next three months. Ahh, I can feel the relief!!! It’s just around the corner!! (Also, it helps that I have a better job now!)

the new job (interview tom!!) and I get paid what I am asking, I will be making 3 x as much as I am now, meaning I can put away a lot of money and also finally get myself out of debt (it’s not that bad, but it hangs over my shoulders). So wish me luck!!! I have been really struggling to put back money, and I have some, but at this rate I won’t be able to meet my goal! ::fingers crossed::

I’ve got 2 credit cards completely paid off. (Started with the smallest ones first, because they were the easiest.)

I have two more… about $1,500 total (eek… that sounds bad, but most of it is car parts, food, gas, and spillover from my study abroad trip and school bills.)

God, it will feel so great to have debt paid down. February will be a worse month for this, since there aren’t as many days, but I think I will be ok with putting extra money towards card payments. Ebay has helped a lot, too. Made $100 this month – going all towards credit cards. So, I guess I’m not saving too much right now, but interest is going up again and the credit cards cost more (interest-wise) than I would be making in a savings account anyway – so there – my mission is to have this paid off by the end of March. ALL of it. And if I do this sooner, I will give myself a treat. Hmmmm… what do I like?? Oh! A facial or a massage at a posh place! Or a pedicure manicure combo. Yes…. ok, so my reward will be $60 to spend on whatever pampering I may wish. (Hey, I don’t make that much, so I can’t afford more!)

when you just bought a new tv. Figured I might as well get everything I’ll need now, before I move to LA and am completely broke. I have a tv, but it’s huge. Almost as old as I am – it’s a tv, not the cabinet kind, just a tv – from my parents, who got it from my mom’s parents. I really like it, but it is too big. We (my other and I) got rid of the entertainment center and are now using a dutch inspired side board/dining storage thing. It looks really nice, but the tv is too big and heavy. So we decided to spend $500 on one of the cool 23” Wal-mart flat screen LCD tvs. Either way, it will be less to carry, takes up less space and looks sleek. We are hoping this was a good ‘investment’ – we don’t want to tote around a lot of stuff. Sometimes I wish I could just throw everything out a window and head out for Cali. We’ll see.

I’ve almost passed one of my savings goals. (Like a baby step – one after another until I reach the main goal!) I’m so happy. I don’t even want to touch any of the money I have put away. I don’t shop as much and I’m trying to not eat out as much (which is great for my health!) I’m hoping to have all of my credit cards paid off this month. ^_ Then I can tear it up with putting moeny away – I can’t wait to have enough where I will feel secure about moving away to Cali!!!

Another $100. Let’s hope I can keep it in there!

little by little. There’s not a whole lot, but it’s growing. Feels nice, especially when I think about job markets and such. I always think it’s a smart idea to have emergency savings, even if we live off of peon money (together, my boyfriend and I make less than the average person, but can somehow make it on our own…) Maybe I’ll be able to pay the rest of my credit cards off completely in the next couple months. ::sigh of relief:: ‘Been working on those things for a while!! Just feels so nice.
k.