PF Burnout

I've been feeling a bit of pf burnout lately. It seems only natural, if you focus so much time and energy writing and thinking about personal finance, eventually it is going to get to you. Ironically it also goes against my balance mantra. Not only is personal finance all about balance, but so is life. Thinking about personal finance all the time isn't healthy.

Even though I'm feeling burnout, I'm not spending like crazy or giving up on my savings goals, I'm just checking my bank accounts less often and letting my automated savings do what it is supposed to do. Of course as a result I feel like I have less to blog about.

Maybe it is the summer, or maybe it is the fact that bf is going to be leaving me for over a month for his job, or maybe I'm just really burnt out. I actually think it's because I'm tired of wanting my emergency fund completed, and feeling like I'm never going to get there.

On that note I've decided to rethink my emergency fund. Do I really need 6 months of savings? Can 4 be enough? A while back I figured out that I would need just under $2600 per month if I lost my job. That means I would need $15,600 for 6 months of savings. It will definitely take me another year to get there. However, if I drop my emergency fund to 4 months of savings I would only need $10,400. I could probably meet this goal by February or March.

I think for my sanity sake (and to feel like I can save for other things) I am going to let myself be happy with 4 months of an emergency fund. I can always decided to add more later.

Photo by woooody.

A Michael Jackson Tribute

I think the best way to pay tribute to Michael Jackson is to remember those songs that will forever be part of our lives. Here are my favorites:

Thriller



Billy Jean



Smooth Criminal

Thinking About Writing

I've been thinking a lot lately about writing. It is not that I've ever wanted to be a writer or that I think I'm even a good writer, but I have been reading some really good essays lately and they have piqued my interest. That, plus Brunette on a Budget's postings on her writing process has got me thinking.

The problem is that I wouldn't even know what I'd want to write about. I took an essay writing class in college and found it really fun and really exhausting, and then never took another writing class again.

If you had the time and desire to write a book, what would it be about - personal finance? purely fiction? or something else completely?

The Unclutter Bug

It has hit me again. As I've been looking through my work clothes in the morning I've realized that I have a handful of things that I never wear, probably haven't worn in years. They have made it through my other moments of uncluttering because they were work clothes, and you never knew.

I think it is time to take a careful eye at my work clothes and get rid of things I haven't worn in years. I would also like to get a few more staples. I could use a couple more cardigan as quite a few of mine are falling apart and I'm slowly moving towards wearing more dresses to work (at least in the summer). They make getting dressed in the morning so easy and they are a staple of my summer weekend wardrobe. Of course the dresses I wear are the weekends are not what I could consider work appropriate.

After my move I don't actually have the money to up my work wardrobe, but at least I can start by donating some clothes and making space in my closet.

Photo by by Wonderlane

Vampires and Werewolves

Warning:Twilight Spoilers Ahead.

Well-Heeled has recently been posting about the Twilight series. While watching the movie she was drawn to the love story between Bella and Edward because of the certainty of it. Bella makes a decision and doesn't have to ever really make one again, but after reading two of the books Well-Heeled believes that Bella lacks the character development to make the books really good. I agree with both points. How nice would it be to just have your life laid out before you, how easy. And when it comes to Bella, well I'll get to that soon.

Having read all four books I have to give Stephanie Meyer's credit. She created a really good story, and even when her writing felt rough wanting to know what happened kept me reading. That is until Breaking Dawn.

When I started the series I didn't realize that I disliked Bella and Edward together until Jacob was really introduced in the second book. When she was with Jacob I realized she actually had a personality. Jacob soon became my favorite character and I think what kept me reading was the hope that she would leave Edward (and of course wanting to know what will happen with Jacob).

In Breaking Dawn I actually enjoyed the first and second part of the book, especially when the story was told through his eyes. He was dealing with real angst and pain and my heart went out to him. Bella meanwhile, seemed to jump off the deep end.

The final part of the book, when Bella becomes a vampire, was a huge disappointment. Meyer's even managed to ruin Jacob for me. And Bella, awkward and out of it before, becomes too perfect.

I was left with a sadness that all she has left of her life is Edward. She is a young girl who wasn't particularly interested in anything until she met Edward, and now she is only interested in him.

Doing some google searching I came across this review in Bitch Magazine. The article focuses on the sexual politics of the novel. After reading it I realized what bothered me so much about Bella and Edward in Breaking Dawn:

Breaking Dawn’s Bella is a throwback to a 1950s housewife, except for the fact that Edward has turned her into a vampire. But this act is one of ’50s-esque female self-sacrifice: It’s precipitated by Bella’s need to let her human self die in order to save their half-vampire baby. Their monstrous offspring is frightening, but what’s really frightening is Bella and Edward’s honeymoon scene. Edward, lost in his own lust, “makes love” so violently to Bella that she wakes up the next morning covered in bruises, the headboard in ruins from Edward’s romp. And guess what? Bella likes it. In fact, she loves it. She even tries to hide her bruises so Edward won’t feel bad. If the abstinence message in the previous books was ever supposed to be empowering, this scene, presented early in Breaking Dawn, undoes everything.


And that is what it comes down to for me. Bella completely gives up her life and does everything she can not to let Edward know when something was wrong. For those that have read the books remember the turning into a vampire scene?

As a feminist this bothers me, as a lover of a good story I'm sad the way the series ended, and as a pf blogger I have to note that the book also reinforces the prince charming myth that a man will come in and solve all our problems. Any concerns about money Bella may have are quickly quieted by Edward's vast fortune, because of course if he is going to be her savior he will be in all ways.

All of a sudden I really miss Buffy and Angel.

Really!?

Does it make anyone else slightly depressed about the financial literacy of our country when the New York Times has an article about the differences between a debit and credit card?

Debit cards are linked to your bank account so the money you spend is automatically deducted from your account. They provide a convenient alternative to cash, especially if you do a lot of shopping online. Debit cards can also help you budget. Use your card to pay your bills and day-to-day expenses and your monthly statement will provide a good snapshot of how much you spend per month and where it’s going. There’s another benefit as well: Unlike credit cards, your bank balance goes down with each debit card transaction, so you’re less likely to overspend. (Many banks offer “overdraft protection” that allows you to exceed your balance. But you’ll end up paying interest, and maybe extra fees, on the money you borrow from your overdraft account.)

With so many benefits to the debit card, why use a credit card at all? There are three main reasons: You can spend more than you have — or postpone paying, at least — and you typically get better rewards and better protection than you do with debit cards.

Credit cards basically allow you to use someone else’s money (the card issuer’s) to make a purchase while you pay the money back later. If you do so within the billing period — generally, 15 to 45 days — you can avoid paying any interest on it. The problem arises, of course, when you don’t pay the balance in full and are charged interest as well. That can quickly add up. If it takes you two years to pay off a $500 balance, for example, and you’re being charged 18 percent interest, you’ll end up paying nearly $100 more in interest.

Really? What is even worse is I found this article because it was listed as #3 for the most emailed under your money.

Picture by Andres Rueda

Seven Things

TeacHer Finance tagged me on the latest meme going around.

The rules of this game are:

- You must mention the person who tagged you, and link to her blog

- You must post seven facts about yourself, and these rules

- At the end, you must tag seven other bloggers, and link to their blogs

Seven things about Me:

1. I LOVE peanut butter & jelly sandwiches and happily eat them for lunch almost every day.

2. My picture was once in a tourist magazine for another country.

3. I love being busy and having goals, because left to my own I'm incredibly lazy.

4. I make to-do lists for everything.

5. I've been in my office at work for almost three years and I have yet to put up a single poster or framed picture.

6. I think one of the best things about not being in school is the time to read anything you want.

7. Even though I hate reality TV, I sometimes find myself unable to turn my eyes away.

I'm tagging anyone who feels like doing it!

I Want What She Has

The problem with being financially responsible is that sometimes it seems like everyone around you is having more fun. While it is the same concept as the "keeping up with the Joneses" rather than being about the car and the house, it is about the cute clothes, fun restaurants and cool bars. It would be great to have a better apartment or a nicer car, but this comes down to lifestyle jealously.

I wonder if this lifestyle jealously lessens the older you get? I would assume (and hope) it changes as you grow more mature and have more responsibilities. But I have a feeling it doesn't.

I think part of this jealously comes from doing everything right - watching my spending, pay attention to my goals and coming out more financially secure - but feeling boring. I also find this becomes more of an issue when the weather gets nice. When it is cold outside I'm perfectly happy hiding out in my warm apartment, but when the sun is shining I want to be out there enjoying it. I'm suffering from the "I want what she has" blues. I'm sure they will pass, once I get close to a goal they always do.

Photo by ruslou.

Future Musings

I have a complicated relationship with the future. While I try my best to live in the present, I'm a planner, which means I often find myself thinking about the future. Strangely enough I spend more time thinking about my future career than having a family or other personal issues. While I'm not completely sure why this is I think I trust that my personal life will work itself out. It helps that I'm lucky enough to be dating a wonderful man.

But my career, it could go in so many directions. There are almost too many choices and I know it is impossible to create a long-term plan as life tends to throw curve balls. In fact, I'm partly going back to school is to open up my potential career path (also because I'm really interested in the topic). When it comes to career planning I would say I have a larger fuzzy goal and I try to plan for a few years at a time.

I've already changed career directions once. I had a specific career goal in mind when I graduate college, but after working in that field decided to go to graduate school for something else entirely. I like where I've ended up and I really enjoy my job. However, I'm beginning to feel stifled by the lack of growth opportunities. I hate to say this since I did receive a promotion a year ago, but my field is a bit complicated when it comes to growth.

I also have mixed feelings when I think about my current job. I work in a really great environment and I love my colleagues, but a big part of me knows I can handle a lot more responsibility. The nature of my field (and part of the complication) is that I won't gain that responsibility or respect with a doctorate. Something I know I do not want to pursue.

The truth is I still have more to learn from this job, so I'm not going to be looking for anything else new just yet. I'm also not so keen on job searching during this recession, plus the fact my employer is paying for my tuition--even with a salary freeze I have a sweet deal. This doesn't mean I won't think about my future. I've made the decision that while I would like to stay in the larger field, I don't think I want to work for the same type of institution again. This actually makes things more complicated.

I guess there is no real conclusion to this post. I still don't know what is next and I still find myself often thinking about it. It would be so much easier if I found a job, loved it, and could stay in it forever. A person who had my position before me actually retired out of the position. I know I could never do that because I want more responsibility and more challenges.

A Random Update

I was in danger of losing a vacation day so last month I randomly decided to take today off. There is nothing worse than losing a vacation day, it is like working for free.

Even though today was a randomly picked day it ended up working well as my boss was out of the office and I just got my paperwork back to pay my tuition bill for the fall (my employer offers tuition benefits).

The best thing about today was sleeping in. I haven't really been able to sleep in on the weekends since I seem to have plans the past few weekends, but today I slept until 10am. It was fantastic. I spent my morning between laundry, the tailor's and the cobbler. I also managed to return a modem, pay my bill, get my student id (yah!), go grocery shopping and hit up bed, bath and beyond. I didn't spend a ton today, but overall I will end up spending a lot after I pick up my clothes and shoes next week.

A note on the laundry. I decided to drop it off this time, but from now on I think I'm going to do it myself. Paying to have the laundromat people do it will add up quickly and since it is literally across the street, I really don't have an excuse. It was nice being pampered for a bit, but in all honestly, I prefer to things for myself anyway.

I'm off to pick up my laundry, put it away and relax for the rest of the day. Happy Friday everyone!

Moments of Silence

Silence can be hard to come by in New York City. I find I notice this more when I leave the city and realize just how quiet, quiet it can be. For example, my apartment faces the street, that means we are constantly hearing loud music playing from cars, sirens, people from the nearby bar. It is not horrible, but it is noise. It is not just in apartments or on the street, if you try to escape to the park there is still noise from the street, others around you, or the nearby playground.

At work it's the noise of your coworkers, the phone ringing, people constantly coming in and out of the office, and even the sound of your own typing.

So it surprises me when I do come across one of moments of silence. Every once in a while everyone will be out to lunch at the same time and I'll have a quiet office all to myself. Or, like this morning, I'll be on the bus engrossed in a magazine and all of a sudden realize that is has been quiet for over five minutes. It helps when I'm on one of the electric buses.

To be honest, the silence is never complete silence (is there such a thing?), instead it's those moments where everything just gets quiet. There are no sirens, no obnoxious person on their phone, and no crying baby or loud teenagers.

Those moments of silence are a beautiful thing and I cherish them, especially because they always seem to happen in the randomness of places. Like this morning on the bus, or walking down a random street that should be loud.

As much as I love the hustle and bustle of New York, I also love the random moments of silence.

When A Personal Finance Blog Becomes So Much More

Even though I need to go pick up some books at the library, I decided to use my lunch hour to peruse through my google reader. One of the first posts I read was Well-Heeled's when the trill of blogging is gone. Don't worry folks, she isn't going to stop blogging, though I did get nervous when I read the title.

The post is about abandoned or "orphan" blogs (yes I do have two of those myself), but she makes an interesting point about her own blog:

What has helped me continue blogging at Well-Heeled is 1. a genuine interest in my topic (and the fact that I can still write about decor and shopping and everything else, after all, the trademark of a personal finance blogger is that one can write about money and, well, anything!) and 2. all the reader feedback I get. If I haven’t gotten any comments, I probably wouldn’t have continued blogging for as long as I have. I expect that at some point I’ll stop blogging, but for now, I can’t imagine when!

After taking a break from blogging to move I found it was hard to get back into it. Sure I had lots to say, but maybe not as much to say about personal finance. And since I was outed I've also become very careful about the details I put on my blog, which I find makes it harder to post.

I also have two reasons for why I came back to my blog. First, I love my blog and the accountability it gives me. And second, I have readers! And I love my readers. I may not have many comments but I appreciate everyone of them. I also feel as if I'm part of the pf community and I'm not willing to give that up.

Well-Heeled reminded me of something. A blog about personal finance is a blog about anything. Money touches our lives in every way, whether it is because of what something costs, or because it doesn't cost anything. Lately I've been taking a tunnel-vision approach to personal finance, which I think has made it harder to blog. No more. I'm branching out. I can't think of one good reason not to blog about life as well as personal finance. So don't be surprised if I share some great youtube videos, or perhaps information on a Saved by the Bell reunion. Because admit it, if you are in your mid to late 20s you know you had a crush on Zach or Kelly. =)

Picture by Vicki's Pics

I Love Zack Morris!

To Pay or Not to Pay for...Laundry

In my last place I had laundry machines in my building and they were inexpensive. $1.25 to wash and a $1.25 to dry. My new apartment building does not have laundry. However, there is a laundromat across the street.

When we first moved we decided to just have our laundry done. We had a ton to wash and so much to do that we found the cost to be worth it. This was the first time I've ever paid someone else to do my laundry and I have to say it was awesome. Let me preface this that I have been doing my own laundry since I was in eighth grade. To have it given back to me clean and folded - such a treat.

The next time we did laundry bf did it. So now it is my turn. I'm debating if it worth the money (and time) to pay someone else to do it? Or should I suck it up and continue to do my own laundry? I have yet to work out the actual numbers, but of course sending it out will be more expensive. A big part of me just wants to say, whatever, and have it done. But the frugal side of me thinks this is ridiculous since I can easily do it myself.

Do you do your own laundry or do you send it out? Should I continue to do it myself or splurge and pay someone else to do it?

Picture by Steve1957

Some Random Friday Thoughts

Since I don't really have a full post today I figured I would post about a number of little random things.

First, I registered for classes! I decided to take the advice of my fellow bloggers and only register for two classes. I also crunched the numbers and figured out even if I took all that I think I can handle I would still need to take at least one class my third year in the program. So why kill myself now? Once I'm there and I have the opportunity to talk to other students I'll have a better feel about which classes are heavy on the workload and which are not. So come September I'll be in class on Tuesday and Thursday night.

Since bf and I moved into together we haven't really been cooking all that much. Considering I had cereal for dinner last night (I didn't feel like chicken and rice again) we briefly talked about doing some actual meal planning. I've never actually meal planned before, so it should be a fun experiment. I do know I want to make this honey lemon chicken! This fresh pea and mint pesto also looks delicious.

Little Miss Moneybags recently decided to cut out some of her digital clutter and I'm taking her advice. I've been slowly going through my rss feeds and getting rid of those that haven't updated in months and those that I really don't enjoy reading. It is going to be great when I only have updates from blogs I love in my rss reader.

I really want to take advantage of some of the fun, free and cheap things New York City has to offer. My plan is to sit down this weekend and make a list of the things I want to do and go from there.

I have an extra $50 in my monthly budget now that bf and I have moved in together. Now I'll have to see if it actually helps me stay within my budget!

Costs On The Rise

Even though my salary isn't changing in July, a lot of my costs are rising. My maintenance just went up 15% (and in the complicated dealings of my finances I'm paying this increase).

I received an email from the graduate program I'm beginning in September and tuition went up 15%. So in my lunch hour yesterday I crunched some numbers for the worst case scenario and luckily I'll only have to pay about $50 out of pocket. What this increase does do though is make it more likely I'll have to pay taxes on my employer's tuition assistance. So there is a good chance my paycheck will actually go down.

My finances are a bit all of the place as it is the first month with a new budget and coordinating a paying a mortgage, receiving a rent check, and paying rent. I'm mostly nervous about one thing hitting before something else clears since they are all due around the same time. June is a test month for me to make sure everything goes well.

I do have an emergency fund update. I finally found out I'll be getting $350 back from my $500 moving deposit (have I mentioned how much I hate dealing with my maintenance company, cause I hate it). I have also been able to put $800 into the account thanks to only having to pay 1/2 rent this month. Hopefully by the time July roles around I'll be smiling again when it comes to the e-fund. =)

Photo by weddingssc1

May Update

I'm almost scared to post my update for May. Let's just say I spent more than double my normal monthly budget. I do expect to get some of that money back, since a chunk of it was for a moving deposit. Another chunk of it was for moving and setting up the new apartment, and final bit was for a mother's day/birthday gift for mom.

First the good news. My networth is up 4% which brings me to an all time high. Thank you recession for helping me buy on sale (this increase is definitely not due to an increase in cash savings).

I'm chipping away at my debt (another 1% on my student loans, though no % change on my mortgage).

And now the painful part:
My E-fund is down to $5,490, that's a 23% decrease. Now, as I mentioned before I should be getting some money back from my management company. I also only have to pay 1/2 rent this month (I paid from May 15-June 15 last month). So that is a big amount going straight to the e-fund.

My slush fund was completely wiped out. Once again I'm back to $0. My travel fund went up by $50, my BT fund by $20 and my school fees fund by $25. No big surprises there.

I'm depressed about how much my e-fund was tapped (especially because these expenses weren't actually an emergency). Still it is better than putting these expenses on a credit card. This month I'm going to focus on trying to build it back up. On another hopefully positive note I actually think I transferred too much into my checking account. If this is true I'll have another $500 to put back into my savings. However, I'm going to wait until the dust settles to make sure I'm not forgetting something that money is intended for. It is hard to keep everything straight admist a move.