Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Financial Goals of 2009

2009 Personal Finance Goals
Debt:
  • Pay off Jeep
  • Pay off one of adams loans

Spending:

  • Eat out no more than once a week
  • Use coupons as much as possible
  • Watch our spending when we come home for good

Frugal:

  • Try to get enough CFL lightbulbs to replace all of the lights when we move in..using coupons of course
  • Keep entering giveaways for girft cards to home depot for our house
  • Savings: Save up 6 months of emergency savings
  • Save up a downpayment on a car brand new Hundia accent or Nissina versa

So Here we are in the new year. Adam and I cant believe what we have done this past year! We have been all around the country, something alot of people will never do and we have done at the ripe age of 23 and 24. We have been trying to recover from putting the downpayment on the house. I hate seeing all that money "disappear". But we are in a good situation right now. I am making good money in Seattle and Adam just got a call yesterday that he has a job!! Woohoo! So now since its so late into our assignment we are thinking of extending and staying here until June. I would love to see the new england area but if theres nothin open then its not happening. The economy sucks right now and it does for travel nurses as well...hospitals are cutting back on us. So last month we were trying to think who would rent our house from us while we are gone. Well things have worked out. The sellers have not found a house yet so they are renting from us now. That is awesome! We still pay the mortgage but get to save some too. We are ethier going to save it for a car when I get home or pay extra on the mortgage. We will see how long they live there I guess. Ok On to the goals!


My Short Term Financial Goals by March
Heres what we got:
Last month= blue
This month= red

Our HouseFund: $1,345--$2,949(We will be making our first house payment on Feb 5)
My Checkings (high interest): $7,845--$9,523(I also just got paid but havent added it to this account yet)
My Checkings (no interest): $1,171.21--$2,353(just got direct deposit in there, gotta separate it)
CD at huntington (expiring in march) will deposit into checking or house--or car!:$5,859--$5,884
Adam Checkings (high interest): $745.00 (he is currently using another account at home to pay his bills)
Bank of America: $79--$79 --I have to close this account when I get the time...
Roth: $6,835--$7,942
Credit Card debt: $2,934--I get my statement on the 7th and will pay this off
401k: $1513--$1645
**NEW 401k--$358
**NEW Emergency Fund: $792--our short term goal is $1000 then 3-6 month of expenses

Ok so heres the goals until February 28(the end of this assignment):

  • Start contributing to my Roth this year and max out by April:$472 for December
  • Make 2 payments to Adams loans (on top of what he pays) : Currently -$9,821 from Direct Loan Service and -$41,317 from First Resource Federal none yet...gave him money to pay this month because he was job searching
  • Try to get someone to rent out our house while we are away for extra money for our mortgage. done til Feb 5!
  • Split paychecks every 2 weeks into Mortgage payment, Roth IRA, Checking Account, and Emergency Fund--working out well so far and trying to build up all those accounts
  • Get $1600 for our apt in Seattle and bank at least $100 each month--didnt get to save any this month because of the loans, but will try again next month. Am only getting $369 per week instead of $400
  • Continue to pay off credit card each month doing well with this
  • Pay off scooter by February balance= $557.50 paid $200 this month
  • My meal plans have worked out pretty well. We go shopping once a week and have not spent over $100. I have been making a bunch of recipes that have turned out well. Thanks to allrecipes.com! I only make about one big meal a week and I eat soup at work. Adams new job feeds him at work so thats awesome!
  • Continue to get the deals at walgreens for a garage sale this summer with my sister!---got lots of deals lately!! Jeannie watch out I am gonna fill your basement lol
  • I am still going to use as many coupons as possible. Gotta join some more trains...
  • I am also going to try to get $50 or more in Chacha extra money (now $114 did not do it this month).

Incase you are wondering i have a "low interest" account is because my direct deposit and automatic bill payments come out of there. I am workin on getting that changed...opened a joint charles schwab account--still not totally activated this will be future home to our emergency fund--we are waiting for this still to be opened, no hurry now.

So theres the update! Any thoughts are helpful. I think this month was a good one, mostly because of this job. Lets hope next month is a good one too!!

3 comments:

Felicia said...

Wow! I am very impressed with how well you have this organized!

Janine said...

I agree with Felicia! Good job Jack!!

I think you can save more on your groceries...somehow....

Also, I got a lot of stuff too. I'm thinking 1-2 garage sales a month?? Then we will get it all sold! Starting in June??

Jackie said...

haha thanks! I do all online banking so that helps to be able to track my balances.

Jeannie,
I wish I could save more on groceries but there are no cheap stores here like aldi and safeway doesnt double at all! So that sucks. I wont be home in June so that sucks eventhough I want to do these garage sales!!!