Thursday, June 28, 2012
Time Out!
Tomorrow I go to an uninhabited island for work for a while. Another bonus to that is that I can't spend any money while I'm there! I'll be back next week with my monthly update, but I'm on track to save another $400 to my Goals fund. The crazy thing is that I've been too busy to even look at my goals for the past few months...maybe July will be more sane, but I doubt it as my calendar is already filled til October!
Monday, June 25, 2012
What a Boring Registry You Have
A little financial news: I just got invited to a wedding the couple knows I can't attend. That's fine, I can shell out for a gift instead with the money I save by not going to the wedding.
(What is the etiquette for that situation, when you know someone you want to invite can't come and has said don't worry about wasting international postage and sending me the invite? Do you send it anyway and hope it doesn't look like you're shilling for the gift??)
Anyway, it is totally not my place to say this, but their wedding registries were the MOST BORING lists ever. It was all, like, hand towels and knives and cake tins and endless pans of all sorts. Even the most expensive thing was a huge box of assorted pans. There was no personality to it, no imagining what their lives would be like or their color scheme or decor, which is the usual voyeuristic happiness I get from registries.
When I look for gifts to give my friends for their weddings, I try to make it personal or interesting, even going off-registry if I can think of something useful and specific to our friendship. I ended up buying them every picture frame they had put on their list, because that was probably the most personal thing on there. I could imagine them selecting wedding photos to put in each frame, and it made me happy. I also like to think that the giftee thinks about me when using or looking at the item. Who does that for hand towels?? ("I know one of the brown ones came from Jimmy, and the other two were from Karen, but Maude sent me the blue ones. I think?...")
But gifts aren't for the giver. Who says they have to put anything interesting on there for me?! Critiquing their registry is quite bratty.
Did any of you married folks put some 'fun' stuff on your registries just to make other people happy? Would you? With how I feel, I probably would throw some fun board games or wall decorations or something aimed at having a good time, like some freaking cocktail glasses. Even when those items are taken on the registry and I'm stuck buying someone hand towels, I feel better about the whole situation. Their guests might dry their hands at a party the couple hosts to use that Cranium game they received for the wedding, after all...
(What is the etiquette for that situation, when you know someone you want to invite can't come and has said don't worry about wasting international postage and sending me the invite? Do you send it anyway and hope it doesn't look like you're shilling for the gift??)
Anyway, it is totally not my place to say this, but their wedding registries were the MOST BORING lists ever. It was all, like, hand towels and knives and cake tins and endless pans of all sorts. Even the most expensive thing was a huge box of assorted pans. There was no personality to it, no imagining what their lives would be like or their color scheme or decor, which is the usual voyeuristic happiness I get from registries.
When I look for gifts to give my friends for their weddings, I try to make it personal or interesting, even going off-registry if I can think of something useful and specific to our friendship. I ended up buying them every picture frame they had put on their list, because that was probably the most personal thing on there. I could imagine them selecting wedding photos to put in each frame, and it made me happy. I also like to think that the giftee thinks about me when using or looking at the item. Who does that for hand towels?? ("I know one of the brown ones came from Jimmy, and the other two were from Karen, but Maude sent me the blue ones. I think?...")
But gifts aren't for the giver. Who says they have to put anything interesting on there for me?! Critiquing their registry is quite bratty.
Did any of you married folks put some 'fun' stuff on your registries just to make other people happy? Would you? With how I feel, I probably would throw some fun board games or wall decorations or something aimed at having a good time, like some freaking cocktail glasses. Even when those items are taken on the registry and I'm stuck buying someone hand towels, I feel better about the whole situation. Their guests might dry their hands at a party the couple hosts to use that Cranium game they received for the wedding, after all...
Thursday, June 21, 2012
A Longer Break
Since the new job started on May 1, I've been consumed by work. All weekends, 12 hour days, and still I'm not caught up and people are complaining about my work. I haven't gotten my feet back under me quite yet, and I'm not concentrating on money so much anymore, having met the majority of my 2012 financial goals already. With last week's hiatus turning into a week of absence already combined with the lack of blog fodder, I may be scaling back here til things calm down or I need a place to record money or life issues. I need less on my plate right now.
There are a few updates:
1) I got my taxes back from NZ. They sent me a check for $2.33. Ha! :)
2) I've applied for disability insurance. Feels good.
3) I'm planning a ski trip. It will be so nice to get out of Aucks.
4) The cooking class I was interested in is halfway over. The next one is in August, but work is sending me to Australia for several weeks then, so I'll have to postpone that goal til later in the year.
5) Still need to bite the bullet and join the gym I've chosen. It's annoying that I won't be able to go for a while, so what is the point?!--I want to join when I know I can make time for it. That can't happen when I get done with work when it is closed!
There are a few updates:
1) I got my taxes back from NZ. They sent me a check for $2.33. Ha! :)
2) I've applied for disability insurance. Feels good.
3) I'm planning a ski trip. It will be so nice to get out of Aucks.
4) The cooking class I was interested in is halfway over. The next one is in August, but work is sending me to Australia for several weeks then, so I'll have to postpone that goal til later in the year.
5) Still need to bite the bullet and join the gym I've chosen. It's annoying that I won't be able to go for a while, so what is the point?!--I want to join when I know I can make time for it. That can't happen when I get done with work when it is closed!
Monday, June 11, 2012
Hiatus
I'm going to be out of town for the rest of this week for work, off to a place with no internet.
I seem to be doing very poorly at handling my new job responsibilities. I've lost some (not so important) equipment and people are complaining that I'm far behind, even though I've been working weekends for the past month. Oh well. I'm doing the absolute maximum I can with my skill set. There is nothing more that I can give, so I don't even feel that badly about it.
I seem to be doing very poorly at handling my new job responsibilities. I've lost some (not so important) equipment and people are complaining that I'm far behind, even though I've been working weekends for the past month. Oh well. I'm doing the absolute maximum I can with my skill set. There is nothing more that I can give, so I don't even feel that badly about it.
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
Putting A Price On Health
As I keep mentioning (because I can't quite believe it), my financial goals are done, and I've started concentrating on my non-financial goals. The very first goal that required some research was joining a gym. I think it is important to save up beforehand for any annual membership fees that you plan to sign up for. That way you know you definitely have the cash, and it is allocated specifically to that cause. Part of my research phase of this goal is to save up for a gym membership. To do that, I have to know how much the gym costs. To know that, I have to choose a gym.
As the case is with buying anything major, it's important to identify what features you are looking for, in this case, the gym. My requirements and expectations are always quite high, and this was no exception:
As the case is with buying anything major, it's important to identify what features you are looking for, in this case, the gym. My requirements and expectations are always quite high, and this was no exception:
- Convenient location. On the way home from work is ideal. I simply won't go if it is any trouble at all to get to the gym. Ironic, since I'm going to the gym to work out, but with winter rearing its ugly head, I am a huge unmotivated chicken. It's all I can do to get myself bundled up for my walk to work these days...it's so cold! If it weren't so cold, I'd just get my exercise like I normally do, walking and running outside. But my body can't handle cold air--I just won't exercise.
- Pilates and/or yoga classes included with the membership.
- Lockers available for rent. I carry my kitchen sink with me everywhere I go.
- Reasonably clean.
- Guest passes available.
- mp3 jacks with TVs showing entertaining movies and music, bonus if there are multiple TVs and I get to choose which one I want to watch.
- Stretch want: hot tub and pool.
- Stretch want: tennis courts with lessons available.
No one can ever say that I don't know what I want. :)
There is ONE gym which hits all the requirements, although it is slightly out of the way home from work by about 10 minutes. I can take the bus home from it if it is cold and rainy, though, so that helps.
So I visited the chosen establishment. Y'all, it is beautiful. I want to move into that gym. It ticked everything on my list and more. I figured that price is no object when it comes to health, and how much can a gym membership be, anyway? The ones I've looked at in the US were ~$400 a year for the nicest places. I hadn't looked in Auckland really--although I've visited several gyms, they were always during a GrabOne deal. So I thought to myself that I'd probably be willing to go up to $650 for this particular gym, and that is only because I would look forward to spending time there and it will motivate me to get healthy.
After my tour, they do the usual sell and I ask how much it costs for an annual membership. I'm all ready to sign up no matter what. They looked at me and didn't answer, just slipped a piece of paper over to me containing the contract. $39. per week. $150 per month(!). The minimum cost to join (no tennis or frills), the student rate, is $29 per week. What student can afford that?! My mind stopped doing arithmetic but I estimated a ball park figure in my head within a split second: OVER TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS for a gym membership with tennis, about $1700 without tennis. Plus $250 joining fee and $50 admin fee. That is complete robbery!! My eyes got huge and I just started laughing hysterically, pushing the paper away. I got up, said I was sorry, but that was completely out of my budget. I left, still laughing.
Yes, there definitely IS a price on my health, at least in this case. I have the money saved up to spend that, sure. But I just can't afford to spend that, not when I can work out at home for free and when I'm sure that there is a decent option for less. It does looks like I'll have to settle and give up several expectations, though. Back to the drawing board, Jeeves! Central City Aucklanders, please share your favorite (lower cost) gyms, please! :)
Yes, there definitely IS a price on my health, at least in this case. I have the money saved up to spend that, sure. But I just can't afford to spend that, not when I can work out at home for free and when I'm sure that there is a decent option for less. It does looks like I'll have to settle and give up several expectations, though. Back to the drawing board, Jeeves! Central City Aucklanders, please share your favorite (lower cost) gyms, please! :)
Monday, June 04, 2012
May 2012 Outrageous Fortune (and Spending)
Wow! The spending this month was OUT OF CONTROL. But so was my income. If I made this much each month, I'd make nearly $70K after taxes. That...would be nice. Something that is far, far out of my reach here in NZ--I've hit my salary ceiling already at work for my position. Anything more will require a PhD, something I'm not going to do.
If I made that much in salary, even if I spent as much as I did this month, I would still have $2K left over to save. That is crazy.
Total spent: $3,530.15
Total Income: $5,717.82
Check 1: $1,530.72
Check 2: $1,670.97 (my raise came into effect!)
Check 3: $2,456.13 (vacation pay out from old job)
Garage rent: $60
Leftover Income to save: $2,187.67
Rent: $840. Normal...next month is a 3 month rent check, though! I hate those!
Groceries: $330.30. A little lower than usual...not sure why it fluctuates so much. I feel like I eat the same way each month. *shrug*
Internet: $53.50. Higher than normal...quarantined due to the mites!
Electricity: $58.33. Surprised this is not higher, I used the washer and dryer and heater nearly every day.
Eating Out: $220.70. Way over usual...cleaning and stressing out all the time tired me out. Most of it was spent at Salad works or Revive, which are quite healthy, so I'm ok with that overspending.
Charity: $26.50. Heart Association Lottery and I bought a brownie supporting an environmental cause.
Cell phone: $20. Vodafone top up.
Medical: $193.96. $80 doctor visit, the rest was cleaning and medical supplies for the mites!
Misc: $1,286.86. OUCH. $461.16 for my new life insurance premium, $30.50 for alcohol, $330.43 for entertainment (Dark Shadows movie, Hobbiton tix, Coldplay tickets in November, and ballet tickets for December), $5 for fees (direct debit for life insurance premiums), $41.95 for gifts, $276.02 for goods and wants (electric blanket, mattress cover, cleaning supplies, scale, souvenir beer bottle at hobbiton, night and day creams, mouth wash and floss and teeth whitening supplies, $285.40 transportation (four days' worth of cityhop, busfare, and taxis).
Savings: $500.
I'm using my $2K insurances fund to pay for the $461.16 life insurance bill, so I have $2,648.83 from May to save in my 2012 non-financial goal slush fund, which I will use to pay for things like cooking classes and gym memberships. I also have $275.31 from April leftover to add to the pot (the total is then $2,924.14). The hardest part for me isn't saving up, but biting the bullet and actually spending the money on the things I want. But as I have no real financial goals and I save most when I do, I'm treating the non financial goals as financial goals to keep me motivated! I'll have to crunch the numbers and figure out how much each item is in order to figure out what my non financial goals savings total is.
If I made that much in salary, even if I spent as much as I did this month, I would still have $2K left over to save. That is crazy.
| Category | Spent | Budgeted Amount | Balance |
| Rent | $840.00 | $840.00 | $0.00 |
| Groceries | $330.30 | $450.00 | $119.70 |
| Internet | $53.50 | $45.00 | -$8.50 |
| Electricity | $58.33 | $70.00 | $11.67 |
| Eating Out | $220.70 | $150.00 | -$70.70 |
| Charity | $26.50 | $50.00 | $23.50 |
| Cell phone | $20.00 | $40.00 | $20.00 |
| Medical | $193.96 | $75.00 | -$118.96 |
| Misc | $1,286.86 | $600.00 | -$686.86 |
| Savings | $500.00 | $500.00 | $0.00 |
| Total | $3,530.15 | $2,820.00 | -$710.15 |
Total spent: $3,530.15
Total Income: $5,717.82
Check 1: $1,530.72
Check 2: $1,670.97 (my raise came into effect!)
Check 3: $2,456.13 (vacation pay out from old job)
Garage rent: $60
Leftover Income to save: $2,187.67
Rent: $840. Normal...next month is a 3 month rent check, though! I hate those!
Groceries: $330.30. A little lower than usual...not sure why it fluctuates so much. I feel like I eat the same way each month. *shrug*
Internet: $53.50. Higher than normal...quarantined due to the mites!
Electricity: $58.33. Surprised this is not higher, I used the washer and dryer and heater nearly every day.
Eating Out: $220.70. Way over usual...cleaning and stressing out all the time tired me out. Most of it was spent at Salad works or Revive, which are quite healthy, so I'm ok with that overspending.
Charity: $26.50. Heart Association Lottery and I bought a brownie supporting an environmental cause.
Cell phone: $20. Vodafone top up.
Medical: $193.96. $80 doctor visit, the rest was cleaning and medical supplies for the mites!
Misc: $1,286.86. OUCH. $461.16 for my new life insurance premium, $30.50 for alcohol, $330.43 for entertainment (Dark Shadows movie, Hobbiton tix, Coldplay tickets in November, and ballet tickets for December), $5 for fees (direct debit for life insurance premiums), $41.95 for gifts, $276.02 for goods and wants (electric blanket, mattress cover, cleaning supplies, scale, souvenir beer bottle at hobbiton, night and day creams, mouth wash and floss and teeth whitening supplies, $285.40 transportation (four days' worth of cityhop, busfare, and taxis).
Savings: $500.
I'm using my $2K insurances fund to pay for the $461.16 life insurance bill, so I have $2,648.83 from May to save in my 2012 non-financial goal slush fund, which I will use to pay for things like cooking classes and gym memberships. I also have $275.31 from April leftover to add to the pot (the total is then $2,924.14). The hardest part for me isn't saving up, but biting the bullet and actually spending the money on the things I want. But as I have no real financial goals and I save most when I do, I'm treating the non financial goals as financial goals to keep me motivated! I'll have to crunch the numbers and figure out how much each item is in order to figure out what my non financial goals savings total is.
Friday, June 01, 2012
Finally Free?
It is interesting, how I have sort of made plans to save for everything I think I currently want, and thought I wanted way back when, or I have already saved up for it. Everything is ticking over at an acceptable rate. I find myself at somewhat of a loss as to what my next financial goal should be. Aside from growing my retirement funds, that is.
I kind of feel like that will always be a challenge, like, I won't ever not worry that I don't have enough in retirement (if that makes sense). So I guess I want to put that on the back-burner and not pursue increasing my retirement allocations for a tiny little while. I'll keep them status quo, as they are now, but I'll postpone that until 2013.
All of my past goals have been for me, of course, but I feel like I've put off some of my less urgent goals. Ones that take care of me, ones that are good for my health and well-being. I kind of feel like I can stop and take a breather and focus on something other than money. For the first time since I started this journey after reading a 'Money for Dummies' book just before graduating from graduate school in 2004.
I can finally do the non-financial items that have been shifted from yearly to-do list to the next, for years on end: see a therapist, join a gym, get LASIK(?), etc. Things that are important, but not as urgent (in my skewed priority system) as saving for my next trip home to see my family, traveling to Australia with my Mom, or buying insurance. The big stuff.
So, now that I have all but met my lofty financial goals (and stretch financial goals) for 2012 already, I'm going to tackle my non-financial goals for the rest of 2012. Gone are the excuses that I don't have the money--I should have $500-$800 a month to use toward making these happen. Most of them involve becoming healthier, and goodness knows I need a good kick in the pants on that front. I want 2012 to be the year that I stop focusing on my money, and start concentrating on my health.
First up: a gym membership. I will save up for the next year's worth.
I kind of feel like that will always be a challenge, like, I won't ever not worry that I don't have enough in retirement (if that makes sense). So I guess I want to put that on the back-burner and not pursue increasing my retirement allocations for a tiny little while. I'll keep them status quo, as they are now, but I'll postpone that until 2013.
All of my past goals have been for me, of course, but I feel like I've put off some of my less urgent goals. Ones that take care of me, ones that are good for my health and well-being. I kind of feel like I can stop and take a breather and focus on something other than money. For the first time since I started this journey after reading a 'Money for Dummies' book just before graduating from graduate school in 2004.
I can finally do the non-financial items that have been shifted from yearly to-do list to the next, for years on end: see a therapist, join a gym, get LASIK(?), etc. Things that are important, but not as urgent (in my skewed priority system) as saving for my next trip home to see my family, traveling to Australia with my Mom, or buying insurance. The big stuff.
So, now that I have all but met my lofty financial goals (and stretch financial goals) for 2012 already, I'm going to tackle my non-financial goals for the rest of 2012. Gone are the excuses that I don't have the money--I should have $500-$800 a month to use toward making these happen. Most of them involve becoming healthier, and goodness knows I need a good kick in the pants on that front. I want 2012 to be the year that I stop focusing on my money, and start concentrating on my health.
First up: a gym membership. I will save up for the next year's worth.
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