I have a car (my sis is out of the country and I can use her car today and tomorrow, yay!), so I'll go drop off some documents for one of our trainers, pick up some mail that has arrived for one of our PM's, drop off a letter for one of the directors (yes, I also run errands on occasion!...but, if I leave these things with General Services, it takes about a week...I can do them in just one day!)...I've finally finished inputting all the data from the feedback forms from our training, so all I have to do now is the pivot table and update the presentation, so that can be ready for Friday (I promised it for next MOnday, so...I'll do that this afternoon)
I left the documents for my loan application for the car at the bank yesterday, so I have to remember to call the sales rep and see if the preliminary investigation is ok (they do a credit pull)...then I can either relax or go back to fretting about it! LOL!...
I also have to call the Ministry of Education (they wrote back "please call this number") to see what can be done about accreditation...OK, break's over, back to life!

they $157 for the last translations have already been deposited into my account (-$17 for taxes), so I have to add $140 to my challenge money for March!

I went to the interview yesterday...I feel it went ok...as stated before, maybe the things I had against me were: my divorce, the fact that DD's father is not involved in her life (it came up), the fact that I'm not actively involved in the Catholic church (it came up, too, although, at least I mentioned Ale is going to weekly meetings!)...we'll see. I think the interviewer liked me (she kept looking at me while asking me the church things as if pleading: PLEASE say you're active!)...
The things that might weigh in my favor are: I have this wonderful (true!) teaching story about helping a child realize he wasn't "stupid" as everyone said he was, and about being able to stand for himself against a group of teasers after that! (it IS my proudest moment as a teacher!), also the fact that I'm concerned about DD's education and want to spend more time with her...and the fact that, at least we are TRYING to be closer to the church...she said they'd let me know in a couple of days whether I need to come in for tests and more interviews...it's really in God's hands now!

We can scratch them off the list!...they don't offer work by the hour, only full time or part time...part time being from 2-9 on weekdays and 8-2 on Saturdays...not convenient!
And, although they didn't mention how much they paid full time teachers, they did say it was less than what I'm currently making...so, again, not convenient!
Oh, well, it was worth a try!

I just filled out an on-line job application for another school...continuing with my "evil scheme" of getting myself hired and asking for a discount in tuition...lol!...
at least, it feels good to be doing something about my present situation!

sent out 2 more resumes: 1 to Berlitz and one for another call center...figure these would be ideal "additional" jobs to supplement my income, either here or at the school if I get the job...Depending on what they pay...the current language school is paying me $5.75/hour...if any of these offer the same hours @ a better rate... I have nothing to lose, and a lot to gain! right??

The person who is going to interview me is not available on Monday at 4pm, so they rescheduled it for Tuesday...
I{m really getting excited about this!!
Can you imagine?? Even if I don't have DD at the same school, I could go home after work and help her with homework, play a while and then go to the other school for my lessons (I need the money!)

They (the school) wrote almost immediately!!!
they want to interview me on MOnday!!! (i'm trying to change the time from 4:30 to 4:00, though, to make sure I arrive on time at the other school for my English lessons!)

::HAPPY DANCE::

Ok, I sent in my application...I know if they are truly as deeply Catholic as they are said to be, a couple of things there will stand out...still, the worse that can happen is that they won't hire me...

Now, I was thinking (because another friend now has been asking around and told me that the friend of a friend - small city!- works there, and that she gets 50% off the tuition for her second kid, but that has to pay full for the eldest...)...what would I do if they did offer me the same salary as here, but NOT offered Ale's tuition??...or offered only half, which is still astronomical -imo- as the FULL tuition is ~$4K/year, plus the admittance bonus which is almost $2K!!....
You know what? I'd probably take it anyway! (I just wouldn't send my daughter there!)...I mean, the working hours would be infinitely better (say 7:30- 3 - let's say to 4) as opposed to 8-6...I'd still be able to find a second job, say from 5-7 and would be able to spend more time with Ale...

Dreams are free, aren't they??

I'm stressed and decided to connect to one of my best friends through the messenger...she was in the shower, and I got her youngest kid! LOL! good thing I always start with: are you there??...
Anyway, checking my email, there was an answer from the school!!!....they received my resume and sent me an application form to fill...now I'm confused...there's a field that states:
civil marriage: YES / NO
religious marriage: YES/NO

...now, technically speaking, I should answer NO and YES...but, legally, that is sort of impossible (unless you are divorced, the way I am!)... I'll be honest, though, because nothing good ever came from lying, right??...and, if they are the sort of school who will not have a divorcee, I don't want to work there and I don't want my daughter there! (oh, and, in case I haven{t mentioned this before: no, my daughter is not my ex-husband's...I think I HAVE said that before!!)
Oh, well...since I have to sign the form, I'll fill it out/print it at the office, because I have a scanner there and so could send it in tomorrow!!

wish me luck!!

Since there's nothing to do - at the time!- about the issues in my last posting, I decided to do SOMETHING that might result in more money....I send an email to the Ministry of Education asking how I can become certified (even if you graduated as a teacher, you still have to go to them for tests/certification and, as far as I knew, you didn't necessarily HAVE to be a college graduate to be certified, as long as you could pass the tests!....but, all this is hearsay, so, today I asked!!) ...of course, the bad thing is, now I have to WAIT to hear from them! LOL!

I've posted before about this: I hate waiting...I particularly hate waiting when the "ball" is in someone else's court...
Right now, I haven't been able to even file the documents for the loan because the admin at my sister's office hasn't issued it...not much I can do about that!...I have to WAIT!

I keep checking my email obsessively just to see if there are any responses...not yet, and, it really is too soon for a follow up email just yet!...what can I do?? WAIT!

I'm pending a follow-up meeting with my boss ref the reclassification (or not!) of my job...I already sent him the file detailing all that I do, but, the other admin hasn't (I expect he'll try to kill two birds with one stone here, as he said he wanted to get the file so he could study it and then have a chat with us about it)...I even started it for her so all she has to do is fill out the hours!!!...so, I have to WAIT ...on top of that, he's been training outside the office, so I know he's baglogged AND he called in sick yesterday (there's a nasty bug going around, I've had 1 PM in the hospital!)...so, again, what can I really do about it?? WAIT!...I have to give him a week at least to get up to speed!...

...I was checking and, I still haven't reeived any answers from the companies where I submitted resumes 15 days ago...

This really depresses me....

and stresses me out....

I'm starting to feel that knot in my throat again...the one I had when my parents were still alive, and money problems were really serious....I feel like I'm slipping into the dark hole of debt again...I REALLY don't want to go there...

Total for February

Challenge statistics:
invested: ~$6.00 initial (Jan)
~$2.55 (addtnl) gas/Jan
~$5.00(addtnl) gas/Feb
~$21.00 taxies/Feb
=======
$34.55

Earned in Feb: $344.40

net for January: $12.15
net for February: $318.40
Total ytd for 2006 (net):$330.55

*******************
This would be funny if it weren't so tragic: my earnings for the month at the school are greater than my bi-weekly pay at work!!

1. keep better track of my spending- I somehow have used the car problem as an emotional excuse not to keep track...will have to be harder on myself and start again!

2. Send out at least 15 resumes in January(best time of the year to find a new job in ES!) and, at least one more per week for the rest of the year until I find a job that pays better! Have sent at least 7 this month, so that's good...haven't received any answers, though! But, some of them were sent yesterday!!
3. FINALLY decide on a school for Alejandra, AND save money for her enrollment fee, uniforms and school supplies Same as last month: the looking/deciding part is on hold until May- when schools start accepting applications...Have already set up a direct deposit from my salary into my Coop account ($90/month)...

4. continue to lower my overall debt - I started Jan 05 with ~$17K (out of which ~$4K were for a loan and the rest -~$13K!-pure cc debt) and, am starting Jan 06 with $~11K (with ~$8K for a loan and ~$3K in cc debt)... expect to be able to end Dec '06 with ~$7K, which I expect to be purely for the loan... to come partly from the English classes/$20 challenge. Current debt still at ~$11K due car broke down and need the additional money to try to purchase a new one...in the meantime, pay only slightly above minimum payments!

5. Help Ale find a way to earn those $3 she's missing to open her account with HER OWN money...have not found the training wheels for the bike yet...

along with a very nice (imo) cover letter....All I can do now is sit and hope...and see what happens!

One for a teaching position, and one for a call center...now, the website for the call center was announcing $12/hour, but, I'm not sure if that is what they are charging to the companies that use the call center or if that is what they're paying the agents...I guess I'll have to wait until I hear from them!!...I was thinking, if they pay $6/hour, a full time would pay ~$960/month (slightly more than what I'm currently making)..but, if it were $12/hour, a full time would pay me 2x what I'm making!!....I don't want to get too hopeful, though!

*************
Just came back from Xerox, across the street. Needed to sign some invoices. I asked the cashier - with whom we have a good working relationship - whether they get requests for translations...she said it's not frequent, but sometimes people do ask. She promised to call me if she gets any requests for translations...so that's another "line" I'm throwing...

1. New bed for Ale...pending, not urgent

2. New bike for Ale...pending, most definetely not urgent!

3. new(er) car really, really urgent! ugh! looking into loans and such

4. Ale's birthday party!! - She wants to have it at the Children's Museum...will have to call and ask how much it costs to see if it's feasible! ...if not, gotta give her the news as soon as possible!- before she tells her classmates! LOL!

5. Renewal of my car registration card....hmmm...include this with the new car $$$, as I'll probably get a registration valid until my next birthday (2007) instead of paying just for 3 or 4 months!

practically as junk...but, the engine was damaged...I got $300 for it, which is prettty much what I expected to get...I have been looking at new(er) cars...so far, just checking the classifieds...the price my friend's husband is offering me sounds reasonable, even a (tiny) bit below market...so I may just go with the car he's offered...I still don't know...in the meantime, I'm spending money on taxis to go from the office to the school...not good, as I spend in 1 week almost what I used to spend for gas for 2 full weeks...
oh, well, at least I get rides from home to the office in the morning and from the school to home at night!

I sent out 2 resumes today (one just an "update" to a placement agency, another one in answer to an ad for an HR assistant)...I also saw one requesting English teachers...need to work on a cover letter for that one, but will be preparing it tomorrow (it has to be sent via snail mail to the newspaper!)...

I overheard a conversation the other day that REALLY bothered me...two people from my area were discussing the monthly bonus all employees get, and one of them said: but, people don't look at it as a bonus anymore, they consider it part of their salaries...
Now, people in my area do NOT talk idly, if this was mentioned, it's probably because the bonus is "in danger"...most probably, they want to change the way it is calculated, so that we only get it (or only get it IN FULL) if the whole company reaches its goals for a given month...hey, I think it's a neat idea...but, if this is done, it will probably go down for at least 6 months...and I cannot afford to lose any income! So...now I have extra motivation to keep looking!!

****
I also sent a reminder to all my contacts ref: translations!

hmmmm....I just helped a very good friend of mine to send me a Word document...first time she ever did that! ...
I have been thinking about call centers a lot lately (mostly, about the Dell call center down the street!)...while it wouldn't be wise to switch jobs to go there (they pay less than what I make here!), it would perhaps be a good idea to see if they have some hours available (I recently saw an ad for another call center that advertised "flexible, customized" hours)...If they pay more than the English lessons, it would be worth changing and going to work for them instead of for the school...I have saved the number, so I'll give them a call today after lunch and see ....what's the worst that can happen? they will not have convenient hours or they will pay less, in which case, I'm ok the way it is OR, they'll have the hours and pay more!!!...

I have to try to schedule a follow-up meeting with my boss regarding the raise/re-classification of my job position....I know HR is going nuts right now with the re-organization and the new systems they've put in place, but, honestly, I cannot wait for them to finish to bring this up...plus, I want my boss to know that this is still on my mind!

I checked with the (other) bank the company works with and, the exec said I can get a loan...I need a co-debtor (either my sis or one of my best friends, the only people I've co-signed for)...If I take out a loan for $5,000 I'd be paying $121/month (don't ask for how long, it's not pretty!)...Now, a friend says he can get me a very good used car for $3,000- $3,700 ...I could use the rest of the money (and the $1,000 I had originally set aside for cc debt, which right now is on hold pending what happened with the car) towards cc debt...that way, the $121/month would cover both the car AND cc debt...it would be a good deal, as the personal loan interest is less than half that on the cc's....so I'm thinking about it...since my friend is bringing the car from the US, I'd have to wait a couple of weeks (he's bringing it anyway, not specifically for me, so there's no committment on my part and I have 2 weeks to shop around and look at other options)...I think I'll call the bank lady and ask her to start the paperwork for the $5,000....I'll see if my sister can be my co-debtor. If she gets rejected, then I'd have to wait until one of my friends comes from a business trip (in March)...Or I can ask my best friend-sister-partner-in-crime, who I know would be willing to do it...problem is, she's been with her present employer less than a year...

...It's a plan!

I went to another job-search site and found a couple of interesting postings...
interesting as in I can apply and the $$ is more than I currently make!...the most promising one is for an Admin Assistant for the President of a multi-national company, paying $1,300-$2,000 based on the experience/ qualifications...keep your fingers crossed!
I soooo need a job that pays more....and I soooo DESERVE a job that pays more!!!

Ok. I received a bank transfer for 1 of my translations (2 pages + recording), for $100.00
This goes towards my $20 challenge! yipeee!!

Challenge statistics:
invested: ~$6.00 initial
~$2.55 (addtnl) gas/Jan
~$4.00(addtnl) gas/up to feb 17
=======
$12.55
earned: $120.70

net for January: $12.15
net for February*: $96.00
Total ytd for 2006:$108.15

++ think might need to use the money for car instead of for cc debt payment! Still, if I have to, this is money that I won't be borrowing, so I'm counting it as progress!

Actually, it died last night, about 1 block away from home...managed to get it started again today and it is sitting in the garage...waiting for the mechanic to come, since I WAS going to take it to the workshop, but then it just refused to start again...I was putting water in the radiator every day...but yesterday there was a huge traffic jam and it overheated and then just boom, it stopped...so now I'm sitting here feeling sooo disappointed...and thinking that if the mechanic says it's expensive, it might be a better idea to just sell it for scrap and use that money, plus the translation money plus the translation and locution (is that a word) as a downpayment for a used car... It would mean going back to minimum payments on the cc's and that would mean that my ultimate goal of being debt free might be delayed for a looooong time, but...is it worth it?? I mean...I really cann't afford to NOT have a car...for instance, the timing from the time I leave my office until I get to the school is timed to get there by car...no way I'd get there on time if I have to work 4 blocks to the bus stop, wait for the bus and then walk 2 more blocks from the bus stop to the school....Even worse if I decide to not walk and have to switch buses...(buses here are not on a schedule)...then, on Saturdays, I leave the church at 10:00am, the precise time when Ale's swim lessons should be starting...by car, it's only 15 minutes...by bus, we would have to walk 3 blocks to the bus stop and wait...and, probably would have to change buses...we'll never make it on time...and then, she finishes at 12:00 and I'm supposed to be at the school at 12:45...by car it's doable, but, by bus...never

Not to mention that buses here are dangerous - think I have written about this before...

Paying for a taxi is out of the question, as it would be about $3 for the office-school ride (so $127week), $3 for the home-church and at least $6 for the church-swimm lessons and about $10 for the swimming- school and another $6 for the school-home! ...I'd be spending an awful amount of money on taxis!!

((sigh)) have already called work to say I'll be looking into fixing my car...will probably use the whole morning and go see car options as well...

Finally got it!!!... so, tonight I'm going to dig out last year's tax file so that I can re-create it for this year and file my taxes!!...I'm doing it in February, as the Government has announced that all people filing in February will get their refunds before Holy Week (April)...I want my money!!!!- of course, I'll only get to hold it for a few minutes before handing it over to the cc company, but....I'm buying my freedom!!

As I think ahead of what the next year will bring, there are a few expenses that I need to consider - other than Ale's school, of course!

1. New bed for Ale...she's still in her toddler bed (her crib "converted" into a toddler bed, that one was a GREAT buy!!)...she's already 1.17 mts...so I will probably need to upgrade her to a "real" twin bed either by the end of the year or, at the most, the middle of next year...she's already started asking about a new bed...will start looking into it...I might go to Nahuizalco - a town that's about 1.5 hrs from here, where they make beautiful wicker and rattan stuff...my sister got my niece's bed there, custom made, with 3 drawers underneath for clothes and everything...cost her about $90 (including transport!!)...I will also look around downtown...last option will be the used-furniture stores...why last option??...sadly enough, in El Salvador, hand-made means cheap (in price!)...so I know I can get something gorgeous - custom made -for the same price or even a fraction of the price that I would pay for something used...and I won't even go near the dept or furniture stores!!...

2. New bike for Ale...this is a "want" really, but, she IS getting to big for the old one! ...maybe Santa can bring it...we'll see...it's a the bottom of my list at the moment anyway...

3. I hope it doesn't happen this year, but, I think my car really can't last much longer (10 year old car)...and, at this stage, just using the repair money to buy a new one (or for the downpayment on a new(er) one) might be a smarter option... praying to God that it will last enough for me to get some $$$ set aside for it, or, to let me win one at the supermarket raffle! (you get entered automatically for each $10 you spend!) ....What I don't like is, it would mean going back to making minimum payments on the CC's...which means I'd take FOREVER to finish paying!...((sigh))...at least, I HAVE an option...(a year ago, I wouldn't have!)

4. Ale's birthday party!! - will have to start shopping soon so the expense is not all on one month....

5. Renewal of my car registration card....up in July....thank Goodness my license is still good for another 2 years!!

Really, I need to start working on the school for DD, because a lot of my financial decisions will revolve around that...

1. keep better track of my spending- although there seem to be less "leaks" than before, I'm still not as accurate as I should be! - I'm going to buy a mini-notebook and keep track of every penny!!- haven't done this yet!! - I know, I know...- have started as of today 060201

2. Send out at least 15 resumes in January(best time of the year to find a new job in ES!) and, at least one more per week for the rest of the year until I find a job that pays better! managed to send out 4, in answer to promising-looking ads...This is an ongoing quest!

3. FINALLY decide on a school for Alejandra, AND save money for her enrollment fee, uniforms and school supplies the looking/deciding part is on hold until May- when schools start accepting applications...$$ for fee, etc to come out of the English classes...

4. continue to lower my overall debt - I started Jan 05 with ~$17K (out of which ~$4K were for a loan and the rest -~$13K!-pure cc debt) and, am starting Jan 06 with $~11K (with ~$8K for a loan and ~$3K in cc debt)... expect to be able to end Dec '06 with ~$7K, which I expect to be purely for the loan... to come partly from the English classes/$20 challenge. Current debt still at ~$11K due car repairs in Dec 05

5. Help Ale find a way to earn those $3 she's missing to open her account with HER OWN money....still at a loss with this one!...perhaps get her to sell more toys at the next flea market??- decided on selling her bike, which is already to small for her!...where did we put the training wheels?? hmmmm (060402)

I received my first payment yesterday!!...due the cut-off date for accounting, I only got paid for the first weekend, so I only received $20.70...oh, well, I paid it towards the cc with the highest interest rate! yay me!!...Did I mention my challenge earnings are going towards debt repayment??...AVAL Card SA de CV practically owns my salary!!...When the next payment comes in, I will divide it between AVAL and "Ale's school fund"...Need to find another way to make more $$$...but, at where will I get the time??

***************
Challenge statistics:
invested: ~$6.00 initial
~$2.55 (addtnl) gas/Jan
=======
$8.55
earned: $20.70

net for January: $12.15
Total ytd for 2006: $12.15

Well, this being our first year doing this, we have had to pay the price of learning: we bought way too much stuff, and sold only about half of what we expected...the good news is: we have already recovered the investment...the bad news is: there is no profit yet, so right now it seems that those 2 weeks of getting up at 6am and going to bed at 1am were for nothing...More good news: we spoke to 3 companies about setting up a special exhibit there so their employees can buy stuff, and they have all agreed to it, and the employees are rather enthusiastic about it, so we expect to make a profit after all!- it will just take about one or two more weeks, and will probably not be as high as we had expected... So, I'll say it went well.... We'll know how much we made from this venture by the end of the month...

Oh, and, GREAT news, I just paid off my American Express card (yipee!) and programmed a payment to pay off another card on the 11th - I want to keep my checking account from going into the overdraft for as long as I can!...so, now I only have 2 more cc's (and one HUGE loan) to go....

wish me luck!