well, my budget for today was $60, but, I ended up with a $65 bill!...not too bad, though, considering Ale needed new toothbrushes and toothpaste (for home and for school!)...I found a 2X1 Oral-B package of brushes for $1.98...same for me (although I only need 1 right now, since the one I keep at work is still good...but, hey, I WILL need a new one, so I might just as well keep the other one in storage!)...we also bought a new collar for Fiona (her's was starting to be a bit tight!), and that cost $2.75!...what was bad is that I bought a 2.5 lt of soda (totally un-needed!)...that cost $1.38!...

still, I have to check with my excel spreadsheet at the office, I believe this is the closest I've ever been to being on-budget for the month!...

hmmm...but, we still have another week to go and Ale's lunch box stuff will need to be re-plenished...last time that was about $8....

We'll see...

...of course, it helps that I don't have any $$$ available! LOL!...anyway, October has been a good exercise...November should be a better month, financially, since we are getting paid for the first toys...so far, we have 4 companies that want to place orders, and 2 that want us to host their parties (small fee just for coordinating the other suppliers, that way the HR people get to enjoy the party as well)...all these will bring no more than $500 net total, but, hey, it helps!

well, my cousin and I have been speaking with other contestants and, it seems that at least 15 people did not deliver their plans on time (meaning they arrived late, and were not allowed to submitt them!)...now we are trying to find out how many people are still in the contest....at last count (when we started with the counseling), we were 88, then 3 out of my group dropped out and, 1 guy from another group got killed, and 2 people from my cousin's group dropped out...these are the ones we KNOW about...so that would leave 82 people...minus the 15 or so that were left out....67...and then there are the ones that submitted incomplete plans (God knows how many, let's be conservative and say 4, one per group: Ethnic products, tourism, entrepreneurial women and IT&Communications)...that would leave about 63....Of course, this aren't official numbers....and then, the REALLY important thing would be to know how many people are left in OUR specific groups, since there will be 6 finalists out of every group....those 24 finalists will then be competing "one against all others" for the 9 prizes...

Rumor has it that you also get "points" based on the date/time you submitted your plan. If so, I already have some "extra" points, because I was the 2nd person to submit, the first having submitted her plan on Friday 13th....mine was submitted at 8:30am on Monday 16th!...(I imagine this only helps if there's a "tie")...anyway...I has now become a point of honor for my cousin and me to be at least among the 24 finalists! ....(we DO want to be among the 9 winners, but, at the same time, cannot help but feel a bit aprehensive of what that would entail!)...keep sending winning vibes!!!

I decided that next year I'm going to keep my current debt tracker (which calculates monthly interest and pending balances, along with how long it will take to clear them!), but that I will incorporate the monthly payments into my expense tracker...I also decided to add the "fixed" expenses under the category "House" (rent, utilities, nanny...although nanny should go with school and that should merge into Child care....but, since she also does housework...)...anyway, I did that and, I calculated what my monthly expenses from these 2 categories are...I added the monthly totals to the categories already being tracked and, it turns out, to cover all I would need $1,237.XX NET per month! LOL!...I'm making $1,062 GROSS...no wonder I'm always scraping for money! (and, no wonder a few weeks off the frugal wagon can have such a nasty impact!)...so, all in all, I'm not doing THAT bad (I mean, eventhough my fixed income is about $372 BELOW my expenses, I more or less manage to get along and survive! --and have the occasional treat now and then! )

I have to think of a way to lower the spending some more in some of the categories... but, honestly, it would be VERY hard to carve $372!(35%)...unless we all decide to go on a 3-day fast once a month! LOL!...

OK, this is it! my plan is printed (3X) and on CD (2X) as requested...I will drop it off by the sponsor's offices tomorrow morning before going into work...it will get judged and I will find out on Oct 31st, at the closing ceremony, whether I'm one of the finalists or not...if so, I will have about 3 days to put together a presentation (based on the business plan) and present live before the judges...

Send winning vibes my way!!!

He checked himself into another rehab 3 days ago -- not the latest he was at, but one we tried about 5 years ago...this one is Christian-based...maybe that is what he needs...find his faith...anyway, we found out because the Director of the home called my sis to see if she could/would help with the fees or if he has to be taken in as "without family" (they do that, if possible, they try to get the families to help out financially, but you don't get turned out for lack of funds)...she told the guy she could not lie to him and that she was happy he had taken that course, but, unfortunately she could not believe he had done that sincerely and in good faith and, as far as she was concerned he was alone...she also gave them the father's phone number and adviced them to call him, as he had once said that if R. stayed in rehab at least X amount of months, he might consider helping financially...

so, he's still out of the house and he's still disowned, but sis is a lot calmer thinking that he's in a rehab center and not at a crack house, and that he has a roof over his head and isn't sleeping under a bridge!...I know in the end, if he DOES finish with this program, she will accept him again...I just hope she has the strength to keep away for long enough...I've been talking to her...I told her if she gives in now and sees him, it would be the equivalent of buying a new gun for someone with suicidal tendencies...

I really think my nephew needs to find God ...

Well, I made it to payday...I got a (very) slight pay increase this year... $42 gross/month...which amounts to about $30 after tax...still, it will pay for my half of the water and electricity bills!...woo-hoo!!!...but, SHHHHHHHHHHHH...my boss asked me to keep it a secret (out of embarrassment at the amount, I would imagine! LOL!...still, it's SOMEthing...and last year I got $0, so....)

Now, the first thing I will do is pay for my half of last month's rent (this month's will still be outstanding, though! ) ...then I need to pay for my debt and then leave at least something for gas and the nanny on Monday...hmmmmm...I guess I won't be filling the tank!

I know it's a bit premature, but I've already set up my expense tracking excel file for next year! (i don't want to have the excuse of not having it set up! I'm starting the tracking at 12:01 on Jan 1st, 2007!)...Also, I have a "budgeted" monthly amount for each category and, an "ideal" (aka 15% underbudget)for every category as well...
This year I didn't start until mid-May and, I kind of fell off the wagon with it during the last half of August and September...so I'm back at it again!...I hope that with this new awareness of where the money is going, and what my spending limits are, I might actually be able to dig myself out of debt sooner and start to enjoy MY money more! (as opposed to just handing it over to pay for past spending!)

woo-hoo! there are very few corrections to make and, they actually wrote : Very good business plan, the business concept is very clear to the reader

Woo-hoo!

we were doing numbers with my cousin last night, about how much we would need to invest if this big company decided they want to buy their toys from us....we need about $2,000....because we figure their total purchase is going to be about $8,000....and our cost is about $6,000....it's customary to ask for 50% advance payment, so they would give us $4,000...where do we get the other $2,000?...if we are lucky, the other company (which is submitting their purchase order this week) will pay us in full BEFORE this one submits their purchase order (because then we could use THAT money)...this bigger company would give us the other 50% upon delivery of the toys...

We'll see....

my cousin is at a meeting with one of the largest factories in the country, to show them a sampler of toys ....yes, they buy the cheaper ones, but, its VOLUME! (we are talking about 2,000-3,000 toys here!)

Please send good business vibes so they choose to buy from us!

since there are a lot of us that are carrying around a few (or more than a few!) extra pounds, we are going to play Biggest Loser at the office...
the rules are: $30 to get in. You recover half your money if you lose 8% of your total body weight...the other $15 stay on until Dec 15, when we see who the Biggest Loser is(percentage-wise) and, s/he gets the pot!!
...someone asked what happens if none of us loses the 8%...we really hadn't thought about that! (at least, it means we are all being very positive about this!) ...someone jokingly said if none of us reaches the 8%, then we'll use the money to pay for a pizza party! LOL!

So....I re-started my diet today, am NOT drinking sodas at work and, will go out to walk again tomorrow!

Starting weight (after breakfast, clothes on, but no shoes) is: 140 Lbs....

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKK!!!!

I'm barely conscious...I just finished my business plan...and I'm not too sure the last 3 sentences I wrote made any sense...anyway, we have a final final final review tomorrow night, so I might have to work on it again, but, at least it's 98% finished...all it needs is touch ups and then it goes for the "official" review and comes back to be re-written, er, corrected and submitted to the judges...

wish me luck!

1. keep better track of my spending- September was BAD for expense tracking…the good news is, October offers me a new opportunity!

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 situation is: $13.9K total: ~$8.1K (refinanced) loan, ~$2.8K car loan, ~$863 personal loan, $1.6K other personal loan… Phone bill is $500...a work in progress...another one that won’t get taken off the list!

5. Help Ale find a way to earn those $3 she's missing to open her account with HER OWN money...didn´t open the piggy bank in Sept…will probably wait until it´s full…she lost another tooth…but, since she LOST the tooth at school (and couldn’t find it!) Raton Perez only left her $0.50 –as a consolation prize!

I really hadn't even thought about this until this morning, but, now that we are actively working on it and things are actually falling into place, the anxiety level seems to be going down....
gotta go see the rental people, who just arrive with the plates and glasses!

today is the last day to turn in our business plans to our counselors, so they in turn can give them to the organizations involved for review...this is just to see what progress we've made...then we have until Oct 16, at noon, to turn in the corrected/complete plan for judging...

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, I must confess...

much-needed money coming in! $100 more for my $20 challenge...

Have separated $20 for our long weekend and, the rest has to go towards debt!

Made my first payment for boss #2 for the 5% loan...yay!

Some day, I'll REALLY be debt-free!

Well, last year I was also getting over Ale's sickness (financially)...seems to be another cycle, that she gets sick about August or thereabouts...should keep my eyes/ears open to try to find out what happens!....

I was dreaming of paid-out cc's (now a reality!...I'm not debt-free, but it's loans now, not cc's, so, in a sense, it's "better!)...

I was looking for a job that paid more....still at the same place, earning the same money...

all in all, I'd say September 2005-2006 seems "even"...if anything, I'd say I'm in a parallel place, only "higher" than it was before!

by "our" I mean mine and my cousin's...our catalogue CD is ready, packed and the presentation letter is finished...that means we (or, rather, she) start distribution today! ...we made a list of 25 companies to which we are going to send the CD's ...of those, 5 are customers from last year...so, our goal is to have at least 5 new customer this year!...

Once those are distributed, we are going to once more approach the principal of the school where we sold supplies last January, to see if we can do it again next year...we wouldn't have to buy much, as we have so much left over from last year...just some glitter glues, foamy and felt...

wish us luck! as this could be my "$254/month" difference for next year!

the nanny washed Ale's white tennis shoes yesterday, and set them to dry on top of one of the beams in the laundry room...Needless to say, today I almost went crazy looking for the shoes (she is not allowed to come to school unless in "full" uniform, these are the only white tennis shoes she has...so, it was either find the shoes or stay home for her!)...I turned the house upside down and, in the process, saw A LOT of opportunity for decluttering - a bunch of size 11 and 12 shoes, for example, when Ale is already wearing shoes 2 sizes bigger than that!....so, this coming weekend (long weekend due Independence day!) Ale and I are going to try to declutter the house a bit!

(oh, and the shoes were still WET! I had to put them in the OVEN!!! -- we don't have a dryer...)

As an exercise to keep me focused (or rather, to re-focus me), I worked on a "budget" for next year ...actually, not...I just took the total budget amount per month for variable expenses (from my expense tracking excel sheet)for this year, upped it by 4% and then multiplied by 12...then added up the fixed expenses per month (utilities, rent, nanny, savings account - all $20!)and multiplied that X 12, then added to the previous total...then took my net monthly salary + vacation + yearly bonus and compared the two: TADA!!...
there's about $325 difference per month...that is, my salary is BELOW the "budget" by $325/month...the good news?? Last time I did this, the difference was $400+....so, if I keep working at lowering the variable expenses/debt this year, AND to find ways to earn more ($20 challenge), I could reach "break even" point by June 2007! ....I would be finally be living "within my means"! LOL!...six months more and Jan 2008 would find me living BELOW my means! ....this is faaaaaaaar better than the black hole of debt in which I was last year!

Plus, this exercise helps me retake the tracking and other frugal exercises!

Praying for more translations to come my way in these last few months of 2006!

1. keep better track of my spending- The last two weeks were awful!...since I was “away” at the workshop for 1 full week, arriving home late and obviously not in the mood to track spending (see? That, according to Dr. Camilo Cruz, is a “cow”! aka an excuse or habit that keeps me from doing what I want to do!)…well, I have tracked as much as I could and, I’m overbudget again this month! …Ale’s sickness hasn’t helped and, to top it all off, I gave in to “temptation” and bought way too many books at the training center’s bookstore!...This goal has been included in the “contract” with myself that they made us draw up at the workshop!!

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 situation is: $14.1K total: ~$8.2K (refinanced) loan, ~$2.8K car loan, ~$900 personal loan, $1.6K other personal loan… Phone bill is $600...a work in progress...another one that won’t get taken off the list!

5. Help Ale find a way to earn those $3 she's missing to open her account with HER OWN money..have to open the piggy bank again and count the $$ to take it to the bank!

We are now in the middle of Phase II - training
We finished our Entrepreneurship Abilities Workshop and our Business Plan drafting seminar....now we will be paired with special counselors to draw up the business plan and get it ready to be presented to the jury....this will e theend of phase II, on Oct 2nd.... then they'll choose 24 finalists for Phase III and, from these they'll pick the 9 winners...wish me luck!....I like my idea and, from what I see, even if I didn't win, it wouldn't take that much money to set things in motion...getting it to the point where I could quit my job to dedicate myself full time to my business would be something else, though! ...still, it would make a good "side" source of income ....

Consequently, I've updated my excel file again!...what I did today was adjust the "target" amount to be spent per month to last month's amount (I was actually underbudget!...just barely, but, since I already managed to do it once, I don't see why I cannot do it again) so my new target is slightly lower than before (hardly worth mentioning), but, I feel it's a step in the right direction...hopefully, I will be able to be under or at budget again (even with rising gas prices!), and then I will lower the target for Sept-Dec accordingly...I will continue with this trend until I reach a truly "reasonable" point, which is when the amount of money going into "others", "events" and "enterntainment" are at acceptable levels!

I don't remember if I wrote about a "free" day pass my cousin got a couple of months ago to a popular new "resort" at the beach...we got very bad treatment...since we were supposed to take advantage of the day visit to meet with the manager because we had with us an investor interested in bringing tourists to ES and lodging them at this resort, we insisted on seeing the manager and, when told the person we had contacted was NOT a manager, we made a big fuss until they DID call the manager who, when informed of the situation said it didn't matter to him that we felt mistreated and deceived (regarding the meeting) because the hotel was booked solid for the rest of the year and he didn't need any new customers...well, about a week ago I received an email from a friend, who was just passing along another person's email telling about his bad experience there...I added our complaint and kept forwarding the message...guess what??...somebody forwarded it to the MInistry of Tourism, the Tourism Board and to another organiztion that seeks foreign investment in tourism...WOO-HOO!...they are opening an investigation on these matters!

I would like to say for the rest of the year, or even: forever, but, I'm trying to be realistic!
I brought the teabags and a tall glass from home (LOL! Spiderman glass!) ... my last glass was a generic blue glass, bought at the supermarket downstairs...guess what, it got stolen!!...(somebody "borrowed" it in my absence and I haven't been able to locate it!)...
anyway, it's much cheaper than soda and, definetely healthier! ....so, at least for August, I'm drinking ice tea with my home-packed lunches!

cheers!

August 2005 was a turning point for me, financially....this is when the apt finally sold and I was able to "catch up" with my debt!...the outlook is still pretty much the same...finishing with debts in mid 2008...but, although the numbers are more or less the same, the attitude is more positive now...
Hopefully, this August will also bring good things financially (my life seems to move in cycles, I've noticed...July and October are times of BIG life changes --engagement, separation, divorce, pregnancy!...I'm still learning about my "financial" cycles, though!)

That is the name of a fair...and, yes, it's consummerism (is that a word?) at its height!...I'm going there, because the Dollar Store and Pick and Save have outlets there...even cheaper than usual! (or, they drop their "price applies on 6+ units only" policy!)...I get to look for Xmas presents!...oh, and Ale gets a ride in the gusanito (the kiddie rollercoaster!)

1. keep better track of my spending- I’ve been good and have tracked ALL the expenses!...it’s a still a shocker, but, having gained awareness of the problemS has helped me stay on track and, I hope to get better at curbing my spending!...and, this month I was right ON budget (as opposed to overbudget!) with my total expenses!! Yay me!

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 situation is: ~$8.2K (refinanced) loan, ~$2.9K car loan, ~$1K personal loan, $700 cc's**, Phone bill is $700...a work in progress...another one that won’t get taken off the list! …so, my level of debt is higher than at the beginning of the year, but, at least it’s “healthier” debt…plus, now I have a car that works!  … >  about the phone bill, though! **My boss still hasn’t given me the money to pay this one off, so this will remain like this until next month!

5. Help Ale find a way to earn those $3 she's missing to open her account with HER OWN money...She did it!!!- we opened the account on Jul 29th, 2006. This goal won’t disappear, though, as I will just change it to 5b. Help Ale save/earn money to put into her account at the end of the month!

well, I've seen my deposit and, it seems a bit higher than what I'm used to...I'm wondering why, but, cannot access the intranet to look at my payment voucher (imagine half the company is looking at it right now, too!)...
***************************
woo-hoo! I WAS right, the pay WAS higher than usual....$80 more!...since the bank discounted the $160 for July's month payment and, since payroll tried to deposit it just to find it was paid, the company is reimbursing me!!...this means I get to put those $80 (and, potentially, another $80 next payday) towards my CC!!