miclason's Personal Finance Blog

I am already thinking about my goals for 2007...they will, of course, be dictated in part by what has been achieved/left pending at the end of 2006...but, I want to make them more specific and useful this year...for example: my goal of "tracking expenses" was good enough for this year, as all I really wanted to do was gain awareness of my expenditures and where my money was going and, while tracking expenses should remain part of my goals next year, the main focus should be shifted from mere tracking to controlling expenses to make sure they are consistently at or below budget...

I'm looking at this year's list first and then re-working the current goals in this way, before setting any new goals...

Here's to financial sanity in 2007!

Well, since I'm almost out of cash for the month and, since my poor car was almost running out of gas, I went to the gas station yesterday and paid for $10 worth of gas...at $3.12 a gallon, it was the cheapest gas I've bought since I've had this car!!!...(gone are the days when we thought $3 for gas was expensive! how sad is that?)

Took my car for an oil change today...spent $22.84...they also quoted on some other stuff that needs to be done: brake check, 2 new tires and change of coolant in the radiator...for a total of $108....
...so...I'll start quoting and shopping around! ((sigh))

nanny's DD1 is graduating highschool next month!...she'll be the 1st one in her family!!!...AND, she has already taken her placement tests at the National University (she wants to become an engineer)...unfortunately, her test scores weren't good enough to guarantee her entry, but, fortunately, they WERE good enough to allow her to take a second test!

I was listening to the radio this morning and, they was and interview with the Chief of the credit department at the Fondo Social para la Vivienda...traditionally, they have been more geared towards low-income employees (meaning people making 1-4 minimum salaries), and they have lent up to $23,000 for the purchase of a new/used house...now, they are also targeting employees making mid-range salaries ( 4- 6 minimum salaries)...that means they are now covering people that make up to $1,075 per month! ...that is really good news!...and, they have raised the amount they can lend up to $50,000 (depending on income, of course!)...The best thing about going through them instead of the commercial banks is that the requirements to get credit are easier to meet!...(for a $50,000 house, commercial banks require a family income of $2,000/month, for example!)...so, if you made less than that, but more than 4 minimum salaries, it was very difficult to obtain financing for a house!...
not that this does me any good at the moment (I have far too many debts to take care of and no spare cash!) but, once I get my finances in order, I could save for a downpayment and take advantage of this!

ugh!...totally unrelated topic, but...
I handed out the keys/cards to the 3 new cars on Thursday (Oct 19th)...I got a phone call on Saturday (Oct 21) asking whether I hadn't kept one by mistake??...no. I handed them out with the keys, a key and a card in each bag...in front of witnesses...

Oh! I can't find mine...

This has GOT to be a joke, right??

A sick, twisted joke...right???

I write it down here so I don't forget to add it to my spreadsheet on Monday!...$80...did not go towards debt, though..it went to groceries, fixing Ale's schoolbag and paying for swim lessons...

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...

We went to the mall yesterday (needed to repair DD's schoolbag, but the store that does it was closed!)...we passed in front of store #2, they had the exact same bed that store #1 sells at $199.20....only at #2 it was priced at $219...the payment plan?? (also on the card displayed on top of the bed, we didnt go in!)...24 easy payments of $16/ 52.00% interest + VAT...(so, I could get the exact bed for $315!!!)...honestly, I had to laugh!...

Plus, at this moment I really don't know if it makes any sense to keep looking...there's a (slight) chance that we may be moving out of the country in 3-6 months...true, Ale is almost at the limit and her tiny toddler bed will soon be uncomfy, but...I'm honestly thinking of waiting until March (this is when we would know more about that potential opportunity!)...

Well, I'm almost done with the purely aesthetic side of it (colors, backgrounds, font types and font sizes, color scheme for graphs, etc...)And, as for the truly important part (content!), yesterday I printed out a handout with 2 slides per page and used that as a "blueprint" to see where in my Word/Excel documents I could find the information I needed...also what information is missing or needs to be re-worked to fit the requirements of the presentation...
Today I finished some very minor word slides (3)and created 1 data slide...but, when I finished I realized it was totally superfluous...so I will delete it tomorrow and create a new one...
I will try to finish at least 3 more word slides tonight at home (at the office I can use the special add-on to PowerPoint to make impressive data slides without much effort! :P -- provided you know just WHAT you want to highlight, of course!...my slide was BLAH!) ...since it's a licensed product, I don't have this at home, only at the office, and I wouldn't feel it was appropriate to install it, even for a short period of time! (not that it would do any good if I tried to install it, the computer at home doesn't comply with the requirements for installation anyway!)
soooo, another task for tonight would be to look at the Excel and at the data required by the presentation template they sent to figure out what data I need to create a chart that highlights just that!

We were summoned to fill out a survey ref organizational climate...I'm fairly happy here, so that's what I wrote, that I like and respect the people I work with (I do), that I feel that my job is important and appreciated (I do) and that I feel I do contribute to the goals of my unit and the company (I do)...I also wrote I feel demotivated by the fact that there is no career path for admin assistants (I do) and that I feel I'm underpaid (I AM!)...

From what I hear, many people in my area feel more or less the same way...we may be "the best paid people in the company" (or so they say!), but, really, we ARE underpaid for what we do! (and, at the risk of sounding snobbish, few people in the company have the capabilities this group has, and, few work as long and hard as we do! -- yes, the other secretaries bring coffee, but, I've yet to hear of one that goes all the way across town to get the necessary documentation to process new license plates for a company car!!! ...or that translates shopping lists to take them to the supermarket to have orders filled-out and delivered!...how about someone that translates TRAINING MANUALS??)...Our boss knows how we feel (we even had a meeting about this yesterday!), so I know he won't be surprised by the results!-- the unit is very proactive in getting upward feedback!

I decided to buy a simpler bed for Ale, and settled on a Capri Jr, which has a cute headboard...I went to a store that has a special promotion: buy now pay your first installement in December (yes, they are after our Xmas bonuses!)...the bed costs $199 (I should have marched right out, I've seen this exact bed at $165 elsewhere!)...still I asked the saleslady to quote a "6-month,no interest" plan...the don't have it...so, the "normal" plan is $25 downpayment and 12 monthly payments of $19.90 ...that's almost $65 in interest they are collecting! ...they're crazy (or else, they think I am!...
I'll keep searching, thank you!

...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 just got paid $100 for some admin services (from July!)...I'm still owed $500 more for July, plus Aug and Sept!...slowly but steadily collecting this money!...right now, it goes into the bank account (to pay the overdraft!)...

I know, I shouldn't even be using it, but, just think, a year ago I was using the overdraft AND paying up to 47% interest on cc's!...next year, by this time, I shouldn't even be using the overdraft anymore (I have 2 more debts that will be eliminated in August 2007, and the total monthly payments for those is $104...)

our VP requested that the van assigned to our managers, as it keeps breaking down and, last year we spent well over $2,000 fixing it...and it still breaks down every 3 months!...

Now, administrative services is asking that we hand in the keys to the 2 mazda sedans to deliver them to the car dealership to get a new car...but, they have said nothing about the van...

So, our VP asked...they didn't respond, but, today I got a phone call from the administrator stating that they will be towing the van away to take it for an evaluation(?)... ((sigh))...in the meantime, I have the managers asking me about the replacement cars EVERY day!

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!...

I have $66 in my bank account right now...$40 will go to nanny today....that leaves me the amazing amount of $26 until next payday, which is October 31st! ....I'm getting REALLY stressed out!...

Ok, time to start calling about money owed to me again! ((sigh))

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 ...

forgot to add this, I finally got paid for my translations, so that's $54 for my October challenge...yay!

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!

This time, it DID go to Ale's school...together with $47 more I had in my account...

Next crisis, please!

Oh, yeah, I have to pay $165 towards debt and $157.50 for late rent...plus the $157.50 of this month's rent...

The money for toys should start coming in by the end of next week...

In the meantime...I'm off to juggle numbers and see what I can do with what I've got!

and sis has disowned him...that means he is cut off from the family altogether...

we just couldn't go on anymore...7 years is enough!

November 2nd is Day of the Dead, and a National Holiday....since it's a Thursday, the company has "authorized" we take Friday off as well (automatically deducted from our vacation period, of course!)...so, anyway, we have a 4-day weekend!...I'm planning what we will do...I'm thinking that Friday we go to the Aquapark (that Ale showed me on the paper)...so that'll be $4 + $2 + $1 = $7 entry fees and I'll add $10 for gas and $10 for luch...so that'll be $27...on Saturday she has her normal activities and Sunday my sis goes to the supermarket, so we might cook something for a family lunch...

That leaves Thursday...I've been wanting to do a "craft day" with her for a long time...that shouldn't be too expensive (we'd use recycled materials and we have paints and stuff...) ...or, who knows, if my niece is back at home they might paint their room (they have a 1/2 gallon can of Princess Pink paint!)

My cousin arranged the purchase of 4 boxes of Kimberly paper for printing our Business Plans for the contest (she gets them at $1.50 each, 100 page box....local price is between $1.90-$2.25 for a box of 25!)...well, the business plans are due Monday at noon, and, we had agreed to try to have them by Friday noon so we could hand them in either Friday afternoon or Monday at 8:00am...but, she still hasn't gone to pick it up!!!!...and it's THURSDAY...and it's almost noon!!...((sigh))...
my plan was to print the main body here at the office (b/w) and take only the color pages (about 6 per plan) to X*erox across the street to have those printed today and then have the whole thing bound...

She said she'd drop them off as soon as she gets them...we'll see...otherwise, I'll have to come up with a Plan B before end of day today! ugh!


**** woo-hoo! update!!! she has the paper and will drop it off after lunch!

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!

August and September were really bad months, as far as overspending goes...the good news is, nothing went on my cc...the bad news is, this has caused a serious cash flow problem....especially since I was counting on getting some of the money that is owed to me, and, that is looking very unlikely at the moment... I'm already one month behind with my part of the rent, and, I have until tomorrow to pay Ale's school without having to pay a late-payment fee ($10)...that means that, at the very least, I have to find $130 for tomorrow and, $160 more before Sunday...now, Sunday is payday (we get paid every 15th and every 30th), but, that money is already allocated to: rent, debt, food, nanny...so, unless I find those $290, I will have to do some serious changes in the budget...I really have noone to blame except myself...I hate being in these situations, why do I do this to myself??...

The Children's theater festival (FITI) just closed it's 10th season...we went to 3 shows...it's a nice change of pace for Ale and me...we both enjoy it very much...She was upset that FITI is older than she is...(the Festival's mascot is also named FITI, here's the official poster)

...this season was dedicated to Hans Christinan Andersen... Ale wanted to know if, 20 years from now, FITI will still be older than her!

The first show we went to was the Three LIttle Pigs, on Sunday, then on MOnday night - a VERY special treat for us to go out during the week! we went to see Thumbelina, which was a Black Theater show...very unusual to see in this kind of festival, that's why I wanted to take Ale so much!...and the last show we saw was the Emperor's new clothes...the King actually came down and walked through the aisles asking people if they approved using the kingdom's treasure to buy the fabric for his new clothes...of course, he threatened to behead all those who said "no"...to those who said "yes" he would say: Thanks, you are a good citizen...at one point, he went right past us and, after telling someone they were good citizens, he looked at me and I was just half-smiling waiting to be asked and he just said: You're not! off with your head!...Ale couldn't stop laughing!...

In all, we spent $21 for those 3 shows, and, eventhough that "kills" our enterntainment budget for the month, I consider it worth it!

I cannot understand how people who will take their child to see a 1hr and a half movie can tell me that she'll get bored by 45 minutes of live theater! (kid-oriented, and interactive, too!)