Funded to $5k, if a month late. Actually funded to +$7k.
Whew!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
CC paid off
Paid off the final $2490 of my 0% cc debt today.
It wasnt early (due to Rome), but it was on time. Another goal checked off!
Woot!
ps - at the expected growth rate, my net worth should be positive on or about May 15.
It wasnt early (due to Rome), but it was on time. Another goal checked off!
Woot!
ps - at the expected growth rate, my net worth should be positive on or about May 15.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Recessionary travel deals
I just got back from Rome.
A week ago Wednesday I suddenly had the realization that I was burnt out and wouldnt really be able to take more than a day or so off until July! Now or never.
So........I found a sick deal on air travel using miles, a 5 star hotel for 3 star price and off I went. Three days later I was flying to Italy for a week.
Details:
Air: USAirways was running a special on roundtrip travel to EU for 35k miles (usually its 80K, in fact domestic travel alone is 25k). I had 34k miles, so I bought 1k of miles for $50. I also paid taxes and a slight fee to have a 24 hour stop over in Philadelphia. Total airfare cost was $270.
Hotel: Booking.com found a rockin deal at the St. George Hotel in Rome. New, 5 star boutique hotel. With breakfast and all taxes, $240/night (6 nights). Also booked 1 night at the Rittenhouse, another 5 star hotel, in Philly for $240/night (1 night). Total paid for 7 nights of hotel $1680.
Entertainment, gifts, food, travel, etc: $1442. This includes quite a range of items. I bought some clothing prior to leaving ($160). I also bought an ipod for video watching on 32 total hours of air time ($260) + Itunes purchases ($40). I bought little in the way of souvenirs - a book from the Basquait show and 2 handmade journals ($120). The rest was basically museum entrances and food (boy did I eat well). Ate at Morimoto when I was in Philly too!
Total spent: $3392 for 8 days
The main savings here is obviously the air component - the same ticket was ~1k.
The same room in high season is $700. Even in a low, non-recessionary time, the room should have been $400. Another guest with the same room paid $350/night. But realistically I wouldnt have paid much more than I did for a hotel - the variable was just how high of quality I could scheme for the price. And wow - it was minimalistic chic luxury, so me.
I used about $600 in cash and the rest on credit. Bills will be paid in the following weeks and EF still in tact, so technically Im calling this the goal achieved: travel internationally, use cash.
Really interesting the sense of freedom and security I found knowing I had $30k available in credit and several thousand in cash. Different than prior experiences traveling abroad.
A week ago Wednesday I suddenly had the realization that I was burnt out and wouldnt really be able to take more than a day or so off until July! Now or never.
So........I found a sick deal on air travel using miles, a 5 star hotel for 3 star price and off I went. Three days later I was flying to Italy for a week.
Details:
Air: USAirways was running a special on roundtrip travel to EU for 35k miles (usually its 80K, in fact domestic travel alone is 25k). I had 34k miles, so I bought 1k of miles for $50. I also paid taxes and a slight fee to have a 24 hour stop over in Philadelphia. Total airfare cost was $270.
Hotel: Booking.com found a rockin deal at the St. George Hotel in Rome. New, 5 star boutique hotel. With breakfast and all taxes, $240/night (6 nights). Also booked 1 night at the Rittenhouse, another 5 star hotel, in Philly for $240/night (1 night). Total paid for 7 nights of hotel $1680.
Entertainment, gifts, food, travel, etc: $1442. This includes quite a range of items. I bought some clothing prior to leaving ($160). I also bought an ipod for video watching on 32 total hours of air time ($260) + Itunes purchases ($40). I bought little in the way of souvenirs - a book from the Basquait show and 2 handmade journals ($120). The rest was basically museum entrances and food (boy did I eat well). Ate at Morimoto when I was in Philly too!
Total spent: $3392 for 8 days
The main savings here is obviously the air component - the same ticket was ~1k.
The same room in high season is $700. Even in a low, non-recessionary time, the room should have been $400. Another guest with the same room paid $350/night. But realistically I wouldnt have paid much more than I did for a hotel - the variable was just how high of quality I could scheme for the price. And wow - it was minimalistic chic luxury, so me.
I used about $600 in cash and the rest on credit. Bills will be paid in the following weeks and EF still in tact, so technically Im calling this the goal achieved: travel internationally, use cash.
Really interesting the sense of freedom and security I found knowing I had $30k available in credit and several thousand in cash. Different than prior experiences traveling abroad.
Friday, January 16, 2009
quick note!
Just paid another $2400 towards my 0% cc debt! Brings the balance down to $2490.
Im very hopeful that I will actually be able to pay this off by the end of this month instead of the middle of next month.
Woohoo :)
Im very hopeful that I will actually be able to pay this off by the end of this month instead of the middle of next month.
Woohoo :)
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
2009 Goals
Now that the last few details have been worked out, Im ready to post my 2009 Goals!
1) Finish paying off 0% interest cc by mid February.
2) Stay out of cc debt!!
3) Finish funding EF to $5k by mid February.
4) Contribute maximum to 401k (sadly, no match!)
5) Contribute maximum to get IRA match.
6) Travel out of the country using savings (not EF! savings, heh).
For now, Ive decided against trying to pay off the car early. I will likely get rid of it when the extended warranty expires in 1.5 years.
I have an additional goal, but it didnt seem specific enough to list. Im imagining I would like to have somewhere between 10-30k (on top of my EF) available in cash like equivalents. I may add that as lucky number seven sometime during the first quarter.
1) Finish paying off 0% interest cc by mid February.
2) Stay out of cc debt!!
3) Finish funding EF to $5k by mid February.
4) Contribute maximum to 401k (sadly, no match!)
5) Contribute maximum to get IRA match.
6) Travel out of the country using savings (not EF! savings, heh).
For now, Ive decided against trying to pay off the car early. I will likely get rid of it when the extended warranty expires in 1.5 years.
I have an additional goal, but it didnt seem specific enough to list. Im imagining I would like to have somewhere between 10-30k (on top of my EF) available in cash like equivalents. I may add that as lucky number seven sometime during the first quarter.
2009 rocks so far!
Before the end of last year, a source of some additional/weekend income offered me a 'salary' and set # of hours for $X. I thought the offer was way, way, way low and countered with a figure almost 40% higher.
Got the call today that he was happy to accept the higher offer (which btw, I still thought was a great deal for him). Sweet!
Yay for prospering :)
Got the call today that he was happy to accept the higher offer (which btw, I still thought was a great deal for him). Sweet!
Yay for prospering :)
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Prospering already!
I received a 'free' check for $1000 today. Woo! I had forgotten that some portion of my scrilla from last start up being acquired was held in escrow until the deal was totally done.
While I was (ok, *am*) tempted to purchase that Tory Burch Reagan Zip Tote (at 20% off!), I'm pretty sure Im goin to use all to pay down a debt.
Prosperity!
While I was (ok, *am*) tempted to purchase that Tory Burch Reagan Zip Tote (at 20% off!), I'm pretty sure Im goin to use all to pay down a debt.
Prosperity!
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