I stayed home from work yesterday because of a pinched nerve in my shoulder (fun, fun). It sucked, but on the bright side, I used the time to do my 2011 taxes. I knew I'd be getting a refund, but it's exciting to know the exact amount and to start playing with different scenarios of how I'll use it.
I'm getting $2,300 back in taxes. Holla! So, I'm going to put $1,700 toward my student loan (to make $2,000 above my regular payment this month with the $300 allotted for that in my budget). The remainder is going into my Travel fund, which puts me on track for my goal.
It's interesting, I'm not tempted to go and buy anything with the money...I am tempted to leave it in savings to boost my E-fund, or to put it all towards my trip fund as a "just in case" amount. But my old routine was to splurge on something big with my taxes. Now, I want to do something significant with it...whether it's savings or paying down debt, I want it to go towards something. I like that most of it is paying off debt, while the rest is going towards something that is memorable and I will be glad I did forever.
Now, I just have to wait for the direct deposit to come in! My loan sidebar should be getting more blue in a couple of weeks!
What are you doing with your tax returns?
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
My New Addiction
A few months ago I got a notice from SoCal Edison (electric company) that I can track my bill online throughout the month. I can also set it up to email me a weekly update of where I'm at and if I'm on track to stay within my goal for how much my electric bill will be.
That sounds cool, I thought. Then I didn't do it for two months.
But, I finally set it up a few weeks ago, and I LOVE it. I can log in and see what my current bill is and how much they predict I'll owe at the end of the month. I check it a few times per week, and it's really made me more mindful to unplug different things when they're not in use. I resisted the temptation to use my space heater the other night, and instead grabbed an extra blanket. I've been opening windows and turning off the lights during the day. I've also been letting my laptop charge all day at work, and then not plugging it in when I use it at home (as much as possible). I think this is making a big difference, actually.
Right now, I'm on track to be $4 under my goal for the month. I set my goal on the lowest end of what we've paid in the past. So, if I can keep consistent for the rest of the month, my electric bill will only be $16 this month. No, it's not saving me millions of dollars (heck, even hundreds). But it's nice to be in control, and it's also good for the environment.
And I'm really nerdy, so it's even kind of fun.
That sounds cool, I thought. Then I didn't do it for two months.
But, I finally set it up a few weeks ago, and I LOVE it. I can log in and see what my current bill is and how much they predict I'll owe at the end of the month. I check it a few times per week, and it's really made me more mindful to unplug different things when they're not in use. I resisted the temptation to use my space heater the other night, and instead grabbed an extra blanket. I've been opening windows and turning off the lights during the day. I've also been letting my laptop charge all day at work, and then not plugging it in when I use it at home (as much as possible). I think this is making a big difference, actually.
Right now, I'm on track to be $4 under my goal for the month. I set my goal on the lowest end of what we've paid in the past. So, if I can keep consistent for the rest of the month, my electric bill will only be $16 this month. No, it's not saving me millions of dollars (heck, even hundreds). But it's nice to be in control, and it's also good for the environment.
And I'm really nerdy, so it's even kind of fun.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Weekend Update: +/- Edition
--I woke up with a really bad crick in my neck. It still hurts, but it's slowly improving...I really want to run today, so hopefully it's better by four or five. BF even offered to jog with me, so I really want to go.
+BF brought me breakfast on a tray since my neck hurt.
+Got seven of the 92 hours I need to accrue to get my summer bonus for National Boards.
--Had to go to a 7 hour training yesterday in LA. The follow up is this Thursday from 4:30-8:30. Yuck.
+I'm under budget in a few areas, so I should be able to put a little money in my travel fund for Europe.
+My W-2 was in my sign-in sheet on Friday.
--I didn't sign out, so I didn't get it yet. But I'll be doing my taxes tomorrow night!
+This is the last week of the semester, and my classes should get smaller for second semester, which will be GREAT.
--Lots of work to finish and grade this week!
+Went to a USC basketball game with BF and his friend last night. Fun to do something different.
+I'm cooking dinner with all ingredients we have on hand, since I don't want to go to grocery store 'til I get paid on Friday. We'll see if I can make it!
Overall more plusses than minuses. How was your weekend?
+BF brought me breakfast on a tray since my neck hurt.
+Got seven of the 92 hours I need to accrue to get my summer bonus for National Boards.
--Had to go to a 7 hour training yesterday in LA. The follow up is this Thursday from 4:30-8:30. Yuck.
+I'm under budget in a few areas, so I should be able to put a little money in my travel fund for Europe.
+My W-2 was in my sign-in sheet on Friday.
--I didn't sign out, so I didn't get it yet. But I'll be doing my taxes tomorrow night!
+This is the last week of the semester, and my classes should get smaller for second semester, which will be GREAT.
--Lots of work to finish and grade this week!
+Went to a USC basketball game with BF and his friend last night. Fun to do something different.
+I'm cooking dinner with all ingredients we have on hand, since I don't want to go to grocery store 'til I get paid on Friday. We'll see if I can make it!
Overall more plusses than minuses. How was your weekend?
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
New Money, Old News
Because I am at a brand new school, we didn't get all of our funding right away. But now that it's second semester, they've released some of our funds so I'm actually going to start getting paid for some of the extra work I'm doing. Whoo-hoo!
So, I'm getting paid to do an after school tutoring session once a week. I will get about $50/hour. I've been doing tutoring every Wednesday from 3:00-4:00 all year, so it will be nice to get compensated for that work.
I am one of the Lead Teachers for my academy, which means I lead meetings, help handle discipline, and attend admin meetings for our whole school. For this job, I'm getting $25 per week flat, as well as $25 every other week for the meeting I attend.
So, for those of you keeping score, this means I'll be bringing home an extra $350 per month before taxes. Add this to the $200 or so I'll get for having my National Boards, and I'm looking at a pretty amazing monthly bump! For now, a lot of my extra money will go toward my Europe trip, and then I'll use it to meet my 2012 goals. There is a chance that we'll have to take furlough days at the end of the year, so the extra money could also help compensate for the loss of pay.
Also, the old news is that I know I will be getting a pink slip again this year. I hope that it will be rescinded before school's out, but there is a definite chance that I will be laid off for the summer and have to go on unemployment. I'd most likely be brought back before school starts, and be back-paid for the unnecessary layoff. But, time will tell for all of that.
My goal is to try not to freak out about the pink slip thing...it's awful, and stressful, and frankly insulting to the job I do each day. I have been teaching for seven years. My classes are huge, so the thought that we can layoff more teachers is a crazy thought. I am National Board Certified, I am a lead teacher, and I do a million other things each day. But, rather than focus on all of that for now (and hopefully in the months to come) I will enjoy my trip to Europe, and then start stocking money into my emergency fund. I can't control what will happen next; but I can be prepared.
So, I'm getting paid to do an after school tutoring session once a week. I will get about $50/hour. I've been doing tutoring every Wednesday from 3:00-4:00 all year, so it will be nice to get compensated for that work.
I am one of the Lead Teachers for my academy, which means I lead meetings, help handle discipline, and attend admin meetings for our whole school. For this job, I'm getting $25 per week flat, as well as $25 every other week for the meeting I attend.
So, for those of you keeping score, this means I'll be bringing home an extra $350 per month before taxes. Add this to the $200 or so I'll get for having my National Boards, and I'm looking at a pretty amazing monthly bump! For now, a lot of my extra money will go toward my Europe trip, and then I'll use it to meet my 2012 goals. There is a chance that we'll have to take furlough days at the end of the year, so the extra money could also help compensate for the loss of pay.
Also, the old news is that I know I will be getting a pink slip again this year. I hope that it will be rescinded before school's out, but there is a definite chance that I will be laid off for the summer and have to go on unemployment. I'd most likely be brought back before school starts, and be back-paid for the unnecessary layoff. But, time will tell for all of that.
My goal is to try not to freak out about the pink slip thing...it's awful, and stressful, and frankly insulting to the job I do each day. I have been teaching for seven years. My classes are huge, so the thought that we can layoff more teachers is a crazy thought. I am National Board Certified, I am a lead teacher, and I do a million other things each day. But, rather than focus on all of that for now (and hopefully in the months to come) I will enjoy my trip to Europe, and then start stocking money into my emergency fund. I can't control what will happen next; but I can be prepared.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Taking Time for...
After a conversation about fitness/weight loss with the BF yesterday and reading Jolie's post about health, I decided to focus on taking care of myself today, and hopefully in the days to come. So, I'm not committing to doing this regularly (I'm terrible with doing series of posts), but for today, I'm counting how I cared for myself, in hopes of reminding me to do this more often.
*I tried a new church, and though I didn't like it, I made the effort to go=taking care of my soul.
*I ran two miles and then came home and did the Active 2 workout for today=taking care of my health via exercise.
*I am drinking a cup of green tea and eating a nectarine as a snack instead of having a soda and chips=taking care of my health via diet.
*I am about to start grading papers=taking care of my stress level later this week by getting ahead. This will hopefully enable me to make time for exercise later in the week, as well as some other professional goals.
*I am making dinner in the crock pot, with ingredients I had, using up some things that were about to go bad=taking care of my finances and not wasting food, which connects me to the Earth (wow, that one sounded new agey.)
*I opened the shades and am working by natural light, so I am not using extra electricity=taking care of my finances and the planet.
*I plan on cleaning the bathroom and vacuuming=taking care of my home, which makes me feel more at peace when I am here.
*I tried a new church, and though I didn't like it, I made the effort to go=taking care of my soul.
*I ran two miles and then came home and did the Active 2 workout for today=taking care of my health via exercise.
*I am drinking a cup of green tea and eating a nectarine as a snack instead of having a soda and chips=taking care of my health via diet.
*I am about to start grading papers=taking care of my stress level later this week by getting ahead. This will hopefully enable me to make time for exercise later in the week, as well as some other professional goals.
*I am making dinner in the crock pot, with ingredients I had, using up some things that were about to go bad=taking care of my finances and not wasting food, which connects me to the Earth (wow, that one sounded new agey.)
*I opened the shades and am working by natural light, so I am not using extra electricity=taking care of my finances and the planet.
*I plan on cleaning the bathroom and vacuuming=taking care of my home, which makes me feel more at peace when I am here.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Europe Hotels Booked!
This week Shelley and I talked on the phone three or four times, mostly about where we should stay in Amsterdam and Beligum. We finally decided to stay at Bed & Breakfast Jordaan in Amsterdam. It gets great reviews, comes with breakfast, the owner is said to be super helpful in planning your days, and it was a reasonable amount. In American dollars, we'll each be paying about $80 per night.
For our two nights in Beligum we decided to stay in Bruges at Hotel Ter Reien. We're paying about $75 per night each there. It also got good reviews, and we spent an extra ten bucks per night for a canal view, where apparently swans come up to your windows and you can feed them bread. (shut up!) This one also comes with breakfast.
Yes, we could have found cheaper places to stay. But I'm over hostels, and I wanted my own bathroom (something many of the cheaper hotels in Europe didn't offer). I think we struck a good balance between getting a good deal and staying somewhere nice.
Now that we have our hotels booked, it's starting to feel real! Whoo hoo!
 |
| Street view |
 |
| Doesn't this look lovely? |
For our two nights in Beligum we decided to stay in Bruges at Hotel Ter Reien. We're paying about $75 per night each there. It also got good reviews, and we spent an extra ten bucks per night for a canal view, where apparently swans come up to your windows and you can feed them bread. (shut up!) This one also comes with breakfast.
 |
| Right on the canal... |
Now that we have our hotels booked, it's starting to feel real! Whoo hoo!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Thanks ING!
Over Thanksgiving I opened a Sharebuilder account in order to earn a $100 bonus once I did two trades. Today, the bonus showed up in my account, so I transferred it to my ING Savings, which for now is my Europe fund. I was also able to sell a book on Amazon, so I transferred another $9.20 into ING. That brings my Europe fund total up to $210. Slow and steady, baby.
I looked back and thanks to taking advantage of sign-up bonuses, I earned $135 in free money this year from ING. Score! That's enough for the roundtrip train ticket from Brussels to Amsterdam and back. Or a night in the cute B&B we found in Amsterdam. Thanks ING!
I know my days of bonus sign ups for myself are over, but hopefully I can get sign up bonuses from friends and get some more free money from ING as well. I'm definitely happy with their customer service when I've called, and you can't beat a bank that gives you free money!
Anyone else taken advantage of ING's bonuses? What did you use them for?
I looked back and thanks to taking advantage of sign-up bonuses, I earned $135 in free money this year from ING. Score! That's enough for the roundtrip train ticket from Brussels to Amsterdam and back. Or a night in the cute B&B we found in Amsterdam. Thanks ING!
I know my days of bonus sign ups for myself are over, but hopefully I can get sign up bonuses from friends and get some more free money from ING as well. I'm definitely happy with their customer service when I've called, and you can't beat a bank that gives you free money!
Anyone else taken advantage of ING's bonuses? What did you use them for?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)