Thanksgiving

I got back late Sunday night and put the finishing touches on the post for the Best of Money Carnival. Then I realized I needed to recap everything that happened the past weekend. It was a lot of family time, friend time and relaxing time. I didn't spend as much as I thought I would and my parents paid for a lot of the home stuff (which is what they do... more on this below).

Wednesday:
I woke up super early (for me) at 6:45am to catch the bus to the metro to get on the train to Union Station. The train was running about an hour late (grrr!) by the time my mommy picked me up at the train station on the other end. We stopped by the grocery store on our way got home to start cooking. Sister arrived home shortly after we did and the three of us did the cooking. My aunt and cousin arrived around dinnertime and the six of us (mom, dad, sister, aunt, cousin and I) went out to dinner to our favorite Italian place. After dinner we watched a movie that I had brought home through netflix.
$ spent: $2.50(ish) for bus/metro fare; parents paid for the train ticket home, groceries; aunt paid for dinner

Thursday:
Thanksgiving! The six of us from the previous day were joined by another cousin, her husband and 9 month old baby and 3 other family members from my aunt's side. We did some more cooking, lots of eating and lots of oohing and ahhing over the baby. She is sooo freaking cute!
$ spent: none

Friday:
No shopping for me! We had the unveiling for my grandpa. I didn't realize that other religions didn't do that, so I'll explain for those not in the know. Basically, in the Jewish faith, about a year after the death of a loved one, there is a ceremony where you "unveil" the grave stone. The grave is covered with a cheesecloth-type fabric, you say a few prayers and a few words about the deceased and then uncover the grave. It's the end of the mourning period, even though every year on the anniversery of the person's death you light a candle and say a special prayer. So anyway, we had that. Afterwards we went to a nearby diner for lunch. We drove home and had leftovers for dinner. After dinner I met up with HS friends for drinks. My part came to $7, but everyone else drank way more than me so they just paid for my part
$ spent: lunch paid for by grandpa's estate; none

Saturday:
Went to a wedding with a friend as his date. The wedding was of an aquaintence and I def would not have been invited if I didn't go as a date. It was a full catholic mass (which was a little uncomfortable for me, probably the only Jew there) and a lovely reception. Between the ceremony and the reception we went back to my friend's new condo with another couple. Lots of interesting discussions and topics that will inspire future blog musings.
$ spent: none

Sunday:
Said goodbye to aunt, cousin and sister. Hung out a bit, watched some tv and then went shopping with mom. Stopped at Plato's Closet and got two shirts (one from express and one from Banana Republic. Then hit up DSW and got a pair of Michael Korrs loafers for 40% off. We browsed a few other stores but nothing really struck my fancy. There were so many people around that it was just overwhelming. I don't like to shop when it is so crowded. Watched some tv with Daddy (football and HGTV... he loves HGTV now. It's kind of awesome!). Then we had dinner from our favorite Italian place again. They took me to the train and I made it back to Arlington via cab at about 10:45pm.
$ Spent: $13 at Plato's Closet; $47.96 at DSW; parents paid for dinner; dad slipped me $20 when he dropped me at the train station which paid for the cab.


So there are a number of things from this weekend which have inspired me to think a little deeper and will definitely show up in the blog. Here is a list of what you have to look forward to (provided I get around to writing about all of these things... which could be unlikely):
(1) My cousins and their attitude towards money
(2) Inheritance and my family's reaction
(3) Friends and their condos/homes
(4) Weddings, costs, differences
(5) Differing "necessities" based on where you live


Today I'm grateful for: my new iphone cover. I got it in turquoise and it fits with my goal to add more color to my life.

Last Day Net Worth: November

I promise I'm still going to update about my weekend! But this update is the last day net worth update. By tracking my net worth on the last day of the month, I hope to keep the numbers more consistent based on the usual fluctuations of paying bills and stuff like that. Without further ado... NOVEMBER!

ASSETS
Cash (checking, MMA, W2S): $39,378.98
GNMA: $8,840.65
Total Bond Index: $8,957.46
Total Stock Index: $19,507.38
Roth IRA (Target Retirement 2045): $5,229.14
403(b) (S&P 500 Index): $11,335.93

DEBT
None

So that means my total net worth for the end of November is $93,249.54 (an increase of 2.33% from last month) with $16,565.07 in retirement (an increase of 5.57% from last month) and $76,684.47 in more liquid assets (an increase of 1.66% from last month).

I'm pretty bad with math and analyzing numbers, but any increase is a good thing, right?

Today I'm grateful for: a date this week!

Best of Money Carnival

Welcome to my blog and welcome to the Best of Money Carnival this week. I volunteered to host this carnival (my first!) back in August when I saw this blog going in a whole different direction. My blog emphasizes the PERSONAL in personal finance, so that's the filter I used when selecting from a high quality group of submissions. I tried to pick articles that were well written and showed or taught me something new. I decided to list then in alphabetical order rather than rank them because I couldn't decide how to pick a winner. So here they are!

Budgets are Sexy ~ Results of the $100 Scratch Off Lottery Project
I kind of always wanted to go to town on scratch off lottery tickets. J. Money did it so I don't have to. Sorry you didn't come away with more to show for it, but props for donating the money to charity.

Bullishness ~ Are you a Gambler or Investor (A Flow Chart)
Who doesn't like flow charts? I'm a sucker for this feature in ladies magazines and I like it even better when it has to do with money!

Deposit Accounts ~ It's not Legal for Checking Accounts to Pay Interest
I had no idea! This is also a good reminder to make sure that all of your bank accounts are FDIC insured. Just because your investment is through a bank doesn't mean you are fully protected.


ETFdb ~ Ten Myths About ETF Investing
I'm embarrassed to say that I really don't know that much about ETFs, even though I see them mentioned in blogs all the time. This article helped to teach me a bit more about the topic.

Free Money Finance ~ Five Steps to Six Figures in Seven Years
Sign me up for that! Sadly, I will probably never have a six figure salary in my chosen career path. However, through careful saving and investing I think I'm on the path to that kind of income.

Frugally Green ~ Multiple Intelligences: Why You're a Green Rock Star but Suck at Saving Money
Like Tyler, I sometimes struggle with the very math-y nature of personal finance. It's so important to figure out how you learn best and use that to your advantage in life and in personal finance.

Get Rich Slowly ~ The Perfect is the Enemy of the Good
Without a doubt, I'm a perfectionist. This is a great reminder that good enough is sometimes more important than perfection.

Lazy Man and Money ~ Why I Don't Buy Digital Media
There's definitely a lot I still have to learn about digital media, but this was an interesting look at some of the drawbacks of new technology. All I know is that I'm not buying a Kindle anytime soon!

Man vs. Debt ~ There's Always an Excuse Not to Give
It's easy to say "I'll give more when... fill in the blank." This is an article that made me reevaluate my level of giving and what I can do better in the future.

Wealth Pilgrim ~ 3 Reasons Why You are a Genius for Not Investing in Gold (Now or Ever)
I always wondered about gold and why some people go so crazy for it. This article showed me that it's far too speculative for my taste. I'll keep my investments in mutual fund and bonds, thankyouverymuch!


Today I'm grateful for: hosting my first carnival. It's kind of a big deal :)

Get Rid of Stuff Sunday #20

Phew! It was a fun weekend and I will update probably Tuesday or Wednesday about my spending and such. I'm also hosting a carnival tomorrow! Stay tuned. :)

And here is the stuff I got rid of this week:

(1) Red zip up sweater. I don't think I ever really liked this top...

(2) Shirt from Delia's. I'm too old to wear clothes from that store now.

(3) Complete Idiot's Guide to Personal Finance for Your 20s and 30s. I got this book used without checking the copyright date. It's from the 1990s and completely out of date. Oh well... it was probably only $2.

(4) A book from college called "Writing in the Workplace." It's also out of date. So of out date that it doesn't even list google as a search engine.

(5) A vase. It super pretty, but it contained flowers given to me by the ex who is now engaged. I need to purge everything that reminds me of him from my life. It's just easier that way.

(6 and 7+) Some random food that I haven't eaten that I plan to donate to a food drive that is going on right now

Today I'm grateful for: Time with family and friends. High school memories.

Do you Black Friday?

I did a crazy Black Friday shopping experience with a girlfriend once. She and her mom would go every year, but this particular year her mother had to go to a funeral and couldn't go shopping. I offered to go in her place. We woke up at 5am to start finding deals. It was terrible. The shops were all crowded. The bargains weren't that amazing. People were rude and pushy and frenzied. It just wasn't all that fun.

I vowed that I would not go Black Friday shopping again unless I really needed something that I could get at a good discount only on that particular day (probably not until I need expensive things for a house or I have kids). I love shopping, but not when it feels stressful and hurried and there are long lines. No Black Friday for me!

Are you going shopping on Black Friday?

Today I'm grateful for: seeing my family tomorrow and finally getting to meet my cousin's new baby.

100th Post!

It's been 100 posts, dear readers! Hard to believe I've been blogging here since May. I thought it would be nice to look back with some of my milestones and look ahead toward the future.

My list of firsts:
First comment on my first post from Wren Caulfield. I felt so popular!
First post with comments in the double digits: No Spend. Felt even more popular... you like me! You really like me! :)
My first Get Rid of Stuff Sunday. I was so proud that I got rid of more than 7 items! If only I knew how hard it was going to get...
My first carnival. This was before I hit my grove. I'm kind of embarassed about that article now.
Looking forward for the blog...
I want to keep doing a lot of what I'm doing, but continue to grow and evolve. I want to:
(1) move towards being more organic, green, and environmentally friendly
(2) continue to simplify, minimize and declutter my life
(3) track my net worth and watch my money grow
(4) buy a home (likely condo) of my own and write about the entire process
(5) find my next job position and settle in
(6) find that right guy and get to plan a wedding and our lives together
(7) find joy and color in my daily life
(8) save, save, save!
(9) do a little bit of traveling and write about that
and to keep this a nice round list...
(10) learn more about myself

Today I'm grateful for: milestones.

Get Rid of Stuff Sunday #19

Clothing purge this week.

(1) Pair of black open toe shoes. I haven't worn them in so long that they are dusty. That's kind of sad.

(2) Gray top. I love this top but it is too big and really doesn't fit properly. I think they will accept it for consigning...

(3 and 4) Belts. One used to be my mom's. One I think I got when I was 15. Nuff said.

(5) Black pants. I thought that I got rid of these already because they were hiding at the bottom of a pile of shorts. I've been okay without them, so I'm going to give them up.

(6) Black flats. I think I've worn these to death. The soles are starting to tear off.

(7) Cranberry-colored shortsleeved top. It makes my boobs look weird.

Today I'm grateful for: trivia and happy hours.

October

I'm a little late this month on posting my spending from last month. Mostly due to that stupid $30 I was disputing for that terrible speed dating event. Good news is I got back the $30 with no problem. Hooray! So here is October....

QUICK SNAPSHOT
Total Income: $2,932.43
Total Expenses: $2,123.84
NET (Income - Expenses): $808.59

INCOME
Wages: $2,561.02
Medical Reimbursement: $114.96
Extra income: $256.45 (got paid for teaching at the high holidays, selling clothes)
Monthly Total: $2,932.43

HOME EXPENSES
Rent $850.00
Renters Insurance/Lifelock: $99.00 (I feel more secure having lifelock because I know I'm protecting my identity and my good credit history. It's $99 once a year and I think that's a small price to pay for credit monitoring. They send me my credit report every year so I don't have to think about it and they put a freeze on your credit so that no one can open a credit card without you authorizing it.)
Electricity: $26.79 (much lower now that I'm not using the AC!)
Cell: $78.28
Cable/Internet: $87.05

TRANSPORTATION
Gas: $49.83
Bus/Taxi/Metro/Toll Fare: $23.00
Maintenance/Upkeep/Tax: $480.56 (Personal Property tax and various upkeep things)

DAILY LIVING
Groceries/Drug Stores: $145.51
Dining/Eating Out: $149.63
Laundry: $15.00
Dry Cleaning: $20.26
Clothing: $0!!!!!

HEALTH
Rx/OTC: $15.00
Co-pays: $10.00

ENTERTAINMENT
Netflix: $9.44
Movies/Music: $0.99 (I bought a song on itunes)

MISCELLANEOUS
Cash: $63.50 (Cash I took out of the bank and didn't spend)

Total Spent $2,123.84
Total Saved $808.59

So October thoughts: I'm very pleased with the amount I was able to save this month. Definitely makes up for last month. The goal is to save between $600 and $1,000 per month for the rest of the year and this month that was a WIN. Yay! I'm also really excited that I was able to do the no spend on clothes. November I did some spending on clothes so far, but nothing crazy. I really like tracking my money myself and not having some computer program do it. It keeps me honest because I know I'm going to have to face the spreadsheet and those numbers don't lie. It's really become a part of my routine. I always ask for a receipt or I jot down how much I spend and where. I feel like I miss very few expenses throughout the month, so these numbers are quite accurate.

Today I'm grateful for: the ease at which I got back that $30. Fun events around DC for young Jewish professionals.

I like/I'm good at/I'm not good at

I was talking to my yoga teacher today and she got me to thinking. She said something about knowing what you're passionate about by just the tone of voice when you talk about something. I guess that's sort of common sense. So I made some lists because that is what I'm good at doing.

Things I like:
(1) Yoga
(2) Being eco-friendly, saving the planet
(3) Personal Finance
(4) Working with teens
(5) Being Jewish
(6) Simplifying
(7) Finding deals
(8) Shopping
(9) Routine
(10) Editing papers/writing
(11) Taking care of people
(12) Reading

Things I'm good at
(1) Managing the details
(2) Being a good role model
(3) Organizing/making lists
(4) Doing things my way/on my own terms
(5) Being in charge
(6) Creating systems for doing things

Things I'm not good at
(1) Maintaining long-term relationships
(2) Pretending to be interested when I'm really not
(3) Adjusting quickly/feeling comfortable with people who are not immediately friendly and welcoming
(4) Doing things someone else's way
(5) Doing things that I HAVE to do, but don't WANT to do
(6) Being flexible
(7) Letting people get too close to me

So what kind do these characteristics say about the job I should get next?

Today I'm grateful for: color.

It's hard to be a Jew at Christmas...

It's called the December Dilemma. It's the idea that Jews are different, but we feel like we have to use Chanukah to compete with Christmas. It's tough to see all of the red and green and no mention of the menorah. It sucks when people in stores say Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays. I'm seeing blog posts about saving for Christmas presents and cheap Christmas decorations and Christmas present ideas. Christmas decorations started arriving in stores before Halloween even ended. Where is the mention of MY holiday?

I love being Jewish, but this time of year really magnifies the differences. Especially those "keep the Christ in Christmas" people... I mean, I get it, we're in a recession. Let's stretch the holiday season as long as possible to make more money. But this is a little ridiculous.

I really like this article. While it does briefly mention Christmas, it's not about it. Rather it's about being green this holiday season and focusing on things that really matter.

I'm not sure what the point of this post is, but just be mindful that not everyone celebrates your holiday. Remember, when you assume, you make an ass out of u and me.

Today I'm grateful for: Glee! I love it.

And check me out! Thanks Almost Frugal!