Last Day Net Worth: December

I've been MIA for the past two-ish weeks, but I haven't forgotten about you! I'll post something more substantial later, but now it's time for the last day net worth! 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... DECEMBER!

ASSETS
Cash (checking, MMA, W2S) $40,004.81
GNMA $9,321.88
Total Bond Index $9,417.89
Total Stock Index $20,575.11
Total Liquid $79,319.69

Roth IRA (Target Retirement 2045) $5,384.14
403(b) (S&P 500 Index) $12,058.75
Total Retirement $17,442.89

DEBT
None

Total Net worth $96,762.58
Percent Change from previous month 3.77%

Not too shabby for 2009... Can't wait to see what 2010 brings! Happy New Year to all!

Today I'm grateful for: Twilight... I just got hooked (I know... a little late!)

PF Books

It's question time!

What was the first PF book you ever read and how old were you?
The first PF book I ever read was Rich Dad, Poor Dad when I was 17. It was the summer before my senior year of high school and my dad told me to bring it to summer camp with me. I read it during rest hour and before bed. While I've read that a lot of PF bloggers think this book is a joke, it really hit home to me about different mindsets on money (which still fascinates me). It showed the importance of making my money work for me rather than working for my money.

What was the best PF book you ever read and how old were you?
The best PF book I read was the Millionaire Next Door. I can't remember how old I was, but this book also had a huuuuge impact on me. My dad also told me to read this one and it made me realize how much money my family likely has. We are definitely the millionaires next door. This book is all about people who live below their means and are able to save millions. They are unassuming, but generous. It showed me that you never know someone's situation. The person who appears to have millions might be a paycheck away from homelessness and the person who drives the old car and lives in the small house might actually have those millions.


Now your turn to answer the questions!

Today I'm grateful for: family time. I'll be in NYC with my family this week!

SNOWPOCALYPSE: Day 2

The boredom continues!

But first, pictures:

Wait... is that a pile of snow?

No. It's my car.
Looks like I'm not driving anywhere for awhile.
But at least I left my wipers up to keep things easy.

And onto other things since I clearly won't be driving to PA today. I'm determined to have a productive today. I plan to work on the blog. I admit that I do not know a lot about web design or the technical side of blogging, but I did figure out how to create a blog roll. Visit my site to see if you made the list. If you didn't, please comment and I can add you. I'd also appreciate if you could add me to your blog roll if I'm not already there.

I've also been looking around on BlogHer. And just joined, so if you're on there, be my friend. Any BlogHer tips?

What are some blog-y things that you do that are easy?

Today I'm grateful for: $40 well spent on someone else digging out my car. Maybe I will make it out today?

SNOWPOCALYPSE

I'm kind of going stir crazy due to the snowpocalypse that has hit the DC area. I've heard it is about 20 inches of snow. That is NUTS. And that is the problem with living not metro accessible/not near any friends. It could have been a fun day of playing in the snow, but now I'm just bored and I don't see tomorrow being any easier to get around. LAME.

Things I did today:
(1) watched tv
(2) read a bajillion blogs
(3) watched more tv
(4) swept my apartment
(5) read a bajillion more blogs
(6) read everyone's status messages on facebook about the snow
(7) watched more tv
(8) didn't get dressed all day

Things I was supposed to do today:
(1) go on a date
(2) get ready and look pretty for said date
(3) not be stuck in my house
(4) get ready to drive to my parent's house tomorrow
(5) take out the trash

On the plus side, I didn't spend any money?

Today I'm grateful for: someone else shoveling the steps up to my apartment building!

November Spending

November spending (reminder for the lateness of this post: I double check my spending spreadsheet when I get my credit card bills which come in the middle of the next month)...


SNAPSHOT
Total Income: $2,850.50
Total Expenses: $1,915.05
NET (Income - Expenses): $935.45

INCOME
Wages: $2,561.02 (the same every month!)
Rebates/Sold items: $10.00 (target gift card for Rx)
Extra income: $279.48 (Babysat once, subbed for Religious School, catered once)
Monthly Total: $2,850.50

HOME EXPENSES
Rent: $850.00
Electricity $23.08 (it's going back down now that I don't have to use the AC!)
Cell $78.28
Cable/Internet $79.11

TRANSPORTATION
Car Insurance: $491.77 (I pay twice a year. November is one of the lucky months)
Gas: $26.41 (being single has its perks? I'm not driving into DC all the time, so my gas usage is way down)
Bus/Taxi/Metro/Toll Fare: $25.67 (reloaded my Smarttrip card, misc parking)
Maintenance/Upkeep/Tax: $14.71 (new wiper blades)

DAILY LIVING
Groceries/Drug Stores: $91.54 (Being home for almost a week for Thanksgiving helped this number to be low)
Dining/Eating Out: $45.87
Laundry: $3.00 (1 load I think... I always take my laundry home to do there. I also am not always the most conscientious about tracking this number.)
Clothing: $95.22 (shoes, Plato's Closet, iphone cover--wasn't sure where to put this, Halloween costume on sale)

HEALTH
Rx/OTC: $15.00

ENTERTAINMENT
Newspaper: $18.00 (this is paid every few months)
Netflix: $9.53 (for some reason this went up slightly. It's always been $9.44)
Movies/Music: $0.74 (I accidentally bought a song that I thought I had a coupon code for. Oops!)
Gifts/Donations: $2.87 (Card for Mommy's birthday)

MISCELLANEOUS
Target (unidentified) $44.25

Total Spent $1,915.05
Total Saved $935.45

I am THRILLED with November. I'm going to finish this year strong! The extra income (just about $300) was definitely helpful in having such a high savings rate. I will also definitely meet my goal of saving an average of $550 a month all year. Let's call November a big fat WIN.

Today I'm grateful for: giving thoughtful gifts.

Chanukah: 7th Night

Jewish trivia question (answer below... don't peek!). Which is a menorah and which is a chanukiah?

A.

B.

Answer. Wait. There's a difference?

Indeed there is a difference! A. is a menorah and B. is a chanukiah. The menorah has places for 7 candles and the chanukiah (pronounced ha new kee ah) has places for 9 candles and is only used for Chanukah.

9 candles? But isn't Chanukah only 8 days? You are correct. There is a special candle called the shamesh or "helper" candle. That is usually the one in the center (as in both of the pictures above) or the tallest candle. It is the candle that is used to light all of the other candles which is a super important job. The shamesh supports all of the other candles and you guys are all sort of like my shamesh candle. You sparked the light of PF in my heart. You offer me encouragement, keep me on track and are my help. Thank you for being you!

Tonight is the 7th night of Chanukah.

Today I'm grateful for: Trader Joe's. I love that place! And I love their seasonal Candy Cane Joe-Joe's cookies. A Jewish girl can get in the Christmas spirit!

Chanukah

For someone who revels in being the Jewish educator of the PF world, I've been an epic fail about using Chanukah as a teachable moment. Chanukah is the festival of lights. Instead of one day of presents we get 8 crazy nights. Wait, that's the Adam Sandler song...


So the real (short) story about Chanukah is that a bajillion years ago, the Temple in Jerusalem was taken over and destroyed by the Greeks (Jewish history is all about people who hate the Jews). The Maccabees waged a war against the Greeks and even though they were outmatched, they won back the temple and their religious freedom. They went back to the holy temple to try to repair it. They needed to light the menorah, but only had enough oil to last one day. Instead, a miracle happened! The oil lasted for 8 days instead of one. Chanukah celebrates this miracle.

To turn this into a PF lesson, it's about stretching your resources and making them last. They thought the oil would only last for 1 day, but somehow it lasted for 8. How long can you stretch things out? Things like buying new clothes or a new car? That hand soap or toilet paper? Use your resources effectively and thoughtfully and you can make them go a lot farther than you think.

Happy Chanukah! Tonight is the 6th night.

Today I'm grateful for: my electric menorah that has made it though my years of college and many moves.

Real Simple Love!

I LOVE Real Simple Magazine! I got it for $5 through a special on Amazon a few months ago. $5 is super cheap to begin with, but it was FREE because I used my swagbucks. If you aren't already a member, please consider signing up through my referral link above (or on the banner if you're reading this on the webpage). Anyway, I just got January's magazine and "Real Simple Thoughts" which starts off the magazine with a quote and a picture said this:

"Wealth consists not in having great possessions but in having few wants." -Esther De Waal, Seeking God: The Way of St. Benedict

Wow. What a great reminder. My path to a more minimalistic life has definitely started me in the right direction towards living this quote. I see myself coveting less "stuff" and when I go shopping, I really think about what I want to purchase. I don't know that this was my goal going into my get rid of stuff Sundays, but I think it is definitely a desirable outcome.

I cut out the quote and picture (a very minimalistic black and white photo of a pear sitting on a table) and I'm going to put it somewhere that only I see. Like the back of a closet door or the back of my bathroom cabinet. That way this Real Simple thought will inspire me when I least expect it. And that when I need it the most.

Real Simple's January issue focuses on how to save on (nearly) anything. I'm not finished reading it yet, but I think it will inspire a few posts!

Today I'm grateful for: Real Simple magazine and swagbucks

Money!

I've been feeling a little down lately. I think it's a combination of being single and not feeling as though my friends want to see me and the gloomy weather.

On the plus side, however, I've been using this time to not spend money and earn extra money. Right now I'm scheduled to cater 4 different events. One already happened and was for 6.5 hours. The other ones should be about 7 hours, 6 hours and 4 hours. I make about $17 an hour so just with those 4 dates I'm at almost $400. Catering is not a plan far in advance field, so I anticipate there being a handful more events also.

And! I just got my first appointment from the market research place I signed up with a million years ago. I am going to be getting $50 for about an hour of my time and my opinion. I like giving my opinion and I like $50, so this is a win-win situation.


Today I'm grateful for: feeling like I know what I'm doing at work. It's taken a long time, but I'm there. And why am I considering leaving?

Inheritance

As I mentioned in this post, my grandfather (who died several years after my grandma) left behind a significant sum after his death. I wanted to talk a little about him and my grandma and how they accumulated that money and their lifestyle. Grandpa was the nicest, most gentle, optimistic man and this is a good way for me to remember him.

Anyway, after the war my grandpa went into business with my great uncle in the newly emerging field of plastics. They owned a business that printed on plastic bags. It was profitable, but not crazily so. Eventually he sold the business and retired with a modest sum.

He and grandma lived a modest lifestyle. Even though they had two homes (in New York and Florida... they were snow birds) for quite some time, they never spent a ton of money. Their clothes were always out of date. Some of grandpa's shirts were so threadbare that you could practically see through them, but he never seemed to notice. They wouldn't waste anything! Every margarine tub was reused, aluminum foil was folded and put back, food wouldn't be thrown away, etc. We used to call him a trash compactor because if you didn't want to eat something, grandpa would finish it off. If you saw them, you'd never have known that they had millions. They spent their money on things that mattered to them, which wasn't clothes or furniture or stuff. After retirement, they traveled the world. And they adored each other.

Here's the part that shocked me. After retirement, their money grew to a larger amount than was initially invested. Grandpa was conservative with his money and by the time he died it was almost entirely in tax free municipal bonds. I don't fully understand everything he did or actually know the entire story, but he actively managed his money and made sure he understood where his money was going.

The moral of the story is live frugally and invest well and you'll have millions. I'm trying to use my grandparents as an example. They are a great one. And they were great people.

Today I'm grateful for: enjoying my own company

Get Rid of Stuff Sunday: NOTHING!

I think I've reached the end point in my getting rid of stuff. There's nothing right now that I am willing to part with. I'm left with stuff that is useful and that I know I will have use for in the future, but not yet. Things like my blender and electric mixer, which I will use once I have an actual kitchen and family of some sort. Books on my shelf that I may not get to right away, but I plan to read. Clothes that I really like and do wear, even if I might not LOVE them. A tool set and picture hanging supplies which I don't use regularly, but I will use again.

So let's call this a pause? Because I don't think I'm ready to stop getting rid of stuff forever, but I'm good with what I have right now. I have a whole lot less than when I started, which is a win.

Today I'm grateful for: buying my first CFL lights for my bathroom.

November Goals Recap

I kind of forgot about my November Goals mid-way through the month, and now I'm just feeling kind of bleh about most of them. I started off pretty strong and then it goes downhill...

(1) Spend less on food this month - WIN!
I spent about $140 this month on groceries and eating out vs. about $300 the previous month.
(2) Earn an extra $200 this month - WIN!
I earned $100 babysitting, $46.17 for my catering re-training, $55 for subbing last month for the religious school and $78.31 for a catering gig. That's a total of $279.48.
(3) Work more effectively at the job. Keep surfing the web to a minimum. - FAIL
I really haven't had a ton to do at the job lately. I've got most of it down to a science and that leaves a lot of free time. It's notsogood.
(4) Try to have the lights off by midnight 6 nights a week. - ???
I started the month off well and then by the end of the month I was getting into bed far too late.
(5) Be more proactive in making plans. -PARTIAL WIN
I've def been out and about a bit. There was a trivia night and a happy hour and a few other things. But I've kind of been enjoying just staying at home and watching tv. I think the colder weather just makes me want to put on sweats and watch a movie.
(6) Keep the apartment cleaner. - PARTIAL WIN
My bedroom is looking very decluttered. I did do some miscellaneous cleaning. But I think in December I'm going to get a cleaning service to come.
(7) Cook/bake something new and different for Thanksgiving. KINDA?
Meh. At least I got to help more this year than last.
(8) Write a post with some Jewish content.
Meh. Kind of?

I don't think I'm going to make goals for December. I'm just that apathetic right now...

Today I'm grateful for: polka dotted rainboots.

Family and Money

I mentioned in my Thanksgiving post that there were a number of things over my holiday weekend that inspired me to think more deeply about some money issues. I listed 5 items and I realized that they overlap slightly. (1) and (2) are the inspiration for this post (My cousins and their attitude towards money / Inheritance and my family's reaction, for those who didn't click on the link).

I think some of the issues surrounding money in my extended family relate back to inheritance. The back story on this is that my grandpa died over a year ago and left a large estate behind. I'm not sure of all of the exact numbers, but it was well over a million dollars and probably closer to 2 million. He left all 4 of the grandchildren (including myself) $30,000 and then the rest of the estate was split between my mother and her sister.

My sister and I haven't really let the money change our normal day to day anything. I think we both made a few slightly lavish purchases (I bought two Lily Pulitzer dresses for a total of about $400), but stuck the rest into savings and investments. Because $30,000 is a lot of money, but it's also not enough money to totally go crazy. I mean, it's not enough money to buy a house or stop working or anything like that.

However, on the opposite side of that spectrum are my two cousins. One cousin, let's call her Minnesota Momma (or MM), has had a number of health issues, just had a baby and hasn't been able to work in awhile. She had previously worked as a nanny. Her husband, Minnesota Daddy (MD), has two kids from a previous marriage, a custody battle and a irregular job in construction. They are extremely working class (neither have college degrees) and money just seems to slip through their fingers. They blew through that $30,000 in a second and now (according to the family gossip) have at least $30,000 more in debt.

MD makes probably about $12,000 a year and doesn't seem to want to change that. He's in construction which is a fine career for someone without a college degree, but he doesn't seem to want to gain additional skills. My dad suggested that MD enroll in a technical school to learn a more specific trade, but MD kind of dismissed the idea. Later my dad went off to my sister and I about "what kind of dad is he if he doesn't want to provide for his family?" It's out of my realm of understanding how a family with three kids can have so much debt and not seem to care or do anything about it.

My aunt paid for their plane ticket to come visit us and it seems as though she tends to cover a number of their expenses. My aunt is very comfortable. She is retired with a pension from teaching, has life insurance money from my uncle's death (about two years ago) and the inheritance from my grandpa. But my aunt also doesn't seem to know what she's doing with her money. She's let a financial advisor make a lot of decisions for her, which were in the best interest of the advisor and not her.

Then there's cousin #2, let's call him Big Red (BR), who has his Associates Degree in some computer-y thing. Instead of actively searching for a job in his field, he delivers pizzas. And lives at home. He talks a big game about what he's going to do, but never follows through. I don't take anything he says seriously.

I guess my issue with all of this is the lack of personal responsibility and the lack of work ethic... My cousin and her husband not taking responsibility for their family. My aunt swooping in to offer band-aids to a much bigger problem. My aunt not really understanding where her money is going. MM and MD not wanting to do any extra schooling to improve themselves. BR not following through with a career that is more lucrative and respectable. I just can't fathom that level of indifference and ignorance.


Today I'm grateful for: cheerios and milk. Sometimes it makes a very good dinner.

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.