Feeling a little sick ...

... that I wasted all that money.

I just paid back two credit cards at $404.76 and $419.96 respectively. I have not used either of these cards for almost 2 years because they were maxed out. And now, they have a balance of $0.

I feel like such a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. 




Laters.

The Results Are In ...

I HAZ MONEEZ!


I did my taxes and am getting a nice fat check from the government.  Life is sweet.

I will be using the money to pay off two credit cards (about $800 total) and using the leftovers to to pick up some much needed items (such as JEANS which I have not bought since COLLEGE) and I am trying very hard to make sure that I am not frivolously throwing my money away. 

Sooo, I'm not getting the kitties spayed.  And no, I don't think that spaying my cats is a frivolous thing.  It's just too cold!  I kept telling myself that just as soon as I got my refund, off to the vet we would go.  But I didn't figure that we would be in the middle of the Year of the Blizzard(s) and have 50 gazillion tons of snow dumped on us.  So the kittos and I are going to wait until Spring to venture out, probably by boat after all this snow melts.  If, ya know, we actually have Spring this year.

Anyhoo, I'm trying to make up a master list of stuff I NEED.  And trying to justify it, of course.  (I have a weird vision of myself as Rebecca from Confessions of a Shopaholic when she is justifying buying gloves because SHE HAS HANDS!)



Laters.

1001 Things Update

Here's a little update on some of the goals I'm trying to work on.


**Get Emme and Kisa spayed. Goodbye $175.  Debating on this.  I am hopeful that after my tax refund and subsequent repaying of two of my credit cards there will be enough left over to get the girls spayed.  Or buy me a freezer.  Decisions, decisions.

**Wash face everyday for a month.  Doing pretty good on this one.  If you don't count weekends.  I'm lucky if I can drag myself from bed to the couch.

**Save $1000-1500  Hoping that this is one is a little closer in the making.  After paying off my two credit cards, I should have about $100 more in my budget, of which $50/month is going straight into a piggy bank.

**Pay off 2 credit cards  As mentioned above, I am using my tax return to pay off my credit cards (Thank you, Jesus!  Amen.).  My first return I ... did something with(?) the second I bought a bed, the next a car so now I'm working on debt.  Really fun.  Can't I buy another bed.  Or something?

**Pay off smallest student loan  The other $50 (or maybe $25) is going on to my smallest student loan.  Only $950 left!  Whoohoo!  We will not mention my other student loan.  Unless you want to see me weep bitter, bitter tears of hate.

**Put up blind in guest bedroom  The blind has been in the bedroom for 6 months now.  Why is it so difficult to actually ATTACH it to the wall?  Why?

**Meal plan every week for a month.  I've stuck to my meal plan so far.  Granted it's only nine days in but hey, February is a short month, right?  I get points for that.

**Lose 25 pounds  Okay, that number may be slightly high.  I would settle for 2.5 pounds right now.

**Cut cable package to internet only  I have a phobia of calling my cable provider.  I always sound like an idiot and no one can understand what I'm trying to explain.  I mean, I use technical terms and everything like ya know, the green light thingy is blinking or the green light thingy isn't green anymore but orange or maybe yellow?

**Buy a freezer  I have wanted to buy a freezer for a long time.  Especially since my grocery store has been having great deals on their meat that I cannot participate in because my freezer is full.  'Cause it's dinky.  And mean.

**Learn how to bake bread  There is a possibility this will be attempted on Friday.  Stay tuned for further announcement.  Also, be afraid.  Very afraid.

**Decide on keeping desk or not  Probably leaning toward yes.  Right now it is holding my almost-as-old-as-I-am TV which is allowing me to watch Poirot before bed.  We do not mess with the Poirot watching.

**Start exercising  Umm, yeah.  No comment.

**Organize recipes  This will take me five hundred years.  But five hundred years from now I will be the most organized cook in the world.  Also, very old.

**Catch up on tv series  Right now, I'm through Season 1 of Torchwood, about halfway through Season 2 and dragging my heels for Children of Earth.  I'm not sure I can watch.  Also, watching Poirot and slugging through my Netflix queue (which I can watch on my new Blu-ray player!) of which there are 358 movies and/or tv series to get through.  Where's another blizzard when you need one?



Laters

*Updated* 101 Things in 1001 Days

I'm totally stealing this from Simple Bliss. So my starting day is December 2, 2009 and my ending day is August 29, 2012. (If the world is still here. Just sayin'.)

I will be adding to this as I think of things. 'Cause trying to think of 101 things off the top of my head is owie.

My Goals for 2009-2012

1. Get Emme and Kisa spayed. Goodbye $175.
2. Get my oil changed every 3 months.
3. Brush teeth everyday for a month.
   
4. Wash face everyday for a month.
   
5. Save $1000-1500
6. Pay off 2 credit cards - DONE 2/18/10
   
7. Pay off smallest student loan
8. Put up blind in guest bedroom
9. Organize guest bedroom
10. Have bush in front of house trimmed
11. Meal plan every week for a month.
    
12. Keep up on laundry, dishes, vacuuming and kitty boxes for a month.
13. Crochet a Christmas afghan for mom
14. Finish Unexpected Bonds
15. Decorate bedroom
16. Buy large bookcase for bedroom - ABANDONED (I bought two small ones instead!)
    
17. Buy dvd/vcr for bedroom - DONE 1/30/10 (I bought a Blu-Ray player for the living room and put the old dvd/vcr player in the bedroom. ^_^)
18. Buy flat screen for bedroom
19. Shampoo carpets every 3 months
20. Go on vacation alone
21. Lose 25 pounds
22. Get washing machine fixed - DONE 12/7/09
    
23. Read the Bible
24. Start going to church
25. Learn some basic Japanese
26. Buy curtain rods for all rooms
27. Buy curtains for kitchen and guest bedroom
28. Deep clean the kitchen cabinets
29. Cut cable package to internet only
30. Buy a Roku - ABANDONED 1/30/10 (My Blu-Ray player plays Netflix!)
31. Buy a new computer. Give old one to mom
32. Look for new car for me, minivan for mom
33. Balance checkbook every week
    
34. Start looking for place closer to work
35. Buy a freezer
36. Learn how to bake bread
37. Learn how to make homemade mixes
38. Buy oven light! This is sad that it needs to be a goal. T_T DONE 1/2/10
    
39. Try out ten new recipes
40. Ask my landlord if I can paint
41. Inventory DVDs, VHS and music
42. Decide on keeping desk or not
43. Organize/decorate laundry room
44. Create emergency kits for car and house
45. Start exercising
46. Create a second account/savings
47. Try a no spend month 2x/year
48. Create a mail system
49. Paint Pantry and microwave cart
50. Paint dresser and armoire
51. Start using cloth napkins
52. Try OAMC
53. Stockpile some groceries like flour, sugar, etc.
54. Finish home journal
55. Organize recipes
56. Blog everyday for a month
57. Read 101 books
58. Watch 101 movies
59. No hitting snooze button for one week
60. Send Christmas cards every year - 2009 Fail
    
61. Drink a bottle of water everyday for a month
62. Get contacts
63. Buy a (cheap) violin and learn to play
64. Catch up on tv series