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Tuesday, March 8, 2011

A fresh start

Now that I have a job and am able to start budgeting again (whew! I hate non-budget life! Actually it was pretty nice but I'm much smarter with money when I have a budget), I will give you an update of where I'm at financially and we can go from there.

Taxes. Are. Awesome. Especially when you've paid tuition that year. My return was over $2000 and that's what's been keeping me afloat without a salary. Granted I haven't had many expenses thanks to my Aunt and Uncle being SO gracious to let me stay with them until I land on my feet! But student loans don't stop. I have been able to keep up with all of my loan payments and credit card payments so far and now I feel much better about continuing that now that I have a job.

Anyway, that was a tangent. I have roughly $1500 before my job starts. I pay $390 in loans each month (I got my Sallie Mae payments lowered for the first four years because I was jobless and knew my entry level job would come with a pretty low salary-I was right.) I pay an additional $100 to my credit card, which I no longer use at all.

I just paid $255 to take the train into the city from my Aunt & Uncles each day for work. That will last me through the end of the month. Advice: Buy in bulk! I'm looking to sublease an apartment for the summer until M (my NY bff) is done with her lease and we can move in together. Until then, I'm on a train. I found what sounds like a great place so I'll get more details tonight and hopefully see it this weekend.

I'm going to Target today to prepare for my commute: umbrella, travel coffee mug that will convert into a water bottle after my initial cup of joe, lunch box and an ice pack.

I am also starting to make a list of meals that are transportable, filling and CHEAP. Apples and peanut butter will likely be my go-to breakfast and I will likely live off tuna-salad sandwiches for lunch.

Maybe not having money will force me to lose weight because I won't be able to stuff my face. That's great news because I need to be able to fit into my work clothes; those babies are going to be around until they're WELL out of fashion because there's no way I can afford new clothes for probably a year.

My base salary is enough to cover rent/utilities, food, transportation, phone bill and loans-that's after I did the math of estimated benefits and taxes taken out already. Thank goodness there is room for more pay with more hours as well as my second job (although seasonal/temporary), which will help me cover other expenses.


Anyway, that's where I'm at. When I have new ideas on how to save money, I will post. It may not be every day but it will be much more often. I hope to be able to document my progress on getting out of debt, while managing to live in the Big City. Because hey, if I can make it here, I can make it anywhere...right?

I start Monday!

4 comments:

  1. Yay Katie I'm so excited for you! A great, healthy, cheap,travelable breakfast I've found is buying instant oatmeal and a thing of frozen berries. Put the frozen berries in the tupper-wear in the morning...still frozen...then by the time you get to work they are thawed. Then I just cook the instant oatmeal with the berries right in the tupperwear. Its yummy and healthy and since the berries are frozen they last a long time and there is no rotten produce remorse! I am so excited you found a job, we need to Skype soon!!!

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  2. yay!!! I got you a "sursey" last week...let me know the new address when you get everything figured out and I will send it your way!
    So happy for you and proud of you!!
    xoxo
    Faith

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  3. Thanks guys!

    Laura-I wish I liked Oatmeal but honestly, I hate the texture and almost refuse to eat it. But keep the suggestions coming! And yes, I would LOVE to skype soon! I'm free anytime this week if you are!

    Faith-AWW YAY! A sursey! I'll be staying here for a little while longer so I'll text you my address. Can't wait!

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