Saving Money, Spending Money, and Enjoying Life

I’ve been so happy lately! Over the past month, I’ve been in the process of developing new interests, changing my perspective on many things, adjusting my priorities, and staying on top of my finances despite the doom and gloom of the economy. I refuse to let this recession drive me batty. It’s a natural flow of the economic cycle, but life goes on. Shoot, I still have things to do (get my body in shape), places to go (vacation), and people to see (eye candy!). So instead of blogging about Obama’s housing bailout plan and how effective it may (or not) be, I’ve been saving money, spending money, and enjoying life – three things that make me happy.
Here are a few of the things I’ve been up to lately:
SAVING
I received a huge fed and state tax refund this year – over $5,000. All of it went into savings. Yep, ALL of it! In addition, I saved $2,000 last month (Feb) and I project to save another $1,500 this month (Mar). Man, I’ve been a saving machine! The balance on my efund is over $35,000! Only $25k is earmarked for emergencies though. The other $10k plus regular savings is for whatever comes up that I can’t cover with monthly cash flow.
SPENDING MONEY
My shoe fever season has begun and I’ve already added 2, maybe 3 (or was it 4?), new pairs of heels to my collection. I’m trying to practice a little restraint so that may be all I buy this season. *thinking about what I just said* Aww shoot, who am I fooling?!? If I see a pair of fabulous shoes and they’re within my budget, I’m buying ‘em! LOL!
I bought a CHI flat iron on Amazon for $66 (reg $190) with FREE shipping. Let me tell ya, this thing really lives up to the hype. I usually HATE doing my own hair because of the time it takes, but after a quick wash and deep condition, my tresses are silky and straight like I’m fresh from the salon. I also bought a heat protectant that I apply to my hair before using the CHI because that little thing gets HOT – over 400 degrees. But the results are fab! And it’s already paid for itself because I can stretch out my salon visits and do more regular maintenance at home.
ENJOYING LIFE
I have 6 weeks vacation that I keep in reserves and rollover every year for emergency time off, but I also earn an additional 4 weeks each year. I plan to take 1 this spring, 1 this summer, 1 this winter, and float 1 throughout the year for personal time.
Over spring break, I’m taking BabyGirl to NYC. This will be her first time in the city so she’s very excited. We’re staying in Manhattan for 4 days and 3 nights. While there, we plan to see the The Lion King on Broadway; visit the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, NYC Library, Grand Central Terminal, and (undecided) one of the museums near central park; eat “real” Chinese food (BabyGirl’s term) in Chinatown and “real” pizza (BabyGirl’s term) in Little Italy; and do a little shopping. So far, I’ve booked the transportation (megabus), hotel (partially funded with CC rewards), Broadway tickets (using discount codes found on theater discount websites) and the SOL ferry. Total spent: $387. Total budget: $650. I have friends from the Bronx and NJ meeting us for one or more of the scheduled activities and I already know we’re going to have a blast!
This summer’s vacay will be on a tropical island. Still researching destination spots but undecided if I’ll take BabyGirl with me or roll solo. Budget: $1,500 w/ BabyGirl, $700 without.
I joined a gym and I’m committed to working out at least 3x each week. I just completed my first week and it’s had an amazing impact on my energy level. However, I must admit, it was HARD, my body was EXHAUSTED, and my muscles are SORE. Bodies don’t lie, I was an out of shape lazy bum. Emphasis on the word WAS. As I build my stamina, I will gradually increase my workouts to 4x each week. The cost of membership and my personal trainer is $50/month without a contract (deal through my employer), so I have to pay a month in advance. Now you know I’m not wasting any money, right? Hellz to the naw! I plan to have my fat arse front and center on Mon/Wed/Fri or Tues/Thurs/Sat every single week. Hmph! I already added the expense to my monthly budget and I think it’s worth every penny.
That’s all I have for now.
I hope you guys are making the best of these challenging times and enjoying life as well!
Pssst. When I don’t post on the blog, you know where to find me.


