Thirteen Things about PERSONAL FINANCE

I’ve been working on my personal finance situation a lot lately! Here are several tools and tips that I’ve come to depend on!

1. PearBudget: I know I’ve talked about this before, but I just have to put one more plug in. Everyone needs a budget, at least when they’re first getting started with personal finance management, and PearBudget is a great program that is free, super easy, and will keep you using it! I’ve been on it for more than 2 months now, which is a HUGE achievement, LOL!

2. Next, you need a way to keep up with your accounts. There’s the old paper and pencil checkbook ledger, but we’re on our computers for everything else, why not managing our finances! I’ve used both Microsoft Money and Quicken Personal Finance, and they are both great tools!

3. Almost any personal finance site that you read tells you that you need to have an emergency savings fund, just in case something happens like you have to go to the hospital, or you get laid off. The amount that goes in this fund varies - a great place to start is $1000, and many sites recommend you keep 3-6 months worth of living expenses. The most common complaint: I can’t afford to put money into an emergency savings fund! The most common reply: You can’t afford NOT to do this. I’ve got 2 that I’m working on right now. My immediate emergency savings fund is through my bank, and I’m currently building a long-term (the 3-6 months one) emergency savings fund in a high-interest savings account. The immediate one is in case I need the money RIGHT NOW - I can get it from an ATM. The long-term one is accessible within a few days, and it will grow because of the interest! Free money!

4. High-interest savings account? How do I get one of those? I’m currently setting up accounts through ING Direct, and I’m LOVING it so far. The interest rate is 4.4% - how crazy is that?! Accounts like these are run through the internet - there is no physical bank, and you don’t get checks. They’re just savings accounts. There are many other financial institutions, but ING allows you to set up sub accounts, which is too cool! I have sub-accounts for my emergency fund, travel fund, medical expenses fund, etc. And all are gonna earn 4.4% interest!

5. I Will Teach You To Be Rich - I’ve blogged about it before, but again, I have to mention it. There are so many different concepts, ideas, and terms that I am so clueless on, and this site explains them in a simple, no nonsense way that will make things clear! Amazing.

6. Don’t want to wade through all the personal finance sites? Then just get the goodies through the Carnival of Personal Finance every week! You’ll find topics about EVERYTHING, and there are three or four sites that I’ve found through reading the carnival that I’ve stuck with.

7. Get an Entertainment Book. They only cost about $20, but there are hundreds (probably thousands) of great coupons and savings in the book. Well worth the money spent!

8. Invest. There are many different kinds of investments (see my #5, he explains them all), but make sure that you are investing. The type of fund that I keep seeing more and more recommendations for is a Roth IRA, which I am still learning about. It involves investing your money and paying the taxes now, and then when you withdraw it, it will be tax-free (no matter how much more taxes are at the time).

9. Another great way to invest - the stock market. Ahhh, don’t be scared. If you read up on what to do, and find a great place to invest with, then you’ll do fine. And the place I’ve seen mentioned over and over again is ShareBuilder. As soon as I start to receive a regular income (aka, when I get out of grad school), I will be investing with ShareBuilder - the fees aren’t bad, and they’re not gonna try to trip you up because you have no idea what you’re doing.

10. Shop at discount stores and buy in bulk! You’ll be amazed at how much you can save at places like Costco and Sam’s Club! However, be wary . . . pay attention to the costs, and divide by how many you’re getting. Are you really saving? Discount stores can be great as long as you play it smart!

11. Take advantage of websites that offer promotions. For example: you need to buy a book for your Bible study in two weeks, and there was a CD you were wanting to get. You could go to Barnes and Noble or Borders that is right by your house . . . or you could go online and get them from Amazon.com for cheaper. And if you spend $25, it’s free shipping, so it’s like you bought it in person. You just have to wait a few days. So why not go for the discount? Or, even better! Do you buy books/DVDs/CDs/software/toys/groceries a lot? Do you shop on Amazon.com A LOT?! Then become a prime member. For a reasonable fee you get free 2 day shipping and significantly discounted overnight shipping. I was offered a free 3 month trial, and I loved it so much that I paid the fee. Now I NEVER buy these things from expensive stores in person! Click here for details!!!

12. Cook at home - don’t eat out, don’t go to fast food restaurants. I’ve been experimenting with my spending lately, and it’s AMAZING how much I’ve saved in food costs!

13. Want a great new opportunity to save HUGE on virtually anything you can buy online? I’m an IBO member, and we sell everything - we have our own product lines as well as partnerships for huge discounts on stores like Barnes and Noble, Office Depot, Dell, Things Remembered, Shop.com, Joann’s Fabrics, and SOOOOO many more! We run the business through Quixtar. The discounts alone are worth it, but if you’re a member, you get a check back based on your purchases and the purchases of your customers. Take a look, and if you’re interested in buying something, let me know! I can set you up as a client with ZERO obligation. Or, if you want to take a great opportunity and are interested in making some money, let me know, and we’ll discuss!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Leave me a comment and I’ll give you a shout out!

Man it’s been busy!

On Thursday, Matt arrived right after lunch, so I now have both of my roommates - YAY! Then, around 7, my parents, brother, and the puppies arrived. Bo spent the night at my apartment that night, and Mama and Daddy went on to thier hotel.

On Friday, Bo left eaaaaarly to go to Elon and move in. He was super excited, though he would NEVER have showed it, LOL! They were busy moving him in all day, and I stayed at home and helped Matt get settled. And that night was a theatre party.

On Saturday, I drove to Elon to see Bo’s room and go to the family picnic. It was so crowded - parking was a nightmare. But he seems to have all of his stuff ready to go, and he’s gettng along fine with his roommate and suitemates. After that, all the parents were supposed to leave, so Mama and Daddy headed back to Winston-Salem to my apartment. Mama got to hang out with the puppies while Daddy and I had an accounting lesson (good thing about a father who is a CPA - he can help you with your homework for business school). After they left, we had a bunch of people over for the NASCAR race, we went to a concert, then we came back to watch Alien (which I had never seen). Phew.

On Sunday, Mama and Daddy came to pick up the puppies (:-() and then they left to go back to Florida. In the apartment, we cleaned some, and then we had a business meeting for something called IBO (more on that in another post). Next - homework. Boo. Then I fixed supper for everyone, which was delicious because we had zipper peas that Mama brought me :-)!!! And after that, we had a much-needed business meeting for MagicMouth, and we have so many cool things in the works for this year! It’s just super exciting!!!

So now I’m exhausted, and it’s Monday, LOL!!! Oh well . . .

Thirteen Things about LINDSEY!

1. First of all, thanks to everyone for continuing the Thursday Thirteen and following it over to its new home! Nicole and I are very excited to be hosting the T13, and we are so glad that so many people have decided to come with us!

2. The reason mine is so late in getting up today is because . . . I have been at the doctor today. Many of you know that I got mono this past November, which created lots of problems, including me having to take an incomplete in 3 of my classes (which I still haven’t finished all the work for). Well, yesterday morning I woke up with a sore throat that felt EXACTLY like mono. So today, I woke up and headed back over to the doctor’s office. They said that it’s probably just a really bad cold that is viral, so there’s nothing I can take for it. They can’t do another mono test because I have the antibodies in my system already, so it would be inconclusive. They did a swab strep test, and it was negative, so that’s good. I guess I’m just gonna have to rest up a bit and hope for the best . . .

3. Ticket sales for the magic show I am working on are going very well! This is the first show for MagicMouth Productions, and we are super excited that we have so many tickets sold for our Saturday performance! If you are in the North Carolina area, I recommend you get your tickets now before we sell out!

4. I have a challenge for all you 13ers out there! I’m totally stealing this from Running2Ks, so this is not an original idea, but it’s a good one, and if she doesn’t mind, I’m gonna borrow it, LOL!

Give me a topic to discuss or a question to answer.

Just post your topic in the comments, and I’ll start answering them as soon as I get some topics/questions!

5. My diet? It’s gone in the dumper. I’ve been so unfaithful it’s embarrassing. Tomorrow’s another weigh-in day, and while I didn’t gain last week, I also didn’t lose. Things have been so hectic and busy, there just doesn’t seem to be time to eat right, and certainly no time to exercise . . . sigh, I need some motivation!

6. Reading Red Letters has gotten some really nice response. I’ve got some topics that I want to discuss, but I’m finding it hard to put them into the right words, LOL, so it’s taking longer to get it up ang going than I had hoped it would! Perhaps tonight I’ll actually get a good post going!

7. I was kind of nervous about putting up my 101 in 1001 when I made it. I mean, if I failed and didn’t get everything done, EVERYONE would know it! But I think the opposite has happened. People have been encouraging, and when I tried to average out how often I should be completing a task in order to finish in time, I’m right one schedule! It’s been a very rewarding experience to create this list, especially since I’ve always wanted to be a goals-oriented person, but have never been able to see myself that way. I really recommend that others try this experience!

8. My brother came to North Carolina this past weekend! He was visiting Elon, the school that he’s probably going to go to next year, but he also swung by Winston-Salem to visit me! I was so happy to see him, it was the first time he’s been up here this year, so it was his first time seeing my apartment. He seemed to like it :)!

9. Along with Bo’s visit, he brought me my coffee maker that Mama and Daddy got me for Christmas. Can I tell you how in love I am with this thing? I’ve had a coffee maker before, but this one is automatic - I can program it to make me my coffee!!!! The problem has always been that without the caffeine I can’t get awake enough in the morning to make the coffee before I leave, but this way I just stick the coffee and water in the pot at night, push a button, and voila! At 8:30 AM every day I get fresh coffee. It’s almost too good to be true ;)!

10. One of the classes I’m enrolled in this semester is Contemporary Drama. It’s a great dramatic lit class, and it’s taught by one of my favorite professors. We’re reading plays that have been produced in the last 10 years, and while most of them are straight plays, I couldn’t help but smile because yesterday in class we studied Rent, which is sooo not something I ever expected to study in a college classroom!

11. Let’s finish off with a few of goofy quizzes!

12.

13.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)
1. Nicole

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants