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!

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Thirteen Things about LINDSEY

1. Alright, so, what has been up in my life since my last good update? First I had finals . . . which were a mess. I had a ton of work to do at the end there, and I would up getting a really bad sinus infection that lasted for almost a month. Getting my work done was a NIGHTMARE. But it happened. Phew!

2. Then we immediately left for Living Parables tour. It was great except that I was sick the whole time and spent almost 2 whole days in the bed . . . sigh. But we got some good performances in, and a neat service project. Not bad for my last things with the troupe. And on the last night all the underclassmen talked about the seniors and the seniors talked about each other, and we were a mess. Correction: I was a mess. Crying everywhere. Which is pathetic, because all four of the seniors are going to be in Winston-Salem next year, so it’s not like we’re going anywhere . . .

3. Then I graduated. Which was good, haha! We had a great graduation party the day before - kind of a cookout with our families. And Daddy got a new camera before graduation, so I have lots of great pictures of everyone in caps and gowns! And a bunch of family came up to see the graduation, so it was a really great weekend.

4. The week after graduation I stayed at school and packed things up and finished my GRE course. Then on Monday I went and took the GRE, completing #19 on my 101 in 1001. I was so nervous, because the admissions committee from the grad program I applied to was waiting on the scores to make a decision, and that’s a lot to ride on a test that’s on stuff I haven’t done since high school. However, I did really well, much better than I had expected (Verbal: 580, Math: 740). So, hopefully that’s good enough to get me in!

5. In the middle of all of this I took care of wrapping up all the Parables stuff that I needed to get fixed up for the future generations. We got all the reimbursment stuff worked out (#22), I delegated someone to get the new constitution approved since they never got back to me (#24), and I got all the coordinating director stuff pulled together and passed it along (#26)!

6. I also sorted through all of my clothing at school (you know, actually trying things on to make sure they fit or not), and I got rid of a ton of stuff, definitely at least 70 things, which completes #57. And I didn’t give it to Goodwill, I’m giving it to our housekeeper. Her house burned down, and she and her husband (the other housekeeper) are having to start from scratch, and they have a baby . . . it’s a tough situation. So, I’m considering #60 to be complete, even though it’s not going to Goodwill. To me, this is more important anyway.

7. I came back home to Florida on Friday, and on Sunday was my brother’s graduation party. It’s so wierd that my little brother is graduating high school! It’s even wierder that at his party I didn’t know hardly any of the kids (keep in mind, we went to the same high school) . . . they’re just all that young. And I wasn’t at the party as a guest - I was there as an adult chaperone. It felt odd. But it went really well, so 2 points for Bo!

8. And there was the big computer crash, which is all better now. I’ve been playing catch-up ever since. I’ve had a ton of stuff to do online (my website, email correspondence, etc.) that I’ve been neglecting because of, well, all the things you just read. Anyways, I’ve been frantically working to get everything back up to speed, and I’ve still got a lot ahead of me, but I’ve done a significant chunk of it tonight.

9. The new MagicMouth Productions website is up, and I must say, it looks STUNNING. It was designed by a company called MindSmack, and they’ve done a terrific job with it. We are really pleased with how it turned out, so go check it out!

10. Also in MagicMouth news, there is an article about us in the June 2006 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine!!!! Here’s the link, but you should really check out the paper copy if you get a chance - there’s a great photo in the magazine that’s not online. June issue, page 150 ;)!

11. And our DVD is supposed to come out this week. Ben went to Charlotte to review the final copy today, but I haven’t talked to him yet to see how it went. More news on that later!

12. My 22nd birthday is coming up soon (June 7), and I’m super psyched because I get to go up north for it, including being in New York City on my birthday. We’ve got a crazy busy week planned for that, so I will fill in the details later.

13. And a quiz to round things up!

Which Sex and the City Player Are You? Find out @ She’s Crafty

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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!
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The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (i.e. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some amount of work on my part).

This project was taken from Triplux.

The things that I say I want to MAINTAIN will be counted as completed if they are maintained for at least two months. I figure that if I maintain something for at least that long, then it’ll be habit. If, however, I stop doing it before I reach the due date, I will take the completion date off and I’ll have to do the two months again before I can put on a new date.

Tasks I have completed will be struck through and a completion date will be listed that is linked to a post about the completion of that task. Tasks that I have begun will be italicized and a beginning date will be listed.

Started: December 19, 2005
Due Date: September 15, 2008
Tasks Completed: 68
Tasks in Progress: 12
Tasks Remaining:33

1. Make this list of 101 things to do in 1001 days, and make the items be actual things that I will be able to complete and will somehow be beneficial to my life. (Making a list of my 50 favorite actors does not make my life better – though that would make for great procrastination the night before a paper is due.) Completed 12/19/05

Religious
2. Create and MAINTAIN my faith blog Reading Red Letters. Completed 11/08/06
3. Plan a religious fast and complete said fast (probably 3 days, but that’s flexible).
4. Read the Bible from beginning to end.
5. Officially join Episcopal Church. Completed 4/17/06
6. Read at least 10 books by C. S. Lewis.

Family
7. Stay in touch with Bo once he’s at college. Completed 11/08/06
8. Go to at least two concerts with Daddy.
9. Complete a Bible study with Mama.
10. Spend a day at the spa with Mama. Completed 5/31/06

Health
11. Start and MAINTAIN regular exercise.
12. Learn to eat at least 3 new fruits and vegetables. Completed 9/12/08
13. Reach my weightloss goal and MAINTAIN it.
14. Start and MAINTAIN regular flossing. Completed 11/08/06
15. Get my stomach into fit enough condition so that a pierced bellybutton won’t look ridiculous (and if I keep my courage, actually pierce the bellybutton – but even if I don’t go through with it, the option is nice to have).
16. MAINTAIN taking vitamins regularly. Completed 11/08/06
17. Start and MAINTAIN monthly breast self-exams (and no, 21 is not too young to start doing this!). Completed 12/3/06
18. Begin eating breakfast everyday and MAINTAIN it! Completed 8/19/06

School
19. Study for and take the GRE. Completed 5/22/06
20. Get caught up in school after having mono (complete all my incompletes). Completed 3/2/06
21. Graduate from Wake Forest University. Completed 5/15/06

Living Parables
22. Get Living Parables reimbursement/business manager issues worked out. Completed 5/19/06
23. Get Living Parables scripts published. Completed 9/12/08
24. Get new Living Parables constitution approved. Completed 5/19/06
25. Make a video of Living Parables performances for all members. 9/12/08
26. Organize Living Parables Coordinating Director materials and create a timeline for next Coordinating Director. Completed 5/19/06

“Real World”
27. Get a job. Completed 1/30/06.
28. Set up a new place to live (once I figure out where I’ll be after graduation). Completed 7/10/06
29. Get post office box at wherever I move to after graduation. Completed 9/12/08
30. Switch my financial managing to a computerized system (i.e. Microsoft Money). Completed 1/5/06
31. Get a credit card that is mine, and only mine – my parents aren’t on the account. Completed 7/17/06
32. Save $5 a day and deposit into my savings account. Completed 11/08/06
33. Host a formal dinner. Completed 8/4/2008
34. Get a pet (something I can pet and play with). Completed 12/4/07

Travel
35. Travel to Europe (anywhere in Europe for any length of time). Completed 6/19/06
36. Visit Stephanie in New York. Completed 6/7/06
37. Take a trip to California. Completed 6/8/08
38. Take a vacation to Atlanta with Mama – go shopping and see an exhibit at the High Museum.
39. Travel to Washington, D.C. At least see major monuments, the White House, and the Smithsonian.
40. Buy nice map and put a push-pin in every place I’ve been.
41. Go to the MOMA. Completed 6/8/06

Personal Betterment
42. Begin creatively writing again (re-write novel).
43. Pay for the person behind me at a fast food drive thru. Completed 9/12/08
44. Become an organ donor. Completed 5/26/06
45. Give blood. Completed 9/12/08
46. Subscribe to a newspaper and read it regularly. Completed 12/28/06
47. Stop biting fingernails.
48. Update my journal and MAINTAIN it. Begun 11/21/06
49. MAINTAIN cleaning my apartment (dusting, vacuuming, scrubbing the shower, etc.) on a regular basis – AT LEAST once a month. Completed 11/08/06
50. Sponsor a child in an impoverished country. Completed 1/23/06
51. Become more politically aware. If someone talks about something that I don’t know about, don’t say “oh, we don’t keep up with current events in college” – ask them about it. Completed 11/08/06

Organize/Purge
52. Organize, file, and store all my notes/keepsakes from my undergraduate classes. Completed 6/15/06
53. Sell all textbooks that I will never use again – if they’re too used to sell, get rid of them. Completed 7/11/06
54. Finish entering all my DVDs into a database. Completed 11/29/06
55. Finish entering all my CDs into a database. Completed 12/14/06
56. Finish entering all my books into a database.
57. Sell, donate, give, or throw away 101 items. Completed 5/18/06
58. Sort through all my chick lit – take the majority and release them into the wild with Book Crossing. Completed 6/3/06
59. Take all my collected change to the bank and turn it into paper cash. Donate cash to my church. (Final amount: $165.52) Completed 12/5/06
60. Sort through all of my clothing, especially what’s at my parents’ house. Donate to Goodwill. Completed 5/18/06

Technology
61. Get Mama’s beads inventoried and make the inventory something she can easily work with daily. Completed 8/4/08
62. (CHANGED: Please see “Green Living” section at the end of list)
63. Re-create email filing system and MAINTAIN it. Completed 6/15/06
64. Get a Palm Treo. Completed 12/4/06
65. Get a desktop PC that works with my home media setup. Completed 6/12/06
66. (CHANGED: Please see “Green Living” section at the end of list)
67. Regularly back up my computer. Completed 8/21/06
68. Regularly back up my websites. Completed 8/21/06
69. (CHANGED: Please see “Green Living” section at the end of list)
70. (CHANGED: Please see “Green Living” section at the end of list)
71. Complete The Sims 2 Legacy Challenge.
72. Get all Mama’s email switched from Yahoo to her ISP account. Completed 8/4/08
73. Reformat artists’ names on my iPod so that each one isn’t listed more than once. Completed 8/4/08
74. MAINTAIN updating Doodlebug Designs. Completed 6/10/07
75. Write 1001 blog posts. (472/1001) Begun 12/19/05

Entertainment
76. Read 75% of the list of books that my friends have sent me. (24/85) Begun 12/19/05
77. Clear my current Netflix queue. (234/494) Begun 12/19/05
78. Read 75% of the Greatest Books in 101 Things to Do Before You Die. (17/64) Begun 12/19/05
79. Watch 85% of the Greatest Films in 101 Things to Do Before You Die. (92/112) Begun 12/19/05
80. See a Cirque du Soleil show that I haven’t seen before. Completed 6/8/06
81. Have a Star Wars marathon day and watch all the movies in chronological series order – with someone else! Completed 5/27/07
82. Finish watching all the DVDs I own (includes TV shows). Completed 8/22/06
83. See 75% of IMDB top 250 movies as of September 1, 2008 (this list changes). (148/188) Begun 12/19/05
84. See 100% of AFI top 100 movies. (74/100) Begun 12/19/05
85. See 100% of Netflix top 100 movies as of September 1, 2008 (this list changes). (63/100) Begun 12/19/05
86. See 75% of Entertainment Weekly’s top 100 movies. (50/75) Begun 12/19/05
87. Read 50% of books on the Modern Library (Random House) top 100 list (board). (10/50) Begun 12/19/05

In the Kitchen
88. Learn to use cast iron skillets without messing up the seasoning.
89. Start and MAINTAIN a wine journal. Begun 8/23/06
90. Drink a vintage wine. Completed 8/4/08
91. Organize recipe book. Completed 3/2/08
92. Find and make a good cheese fondue recipe (may require several tries).
93. Switch from Diet Coke to black coffee in the mornings - it may take more time, but it’s less chemicals and more caffeine! Completed 8/19/06

Just for Fun
94. Learn how to build a fire for my fireplace. Completed 1/14/06
95. Attend my 5-year high school reunion. Can’t complete
96. Lean to drive a stick shift.
97. Test drive a hot sports car with no intention of buying it.
98. Inspire at least five other people to make a 101 in 1001 list. Completed 8/6/2006
99. Win something (anything) from a lottery ticket.
100. Shout “Drinks are on me!” in a pub or bar.

Green Living
On January 24, 2007 I changed 4 of my list items to better reflect my goals. Here are the new items for my list.
62. Change all the incandescent light bulbs in my apartment to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Completed 8/1/07
66. Stop using plastic bags at the grocery store and switch to reusable canvas bags. Completed 1/1/08
69. Switch a significant portion of my food and cooking supplies to organic. Healthier for me, healthier for the planet. Completed 6/26/08
70. Search for organic and free trade coffee and tea that I like, and make the switch. Completed 8/4/08

101. On September 15, 2008, publish a new 101 in 1001. Completed 9/15/08

OK, everyone quit yelling at me to update my blog, I’m updating it now, LOL!!!

Soooo much has happened in the past month or so. This is probably why I haven’t been updating like a good little internet nerd.

Let’s see, the last time that I updated was right after Tales of the Lost Formicans closed. Since then I was the sound board operator at the dance concert and I costume designed a one-act called For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls. It’s a Christopher Durang take-off of Tennessee Williams’s The Glass Menagerie. So I had two shows going at one time, and life was really hectic.

Then, once those started to wrap-up I entered Hell Week. Not exam week - the week before exam week. For some reason all the theatre professors decided to make everything due the week before exams. This would make sense if we all had other exams to take - they’d want us to get their stuff out of the way so that we’d have less stress during exam week. However, for the junior theatre majors, all of our classes were theatre classes this semester. Literally, 4 out of my 5 classes were theatre. So this meant that all of our projects, papers, presentations, etc. were all due at the same time. I pulled 3 all-nighters in one week. Let’s hope that the next time I’m that deprived of sleep it’s because I’m on my honeymoon.

So I had a huge scene design project, a paper for my theatre management class, a scene to direct for workshop (and paperwork to go with it) and my prompt book. Oh the prompt book. It’s a ridiculously indepth analysis of the one-act I will be directing in the fall (The American Century, by Murphy Guyer). We turn in our prompt book 3 times - once at the end of junior year, once at the end of the summer, and the final time right after our one-act is performed. So, I turned in almost 100 pages of analysis during this last week of classes when I had all that other stuff due. I have about another 100 pages to do this summer. Yay.

Then, since I had hardly anything to do during exam week cause I was finished by then, I moved into my apartment. Yay, I have an apartment! I just couldn’t deal with living on campus anymore - I needed more space, my own bathroom, and a kitchen. So, I have those things now, and a fireplace. Lindsey is happy! So I moved all my stuff to the apartment all week long, by myself for the most part. But I didn’t mind that too much, cause it was nice to be done with classes.

Then, at the end of exam week, Living Parables left for our annual Florida tour. We went to Jacksonville to my condo for half a week, then Rachel’s house in Orlando for half a week. We only had 2 performances, but it was really nice to just take a week off and hang out with fun friends. We had a spectacular time, I’ll have the pictures up on my Webshots soon.

Then we drove back up to Winston-Salem and I hung out for a few days until graduation. Which was really depressing. A lot of my good friends (including my best friend) graduated, and it didn’t really sink in that they were leaving me until I was at graduation, sitting with my best friend’s family, and I realized that next year she’ll be gone, and I’ll be hanging out with her mom, but without her. This made Lindsey very sad, and she proceeded to invite herself to spend the night at said friend’s house and eat her mommy’s food. I love the Hills.

Then I drove home (tooooooo much driving between NC and FL) on Wednesday the 18th and made it back just in time to go to the 12:01 AM showing of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith! If you haven’t seen it yet, please do, cause you’re really missing out. It was AMAZING! Also depressing, cause this means that its over, but it was a phenomenal movie. Also, Hayden Christensen needs to meet me and marry me. I think that would be a good plan for my life. If you wanna see it, let me know - I’m interested in seeing it again. And again. And again.

So now I’m here at home, getting all my furniture ready to go up to NC next weekend. I’ve also been working a lot on Living Parables stuff, trying to get things ready for next year. I’m really excited about being the Coordinating Director for next year (somewhere I hear Stephanie Hill mocking me for my enthusiasm). The next big plan is to update my website because it’s been so long that I think my members have probably forgotten all about it :-(! I’m hoping to get it updated either tonight or tomorrow night, depending on how fast I can crank out this stationary (and it’s gonna be a huge update, believe you me).

So, I think that’s enough writing for this novel. Expect more updates in a more timely manner. Hopefully I’ll have internet access up in Princeton. Oh, BTW, I didn’t get the job with the theatre department. I’m really not sure why, and it actually upsets me quite a bit, cause I thought that I was a shoe-in. I mean, this job is perfect for me, and I thought I was perfect for it. But, I guess not. So I’m gonna apply for a job with Teach For America’s recruiting staff at Wake Forest (yes, I really am turning into Stephanie, but she’s encouraging it!).

To all my seniors - I love you and will miss you, you better stay in touch or I will hunt you down.
To all my real-life friends - next year will rock, please prepare now ;-).
To all my internet friends - I have so not forgotten you, please forgive me for being away for so long, I can’t wait to hear from all of you.
To the world - go see Star Wars. Also, I will be 21 in 16 days . . . brace yourselves!