New Blog

I know a while back I said I was going to focus all of my energy into moving to New York, but after doing some research into the future of Visual Merchandising I have decided to go back to school and change my career. I feel that I have wasted the last eight years of my life in retail chasing after an impossible dream. After a while you have to give up and move on.

My new blog chronicles my journey to my new future.

I will be posting about

School
Finance
Health
and a few other things.

I will be copying any financial post I write to this blog, but I will not be posting that often.

For anyone who wants to follow me on my new journey, this is where I'll be.

alliestartsover.blogspot.com

New Budget

Current Budget

Income - $2000 per month

Sallie Mae - $600
Electric - $200 (estimate, most of the time it is less)
Cell Phone - $70
Phone/Cable/Internet - $170
Credit Card 1 - $90
Credit Card 2 - $140
Credit Card 3 - $250
Gas/Groceries - $200
Student Loan 2 - $200
Savings - $80

When I start classes the $200 I am paying to my second student loan and the $80 I am saving will be going toward tuition.

Possible Future Budget

Income - $1440 per month ($12 per hour)

Sallie Mae - $600
Electric - $0 (my mother will have to take over this bill)
Cell Phone - $70
Phone/Cable/Internet - $100 (my mother will have to take over the phone part of this bill)
Credit Card 1 - $30
Credit Card 2 - $140
Credit Card 3 - $150
Gas/Groceries - $100
Student Loan 2 - $200
Savings - $10

When I start classes the $200 I am paying to my second student loan and the $10 I am saving will be going toward tuition.


Or....

Income - $1760 per month ($14 per hour)

Sallie Mae - $600
Electric - $140
Cell Phone - $70
Phone/Cable/Internet - $170
Credit Card 1 - $90
Credit Card 2 - $140
Credit Card 3 - $250
Gas/Groceries - $100
Student Loan 2 - $200
Savings - $80

When I start classes the $200 I am paying to my second student loan and the $80 I am saving will be going toward tuition.

Until the final word comes down (or I get a new job) I am living week to week.

Minimum Payment Warnings

You gotta love the minimum payment warnings that credit cards come with, they are helping me plan my assault on the credit card demon that possesses me.

Awhile back I paid off my Master Card, since then I charged it back up and was carrying a balance on the store charge card I got for work. I am glad to say that I just paid off my Master Card for the LAST TIME, I am taking it out of my wallet and giving it to my mother to hold.

Next on my hit list is my American Express with the ridiculously high interest rate (29.99%). According to the MPW if I pay $126 per month I can have the card paid off in 3 years. That is to long for me, I want to have this card paid off in 1 year. That is going to be hard on a $1400 a month budget (remember, I have a pay cut coming any day now.) I am going to try to up my payment to $250 a month and throw any extra money I get at this card.