November 2012 Net Worth

Let's just dive right in and pretend like I didn't skip a month.  Onward!

Emergency Fund: $10,058.95
Checking: $286.84

Travel: $50.34
Medical/Dental: $200.30

School: $602.67

Roth IRA: $10,273.64

401k: $7,612.06
Sharebuilder: $219.05
____________
Total Positive: $29,303.85

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $1,362.50
Student Loan: $2,850.00 (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $4,212.50


Net Worth: $25,091.35

My goals for this month will be as follows:

i) Stop spending (I've been able to get a handle on the online shopping, but I've been to Marshall's twice in the past 2 days, and managed to buy 1 handbag, 3 scarves, and some Turkish delight (Why do they stockpile the Turkish D?  Who even eats that shiz (besides me)?).  It is not lost on me how tantalizingly close I am to $30k.  Can I make it by... February?;

ii) Contemplate hiring a life coach and a stylist so I can finally get shit done/have a 12-piece wardrobe and never have to think about clothes-shopping again;

iii) Learn new things.  Sewing, for instance.  I should do that.  Start making jewelry.  I should do that too;

iv) Take better care of myself (i.e, no more Turkish delight, cigarettes, or weeks without shaving my legs).  My weight, while not decreasing significantly, is fine, however.

September 2012 Net Worth

Emergency Fund: $10,045.90
Checking: $0

Travel: $100.26
Medical/Dental: $200.00

School: $2.38

Roth IRA: $10,473.25

401k: $7,705.97
Sharebuilder: $220.40
____________
Total Positive: $28,748.16

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $900.60
Student Loan: $3,289.74 (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $5,189.74


Net Worth: $23,558.42

Rough couple weeks, but I'm making an effort to put myself back together and redouble my efforts.  The heat made me delirious, and now it's breaking.

Speaking of spending...

I don't know how many of you, if any, care about girly pursuits. If you're not into it, now's the time to look away, but if you are, please stay!

My favorite blog on the topic is Into the Gloss, and if you're a bit of a product junkie/voyeur like me, you'll love it, too. Emily Weiss and co. pry into the cosmetic cases of fashion industry women (and men!) and interview them about their favorites.  Who doesn't want to know a little something about Iris Apfel's or Olivier Theyskens' beauty regimen? One of my favorite posts is this interview with Inès de la Fressange that was posted back in January. I love how frank she is. Here's an excerpt:

I think that sometimes women do too much—they put earrings, and color, and necklace, and the lipstick, and fake eyelashes, and fake hair—it’s a nightmare. And I think it’s better to keep a bit of wrinkle here and there; I see these bizarre faces, and after people tell me they have had Botox or fillers, I don’t realize—I just find they have a funny face. [Laughs] Blogs and magazines should explain that it’s fine not to do this. You know, people are not looking at exactly how many wrinkles you have—they don’t care so much. I mean you are old, I am old, it will show…you are not fooling anyone. You have to take care of yourself not to be too disgusting, and to follow a bit of fashion, of course fashion for makeup and clothes as well.

Full interview available here.

August 2012 Net Worth

Emergency Fund: $10,039.12
Checking: $0

Travel: $200.16
Medical/Dental: $316.96

School: $802.13

Roth IRA: $9,785.68

401k: $7,122.33
Sharebuilder: $216.43
____________
Total Positive: $28,482.81

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: $200.00
Phone: $65.00

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $1,283.14
Student Loan: $3,620.27 (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $5,168.41


Net Worth: $23,314.40


Another bad month for health and wealth.  I do have a lot of returns I've been too busy to pack up, so the credit card number will go down.  I've been going out too much after work, and that generally leaves me ripe for a messy evening, food-wise (and at least $20 poorer).  As for the rest of it, I either need to start seriously thrifting, or just ban new clothing purchases all together.

Also, Sarah, it's time to stop trying new skincare and cosmetic products.  That weird mask you tried with Taiwanese instructions on the box gave you pimples.  You don't wear primer or foundation or eye shadow or lipstick, and you never will.  So stop.  New things I don't regret buying, though: bronzer, highlighter, a vitamin-c serum, and more of an eyeliner I know I already like (but that's a topic for a whole nother post).  So there.  ...But seriously, stop.

July 2012 Net Worth

Emergency Fund: $10,030.80
Checking: $0

Travel: $170.93
Medical/Dental: $47.02

School: $802.06

Roth IRA: $9,470.73

401k: $6,992.83
Sharebuilder: $201.87
____________
Total Positive: $27,716.24

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: $200.00
Phone: $65.00

Subway: $59.00

Credit cards: $260.00
Student Loan: $3,891.12 (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $4,475.12


Net Worth: $23,241.12


Tough month -- not gonna lie.  Whenever the seasons change, either my feeding or my spending patterns have the potential get out of whack.  This time, it's a little of both.

June 2012 Net Worth

Emergency Fund: $10,024.54
Checking: $871.02

Travel: $201.03
Medical/Dental: $46.43

School: $802.06

Roth IRA: $9,319.91

401k: $7,102.83
Sharebuilder: $199.84
____________
Total Positive: $28,567.66

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: $200.00
Phone: $65.00

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $890.62
Student Loan: $3,891.12 (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $5,046.74


Net Worth: $23,520.792

Another lackluster month for me in both categories: health and wealth.  

I've been yo-yo'ing through the same 3 pounds over the last few weeks (due to some epic binges and their subsequent aftershocks), and I've still got the spending bug.  Things on the social front are quieting down for the summer, so I should be able to have a better June, as long as I can PUT DOWN THE INTERNET (I can overshop anything).

Did I mention I re-picked-up social smoking in the fall/winter?  So after a solid few months, that's over.  My one May win.

May 2012 Net Worth

This is a little post I like to call, "Let's pretend April never happened."  Not only did I spend more money than I even care to calculate, I also diverged heavily from my eating plan, which up until then had been working like gangbusters.  Goals for May: stop buying coffee and junk during the workday, recommit to the plan, and spend less on going out.


Oh yeah, and I turned 28.  So help me, God.


Emergency Fund: $10,019.04
Checking: $247.14

Travel: $200.79
Medical/Dental: $1,059.43

School: $800.53

Roth IRA: $9,798.99

401k: $7,102.83
Sharebuilder: $218.01
____________
Total Positive: $29,446.76

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $1,638.74
Student Loan: $4,003.24 (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $5,641.98


Net Worth: $23,804.78