April 2010 Net Worth

Emergency Fund: $3,680.63
Checking: $200.87
Wedding Fund: $686.55
Other People's Weddings Fund: $170.01
Misc. ING Funds: $51.01
Roth IRA: $7,782.05 (out of the $7,500 I've invested so far)
401k: $4,877.10
Sharebuilder: $40.29 (out of $50 initial investment)
Amex Gift Card: $23.00
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Total Positive: $17,511.51


Rent: $PAID
Groceries/Utilities: $PAID
Phone: $PAID
Subway Pass: $30
Credit cards: $156.56
Student Loan I: $7,556.94 (from over $19k)
Student Loan II: $0
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Total Negative: $7,743.50

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Total Net Worth: +$9,768.01


I made some pretty nice gains this month, despite my cut in pay, mostly due to the following:

1. I got my final paycheck from my old job this month (we were paid every 2 weeks, with a 1 week delay, I think?), on top of the money I was making at the new job (paid weekly, with hardly any delay).
2. My fiance and I are now each paying a percentage of the rent, instead of 50/50, so my share is about $200 less now.
3. Retirement fund gains.

My expenses for next month will be through the roof with all the plane tickets alone. Starting the week after my own wedding in May, all my extra income (about $2k) will be earmarked for "Other People's Weddings". I have 3 weddings in the next few months, and all of them require travel. And one of them requires me to plan/pay the bulk of bridal shower/bachelorette party stuff. Woo? It's possible that I could not be any less enthusiastic ever, about anything, than I am at the moment.

Item 2 of 3

Item 2. We've canceled the wedding.

Or more accurately, we've canceled the wedding we were planning. We're still getting married, but sooner, and in front of fewer people. In light of my decision to give notice with or without anything in my back pocket, we could not rationally have a "normalish" wedding.

The event we were originally planning was for 75 or so people in October with a reception and minimal catering. We didn't think we could make that happen for less than about $10k, all told. I haven't toiled at a hateful job since I graduated just to throw it all away on a party. I was sick over it. So we made our small wedding even smaller. We canceled our original venue and ate the loss on our deposit (the jury's still out though on how "non-refundable" it is, we'll see).

The new venue is on city property, for which we only need a permit and about 20 rented chairs, and we've bumped it up to May (no, I'm not pregnant -- this is literally the first question everyone asks). We're still getting the rabbi, but instead of a reception, we're just going to have a lunch at a restaurant nearby. We've reserved a large room there at no charge, and we'll set up a little cake and probably imbibe in some champagne and other celebratory victuals. As for the dress, I'll try to find a $99 one at DB, and he'll get a free tux rental. While we're going outside the norm somewhat, I have decided that I still want to wear a white dress.

You may have noticed that our new wedding date hovers suspiciously close to my last day of work. We're sensible people, and since I've had some health issues in the past, I know it's nearly impossible for me to find fair (or ANY) health insurance coverage, so we're going to add me to his plan he has through his employer. Not cheap, for sure, but probably the best way to go for now.

And don't even get me started on the name-change question.

Item 3 tomorrow!

We've Only Just Begun...Wedding Planning.

I've had so many conversations with my mother this month about wedding stuff. I'm pretty sure it's all we talk about now. Not 5 minutes ago, I was on the phone with Mom, and she was yammering on about photographers, and I just couldn't listen for one more single little second. I had to interrupt and tell her I'd call her back tomorrow before my head exploded.

Yes, I'm totally into the idea of getting married. Yes, I want my friends and family there on my wedding day, but NO, I AM TOTALLY NOT INTO PLANNING THIS BIATCH!

We've reserved the venue, the rabbi, and possibly the dress. Now there's the cake to consider, photos, lodging for out-of-town guests, DIY decorations, hair, makeup, food, music, and now we're even taking an eraser to the guest list. I could never, ever be an event planner. I can feel my brain hemorrhaging as I type this.

I'm not sure what is so hard about this for me. I think part of it is the money (isn't it always?). This is going to cost a helluva lot of money no matter which way you slice it. We're doing a "small" wedding, but it's still going to cost more money than I have right now.

Second, I never pictured a big wedding for myself. I'm just not the type to moon over wedding dresses and floral arrangements, and I don't feel like faking it.

Third, a co-worker of mine spent over $70K on her wedding this year. $70K, and apparently it just happened! As if a $70K wedding is something you just fall into! Anyway, I'm definitely not a $70K wedding kind of girl, I'm not even a $20K or $10K wedding kind of girl, no matter what the national average is, and I don't want to accidentally spend anywhere near that! In fact, my original idea was to have my wedding in my aunt's backyard with a local BBQ joint catering, but it was nixed when we realized the chairs would sink into the lawn.

Anyway, I know I've committed to the type of wedding with photographers and caterers, but I'd be lying if I said I was looking forward to planning it.

To be continued...?