Haven't blogged in a while. Still saving up. So far I've met 91% of my goal. I don't know about buying a house now. Some say now is a good time but I read somewhere that prices will bottom out 2011. It's such a big commitment though...it scares me. I hear coworkers complain about maintenance costs and issues all the time. Maybe I'm better off renting for now.

Need to vent...

I try to keep my stuff in good condition & it seems like the world just wants to ruin it (whatever it is). I went to the gym today and when I came back out to my car I found that someone had scratched the left side of my bumper (rear). Looks like someone's tire rubbed up against it. This has happened before, the first time the scratches were barely visible. This time there's more damage, paint's all scratched up. I know things like this will happen sooner or later but this just bothers me. People just have no respect, didn't even leave a note or anything!

I don't know if I should have it repainted, probably going to be very expensive. Maybe I should just leave it cause it will probably happen again!

My bf found 2 quarters in the parking lot today. He gave it to me & I put it in the change jar. Every little bit counts. Everything has value.

It was my 4 year anniversary at work. Wow how fast time flies. They did my eval a couple weeks ago. I'm up $1.27/hr, +$50/payck. I should be kicking in more to the EF.

Sometimes I can barely tolerate this job. But then I think....it could be worse. Atleast it's safe.

Changed the allocations on my 401K to something conservative. I think I lost about 12 last year. Rather stick that money in a CD where it will be +2.5%than -35% or whatever. Can't just pull it out without penalty. Scary...I'm going to need that money to retire. Feel like I'm just gambling with it.

Trying to stock up on emergency supplies. I didn't even have a single flashlight in the house! I got two at Target - the kind that winds up & doesn't need batteries. One of them has AM/FM radio & it gets a weather alert station. It can charge cell phones but it doesn't work for mine. The plug doesn't fit! Too bad. This would have been one kick @ss flashlight!

Since we get an extra paycheck this January, decided to put $400 into savings rather than just $300. Last year, I was able to put in $600 a month, but now I've got car payments and braces. Braces should be coming off in a few months, they said.

On Christmas, I received $40 from my grandparents, that went into the pot. Then I deposited 2 survey checks - one for $50 and the other $10.

On 12/28, I was a bridesmaid at my friend's wedding and got a nice little windfall. I received $100 in a red envelope and $1 in another red envelope. So I just got paid for being a bridesmaid. Wasn't expecting that!

I have a feeling this will be a good year. I'll just continue everything I was doing before. I feel more focused. Maybe it's because of everything that's going on. Recession can be a good thing.

Too much going on in so little time.

September, October, November and December :

I was getting ready to go to a wedding in December for one of my friends from HS. I am going to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. Next week I'm driving about an hour away to get the dress altered. I've been working out and sorta dieting too.

I just received an e-vite - this morning for a wedding next week (I guess she is pregnant). This is next Sunday, right before I scheduled my vacation.

I have been to one baby shower in September and this month I'm invited to three more.

There's one for my coworker, a sister in law and a friend I haven't seen in about a year or two. It's funny about the last one - I haven't spoken to her in 1- 2 yrs, she hasn't even called/emailed to tell me the news. If I'm getting a baby shower notice, she must be about 8 months along. We were supposed to be good friends. I must not be that important anymore then. Just yesterday she emailed me a link to their baby registry at Target.com - no note or other details in it, just one of those automated delivery notices. She just sends the link to the baby registry, no phone calls, nothing. So technically, this is not a baby shower invitation - I guess she wants us to send her the stuff on the list. I don't know but, I find this in bad taste ... I think she has a lot of nerve.

Judging from the list of stuff on the registry, it looks like it's going to be a girl. They already have one girl - can't they use the stuff they had for her?

I don't know if I can afford all this right now. I didn't even put anything into savings this month because I wanted to take a big bite out of my cc bills. Now I have to get gifts for all these people???

Didn't spend any money this weekend. Brought my lunch to traffic school on Saturday and ate it in the car. It was better that I stayed, because if I had come to class late I would have been kicked out, and have to do this again another Saturday.

I received my Target gift card from

Today at work was In-N-Out Burger Day, so I had lunch and dinner free. Yesterday we had a potluck so didn't have to buy lunch or dinner at work. There was so much food. Took a little home.

Should be getting two checks ($11.50)from Opinion Outpost. Will deposit that into the HF.

I also started a travel (whatever) fund. $40 in it so far.

What really hurt me this month was paying for that $400+ ticket & traffic school. I will have to go next week. Shouldn't have gone to Vegas in August either, even though I didn't go gamble or shop. I don't think I'll be going there for a while. I don't even really like Vegas.

Haven’t spent any money this weekend, even though it felt like I did. At work they gave all the employees $50 gift cards for Vons. I bought some food yesterday, totaled $19 something. I will use the rest for the next time. I had a packet of mung beans (only 79 cents) on hand and made a stew with some rice. I will be eating this all week. This is filling and good, but I’m going to be gassy all week! Thank god for Gas-X!

I went to Best Buy and bought the American Idol game for my Wii with a gift card I received a long time ago. I’m really disappointed with this game – as there are not enough songs on it! I can only sing “Black Velvet” and “Walking on Sunshine” so many times. You can’t download anymore songs! I played American Idol at a friend’s party on her Play Station, which I thought was much better – more songs and better graphics. It was so much fun, and addicting too so I thought I’d get it for myself.

Can anyone recommend any karaoke games on the Wii that are better than AI?

It’s so hot and I’m trying to limit the time that I run the AC. I’m going to go to cool off at the gym.