My Life Was Changed By A Train » Blogs

Weekly Money Check-Up

ckrapp — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:19:43 +0000

I’m pleased as punch to be participating once again in My Pretty Pennies Weekly Money Check-Up. Here’s my latest installment:

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was $263 for groceries for my mother and grandmother. I was supposed to take my mother’s credit card with me, but forgot. She has been sick and on top of that is responsible for the care of my 95 year old grandmother. She’s been worrying about money a bit lately, so I just paid for the groceries and wouldn’t take her money when she offered to pay me back. It felt good to be able to do that.

2. Today I feel like I am becoming more responsible towards money.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free/inexpensive thing I did last week that made me happy was find a new social navigation app for the iPhone that users can update with traffic details or speed traps. Did I mention it was a FREE app?

4. I will consider this week a success if I don’t succumb to all of the emails I’m getting about Thanksgiving deals. For the first time, we’ve actually started shopping early and getting the right gifts at the right prices. I hope I don’t take the surplus caused by preparing early and just spending it on more gifts!

5. My favorite food at Thanksgiving is, well, all of it. I’m counting my calories even closer than my pennies these days. I’ll have to say the turkey and dressing are in the forefront with deviled eggs and corn souffle being in a close race for the title..

Weekly Money Check Up

ckrapp — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 20:56:39 +0000

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on make up. I had run out of a few of the must-haves but was proud of myself for actually waiting until payday to buy them AND for only buying those things!

2. Today I feel reconciled towards money.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free/inexpensive thing I did last week that made me happy was go running alone, well just me and my dog.

4. I will consider this week a success if I don’t reward myself for a job well done and only splurge on Bs birthday gift(s).

5. My favorite cereal is Golden Grahams! It’s by far, the greatest cereal ever made.

Weekly Money Check-up

ckrapp — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 20:02:59 +0000

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on my boss’s gift for Boss’s Day. My team was supposed to be paying me back, but there are a couple of people that I know won’t.

2. Today I feel disheartened towards money. I’ve been putting more money into my savings and 401K which I know is a good thing but it means not having anything in my checking account so I naturally freak about that.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free/inexpensive thing I did last week that made me happy was sit alone and listen to all my favorite songs from my iTunes library.

4. I will consider this week a success if I don’t make a transfer of funds from my savings back into my checking!

5. If I could quit my job for a month and travel throughout one country, I would choose Australia. How could you not!? An old friend from Australia did a month long road trip before he moved to the states. He documented everything and essentially sent me his trip journal as correspondence. If I didn’t love it already, it certainly caused me to fall in love.

Wherefore art thou kindness

ckrapp — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 21:07:12 +0000

As most of you know, my dear friend Katie lost her son this year. Today is his 19th birthday. Katie and Henry’s story is featured on the Daily Beast today and in honor of Henry, her sister is asking friends and supporters to participate in Acts of Kindness for Henry.

I think it’s a beautiful tribute to a beautiful person. I’ve struggled all day to think of something kind to do. I can say I have been kind to those I’ve interacted with today, more so than usual. I drove by Katie’s house on my way to lunch (she lives near my home, I’m not creepy) and upon seeing her car in the driveway, I immediately wanted my act of kindness to be grabbing flowers or bright balloons and running to her porch. I felt like that might be an intrusion and I knew it was no coincidence she was home today, so I gave her that privacy.

I thought about filling all the parking meters downtown but then realized that most spaces aren’t metered and by the time I got enough change, I needed to be back to work. By the time I get off, the meters w0n’t be ticketing. I thought of buying flowers for my coworkers, but the day before payday made that a not-so-wise decision.

So today, I am still struggling to find my specific act of kindness. In the meantime, in honor of Henry’s family, I’m reaching out to those I hold dear and telling them I love them. I’m making time to see them. And I will make sure they know, nothing is worth more than seeing them another day.

But, I just might throw a good joke in there too because, Henry wouldn’t have it any other way.

ckrapp — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 16:34:11 +0000

MPP has taken a hiatus, so I’m on my own for this week’s Money Check Up. (I also found of she’s only 25 which makes me feel incredible old and impossibly immature about my financial habits. But she got herself out of $13,000 worth of debt and saved another $10,000 so I just need to shut up and keep paying attention . )

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on groceries and miscellany at Target. I did splurge and buy a top that was on clearance for $4.98 and a cardigan that I will wear, year round, for $9.98. I do feel pretty good that I had to really think for a while to come up with the answer. That’s definitely a move in the right direction.

2. Today I feel inspired towards money.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free/inexpensive thing I did last week that made me happy was go for a drive with the windows down. We’ve finally gotten to my favorite part of the year where the temperatures are a bit cooler and there’s a slight breeze. It was perfect rolling the windows down and just enjoying the ride…

4. I will consider this week a success if I continue to be conservative with my money in Atlanta and instead of spend my surplus, rolling it over into savings!

5. I start Christmas shopping when I’ve heard several people say they’re finished! I’m horrible about waiting till the last minute but we have already purchased one present. We took advantage of being in Philadelphia for our buying options!

Have a great weekend!

Weekly Money Check Up

ckrapp — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 00:49:48 +0000

I found this blog, My Pretty Pennies, through one of the fashion sites I sporadically read, but I really liked the idea of a weekly money check up. I know I need to do better with my budget and I am making some strides. Every little bit helps, I suppose, so here’s mine:

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on dinner one of our favorite restaurants. It was following a funeral so I felt like doing something nice for my husband and me.

2. Today I feel a little smarter towards money.

3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free/inexpensive thing I did last week that made me happy was having friends over to our house on Monday.

4. I will consider this week a success if I don’t splurge on anything before our upcoming vacation.

5. My first job was technically babysitting or working for my aunt at her real estate office, but my first W-2 was for Uptown’s Deli and Yogurt Shoppe.

I am an avid blog reader

ckrapp — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:15:37 +0000

I loved to read blogs. I love to write. I love to facebook and I love to tweet. Why, oh why can I not find 15 minutes a week to update my freaking blog? I’m not THAT busy. Although, I have been really busy. (I just typed “busty”, heh. I guess I’m that too.)

We had a sales blitz at my place of employ which meant I was working about 10 hour days and constantly trying to think of ways to produce big and bigger sales. By the time I got home from work each day, my brain was so tired, I literally had a hard time making decisions about what to eat for dinner. That’s bad.

Anyway. Here are a few things I’ve been enjoying on the interwebs and in real life:

Adrienne Martini’s blog – she’s a writer, professor and a mom. She’d probably reorder that list, but I’m not a mom and it’s my blog, so it stays. Anyway, she’s funny and smart and on her ?Many things Make a Post” series ALWAYS seems to have two or more things I love. Lately my facebook links page looks more like an homage to Adrienne than my own thoughts.

She’s Still Got It - Lindsay Ferrier from Suburban Turmoil and the Nashville Scene bring her style blog to Cafe Stir. I’m finding that I don’t agree with everything she’s says about fashion, I love her updates and look forward to them.

Leslie Wylie’s Eventing Blog – my friend Leslie’s a champion in the equestrian sport of eventing, but amid all of the beautiful images of horses, she illustrates an honest, funny and sometimes touching story of a girl just doing what she’s loves and trying to make a go of it.

Elizabeth Edwards

ckrapp — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:02:26 +0000

My friend Katie has a spot on post about Elizabeth Edwards on her blog. I was so struck by it, I commented “I hope this ends up in Elizabeth Edwards’ inbox”. If you look at the other comments, you’ll see, Ms. Edwards did, in fact end up reading it. I feel a lot better, knowing that SHE knows people feel this way.

Blog Stats

ckrapp — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:34:52 +0000

Yesterday was the busiest day ever for my blog. I have no idea why. None of my stats are really telling me anything. Weird.

Yay!

ckrapp — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:39:16 +0000

I just found out that Lindsay Ferrier of Suburban Turmoil has a fashion and shopping blog, She’s Still Got It. This makes me immensely happy. See, she’s a HILARIOUS writer. I first read her when I’d pick up a Nashville Scene while visiting, and occasionally I’ll read a few of her blog posts on Turmoil. I have said, she seems like the kind of mom I’d be if I had kids, but you know, I don’t have kids*, so my attention span tends to drift after a while. My fault, not hers.

*Kids seem to help make sure bloggers have material, though. It’s just not the same with husbands. “Oh look, DT is drinking milk from the carton again. My readers will find that hilarious!”