Musicalbabe85's Personal Finance Blog

Ugh, I'm so confused. I'm wanting to start up the $20 challenge, but I'm not quite sure of the "rules." Do you just start with $20 and then add whatever you want whenever? Cause I can definitely do that. I'll have to search through the forums some more and see if I can find the OP....

I got paid today, but it doesn't even feel like payday! My accounts have less than they did before! My net pay was $249.16. After transferring all the money plus some deposited into my savings to my checking to pay my credit card off, which was $299.74, I have $40 in my savings and $66 in my checking, lol. BLLAAAHHHHH! It's a good thing that we don't really rely on my income! But at least my credit card is paid off in full before it was due. I've made sure that I don't spend more on it than what I can pay off each time. So far I've not paid any interest on it! One good feeling is knowing that I do have $275 in my ingdirect savings account, so at least I do have a bit of money to my name, haha.

I also transferred $10 to my daughter's savings account. I've budgeted $50/month going to her account in my Quicken budget, but I just started using the program on the 21st. Because of that, I haven't worried about my April budget too much. I figured I'll really start focusing starting May.

On my previous delimma, I think I've figured out what I'm going to do...I think. If the position is part time, with the possibility of becoming full time 6 months or more out, then I'll probably post to it. Otherwise, I'm staying put. I just don't think full-time is feasible for me right now. My husband doesn't really want me full time yet, and I keep feeling a twinge of guilt about it, so we've decided this will probably be the best outcome. I do feel a bit of peace with it.

Gas here is at $3.75. Worst part? DH and I have switched cars because mine is more gas effecient. I really, really miss my car, lol. His car is a 1992 Grand Prix. Mine is a 2004 Honda Civic. Yeah, just a little difference there, but with me driving less than a mile each day, and his drive is at least 45 minutes, depending on whether he misses rush hour, it makes a lot of sense! It'll be nice when mine is paid off though so we can get a newer car for him. His is really starting to cost a lot in repairs. It's at 192k on mileage and showing its age. Mine is set to be paid off July of 2009, but we're hoping we can pay it off before then. We'll see...

Thank you all for reading, and thank you to those of you that commented on my previous blog about my job. It is a hard decision, one that is leaving me feeling selfish if I post for the position or a wee bit resentful if I don't. I hate the last part of that, resentful is such a strong word, not really what I'm meaning, but I can't think of a better word.

Those of you who talked about daycare and such, we are really blessed because my father in law owns his own plumbing business and my mother in law works for him answering phones. This is all based at their house so my mil watches DD when I work. It's great because my girl gets to spend her time with family, but she really doesn't know how to play with other children. If I took the full time position, I would probably be putting her into a daycare. I'm not as concerned about the cost because we're not dependent on my income anyways. She needs the interaction with other children, and I'd love to see her get it now and not have issues with friends or sharing when she starts in Kindergarden. I know preschool will help with that also though.

I've done the sahm thing, which honestly, I did enjoy it. I didn't enjoy not being able to buy things that I wanted for DD or me occasionally without getting "approval" from DH. Not really approval, but he kind of handled all the finances and at the job he was in when we moved and bought this house, his income was less than now. Unfortunately, or fortunately however you want to look at it because it brought around some good changes, he lost his job. I went back to work because we weren't sure when he was going to find work, and I wanted to have some adult interaction and money again. Luckily, the company he interned with in college brought him on as a contractor and paid him double what he was making when he lost his job! So really, besides savings and spending money for me, my job is only to supply insurance for health, dental, vision, etc. I've decided that I really don't want to be a sahm again. Just not for me.

I do want to have at least one more child (soon) but we would need to get a different house or build since I don't think we can feasibly add on to our current house. I would also like to have more money saved up for my maternity leave and the surgery since it'd be a c-section birth, and since DH lost quite a bit not being with DD much when she was born (school and work) I'd love for him to be able to take a week or so of paternity leave. He has a hard time taking time off though since he doesn't get any compensation. So talking him into taking a week off would be much easier if we had a nice savings built up just for that event.

Either way, I know I'm going to have to make compromises. These are the times that I wish just a teeny tiny bit that DH and I had been more responsible when we were dating. I would never ever wish that DD wasn't born, but I wish she had been born when we were a bit older and secure. I'll continue to pray on it and talk with the manager and DH about ways to accomplish what I need. The position kind of just fell into my lap so maybe it'll work out the way I need it! There is a chance it'll be at 20 hours for awhile anyhow, which won't be near as big of an issue as full time will be!

I decided to go ahead and start increasing my contribution amount to my 401k after each paycheck. I want to see how much my checks are going to be impacted, hence the gradual increase. Right now I have it set to contribute 5% to my Roth IRA and 5% to a before tax account. I really don't understand all the investments, 401ks, etc., mumbo jumbo at all, but I'm planning on going to the library either tonight or tomorrow to see if I can't find some books to help me out. The financial advisor at the bank I work at has been helping me so far. Free financial help, lol, can't beat that!

PLEASE JUST CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENTS REGARDING BELOW TOPIC (meaning no bashing about thinking of "leaving" my daughter)

I'm torn at the moment between my career and my motherhood status. I enjoy my job tremendously, so much so that I'm planning on majoring in business finance and spending the rest of my working life in this field. I also love my daughter, more than life itself! But, I also enjoy money.

I have a chance to move to another branch, which is a larger and busier branch, with the manager that was originally at the branch I'm at now. He also hired me. I feel that this move, and having him as my manager and mentor, would be very beneficial to my career development. He has already stated that he wants to give me some added responsibilities as soon as I feel ready, which makes me feel really good. The move would also help my family save money on gas as my husband and I could commute, and the branch is near the campus I'm going to be attending this fall for school.

The only catch is that I would probably have to move from part time at 20 hours to full time-40 hours. I really have thought about going full time, but part of me (not sure if it's worry or sadness) is concerned about leaving DD. She'll be going to preschool in the fall if she is potty trained by then, but she still won't be in school everyday. Plus, while I'm only 5 minutes away from where she is at my mil's, I'd be at least 30 minutes away at the new branch.

I'm so torn about what I should do. On one hand, I want to jump at this opportunity because it will benefit me in the long run, yet at the same time, I feel so selfish leaving my baby girl! I was talking with my husband and he feels that I should make the move but stay at part time. My mom feels that I shouldn't make this type of move until DD is in school everyday.

So, if any of you women have had to grapple with a situation like this, what did you choose? What would you do if you were in my situation? I guess I'm just looking for advice from anyone who has been in this type of situation. Thank you in advance!

I decided to go ahead and start a blog. Maybe it will help make me even more aware of what's going on in my financial life, even though I'm already pretty aware.

My husband and I decided that we really need to buckle down and start saving again. When he took his current position, we kind of relaxed on our spending due to feeling more stable from the better income, but it's time to tighten up again. Gas prices, grocery costs, the cost of having a child...it all adds up as everyone knows.

Well, not too much to add today, we'll see how it goes!