Stick to the Challenge!

New Tires Are Definitely a Necessity 

         Learned the importance of saving this past month has really paid off. The tires on my 2006 Hyundai Elantra are shot and I need to replace them the front two before i have a blow out on the road. By reducing my unnecessary spending this month and following some tips on how to save money from 31 Money Saving Tricks, I managed to save up almost $300. By following these tips I saved quite a few bucks and rather than going shopping for black Friday as previously planned, I'm going to use the money to replace the tires on my care, something that is definitely more important.

          This past month I have learned a lot about myself and my routines and I tend to spend money on things I don't need without thinking about their long term use and necessities. I've learned to weight out the cost and benefit of buying something and its long term use. Tires are definitely more important than the new hottest deals on electronics or clothes.

          Id like to think that i grew up a lot over the last month. I've come to identify the petty high school worries I carry when I worry about what people think about me, and am growing to get over it. Jessi Arrington has made me realize that no one can take or give me confidence but myself. Happiness comes from within. If I want a happy life later on, its not only about learning to budget so I can make more money and be happy, but about learning to love myself first.

          Success later on in life isn't only attributed to what my financial situation will be (but I'm sure it helps,), but also the confidence I have in myself. Confidence is key to a happy life, not the amount of money in my bank account. If I learn to love myself and look at things in a brighter light, that in itself is a recipe for a fruitful and happy life. And who could ask for more?

What does my stuff say about me?

What does my stuff say about me?

            SIKE! Everyone judges! But you have to learn to 
            look past it and not care!

          While on the journey to save better, I started to think about what weve gone over this semster. Previously we have read the excerpt "What Your Stuff Says About You" by Sam Gosling where he describes how our possessions reflect our personalities and can also affect how others perceive us. He performs a series of trials with different people and their rooms and asked people what they thought about that person. Going through this challenge has made me reflect on what my possessions say about me and how that affects how others perceive me.

          In my room, the main things I have are a bed, a TV and a dresser. My room is usually pretty clean and my bed is almost always made (unless I woke up on the wrong side: pun intended). I have a snow globe, my parents photos and a jewelry box on my dresser. My room is very simple and clean, but my closet is a hot mess. My closet is where I shove all of my things so that my room looks as clean as it does. I definitely spend most of my money on clothes because thats the majority of my possessions. What does this say about me?

          One could say its normal for a young lady to want to shop till she drops, but others would say it might be borderline outfit obsession as Jessi Arrlington would call it. If someone saw my room, they would think that I'm a horder or a compulsive shopper. Although, I cant accurately judge my own room because of bias, others would be able to see the identity claims that are either directly or indirectly aimed at others or myself.

My goal at the end of this challenge is not only to save money but to not to care about what people think about me. At the end of the day, everyone judges the choices that they didnt make themselves. Although everyone tries to judge you, in the words of Tupac, "Only God Can Judge Me."

Outfit Obsessed

Outfit Obsessed

Do I cover up my insecurities by wearing clothes that I think will make me more socially acceptable?

What effect does my wardrobe style have on my wallet, and more importantly the environment?

Do I become too attached to certain pieces of clothing?

          These are some of the few questions I asked myself when I was on TED TALKS watching a video by Jessi Arrington. In her video, "Wearing Nothing New", Jessi starts off her speech by confessing to her outfit obsession. Arrington explains her concept of wearing nothing new by only buying recycled clothing. This will not only to minimize her impact on the environment but also  make shopping more of a treasure hunt and your style more unique to you.

           Arrington loves to second hand shop because she is an adamant believer that you dont have to spend a lot of money to look good in what you wear. She has influenced me to thrift shop more than I already to be more confident about what i wear. By picking clothes that is second hand, not only am I helping my pocketbook, but also the environment benefits more if I buy recycled clothing.

          Jessi Arrington didnt pack anything to wear for her trip, all she took with her was 7 undies! This was to prove the point that she was more than confident that she would find everything that she needed to wear at local thrift and second hand stores. Arrington uses a slideshow to show her audience what she wore through out the week. With every different outfit that she wore came a different lesson that she learned and shared. This video relates back to my challenge of saving money for 30 days because my biggest expense is clothing.

          Arrington shares the lessons she learned,  and the one that stuck with me the most was "if you believe your a beautiful person inside and out, there is no look you cant rock." I admit that im self conscious and shy and sometimes lack confidence, but this this video has impacted me and my lifestyle choices. I want to be able to wake up one day and feel beautiful  as a person, not as a result of what Im wearing. This challenge is so much deeper than just saving money, it has made me realise that I use and excess of make up and clothes to feel better about myself. I should feel good and be confident about myself as a person everyday and that is something that I also need to work on.

Wear Nothing New - Jessi Arrington

What doesnt kill you makes you stronger right??

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger right??

Well will be happy too hear that yesterday I went to the mall with my boyfriend and I did not buy a single thing! Not even a delicious Wetzels Pretzel!!!
Proud of me? Because I sure am!

As we walked around Cherry Creek Mall, I saw things I wanted everywhere "oh, look at that!" "ohhh, or that!" "ohhhh OR THAT!". I was actually pretty good at telling myself no and restraining from spending more than I had to. We went to the mall to get work boots for the auto shop he works in. As we walked passed Forever21 and Pacsun, I kept reminding myself that we are here to get him stuff, not me.

Later that evening, Aaron went to the bathroom for a second and left me waiting for him right by the escalator (which was coincidentally right in from of Pacsun!). As I stood there looking into the store, I started wondering why i have such a need to buy clothes? As I put more thought into it, I came to the conclusion that its because "its cool". Social media, celebrities, everyone thinks "its cool to dress cool". They endorse products and create fashion lines that are pricey and hard to keep up with for the middle class, and convince us that we need it because its the new fad. So whats so great about paying $60 for some jeans that already have holes in them? I didnt go into a single fashion store that day.

Two hours later, we have found the perfect shoes for him and are heading home. On the way home, i really reflect on my attitude and id like to think that I'm improving. Instead of thinking I need new clothes, now my mind is on more important things. Like getting my poor little car new tires before winter, now thats a priority. Groceries, education and my transportation are the only things I'm trying to focus on spending money on.

I was pretty proud of myself because regardless of all of the sales going on, and despite it being payday, I realized clothes isn't my biggest concern, I think I grew up a lot that day. When I got home, I read an article written by David Ning about the benefits of saving money at a young age and how it would affect your life as oppose to reckless spending, which inspired me to save even more.

Since yesterdays realization, I think i need to start putting more effort into not spending money. Although this challenge ends on 10/31, I'm going to try to keep saving until I can pay cash for my new tires. I'm learning the difference between necessities and wants, and id like to think I'm going a pretty darn good job. Lets see, whats going to keep me safe on the roads, new clothes or new tires? You do the math.

Benefits of Saving Money - David Ning

Budgeting my Money AND My time

Budgeting my money and my time!

Not only do I need to budget my money this month, but i need to budget my time better to be able to blog about the changes in my life! Ive been so caught up with school and work that I havent had the chance to blog, I'm sorry I am slacking on updating, but ill try to catch you up as fast as i can! :

I am an average working girl in college. I work at the movie theater for Regal Entertainment Group and get paid every two weeks. I work about 20 hours a week and get paid $10 an hour. My paycheck can vary from 300-400 dollars every 2 weeks. I need to learn to budget that money so I don't get into financial trouble before I make the real dolla dolla bills ya'll.

My big expenses such as rent, insurance, etc. is paid for by family . I help contribute by buying groceries every week and paying my own bills such as my visa credit card. Although I got really excited when I qualified for a visa, but I need to learn to be responsible with it. This chart is an estimate of what I spend/earn and what my spending habits are:

  Weekly Spending                                               Weekly Earnings           

              

groceries              : $100                                     hours (weekly) :      20                  

gas                        : $20                                       pay  (hourly)    :      10

miscellaneous      : $40                                       Total (Weekly)      : $200

dining out            : $20                                       TOTAL (Monthly):$800       

entertainment     : $40

TOTAL (Weekly): $220                  

TOTAL (Monthly):$880

I spend around 220 a week, that is $880 a month! I spend $880 in one month when i only make about $600-800. Spending over my means now hasn't been a problem yet because my parents help me make ends meet but as i grow up the hard reality of taking care of myself sets in more. If i cut down random spending, I can pay my bills by myself and also put money away on the side.
My goal is to be more responsible about my own finances so my parents don't have to be.

Here is how im going to start saving! (and making it more routine!) This month Ive gone cold turkey on many things, here is a list and this is how much ill be saving if i stick to it:

Monthly Savings


Starbucks/Keva Juice : $20
Dining Out                   : $80
Entertainment             : $160
Miscellaneous              : $160
TOTAL (Monthly)      : $420

GMAIL: my temptress

ITS LIKE THEY KNOW!!!!

Every since I have put a stop to my compulsive spending, all i get is emails to spend my money. ITS LIKE THEY KNOW! I'm a subscriber to all of my favorite stores but lately they have been emailing me way more than normal. My inbox is filled with so many sales to choose from and it's so hard to resist! 

I think being a subscriber to these stores is part of my problem. Seeing them everyday just makes it easier for them to advertise to me so i can spend my money. I check my Gmail every hour, so I am allowing them to email me sales that I know I cant resist.... and then I go out shopping. I go out shopping because these advertisement convince me, along with the rest of their audience, that they will never find another sale like this one. Ever. So I mindlessly spend my money along with the other 52% of americans who spend more than they earn because only about 50% of them actually make monthly budgets. Not only that but they spend $1.33 for every $1 earned. Now THATS a problem! And its about to be my problem!

Overspending in America

Ill admit, I wasnt taking my spending serious the first couple of days until i ran into this article above. Its scary to see the real statistics behind the debt problem in America. If I had to rate my spending its probably at ''18 yr aspiring fashion diva''.... oh wait?

Excuses excuses, I will act upon my 'millennial' behavior (as i like to call it) no longer! Unsubscribing from stores and sticking to a list before I go shopping will definitely help minimize spending before i get into serious debt.

(or worse... have to get professional help!?)

ABOUT ME

 All About Me:

 30 Days of Savings Challenge

As a new student in college, practicing smart spending habits are beneficial to my success in the long run. Going to college is expensive, and paying it off can be a pain. I want to spend the next 30 days practicing savvy spending. Saving my money now will help my financial situation later, and teach me how to build better spending habits.


30 Day Challenge Essay:

Fashion Diva to Bargain Shopper

          Fashion culture and social norms varies year to year, from every corner of the world. The latest trends styles, and hobbies to follow are constantly changing. Although brand names give a product more credibility to customers, they usually also cost more. Customers are willing to invest more money in a brand name product, as opposed to getting a generic brand product because it has a reputation, and sometimes looks aesthetically more pleasing. As a freshman in college, it is important to learn to save money and cut costs. I will limit myself to a weekly spending budget and make lists before going shopping to reduce compulsive and random spending. My dad used to say a “penny saved is a penny earned”, so I challenge myself within the next 30 days to reflects my parents smart spending practices. I will break my bad spending habits and build a routine of smart shopping, and spending in moderation.

          I like shopping just as much as the next girl, probably even more. Thinking back, I could’ve been saving a long time ago, but its better late than never. For years, I spent foolishly spent money on things like a new computer, phone and clothes instead of saving for an education and a home. With my parents helping me pay part of my education and financial aid paying the rest, my only expenses now are day to day. Driving around an economical car has also left me more room for saving because I only need about $35 to fill my tank. This month I want to my spending in half or more, by reducing the luxury items I buy. I also want to finding new inexpensive ways to entertain myself. I will set up a spending budget so I can see where my highest and lowest expenses are, and what I can cut from my budget. For example, on my down time I enjoy tie dying as a hobby which can get expensive when I replace my supplies. I can replace this hobby with taking my dogs to the park or exercise around the block. As a vivid shopper, I also frequently visit Park Meadows Mall. The stores are huge, my biggest weakness is Forever21, Pac sun and H&M. By not going to the mall at all this month, I will be less tempted to see things that I want and will in turn spend less. While exploring my unneeded expenses, I also realized that I drink Starbucks or Keva Juice every day or every other day. These drinks may be delicious and satisfying in the moment, but they are definitely an overpriced and unneeded expense. Pinching pennies where I can will help build better spending practices and improve my financial situation, which will improve my life condition.

          Focusing on saving money for a money will help me make it a habit. This month my goal is to go from fashion diva to bargain shopper. I will find coupons online for any products I do need to buy in grocery or retail stores. I will also stop eating out and buy more food at grocery stores that will last longer to also cut my costs down. These savings will help me get one step closer to getting my own place here in the city. Living in the city is costly and every penny I save can help me get on my own feet. My mom told me that if you write something down enough times, you will make it come true. In my journal, I have written “You will save $1000 by Christmas” over and over again. I look at this paper every day to remind myself that saving money is more important that what I want in the moment. Saving $1000 may seem difficult but if I tried saving more than I did spending, I could make it happen.

          Compulsive spending is an addiction that is growing rapidly. Much like gamblers or drinkers, we don’t realize the problem, much less how to help that addiction. Across the country, 17 million Americans fight compulsive spending, and have an average credit card debt of over $10,000 mostly from unnecessary purchases. Practicing efficient spending habits and saving methods will help me combat my addiction before it even begins. To get $1000 in my saving account, I am going to have to really make drastic changes to my lifestyle. Saving money to in turn own a home late won’t happen overnight, but by setting saving goals, it becomes more realistic and achievable. Christmas is about 80 days away, and if I make sure to that $15 goes into my savings every day, a $1000 goal becomes easier to look at. Learning to say no to myself will help reduce my compulsive spending, and give me a better financial situation in the long run.

          Saving money can be the difficult, especially when choosing between early retirement, and life-long debt. My financial situation has control over different aspects of my life, and if I don’t start saving now, the stress of coping with bills and expenses will become a burden I can’t handle. By budgeting and putting more money away, I am practicing savvy spending and saving methods. Taking out avoidable expenses such as clothes and electronics, has also reduced my chances of getting into financial debt later and got me one step closer to buying a home. These 30 days will help me improve myself and my life by learning to make better financial choices, and passing on that knowledge to my children.