Eking out a Life from a Living

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 22:20:00 +0000

Guys.

I'm unemployed. Not in a bad way, but not in a good way either. Just as my income has waned to nil, so has my motivation to live. Not in a call-for-help kind of way, just in a couch-bound, peanut-butter-by-the-spoonful kind of way. I'll be back when I wake up.

October 2013 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 19:23:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $11,014.61
Checking: $604.01

Medical/Dental: $781.57

Education: $2,044.79

Roth IRA: $12,155.07
401k1: $8,767.12

401k2: $1,504.99
____________

Total Positive: $36,872.16

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $618.00
____________
Total Negative: $618.00

Net Worth: $36,254.16

September 2013 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 02:54:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $11,007.85
Checking: $220.53

Medical/Dental: $781.09

Education: $2,043.53

Roth IRA: $11,593.09
401k1: $8,356.72

401k2: $1,131.07
____________

Total Positive: $35,133.88

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $784.85
____________
Total Negative: $784.85

Net Worth: $34,349.03

Big month, guys. Not great. I was up for a promotion at work, so I made some frantic clothing purchases in an effort to look a bit more professional/stylish. Since I do all my clothes shopping online, the bulk of it didn't work for me, so I've got hundreds (eesh) of dollars in returns to make. And the best part: I didn't get the promotion.

August 2013 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Sat, 03 Aug 2013 15:58:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $10,819.93
Checking: $348.52

Medical/Dental: $780.59

Education: $1,882.32

Roth IRA: $12,023.63

401k1: $8,711.14
401k2: $1,164.47

____________
Total Positive: $35,730.60

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $41.84
____________
Total Negative: $41.84

Net Worth: $35,688.76

July 2013 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 18:49:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $10,813.07
Checking: $257.35

Medical/Dental: $780.09

Education: $3,495.56

Roth IRA: $11,407.27

401k1: $8,316.97
401k2: $832.24

____________
Total Positive: $35,902.55

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $740.19
____________
Total Negative: $740.19

Net Worth: $35,162.36

Youch. I used a chunk of my Education fund to pay for enrollment in a new, rather expensive course. I've also done some online shopping in an effort to look more... current? Less mid-lifey? My 5-years-younger friends at work said I could "literally be on What Not to Wear." That clearly hit me right in the feels.

June 2013 New Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 11:02:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $10,406.48
Checking: $186.48

Medical/Dental: $779.61

Education: $4,517.81

Roth IRA: $11,556.83

401k1: $8,435.68
401k2: $637.66

____________
Total Positive: $36,520.53

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $287.84
____________
Total Negative: $287.84

Net Worth: $36,232.69

May 2013 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Sun, 05 May 2013 14:10:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $10,101.16
Checking: $290.59

Travel: $0.02

Medical/Dental: $452.14

Education: $4,115.10

Roth IRA: $11,588.55

401k1: $8,513.13
401k2: $642.82

____________
Total Positive: $35,703.51

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $117.81
____________
Total Negative: $117.81

Net Worth: $35,585.70

Another hard month. More dental work, and it's far from over. My credit card bills have been high, mostly from said dental work, but I still have to cut down on the day-to-day junk.

April 2013 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:42:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $10,094.95
Checking: $236.07

Travel: $0.02

Medical/Dental: $251.89

Education: $4,112.57

Roth IRA: $11,244.12

401k: $8,570.39

____________
Total Positive: $34,510.01

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $1,026.33
____________
Total Negative: $1,026.33

Net Worth: $33,483.68

Between dental work and a haircut this past month, I'm down about $700. I don't think we've seen the last of the dentist either. Can't deal.

March 2013 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 13:39:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $10,088.56
Checking: $176.64

Travel: $0.02
Medical/Dental: $355.56

Education: $3,920.12

Roth IRA: $10,985.79

401k: $8,113.25
____________
Total Positive: $33,639.94

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $725.33
____________
Total Negative: $725.33

Net Worth: $32,914.61

We got our tax refund back and applied $3,000 of it to my Education fund. We set some aside for the future, and some for vacation, too. Yes, it was another big refund (though not as big as last year).

February 2013 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 14:48:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $10,082.78
Checking: $99.00

Travel: $0.02
Medical/Dental: $315.37

Education: $620.69

Roth IRA: $10,999.38

401k: $8,164.00
____________
Total Positive: $30,281.24

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $1,083.13
____________
Total Negative: $1,083.13

Net Worth: $29,198.11

Welp, I didn't quite make my goal of a $30k net worth by February, but I got pretty close, mostly by interest and accident. I clearly lost focus in the spending department. It didn't even go crazy with the shopping, so I'm not really sure what that number is made up of. I guess it's time to whip out the old spreadsheet. I know I say that every time I update, but now that I have an iPhone, I don't really have an excuse. I need to take advantage of the plethora of apps out there and just update it on the reg, and in real-time.

January 2013 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 19:05:00 +0000

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Emergency Fund: $10,076.38
Checking: $87.48

Travel: $0.02
Medical/Dental: $30.23

School: $260.48

Roth IRA: $10,464.60

401k: $7,772.83
____________
Total Positive: $28,692.02

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $1,018.61
Student Loan: ****PAID IN FULL**** (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $1,018.61

Net Worth: $27,673.41

See what I did there? I decided that, after 6 years of paying student loans, I'd had enough. I took money from my sub-accounts to pay the remaining balance. I know a couple thousand might not seem like a lot, but it felt good to be able to close that chapter and move on.

I was lazy for most of December as far as updating my spending spreadsheet, so I spent a lot of money on sandwiches, snacks (usually between $7-$15/day), and other things I didn't need. Throw in some Amazon orders, a phone upgrade, and I'm not even sure what else, and there you have it. For January, I will definitely be using my spending spreadsheet to keep myself in check. No use getting rid of my student loan debt only to let my consumer debt get out of control. Still paying it off every month, but let's shoot for a more sensible $400 next month.

December 2012 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 11:29:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $10,065.40
Checking: $212.74

Travel: $0.01
Medical/Dental: $425.12

School: $670.25

Roth IRA: $10,211.53

401k: $7,663.24
Sharebuilder: $51.39
____________
Total Positive: $29,299.68

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $309.56
Student Loan: $2,613.21 (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $2,922.77

Net Worth: $26,376.91

I spent November packing up returns and counting my pennies (literally -- thanks, Google Drive!). I'm still waiting on one refund from Land's End ::shakes fist::, but I'm feeling pretty good about my progress. I'll continue to keep a spending spreadsheet through December to keep my spending down. I didn't even take the bait on any Thanksgiving weekend sales, which is proof enough, I think, that it helps tremendously.

November 2012 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 19:44:00 +0000

Let's just dive right in and pretend like I didn't skip a month. Onward!

Emergency Fund: $10,058.95
Checking: $286.84

Travel: $50.34
Medical/Dental: $200.30

School: $602.67

Roth IRA: $10,273.64

401k: $7,612.06
Sharebuilder: $219.05
____________
Total Positive: $29,303.85

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $1,362.50
Student Loan: $2,850.00 (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $4,212.50

Net Worth: $25,091.35

My goals for this month will be as follows:

i) Stop spending (I've been able to get a handle on the online shopping, but I've been to Marshall's twice in the past 2 days, and managed to buy 1 handbag, 3 scarves, and some Turkish delight (Why do they stockpile the Turkish D? Who even eats that shiz (besides me)?). It is not lost on me how tantalizingly close I am to $30k. Can I make it by... February?;

ii) Contemplate hiring a life coach and a stylist so I can finally get shit done/have a 12-piece wardrobe and never have to think about clothes-shopping again;

iii) Learn new things. Sewing, for instance. I should do that. Start making jewelry. I should do that too;

iv) Take better care of myself (i.e, no more Turkish delight, cigarettes, or weeks without shaving my legs). My weight, while not decreasing significantly, is fine, however.

September 2012 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $10,045.90
Checking: $0

Travel: $100.26
Medical/Dental: $200.00

School: $2.38

Roth IRA: $10,473.25

401k: $7,705.97
Sharebuilder: $220.40
____________
Total Positive: $28,748.16

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $900.60
Student Loan: $3,289.74 (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $5,189.74

Net Worth: $23,558.42

Rough couple weeks, but I'm making an effort to put myself back together and redouble my efforts. The heat made me delirious, and now it's breaking.

Speaking of spending...

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:45:00 +0000

I don't know how many of you, if any, care about girly pursuits. If you're not into it, now's the time to look away, but if you are, please stay!

My favorite blog on the topic is Into the Gloss, and if you're a bit of a product junkie/voyeur like me, you'll love it, too. Emily Weiss and co. pry into the cosmetic cases of fashion industry women (and men!) and interview them about their favorites. Who doesn't want to know a little something about Iris Apfel's or Olivier Theyskens' beauty regimen? One of my favorite posts is this interview with Inès de la Fressange that was posted back in January. I love how frank she is. Here's an excerpt:

I think that sometimes women do too much—they put earrings, and color, and necklace, and the lipstick, and fake eyelashes, and fake hair—it’s a nightmare. And I think it’s better to keep a bit of wrinkle here and there; I see these bizarre faces, and after people tell me they have had Botox or fillers, I don’t realize—I just find they have a funny face. [Laughs] Blogs and magazines should explain that it’s fine not to do this. You know, people are not looking at exactly how many wrinkles you have—they don’t care so much. I mean you are old, I am old, it will show…you are not fooling anyone. You have to take care of yourself not to be too disgusting, and to follow a bit of fashion, of course fashion for makeup and clothes as well.

Full interview available here.

August 2012 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:23:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $10,039.12
Checking: $0

Travel: $200.16
Medical/Dental: $316.96

School: $802.13

Roth IRA: $9,785.68

401k: $7,122.33
Sharebuilder: $216.43
____________
Total Positive: $28,482.81

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: $200.00
Phone: $65.00

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $1,283.14
Student Loan: $3,620.27 (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $5,168.41

Net Worth: $23,314.40

Another bad month for health and wealth. I do have a lot of returns I've been too busy to pack up, so the credit card number will go down. I've been going out too much after work, and that generally leaves me ripe for a messy evening, food-wise (and at least $20 poorer). As for the rest of it, I either need to start seriously thrifting, or just ban new clothing purchases all together.

Also, Sarah, it's time to stop trying new skincare and cosmetic products. That weird mask you tried with Taiwanese instructions on the box gave you pimples. You don't wear primer or foundation or eye shadow or lipstick, and you never will. So stop. New things I don't regret buying, though: bronzer, highlighter, a vitamin-c serum, and more of an eyeliner I know I already like (but that's a topic for a whole nother post). So there. ...But seriously, stop.

July 2012 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $10,030.80
Checking: $0

Travel: $170.93
Medical/Dental: $47.02

School: $802.06

Roth IRA: $9,470.73

401k: $6,992.83
Sharebuilder: $201.87
____________
Total Positive: $27,716.24

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: $200.00
Phone: $65.00

Subway: $59.00

Credit cards: $260.00
Student Loan: $3,891.12 (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $4,475.12

Net Worth: $23,241.12

Tough month -- not gonna lie. Whenever the seasons change, either my feeding or my spending patterns have the potential get out of whack. This time, it's a little of both.

June 2012 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $10,024.54
Checking: $871.02

Travel: $201.03
Medical/Dental: $46.43

School: $802.06

Roth IRA: $9,319.91

401k: $7,102.83
Sharebuilder: $199.84
____________
Total Positive: $28,567.66

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: $200.00
Phone: $65.00

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $890.62
Student Loan: $3,891.12 (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $5,046.74

Net Worth: $23,520.792

Another lackluster month for me in both categories: health and wealth.

I've been yo-yo'ing through the same 3 pounds over the last few weeks (due to some epic binges and their subsequent aftershocks), and I've still got the spending bug. Things on the social front are quieting down for the summer, so I should be able to have a better June, as long as I can PUT DOWN THE INTERNET (I can overshop anything).

Did I mention I re-picked-up social smoking in the fall/winter? So after a solid few months, that's over. My one May win.

May 2012 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Sun, 06 May 2012 10:19:00 +0000

This is a little post I like to call, "Let's pretend April never happened." Not only did I spend more money than I even care to calculate, I also diverged heavily from my eating plan, which up until then had been working like gangbusters. Goals for May: stop buying coffee and junk during the workday, recommit to the plan, and spend less on going out.

Oh yeah, and I turned 28. So help me, God.

Emergency Fund: $10,019.04
Checking: $247.14

Travel: $200.79
Medical/Dental: $1,059.43

School: $800.53

Roth IRA: $9,798.99

401k: $7,102.83
Sharebuilder: $218.01
____________
Total Positive: $29,446.76

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $1,638.74
Student Loan: $4,003.24 (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $5,641.98

Net Worth: $23,804.78

Look away. A sick menu for a sick girl.

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Sat, 05 May 2012 20:28:00 +0000

Want:

BBQ Chicken Pizza

BBQ Chicken Nachos

Thai Green Curry with White Rice

Pho, Rare Beef

Scallion Pancakes
Garlic Bread

Glazed Anise Cookies

Stroopwafel

Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies

Brach's Cinnamon Hard Candy

I just had to say it.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Weight update

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 03:02:00 +0000

Remember when I last posted about my weight? Yeah, me neither. It's been a while, but I'm ready to share.

I've been working to eat a mostly paleo-style diet since early last year or so. I spent 2010 eating a lot of Lean Cuisines, canned ravioli, and sandwiches, so even though I was able to lose weight eating that, probably any change would've been for the better. I'd done the low-carb thing many times, and paleo seemed like a healthier alternative. My appetite was still a huge issue though, making weight loss feel impossible.

In August of 2011, a couple things happened: First, I got a new job. Then I stopped taking the pill. When I stopped the pill, I stopped getting nauseated when I waited too long to eat breakfast. Within a few weeks, I was skipping breakfast. Not everyday, but most days I wasn't hungry.

One day I didn't have time to go get lunch, so I just ate an apple I had brought for a snack. And since I hadn't had breakfast, I thought I would still be ravenous, but I wasn't.

That's how I began intermittent fasting. During the work week I "fast" 16 to 19 hours a day, then I have a small meal (usually an apple), then a regular-sized, paleo-style dinner. Most weekends I just do what I feel. It's a bit awkward to eat lunch with other people, but when we go out after work, I eat/imbibe normally with no weird rules or restrictions. I've gained quite a few things from eating this way -- I have more energy, a reduced appetite, fewer cravings, and more free time.

I'm not saying it's right for everybody, but it's working well for me. I've lost 23 pounds in the past 6 months, and I'm finally beginning to feel like I'm not a slave to my stomach.

March 2012 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 13:57:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $10,005.74
Checking: $469.46

Travel: $200.52
Medical/Dental: $658.22

School: $478.29

Roth IRA: $9,932.07

401k: $7,380.44
Sharebuilder: $234.02
____________
Total Positive: $29,358.76

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: $PAID

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $659.76
Student Loan: $4,418.83 (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $5,078.59

Net Worth: $24,280.17

As I mentioned, I put $2k from our tax refund into my E-fund, which brings me up to goal. I also made a couple hundred from ebay. Meanwhile, I've spent a lot on going out, but it could be worse. This month I'll keep a closer eye on entertainment spending.

Taxes

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:30:00 +0000

We filed our taxes this past weekend, and we're expecting a huge refund. A five-digit refund. Yeah, a certain someone needed to adjust his withholding last year.

I'll be shaving off about $2k (my usual refund amount) to bring my E-fund up to $10k, a number it hasn't seen in about 4 years. He'll take a portion for his savings/loans, and the rest will go into our joint account for moving expenses, and a little vacation.

I'm glad I'll finally be hitting my E-fund goal so that I can concentrate on other areas now. I'm still working on my goals for this year, but I'm thinking I'm at a pivotal point right now in my work-life, and I need to shit or get off the pot, as it were, with regard to further education. Depending on the direction I go, I'll need anywhere from about $10k to $34k. Oy.

Speaking of oy, I was a bit confused about reporting my ebay sales. While I took in about $1k this year on ebay, I took a loss on nearly everything I sold, except for a few things I purchased cheaply off ebay and resold. Remember with me for a moment all the clothes and jewelry I purchased over the past few years, and how that affected my bottom-line, and you'll see why $1k should not be considered income. Even though it's clear to me that I didn't make a profit, I'd be hard-pressed to produce receipts for everything on both ends.

I know I'm not the first one in the PF community to use ebay to recoup some losses. Can anyone share their tax-reporting strategy?

February 2012 Net Worth

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:15:00 +0000

Emergency Fund: $7,659.74
Checking: $87.30

Travel: $239.00
Medical/Dental: $485.85

School: $337.03

Roth IRA: $9,528.40

401k: $7,102.85
Sharebuilder: $239.68
____________
Total Positive: $25,679.85

Rent: PAID
Groceries/Utilities: PAID
Phone: $60.00

Subway: PAID

Credit cards: $695.25
Student Loan: $4,555.91 (from over $19k)
____________
Total Negative: $5,311.16

Net Worth: $20,368.69

Tickle Me Pink

noreply@blogger.com (ekingout) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:03:00 +0000

I try to make an effort, about quarterly, to find new-to-me music so that I’m not stuck in 2006 perpetually. This time around it’s been all Laura Marling, Lisa Hannigan, and Johnny Flynn. I know I’m about 4 years late to the Nu-Folk train, but in case you are too, here's a sampling of what I've been listening to this fall/winter season: