Well, this fall I've managed to hold onto a 4.0, keep saving enough money to pay cash for my grad school classes, not go crazy at my job, spend time with friends and not lose my mind[1]. What I have not managed to do, as you have noticed, is update The Internetz. I also haven't had time to do a lot of surveys lately, so that extra income bit trailed off for awhile (as did my no-spending-excellence, toward the holidays, yeow!). But it's a new year now, and that always makes me excited. I find once more that I have to wait a little bit[2] to figure out a few financial goals, since I need to figure out what our New! Married! MAGI will be before I know if we can contribute to 2011 Roths, which I'd really like to do. And honestly between my variable paychecks, Airbear changing jobs, employee stock stuff, and, well, Married Filing Jointly, I have NO idea what that's all going to shake out to be. If he screws up my student loan interest deduction, though, I'm going to poke him right in the eye :P
Anyway, MAN was 2011 a hell of a year. Student taught in Special Ed, went on a workout spree, got married (twice? ha ha), traveled to South America, wore a Carnaval costume made out of wires and sequins and feathers (and not much else), paid for a lavish[3] wedding IN CASH, paid for grad school classes IN CASH, actually got dedicated to eating better and lost 15 pounds, had a ridiculously fun and silly summer, made a new nemesis, worked as a financial advisor, found really thoughtful Christmas presents for Airbear, maintained a 4.0 GPA, got two endorsements added onto my teaching certificate, and was able to save up enough to take my brother, my best friend, and my 87-year-old grandmother with me to Rio. Shit, now that I've typed it all out I need to go take a nap!
But first I'm going to FINALLY post the last two reduxes (reduxen?) of the year, as well as the totals for 2011. Not *quite* as good as 2010's, as I let myself relax a little after the wedding was paid for, but all in all a year I'm pretty proud of!
November:
No-Spend Days: 19
No Eating Out Days: 21
Extra Income: $142.29 ($108.75 from surveys, and $33.54 interest)
Progress Toward Savings Goal: Don’t know, never got around to the mid-month update! Ack!
Retirement Savings: $24.66
Work-Out Days: 2
No-Carb Days: 9
Books Finished: 1 (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo – tough to read)
December:
No-Spend Days: 17
No Eating Out Days: 25
Extra Income: $76.29 ($19.38 amazon credit from my chase card, $3 from surveys (Uh… I kind of took the fall off—oops), and $53.91 interest)
Progress Toward Savings Goal: 74.40%
Retirement Savings: $213.56
Work-Out Days: 0
No-Carb Days: 14
Books Finished: 6 (!!!)
And the grand total (!):
TOTAL for 2011:
No-Spend Days: 223
No Eating Out Days: 283
Extra Income: $2090.59 ($1202.20 from surveys, $369.38 cash back from credit cards (AND NO INTEREST PAID, TAKE THAT! Ahem.), $178.71 from selling books back on amazon (actually, I think there was more than this but they were small books and I forgot to watch out for them when doing my tallies), and $340.30 interest)
Progress Toward Savings Goal: 74.40%
Retirement Savings: $2753.94
Work-Out Days: 51
No-Carb Days: 68 (So a total of 119 "healthy days" compared to last year's 50-something - WAY better!)
Books Finished: 25 (A lot better than last year!)
And no, I don't know why it won't do the spaces normally. But whatever. Good job, self, now let's get started on conquering 2012!
You know, right after that nap ;)
[1] Well, you know. Further.
[2] HATE!
[3] If you ask me![4]
[4] Or even if you don't![5]
[5] But obviously, why wouldn't you, since you're here :)
