I’m leaving for Cali tomorrow!

I can’t believe it’s been three months since I posted about my upcoming Cali trip. Tomorrow is the day I take off, and I’m so excited!

Having saved my full goal of $1000, I am financially prepared to take in all this long weekend has to offer. San Fransisco, here I come!

Here’s the breakdown of costs, so far:
*Flights, $54 taxes (My dad gave us his credit card points again, meaning free flights! I didn’t factor this into my $1000 budget because I paid for it a while ago.)
*Hotels, $330 for my share of four nights in a four-star hotel (purchased through a TravelZoo promotion.)

More to come! And while I’m gone, I thought you might enjoy hearing advice from Cali natives in the know. Kim of Kim’s Kitchen Sink will be guest-posting with her SF tips on Friday, and SF Money Matters will be giving her stellar advice on Monday. Enjoy, and see ya back here next week!

New Site: PF Buzz

Go see what the buzz is about at PF Buzz (wow, lame, I know. just couldn’t resist!) It’s a new social media site intended to showcase the best personal-finance and money-related articles. Created by a PF blogger for PF bloggers, it seems like a great new place to find quality info.

I’ve submitted some of my favorite articles; why don’t you, too?

Article Tip

I just read a fantastic post at Forest on Finance, “Should I Be in Sweden or, Thoughts on Travel.” Here’s a clip, and you can go here to read the rest.

“All that to say, as savers, aren’t we a bit of risk-takers? Are we denying some instant gratification now to hopefully be gratified in the future? That’s the point, I suppose. But we’re not guaranteed that future - does that bother anyone else? It’s a risk, but a calculated one, I guess. Yes, the odds are with us that we will survive to retirement or whenever and then we will have the last laugh. They say youth is wasted on the young; are they right? Will I have the vitality to travel the world when I’m retired? How hard is it to even think about retirement when you’re in your twenties? Do you ever feel weird because you just got into the workforce and you’re already considering your exit plan while your friends are out spending their paychecks like there’s no tomorrow?

And further: if we’re savers now, won’t we always be? How will we know when we’ve saved enough? When will we start our spending? For me personally, I have no idea. That bothers me. I don’t like not knowing.”

New Blog: Forest on Finance

I’ve recently added a new blog to my reader, Forest on Finance. Author Forest is a 20-something guy who, like a lot of the rest of us, is navigating his way through financial decisions, from saving and investing to spending and budgeting.

I’m already a fan of his site, and I bet you will be, too. Go check it out!

Makeup Alley Visitors

I saw that I’m getting some traffic today from a message board on a site called Makeup Alley. If you’re coming from there, or if you know about it: give me the 411.

What is it? What is it for? I want to know!

Scrolling through the site just now, I see it’s about different beauty products and stuff?

58th Carnival of Money Stories

The 58th Carnival of Money Stories is up at Free from Broke.

My post, Money Story: Graduation Announcements, is one of those featured.

Go take a look!

5 to the 8 MEME, PF-style

I was tagged by Debt Fighter, who centered her answers around PF, and I’ll try to do the same:

What was I doing 5 years ago?

Finishing my junior year of college, I was living in the middle of nowhere, so my spending was relegated to Wal-Mart and the campus coffee shop. Good thing, since I wasn’t working and was graciously supported by my great parents. I didn’t have any debt, and I was living on little, but finances were the farthest thing from my mind. Silently, without my notice, my little stock portfolio was steadily increasingly.

Five things on my to-do list today ( or things I did today):
1. Praised God for beautiful weather, good nights of sleep, springtime and friends (all free, incidentally)
2. Talked myself out of coming home early, even though I felt sick all day: I’m not made of vacation days, after all
3. Heard about a friend who’s being transferred against her wishes, after being with her company for 10+ years
4. Checked my online back accounts and realized I overdrew on my extra account. *blushes* $30 down the drain.
5. Flipped through the latest Kiplinger’s

Five snacks I love, regardless of cost or nutritional value :
1. Dunkin Donuts decaf coffee (If I were made of money, I’d get it every day)
2. Buona Beef’s chicken pomodoro sandwich
3. Any and all bakery from any and all bakeries
4. Chocolate
5. Cheese and crackers

Five things I would do if I were a billionaire, assuming I had to spend it on me:
1. Own homes on both coasts and commute regularly.
2. Try a new restaurant every night.
3. Travel. Extensively.
4. Start my own business, knowing I wasn’t risking my future eating/sleeping probability.
5. Shop.

Five bad money habits I have:
1. Ordering lunch out with coworkers.
2. Fretting about my stock portfolio.
3. Wanting a condo outside my means.
4. Opting to eat out just because I feel like.
5. Overthinking spending.

Five (three) places I have lived:
1. Florida
2. Illinois
3. Wisconsin
4.
5.

Five jobs I’ve had:
1. Editor/Manager
2. Freelance reporter
3. Waitress
4. Secretary
5. Intern

Five PFers I am tagging:
1.The Writer’s Coin
2. Quarter-Life Finances
3. Kim’s Kitchen Sink
4. On the Home Front
5. Full-Grown Single

The New Look!

Well, here she is, up and running.

I have to say, deciding to buy a domain and host it has been a great decision so far. I bought the domain late last night, and it’s already working great! If I’d known it would be this easy, I’d have done it long ago!

How did I afford it?

If you’ve been reading this site long, you know I try to stick close to my budget. What I’ve never blogged about before, though, is my extra stash in my Paypal/other bank account. It’s only a few hundred bucks, but it comes in handy when I want something on eBay or etsy.

Thanks to some eBay sales, a sponsor at the blog and other things, I was able to pay for my hosting/domain without tapping my regular budget.

If you’re a regular reader, please update my link in your sidebar! (Please, pretty please?)

Here’s the RSS feed, too: http://feeds.feedburner.com/thiswriterswallet/feed.

How to Improve Your Credit Score

A few months ago, when I applied for an apartment, I found out my current credit score: 760. All around good, and I’m satisfied with it. It will get higher, I assume, when I need and manage more credit.

Do you know your credit score? And do you know all the things it can impact?

Think about this: when you apply for an apartment (sometimes even a job); when you need a loan–for a car, a house, whatever; when you get certain kinds of insurance; and when you look into refinancing, your credit score plays a huge role. Based on how successfully you’re deemed to handle credit, you can be given many different levels of interest rates. Sometimes, a low credit score can even affect your not getting the loan, the apartment, the job entirely.

Second question: do you know how to improve your credit score?

There are many, many resources online that provide advice for improving your credit score. I’d like to suggest one I like: Credit Report Repair*. They are a reputable company that makes its mission getting knowledge and better credit in your hands. In fact, they promise: If We Don’t Improve Your Credit Score Each Month… Get That Month Free! Check Out MyCreditGroup.com Now!

It’s worth checking out, at the very least.

*In the course of blogging here, I’ve been approached several times by companies that wished for me to advertise for them. Until now, I’ve always declined because I didn’t believe in what they were promoting (payday loans, etc.). This time, though, I can finally stand behind a service I believe in.

The Winner Is… (and 22 Tips)

pennypincher: (Tip #14 below) I’ll be shooting you an e-mail shortly.

Everyone else, here’s a round-up of the tips submitted. Thanks to all who participated!

1. calgirlfinance: Don’t waste. This applies to everything in life - your time, your money, and the earth’s resources.
2. Watson: When it comes to retirement savings, contribute in the following order:1) Contribute to the 401(k) up to the employer match.
   2) Contribute and max out Roth IRA.
   3) Continue contributions to the 401(k) up to maximum limit.
3. StackingPennies: Know what you are spending on things and make sure it is in line with your priorities
4. Nine Circles: Have one spot where you keep all your bills as they come in so none of them go unpaid because they went astray. No late fees!
5. Aristotle: Deal with cash so you don’t go haywire with credit cards… I take out my budgeted cash each pay period and stick it in different envelopes–grocery, entertainment, miscellaneous, etc.–so it helps keep me honest and on budget.
6. HighClassLowIncome: Leave the plastic at home (including your debit card if you can) and rely on cash. Similar to Aristotle, cash has made me way more aware and accountable of my spending!
7. Linda F: Use coupons whenever possible. The savings really do add up
8. Kari Follett: Buy in bulk if possible. We shop twice a month and it seems to help. Oh, and we use a lot of coupons too!
9. Audrey Larson: Re-use all your plastic shopping bags for garbage!
10. denise: When stopping at the store for one item, no not pick up other items you see and do not really need. Get that one item and get out of there.
11. Joey: Try to find ways to re-create your favourite items from restaurants and coffee shops at home. Generally much much cheaper!
12. michelle: Congrats on your anniversary! My tip: Custom make your own coupon box by using an index card box and making your own index seperaters. Then always keep the box in your car so that you never forget it when you go to the store.
13. full grown single: Don’t worry. In general, it– whatever it is– is usually going to be ok.
14. pennypincher: When going grocery shopping ALWAYS make a list and stick to the list. It is also better not to go hungry.
15. Kam A: Always shop the sales and to always use coupons.
16. John B: Live on less than you earn (somehow)!
17. gildedbutterfly: Know where you are, where you want to be, and how to get there. That applies to money, career, relationships, and just about anything else.
18. Steve: If you spend more than you have today than tomorrow you will have to spend less. That is all that a recession is, it is an individual, organization, or nation that has practiced spending more than they have and gone into debt and then have to reduce spending so that they can still buy what they need, food, gas, AND service their debt. Recession results when nations or individuals have overspent and have to reduce cash consumption.
19. michelle rosborough: If you shop at Thrift shops always ask about todays specials. They always have something on sale.
20. Renee Jobe: Shop in re-sale shops for clothes (even though my kids say I should at least buy a new pair of jeans once in awhile from a “real” store!) I am not only getting a great deal for myself but giving back to the community too!
21. financegirl: My tip du jour is to give gifts at retail prices: buy on sale, gift at retail, and snowflake the difference!
22. sfordinarygirl: Stock up on canned tuna when it’s on sale - it makes for a simple, delicious and cheap dinner with plenty of protein. I bought like 10 at Walgreens during the last sale for 80 cents each and it’s saved me a ton of money when I’m too lazy to cook and short on time.