End of May update

For the big picture, my net worth increased from $18,815 to $23,881. I’m pretty sure that’s the biggest step yet–over $5k! The biggest jump was, as usual, in my retirement accounts. Not only did I have my regular retirement savings, but I added about $200 extra to my 401k through increased contributions (since it was a 3 paycheck month), added $300 extra to my Roth IRA (from stimulus), and received about $1100 in a pension cash out from my last job, which went into my rollover IRA. The rest of the details are available at networthIQ (see sidebar).

My goals weren’t as nice. I met two of the four.

1. Save $1400 in E-fund: Since I used sent $300 unplanned to the Roth, I expect the best I could do was $1100. I increased it by $1125. I’m going to say success for this!
2. Stay within $145 grocery budget and be a winner in Krystal’s challenge: I went over, but just by a dollar. So, fail, but not a big one.
3. Pending knee pain, resume running at minimum 2x a week: Oh. My. Gosh. 100% fail on this, and I can tell because my mood/anxiety have been less controlled.
4. Add $250 to T-Fund (travel), $150 to car fund, and $100 to gift fund: T-fund increased by $285, car by $155, and gifts… actually the fund itself didn’t increase because I bought both a mother’s day and a wedding present this month, but I allocated $120 for gifts this month. That was the spirit of the goal, so I’m going to say success for this one.

June Goals:
1. Resume running habit. Seriously. Two times a week isn’t much, so I’ll start with that again.
2. No new clothes this month. I got a swimsuit, yoga pants, and a pair of shorts in May, so I’m still at -$45 for my clothes budget, despite allocating an extra (gulp) $70 from my stimulus check for clothes. I started out May at almost -$100, so I did make some improvement. I need to get it in the black before I spend any more on clothing
3. Stay within June Budget. Seriously this time! I adjusted some categories, and I should be able to do it.
4. Read a book. Preferably one that I already own.

Pretty boring, but my budget really encompasses my savings/spending goals.

Chickpea Salad: Lunch for $2.25

I’ve been trying to like chickpeas. I’ve been trying, but I just can’t. There is something about their texture and scent that I just can’t get behind. I tolerate them, but I don’t enjoy them. I want to like them, because not only are they cheap, but they have protein, fiber and are fairly nutritious. The biggest flaw I found is they are a little high in sodium. I wonder if this would be true if I were to purchase dried chickpeas and make them myself? That sounds like a heck of a lot of work.

Anyway, I wouldn’t say that I dislike the chickpea recipes I’ve tried, but I didn’t feel compelled to make them a second time. Too much chickpea flavor, too little other stuff (not a problem if you think chickpeas are tasty).

The other night, chickpeas in hand, I searched Allrecipes.com for chickpea recipes and found this Chickpea Salad that used ingredients I happened to have on hand. I halved it and used dried parsley (I can’t keep fresh herbs on hand) and pressed the garlic rather than mincing. (There also was a plethora of more fancy chickpea recipes, including chickpea curries and roasted chickpeas and several other salads that could suite anyone’s fancy.)

Yesterday, while collecting my lunch, I saw a container of beautiful berries in the communal fridge. I suffered from momentary lunch envy, but once I tasted my lunch, it evaporated. I really liked it! It wasn’t just okay, it was good. I finally found a chickpea recipe that I can get excited about. The key may be everything but the chickpeas–I love garlic, red onion and tomato, and there was enough flavor to make up for the slightly lackluster chickpeas. I found a new frugal lunch!

Half can of chickpeas: $0.35 I was surprised to find these were much cheaper at Whole Foods ($.79) than at Ralph’s ($1.50, $1.19 on sale). Cheapest yet at Trader Joe’s for .69
1 roma tomato: roughly $1
one quarter red onion: $.15
2 cloves of garlic: Not sure, let’s say $.10
Olive Oil: Negligable, $.20
Lemon Juice: Negligible, $.20
Parsley Flakes: Negligible.
Shredded Parm (optional, but tasty): The bag was $2.50 but I used just a sprinkling. Let’s say $.25.
Total: $2.25

I chose to supplement this lunch with some tomato avocado soup I made several days ago, but I found it quite filling and you might be able to get by just on this if you don’t eat big lunches. Or add some fruit or whatever else you like to eat for lunch. I suppose I don’t need to tell you that. You know how to pack a lunch, right?

As far as groceries go, I’m done for the month. I am $1 over my $145 budget (which isn’t a very small budget in the first place). T suggested cooking some shrimp pineapple curry this weekend, and also some hot spinach artichoke dip. We split the grocery bill for those items, but it really wasn’t in my “meal plan” and shrimp is hardly frugal. It was good and we like cooking together, so I don’t regret it. I certainly can last until next Sunday without spending a dime on food, though I might buy some bread.

I’m need to get in my kitchen and whip up another batch of my chickpea salad for today!

A $2000 watch

I always have trouble at the end of the month. Things come up. Budgets get broken. Not badly, but enough to annoy me. I’m over by a few dollars in most categories, and I have a few days left.

A friend from the midwest came to town on a surprise weekend (not specifically to see me, just to come to the beach). We went out to dinner with her and some friends, and she mentioned that she bought her fiance (they are getting married in 2 weeks) a $2,000 Movado watch. Perhaps he gets that as a gift since she got an engagement ring, but I’m not sure. She said her credit card bill was at $4000 this month.

It surprised me, because I always thought that I didn’t know people who spent that kind of money. Of course, she was a college friend and never used to be like that, but now that we are real adults, it seems I do know people that spend a lot of money. I know a lot of people with designer purses and who shop at Banana Republic exclusively (and don’t cower in the sale section like I do). I may not know the super rich, but I know a class of people that spend more money than I am used to.

I don’t think that she is struggling or drowning in debt. I know roughly how much she probably makes (I used to work at the same company), roughly how much her fiance makes. Between the two of them, I’d guess they make around 115k and I bet their house (duplex) payment is less than my current L.A. rent. It is a very cheap place to live, so $115k will go far. Quite some time ago, she mentioned that she had to cut back her 401k from 15% to 8% temporarily (personal issues), so she is saving plenty for retirement too. I doubt she has a $15k e-fund, but she is certainly doing just fine.

So was it jealously that I felt?

I still live somewhat like a college student. It is in part out of necessity–if I want to have my own studio, then I am spending quite a big portion of my salary on rent, so I can’t spend that extra money on say, a LV purse. It is in part self inflicted pain. I fully fund my Roth, I save several hundred each month in short term and long term savings, and I save as much as I can afford to in my 401k. I could inflate my spending quite a bit, but I don’t think it is wise.

It also is more challenging because my boyfriend is still a grad student (and also still just a boyfriend rather than husband). When two of my closest high school friends got $400 purses from their husbands last Christmas, my beautiful opal necklace didn’t seem as extravagant. My friends have people paying half the bills, making real salaries and buying them fancy gifts. I just can’t keep up with that, even though I have a good job.

It is that silly left behind feeling. I’m not left behind, I just need to stop comparing and keep my eyes on my own paper. My goals are different and good, and I’m doing just fine on them.

I guess it still blows my mind to think that someone I’m friends with can afford to drop $2000 on a watch. That isn’t the world I grew up in.

Food spending and layoffs part 2

I bought fig jam at Whole Foods yesterday ($4), so I’m down to $30 in groceries for the rest of the month. Why fig jam? I was in Phoenix last weekend and ate at this cute restaurant that served various bruschetta, and I thought I’d recreate their apple, brie, and fig jam version. I still should be able to meet my $145 goal if I can control myself. I’ve been really into trying new recipes lately, but with just $30 left, I think any new creations will have to wait until next month. I’m certainly not acting like someone who is participating in a grocery challenge! (I also want to make this, but I’m unwilling to purchase a tart pan at this point.)

Oh, I also made this cold Tomato and Avocado soup earlier this week (alas, in my blender–a food processor just isn’t in the cards right now). The grocery cost was probably about $15 (avocados were expensive) and it made a huge batch. I’ve ate it for lunch every day, along with some other things (namely Trader Joe’s meatballs). It’s healthy and light, but not quite filling enough for a complete meal.

I have not yet signed up for the June dining out challenge (just procrastinating I guess), but I suspect that it will be pretty easy for me. Lately I’d rather cook than go out to eat. I think I’ll set the bar at $60 (down from original $75), which will allow me to treat T and I to at least one average meal out, then maybe some random Subway or In-N-Out if we get lazy.

Regarding yesterday’s post about layoffs, my manager stopped by yesterday and specifically told me that I would not be subject to layoff at this time (or any time in the near future). From what I gather, this issue might come up again in January, but that is far enough away that I can’t spend time being anxious about it now. The notices are also 60 days, which isn’t that long, but long enough that looking for a new job before you receive one might not be necessary (do you agree with that thought?)

I sit near to two managers and the walls are thin (earplugs are necessary at times). I overheard two people from other groups get layed off late yesterday afternoon. It was quite an unsettling way to end the day (and very distracting).

Well, it is time for me to leave for work. I hope I don’t have to hear that again today.

Layoffs hit home

My division recently announced that they plan to lay off what I calculate to be roughly 10% of our division over the next couple months. (My calculation could be off, as I’m not sure the size of our division beyond what a webpage states.) They will try to place people in other divisions around the state and the country, offer long notice time, and help with placement. My specific department won’t be heavily impacted, but any impact is a little scary.

What am I thinking about?

Economy: The economy stinks and it wouldn’t be fun to be out searching for a job. This round of layoffs has little to do with the recession (or economic downturn, or whatever) but it is much easier to find a job in a good market than in a slow market.

Network: One of my former coworkers was classmates with a manager at a neighboring company doing work similar to my last job. My former coworker would speak very highly of me. However his praise would have to be so incredibly glowing that it would overshadow the fact that I accepted then backed out of a previous job offer at that company. (Ahem…, oops.) Possible, yes, but not incredibly likely. I have an old friend at another company in the area who may be able to refer me, but doesn’t work directly in the area I’m in. I have another contact who may be able to refer me to the same company through a less direct route. I also have the option of trying to work remotely for my former company (they offered this when I left, but I think it an unlikely option). T has a lot of contacts from grad school that at least could put my resume into some hands.

Resume: My resume is relatively up to date, as I just started in January. If I were to be layed off it would be less than an hour to get it polished up and ready to tailor to specific applications.

Education: Having my M.S degree in hand would open more doors, but I can’t continue until fall. I’m pretty impatient on this, but there isn’t much more I can do. I have unofficially been accepted to the new program I applied to. Other than that, I could sign up for a second leadership course over the next month or so to network and expand my workplace knowledge.

Work: Work as hard as I can, try to increase my reputation. Keep my ears and eyes open and learn as much as I can. Try to provide as much value as I can on the task that I’m on.

In reality, my job is safe, at a minimum through December according to my manager. At that point, It is possible that we will eventually lose the program I’m on, and perhaps that will require another round of lay-offs. And maybe I’ll be saved, maybe I won’t. You just never know. My finances are in order, I have a marketable skill set (I hope), and there is no reason to panic at this point.  Focus on the job at hand.

Still, it is impossible to hear news like this without getting a tiny sinking feeling in the stomach. I’ve never worked at a company that wasn’t in hiring/growth mode, so things are bound to be a little gloomy for awhile. I’m relatively new here, and I still occasionally have a hard time grasping the bigger picture of the company, though I have caught on to the small picture I need to do my job. At any rate, I’m glad that they have kept the employees well informed about their plans so we don’t have to guess what might happen.

Gas joke

Joke: Last December what did a girl living in a smallish Midwestern city (120,000) estimate her monthly gas expenses would be when she moved to California in January?
Punchline: Sixty dollars a month! (My true average is $140 and rising!)

HA!!!!! How silly!!! I lived just a mile from work and very close to stores/friends. There was no traffic. I also didn’t keep detailed records, but I truly was probably only spending that much if I didn’t make out of town trips (which I did about every other month). Last night I filled up my car and spent $52.

This was my initial 2008 plan, and besides gas, I wasn’t too far off. I forgot some categories (personal, home, gifts) and underestimated a few places, changed my savings priorities and all that. I also modified my budget to be based on 2 paychecks rather than my income/12, since it made more sense. That was the biggest difference.

Anyway, I found it ridiculous/funny that I thought $60/month in gas was reasonable.

I want. . .

I want…

• At least one pair of new shorts for summer
• A food processor (but can’t quite justify, as I have a blender)
• One grapefruit spoon, to better eat the lovely grapefruits picked this weekend from my uncle’s grapefruit tree in Arizona (actually, this has been on my list for a month)
• A black cardigan (work is often cold)
• Proper storage containers for flour and sugar
• Nicer brown work shoes
• More button up work shirts
• Yoga pants
• One summer dress

I keep a list of things that I would like to buy, but don’t necessarily need to buy.  Sometimes after sitting on my list for a few weeks, I decide I don’t need them anymore.  Most of these things have been on my list for a long time, and I still haven’t purchased them.   My wish list is helpful when birthday/Christmas comes around, and people ask me for ideas.  It also helps me to buy the clothes I need most while sticking to my clothes budget.

This month, I think I will buy the grapefruit spoon (since I just got fresh grapefruits) and look again at food processors and flour/sugar storage.  I will not buy the clothing items (unless I find an unbelievable sale), because I already purchased a swimsuit this month.  Next month I’ll focus on the shorts and the work shoes, even though a summer dress is more fun.

Fellow frugal friends, do you think a food processor is a superfluous kitchen appliances for a tiny kitchen, or do have one and couldn’t live without it?

Where is my money going?

I was playing with Excel a few days ago and made up some charts on where I estimate my salary goes. Here is a rough breakdown: (Dept is Debt, which is my student loan. I am too lazy to fix my typo. )

Essentials = Rent, Food, Gas, Insurance and Car
Fun = Entertainment, gifts, computer, internet/cable, and travel

The tax portion is a bit inflated, I think. Last year my effective tax rate was only 17% but that was in a state with lower taxes. Then there is sales tax… Well, who knows?

Here are the details as estimated by me, though it gets a little meaningless with all the 1% categories:

I wonder what my chart would have looked like when I lived in the much cheaper area in the Midwest. My salary was lower, but my rent was only 12% or 13% of my salary. Did I save more, or just spend more on non-essentials? Probably a little bit of each. When T and I get a place together (maybe in a year) the rent percentage will drop to a level I’m more comfortable with (maybe 17%), and maybe the savings level will increase.

My Grocery Challenege Update

I’ve been super disorganized with my grocery shopping this month, and I’ve managed to spend $95 of my allocated $145.  Ouch!  I get excited about new recipes I find and want to try them immediately, so I have made several trips to the grocery store for less than $10 worth of food.   However, I do have quite a bit of food on hand, and if I just simply eat what I have, I should be fine to meet my budget.  I swear!

I went to Whole Foods (aka Whole Paycheck) yesterday, which really isn’t the place for a girl on a budget to hang out.  However, I went specifically in search of their bulk food section and wasn’t disappointed.

Granola in yogurt is my favorite breakfast, and I decided to try making my own granola.  I estimated the cost to be about $3 for 2 cups of this (which would be about $9/lb), but maybe I could use less cashews and a lower priced maple syrup to bring the cost down.  The oatmeal was dirt cheap, it was the mix-in’s that brought things up.  The best granola deal seems to be the various organic bulk flavors for about $3.50-$4/lb (not an amazing deal, but tastier than boxed granola).  I could look around for a health food store that offers bulk ingredients at a more competitive price.  So far, I haven’t found making my own granola less expensive than purchasing, and not even more delicious because I burned it!  My next thought was to try making my own yogurt, but perhaps I’m getting too extreme…  Have you ever done this?  Is it cost effective?

Besides granola ingredients (including maple syrup for about $6 and canola oil for $3), I bought to tangelo oranges and a bottle of store brand organic conditioner for $2.  The conditioner was disappointing, but the oranges were very delicious.  I spent a minute suspiciously eying the Naked brand juices.  Can juice really be worth $9 for a small jug? I wanted to try it, but no good can come from it.  Either I like it and start to want it, or i hate it and I’ve wasted my money.

In other food news, I had an out of town friend crash at my place last night, and he inspected the contents of my fridge.  New Castle.  Yogurt.  Cheese.  One egg. Britta pitcher.  Red onion, chopped.  Coffee…. Not much else.  “Do you eat out a lot?”   If he only knew what I could do with the contents of my kitchen! (Mainly the cupboard and freezer, admittedly). What is in your fridge?

Someone stole my credit card number!

I checked out my bank information this morning, as usual, and couldn’t get into my Chase Freedom Visa. Assuming it was a technical error, I sent off a short email to customer service stating the problem. They replied and told me to call a security phone number to fix the problem.

After a myriad of security questions, I was asked if a $3838 charge made today on my credit card was valid. Um, no it was not! This suspicious charge flagged their system and my account was placed on hold. The fraudster did not have the correct expiration date, so the charge never went through, and even if it had, I would not be responsible for the charge. I think she said the charge was to dollardays.com, but I can’t remember for sure. Looking at the site, I can’t imagine who would want almost four grand worth of stuff from there!

I’m a little shocked and unsure how my card number could have gotten out there. Did the clerk at the grocery store skim it? Seems unlikely. I purchased a swimsuit on sale on Victoria’s Secret last night. Could a reputable company like them lack proper security on their site? Did I miss an important document with the number on it and throw it? Do full numbers even COME on anything you get in the mail? Was Yodlee MoneyCenter hacked? How about my computer itself? All these seem unlikely, so I naively want to think someone was simply trying to charge something to their credit card with a digit off from mine, and it was all a mistake. That is equally unlikely, but makes me feel the world is a nicer place.

Anyway, it is all taken care of. I will have to fill out some form to help them investigate, but they are issuing me a new card (will this have an effect on the age of my credit history?) and nothing more needs to be done. I will be able to get by just fine without this card for the next few days. Ironically, this only reaffirms my belief that credit cards are a safe way to do business. In the 8 years I had a card, this is my first fraudulent charge, and I’m liable for exactly zero dollars of it.