tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88611758705097360992024-03-13T20:12:09.459-07:00being money smartbut most times just trying...Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.comBlogger329125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-79066480585800673172012-09-06T22:43:00.000-07:002012-09-06T22:43:36.131-07:00summer of little savings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm having the usual busy summer but since my folks got here, I've eaten out less. I think I've only eaten out twice in August. It's kind of weird but it's obviously a good thing for my pocket.<br />
<br />
My Kiwisaver is finally cashed out. It's in our bank account sitting pretty, waiting for its transfer to the USA. That's it for NZ life.<br />
<br />
Savings, like I posted last time, is slow. We even got lucky to have saved $150. Ha! So far this month we've saved $200. Always a good thing. Travel expenses are mostly paid off and tomorrow I fly to NYC with my folks! I'm somewhat excited, and I think it will kick in sometime in the afternoon as I wrap up my work week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7hHY6tVfTrE/UEmIq9N-jSI/AAAAAAAAAIE/GTjCpj-xn4E/s1600/IMG_2470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7hHY6tVfTrE/UEmIq9N-jSI/AAAAAAAAAIE/GTjCpj-xn4E/s640/IMG_2470.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jamison Square Park, Pearl District, Portland, Oregon</td></tr>
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I'm still reading about people who paid off debts of $30k and more. How in the world did they do that??? Man, they must've made some really big sacrifices to get to where they are today! I'm inspired and a little bit tired just thinking about it. :)</div>
Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-84087437381517170472012-08-14T22:26:00.000-07:002012-08-14T22:28:01.357-07:00a loan, loan time ago<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Gee, I think I miscalculated when I set the goal to get the student loan below $30,500 because at the current rate we're going we can only pay it down to somewhere $31,500 by end of the year. If we truly stuck with the goal, we'll have to give up $1k somewhere along the way.<br />
<br />
The only place where I know to pull that amount is from savings. The good thing about the savings goals is that we are so close to achieving them, so it looks like we could get the loan down to the goal level.<br />
<br />
The loan is as old as time. I feel for my husband who has been saddled with it. Not only had he made some not so good choices in the past, he didn't earn enough to make an impact on it. He could've drastically altered his lifestyle, but I guess if you grew up poor there comes a point, especially when you're earning something, that being poor gets old too.<br />
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I'm grateful that I didn't have to get into debt to get a degree, but I didn't necessarily graduate with money smarts either. So joining our forces, we as parents have been teaching finances to our pre-schooler since he was 3. No joke. I don't know if we're doing it right, based on the info I read everywhere on that subject, but whenever he sees a coin on the ground he picks it up and says "I'm gonna put it in my piggy bank; and when it's full, take it to the big bank again for it can earn more money." He has $50 saved from all the coins he sees lying around the house and in the streets, plus our contributions here and there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7mHqOWwv9Ho/UCszQL12ESI/AAAAAAAAAHs/wpB-Agm8wfA/s1600/DSC02408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7mHqOWwv9Ho/UCszQL12ESI/AAAAAAAAAHs/wpB-Agm8wfA/s640/DSC02408.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Biglow Canyon Wind Farm, Oregon</td></tr>
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<br />
I honestly can't wait to savor being debt free from the student loan. It's just sad, when I think about it. Our lax target is 5 years, but we plan to be aggressive and pay it off in 3 years. I'm honestly impressed with people who were able to get rid of it after some drastic lifestyle change. Though we've not really done it that way, I find myself trying it at times with not much success. I go back and forth between trimming everything down to basics and giving in to traveling and good food (which are our weaknesses).<br />
<br />
Emotionally speaking, I feel better nowadays knowing we have money in the bank and I know that once we've reached our target goals of $12k emergency fund and $6k house fund this year, I can relax on that and put more towards the loan. There's more money coming from NZ in a month, around $13k, which, while I could consider as part of the emergency fund, will just be that -- extra money.<br />
<br />
For the most part, I realized that I really couldn't be satisfied with just having $1k for emergencies. It's just not enough in my mind. It's true what they say, that money is mostly emotional. I feel more empowered now to kill the student loan. We've been consumer debt free for months now. That took a lot of resolve to stick to the plan, a year and a half in the making. But we're here now, and I'm glad and at peace.</div>
Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-5998799630092402772012-08-08T23:30:00.001-07:002012-08-08T23:34:47.353-07:00mom and dad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My birthday's coming up and dad just said that he will buy us all dinner the night of my special day. Mom reacted a bit and said that that we could just cook and eat at home.<br />
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They're funny and they're here in America for the first time to visit!<br />
<br />
I love my folks! They are both frugal, but their spending styles on things are a bit different. I sometimes wonder what combination of their financial styles that I adopted.<br />
<br />
At lunch today--I bought them lunch at Chipotle--mom said that a burrito there, no drinks, costs more than the chicken dinner she made the night before. She also stated that no working person can get rich by eating out regularly.<br />
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Since their arrival less than a week ago, we've only eaten out once (and I bought it!) but meals have been awesome at home. I love my frugal cooking parents! No leftover's left behind, too. I expected a bit more expense too soon but I could be wrong and I'm hoping that the checking account will prove that at the end of the month! :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oregon Coast</td></tr>
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<br />
Today they went to Safeway with the intention to buy frozen pancakes and fruits, and that was all that they bought. It must've taken them years to perfect that. They pay attention to prices. They exclaimed how Safeway was selling peaches for a dollar/pound more than Fred Meyer's, and asked how anybody can just get away with that. My dad's face looked almost appalled in a funny way.<br />
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It has been good so far. Such a busy summer, though.</div>Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-33465147092178093232012-08-02T21:39:00.000-07:002012-08-02T21:39:34.887-07:00We are trippin'!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Saving money will take a back seat for maybe 2 months because this week was about buying airfares and accommodations.<br />
<br />
J will be going with a work buddy to Reykjavik, Iceland for a music festival. Much as I'd like to join them, I can't because my passport is only valid for another 5 months and it will be cold in November and Iceland is not a place where I want to be that time of the year.<br />
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Secondly, I will be taking my parents to NYC in September. They don't feel comfortable going to a large, crazy city like NYC without me, despite living in a bigger city than NYC. It's the lack of familiarity I guess, but that's traveling. It's kind of odd when I think about it, and at the same time understandable.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm, Woodburn, Oregon</td></tr>
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With those 2 big trips, it doesn't make sense for me to go to Iceland even if my passport wasn't near expiration. J and I are still considering a trip just by ourselves. The last time we did that was before our kid came. No specific plans yet, but we're hoping for a cheaper option with plenty of fun activities that aren't expensive, if not free. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K_2TMtEashg/UBtVUoup5iI/AAAAAAAAAHA/22ulEmGjU24/s1600/IMG_2649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K_2TMtEashg/UBtVUoup5iI/AAAAAAAAAHA/22ulEmGjU24/s640/IMG_2649.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dome at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts, Portland</td></tr>
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I'm having a bit of difficulty accepting that J is keen to go on his trip without me. It will be his first time in Iceland. Part of me has this expectation that we will explore new places together, but I know that that's not a fair expectation to make. I wanted to experience NYC alone, I told him that, and he supported it all the way. But I didn't go because I was too worried about its impact to our finances knowing that there is a high chance of going there with my folks anyway. J had lived in NYC and so I felt justified in a way.<br />
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It's one of those things that I wish I didn't feel. <br />
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<br /></div>Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-58639560326675208232012-07-22T19:50:00.001-07:002012-07-22T19:50:16.109-07:00Sprinkling tiny goals<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
You know how in losing weight it's easier to target a close and small weight loss goal instead of targeting the ultimate goal? When I tried Weight Watchers, they suggested a target goal of 5 lbs instead of my healthy, and ultimate goal, of under 135 lbs (which is the heaviest for my height).<br />
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With my starting self-confidence (aka deflated ego), I thought 5 lbs was so easy to get rid of. I was honestly disappointed at the beginning when I was "forced" to start with losing 5 lbs. Though I managed to shed 5 lbs off and more, the process took longer than I expected.<br />
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Life happens, my priority shifts from time to time, and my hormones tell me what to do. So much self-control was necessary and I didn't have it in me to keep at it. I stopped WW after 4 months, mostly because I reached a plateau - I wasn't losing any more nor was I gaining beyond the ~3 lbs that my body would gain at certain times of the month and shed off in a day or 2.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aIlt-dlg4ng/UAy7TpVTcaI/AAAAAAAAAGs/JptkFYANVy0/s1600/DSC00235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aIlt-dlg4ng/UAy7TpVTcaI/AAAAAAAAAGs/JptkFYANVy0/s640/DSC00235.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waitangi Park, Wellington, New Zealand</td></tr>
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So today, I've decided to try a similar approach. Our only debt is J's student loan, which is at $32,894 today. Its interest rate at 7.375% is not low enough for our $500/month to have a big impact on. For a couple of months now, I've been thinking of setting a small goal to get it below $30,500 by the end of 2012.<br />
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With our current monthly payment of $500, ~$300 of it goes towards the principal. By end of the year, it will be around $31k. This gave me the inspiration to target an extra $500 to pay. We already pay an extra month to it by adding 10% to the minimum, which is another way of paying bi-weekly.<br />
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J is really dying to get his student loan gone. It has been too long and I'm just as excited to get this off our backs! Good luck to us!</div>Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-25588737355617138872012-07-20T21:26:00.002-07:002012-08-13T13:56:42.830-07:00We're finally smart...or getting there...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As of today, we have:<br />
<br />
<u><b>Assets:</b></u><br />
<br />
Savings: $15,915<br />
Investments: $6,797<br />
Car: $3,200<br />
Extra Savings still in NZ: $13,300 <br />
<br />
<u><b>Liability:</b></u><br />
<br />
Student Loan: $32,800<br />
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<div style="color: blue; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> Net Worth: $6,412</b></span></div>
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And you know, that's not bad at all. We're not in the red anymore. For a long while we were, and it felt like a loooong while.<br />
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We're quite lucky to be earning good income that helped quicken the consumer debt payoff, not to mention the practical, but not so easy, decisions we had to make to get us to where we are today.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Powell's Bookstore, Portland</td></tr>
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<br />
I decided to do the math today and when I saw that we reached $15k savings just made me sigh. Relief! It wasn't the amount, but that we did it you know?<br />
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There was also plenty of acceptance in the process - for what was, for the learning that needed to happen, for life that we have to live. Reflection was constant and ego-check is always necessary.<br />
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I found myself in such a relaxed mode that I decided to leave work at 3:15pm today. Sure, I'll lose money not working nearly 2 hours (I'm a contractor, $52/hour) but screw that. I decided to start enjoying my weekend early.</div>
Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-62328500350929305232012-07-17T22:09:00.000-07:002012-07-17T22:09:55.324-07:00Jumping the gunIt had been a week since I talked to my mom about borrowing money to top-up our down payment. I didn't check in with her for the entire week to give her and dad time to mull over the big ask. She said to me that <i>"without talking to your dad, I think we could lend you $15k"</i>.<br />
<br />
So I took that as 75% yes, because I had always assumed that I could.<br />
<br />
When I had the chance to Skype with dad while mom was out shopping for lunch ingredients, he only listened to me and didn't give any decision. I was disappointed, more on him not feeling comfortable with me to deliver the news.<br />
<br />
Their money is earmarked to refurbish a property next year. While mom is not looking forward to that, dad is really pushing for it because he wants to be able to project manage that big effort while he's still young. He's only 58. Mom, not willing to go through a major project again, gave me a number that I clung to.<br />
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The disappointment was not about the money, so much as the fact that my dad couldn't tell me and talk with me about it. He just listened, and at one point I caught him changing the conversation. The idea wasn't mine anyway, it was J's, and we were just trying if we could. I could take it, and it's not like we have no money for a down payment.<br />
<br />
When mom arrived, dad quickly turned over Skype to her and so I repeated the whole thing with mom and asked her about their decision because dad just listened to me. I could sense mom's apologetic tone that they couldn't lend money to me, but I was feeling bad about sensing that they were disappointing me when they really weren't. It's their money and they have every right to decide where it goes. I just didn't really like feeling that in that conversation I turned into an 8 year old and my parents sounded like they couldn't afford to buy me ice cream. :(<br />
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You know what I mean?<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3hr0kczl1pc/UAT6YBqsS6I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/5ttAchqp1T8/s640/blogger-image--1523506333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3hr0kczl1pc/UAT6YBqsS6I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/5ttAchqp1T8/s640/blogger-image--1523506333.jpg" /></a></div>Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-32380479079754064722012-07-12T20:35:00.001-07:002012-07-20T21:46:05.821-07:00We are young, heartache to heartache...what?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Despite partially giving up on house buying, J and I have been browsing real estate websites to check the market. We also decided recently to get pre-approval after taking Home Buying 101 (or something like it).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wellington, New Zealand</td></tr>
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<div>
We have about $14k saved, $12k still in NZ, and my parents offered to lend us $15k (without interest!) to help with downpayment but our credit history is still young. Though J is a citizen, his credit history was quiet when he was in NZ. He didn't have any credit card (or debt) when he moved overseas. The broker we met at Portland Housing didn't even begin the process for that reason. I can't blame them because their lenders are mostly big banks who sell the loans somewhere else, so they can dictate the requirements although we look good in other aspects. That is, no consumer debt and with only 4% debt-to-income ratio.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We were advised during pre-qualification to get another line of credit, which we failed to do because I just don't get why we should. We don't carry a balance in our credit card now, so what will motivate us to use that extra account?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So we are going to try our credit union and see if they will even consider us. We've done some number crunching and it looks like our monthly mortgage payments would be less than our rent of $1,400. Neat!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Let's see what happens...</div>
</div>Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-11154933882783598832012-06-28T13:50:00.000-07:002012-07-20T22:06:52.104-07:00Why do I want lots of $$$?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The only answer I can give you is because I don't see myself working until retirement age of 65. Or is it 70?</div>
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I truly don't want to. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waterfront, Portland</td></tr>
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I'm awesome at what I do, and you'd think that that's motivation to keep me wanting a full time job. I thought I did until I became a parent. During my parental leave, it allowed me to be in the moment with minimal worry about finances because I was getting something, about half of my salary at that time, while I was away. I enjoyed my new role as a mom. It also shifted my perspective about having a career. Those short 4 months made me question what I valued up to that point in my life.</div>
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When I went back to work, I didn't really feel the drive to stay competitive. My priority switched to being effective and efficient at work so that I can be of value. The "ladder" disappeared from my vision of my professional future. It became clear to me that I don't want to be a manager for the sake of the title. I always got assigned or nominated as group leader at school projects to the extent that I started declining new leadership roles due to multiple projects I was leading.</div>
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Now a leadership of sorts fell in my lap, inadvertently. The odd thing is that I'm the youngest in the group. I'm still resisting it in some ways without sacrificing my project.</div>
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Despite the compliments, I just really don't wanna do my job for a long time. I want to try something else before I am too old to do it. I can't imagine myself working in a building most of my adult life. I want to do something that's not fundamental to my survival (or my family's).</div>
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My point is that I'm working now to save money and use it to buy rental properties so that I could live off of rental income. It doesn't have to be as much as what we are earning now. I just want time to do other things, fun things, indulgent things, when I feel like it.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hawthorne Bridge, Portland</td></tr>
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I could be wrong in thinking that my job is preventing me from having fun, but it's true. I may be earning a lot but what's the point when I'm still dependent on it. This is partly why I don't like consuming things. For what? My ego is not any more pumped by owning something. Not even a house.<br />
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All I know is that living this life - going to work 5 days a week - isn't sustainable for my mental, spiritual, and psychological health. It's all still a grand, and somewhat nebulous, concept in my head but I'll get there. I'm saving as much as I can so that when it all becomes clear, I have the means to act on it immediately. </div>
</div>Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-43674482862212848202012-06-20T15:19:00.000-07:002012-07-20T22:07:41.863-07:00Impatience<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Sometimes I wish that I didn't read old posts, particularly the ones that talked about my progress and how I was on schedule with all goals I had set. It makes me think about past decisions that didn't necessarily support my goal of saving (tons of) money.<br />
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Last summer we had $8,000 in savings, which really was our emergency fund. Ten months later it bumped to only $8,250. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salmon Springs, Portland</td></tr>
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I know we bought brand new bikes and our old car, all for $3,000, and that our savings branched into different categories with their own allotted amount based on net income (scroll down) but the idea that we probably spent a lot makes me cringe. In reality, we managed to save up to $12,700 not including L's 529 fund (now at $510) and my Roth (now at $310). <br />
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Though I can easily check Mint to know where money went, I still can't help but ask: <b>where did they go?</b></div>
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Sure there was Christmas, there was our San Francisco trip, L's birthday party, shopping, my emergency root canal (where I paid $900+ because insurance ran out) and other random purchases. We're still lucky to have saved some the first half of this year with all expenses mentioned.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pioneer Courthouse, Portland</td></tr>
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We don't carry consumer debt. Saving a minimum of 12.5% monthly will provide a steady growth to our richness, but I feel impatient often. Anyway, here's the breakdown of where 12.5% of our net income goes to:</div>
<ul>
<li>6% emergency fund</li>
<li>3.5% house fund</li>
<li>2% slush fund</li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1% world travel</li>
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L's 529 and my Roth contributions are excluded from the 12.5%. We already met June's target but we still have plenty of money left. It's looking more positive with potential savings of about 30%! If I compare our 12.5% with others who may be struggling to save 5%, it brings me down to earth. Still truly lucky we are. But if I compare myself with those who have it better, I quietly berate myself.</div>
</div>Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-48687981998791070092012-06-15T14:38:00.004-07:002012-06-15T14:42:21.753-07:00Summer forecastSince J and I became parents, summer has always been costly. Spending spikes during the warm months, and the only thing that goes down is our gas bill. So I guess the more time we spend outdoor, the more money we spend too?<br />
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Huh.<br />
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Despite this awareness, it looks like this summer won't be any different. My parents are coming to visit for a few months (yes, I like having my retired folks around) and my brother will probably come along for a couple or so weeks. This will be their first visit to the States so I expect plenty of fun coming.<br />
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J and I don't expect our parents to fork out money when they visit us, and I mean that for food. We like the idea that our folks just relax and build their relationship with our child because they don't get to spend time with him as much as they would like to being geographically apart. But you know what, they are so helpful to us. They made our first few months as parents so pleasant when I had a baby.<br />
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Anyway, our current food budget of $750/month will need adjustment when guests arrive. When my sister and brother-in-law were here in March, we spent $1000 for food! They are big meat eaters so that's not surprising, but it's still a hard number to churn. And it's food that we enjoy cooking and having together, which I really don't experience often in the last 6 years.<br />
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I also don't know at this point whether we'll still camp because we
canceled our plan this weekend due to a family member who decided to
leave for her OE (overseas experience) the same time. We want to spend
time with her before she heads out of the country for who knows how
long! <br />
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With that, I leave you a photo I took of this artwork called Propero's Workshop by James Gleeson, which is housed in<a href="http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/" target="_blank"> Art Gallery NSW</a> in Sydney, Australia. Have a fantastic weekend!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KKSC5f4RdH4/T9up83_LPYI/AAAAAAAAAEY/ipRYixjo-qk/s1600/Prosperos+Workshop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KKSC5f4RdH4/T9up83_LPYI/AAAAAAAAAEY/ipRYixjo-qk/s1600/Prosperos+Workshop.jpg" /></a>Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-40791306569328952592012-06-01T21:50:00.000-07:002012-07-03T14:55:25.981-07:00Changing mindsAnd it's June. Just like that, half the year almost gone. That means I'll get a year older soon. Dang. I'm going to be 40 in 5 years. 40!<br />
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Okay, after a week or so of looking for reasonably priced houses, I think I'm done for now. After doing rough calculations, the cost of owning a house right now with the down payment we've got will result to us paying slightly more than our current rent. Eh, no thanks.<br />
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What would be the point in getting a mortgage? Just to get a house? I'm not in a hurry just to call a structure ours. I like fluidity more than being a homeowner.<br />
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So we'll just keep saving. At this time, we can at least save 12.5% off our salary each month. This summer is starting great because in June we are forecasting a saving of 25%! That's HUGE!<br />
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I know that it's just a forecast and things can easily change. We plan on doing simple and cost-efficient summer activities like tent camping, visiting other parts of Oregon, maybe a weekend trip to Seattle, and exploring Portland neighborhoods. Do I feel good about that? If I think about the money saved, yes; but not very much enjoyment outside of that perspective. We've already gone to a fair, so to go to another would be overkill. Maybe I'll just go shopping. Haha! :-DTashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-84135654418358930702012-05-29T23:38:00.001-07:002012-07-03T14:54:59.363-07:00Buy house again?We are renting an old Victorian-style house for $1,400/month. The only reason we're getting it for "cheap" is because we are friends with the owners. We know that this deal isn't going to last long, plus I'm not really keen on spending more than $1,500/month+ on a rental.<br />
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Though we've paid more for our house in NZ, I can't use that as a comparison because lifestyle in the US is different. After looking at available rentals recently, we can definitely get something for less with some trade offs, e.g. farther from work, smaller (which is fine by me, less to clean), or maybe in a not-so-great neighborhood.<br />
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What has been tricky is having a child who's about to enter kindergarten. We pay $800/month at his preschool now and we've always planned on sending him to public school so that we can save up for his college education. Sure, we can keep sending him to private schools but that's not the most practical solution. I want to give public schooling a chance. I mean, we've managed to teach him literacy and math before he got to school age so I think with proper guidance, public schooling isn't bad regardless of ranking. Right???<br />
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Having this dilemma made me miss New Zealand in a way. I wouldn't have had to deal with this if we still lived there. I honestly had not heard of school closures until I paid attention to American education. I don't know enough about the problem to make an opinion, but it's such a pain in the ass to deal with and I don't have a schooling kid yet!<br />
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Despite having a bit of down payment and steady income, we are trying to be smart about our choices. I know the expenses of owning a home and I can tell that there's a variance between owning a home in NZ and in the US. I'm not sure if our month's rent of $1,400 could cover the mortgage, property tax, insurance and other government fees.<br />
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We had a 3-bedroom house but we mainly used 1 bedroom aside from our kid's room that turned into his play room. Other than that, we have no dreams of a McMansion or a big yard. We just want a decent house with decent space and a small yard for $200k. Obviously, it's not a great time for us yet.<br />
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<br />Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-62905167357567971882012-05-01T23:48:00.001-07:002012-06-15T15:41:51.496-07:00So far, here's where we are.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It has been a long time since I posted here. I thought I was done with personal finance blogging, but you know I live it everyday.<br />
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Since moving to Portland, we've pretty much tried to live frugally though not always successful. We bought an old Honda Accord 99 from J's co-worker for $1,500 and we did so in cash! Yeah! It was great to have done such a huge purchase in cash. We lived without a car for 6 months just how we planned it when we were still in NZ. We took buses to work and to take our kid to pre-school. It was cheap but not always convenient. When we needed a car, we rented from Zipcar.<br />
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We have paid all of our NZ credit card debt (another yeah!) and, sadly, made the decision to cash out our Kiwisaver. J had done his and mine is in process as of writing. It was our last major connection with NZ and we were a bit sad to have done it. We have no consumer debt here, but I had to apply for a credit card because I found it a challenge to "establish a credit rating" here without some form of borrowing. It was odd and annoying at the same time.<br />
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So the only thing we owe is J's student loan. It is now below the $34k mark but it's still a drag to have it. We pay 10% more of the minimum per month. That's the most we could do right now especially with paying almost $800/month for L's pre-school. While I can't wait to pay less for his schooling when he turns Kindergarten (or First Grade?) to save money and pay debt, there's that odd feeling about my baby growing too fast.<br />
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My parents also purchased a rental property that they named to me and my 2 siblings. I don't count my share of that towards my net worth for no reason. They plan to improve that property, we're preparing for our share on that, which could easily cost us around $20k. So far, we've only saved $2,800 towards that fund. We're hoping to be able to save that much until end of next year without dipping into our NZ money of around $13k NZ. We will put that money to a term deposit to earn a bit.<br />
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Overall, our life has improved financially. So many tough decisions had to be made to get to where we are. It seemed that we were going nowhere with our debt pay down while we were in NZ. Getting paid more here facilitated our progress. We have at least $8k saved for emergency on top of the refurbishment fund, have established a $50/month saving towards L's college fund, $50/month to my Roth, $25/month to our long-term travel fund, and saving every extra penny to our emergency fund.<br />
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In so many ways, I've been disconnected from NZ life for so long now. I even forgot my bank login details and have not done a thing to be able to access it again. It has also been a bit challenging not to give in to dining out or buying takeaways when we're so busy. There's so many food places to explore here in America and shopping can be so enjoyable if money were unlimited! Every time I get the urge to buy, I think about the effort it took to purge stuff before we left NZ. That was such a job! I don't ever wanna do that again!<br />
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Til next. xo.Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-59897670518481377892011-08-05T17:00:00.003-07:002011-08-05T17:00:56.115-07:00Hello from Portland!I'm not back but I'm around. I'm sure <a href="http://sensetodollars.blogspot.com/">Sense</a> knows that! :)<div>
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It has been 6 months since I moved to Portland, Oregon and I thought I could share a bit of an update.</div>
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It was not a good transition from summer to winter in less than 24 hours, but I enjoyed my first snowfall. Portland is a wet place to be in winter time. I got lucky to land a job in a month's time. I'm contracting at the moment, which started as a 3-month stint that got extended to the end of the year with possibility of extending further into 2012. I'm ok with that because our benefits, like medical, are through my husband's employer. I get paid a lot here and it is so enjoyable! Such a big difference from what I got in NZ, despite the fact that I was in the highest tax bracket. We just feel much better here financially.</div>
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Happy to report that our NZ debt is being paid more and steadily. We received tax refunds over $3k combined that we decided not to use to pay off a NZ card because our primary focus right now is to replenish funds that got depleted for the move. With our improved financial situation, we've managed to save $8k in just 3 months. We'll keep saving until the end of the year, then move to paying off our NZ debts.</div>
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Shopping here is great! <b>No sales tax in Oregon!</b></div>
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Our life here is lived as minimalists. We have plenty of space in our rented house because we only bought essential furniture pieces. We made the decision in NZ not to buy a car in our first 6 months here. We still don't have a car and we don't know when we'd get one. I met someone who's sort of friends with my husband who ALWAYS asks us when will we buy a car every time she sees us. I'm not exaggerating. She also introduces me to new people with the by-line: they don't have a car. WTF? At first it was annoying, but now I just laugh at her because I didn't know that was an interesting subject.</div>
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We have bikes now though and we use them to get to work. Who knew that biking could lose me some fat?</div>
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Also, I had to contact my Kiwisaver provider and IRD for not crediting me my Member Tax Credit as scheduled in July. I was in NZ until February, a month short of the 2011 tax year, and yet I only got credited half of the MTC. I'm still waiting for IRD's response to that because why would I not get at least $1k right? I don't expect to get anymore this year and the next while we live overseas, but last tax year's MTC is something I believe that I deserve. My husband, who left in December, received $300 more than I did. WTH?</div>
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Summer is awesome here. I never expected American summer to be VERY BUSY and FULL OF HAPPENINGS. I found myself declining a few invites already.</div>
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Til next. Cheers!</div>
Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-14531994338545073562011-01-20T23:31:00.002-08:002011-01-21T00:32:50.886-08:00No strings attached anymore<div class="zemanta-img separator" style="clear: right;"><a href="http://www.daylife.com/image/051r1H25rA0KH?utm_source=zemanta&utm_medium=p&utm_content=051r1H25rA0KH&utm_campaign=z1" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="SAN ANSELMO, CA - NOVEMBER 30: A Toyota Prius..." height="98" src="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/051r1H25rA0KH/150x98.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="150" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="clear: both; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 150px;">Image by <a href="http://www.daylife.com/source/Getty_Images">Getty Images</a> via <a href="http://www.daylife.com/">@daylife</a></span></div>The car is sold and there's nothing else that's tying me down here in NZ anymore. Sigh of relief.<br />
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It was a challenge for me, mostly because I was worrying too much about the car. As you might know, we had a Prius. It is not a cheap car but it is efficient. However, here in NZ, most car buyers/users are more inclined to buy a cheap car eventhough it may not promise petrol efficiency. The buyers have been driving Priuses since 2000. They bought our Prius as a replacement for their gas-guzzling Vitara that they will sell soon. After our experience, my perspective on cars has changed. I can't and won't even consider a car that's not petrol efficient.<br />
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Hours before the transaction occurred, I felt sad about selling our car. I think it symbolized the last significant thing we've owned, enjoyed, and what tied me here. All I need to do next is to buy my ticket to Portland and pack my bags. I have 2 weeks left at work and a few days after that I plan to fly. It sounds so easy, isn't it? The fact in leaving NZ is too imminent and too fast!<br />
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Money-wise, there are no more insurance payments to pay, no more petrol to buy, cheap rent of $200/week including all utilities and internet (thanks to friends), and no bus fares to pay. So far I've only spent $70 on food since last week. Wallet is happy!<br />
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While I have these few weeks left, I'm going around Wellington to enjoy and appreciate the town that will form a significant part of our history. I will miss this country. <br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=241bb2bb-3d7e-4e5d-bab6-98f5a484d415" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-81108262602938975152011-01-12T00:05:00.000-08:002011-01-12T00:05:10.333-08:00Choose a phone for me, wouldja?Having enjoyed being provided my mobile phone for me through work for 7 years, choosing my own for Portland is proving to be a difficult task!<br />
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<div class="zemanta-img separator zemanta-action-dragged"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mobile_phone_evolution.jpg" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mobile phone evolution" height="450" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Mobile_phone_evolution.jpg/300px-Mobile_phone_evolution.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 300px;">Image via <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mobile_phone_evolution.jpg">Wikipedia</a></span></div>J has his own iPhone and got himself a month-to-month plan until I get there and we figure out whether we'd take on a family plan. Neither of us is willing to be tethered to a 2-year plan so I started looking at different companies for a phone and service.<br />
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Now I'm tired. The plethora of options are just brain-draining. I repeat the cycle of shifting from wanting a simple phone that can make calls and text to something in the lines of iPhones and Androids, and back.<br />
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As of writing, I'm resolved to just wait it out. We already have a VOIP phone gifted by my father-in-law and we'll have internet at our new home. I'm guessing that would be adequate until I get a feel for things there. I'm still hoping that my new job there (when I find one) will provide me a phone, which should solve my problem.<br />
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The thing is, with a child who's about to start school, I will need to be contacted in case of emergencies. <br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=fd32cc4f-ac40-4925-9aca-26eb2160274e" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-40975500251873631902011-01-07T03:46:00.000-08:002011-01-07T03:46:51.862-08:00$23 movies<div class="zemanta-img separator" style="clear: right;"><a href="http://www.crunchbase.com/company/tivo" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image representing TiVo as depicted in CrunchBase" height="127" src="http://www.crunchbase.com/assets/images/resized/0001/6424/16424v1-max-450x450.png" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="80" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="clear: both; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 80px;">Image via <a href="http://www.crunchbase.com/">CrunchBase</a></span></div>Having no cable right now re-introduced me to the joy of renting movies again. For $23, I've enjoyed 23 movies that I would have otherwise missed, or completely ignored, if I had cable.<br />
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I even went to the cinema one day and backed out of it when I was at the ticket counter. I thought it was funny.<br />
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New year, old movies. I've made the right choice. Maybe I shouldn't subscribe to TiVo when I get to Portland? What about House? Bones? I have BIG problems. :-P <br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=27f5d93a-3245-47eb-aff5-5a4c7a2f47cf" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-8417812578115035552011-01-03T01:30:00.001-08:002011-01-03T01:31:02.076-08:00Living on my ownI've noticed that I buy less grocery when I'm on my own. Food seems to last longer -- obviously -- but also it's easier to take into account just my diet. When I shop for my family, I have to take into consideration their own dietary needs. Then there's dessert. I can buy one cupcake-size cheesecake and I'm set for days, sometimes even for a week.<br />
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<a href="http://www.moorewilson.co.nz/">Moore Wilson's</a> is the best for buying desserts! Thanks to <a href="http://www.floriditas.co.nz/">Floriditas</a> who provide them! I've always liked shopping at MW, but I find them expensive at times especially in the meat section. Their meats are of great quality though, so can't really complain.<br />
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Anyway, I have a co-worker who lives next to my apartment who I share food with sometimes. Well, it sort of started out that way when I first moved in with her. I think she just liked the set up. As for me, I'm ok with it but not on a daily basis! So far, it has worked out well; but I generally don't enjoy her cooking because it lacks variety. I can't even begin how much meat she cooks. Ugh.<br />
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It looks like $40/week for me works. Hormone helps too. A week before my period I just gorge in food! It's so gross how much sugar I'd consume and all that fluid that my body retains. Then a day after my period starts, I deflate and lose appetite. It's a cycle that no matter how I resolve to not eating much prior to my monthly period, I just get sucked in. I hate having periods sometimes.<br />
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I'm enjoying Wellington in my last month. I forgot how vibrant it can be. Still unsure whether the gusty winds will be missed, but I've started feeling some sort of separation anxiety when I went into a gift shop today. I always bring my camera with me cos there are just things that can't be missed, like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vvKz_cGay2I/TSGWuyP4r9I/AAAAAAAAACw/JVAIaKGymYI/s1600/DSC00524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vvKz_cGay2I/TSGWuyP4r9I/AAAAAAAAACw/JVAIaKGymYI/s400/DSC00524.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Gusty winds can really do this in Wellington. Isn't that just scary?<br />
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Despite the joys of living alone, I miss my family very much. I keep thinking about next month when I reunite with J, and then another month when the whole family is together.Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-24126509236159126122010-12-30T15:02:00.002-08:002010-12-30T15:05:41.397-08:00Taxi charged extra $2Okay, I've been searching online and haven't found the answer yet.<br />
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<strong>Why do <a href="http://www.taxis.co.nz/">Combined</a> taxis charge an extra $2 when paying by EFTPOS???</strong><br />
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Obviously I don't take taxis regularly, but a recent hauling of stuff from parking lot 400 meters away from my apartment has taken its toll and I decided to spend $7 for convenience.<br />
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The taxi driver warned me about the charge but I had no cash with me at the time, and I rarely do because this is NZ -- one of the EFTPOS lands I know of.Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-9225014321293967482010-12-29T02:21:00.000-08:002010-12-29T02:21:11.756-08:00Bittersweet endingLife sure has gotten extremely busy for me, especially in the last 2 weeks.<br />
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Two days after J left, I thought life would go about as planned. I got burgled on Dec 13th. Oh yeah, for the first time 13 was unlucky for me. I was distraught for the first 48 hours after I found out.<br />
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I got home and didn't notice our huge TV was gone. It was while I was changing that I noticed our <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod" rel="wikipedia" title="IPod">iPod</a> dock station was not on the bedside drawer. My new netbook was gone, the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://wii.nintendo.com/" rel="homepage" title="Wii">Wii console</a> that I just sold on <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.trademe.co.nz/" rel="homepage" title="TradeMe">Trademe</a> was gone, and my jewelry box was also gone. Anyway, the insurance claim is now in process.<br />
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Two days later, the Police called me to say that they might have my TV. They responded to a domestic incident call in the middle of the night and while searching for the man who was reported saw a TV covered in a blanket under their house. It was our blanket that I didn't realise was missing until I went to bed the night of the burglary. The house is in a group of flats behind a neighbor's property. Still, it's not enough an evidence to indict them of burglary. The policeman told me that because he ran away, if he will be located and found guilty, they will have enough reason to jail him. Right. When would that happen?<br />
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The burglary expedited the move. The next day the offer on the house went unconditional. I didn't even enjoy that until much later. So the whole week was very busy cos we had a yard sale that weekend, pick up of items I sold on Trademe, then donating items on <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.freecycle.org/" rel="homepage" title="Freecycle">Freecycle</a> or to people who came to the yard sale. The house is nearly empty now.<br />
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It was hard sleeping in the house that day it got burgled. Despite having a friend sleep over, it took me forever to fall asleep. All of a sudden, our home was no longer safe. It wasn't MY home anymore. I just wanted to get rid of it and not have another reason to return. It was a sad feeling because we loved that house. We never had any problem with the area until that day. The person must've come during one of the open homes.<br />
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This year ended in a bittersweet note. It's sad really. I pity the burglars who don't know any better than stealing other people's property. It's sad that they don't know how to make their lives better.<br />
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I can't wait to be with my family again. If all goes as planned, I shall be out of this country in 7 weeks. <br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=4b11a9c1-3bf4-4985-ad02-6cd1af2a8494" style="border: none; float: right;" /></div>Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-45949415595396257232010-12-10T04:01:00.001-08:002010-12-10T04:07:04.017-08:00More life changes...It's past my bed time and here I am blogging about my life that's going to change again.<br />
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My husband is leaving tomorrow for the USA. He'll be starting his new job there next week -- a job that not only gets him out of his good-turned-crap job in NZ, but also a job that brings him closer to his family. I will be staying here in NZ until our house is sold and my permanent residence visa is sorted.<br />
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We have accepted an offer on the house after only being in the market for 3 weeks. We'll find out if the buyer goes unconditional on Tuesday. If he does, it will be a matter of weeks and I'm moving back in town until I fly out of this country.<br />
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What a year this has been! We got lucky to be honest. I spent a lot of energy being worried on so many aspects; yet, here we are in the midst of it.<br />
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We have made very big decisions that put many people uncomfortable just listening to the idea and feelings around it. It put me in discomfort, so no wonder they were. We are not shipping anything at all. It's mainly because we don't really put memories in things. We have been selling and giving things away.<br />
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It was a long process that started in June 2009. From the moment we decided to move, it had put us all in transition mode. There was a time that I didn't buy anything bulky or big, from ketchup bottles to trash bags. J, being unhappy about his career potential here in NZ and about his mom's health, was not a happy person to deal with. It became easy for me to be angry, resentful and supportive at the same time. Such an odd combo, but I have been supportive of the idea, it was just difficult to accept the possibility that we'd have to make tough decisions to make it happen.<br />
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The first tough decision, and I think it was the toughest, was to have our kid live with my parents while we begin with the transition. He has been overseas for 2 months now and we miss him a lot. It has been full on since I got back. The house looks so much better, thanks to wonderful friends! We sacrificed sleeping in a house that smelled of paint and other chemicals for days. There are still things to do, eg. sell appliances, getting my medical tests, resign, etc; but nothing insurmountable anymore.<br />
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Giving up our house was tough too. We love our house and the memories we created in it, but it isn't financially sound for us to keep it as a rental. We carefully looked at all of our options, and the best was to sell it. We don't expect to gain anything from it after only owning it for 2 years and in this current market.<br />
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Thankfully J had landed a job after a year of applying. He was one of the 14 people hired out of 650 applicants. I'm so proud of him. He has done so well. Now, no more worrying about leaving NZ to look for a job (which was an option in case he didn't get a job by February 2011).<br />
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At the rate we are going, I might have only 8 weeks left in this beautiful country of the long, white cloud. We get asked by neighbors if we don't like NZ. We do! It's beautiful and a wonderful place to raise a family. There is comfort, however, in knowing that we are close to family and knowing that every member of our family is happy. Our home is where we are.<br />
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The next step is for me to fly over and look for a job. My parents are willing to bring our child to the States, as they were considering traveling there next year anyway. Hopefully we'll all be together by March at the latest.<br />
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So there is my life, and I think I should sleep now.Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-67021183451142906542010-11-23T17:07:00.002-08:002010-12-10T03:31:04.793-08:00Update on movingThings are moving along on the homefront. The house is sorted to tidyness and staged for open homes and random potential buyer visits. The floor work (floorsanding) is finished and the wooden floors look really nice!<br />
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Unwanted/not needed items are being given away on Freecycle or sold on Trademe. J's ticket is purchased. J's accommodation is sorted, until he starts looking for a place for our family when I know my travel date is. He'll be staying at a friend's house til NY Eve for free, then move into a room rental (a friend of a friend) for $650/month including food, utilities, and internet! We think that's an awesome deal.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Closet_2009_Australia.JPG" style="display: block; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Picture of inside a closet. Taken 2009 by Matt..." height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Closet_2009_Australia.JPG/300px-Closet_2009_Australia.JPG" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; font-size: 0.8em;" width="150" /></a></div><br />
Those were a lot to take on in the past few weeks. J had even started work while I was away for 3 weeks. So, 5 or so weeks was all about carrying out series of tasks in the most effective and efficient way as possible without hurting the wallet. Excluding our house, we're expecting to get around $8,500 from selling items. Not bad. Our list of things to sell and give away only reached 60+ items. Not bad. We're below the 100 mark, which I targeted this year.<br />
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Then there are clothes. I have a lot. J's fit in his closet. I have the same sized closet full of clothes in addition to a 3x3 cube of folded clothes, mobile clothes rack, half a closet full of jackets, containers of bags and more clothes. We haven't gotten rid of all of our baby clothes yet so there's that to give away too. Oh sigh.<br />
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When I moved to NZ I only took 2 suitcases full of clothes and I left plenty behind. When mom made a visit, she brought new clothes she got for me on top of the "care package" of clothes she bought for me when she went to HK on a leisure/shopping trip. Every time I visit her, I always bring more clothes than I take with me. So yes, all that giving amounted to closets of clothes just for me. I think I only bought 5-8% of my entire lot in the past 4 years. Blimey!!!<br />
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The open home is this weekend, and so far we've had 4 groups visit the house. I hope somebody makes an offer soon! One thing I don't look forward to having is another winter. With snow!!! I just spent 5 or 6 months looking forward to summer and it looks like I have to toughen up for another one. <br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><img alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=4d3997d8-9ae5-4f05-8b4a-c95a88591448" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></div>Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-86059016301819431572010-11-15T21:33:00.001-08:002010-11-15T21:33:56.797-08:00Holiday deal on MyWorthWow! <a href="http://www.myworthapp.com/">MyWorth</a> is offering a holiday deal on their iPhone app for only <b>$1.99</b>! Sweet! Makes me want to greet you all a happy Christmas already. :)<br />
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I've been enjoying the use of <a href="http://www.myworthapp.com/">MyWorth</a>. I like having the ability to update my net worth whenever I can. I like my graph :) It's pretty.Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861175870509736099.post-52000882922006417262010-11-13T02:28:00.002-08:002010-11-13T02:31:39.896-08:00Market value down by $15kLast week, many homeowners in NZ received their property's latest ratings from <a href="http://www.qv.co.nz/">QV</a> and they are not looking good.<br />
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Ours will be down by $15k as of July 2011. The worst part is that if you are going to sell your home now, just like us, the real estate agents will state the new market values in all the marketing aspects of the sale.<br />
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It sucks!!!<br />
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But life must go on and we can't keep moping about the fact. We are moving soon. J is going to begin his new job in Portland next month, while I stay here until the house is sold and to continue with the process for my PR visa. It's all exciting but plenty of work needs to be done, nothing insurmountable though.<br />
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I've been loving the weather as of late -- sunny, warm (sunny doesn't always mean warm in Wellington), and a great vibe from people everywhere!Tashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07291103776375838729noreply@blogger.com0