Florida Here I Come

Spending next week visiting my Dad and Stepmom in Florida will save me:

~$20 Metro commute (to and from work)
~$50 Groceries
~$50 Weekend entertainment costs
~A week’s worth of utilities

Yay for trips to visit family!

Since this is my “vacation” for the summer, I intend to enjoy myself, but visiting family instead of going on a trip where I would have to spend money on food, hotel and entertainment is good for my budget. Airfare is my major expense for this trip. My goal for 2009 is to take a trip out of the country to somewhere I have never been before for a minimum of four days. I'll go into more detail on that when I update my goals. But for this year, other expenses take priority over traveling to other countries or locales. So Florida, here I come.

Does anyone have any ideas for inexpensive tourist things to do in Tampa?

Image: VisitFlorida.com

Giving Up on My Quest For the Perfect (Reasonably Priced) Sandal

Why is it that when I finally decide to purchase a pair of sandals that I can't find any that I like that are a reasonable price? I saw the cutest ones in a mall in Northern Virginia yesterday, but they were almost $60 and they were just simple flat thong-style sandal (pictured to the right). It doesn't help the matter that stores don't always carry my shoe size (5 1/2). I can't bring myself to pay more than $40 for sandals when they may be dated by next summer. I guess it's just not meant to be for me to buy more summer shoes which may not be a bad thing. Oh well. Maybe the pickings were better earlier in the season.


Image: Nordtrom.com

No Target for the month of August

While I don’t think its realistic to drastically cut my spending with several weeks of summer left and the fact that I’m going to Florida for the first week of August on two family trips, I can take a small step and stop spending in a store that has been my “budget kryptonite” for the past few months: Target. My job happens to be across the street from a shopping center that has a Target, making it way too easy to head over there and spend money I have no business spending. From snacks to greeting cards to clothes to household items, I have definitely been giving a nice chunk of my money to Target since it opened earlier this summer. Target is a one-stop-shop type of place where you can get such a variety of things, so it is tempting to overspend. My Mint account has forced me to shine a light on this weakness and nip it in the bud. I like Mint so much because it is an easy way to determine where your money is going and keep track of your cash flow. The only frustrating thing is that sometimes all of my accounts aren’t updated every time I log on, but I wonder if it’s just my ridiculously slow lap top that is responsible for that. So for the month of August, I won’t be spending a dime in the store. If I'm successful at this, I'll keep it going. I guess I should get that tool kit I was eyeing before my self-imposed deadline. I really need to think about every purchase I make and ask myself: Do I really need that? Because if I don’t, the item should stay in the store. I will work out a revised budget in September after the summer is over.

Do you have a store at which you are making an effort to curb your spending?

Image: Target Website

Remedy for my lack of handiness

I came to the realization not too long ago, that I need to learn how to be more handy. I am a little embarrassed to say I don't even own a hammer. So I am thinking about purchasing a small tool set so I won't have to call someone every time I need to do a minor household task that requires a tool like a hammer. Here is one pictured above that I was saw on Target's website. I like the idea that the tool set is girly-looking and part of the proceeds of the tool set go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Now I just need someone to show me how to use these tools so I don't hurt myself or hard surfaces like the walls of my apartment...

2nd Edition – 20 (Random) Questions

1. Should I open a Roth IRA with Vanguard or Fidelity?
2. Is it wise to get a target date or life-cycle fund IRA since I don’t feel comfortable balancing a portfolio of investments yet?
3. How long will it take to reach my goal of having $5,000 in my emergency fund?
4. Why does identity theft seem to be running rampant these days?
5. Why are there so many applications on Facebook and who actually has the time to use them?
6. Why does the professional organization I recently joined charge for every event, workshop or training they offer, don’t they know that the cost is prohibitive for young professionals?
7. Why am I, a full-grown woman looking forward to watching teen targeted shows this fall like Gossip Girl?
8. Why does bronzer (when properly applied) make almost everyone’s face look better?
9. Why is the cost of housing so expensive in cities I like such as New York, San Francisco, and Washington?
10. Why are people so obsessed with celebrity babies?
11. Where did the idea of putting 20% down on a house purchase come from and why are so few people in the position to do that today?
12. How long will it take for the economy to rebound?
13. How can I learn how to dance as well as Joshua or Will on the reality show, “So You Think You Can Dance”? I know I’m not the only one who watches…
14. Why isn’t all water free?
15. Will a graduate degree make a large difference in my earnings over my lifetime?
16. Why is Apple always ahead of the curve on technology such as the iPhone and the Mac Air?
17. Is it really cost effective to drive a hybrid of any type?
18. Why isn’t gym built into the work-day like in elementary school since Americans as a whole are overweight and suffer from obesity related diseases (type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc.)?
19. Does networth really matter or is cash flow more important?
20. Will the American dollar regain its strength in the global market?

Click here to see my first edition of 20 (Random) questions. Do you have a random question you’d like someone to answer?