Money Progress Update
Overall this has been a boring week. The two jobs are exhausting, it has rained nonstop, and I have done well to read other blogs, much less deal with my own. But that’s okay because it’s the weekend and I am NOT on call for work! It’s those little things, and my financial week has been all about the little things.
Most importantly, I paid off my Target credit card. I can’t tell you how empowering it was to click “Submit Payment” knowing I’ll never have to do that again! (At least, not for that one.) Right now I’m trying to remember a single important purchase I made with that card and I can’t do it. I’m pretty sure I bought a bunch of useless crap. I haven’t been able to find the actual card in my house since I moved last year - I know it’s here, just don’t know where - and I consider that a good thing. I’ve paid off about 13% of my overall debt.
I also put $50 in my vacation fund. A slow start, but I was tired of looking at it and seeing a big fat zero. Eventually, as I watch that progress bar move, the idea of a vacation will seem more real and I’ll talk about it all the time. My son wants to go somewhere fairly close to home - he says he doesn’t want to fly and doesn’t want to waste two days driving. I can’t even think about location right now but I do know this trip will be LONG overdue!
ShareBuilder launched their new site yesterday and so far I can’t get the updated app to work on my phone. My Roth is sitting at about $1000, which is 1/3 of my goal. Considering this is the 4th month of the year, I’m right on track. Hooray for retirement! Speaking of which, remember my cousin who “needed” a huge truck? I’ve finally convinced him to open a Roth IRA and get prepared to stop working someday. He’s 21, so I’m pretty jealous of the extra 7 years he’ll have that I don’t. And the fact that he’ll be able to max out his contributions every year.
Finally, I did not spend a dime this week other than putting gas in my car and eating out yesterday for lunch (less than $5 for the new chicken tender meal at Burger King). That’s probably the most control I’ve exhibited in my entire life! It’s not that I’m this awesome person who no longer wants to spend money; I just want to meet my goals more than I want to spend.
That’s my financial week - how was yours?
Woohoo! No more target credit card! Great job!
Congratulations on paying off your Target card!! That is totally awesome!
congratulations on paying off your Target card! That's really great, and how awesome to see one of your progress bars all the way at 100%
Thanks, guys! I can't believe I only have one more credit card to go! Then I'm down to the car payment and the student loans (key doom-filled music). I still haven't decided whether to use the money I was paying to credit cards toward my car payment or my Roth IRA…
Congrats - Well done. As for the "left-over money" I suggest split it in three. Car loan, new car and retirment. But that's me
Not sure you should take advise from someone that has overspent on food for the 4th month in a row…