Chicky Finance

The ones I check out everyday;

Enjoy your Sunday!

Because my snowflake account turned into snowstorm account this month, I put as much as I can towards my CCs. Besides, I’ve just checked my checking account and noticed that my paycheck has been credited before April 1st which is great news!
Update my current debt:
CC#1: Paid Off

CC#2: Paid Off

CC#3: $850 interest %13 - I decided I will stick with my original plan and pay off this debt at the end of April

CC#4: $2,620 interest %0- I applied $1,000 towards this card so that the balance went down from $3,620 to $2,620

CC#5: $4,032 interest %0 – Paid $100 towards this card

Loan: $14,315 interest %12- Paid $442 however, only $300 has been credited towards principal

Sister: I owe $400 to my sister, this week she said that she does not want me to worry about this $400 until I pay off CC debt so for now I will take off this $400 from the list and put underneath IRS debt

March Snowstorm account;

* Ebay sale $156 -remember that $100 bid last time, it ended $156 mark

* Traditionally in my home country friends give "real gold" (not in form of jewelery) as wedding gift. I realized that I totally forgot about those golds! I sold them this week and are you ready??? I made $1,000!!! yeahh That goes t0 CC#4 which will reduce to the debt for that particular CC from #3,520 to $2,520!

* I got credited my first hard cash $25 from payperpost

* $6 from surveys

* my change jar $84

* Recycle cans: $8

Since my snowflake account total is : $1,279, the account deserves to be named Snowstorm account! What do ya think, am I right?

For detail view click on the picture

Current Debt-O-Meter

CC Start 1/12/08: $25,970
CC Debt 6/01/2008:$19,071
Car Loan Start: $27,540
Car Loan 4/17/08: $21,662
Sister: $280
IRS: $5000 I still can not believe on this one..I am absolutely in shock...
Thanks God no Student Loan!

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Well, yesterday I bought a crockpot because I've heard so many good things about cooking in a slow cooker. I'll only tell you this: crockpot is NOT for me. I realized that yesterday after putting all ingredients into the pot, I started waiting for 8 hours! I am such a busy and unpatient person that I can not wait 8 hours that damn chicken potato to cook, period. Also I read so many women leave their crockpot plugged when they go to work so that when they are back from work after 8 hours, there is ready meal for diner. Hmm even though this sounds a great idea, I don't think I can leave any electric appliance plugged on wall and leave for work 8 hours. I think I would think about chicken in crockpot for whole day at work, and drive myself nuts that wouldn't be really good, would it? Anyways make long story short, my crockpot is going back to Target where it came from. Sorry, crockpot lovers I don't think crockpot and I am in love at least for now.

Here is what is on my menu next week;

3/24 Lentil soup, simple salad (cucumber, tomato,unsalted tuna w/lemon)

3/25 Rice w/steamed veggies and chicken breast

3/26 Pasta no sauce just with tuna
3/27 salmon,veggies, rice

3/28 Lentil soup and salad

3/29 Egg with potato and salad

For lunch at work, I will get chicken teriyaki bowls from Costco for $9.97 six bowls. It should be good for the whole week.

The picture you see on the left is my actual brown bag! Everything has to have some kind of cuteness, right? Yesterday after work I went to Costco and got 6 chicken teriyaki bowl for $9.67+tax, not bad so today I brought teriyaki bowl in hello kitty brown bag. BTW, I bought the hello kitty bags a long time ago and never used it. I thought It is a perfect time to start using it while I'm living frugal. :) I'm sure those hello kitty brown bags costed me way more than regular brown bags back then. Today's lunch $1.67 and I am full!

Here is my plan and progress:

* I already paid $250 with my March paycheck #1

* Ebay sale: The bid is currently $100, 1 day left to end so as soon as I get that money it goes towards the CC#3

That would bring down CC#3 balance: $500 March paycheck #2 will go towards Cpa exam fee and car registration, therefore there is going to be no money for CC# 3 :(( In worst case, I will be paying by the end of April although I dont wan't it to take that long..

This last weekend was fun!And cheap..(I like that) On friday My hubby and I went to rock concert in LA with our friends..One of couple friends said that because they would be wasted at the end of the night, they will in a near by hotel...My initial tought was "What!You live in OC and because you want to drink too much, you are going to pay hundred something dollars for a hotel room? I'll pass on that.." Anyways we went to the concert and had so much fun. This couple bought all our drinks..We haven't asked for it so I felt awkward a little bit..I know that they are not rich, they are just like us...After the concert, they invited us their hotel room just to chat more since we had so much common things to talk about.Around 2 o'clock when we were ready to leave from their room to drive home, they said they can not let us drive this late and without much asking they got us a room too! I was like What! So they paid for our hotel room...I don't really know what to say, I'm really suprised how some people spend money just like there is no end. Following day b/c we felt guilty, we took them to lunch(as you can see we're stimulating economy) My hubby paid for the lunch. The same night I was invited to a fashion show in LA downtown (FREE), with my girlfriends we had a blast! Afterwards, we went to Edison Bar to chit chat more. Edison Bar had really nice ambiance..No cover for girls which is always good! On sunday I stayed at home studied for CPA, cleaned the house, and rest..Believe it or not I'm still recovering from it, in fact that's why I could not write anything meaningful in my blog. I'm back now, buckle up everybody!

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My current interest rates for CC debt range from 0% to 12% but I know people who’ve been paying 25%-29% which is just ridiculous. I think those of you who can not negotiate with CC companies for better interest might want to consider debt consolidation services. The website called consumer credit debt has a directory you can actually find California credit debt professionals in california or any other state and perhaps become free person through them.

Thanks to PF blogger Stacking Pennies I just found out Starbucks will be giving away free coffee tomorrow between 10-noon local time. Since I started this blog, I have been Starbucks only few times (I only get regular small coffee $1.61); I will definitely take advantage tomorrow’s free coffee give away. I use couple tactics to save money in Starbucks, if you want to find out read my How to save in Starbucks post.

It is so frustrating as soon as I decided becoming debt free unexpected expenses started popping up almost every day...Today I got cpa exam fee bill: $741; this worries me because I don't want to use credit card. I hate credit cards, really...Yesterday I took a day off from work due to some necesseary immigration paperwork. For three pieces of paper I paid around $150 and lunch with friend $16(the lunch was totally stupid decision, and I will not do it again until I pay all of my CC debt) I had to get done my hair ( my roots were just terrible, I could not stand anymore)so I went hair salon, damage: $90

Total spending yesterday; $256 except that stupid lunch, I paid cash for everything. I put the lunch on my debit card.

As far as my budget for March, so far so good. I'm under budget, even have few dollars in my checking account but I know the next couple of months will be really tough for me. I still have to pay;

* Car registration :$224

* Exam Fees: $741

* Exam prep course for part 2: $700

Well, I guess in order to keep my spirit up, I need to keep reminding myself I'm becoming debt free, slowly but surely...And you know what I will never never have any debt once I become financial free...

Everything started a week ago sunday..If you remember I mentioned on my previous posts that I'd like to sell my several gadgets on ebay and craigslist. Well, I put my cellphone sidekick on ebay last sunday and it ended past sunday price $56..So far so good, I have not heard anything from the buyer for a day and on monday night I got a email from this dude saying;

"Thank you for allowing me to purchase your item but i will longer be in need of it. I'm terribly sorry.I'm sorry if I wasted any of your time and I'm sure that if you placed it back on the market then it would definitely sell. Again, I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience and will no longer be buying your product. Thank You."

Well, after this email, I was super pissed off, you can not even imagine because first of all, this guy bid out everyone else who were bidding at the time and right after he won the bid, he said he does not want it. It is so BS..Excuse my language, I am still pissed.

Anyways, today I put the same phone on craigslist for $50 and right away, I start getting emails for pick up. I picked this guy, he said that he is going to get it at 6 o'clock at Starbucks. He asked my phone number, first I was reluctant to give but then somehow I gave him my number. He e-mailed me several questions about the phone and I responded him quickly. Then he text msg my cell phone asking more questions..I was patient for a while but when he start asking the same question twice and sent me a text msg in the middle of meeting, I excused myself and went out, called him, told him that I was not selling my cellphone to him because he is asking the same questions hundred times and I don't have that much time. Poor guy, I guess I was just bitter from ebay so I was being impatient to him. Although, he was asking too many same questions. Anyways, I hung up and decided not to sell my phone to him. An hour later he txt msg me saying that he is sorry that he was bugging me so much, he really wants to buy this phone. I said ok, no problem. Aaaand happy ending we met at the startbucks as we initially planned; he bought the phone, paid $50. He was around 18 yrs old teenager, driving really old car. I kind of felt bad..First thing I told him "dude you drove me nuts, in the middle of meeting, here you go your phone" :) he said sorry sorry a couple of times and his girlfriend said he was really excited that he is getting this phone..

Happy ending he got the phone, I got $50 (going towards CC#3) without going nuts, really!

There is going to be some big expenses the following months which will prevent me to make large contributions toward my CC debt. *sigh*

1-IRS $5,000 (hubby and I am not eligible for stimulation package refunds b/c our combined income around ~ 150K.. They consider us rich hrrr we are not!!!!!!!!!)

2-INS Immigration paperwork $500. So far I've paid so much money to INS to do everything legally and timely that's one of the reason why as an immigrant I dont support illegal immigrants. hmm that's not a PF subject, right? Perhaps I will post about this subject in the future b/c I have so much to say as a Legal immigrant in this country.

3-CPA Exam fees $740. I know you are tired of hearing this but it's going to burn my pocket, how can I stop talking?

4-CPA review course 2nd ,3rd,4th section ( I already paid for 1st section) around ~$2,000

5-Car registration $244

I must find better paying job!!!I am so overwhelmed :(

For now I really want to focus my current spending because when I think about the debt I have, it is really making me upset and frustrated...

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This morning I received e-mail from Karen Scott who is the chief contact of Pinecone survey company. The email was asking me take a survey and also it mentioned I will paid within few days after the completion of that particular survey. (usually $5) It was a food survey and took me between 10 to 15 min to complete. Boriiiingggg dude! I know some people like taking surveys so no offense..

There are several things I don't like about Pinecone though;

*In order to join Pinecone survey company, you need to hunt down one their precious ads on world wide web! and click on it and sign! What away to waste time..Trick: go to google, search "Pinecone ads", you will find one quickly.

*I signep with them 2 months ago and today I got my very first survey. It has been so long that I thought it was a scam. I guess companies are not interested in my family profile instead they are more interested growing Hispanic population I know that because many of my friends suddenly "became" latino and as a result they receive more surveys and making more $$.

* Payment: I not sure when I will be paid. According to email I got this morning, I will be paid in few days. We'll see... I will let you know.

Overall, Pinecone is not so hot nor exciting way to make money....

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I declared today as my weekly "Have a spend NOTHING day"..So far so good I have not spent even one cent. By the way as of today I have $50 on my Tip Jar for cpa exam fees! Thanks a bunch all of you!! Ohh another thing I need to add PF blogger Budgets Are Sexy has a great news! His fiance got accepted into graduate school with full scholarship! That's the way to go. Congrats Mrs.Budgets Are Sexy again!

Chicky's Happy Confession;

My whole attitude towards spending and saving has been transforming since I've started this blog. I see transformation on every day decisions I make; for example, my friend's just called me up to go shopping. Before this blog Chicky would say " Right on! When are we going?" but instead I said I don't have any money spare on cute stuff right now.. That moment I was kind of proud of myself that I accept that I could not afford it at this moment of my life. Another example, I got Entertainment coupon book first time ever. It was on %30 sale sweet! First looking through the book I was little disapointed because come oooon OC is so big and there are whole bunch of free burger coupons 15 miles away from my home...What's up with that?!?! Anyways, last sunday I went to Subway to pick up 2 footlong sandwiches and I knew that subway entertainment coupons I have are not valid at the one close to my place. I took them with me anyway. After I ordered my sandwich, I asked cashier if they match coupons. ( Before: chicky would never ever ask this question) She said YES, we do! I ended up using my entertainment saving coupons, it was a nice satisfying feeling in a sense :) Lesson: Take your entertainment coupons with you even and dont hesitate asking questions.

Now I feel like I am set free from OC pressure!

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Girls!

We love being pampered, don't we? But those manicure, pedicure, hair salon, spa trips can add up thousand of dollars per year. I came up with several solutions for these " very necessary" *just kidding* expenses.

Learn how to do it yourself. Saving for one trip to nail salon around $20. You can watch "how to" videos from you tube or when you have your next trip to nail salon watch tiny vietnamese girl very well to learn how she is doing your maninur and pedicure..(in OC %95 nail salons under Vietnamese control )

This one is a tough one. Don't do it yourself ever! and Don't try to find the cheapest one in your town either! Pleasee...Instead you can extend the intervals between your trip to hair salon.

This is my favorite solution and the one I'm most proud of. Find a local beauty school! dont worry I am not going to suggest you to learn how to give yourself facial :) These beauty schools need people who are willing to recieve facial spa from students who are under supervision of their instructors. Is it worth it? ohh yeah..Normally if you pay $100 for facial, you end up paying only $25 in a beauty school.

Girls, my point is we can be still chicky sexy and not broke overall. Please share if you have any money saving tips for pamperous beauty trips!