Debt Repayment Update: November

I didn’t do a debt repayment update for October because I didn’t make any progress that month worth mentioning. However, I made some good progress in November, and I have big financial plans for December, so I think I’m ready to start doing these updates again. Here’s how I did on my financial goals for October/November:

• Create a new savings account specifically for vacations or fun stuff: This was probably the easiest of the three goals I set for myself, yet it didn’t get done. Even though I think it’ll be good for me to have a second savings designated specifically for vacations/fun stuff, I guess I’m just not looking forward to feeling obligated to put EVEN MORE money into savings every month. I already put 10% of every paycheck into my emergency fund, and at least $400 toward debt repayment every month, so another financial obligation doesn’t sound very appealing.
• Focus on paying down my Mastercard: I actually made good progress on this. By the end of October, my MC balance got up to $1,300. I have since put almost $400 toward that card, bringing it down to $916.24. My goal for December is to get this damn card paid off once and for all, and keep it that way!
• Start job-searching again: Again, I made some progress. I applied for three jobs in the months of October and November, and had one phone interview.

And now for my current debt total as of December 1st. I put $743 toward my debt in November, bringing me down to…

• Credit Cards: $5,266.10
• Student Loans: $10,045.09 (Starting Balance: $13,750) *I can’t wait to get this balance under $10,000 soon!
• Auto Loan: $9,824.72 (Starting Balance: $13,780) *I’m excited to see this balance under $10,000!

Debt Total: $25,135.91

Ugh, I know. It’s gone up a lot since August. But the good news is it’s the holidays, which means business is picking up at my restaurant job, which means I’m going to make more money to put toward my debt in December. My main goal for December is to pay off the $900 balance on my Master Card in addition to making the minimum payments for my other debts. My secondary goal for this month is to get that second savings account opened and throw some money in there to get it started.

I’ve got high hopes for getting back on track with my debt repayment in December. I’ve been waiting for this month for a long time because of the extra income. I just hope I don’t get too carried away with buying Christmas gifts for myself others. The holidays are an expensive time, and while I’ve already made a small budget for Christmas spending, the hard part will be sticking to it and not getting sucked into the wrath that is holiday consumerism.

How’s your debt repayment going? What are your financial goals for December?

Check out my past debt repayment updates: January / February / March / April / May / June / July / August (Part 1) / August (Part 2) / September

Six More Months ’till 30

Today marks exactly six months until I turn the big 3-0.

Surprisingly, I’m not TOO freaked out about the notion of only having six months left of my twenties. My husband and most of my friends are already in their thirties, so to be honest, I kind of feel left out!

Another reason why I’m not too sad about leaving my twenties is because I feel like I’ve accomplished the majority of things I wanted to do during this time: I graduated from college, I lived in another country for a year, I traveled a lot (both locally and internationally), I got married, and I even ran a half marathon. My twenties weren’t perfect; there were some low points in there and some things I would change. But for the most part, I’m happy with how I spent the majority of my twenties and everything I accomplished in this time.

My twenties aren’t over yet, though. I have six more months to accomplish a few more big goals of mine. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you probably already have a good idea of what these goals are, buuuuut let’s recap anyway:

Get a Big Kid Job

I’ve been looking for a Big Kid Job (full-time, salaried job with benefits) since I moved home from South Korea in March of 2012, but it’s been a lot harder than one would think. Not only is the job market extremely competitive right now thanks to the economy, but I changed my career path from teaching to non-profit work, so I had to start over from scratch when it came to gaining relevent work experience. Thanks to all the volunteer, intern, and temp work I’ve been doing for the last 2 1/2 years, I have a lot more non-profit experience now, but I have yet to find a Big Kid Job in the non-profit sector. I just had a phone interview for a non-profit BKJ yesterday, so hopefully I get an in-person interview, and then the job itself. It would be amazing to go from working two part-time jobs to one full-time job and FINALLY start my career.

Improve My Finances

At the beginning of 2014, I was unemployed with over $27,000 in debt and no money in my savings. I’m happy to say that, a year later, my financial situation is in better shape, but it’s still a work in progress: I still have debt to payoff and more money to save. I’d like to have all of my credit cards paid off and $3,000 in my savings account by the time I turn 30, which may or may not be doable depending on how disciplined I am with my spending in the next 6 months. (My spending habit is also a work in progress.)

Get In Shape

I’m about 20 pounds overweight, and I have been for the last 2-3 years. I have STRUGGLED to get back down to my normal, healthy weight on and off again since I gained the weight in the first place, but no matter how much I exercise and how much weight I lose, I always gain it back thanks to my less-than-stellar eating habits. However, I’ve recently gained new motivation for getting in shape: Chris and I decided we are going to “start trying” this time next year. You know, GET PREGNANT. While I’m excited about the idea of me getting pregnant and us starting a family, I’m also terrified of how my body will change during this process A.K.A all the weight I will gain! I can’t imagine already being 20 pounds overweight now, and then gaining another 20-40 pounds from growing a baby in my stomach. I don’t want to imagine it, and I most certainly don’t want this image to become a reality; therefore, I need to start getting serious about losing weight this next year. I know it might sound silly trying to lose weight before getting pregnant, but I don’t care. I need to start this process now before it gets even harder to lose weight post-labor. So bring on the yoga, running, and healthy eating because I have 20 pounds to lose, and I’d like to lose it by the time I turn 30.

I think I may have my work cut out for me. Three big life goals to achieve in 6 months! It won’t be the end of the world if I don’t accomplish these things by then, but it would make entering my thirties exponentially better if I do. I think the fact that Chris and I want to start trying in a year will really help me focus on these goals. We’ve always known we want to start a family someday, but now that we have a specific time frame in mind, I’m realizing I need to kick my ass into gear when it comes to starting my career, improving my finances, and getting healthy. My future depends on it!

What are some goals you want to accomplish before you turn 30? What was one of the biggest accomplishments of your twenties?