One month in I have paid a quarter of my credit card balance. By the end of this month, I plan to add an additional $350. I hope to add a little more than that if the budget allows. My goal is to pay this off by April 30th.

DH started a new job three weeks ago and so far he has worked overtime every day. Needless to say, it is a major boost to our income and has helped accelerate our debt pay-down.

We had to reduce our scope on our side business since DH started his new job. But it was always designed to be a way to make some extra money and as a fall back if we come to hard times, which we just came out of.

I returned to the gym and started doing the classes offered. There is a 6-week challenge which I signed up for and the grand prize for most % of weight lost is $3,000, 1-year free membership, and 5 or 6 free personal training sessions. The buy-in is $35.

Now that I have become a little more fitness- oriented, I did a little research and found cross training footwear geared toward Zumba and Boot camp classes that is highly-rated. Hopefully they will soften the impact on my knees more than my current footwear. They cost $79 on Amazon.

For these type of expenses, I began to use an under-utilized checking account and I call it my "wellness" account to cover things that FSA doesn't (i.e. vitamin supplements, gym expenses, athletic wear and such). I deposit $25 a pay period into this account.

Well I understand that sometimes the hiring process takes some time. So far it has been one week since my interview and I have not heard. The lady who recommended me said she is not getting any vibes from management and no one else has been brought in for an interview. Whatever happens! The commute alone (under 10 minutes) is super appealing.

In January I consolidated my credit cards to one with a lower rate (see side bar). As of yesterday, I have paid $3,084.00 since the balance transfer. I can't wait to get this credit card paid off.

In health news, I had an x-ray and a nodule in my left lung was found (unspecified). So my doctor wanted me to go again in a month. I went last week and apparently the nodule is still there but I'm not clear if it has moved to the lower lobe or grown into the lower lobe. So I was sent in for a CT scan.

So now...more waiting.

Just got a new client at the beginning of the month and have completed two inspections so far. I haven't invoiced yet but plan to at the end of the week. Nice to have some more $$$ coming in! Blessed!

In other news, I cancelled my personal training because my insurance premium has increased. So I am postponing using up the rest of my sessions for January (after the holiday eating extravaganza). I haven't been tracking my food and I know I am eating way too many goodies.

One of the department stores nearby is closing because they are not renewing their lease at the shopping center. So...everything is reduced drastically and I bought a Queen size comforter set and additional pillow cases. Regular price was $249 for the whole thing. Price I paid was $90 and change. It was a planned buy as in, I have been wanting to buy a new set for a couple of years but the price was way too high for a quality set. Our bed looks beautiful.

Health:
Breakfast: Bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, coffee, Goodbelly.
Lunch: Overnight Oats and Orange juice.
Dinner: Unplanned.

Well we are in the middle of open enrollment at work and of course, the company said there would not be any premium changes. Yay! Oh, but wait, later they come to say that premium stays the same if you are union. If you are under SCA (Service Contract Act), the premium increases.

There has not been a wage increase for SCA contractors for the entire eight years of the Obama Administration. So, while everything else goes up, my salary has stayed the same.

So, with employee and children, the increase amounts to $74.02 per pay period or $148.04 per month. Swell! And we have a new insurance carrier. Luckily my husband has a job and carries his own insurance. Spouse coverage is insanely expensive.

I now have to figure out how to live on $148.04 less per month while trying to get ahead.

Health:
Breakfast - Coffee and a biscuit
Lunch - Not sure yet
Dinner - BBQ (DH is grilling tonight)

I completed one inspection today so that is $50 for me.

Savings:
I decided to combine my emergency savings with my healthcare savings. The healthcare savings was really another emergency savings for the days I take leave without pay. The amount in that pot of money was at $190. So as of today I am a tad over $100 away from my $1,000 goal. I transferred $700 to Capital One 360 so it would grow a little bit faster because the interest rate is .75%. My credit union rate is .25%.

Health:
Breakfast - The usual
Lunch - Leftover quesadillas
Dinner - Black beans and rice

Yesterday's Spending:
Walgreens = $22.97

Savings update:
$25 automatic deposit to savings on payday
$16.69 dividend check from Publix
$41.69 total deposit to savings

Has anybody heard of the 21-day fix containers from Beachbody? Walgreens has the el-cheapo version for $9.99 plus tax. I bought that on a whim along with some stuff I planned to buy.

Here is the link to the 21-day fix https://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/21-day-fix-simple-fitness-eating.do

Health:
Breakfast - The usual
Lunch - Scrambled eggs on toast and a banana
Dinner - Homemade chicken pot pie
Snack - Back to Nature Multigrain Flax Crackers and a coke.
Fitness - 30 minutes cardio and 30 minutes personal trainer.

Yesterday's Spending:
1-liter Coke = $1.07
Gas = $20
Check for niece and nephew's birthday = $40
Total = $61.07

According to Mint.com, here are my Spending Trends from last year (2015):

Category Spending
Uncategorized $8,390.50
Auto & Transport $6,065.27
Home $3,662.39
Bills & Utilities $3,565.28
Fees & Charges $3,080.93
Education $2,314.57
Food & Dining (most purchases) $2,092.08
Business Services $1,750.35
Shopping $1,417.68
Health & Fitness $1,315.34
Gifts & Donations $340.00
Personal Care $80.97
Entertainment $71.05
Misc Expenses $16.00
Total $34,162.41

I'll have to examine the uncategorized and miscellaneous spending in particular to figure out what that is. But this gives a picture of what my annual spending is. If I am to put together an effective emergency fund and retirement fund, this is a good place to start.

Health:
Breakfast - The usual
Lunch - Leftover quesadillas (from last night's dinner) and a pear
Dinner - Chicken and rice
Snack - Back to Nature Multigrain Flax Crackers with some low-fat cream cheese.

Savings Recap for October:
Starting balance = 412.89
Ending balance = 687.00
Total savings deposits in October = 274.11

Some deposits were snowflakes (money from my aunt and my dad). The rest was on my own.

Goal for November = 100.00 (2 paydays).
Goal for December = 213.00 (3 paydays).

Food Flakes (total = $22.20):
From some coworkers, I received ...
a box of Kashi Teff Thins Crackers valued at 4.19
a box of Back to Nature Multigrain Flax Seeded Flatbread Crackers valued at 3.49
three lbs of Seattle's Best Medium #3 Coffee valued at 4.84 each or 14.52 total.

Health:
Breakfast - Overnight oats, coffee, Good Belly and orange juice
Lunch - Assistant manager did a cook out so I had boston butt roast, baked beans, potato salad and coconut cake and Coca-Cola. (Healthy? not!)
Dinner - 1 plain hot dog without the bun
Extra food - Chocolate candy and wine.
Fitness - went to the gym/personal trainer

Yes, yesterday was a major eating disaster. It will be better today.

Other than that, yesterday was a no spend day.

Today, I need to buy gas which will set me back between $35-$40)

Tomorrow, I will take my mom and my aunt shopping and I will need to pick up a replacement cell phone for my uncle since his died a couple of days ago, and I want to buy a basic one for my aunt. My uncle will reimburse me but the one for my aunt will be a gift.

That's pretty much it for now.

Well now that the hurricane is gone and things are back to normal in my world, I need to get back on track on my finances, my eating habits, and my fitness.

Health:
Breakfast – Overnight oats, Good Belly, Orange Juice, Coffee
Lunch – Chicken breast sandwich with chips and a coke
Dinner – Beef Stew and rice
Fitness – Thinking about fitness

Financial:
Good news is that now I am over half way toward my $1,000 savings goal. $25 is automatically deducted from my checking account and deposited to my savings account each payday. Last payday, I was able to add an additional $100. This payday, I was able to do the same. If I can continue this steadily, I could reach my targets in 4 more paydays (2 months).

Well, the wheels are turning on how to build upon that. However, there is still the debt to tackle. By the end of the month, CC1 should be under $14k.

Health:
Breakfast - coffee
Lunch - 1 slice bacon & 1 egg on 1 slice toast and green tea
Snack - apple
Dinner - International potluck at church. I’ll bring spaghetti & meat sauce because its what I have on hand. I’m going to keep away from the dessert table because I gained a lot of weight in the last couple of weeks due to stress.

Spending (Start $70, End 18.52):
A flat of jumbo eggs = 3.99
Chicken nuggets (not the frozen Tyson’s type) = 4.50
Gas = 35
Haircut = 7.99 (My uncle received a coupon from Great Clips and he let me have it). Price includes tip.

Looks like Hurricane Matthew may be messing up our weather mid-week. I’m on an audit team at work on Tuesday and Wednesday which requires me to be outdoors and traveling from building to building. Normally I work indoors. I sure as heck don’t want to be out in the rain. As of this writing, the storm is a category 4 and if it follows the projected trajectory, Florida is in the outer cone, meaning that we will definitely feel the effects. I guess depending on the forecast, the emergency weather team can make the call on what operations need to be postponed. For Hermine, they closed for one day. You know what? I’m not worrying about it.

Health (today):
Breakfast: overnight oats, apple and coffee
Lunch: Cheese omelet w/tomato and onion on a slice of bread, plain greek yogurt with frozen blueberries
Dinner: Pork roast w/mashed potatoes
Snack: fresh pineapple
Extra Food:
Workout: I had to cancel my workout yesterday because I ended up with one additional inspection. I really need to make the time tonight to at least go to the gym and walk the treadmill for a half hour. I know I would feel better.

Finances (yesterday):
Expenditures
I spent $4.28 at Wendy’s for lunch (even though I brought a grilled cheese from home). I didn’t have cash so I used my credit card. Not good.

Income
I should receive my pay stub today so I’ll know what my paycheck is.

I earned $100 yesterday (at the time of the last post I only had 1 scheduled for $50). I rarely touch the money from my side business. We have the typical expenses that involve paying for insurance, business license/tax and other things business oriented. We pay DS1 when he does inspections. But we have earned enough to pay off my car (I had $5k left on my car loan balance), and bought desperately needed living room furniture $2k. We were sitting on flat cushions and getting pinched by the springs.

DH did his side gig yesterday and came home early (10:00 pm). Typically he gets home around 11:30.

Savings
I decided to add an additional $10 to my medical leave fund. I estimated that before taxes, I make $147 per day. After taxes and deduction that makes about $80.50 per day. I would like to have a cushion of 3 days since the leave is intermittent. So far I have $110 saved so that is just over a day I have saved.
It is very hard to make my goals with the cut in salary due to an FMLA day.

Life
I’m here at work now and after I get off work, I’ll stop over at my uncle’s house to check on him. Then I’ll stop by my parents to check on them and pick up DS3. Then I drive DS2 to his therapy appointment before the rush hour really hits. Maybe while I wait, instead of reading, I’ll just walk around the parking lot for a half hour. I think I’ll do that because after I get back home I know I won’t feel like dressing out and going to the gym.

Yeseterday health:
Breakfast: Overnight oats and coffee
Lunch: Greek yogurt plain and frozen blueberries
Snack: none
Dinner: Beef stew with rice, plantains, and crackers.
Extra food: chocolate candy (disappointing willpower!)
Broke my plateau!

No spend day
Watched TV
____________________

Things to do today:
Side biz - two inspections this morning.

Make reservations for the Amtrak and the hotel for Miami. My dad does not like to plan things too far in advance. He finally gave the ok to do it last night. We leave on next Friday and return Monday.

My mom wants to go shopping for a new blouse. I'm in the market for a new blouse and shoes. We'll go shopping this afternoon.

Some laundry and prepare dinner.

Health:
Breakfast: overnight oats with coffee and Good Belly
Lunch: ham and cheese sandwich
Dinner: Leftover BBQ hot dog with bun
Snack: Green tea
Extra Food: low calorie protein drink and vanilla ice cream

No spend day yesterday. Today will be a spend day because I need to gas up my car. Today is also payday and I am low because I took an FMLA day last pay period.

I’m trying to stay low on my calories. I know for a fact that if I stay in the 1,200-1,300 daily calorie range I will lose weight. On my workout days, I’ll increase to 1,300.

The adjustments to my eating plan are rather small. For now, I’m not consuming my mid-morning snack (aka 2nd breakfast), a glass of wine each night, and sweets (I caved and had ice cream). I’ve substituted green tea and protein drink. I’m also have taken up food tracking, measuring portions and clean(er) eating.