2008 Dollar a Day Results!
By Megan | January 7, 2009
Throughout 2008, I put $1 a day into a high yield savings account. Well, in theory. In practice, I transferred the funds once a month. In 366 days, my account is now at…
$371.22!
Okay, so it’s only an extra $5.22 in interest. But it was an easy way to put away close to $400. I barely missed that $1 a day. I’ve decided to keep it up for 2009 and keep the money in HSBC, though I seriously considered moving it to ING Direct, where I have my other online accounts. For now, however, nothing changes. I’m still going to save an easy $1 a day.
Anyone want to join me in this saving plan?
Topics: $1 | 5 Comments »
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Kindle Review
By Megan | January 6, 2009
One of my Christmas gifts this year was a Kindle. Not the most frugal of gifts, but man, is it cool. I am definitely a convert. Oh, I plan to continue to buy books in paper form, and I have a huge box of unread books under my bed, but the Kindle is a great addition to my library.
For me, the best part about the Kindle is the size and portability. I like to carry a book in my purse anytime I’m traveling by Metro. Why? Because more than once, I have ended up stuck due to a broken train and have been incredibly glad to have something to do. With the Kindle, not only can I carry a number of books with me, but the Kindle fits much better in my purse. It’s a little bit taller than a standard paperback, but it’s not as thick, and it’s angular, so it slides into a bag with very little trouble. I’ve noticed more and more Kindles on the Metro.
(Now, I realize that a free way to read books would be to just go to the library. I’m just not a library person. I never have been. I’ve tried, and I end up with overdue books every time. Were it more conveniently located, I might be better off. Just one of my things.)
I’ve been using the Kindle for about a week and a half and I’ve read a few books on it already. The Kindle has a lot of great things going for it.
1. Size. Takes up much less space than a regular book, and can hold many many books.
2. Amazon’s store has a lot of books available, plus you can use it to read other ebooks you may own. That not enough for you? Then you can download a number of books that are in the free domain and read those as well. Thanks to ManyBooks.net, you can even download some of them directly to the Kindle for no charge. Right now, Amazon.com also has a bunch of books available for free download. I think it’s a publisher gimmick to get you hooked on a series, but hey, I’m not one to turn down a free book!
3. Easy to read text. The screen is unlike any other electronic screen I’ve used. Definitely no tiring of the eyes due to staring at a flickering screen here. Also, the text size is adjustable, so this might be a good option for people with less than stellar vision who struggle to find large print versions of books.
Of course, it’s not perfect. Buying an ebook means that I don’t have a book to swap via a swap site or share with a friend. And while the books may be cheaper than buying them new, I’m sure they don’t beat used book prices.
Time will tell how much I come to love the Kindle, but so far, it’s been a great addition to my library. I’m debating whether I should bite the bullet and download Ulysses. Now there’s a book that will keep you occupied for a long time (I read it for a college course, and even with the companion book of notes and the classroom discussions, I still have a lot to learn about that work.)
Anyone else have a Kindle? Thinking about getting one?
Topics: books, kindle | 4 Comments »
Similar PostsUnusual food sales?
By Megan | January 5, 2009
Every week, I check the circular for my local grocery store online. Typically, I find around three sale items I’m interested in. I do try to shop with the sales, but only buy items I would normally buy. And when things are on sale, I definitely do my best to stock up.
This week, after I finished going through the circular, I had over ten items on my list. It seemed like there were a number of things on sale. And weird sale combinations as well. I’m not sure if this is due to the time of year or the economy if it’s just a random happenstance. Maybe it’s something I noticed because the items on sale were items I buy.
For example, Lean Cuisine frozen meals are a staple in my freezer. I prefer to take leftovers or a sandwich for lunch, but grab a Lean Cuisine at least once a week rather than end up eating out. Typically, they are sale priced at 4 for $10, or $2.50 each. Paired with a coupon, it’s not a bad deal. This week, they were on sale at 6 for $12, or $2 each. Additionally, if you bought six, you got a package of Skinny Cow ice cream treats (something I enjoy, but very rarely buy in order to save money) for free.
Clearly, I took advantage of this sale. As well as a few others. While checking out, I expected to be spending a significantly higher amount than normal, just because I did stock up a bit. According to my receipt, I saved nearly as much as I spent.
I don’t know the reasons that things are going on sale like this, but I’m not about to complain.
(Plus, if some of the news reports are to be believed, I should be stocking up on groceries before Inauguration weekend. Alcohol I can see, but food? Seriously?)
Topics: food | No Comments »
Similar Posts2008 Net Worth Results!
By Megan | January 2, 2009
Well, this post isn’t as exciting as the title makes it sound. My net worth did not grow in 2008. In fact, it is down 3.09%.
My goal was to grow my net worth by 25%, which was a lofty goal to begin with, but I never thought I would fail this spectacularly.
What happened? Well, that’s obvious. The market happened. Overall, the value of my investments dropped by almost 30%. That really hurts when I consider that I contributed to my Roth IRA and TSP this year. (Overall, my TSP grew well, my Roth… did not. I will have to seriously which funds to invest in this year.)
That said, I was a good little saver! My savings increased a significant amount, and I will continue to keep that in savings accounts and CDs. One thing that helped was getting a roommate mid-year. I am hoping she will want to stay after she finishes grad school in May. I know I can always get a new roommate, but this one is working out so well, and I have to admit, the idea of bringing in a random roommate from Craigslist scares me a little bit. So if she decides to move, I will have some decisions to make.
Even with the overall loss, I’m really happy with 2008. I made some very smart spending decisions and became a much more frugal person than I have ever been. I certainly don’t feel like I’m scrimping on things, but I’m spending my money on things I truly want and need, not just something that catches my eye. I’m amazed at how easy a transition it’s been. Sure, there have been slipups, but I don’t feel deprived, and I’m clearly managing to put away more money than I thought possible.
Here’s to an even better 2009. Perhaps even one with returns in the black!
Topics: 2008 goals, 2009 Goals, net worth | 2 Comments »
Similar PostsDecember Net Worth Update (+2.84%)
By Megan | January 2, 2009
Well, 2009 was filled with ups and downs, which I will discuss in a different post, but December added on a high note (at least when compared to November). My net worth increased by 2.84%. Not bad at all! Looking at the numbers, this is partly due to a slight bounceback in the market and a slight uptick in savings. December was a 3 paycheck month, which helps, plus I received some gift money for Christmas and my birthday, which will be spent, but for now, resides in the bank.
The saver in me was a bit disappointed by December, as ING Direct dropped their interest rates again, down to 2.5%. I have to remind myself that it’s still way better than a brick and mortar account, and it’s much better than stashing my money under my mattress. It’s still fun to watch the money grow!
I hope this trend continues in January. I don’t need the market to take a huge leap upwards, but a nice steady climb is more than welcome.
Topics: 2008 goals, net worth | No Comments »
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