I vow to help you love life, to always hold you with tenderness and to have the patience that love demands, to speak when words are needed and to share the silence when they are not and to live within the warmth of your heart and always call it home.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Financial Freedom

Money. Most often I wish that word didn't exist. I have seen troubled finances confine people's dreams, end marriages and even lead people to take their own lives. When I was single, I didn't have a real problem with cash flow. I was self-sustaining and with only myself to monitor, it was pretty maintainable. Now that I'm married, mo'  $$$ mo' problems, as my thug passioned husband likes to say.

Before we said "I do", my husband and I enrolled in a finance management class that his parent's highly recommended http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu/home/  This class helped us tremendously. The class started from the very basics on how to budget and set boundaries for your family to mortgages and retirement. Not only did we walk out of the 12 week class informed, but on the SAME page as well. We learned that in most marriages one spouse, usually the woman, handles the budgeting and bill paying, while the other spouse just follows suite. We didn't want to fall into that habit, so we took charge together of our finances.

Every beginning of the month, Kit and I sit at our excel spreadsheet on the computer and cuss and discuss. First, we calculate what we will make total that month, since we both have part time jobs, ours varies monthly. On our spreadsheet we have two columns, one is for what we project our budget will be, the other column is what it actually amounts to. For instance, you may estimate the gas bill will be $35 but then you open the envelope and it's $55. Secondly, subtract the bare necessities like rent, utilities, insurances, any car/student loan payments, and subtract 10% of your total monthly income to put into a savings account. After those are done, we budget for our expenses like fuel, Netflix, and Wal-mart trips. This was one area we struggled in, so we took a page from Dave Ramsey and tried his advice. We were over spending greatly on trips to Wal-Mart and fuel so we bought two re loadable gift cards to Wal-Mart. At the beginning of each month we put $300 on one for fuel and $400 on the other for household/grocery/pet food. So each week we only spend 1/4 of the cards and if we happen to run out at the end of the month, then we tough it out till next month. This forces us to really monitor our driving around and take a calculator with us shopping so we don't overspend.

After all that is done, take a look at what you have left and that is the money that goes to eating out and entertainment. This usually only leaves us with about $50 a week to play and dine out on. As college students, we aren't saving for things like a down payment for a home or retirement yet, not until we both get full time jobs, so that maybe something you'd like to add to your budget. I really hope this helps! Sitting down every month together and setting boundaries has put an end to most of our squabbles, and allows us to control our money instead of our money controlling us.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Reciprocal Inspiration

     Inspiration. That's what my mother has been to me since I can remember. My mother is one ah-mazing woman. She was a best friend to me in junior high, biggest fan in the stands during soccer, volleyball, and basketball, my relationship counselor in high school, and my biggest driver to continue onto college. She once told me about her dream to become a nurse once upon a time. Sadly she had to give that up for her family, and just hearing the regret in her voice inspired me. I vowed to never have that regret in my voice if I could help it. With my parent's willingness to co-sign on loans, my college dreams materialized.

     With my college chapter coming to an end, I'm very proud to say I won't be the last Shellito hitting the college campus. Along with my brilliant brother who was accepted to UCO this week, my heavily-encouraged mother has plans to start at NOC Enid this summer/fall! She credits my relentless badgering for 4.5 years and just me. She said that I inspired her to go to college, to want more, and to push herself.

     So as I look back at my role model as a child, I smile with a warm heart because I was able to pay her back the best that I knew how. The role model became the role modelee. She is truly the most unselfish woman I know, and she deserves every good venture that comes her way. I know once she sets her mind to something, she will accomplish her goal. I'm now looking forward to the day where I get to sit in the stands and scream for her name when she collects her degree.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

New Year, New Chapter

    I love the New Year. First, it's special to me because for the rest of our lives, Kit and I will be celebrating one more year as a married unit! Secondly, it's always a good time to reevaluate your life, goals and desires for the year. Last year I only made one goal. I'm proud to say last year I kept up my goal. This is sort of gritty, but I don't have the best oral hygiene. I would only brush my teeth once in the morning, and maybe floss twice a month. Last year I needed to improve that, so I made a NY goal to brush twice a day, and try to sneak in a floss a couple times a week. I did it, and still going strong! I know that wasn't the usual NY goal but it was something I desperately needed to change if I wanted to keep my real teeth past 50. 

    This year I'm tackling more than one. I have a pretty lackadaisical semester for my last year of college, so I have a lot of time to focus on self improvement. 

1. Since I nailed brushing twice a day, I now want to floss everyday! I know for some of you, this may come easy, but if it doesn't, try it! This is my first priority this year.

2. The dreaded weight-loss goal. We all have one, even if we don't admit it right away. This past year my goal was to lost 15 lbs. I only got to 10lbs. lost. This year I want to lose a total of 12lbs. By college graduation day (May 7th!!!!) I want to have it all gone. That gives me 4 months, at 3 pounds a month. Totally doable. Thankfully I have a supportive husband on board that loves eating healthy and working out as much as I do, so maybe we'll both come out in our gowns 12 lbs. lighter! 

3. I love to run. Lucky me, I have a career in which it's part of my job to be able to run, so I must stay in good running condition. Last year my best friend trained for a half marathon and it inspired me. She wasn't a real runner before, but at the end she ran that whole 13.1 miles without stopping. She's amazing. That's what I aim to do May 1. I already signed up for the OKC Bombing Memorial Half Marathon, and I'm stoked to start training! I have a 12 week program to set me up for success, starts Feb 7th. If anyone wants to train with me, let me know and I can give you the schedule!

4. As I mentioned before, my school semester is pretty low key. With my 24 hrs a week job, I sit at a computer and watch movies, emails and facebook. I want to utilize my 24 hours a week in there, so I'm taking a page out of my sister-in-laws blog, and learning a foreign language. My husband has free access to Rosetta Stone, so I'm going to get as far as I can with Spanish. Since I have taken Spanish for 6 years, I am pretty familiar with the language already. Plus my husband is taking Spanish II in college this semester, so we can communicate and use it to strengthen each others skills. 

Ready. Set. GO!!!!!