Buh-Bye Student Loans!

As I was thinking about writing this post I realized that I don't even know who (if anyone!) actually reads this blog. I have these wild dreams of having a thousand plus followers but realistically if my mom used a computer she might actually be the only one keeping up with me. It's been a crazy mix of personal stories, design projects, party planning, & everything in between! So for today's post if you are here for the design projects & fun stuff hold tight with me while I share some personal exciting news! Since I'm not married, pregnant, buying a house, or have any other huge life changing event happening ... I have to be excited about other things. Sooo ...

 

TODAY, I PAID OFF ONE OF MY STUDENT LOANS!

wahoo!!!

You might remember when I started reading Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover" book a little over two years back (& wrote this post: Total Money Makeover). Throughout the last couple of years I'll admit that I haven't been the most diligent in sticking to a budget & when I went back to school for my second degree my loans were in deferment (aka I didn't have to pay them). Looking back I wish I would have made more payments during that time because the amount would have gone directly towards lowering the principal and wouldn't have collected any interest. However when the time did come that I graduated (again) & was required to start my loan repayment (again) I always paid 3-4x the amount due on this particular loan.

How did I do it? I increased my income. I started by asking for a raise at my current job. Then, I started working a second job. I pretended as though I wasn't making any more money & instead put it all directly towards the loan. While the second job is only temporary, it gave me more momentum & I was able to make a bigger dent than before.

Whenever I read articles on "how to save money" I usually get bored because they are things I already do - no cable, avoid late fees, eat at home, bla bla. I stopped getting my nails done, going tanning, & cancelled my gym membership. Instead of never going out I pick places to go based on my favorite time - happy hour! I can never say no to spending time with friends so I often suggest to go on a walk instead or invite them over for a bottle of Two Buck Chuck. I patch my old jeans instead of buying new ones. I make sure I only make one trip into town for work & coordinate all my errands to get them done before or after. I stopped buying fancy coffee (everyday) & make it at home instead. I didn't renew my season football tickets (SO SAD about that one) because now living three hours away makes each game that much more expensive to go to! Every little thing adds up.

It would seem that one less monthly payment would mean more money in the bank! BUT, I'm going to follow Ramsey's "snowball" principle of now putting all the money I put towards this loan towards the next one! I didn't really understand the concept of paying off your smallest debt first, but it really does encourage you to keep at it when you reach your goals. It also allows you to pay off the larger debt in less time in the end.

My goal was to have it paid off by December ... and I'm three months early! So this "back-to-school" season, I'm celebrating NOT going back to school & NOT having to pay towards that student loan ever again.& damn! it feels good.

One down, one to go! Time to crunch some numbers & set my next goal.

When one door closes ...

... you are left with the world at your doorstep.

After a full year working with Nike, my contract is coming to an end. It's a little bittersweet but I know that timing is everything. It has been such a great opportunity to have had the chance to work here & the experience I have gained is invaluable. I was lucky enough to interact with a few athletes including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Roger Federer, & Rafael Nadal (pretty awesome!) and worked with a bunch of great & truly inspiring people.

Career wise, it's weird to be (almost) 25 & (almost - I have one month left) unemployed. Although I knew it was coming, it's still a strange feeling. This is the first time I have not been working as long as I can remember. I have always had some sort of job lined up since I was old enough to babysit! Sooo what's next!? :)

The exciting part about it is that I have NO obligations. I have no lease, no job, no ties to anything here in Portland. I am free to go wherever I want and do whatever I want. I have about 9 months of school to finish until I will have my Accounting Degree (which is online & I can do anywhere!). I've been throwing ideas around about moving somewhere new. Maybe back home for a little bit in order to just focus on school & spend the time to really dive into and learn it. We will see!

The things I DO want to accomplish in the next year:
1. Run my half marathon!
2. Re-do (at LEAST) one piece of furniture (I have a dining room table that's calling my name ... & this requires NOT living in an apartment)
3. Finish my accounting degree.
4. Travel to either Montana or Colorado.
That should be a good start!

Starting Over

In the last year and a half of my life I have successfully lived in six different places. I really didn't think that was possible but I guess I'm just making up for living in one house throughout my entire life (until moving to college of course). I don't really do well with change. I like things to be settled & somewhat predictable. Don't get me wrong, I'm always up for a good adventure but I like MOST things in life to be established (job, house, etc.).

I've learned a few things throughout all of these moves ...

1. I have too many shoes (it almost hurts to say that & even as I type it I want to go shopping for more ... ).
2. The only two things I own that go in the kitchen are a wine opener & an espresso machine (my goal is to work on that one).
3. I'm too independent to want help ... but sometimes need it.
4. Things never happen like you have planned ... but it keeps things interesting.
5. Save for a rainy day. It rains in Portland ... a lot. (Also, carry an umbrella. Even if it's sunny in the morning ... the days not over ...)

6. There are a lot of people that come & go in your life ... & this is completely okay. It's mainly to teach you lessons ... usually about yourself.
7. Then there are those special few that are there unconditionally, no matter what, through the good, the bad, the really stinkin' ugly. When push comes to shove, you can easily seperate the two kinds of friends.
8. You can spend a lot of time missing the 'way things used to be' but then you miss the beautiful life right in front of you.
9. Listen to your heart. There are a lot of other voices, pressures, opinions ... but at the end of the day you have to live with the choices you make.
10. Call mom.
11. Work hard & be nice to people.

Progress

Here's a little update on those goals I recently posted!

RUNNING - well, I got my buns movin' & have decided to add an additional quarter of a mile to my workout each week. That way I can actually force myself to keep on track instead of the ole I'm-going-to-the-gym-every-freakin'-day routine ... because that never works for me. I always start the day out with the best of intentions ... and by 5pm let's be honest, I'm ready to do anything but go to the gym. By adding that amount, 2 months from now I will be at my 5 mile goal! A couple days ago when I hit 3 miles, it was a milestone. I'm not shy about the fact that I do. not. run. SO, 3 miles was a record (don't judge). And it felt GOOD. I also got my Nike+ all figured out! So I'm keeping track of my runs on that bad boy. They are super-duper handy. If you like to run, and don't already have one ... support the swoosh. They are worth your monayyy. I'm excited how attainable this once far-fetched goal now is. I have no doubt I'll cruise on by 5 miles in no time ...

MONEY - Paying off my student loans is really my biggest goal, and making progress on this is top priority to me. It is a chal-lenge let me tell you. I constantly get the 'shopping-bug' and I love to wine & dine ... but I keep remembering how great it feels to put chunks of money towards my loans & see those balances drop. I've added an extra $900/month towards my payments. It also feels great to NOT pay interest ... when you pay over the minimum amount due, that amount goes straight to the principal. Worth it? Most definitely. Saving money lately has become more of a fun challenge. I have become a coupon clipper! Every Sunday I cut coupons out of the paper & make grocery store purchases based on whats either on sale, or what I have a coupon for. Now that I have started using them (& saving money!) it seems so silly to go shopping without them!


SHOOTING- Well, first things first, I renewed my hunting license & put in for my deer tags! I picked Wagontire since that is where the men of the family usually go. Over this past weekend I also went out shooting with the boys. I shot a 243, which I loved. So, well on our way with this goal too.


BLOGGING - okay, okay so I think about blogging like, every day. But ... this is the first one I've posted since that goal. I'll keep working on that one :)

Goals

I'm a big fan of setting goals. Goals give you direction, motivation, & a sense of accomplishment once they have been attained. They give you something to look forward to (which I think we all need) & the cool thing is, they can be anything! I think we are very good at setting our 'new year's resolutions' that last maaaaybe three days (max!) but setting goals for me has been something that focuses me on things I want to do. They are passions & aspirations. For example, last summer my goal was to learn to ride & own a Harley. Done! I LOVE my bike & I'll admit it, I sort of feel like a bad ass when people ask me about it ;) But that was last year, so here we are ... 2011 ... time for some new goals!

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RUNNING- Compared to a lot of runners, it may be pathetic for my goal to be able to run 5 miles. But let's be honest, I'm not a runner ... nor have I ever ran that far ... mmm in my life. I'm giving myself a shorter timeline for this. 8 weeks. Doable? That's only increasing my current distance by 3 miles. Which is clearly more than double what I'm doing now. Hence the goal. This may end up being easier (or harder) than I expect! I am going to get the Nike+ for my ipod & keep track!

SHOOTING- I want to own my very own gun & shoot a deer. Bad. It doesn't have to be a huge elk or anything ... just a deer. I'll leave it at that for now.

MONEY- Pay off my student loans by next August. This is a big goal because it requires me to be extremely diligent with my money in the next 16 months ... $18,000 worth of diligence. My mom always said that people that don't have money are the ones that talk about it the most. I tend to be private with my money but after reading the Dave Ramsey book, I'm more excited about sharing the process. P.S. Check out Dave Ramsey on Facebook ... did you know the average person graduates college with $24K in student loan debt & takes on average 20 years to pay it off ... aka still paying it while their children are in college. Yikes.

BLOGGING- This is kind of silly. But I really do LOVE blogs. I love reading them, following them, spending (way to much) time oooo-ing & ahhh-ing over what people have done! The blogging that I want to do is just a way of documenting some of the things I have done! I don't have a particular goal for this. But just to do it :) I guess I'm well on my way. Cheers.

Design Dilemma

One of my personal weaknesses is my inability to make decisions. I've blogged about this before, but it's true. Anything that really doesn't matter, I can't for the life of me decide upon. So it's kind of a big deal that I have decided the style for our new house! We got a cute little three bedroom, two bath, ranch style house here in town. We are just renting, which makes it a little less fun ... but nonetheless, I'll take you on a tour!

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Here is the living room: The entry is to the right (not pictured) & the fireplace will require a little more effort than just the flip-of-a-switch ... but hey, this girl can build a 'real' fire! & it will save us money on heating.

The kitchen: It has a TON of cupboard space & a pantry on the other side. All updated appliances ... I'm sort of stoked about the dishwasher that has drawers...


The kitchen again: Side-by-side fridge! & the freezer on the bottom. I really should have turned the lights on when I took these pictures. My bad.



Dining room: Okay, the mirror is kind of huge & ugly ... but it could be worse!



The master: Pretty boring, but has potential!


And HERE ... is the problem: The (tiny) master bathroom ... with no storage. None. There is a reason you do not put a pedestal sink in a master bath. That reason being there is not a place in the world to hide ... well, anything. While I do love the look of them & they are suitable for say, a guest bathroom, they are completely impractical for actual 'living' spaces. This is my biggest bathroom challenge yet ... & here it is:

I didn't include pictures of the guest bathroom, the other two rooms, or the patio/outside area. I'm sure more of that will come later. These are just some general 'before' pictures. As for the design style ... we're going for a nice combination of a lot of country, a little french, & a little classic. I promise it will make more sense as it all comes together. And true to form, I'm doing it on a dime. My Dave Ramsey money-saving-madness is in full effect ...

Total Money Makeover

In the last week or so I've been reading a book called "The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey. I'm not a huge book-reader so it takes something extra special to grab (and hold) my attention. For those of you who haven't heard of Dave Ramsey or his philosophies about money ... you should get your hands on this book! The reason I started reading it in the first place is because I know several people who have followed his plan & have amazing things to show for it ... including student loans paid off, cars & houses purchased, & large savings accounts built up - sounds great, right!?

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It's not a get-rich-quick thing ... instead he challenges the standard American way of life in that you don't have to buy anything (& SHOULDN'T) on credit (including your car, house, etc.) & you can live debt-free. I would say that I'm good with money. I don't spend money I don't have, I try to buy things on sale, & I even own some stocks! But I didn't really have a plan. Thanks to reading this book, I have a refreshed prospective on the reality of debt & spending. This marks the beginning of my 'financial journey' to better understand & control my money. I realize this is somewhat ironic as I'm majoring in accounting! but nonetheless, there is SO much to learn ...

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I'm fortunate enough that my parents taught me in a roundabout way never to buy a car unless you could pay for it in cash, so that is one debt I'm thankful I don't have. However, I am one of those Americans that uses a credit card. I justify that it is good to use because every month it is paid off completely & it is 'helping my credit'. I am also one of those Americans that has student-loans. My current financial goal is to get those student loans PAID OFF and quick. I've kept a 'budget' for two years now ... but let's be honest, my 'budget' was really more of a record of my spending (athough it is a pretty fancy schmancy spreadsheet, color-coordinated and all)! At the end of the month I would add up how much I spent on various things & let me tell you, money goes fast! Of course I would see things I was spending too much on, like coffee and make little adjustments here & there. My adjustment for my coffee addiction was buying a Barista off Craigslist! Wah-lah, Starbucks at home! But my new perspective is to attack my finances fiercely now & not just casually like before. My new goal is go create a budget before the month comes & STICK TO IT! If I am willing to cut down on my spending in a dramatic way, I will be setting myself up for a successful financial future.

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I looked at some of the other things I can cut out - nails, tanning, & gym to name a few. I realize how much I spend on things like that & how much BETTER it would feel not to have ANY debt. It's not to say that I couldn't 'afford' those things, but when you add up what they cost - tanning $804/year, gym $480/yr, nails $600 - that's nearly $2000 that I could apply to my loans instead. I'm also going to limit what I spend on eating out, entertainment, & shopping. The concept of the book is live like no one else NOW, so you can live like no one else later. Who wants to keep up with the Joneses anyway ... the Joneses are in debt! I'm looking forward to posting more blogs about ways I've saved money, creative ways I've earned money, & progress I'm making towards getting my student loans PAID OFF. :)

For the Love of Boots

Some of my most favorite things in the whole wide world are ... shoes! But admittedly, I've never been a huge connoisseur of boots. The only boots I've owned through the years have been my cowboy boots & the occasionally used snowboarding boots. I bought a pair of velvet knee-high boots for a Halloween costume a couple years back and ever since then I've been hooked!


Which leads me to the whole point of this blog being (though rather trivial, I'm aware) that since I've moved here to Portland I have lived in & learned to absolutely love boots. I realized quickly that rain & heels just don't mix. Nor does having wet jeans & heels. I do however refuse to ever buy a pair of rain boots ...







The first 'Portland' pair of boots I bought are the brown ones. I call these my Portland pair because I also had to buy some dang jeggings in order to wear them (though I SWORE I would NEVER own a pair ... I guess I also swore I'd never live in Portland ... ). The ones (in gray) are super duper comfortable & have a little heel on the back which makes them fun to wear. Who doesn't like heels!? & last but not least, the black ones ... they are the newest edition. I like them because they have that motorcycle strap & black is my favorite.

While I do love & adore my new boots, I will always have a place in my heart (and closet) for my cowboy boots. I'm happy that while there are many things I miss about leaving Tumalo, one of the new things about Portland is the country bar nightlife. There is nothing better than a good swing dance! & who can dance without their boots anyway ;)

My Jay-Oh-Bee

I've been in Portland almost 10 weeks now & I decided it might be kinda fun to keep track of my experience here via my blog.

SO, I'll start with the whole reason I'm here in the first place: my job.

I work at Nike's World Headquarters

(Which happens to be a pretty sweet place)

This is just outside my building looking across the pond - (the disclaimer here is that it happened to be gorgeous & sunny the day this picture was taken. Those days are few & far between.)

The two pictures above I actually took the morning of Portland's 'snow/shut-down -the-city-day. They were taken from the second floor just outside the elevator looking out over the lobby. As you can see, there wasn't any snow.

(I'm not even joking, schools were closed down for the day ...)

Above is my desk/cubicle. Pretty unexciting ... but nonetheless it's where I spend my days!

This is the back of the 'Mike Schmidt' building. In case you weren't sure, it's the one I work in.

& wah-la! that is the tour! :)

Lessons to Live By

Life isn't fair. But it's still good.

When in doubt, just take the next small step.

Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

Your job won't take care of you when your sick. Your friends & family will. Stay in touch.

Pay off your credit cards every month.

You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

Don't compare your life to others. you have no idea what their journey is about.

Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood.

Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save for the special occasion. Today is special.

Over prepare, then go with the flow.

No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

What other people think about you is none of your business.

However good or bad the situation, this too shall pass.

Don't take yourself seriously. No one else does.

Believe in miracles.

God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

Your children only get one childhood.

Get outside everyday. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

If we threw our problems in a pile and looked at everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

The best is yet to come ...

No matter how you feel, get up, dress up & show up.

Portland

As I sit here in my Portland (yes, Portland) townhouse on this rainy evening snuggled up in a cozy blanket, I just have to laugh when I look back at my life over the past few months.

All in a quick two weeks I quit my three jobs, packed my bags & moved to the big city. I accepted a job at Nike's World Headquarters working in their Inventory Accounting department. Usually when I make huge decisions I don't give them much thought. It takes everything in me to decide what shoes to wear for the day, but when it comes to life changing things, I just jump.

So here's to taking chances. 2011, I open you with wide arms & I'm ready for ALL you have in store.

Workin' nine-to-five, what a way to make a livin'!

I heard that song on the radio this morning on my way to work. There are SO many songs about working & not wanting to work. Like, "I don't have to be me 'til Monday" - another good one!

I am fortunate enough to have a job I LOVE. I work for a man who is an architect & owns a commercial real estate development business. I do basic administrative & personal assistant type work. I really enjoy working for my boss & his wife. Not only are they my employers, but throughout the past year I have really gotten to know them as mentors, role models (they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this year, happily!), & as friends.

I also just started my second new job which I'm still getting settled into. It's in a financial advising office, which I also really like! It's a completely different job than my morning job, but it is nice to change things up a bit. So, I work both jobs each day Monday through Friday & I'm still doing the wedding consulting on the side. (Gosh, this is a really exciting blog post, isn't' it!?)

However, I'm working these two jobs while I'm going to school. I never really realized how difficult it is to work two jobs, go to school, AND have a life. I've either generally just worked or done school. Sometimes I'd work a few hours here and there, but never both to the extent I'm doing them now.

In two years (fingers crossed) I will be done with my accounting degree at Linfield & eligible to sit for the CPA exam. I love setting goals for myself. It gives me something to look forward to & to work for. The process is proving to be a bit challenging - spending all my money on school instead of shoes! - But, it's teaching me (over and over again) the value of work, money, school, and time. I now value school more than when I did it the first time, because the checks are coming straight out of my account!

I'm glad it's Friday. Not so I can get off work to go hunting with the boys ... but to focus on getting my homework done before Sunday night! Here's to doing what you have to, and not always what you want to! But hey, it's Friday ... we will see where the weekend goes!

My Closet

It's not a secret that I am in love, borderline obsessed, with shoes.


When I graduated college, I moved back to my home-town & in with my older sister. We were able to easily negotiate that she got the garage & I got the master bedroom. It didn't really bother me that I may wake-up one morning to find my car covered in snow ... because along with the master bedroom, came the master CLOSET.


I collected many shoes throughout the years while living in dorm rooms & a sorority house, so to finally have the chance to give each shoe a proper home was nearly a dream come true. (And can I just say, that whoever thought that the master bedroom/closet in this house was meant for TWO people is beyond me!)


Well, as life would have it ... all good things must come to an end. My sister recently purchased her first house & we will be moving! GOOD-BYE to my walk-in ... HELLO to a small (okay, who are we kidding ... the thing is TINY) closet. Thus, the picture in this post is not my current closet, but more what I am anticipating my future closet to look like. You get the pictuere. SMALL.

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I am excited however, to be able to paint & decorate my very own room. I'm thinking ... modern-day/colorful/shabby. Dark plum/purples, deep rich pinks, bright oranges, pale yellows, & lime greens.

Back to School?

Typically toward the end of the summer for as many years as I have known comes the 'back to school' time! You all know what I'm talking about - BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING!!! Ha, for pencils & paper, right? ;)

This season came & went last year, sadly ... without me. It felt a bit strange to be settled into my job & for the first time not joining the herds of students returning to school. I missed the anticipation that comes with new classes, new friends, new pencils, and yes, new fall boots!

I tend to be extremely indecisive. And extremely is probably an understatement. BUT, when I do make decisions, they are usually quick & somewhat spontaneous. Especially if they are big ones ... like a career path change. SO, all that to say, about two weeks ago I decided to go back to school for a second degree. In accounting. Yes, accounting. Not what I EVER thought I would be doing. As an interior design student .. my courses were full of color & texture & creativity! So, accounting?! Hmm. Quite the opposite!

I'm rather excited to start this new journey as an 'adult degree-seeking student' (as they refer to you ... apparently when you are an adult)! I actually received my first textbook in the mail. I was so excited about it, I actually started in on the first chapter. Class starts Monday! & the anticipation is back.

New Found Freedom

Shortly after turning 23 & being out of college for nearly a year, I realized THIS IS MY LIFE.

I have the luxury of still being single (and by single I suppose I mean not married), not having any children, & not having the commitment of owning a home. I feel like these things (are GREAT & I'm looking forward to them all!) but also tie you down in a way. I only have once chance to be 23, and until all of those things find their way into my life ... there are things I want to do NOW while I can.

Like for example, learn to ride & own a Harley ... :) I decided THIS is the year to challenge myself to do things I've never done before. I recently got my motorcycle endorsement & bought an 02' Harley Sportster 883! The thrill of riding a bike is like nothing I've ever experienced before! It's such a feeling of FREEDOM & being reckless, not to mention there aren't a whole lot of girls my age who can say they ride. ;)

Along with this, I also quit one of my jobs. I realized it's time to grow up & work towards a career I am proud of. I have a few ideas & things I would like to do. The hard part of getting the college degree is over! Now to create a life I love.

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'Be a best friend, tell the truth, & overuse I love you. Go to work, do your best, & don't outsmart your common sense. Never let your praying knees get lazy, & love like crazy!' - Good song.