Miss Sporty Saver's Personal Finance Blog

Hi all! Long time, no write. Not much to report since my absence. All of the weddings and graduations are over with, so I can start back with saving more money.

On another note, I received one of my bonus checks from work! Yay! I put $500 into savings, and decided to give my mom $500 to help her pay for some of her land that she owns. She's having a hard time for the taxes due to her job making a few cutbacks. So I feel good that I am in a position to help her pay for it.

This month is going to be a great month of saving, and I can't wait to get the ball rolling. I'm trying to figure out a father's day gift that I can get for my pops. He's very hard to buy something for, since he doesn't really ask for anything. I want to get him something really nice, so I'll use this weekend to look around and hopefully I find something.

Well, I hope everyone has a great day. I have to work tonight- not too excited about that, but it's a part of life (at least until I win the lotto! I can dream right?!?!).

I read different people's blog sites and see a lot of the $20 challenge boxes. I do see that there are many different reasons why people put money into that account. Could anyone please explain to me if there are "rules" to this, or maybe explain their method of doing it? I would like to challenge myself to save a bit more than the 10% I put away on payday. I also send whatever is left in my account at the end of that pay period into my FNBO direct account.
Any info would be appreciated.

As for the basketball fan in me, I want to say: The Orlando Magic won last night! Yaaaaaayyyyy!!!!!

Have a great one!

to pay for all of these wedding and graduation gifts I have to purchase? LOL

Well the end of this month and the beginning of June will have me spending away. I went to a friend's wedding yesterday, so that's one gift off of the list. Next week I'll have some graduation gifts to send out and another wedding to attend. The couple is registered at Bed Bath & Beyond, so I can use my 20% coupon I printed out. For the graduation teens, I may just give Visa gift cards. My bank account will be very slim. I picked up some extra details and a few hours of overtime for next pay period, so I'll just re stock the account.

Tonight I'm going to a local restaurant to support a fund raiser that our community is hosting for my friend who was shot last week. He recently purchased a house that is in need of a lot of maintenance. He's still getting paid his regular salary, but he used to work a lot of details and overtime in order to make extra money for his house. So the money raised will be given to him to help with his house and other things.

I hope everyone has a great day....let's go Magic (I so hope they pull off the win tonight!)

It's been raining and thunderstorming down here for the past week now. Very ugly outside, but it gives me a chance to stay inside and NOT hit the stores!

Thank you for those who left a kind note on my last post. My friend made it through surgery, and has one more today. He is truly a lucky and blessed guy- to be hit by 4 rifle rounds at close range, and live to tell it. It has put me in a funk however. I have been thinking hard about my life and putting my priorities in check. Life happens fast, but we need to take the time to enjoy what really matters- family and friends. I had been beating myself up over going over budget this month, and not feeling like I am saving a bunch, but what would have happened if I was the one shot? Money comes and goes, and it can be replaced, but a life can not. So, I am not going to beat myself up over a bad month of budgeting. I'll tackle it full speed next month!

I had a great workout this morning, even though I was solo. I usually work out with 2 of my male friends, but I've noticed that I work out harder when I'm solo. Hmmm...

Well, I am about to watch Terminator Salvation on my laptop. How so, you may ask? I have a computer intelligent friend who sends me movies from some movie forum that he subscribes to. I wanted to check it out at the movies, but if I can watch it for free at home, and its not bootleg- spphhh, I'm all for it. Nothing like laying on the couch on a rainy day while watching a good movie.

Thanks for reading my thoughts. Have a blessed day all

This is a non financial blog, but it would mean alot to me if you guys would keep my friend and fellow police officer in your prayers. He was shot multiple times last night while chasing some bad guys. He was wounded pretty bad, but he made it through surgery (he's a fighter), and is now on a long road to recovery.

The scumbags were captured a while later, and now we must pick up the pieces, be strong for our fellow officer, and continue to fight for good for our city.

I hope that someday society will do away with violence and hatred, but until then, I will have a job. Yet, for the number of low lives I come across, I do meet many wonderful and kind-hearted citizens.

I've been at work for the past 13 hours dealing with this, but I am now home and about to eat some breakfast and try to get some rest. I am still in shock as it could have been any of us, and I am thankful to God for sparing his life and giving us another day to fight crime.

Take care all, and please be safe.

For some odd reason I am in a spending mood. I think I am relapsing. Help me
OK, so I complained last week about buying that new watch when I didn't need it- now I want to go back to the watch store and buy this other watch that I liked as well. I'm fighting it big time, and I think I will make it through. I just needed to vent.

-I've been good and bad this pay period with the money. I usually go to the salon every 2-3 weeks for a deep conditioning treatment, and every other month I get a full $80 wash, condition, and perm. I know its a lot of $, but I have very thick hair that can't be tamed unless a stylist does it. I can't do it justice. This time, I opted to wash it and flat iron it myself. It's ok, but I am far from excited about it. It's not as straight as when stylist does it, but I'll live with it for another week.

-I also have blown the entire budget for this pay period. I don't know where the money went. I plan to spend a certain amount after all of the fixed bulls are paid. Whatever extra is left in the account come next pay check, gets thrown into savings. Well, I find myself with $3 spend money left, and having to grab money from the "leftover cash" until next Friday, which is payday. I am so dissapointed in myself, and I need to step it up big time.

Sorry for the long note, I just needed to let it out. Hope everyone has a nice Memorial weekend.

a new watch yesterday
I didn't really need one, but I had been scoping out a certain Fossil watch for some time now. I had been going back and forth in my head over if I should buy it. I actually paid half price for it, since it was on sale for $49.99 and the retail price was $105. I need a slap on the wrist....

Well, after buying the watch, I went to my dentist apt, and was notified that I will have to get 2 wisdom teeth pulled. I thought if I hadn't bought the watch, that could be $50 bucks added to my teeth pulling procedure. But, did I take the watch back? Negative. I told myself, self, you had $200 extra dollars left over from your budget, you deserve to treat yourself to something nice. Well, today...

I was feeling a little guilty, but I'm ok now. I'll have an extra 3 hours of work on this coming paycheck, that I'll replace the $50 I spent on the watch.

Well, that was my spill for the day. I work midnight shift, so I'm patrolling the city looking for bad guys/girls. Have a good night all.

Just finished watching, "Kobe doin' work". It was a good presentation. Kobe's a great ball player...on a financial note, I haven't contacted Walmart yet to see if my medication is on a list, but I will get to it tomorrow. I spent $12.84 at Publix today, but it came out of my grocery envelope, so I'm doing well with the budget.

For the past 6 months I've been using the envelope system. I like it, but I don't I think I'm going to start using my credit cards to pay for the most of my budgeted items, and then pay off the card in full. That way I can keep building my credit score up (hopefully it goes up).

I had to file a dispute claim with bank of America today. I bought an item off of ebay last month, and never got the item. The $$ transaction went through, but the seller ignored my emails to him. I was pissed, but B.o.A advised that they would send me a form to fill out inorder to start the claim, and hopefully I'll get my money back. It's only a whoppin total of &5.98, but it was mine- and I want it back! We'll see how the claim goes. Good night all

Hello guys and gals!!!
I currently use the Walgreens right next to my apartment to fill up my 1 prescription medication. They're women pills, so I refill them each month (you get what I'm talking about right?)...Well, I keep seeing these Walamrt pharmacy commericals explaining that you can get most non name brand prescriptions for $4. I currently pay $10/month. Just curious if anyone has uses Walmart for their meds. Any good or bad experiences would help me make a decisons on if I should switch...

Happy Mother's day to all mommies out there!

Thank you all for the nice welcome to the blog fam. I am excited to begin sharing some of my financial stats in hopes of getting advice.

Well, today has been a lazy day. I called my mother and aunts wishing them a great mother's day. Now I'm watching the NBA playoffs right now. My name (Sporty Saver) pretty much explains who I am. I am an athletic female who would much rather be outside doing something active than watching a movie. Basketball is my favorite sport!

Quick question to all of those with escrow accounts: When it comes to paying the car insurance, renter's insurance, etc, how did you guys start the ball in saving for those big one time payments? I always pay for car insurance month to month, but was told I could get a big saving if I just pay those off in full. I would love to do that but kind of get discouraged thinking how my savings would dwindle until I saved it back up. Any thoughts are appreciated

On another note, I am trying to figure out how to add all of the cool side stuff. When I do, I'll add more to my page Adios!

Good afternoon to all this beautiful Saturday. I'm new to the blog site, but have followed this forum for a few months now. The big question is, who am I?.....

Well, I am a 28 year old enjoying life in South Florida. I have had a love/hate relationship with money for a few years, but now I'm back on track. As a young girl, I used to hold onto my money like it was going to run away! As I entered into college, I guess my immaturity let me spend, spend, spend, thinking I'd get a high paying job later, and pay off all of my debt. I didn't rack up too much debt while in college, but after graduation, I became a teacher. Now I don't know about other places, but teaching pay in S. Florida doesn't stretch very far for a single person. Fast forward a few years later, and I am now a police officer in the same area. The pay is a whole lot better, and I am saving diligently. My hope is to own a home before I turn 30.

I look forward to reading all of the other blogs out there. I'm off to helping a friend search for a dress. I need a dress for a wedding myself, but I'll just window shop today.