Give Me Back My Five Bucks

Finally, a month where I have a regular income. This will be a 3-pay cheque month for me, so I'm using this first pay cheque (1 week of work) to pay for my moving expenses over to Vancouver, as well as anything I'll need to buy/replace.

February 2008 Monthly Goals:

• $150 grocery budget. I'm pretty sure I can do this. I've been averaging about $40/week since I've been living here, so I've got confidence I can pull this off.

• $50 gas and public transportation. This will definitely be doable. I live about a 30 min. walk to work, so I plan on walking every day. I might take my scooter a few times if I'm running late, but I'd like to think that the 1 hr. round trip walk will be a little extra boost of exercise that I probably could use.

• $100 Entertainment. It doesn't take much to entertainment. I anticipate exploring my new neighbourhood, maybe going skiing (?) on girls night ... spending time in coffee shops ... I also have a few 2-for-1 coupons I'd like to use for touristy places around this city. I'd also like to spend a day wandering some places downtown by the water. I don't know what they're called, but they are really beautiful places.

• $200 towards RRSPs. It's that time again to start contributing. Until I really get a feel for my budget, I'm only going to deposit $100/pay cheque.

• Have my new suite looking and feeling like home. This might take some effort on my part. I really want to maximize my space, and that means being super organized. J and I went to IKEA last night, and I got some pretty good ideas as to what I'm going to do. I can't wait until I get my bed made, but until then I'll just sleep on the mattress on the floor. I don't mind.

• Get my EI paid out and then advise them I'm now working a FT job. This would be a very nice goal to accomplish, but there's really nothing more I can do on my part.

• Get my taxes done. I know this kind of depends on whether I get all my T-4 papers in, but so far I have 2-of-3, so all I need is that last one. I also need to make sure I book an appointment with my accountant back on the island. I'd prefer to go to him, since he knows what happened last year in regard to write-offs with my business. I've decided that my entire tax refund (around $4,500) is going towards my RRSPs. It's the responsible thing to do. Perhaps I'll buy nice new bed linens, but that's about it. :)
  

January Goals (end of month review):

• GAIN FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT. Thank god. It's about time I'm able to cross this off my list of things to do. :) I'm really happy at this job, and I like everything about it. I got my first pay stub today for 1 week of work (paid tomorrow). It was kind of a shock to be getting paid the equivalent of about $21/hr when I'm used to making $25-27/hr with my other FT jobs last year ... but I'm not complaining. I love this job, and I'm glad I declined those 3 other job offers, and held out for this one.
  

• Get the current website contract finished and signed off. Nope. I've been so busy this month with moving to Vancouver and getting settled ... but I did make progress on it. I am going to try and upload the website shell so that the client can have a look at it, and then I'll have to schedule a meeting with him to go over web copy. I'll be back on the island the next 2 weekends in a row, and my sister works for him, so I'm sure I'll see him at some point.

• Contact Employment Services and figure out what to do about my EI. Well, I've made all the appropriate calls, so all I can do now is wait for the adjudicator to hear back from my former place of employment ... and then (fingers crossed), I should receive a payment into my bank account sometime next week.
  

WTF! It's been 10 months since I've checked my credit score. Last March, it was 727 ... so how is it possible that it's now 724!? RIDICULOUS!

I have no new credit, no balances on any cards, no new credit inquiries (hard hits), and I'm now completely out of debt.

There's an error on my credit report though - it said that I had a 30-day late payment in May 2007 for a CitiFinancial credit card ... even though I closed that account (and it's listed as closed on the report) back in 2005. It's odd. I haven't even used that card since 2004. I'll have to dispute it.

But did that one error really affect my score that much? I'm really angry. Not that I think I'll need my credit score anytime soon ... but what if this fall, I find a perfect little condo that I want to buy? What then? You never know when your credit score is going to come back and bite you in the butt. And I know my score is okay, but it just doesn't make any sense at all. I've followed all the rules, and I was really hoping to get rewarded for all my hard work.

Hopefully once this blemish is corrected, my score will go back up. I'll check again in 6 months.

Also, for those Canadians out there who want a way to check your credit score for free (I haven't done this yet, but know that it works), please refer to a previous post I wrote last year, called Finally, a way to see your credit score for free.

So Employment Services called me yesterday afternoon. After asking me some ridiculous questions, she said she would have to contact my previous employers to verify everything that I had said was correct. She didn't know how long that would take, so she wasn't sure when my claim would be finalized. I really really hope this gets done by the end of the week.

I got a call from Shaw Cable today, and signed up for high-speed internet and basic cable for about $60/month. Plus, there's a promotion going on where I get a free modem. I'm happy with that ... and after reading all of your responses about whether you have cable or not, I think I'm going to keep my cable. I want to keep my entertainment costs to a minimum here, so if I can catch the game at home, that saves me from going out to a pub, or taking public transportation over to J's. They are coming to do the install on Monday after 6pm, which is super convenient because Monday will be my first day in my new place.

Also, I really really want to check my credit score. I haven't checked since last March when it was 727, but I'm scared. For some reason I feel like my score is going to disappoint me. But it's not like it can be worse than 727, right? When I last checked, I was still in debt. Now I'm not. And I haven't applied for any new credit, so it only makes sense that my score would be better. Hmm.

Yesterday evening J and I went skiing with a few of his friends. It was actually really fun, and I think I picked up enough so that I didn't look like a complete loser out there. I was having a blast going super super fast, and turning corners at the last possible second. To be honest, I was probably going too fast, given the fact that I've never skied before ... but it looks way more badass bailing at a bazillion miles an hour, than it does just falling down while trying to get to the lift to go back up. Anyway, I'm looking forward to going again! But probably only on Mondays, since it's cheap for women.

My EF is what's saved me over the past 2.5 months. Since I clearly couldn't have relied on the government for EI benefits, I would have been completely screwed without that $3k I had saved. It's so incredible to me, that personal finance and saving money actually works. I'm still in awe of it all, and it's insane that just one year ago, I had not one dollar to my name, and a whole whack of debt to get out of. And even though things didn't exactly go my way this past year, I'm in a much more stable position now - freshly out of 2.5 months of unemployment - than I ever was with a full-time job.

It's such a simple concept: save money. Why didn't I get it for so many years?

When I started the EF, I honestly never thought I'd use it - I just thought it'd be a little chunk of money that just sat in a savings account for the rest of my life. Who would have thought that, as soon as I fully funded the EF, I would have had to use almost all of it up.

I haven't checked Quicken in a few days, but as it last stands, I have about $1k left in the EF. I'll update the sidebar sometime this week. Once I get my EI payments (provided I do actually get it), I will fully fund the EF back up to $3k, and then bump up my EF savings goal to $5k for the rest of 2008. I think that's a realistic goal to have.

With my tax refund, I still hope to get around $4,500 back ... and with that money, what I really should do is stick the entire thing back into my RRSPs. That would mean I'd only need to save another $2k all year to reach my 2008 goal of having a $22k portfolio. And provided I pass my probation at the FT job, I would also have to count my RPP plan into the mix ... so when it's all said and done, I could have a bigger portfolio at the end of 2008 than I had originally anticipated.

So my EI? I still haven't gotten a payment yet. I know, I know, you all said that it would take forever ... but this is the 9th week, and while I don't need the money, it'd be nice to get paid for what I'm entitled to.

It's so frustrating, and it seems nothing gets done unless I call them. I filed my claim on November 18th, and my file sat there until January 3rd when I called, and the CSR noted that all my paperwork was complete, and sent my file to the appropriate person. And today when I called, nothing had been done since then. The CSR this time said that she'd send my file forward to adjudication, where they'd make a final decision on my case by tomorrow. But if I haven't heard from them by tomorrow, then I'd have to call in on Wednesday. ARGGH!

If my case is approved (which I don't see why it shouldn't be), I would be entitled to 9 weeks of pay, which would be deposited into my bank account within 48 hours. The maximum payment a person can receive is $435/week, so I would be looking at a deposit of around $3,915 before tax (also, less the amount I earned through my PT job - which was definitely under $600). That would certainly be nice.

And on my next EI report, I will have to inform them that I am now working a full-time position. Hopefully by then, I will have received my payout. But who knows.

My fingers are crossed.

Today after work, J and I are going skiing. I've never been skiing (or snowboarding) before, so I'm going to be pretty pathetic out there. Apparently on Mondays, lift passes are free for women ... otherwise they'd be $23 or something like that. So all I have to pay for is rental gear. Not too bad. I've secretly got high expectations that I'll catch onto this skiing thing easily, but I have no coordination of any kind, so chances are I'll spend most of my time falling down and looking like an idiot. :)

Tomorrow we're going to my suite to measure and take pictures of everything. I've started to make a list of things that I'll need to pack, as well as things that I'll need to buy. I've been watching Craigslist religiously the past few days (the Vancouver listings, as well as the one for my hometown), and have a few leads on couches. I'm just praying my queen-sized mattress fits in the bedroom, otherwise I'll have to buy a smaller mattress.

Sometime this week I'm going to have to go to a mall and pick up a gift for a good friend's baby shower on Sunday. I completely forgot that I had to go to it, so it's a good thing we're heading back to the island right after work on Friday.

Well, Seattle yesterday was a lot of fun, and although I spent more than I had originally anticipated, I don't feel bad. I have the $, and I considered this day trip to be a sort of "reward" for finally achieving my goal of gaining full-time employment. That being said, the next time I go down, I'll definitely try to curb the unnecessary spending by planning better (ex. $26 for parking in downtown Seattle? How ridiculous!). Plus, we also got lost trying to get back to the highway to go home. How did that happen? Perhaps bringing a map would have been a good idea.

The concert itself was pretty unbelievable, and I'm glad J enjoyed himself as well. Because if he ended up hating Ryan Adams, I'd be forced to choose between the two. And that's just not fair. :) We had some food with my friends after the show, and ended up getting back to Vancouver around 3:30am, completely exhausted but happy.

Today J is working on the renovations to his basement suite, and I'm working on a website contract, and doing some reading/design layout for work. But mostly I'm watching the NHL All-Star game. I'm also going to spend some time scouring Craigslist for used couches, since I can start moving in my stuff this week. :)

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

This last week went by really fast, but also really slowly. My first week on the job was interesting and fun ... in fact, I'm going for coffee with my boss in about an hour to talk about my first week here. I'm so glad that I held off for this job ... I know that if I had taken any of the other 3 jobs that were offered to me, I wouldn't be as happy as I am now.

Week 1 in Vancouver POSITIVES:

• I love my new job
• My boss is awesome
• Ate at two delicious sushi restaurants
  
• Found an apartment suite for well under budget
• Have had an awesome time staying with J
• Loving the idea of living on the same land mass as J
• Spent a night on the Sunshine Coast
• Am going to Seattle to watch Ryan Adams tomorrow
• Started watching old episodes of The Office again
  

Week 1 in Vancouver NEGATIVES:

• Feeling super tired
• Some people at work are lazy and are trying to unload projects on me all the time just because I'm new (projects that I'm not supposed to do/don't have time for - according to my boss)
• Dislike the vibe I get from Vancouver - it's not a friendly city - everyone is always in a rush, nobody stops to talk or say hello ... and I already miss the island pace and way of life
• Don't have my own mode of transportation yet
• Miss my friends & family
• I'm kind of lonely
  
• Feel like I'm in limbo because I can move into my suite this weekend ... but I don't have any of my furniture yet
• Am scared to look at my RRSP accounts

Anyway, I'm sure in time I'll find little community pockets that I love here on the mainland. For those who are from the area, and know where I'm from on the island, I love little places like Cook St. Village, James Bay, etc. I just don't know where to start here.

I was reading through the benefits package from work today, and wanted to know about the 4% RPP match (which I'll get after 6 months of employment) ... I talked to a woman in HR, and she explained that on every pay cheque, the company will match my 4%, and it's automatically vested. So I could walk away whenever I want and take all the employer's contributions with me. Plus, I'll get to pick and choose which mutual funds I want to invest in. Awesome. I mean, 4% isn't very much, but it's something.

Yesterday after work, J and I went out to the Sunshine Coast for the night. I forgot just how pretty it is out there. Hopefully I can get back out there sometime this summer. :) We caught the 6:20am ferry back to Vancouver this morning, and I rolled into work at around 7:30am.

I am super bagged. It seems like this entire week has been one non-stop endless day of running around the city like a chicken with my head cut off. Can't wait until I can move all my stuff over here and settle into a regular life again.

Tomorrow, we have to get up SUPER early to drive down to Seattle for the Ryan Adams concert. I'm so excited for this concert that I'm not even sure I'll be able to sleep! I want to try and stop off at the Seattle Premium Outlet Mall to check out the J.Crew and Banana Republic stores. The last time I was there, I got some killer deals ... plus, my sister's birthday is in March, so I could pick her up something nice. Hopefully we will have time to roam around Pike Place Market for a few hours, and then we'll meet up with a couple friends of mine for dinner before the concert.

I anticipate spending money on lunch/dinner, plus some band merchandise (tour t-shirt? Yes, I'm a nerd) ... and miscellaneous stuff around town, plus gas. Total damage? I'm hoping for less than $120. I've got $$ in my Travel Fund, but it's looking pretty depleted lately ... am going to have to start beefing up that account. Thankfully, I'm not entitled to vacation for a year, so I'll have some time. But that also means I can't go on my vacation in August like I had been planning. :(

Wednesday after work, J bought a new car. It's pretty nice (kind of big, but he's a super tall guy), and definitely beats the truck he's been driving for the past few years. I got to drive it back to his place ... and I definitely got car envy as I walked around the dealership looking at all the brand new cars - especially when I came by a red Mini Cooper (my dream car).

I've been thinking a lot about selling the scooter and buying a cheap, reliable used car ... like the one I used to have ('89 Mazda 323 hatchback). I really don't want to, but having a scooter just isn't very practical for getting around in Vancouver. It's great for the island, but the mainland is so spread apart and connected by highways. Plus, people are crazy over here - always in a rush, accidents all the time. Riding a scooter could be just plain dangerous ... although, I live quite close to work and nearby stores, so perhaps it will work out. And while I despise relying on public transportation to get around, it's probably worth it in the long run to keep my costs to a minimum and stick with my scooter. Having my scooter is still a million times cheaper than buying a bus pass every month. You can't really beat $15/month for insurance, or $5 to fill the tank.

So, according to Shaw for my internet and cable options, I could get high-speed internet as a stand-alone for $40.95/month ... or I could bundle my services and get internet/cable for $61.95. So basically for $21 more per month, I could watch TV. This is all not including tax, or the modem I would have to buy for my internet connection ... but I think it might be worth it. I could always try it out for a while and see if I'm watching enough TV to make it worth the extra $21 ... and if I'm not, then I can cancel it.

I haven't watched TV in almost a week, but I know that coming up is NHL playoff season, plus baseball is just around the corner ... and I think if I weren't staying with J, I'd be watching more TV than I am, since I'd have nothing else to do. Something to definitely think about, that's for sure.

Do you have cable?

I know I should be focusing my energy on my new job, and nothing else ... but I'm going to keep an eye out for a PT job that would allow me to work super flexible hours, while not really utilizing any part of my brain. Ideally, I would want a job working in an organic grocery store (or something like that), so I could utilize their staff discount to buy groceries ... and I'm definitely going to be picky about a PT job, since I don't really need one. I would love to just pick up a few shifts here or there ... if anything, just to keep myself busy. I don't know many people in this city, so it'd be nice to occupy my time. Plus I need to remember that J has his own life and his own friends, and while I know I'm an important part of his life, I should make sure not to overwhelm and pester him to hang out with me all the livelong day just because I'm a loner in a new city.

Besides, it would be nice to make some friends as soon as possible.

All I've been talking about the past few days is finding an apartment - so now that I've got one, I can focus my attention on talking about the job. Also, if you're wondering, I'm currently avoiding looking at my RRSP accounts. While there's nothing I'd like more than to see my money disappear thanks to that wonderful, volatile biatch that is the TSX , I'd rather talk about the new job. :)

The job is great. My boss is great. My co-workers are great. I feel much more a part of the team than I did with my other job (the one that let me go). Although, I must admit that being let go was a huge hit to my confidence ... and it'll always be in the back of my mind until my 3-month probation period is over here. I'll try not to let it stress me out, but for those of you who've been in this situation before, it's pretty darn hard not to think about it.

As for the actual work itself, it's not too difficult ... there's just a lot to do, and not enough time to do it in. I think once I get familiar with the process, I don't think I'll have a problem. The hours are 9-5pm, but I've been coming in around 7:30am. Since J has to be at work at 7:30 (sometimes earlier), he just drops me off at the Skytrain station. And that's convenient, because I find I get most of my work done during the mornings when nobody's here - it was like this at my other job too - during the day, I'm getting pulled in every direction, so it's nice to have an hour or so to really get down and dirty in the mornings. The one bad thing about coming in early is that my boss also comes in SUPER early ... and as soon as I get in, he starts giving me assignments on top of everything that I'm already doing. So I'm working hard from 7:30-5pm, which is kind of lame, because at the end of the day, I'm still finding I don't have enough time to get everything done. And this is only my 3rd day! Oh well. :)

Anyway, I'm really excited to be moving into my new place. I talked to J about a bed, and he said it would only take him about 5 hours to build me one. I have to go back to the suite next week to take measurements and pictures (so I know what crap I should be moving over), so I think he might come along to take measurements of the bedroom. How much should one pay to have a custom bed made for them? I have no idea.

I went to view that suite today after work (the one the woman who had my job before me lived in). It was really nice, very clean and well-kept ... although quite small. It was in a good neighbourhood (about a 25 min. walk to work, or a 5 min scooter ride), and I really really liked the landlord. There's a place I can park my scooter off the street and has shared laundry too. I asked if I could have the suite before he showed it to anyone else, and about 20 min. later, I handed over a cheque for the damage deposit. He said I could start moving in on Monday, and he wouldn't charge me rent for the rest of January, which I thought was really nice ... even though it'll only be 4 days until the end of the month by then.

So, the rent is $600/month, all utilities included except for internet and cable ... internet isn't that expensive but it's a necessity for me to keep in touch with my friends & family, and I'm undecided as to whether I'll get cable or not. I don't really watch TV, except to watch sports ... and I could just go to J's if I want to catch the hockey game or something. And the few shows I do watch, I'm sure I could just watch online if I become that desperate.

It's a month-to-month agreement, but I plan on staying there at least 6 months. Probably more like a year. Like I said before, the place is super small (3 rooms - kitchen/living area, washroom, bedroom) ... which is good b/c I don't have a lot of furniture ... and for only $600 in Vancouver, that's really cheap considering I won't need to buy a bus pass or anything, since I'm so close to work.

The one thing I'm worried about is how small the bedroom is. I don't even know if a queen-sized bed and dresser would both fit. I have an idea as to how I'm going to maximize the space, and J said that he could build me a bed that was raised up high enough so that I could store stuff underneath (I'm thinking maybe 3 ft. high). I don't know how much work it takes to build a bed (he built the bed he currently has), but it definitely sounds like an awesome idea. I'd pay him, of course.

Anyway, I'm feeling a lot less stressed out now that I've found a place to live. I'm going to stay with J until next weekend (this weekend we're going to Seattle for the Ryan Adams concert) ... because then we're going back to the island to move all my stuff over. Probably in a UHaul, because I'll have to bring my scooter over somehow as well, and not everything will fit in a truck.

So J and I went to check out that $500 2-bedroom basement suite yesterday, and it was a total dive. You could just tell that the guy didn't take pride in his house - he was just using it to generate an income. The backyard was littered with debris, and the carpets inside were stained and dirty and disgusting. Plus, the guy was kind of weird. I guess that's what you get sometimes - gotta weed out the crap.

Today after work, we went to see another place. This was a 1-bedroom suite for $650, utilities included. It was much, much nicer ... and in a much nicer area of town. That being said, I didn't ask for it right away, because I'm going to see another suite tomorrow after work - this is the one the woman whom I'm replacing at work lived in. It's $600, utilities included ... and the landlord seemed really keen about me moving in, since I came recommended. This suite is much closer to work - so close that I could walk to work - and that would save huge on transit costs. Plus, I'm pretty sure she said there was in-suite laundry. Fingers crossed!

So sorry for the lack of updates. I haven't even gotten the chance to read many blogs either. It's just been a crazy last few days, and I haven't had much time for anything lately.

It's 2:00am and I can't sleep ... J is picking me up from the ferries tomorrow afternoon at around 2:30pm, and then he's coming with me to go check out a place I found on Craigslist.

This place seems like a pretty good deal - $500/month (all utilities included) for a 2-bedroom basement suite ... which is way, WAY under budget for rent. It's kind of unbelievable, actually.

The guy who owns the house, he occupies one of the bedrooms, but he lives up north, and only comes back down to Vancouver with his wife about once a month for a few nights ... so I would practically have the place all to myself. AND, the entire place is fully furnished (except for my bedroom), so I wouldn't have to buy anything except a bed frame (and also a dresser, since I forgot the one I have is completely shot to hell). It seems like an ideal situation, and the guy seemed really nice on the phone, so hopefully the place isn't a dive, and the surrounding area isn't completely shady.

The guy is heading back out of town tomorrow evening, and he would ideally want to have a deal done by the time he leaves ... so if everything checks out, I could have a place as early as tomorrow!

The past two months have been moving at a snail's pace for me ... but the last week or so has gone by at lightning speed. I can't believe that tomorrow I'll be moving to Vancouver, and I will no longer live in this city. Not to mention that I'm already starting a new job on Monday. It's kind of crazy, but I'm excited.

This coming Saturday, J and I have the Ryan Adams concert in Seattle, and on the Sunday, I think I'm going to come home for the day and pack/organize all my crap. Then, I'll be back over again on Feb 2-3rd, because I have 2 field hockey games and my "going away" party on the 2nd, and a baby shower to attend on the 3rd. Plus, that would be perfect timing to move all my crap over, since supposedly I'd take possession of an apartment on Feb 1st. The weekend of Feb 9-10th I'll also be back, because there's a huge family get-together that I can't miss.

I'm going to try to limit my trips back to this city to once or twice a month after February. Not just to try to keep my travel costs down, but to make sure I'm not just running home to my comfort zone. I need to make new friends and get to know the area that I'm living in.

Also, thanks for recommending Craigslist for finding furniture. I've been using it as my primary resource for finding an apartment, and for some reason, it just slipped my mind to use it for anything other than that. :)

Well, I've taken an hour or so and looked at all the possessions that I have here in my little basement suite, and have come to the conclusion that some of my items won't be able to make the journey over to Vancouver with me. Thus, I will have to make a trip to IKEA and replace these items relatively cheaply.

I have all the other necessary things. Thankfully, over the years I've collected a lot of kitchen necessities and other household items that I knew I would be needing once I graduated college. I'm pretty much set (except for trying to figure out how I'm going to get all my crap over to the mainland - and what about my scooter!?). I will have to buy the following few things though:

• Bed frame - when I first bought this bed frame 5 years ago, it was the cheapest one you could buy at IKEA. It still looks fine, but it's of really poor quality - a lot of the pieces have been nailed together, and the wood planks are always falling down. I doubt I could tear it a part and then put it back together again without it collapsing before my eyes. I want to buy a frame for around $250.

• Futon/couch - the couches I currently have, I got them for free from my aunt when she bought new ones about 5 years ago. One couch is completely broken, and the other is kind of too small to be of any use. Plus, I would like to buy a futon or a fold-out couch so that my friends/family will have somewhere to sleep when they come to visit me. I've seen some nice ones in IKEA for around $400.

• Desk - when I bought this desk, I had my tiny little laptop. Now that I own a gigantic 24" iMac, it doesn't exactly fit on my desk anymore. I saw a few really plain, simple desks at IKEA for under $100.

• Food - What do I do about my perishable foods? I guess I could bring them with me, but I could also just leave them for my sister. That's what I'll probably do, so I'll have to budget around $50 to replace these things.
  

These purchases are not in my budget, but are pretty important things to have. I could survive sleeping on just a mattress for a while, and I don't mind sitting on the ground either ... but a desk is pretty important, so I should at least go grab one of those.

I could either scrimp and save until I have enough to buy these items, or I can just concede that I won't be able to save at the rapid pace I had originally anticipated, and just bite the bullet and buy the things that I need to buy.

It's a tough call. I could go to the thrift store and pick up a few pieces that would do okay for me ... but I'd rather save and get pieces that I actually like. And it's not like IKEA is an expensive store either. I'll have to think about it a little more over the next week or so.

Thanks everyone for all your helpful comments about the budget I made. To clear some things up and answer some questions, here's some more info about my situation:

• I do not plan on playing field hockey while I live in Vancouver. While I could think of nothing I'd like more than to play on a team, the league is structured so differently, and games are played all around the lower mainland during any given night of the week. It's going to be to hard to arrange a PT job, seeing J, making friends (and hanging out with said friends), and generally living life if games aren't on set days and times. Especially because I don't own a car. However, I do plan on keeping up with my running, and perhaps I'll join a gym. Haven't decided yet, but if I do join a gym, I will have to budget about $40/month. There's a gym that my boss goes to that's right by work ... which could be perfect for sucking up to him and getting a buff, hott bod at the same time.

• I forgot about renter's insurance. Maybe $10-20/month? Will have to look into how much that costs. Can't be that much.
  

• Clothing, dining out, etc. ... all of that is labeled under Entertainment/Misc.
  

• Forgot that I'll have to budget in personal care for about $30/month I would think. This includes any hair cuts/make-up/feminine products/toiletries, etc.
  

• Any sort of cab fare would be deducted out of my gas/public transportation money. But with Vancouver being so big, I won't be cabbing anywhere. At all. I'd rather not drink than have to pay for a cab ride.

So all in all, I wasn't too off on my budget - I just missed a few things here or there that would probably affect the amount I save by about $100/month. Not too shabby. And hopefully once I find a place to live, I can start looking for a PT job to keep me occupied and bring in a little extra cash every month.

It's going to be a huge challenge, but if I can scrimp and save for just one year, I'll have enough for a down payment on a condo. That's really exciting to me. And you know, maybe in one year my priorities might change, and I won't want to buy a condo ... but just knowing I have the ability to save that kind of money while being independent in a new city ... that really makes me feel good.

Speaking of finding a place to live, the woman whom I'm replacing at the FT job, she just told me that she's leaving her $600/month (all utilities included) basement suite at the end of the month, and the landlord hasn't shown anyone the place yet. I gave her my contact info to give to her landlord, so my fingers are definitely crossed. $600/month including utilities is a smokin' hot deal.

In other related news, J said I could just stay with him indefinitely if I wanted to - rent-free, and that if I didn't want to do that, he would want to pay for some of my rent since he'd be staying at my place a lot. I'm not really sure what to make of it, except to note that J's a pretty swell guy. While it would be so nice and so convenient to live with him, I can't do it. I need to prove to myself that I can do this on my own, so that if for some reason, things don't work out between us, I know that I'm capable of standing on my own two feet. I've been so far removed from "real life financial responsibility" that I need to make sure I still understand what it's all about.

And on that note, it doesn't really seem appropriate for him to pay a single cent of my rent, since I'd have to pay the full amount whether he comes around or not. From his point of view, I can see why he'd want to help, since he currently doesn't pay any rent ... but it still doesn't make it right.

Anyway what I think I'm going to do is keep the budget in mind for February, and try to hit those targets ... just see what happens. If it works, then great. If not, then I'll just adjust it for March and go from there.

I spent last night and some of this evening researching apartment prices in the area of Vancouver that I want to live in. Luckily, this area is a lot cheaper than most, but it's still pretty expensive considering I've been paying $150 rent for the past two years. The average 1 bedroom basement suite is going to run me around $650 including all utilities. Pretty cheap if I do say so myself ... so I'm kind of glad that this job isn't located in downtown Vancouver, otherwise that rent would easily double. And yes, I could save more money and have a roommate, but at this point in my life (I'm already 25 and have done the roommate thing many times before), I think I want to have my own space. If I find it's too much of a burden on my budget, then I will definitely try to find a cheaper place with a roommate. But for now, the plan is to live on my own.

This evening, I also constructed a loose budget based on my projected $40,000 income from the FT job for 2008. Provided I pass the probationary period, my salary will be bumped up (it's written in my offer letter) to the low-mid $40's. But I'm not going to count on that, so I've based my goals on what I'll be making at the present time.

• Projected monthly income (after taxes) from FT job: $2,200

• Rent & all utilities: $700 (added in some wiggle room in case some places don't come with internet/cable, or if there aren't laundry facilities.)
  
• Cell phone: $40 (usually around $30, but added in a bit for LD charges, since I'll be calling home every so often to chat.)
  
• Gas & public transportation: $50 (I would anticipate about $5/week for gas, and the rest would be bus/Skytrain expenses. Ideally, I would like to live close enough to work so that I could walk there ... but Vancouver is such a huge city, I doubt that will happen.)
  
• Groceries: $150
  
• Entertainment: $100 (I have a feeling this might be too low, since Vancouver is one expensive city ... but I'll try it out and see what happens.)
  
• Miscellaneous: $80
• Travel: $80
  

Have I missed anything?

If I haven't, that means I would be able to save $1,000 per month. Plus, I do plan on getting a second PT job - and if I only work 8-12 hrs/week (could be less, depending on wage), I could bring home an extra $400-500 per month, which I would save. If I find I can work more than that, then so be it ... but if it at all interferes with my FT job or I'm finding it too stressful, I'll scale back the hours. There is no way I'm going back to working as much as I was working last summer. That was just crazy. And I'm living in a new city! I want to have fun and take time out for myself. It's important to lead a balanced lifestyle.

So that means, potentially, I could save $12,000 (FT job) + $5,000 (PT job) + $4,500 (2007 tax refund) = $21,500 ... and if I end up saving $21k+, that would exceed the amount of $18k I set for myself when I made up my 2008 Annual Goals a few weeks ago based on an annual salary of $50k.

I must be missing something out of the budget.

I am so happy and excited and thrilled to report that this afternoon, I was offered the position with the not-for-profit in Vancouver!!! I feel such a sense of satisfaction and relief ... this is the perfect job for me, and I feel like I worked hard and gave all 3 interview rounds everything I had. I'm just really optimistic about my future with this company, and about life in general. It still hasn't really sunk in yet that I'm moving to Vancouver. :)

The salary offered was just over $40k, with a written statement in the offer letter that my salary is to be reviewed and adjusted after 3 months (and then annually after that). It comes with 3 weeks of vacation, benefits, and an RPP program (4% match) after 6 months of employment. The benefits are shared at 40% employee/60% employer, and it says that participation is mandatory. I'm not sure if this cost sharing is a good deal or not, but I have a feeling that it's not. Oh well.

Anyway, I have to head back to Vancouver again tomorrow (I just got back today!) to do one day of orientation with the previous employee before she leaves ... and then I officially start on Monday. MONDAY! I kind of feel bad because even though J said it was okay to stay with him for the rest of the month, I don't like invading his space. Especially because this is all so sudden. I didn't really anticipate getting this job and moving so quickly, but I told them that I didn't mind starting on Monday, so I suppose it's kind of my fault. I'll have to get this apartment hunt going soon if I plan on finding a place for February 1st. Maybe sooner!

Well, the interview with the not-for-profit in this city went really well. It was for a Special Events Coordinator position. I'm not really sure if it's the right kind of job for me though. It's really getting away from marketing & communications, which is the direction I saw my career going. It seems like it would be a good opportunity though. I would make a lot of industry contacts, and I would be gaining a lot of really valuable experience. I guess it just depends on if I'm willing to go a slightly different direction with my career.

The pay is $35k, which isn't ideal, and there's a ton of OT involved in certain stretches of the year. But instead of getting paid out for the OT, I would just bank the hours ... so along with getting the standard 2 weeks of holidays per year, with the banked hours, I could take more like 4 or 5 weeks of holidays. That's kind of cool, although I would prefer to get paid out for that OT instead. And while I would love to just work one job at the moment, if I did accept this job, I would definitely have to work a PT job. There's no way I can achieve the PF goals I've set out for myself if I don't bring in more income.

I'm heading to Vancouver now, and I'm still really hoping to get the job there ... but if not, then I could see myself working with this organization as well. They're quite similar, except the one in Vancouver is on a much grander scale, and the position is a better fit for my career direction and experience.

Well, I spent most of this afternoon working on the presentation. It's still not exactly where I'd like it to be, but it's nearly 1am, and I still haven't started preparing for my interview tomorrow morning with the not-for-profit in this city. I think I'll do some research into the organization for the next 30 min. or so, and if I'm still up to it, I'll keep working on the presentation.

I'll use the 90 min. ferry ride tomorrow afternoon to go over my notes, and I'll probably have to do a bit of work tomorrow evening on my speech. J said he wants me to show him what I came up with. Hopefully it's a decent effort and it's sort of what they're looking for. I know the Manager really likes me, and he said that in my 2nd interview, the Director was super impressed with meeting me, my portfolio, my resume - the whole package. My fingers are crossed. I'm really really trying not to get my hopes up, but it's kind of hard not to, you know?

I talked to K last night, and he told me a bit about that job he was offered a few days ago. He was offered the job over the phone, without the company ever meeting him ... and when he asked them to fly him out there, so he could see what the company was like before he committed to the position - they flat out refused him! I can't believe that. The salary range for the position is $60-80k, and they couldn't fork over the $400 to fly him out? How ridiculous.

Although, after this interview on Tuesday, I will have forked over $150 in travel expenses that are going to be my responsibility (not including meal costs, and thank goodness I've been able to stay with J, otherwise I'd have hotel costs on top of everything else). I won't get reimbursed for any of it (I already checked, lol), but I don't mind. I feel like if the position is worth it, and they don't have the budget or the means to pay for your travel, you should take the hit and just eat the cost. Although, I don't think K wanted the job very much to begin with. He said that he'd still net more by living in this city, and he's probably right.

Anyway, off to prepare for my two interviews. And pack my bag. Yes, I should probably pack.

Am I the last person on the planet to have discovered this TV show? Over the past few days, I've watched the entire first season, and it's the funniest show I've seen in a really long time. Are they coming out with a second season?

For those of you who haven't heard of Flight of the Conchords before, here are 2 of my favourite songs from the show:

Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenocerous


If You're Into It

Even though I'm not working a FT job at the moment, I've been feeling really run down lately.

Tonight I've spend the majority of the evening working on that project for Tuesday's interview. It's actually a lot harder than I first anticipated. I don't have much experience in the fundamentals of marketing strategies ... so to put together a marketing plan is a little foreign to me. I anticipate spending a few more hours on the project tonight, and then most of tomorrow afternoon finalizing it. Even though the interview isn't until Tuesday, I'm booked up with another interview for a not-for-profit here in the city on Monday morning, and I'll be traveling back to Vancouver in the afternoon ... so that whole day is more or less shot.

The stress of all these interviews has really kept my energy low, and traveling to and from Vancouver definitely wears me out. But I've also found that I'm not sleeping well either, I don't have much of an appetite, and sometimes I just feel like crying for no reason at all. And I don't cry very often at all. J and I were out for a walk the other day, and I was just standing there, looking at the ocean ... and for a few minutes, I felt like I was about to explode. It was really a strange feeling not to be in control of my emotions. Luckily, the feeling passed.

I know that in the end, all my hard work will pay off. I've always been the sort of person in my group of friends that people count on to be positive, and the one who always has the motivation to work harder and achieve more, without complaining. So it's difficult to talk about how I'm feeling about being unemployed to my friends. They expect me to be tough and to be strong; not to let something like this bother me. And it's been like that for so long that I'm not sure it's something that can really be changed. At least not right now.

It's getting harder and harder to be unemployed. At first, I was a little grateful for the break since I've been working so much ... but now it's just getting old. I'm restless and stressed out a lot of the time, and it's really frustrating when my own mother makes jokes and snide remarks about me not having a job. I've told her to stop, and that it's not really nice or appropriate, but she still keeps doing it. It really bums me out and puts me in a horrible mood. My sister's starting to do it too. Not really sure what to do about that.

I can't wait to finally get a job, and for this all to be over.

So, first thing's first - the 2nd interview today with the Vancouver not-for-profit went extremely well, and I got short-listed for a 3rd and final (panel) interview on Tuesday. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but the job seems like the perfect match for me. I can see myself working there for the long-term, and it'll open up a lot of doors for me in terms of networking and potential growth in the industry.

As for salary, it's not exactly what I was hoping for. They said they absolutely cannot offer me what my stated expectations were ($48-52k), but would be able to offer me my bottom-out dollar of $42k ... and with that figure, I would be starting in the low-to-middle of the salary range for that position. I knew I wouldn't be able to get my salary expectations - this is a not-for-profit after all, and I'm willing to take a hit in pay to work a great job for a great organization. I plan on getting some sort of PT job anyway, so it won't be so bad. Plus, that part of Vancouver is still quite reasonable to live in ... possibly cheaper than this city. And that's saying a lot.

Now, I need to spend the weekend working on the assignment they gave me. I'll have to present a marketing and communications plan for an event they run ... it's kind of nerve-wracking to think about doing a presentation in front of a panel, but I know I can do it.

And because I'm going to this 3rd job interview, that means I had to decline the job offer for the position in this city ... I knew I was going to be getting a call today. This is technically the third job that I've turned down since I started my job hunt ... but this one was kind of a no brainer to decline. I told them that if they needed an answer right away from me, then I would have to pass on the position. I was honest with them and said that at the moment, I'm on the short-list for a job in Vancouver ... and they weren't willing to wait for me, so I had to say no.

Well, my interview yesterday went fairly well for the Marketing Coordinator position in my city. I'm a little disappointed that the job is quite entry-level, and I don't feel that I would be challenged at all. What's also disappointing is that there really isn't any room for growth with the company, and besides ... they were only offering $15/hr. So, I do kind of hope that I don't get offered this job, but deep down, I'm pretty sure I'll have an offer of employment from them by tomorrow.

This is going to be tough, because I have my interview with the not-for-profit in Vancouver tomorrow. The interview will also consist of a take-home assignment, which I assume I'll have the weekend to complete. Maybe a little longer. I really really want this job (and I know I have a super good chance of getting it), but if I'm offered the Marketing Coordinator position, they told me I would have to start on Monday. They know I'm interviewing for other jobs. I'm not really sure what to do. I really really want this not-for-profit job, but it sounds like I would have to be willing to give up the Marketing Coordinator job offer in order to be considered for it. And what if I don't end up getting it? It's a gamble.

Decisions, decisions ...

Some people have set standards - they won't pick up change unless it's more than a quarter. Or a dollar. Others just won't pick up money at all.

I, on the other hand, clearly have no standards. I pick up money off the ground all the freaking time. Even pennies.

I'm not really sure why, or when it started. It's kind of embarrassing, but I seriously can't pass by change on the sidewalk without picking it up. And when I'm with people, I'm more than likely going to bend down and pretend I'm tying my shoelace, than admit to them that I just pocketed a dirty penny for no good reason.

Do you pick up change off the ground?

What I should have done was save it and used it for something practical. What I did instead was buy two 10th row tickets to see Mika in Vancouver at the Orpheum Theatre for February 15th. Was that wrong of me? Probably. Is it going to be one kick-ass concert? Yes.

And I don't even care that I'll be surrounded by screaming 15-year old girls.

As a follow-up to my post about becoming more open about this blog, it's been about 2 weeks since I first showed J this website. At first, I remember being really embarrassed and self-conscious about revealing my finances. I felt like I was showing him my diary, which I suppose, is essentially what I was doing. It's just that, instead of hiding it under my bed, I've been hiding it on the internet.

It's a weird feeling to open up to all of you, and I'm still coming to terms with the strange sensation I get every time I publish a post. It's weird getting judged and criticized and supported by complete strangers. It's terrifying to write about what I want to achieve, and the decisions that I've made with my life and my money - because if I slip up or I do something wrong, it's not just me who knows. Everyone knows. Everything I do is being judged. And people aren't afraid to say what's on their mind, especially behind the anonymity of a computer screen.

Even though I'm not planning on ever showing any of my friends or family, I'm glad I showed J this blog. I really am. He's been nothing but supportive and encouraging about my financial situation. It's been tough to keep such a large part of my life a secret to so many people I know, so it's nice to be able to open up share it with someone. It's hard to find a person like that - someone you can trust so easily, so I consider myself to be a pretty lucky PF blogger right now. :)

Well, I just got called for an interview with a not-for-profit in this city. I haven't called them back yet, but they want to schedule an interview with me for Friday. Unfortunately, I'll be in Vancouver for my 2nd interview with that other not-for-profit position, so hopefully they won't mind rescheduling for Monday. Otherwise, logistically, 2 interviews in 2 different cities in just 1 day isn't going to work at all.

The Vancouver not-for-profit called me today and said that he definitely wants to see me on Friday, but will get back to me with the exact time sometime tomorrow, as he's having a tough time trying to catch up on all of his work after missing 3 weeks due to vacation and being sick. He also asked me how soon I would be able to start. I told him "as soon as you need me to start," which he was pleased about. Fingers and toes are crossed.

Interview on Wednesday, Friday, and potentially Monday. Time to get my game face on and ace these interviews.

I really hope to get all my tax forms in quickly, so I can file my claim. With my $15,200 contribution to my RRSPs in 2007, and my business expenses, I stand to get around a $4,500 refund. At least, that's how much I calculated the last time I ran the numbers through the Morningstar RRSP calculator using just my RRSP contributions. The practical side of me will probably invest the entire amount (either back into my RRSPs for my 2008 contributions, or into my Condo Down Payment fund). The free spirit in me wants to put the money in my Travel Fund and take a trip somewhere exotic. But I won't. That's one of the reasons why I don't have a valid passport - it stops me from tempting myself with international travel. Although now that I think about it, I suppose I should renew my passport sometime soon.

Also today, I got my quarterly GST cheque of $90.50. I should really use the GST online calculator to see if I'm going to be eligible for the GST cheque for the coming year, based on my 2007 numbers.

On the job front, I have an interview on Wednesday morning for a position I applied for in this city. This is the one I originally didn't get an interview for. Not sure what happened to the successful candidate, so that worries me about the position (did they not like the job, or do they easily let people go, like with my previous employer?) ... as well, I wasn't among their first choices to begin with, so I think it'll be hard to impress them. This is for a Marketing Coordinator position.

A reader recently left me a comment that I felt like I should respond to. A lot of i