April 2008: Progress Update

Photo Credit: It’s Greg

A lot has happened in March! We moved out of state last month and I started a new job. I like the new city, but I miss our friends. Since it’s the beginning of a new month, I wanted to give an update of the progress so far.

Let me first review my goals for this year:

• Income: I would like to earn $37,000 for the year.
• Spending: I’m going to continue cutting back on eating out to twice a week, including weekends.
• Investing: I’m going to enroll in my company’s 401(k) and meet the employer match. I’ll also continue to contribute to my Roth IRA.
• Saving: I will have $2,000 in my emergency fund by September 1, 2008. I would also like to put our income tax return into our house fund.
• Debt: I would like to pay off my car loan by July 31, 2008. I would like to have my car loan out before I have to start paying student loans.

Here’s how I’m doing:

• Income: My new employment will put me close to this goal. If continue working on the blog and doing some side jobs, I should be good to go. I’m grateful for the regular and visiting readers. If you have any feed back or suggestions, let me know.
• Spending: March was a great month for me. I saved on eating out in no small part to the generosity of friends and workmates who took me out. I’m hoping to keep I contact with everybody.
• Investing: Here is the bad news. New job means I have to start over again on the SEP IRA and wait a year to qualify. I’ll focus my retirement savings on my IRA.
• Saving: With my raise I should reach this goal. I’m continuing to automate my savings to protect myself from me.
• Debt: March was a great month for killing debt. My husband and I put the income tax refund toward the loan and we knocked 20% off the loan! Thanks to Jamie from Paid Twice, I’m snow flaking little savings towards this car loan. I’m pushing back the car loan pay off to August 31,2008 as this move depleted some money from our savings and I want to build that up a bit.

March has been good and I’m hoping April continues the trend. How have you’ve been doing with your goals?

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