November 2009: Financial Progress Update

We're working towards our goals slowly, but surely.

I don’t think we have a more stressful month than November. We started optimistic with the house the beginning of this month, but it didn’t work out. We’re now trying to get our earnest deposit back and hunt for another place. How quickly things can change in a month! I’m so grateful that my husband is cool throughout this ordeal.

I’m also glad we’re pushing a ahead with our goals. It has been a bit crazy, but we’re making it. I think next month will have some exciting news.

Our Financial Goals for 2009

We have two goals and one month left until the end of the year and I’m hoping we’ll be able to meet them.

• Debt: We would like to pay off my car loan by March 31, 2009.Goal Met.
• Debt: I’d like to reduce our expenses in September by 10%. Goal Met
• Spending: We’re going to limit eating out $100 this month. Goal Met
• Savings: We want to have 3 months worth of expenses saved by December 31, 2009. Almost there…

How We Did in November on Our Financial Goals

Spending: We’ve ate out more this weekend, but most of the places we went to were cheaper. As the closing date was coming up, we wanted to reduce our expenses.

Savings: Our savings are still there as we did not purchase the house. Now we just have to get our earnest deposit back.

Your Take

How are you doing with your 2009 goals? Have you had some unexpected changes? What successes have you had so far?

Top Posts This Month

I wanted to share of the most popular posts this month on the blog.

• Delay in Our Closing: I really appreciate the support and encouragement with our bad news.
• Making Student Loan Payments Affordable: If your budget is tight, please consider looking into lowering your student loan payments until you get everything squared away.
• Promoting Your Side Business Without Going Broke: Having a side business can be a great way to boost your income, just don’t spend too much promoting it.
• $8,000 Tax Credit for First-Time Homebuyers Extended and Expanded: This is good news for us since our house deal felll through.
• Apartment Hunting For Short Term Leases: You have to start over again with the house hunt and we’re trying to find a solution that works for us.

Five Cent Nickel Posts

Some great discussions were happening with my post on home inspections and preparing for a move.

• Preparing for a Move
• How to Save Money on Vacations
• Getting a Home Inspection
• How to Save Money on Pet Care
• Save Time and Money by Asking for Help

Thank you all for your support. This blog has grown thanks you telling others about it. Please keep in contact with me through email and Twitter, as I try to make the site better everyday.

Photo Credit: Armando Maynez

• June 2009: Progress Update Wow, the year is halfway over! The last week in June has been an eventful month personally. The key word this month was hectic. The days flew by and I felt as if went by too quickly. I'm finding personal finances coming into my life besides this site.Yesterday I helped......
• What Everybody Ought to Know About Handling Finances in Today's Economy It's not impossible to handle your finances in this economy; it just takes some time. Getting your finances under control is completely doable if you take it step by step. Know exactly where you stand in your finances. You have to be able to answer these questions with specific......

• Saving Half Of Your Paycheck I don't have many regrets from my first thirty years on Earth. However, there is one that makes me wish I had a "mulligan," or do-over, to relive a decade of my life with a new goal in mind. I read about a 50% savings plan at The Simple Dollar......
• How much does cable TV really cost? I have often recommended that people give up their cable TV in an effort to decrease their monthly expenses and help pay down their debt. The usual response is "No way!". I can completely understand why they feel this way. Watching television has almost replaced baseball and the national pastime.......