2 posts tagged “personal finance”

Purchases made today:  1 coffee

But I deserved it!  Seriously.  Yesterday one of the attorneys in my office (who also happens to be one of my closest friends) mother went into the hospital.  Very serious.  She had a trial today that I offered to cover. 

I haven't had a trial trial (like a real trial) in....3 years now?  Those dumb Megan's Law hearings don't count to me.  Nothing like meeting your client the morning of trial.  It was a drug case, an excellent case for the defendant as there really wasn't much tying hiim to the evidence. 

Which STRESSED me out.  It's no big deal when you think/know your client is guilty.  But when you think they aren't, or you think you should win....that is stress.  Combined with feeling kind of rusty in a courtroom, my nerves were a little frayed.  Plus, I only have one suit that fits me right now and I was worried that it, too, would end up being a little too tight.

So after a late night of preparation and a sleepless night of toss and turns, the case ended up being continued anyway because the Judge was out sick.

Go figure.

But after all that, hell, I needed a cup of coffee.  Better than a beer, right?

Now, the old me probably would have headed over to a little boutique and bought a shirt or some other little present for myself.  That's my problem.  Emotional spending. 

The thought to do that never even occurred to me today.  Now that's progress!

Last week I happened to stumble upon this fantastic financial application, Mint.  I entered all of my data, and BAM - my debt:income ratio was right there. 

BAM.  Indeed.

I knew I was in debt from my student loans ($150,000).  I had a vague (emphasis on the "vague") idea of how much I owed on credit cards.  I guessed it was about $7,000.  I knew that I was an impulsive (and sometimes even compulsive) shopper.  More on that later.

I am 33 years old.  I have nothing left saved for retirement (more on that later, not entirely  my fault).  I am earning about $3000 a month as a public interest attorney.  My student loan payments are not $1050 a month.  I am on a 30 year repayment plan.

I do not own a car, I do now own a house.

I originally started this blog because of a bad break-up from a toxic relationship.  My motto was "the only way out is through."  My New Year's Resolution is to get out of debt.  I have cut up all of my credit cards except for 2 (which I have handed over to my parents to keep) and my debit/credit card, which is now in the freezer.  I have contacted my credit card companies for better interest rates.  My student loans were already consolidated and refinanced.  I have applied for a part-time job.

Today I downgraded my cable and opened up an ING checking account because of the great interest rate (I already have a savings there, of course there's no money in it).  BTW, if anyone is interested in opening up an ING account PLEASE email me - if I refer you I get $25.

So enough blogging about my poor choice in men (well, not entirely).  The blogging about my new debt-free life has begun.