Anything is Possible

This weekend I hung out with my friends from college. Everyone is doing good and making positive moves. Mecca Davis is the owner of Mecca's Essential Bath Salts. She brought some with her and everyone was so excited and motivated about her product. What we tend to not do is invest in ourselves. She was interested in salts, she started making them on her own and now she has a thriving business. Something else that I see is that we don't support one another. Other cultures help each other and send people to them for support. What I want to see is us networking and supporting one anther's goals and ideas. I have many friends that are being creative and stepping outside of the box and doing things that they enjoy. Thank you to those that read my blog and take notice to what I have to say.

Raquel, it was my pleasure meeting you. Ladies as always, I enjoy your company and love spending time with you catching up on all the great things that have happened in your life. We are maturing and making great advancements. Being stagnant is not an option.

Today, for you, take time out of your busy schedule and give thanks for your successes and downfalls, because without them you would not be the beautiful individual that you are today. Learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others. This weekend I learned that there is more to life than the now. Make things happen and do things differently. Don't wake up one day and say where did all the time go. Be adventurous and step out of the box.

Some things that will help you get it together:

Do a self assessment to find out what you are interested in.

Make a poster of things you are interested in.

Explore your future.

Prepare for the worst.

Step out on faith.

These are the links to my wonderful friends sites. Everyone is doing great things and you may be able to learn from them. If not support their endeavors. Enjoy!

Abysmal Publishing, LLC

Mecca's Essential Salts & Bath Products

Stacks Entertainment SE Events

FREE-IVF.com - Free In Vitro Fertilization Infertility Stories

Grow, Build, Prosper, and Mature! Thanks All!

It is Never Too Late

Today, I started a 403b with my job. I had one before with Valic, but haven't been contributing to it for a while. As a matter of fact, I just borrowed from that one earlier this year. I am currently paying it off. Valic is owned by AIG and the government bailed them out not to long ago. Will Valic be around for the next few years? Who knows? Especially with the way the economy is today. My plan is to continue to invest in my 403b and add 100.00 more yearly. I am so behind, but it is better late then never, right?

I think it is a good idea to diversity. Have funds built up in a variety of areas. I am learning and know that where there is a will there is a way. I am 33 and not getting any younger. I will continue to learn from others and put my best foot forward.

I also went to put in an application at one of the junior colleges in the area. Let's see where that will go. Extra money is always great. Making money online is also another option too. How to do that? I put this site on http://www.feedburner.com/ and I need to optimize it. I know it takes a few days for sites to crawl. It's funny how many have made money online without any efforts. What's the problem? Is it me? I will continue to do my best and put money in the right places. Do right by my houses, get a cd, continue to invest in my 403b, and learn more about the stock market.

Overall, I want to be comfortable when I get older and before then. I want to enjoy my life and be able to have the things that I want. I also want to help others have there dreams. If I write something that will help you, I have done my part.

Below are some random sites that you may find interesting:

http://www.balancetrack.org/moneymanagement/index.html

http://www.mymoney.gov/

http://www.pitecreative.com/staging/caps/

Financial Meeting

We met Thursday and came up with many things that will help us on our financial journey. Ms. Jamison talked about Standard IRA and a Roth IRA these are things that people need to invest in. I will get one before the end of the year. The money matures and I do believe they are better to have instead of a CD. She also talked about investing in a cell phone company. For instance Samsung. I said Samsung because many service providers use Samsung phones. The next time we meet I will have more information on how to invest in the stock market. Mara, talked about her Web Page certification and building a variety of websites. She is working hard to get the web pages up and running. Johnathan has changed his business cards and is not looking back. As for me, by the next time we meet I will have a lawyer and my will will be done. Lables will be done for the candles and my website will be up and running. Like I stated earlier, I will also have information on investing in the stock market. My credit score should be up a few points by the next time we meet. Mo, needs to take a career assessment test to see what she may be interested in. Overall, I do look forward to our meetings because it gives us a chance to talk about our financial goals, problems, successes, and desires. I would recommend all to get with a group of like minded individuals and start a money management group. The group will help you get on the right path and allows you to be able to talk to people about your thoughts and views. I look forward to meeting with them because they help me think out my financial problems and they motivate me to get things done.

Below are some links to how to invest in the stock market:

http://beginnersinvest.about.com/od/investing101/a/invest_in_stock.htm

http://www.candlestickforum.com/ppf/parameters/11_867_/candlestick.asp

http://www.greekshares.com/

http://ustrust.bankofamerica.com/?cm_mmc=GWIM-Multiple-_-Google-PS-_-stock%20market%20investing-_-USTInvesting

http://www.howtoinvestinstocks.net/

If you are interested in the stock market please use these links. If you already invest in the stock market let me know how you do it.

I Honestly don't Know

My principal asked me if I would come in early about 3 times a week and open up the computer lab. I asked if I could get extra pay for that, she said yes. I will get my hourly rate. That is good, the extra money will come in handy. I am looking forward to that. I may start next week or week after next. I found a job at a jr. college teaching Microsoft Office via the continuing education program. I may just apply and see what happens. Nothing beats a failure, but a try right. I am getting older and as I stated in a previous post not where I want or need to be financially. This will help me have a way out, I hope.

I sent off the paperwor disputing the debt on one of my credit reports. I think it will come off or they will give me information so I can finalize this $50.00 debt. I just want so much out of life and see how to get it, but really don't know how. That's sad. Enough of the wo is me's.

Below are some links that give good advice on helping to get out of debt or save money:

http://www.walletpop.com/specials/10-ways-to-get-rich-warren-buffett?icid=100214839x1209184090x1200529443

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0708/gallery.20_rules.moneymag/index.html

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/PlayingCatchUp/WhatToDoIfYoure55AndHaventSavedADime.aspx

I have some extra money that I was supposed to get something done to my moms car with, but that fell through. So, what do I do with the money I have? Put it toward Liam or just hold on to it? Tomorrow will tell, let me think on it.

Hopefully, these links will help you some way, because they have helped me.

How Can I Eliminate $69,451 ?

I have totaled up my student loan balance. The total includes a student loan from 1995 and my current loans from 2005 to present. There are 9 loans total $69,451. I will eliminate this balance in 3 years. How do I plan to do this? Build my candle company Betty's Only and by making money online. $1929.10 a month for 3 years is what I must pay to get done with this.

There is so much to learn about how grow and have financial freedom. Honestly, it is easy. Start young and save.

Below are some sites to help in debt management.

http://www.smartmoney.com/debt/advice/index.cfm?story=debtdrowning

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/ManageDebt/ManageDebt.aspx

http://www.debtmanagementtool.com/

The excessive spending has got to stop in order to get this done.

The more I learn the more I will share. This is something that I need to get rid of. Before I get back in school, I need to be able to pay for school without getting another student loan. Working another part time job. It's just that a job, but if so it needs to be something that I enjoy and don't mind doing. What about my relaxing time. Financial freedom is the goal. I should learn about stocks, invest in an Roth IRA, and diversity. I have taken the real estate licensing class and I have taken the test, but I didn't pass it. I did not pass the final exam and can take it again. I know I didn't do good on the math parts. I think my law questions weren't so good either. 10 questions over the passing score. This is an investment in my future and I am so close. Having a real estate license will allow me to buy and sale houses for myself and get the commission. Buy more houses, buy more houses, by more houses.

There are other things that I need to pay off too. For instance, Liam ('99 Land Rover) and braces. Refinance both houses, save save save, and purchase properties.

I have been Thinking

Ultimately, I want financial freedom. I mean to be financially secure. I have been thinking about how I can do that. I don't want to work another job. I mean I work 40 hours a week with other peoples children, that is a little exhausting. The candles as I stated before can do better, it's just a matter of me doing right by them. I make decent money at my job, but it's doing right by that money. So here I am telling you that this has to stop. I will do better by my money. I will not over spend and I will have all the things that I want out of life. I don't want to live above my means, but I think I do that everyday. I am tired of not having the things that I want. I deprive myself so much, and I just have started getting the things that I want no matter how small or big it may be.

I have 2 properties and another that I manage for my mom. For one of my properties, I haven't paid the mortgage. I have been using that for the things that I want. Shame on me right? Ok, I said it. I have an account for the houses, but don't have a large balance in the account. As a matter of fact, it is under $100.00. Sad right!

One of my goals is to refinance both houses. Two credit scores are below 600 the other one is 641. My hope is to have a 700 credit score by December so that I can refinance both houses and change my terms from 30 to 15 years. Starting tomorrow, I will put my money toward better things, like saving and paying off some bills.

Really, the only things that I have on my credit report are student loans, houses, and some old debts that have been paid off. Why are my scores so low? Things will get better, I know they will.

Day One of My Financial Success

For the last 8 years I have been teaching. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my job, but I haven't been doing right by my money. Working 5 days a week can take a toll on you. I don't believe that all of our time should be spent working like this. I have had financial success, but not to the extent that I want. I am 33 years old with no savings and I am definitely not at the place where I thought I would be financially. I make candles and have been doing that for some time, but not where I want to be. I am currently working on building a website for them. People come to me and ask for candles for gifts, but I know I could do much better in that area. My goals here are to discuss my financial success. I know I can achieve it and with a audience I think I will do better.
During the month of July, I started a Financial Planning/Support Group. We meet monthly to discuss our financial goals as well as personal goals. There are only 6 of us, but we have been working diligently to help each other obtain our goals. The first thing we discussed was our credit history and scores. Many people are afraid to talk about money or even look at there finances. How can you know if you are afraid to find out? So for the month of August everyone had to find out their credit history. When we met in August everyone found out that information and had started paying things off or even disputing the information. We used http://www.freecreditreport.com/ to find out our credit history. Many of us had things on our report that was old, or wasn't our, we had no clue about it, or the information was just wrong. For $39.95 a month you can get all three reports and scores. You can only dispute with Experian online.

The addresses for Experian and Equifax are:
Exquifax
Equifax Information Services LLC

P.O. Box 740256

Atlanta, GA 30374-0256

Transunion
TransUnion Customer Relations

P.O. Box 1000

Chester, PA 19022

Also, you are eligible for one free credit report a year depending on your state. If you have never obtained a copy of your report please do so. This report doesn't come with your score, but the report is a great start.

Starting at the end of this month, I will save $450.00 dollars for the entire school year. Every time I try to do this something happens. The element of surprise is something we have no way of planning for.

Below you will find a list of my financial goals:
Save $450.00 for 8 months: $3600.00
Truck paid off January 09 balance of $3,930.54
Save money
Don't Overdraw in my Checking Account
Stop borrowing money
Learn about investing in the Stock Market
Build money with current properties
Refinance both homes
Pay off Student Loans
Make money online
Stop spending unnecessarily

These are just a few things that I am going to achieve. I will post every other day to let you know my ups and downs. Things I have learned and even things that where not successful. I would like to do all of these things in at least 3 years to date.