So for 2011 goals:

1) Pay off GEMoney loan.
2) Pay off car loan then continue $400/month into car fund.
3) Max 401k/IRA.
4) Save $6000 towards opening AssetBuilder account.
5) Reach $8000 target emergency fund.

It's been a weird cashflow month. I wouldn't say I necessarily overspent on Christmas, but I didn't do a very good job of having the money saved up and in the right accounts to spend, so January was a fair amount of transferring and timing games. Annoying.

Progress:

1) Pay off GEMoney loan. - Complete!
2) Pay off car loan then continue $400/month into car fund. ($744.22/$3589) 20.7%
3) Max 401k/IRA. ($1437/$16500 - 8.7%, $208/$5000 - 4.2%)
4) Save $6000 towards opening AssetBuilder account.
5) Reach $8000 target emergency fund. ($4574/$8000 - 57.2%)

Jan NI: $1756

I swear - the closer I get to feeling like I've really made a difference in things, the higher the probability of something coming along to trip me up. It's some universal rule or something.

Nothing major - just somewhat unexpected car maintenance. Cars make me feel stupid. I hate it. In any other area of my life, I feel fully capable of making qualified rational reasonable informed decisions. Car stuff comes up and I just want someone to make it go away. Argh.

Panda,

I work for a car dealership and hate the whole car maintenance thing too. It makes me feel so dumb!!!! Too bad you have to deal with this and the obstacles in your way right now.

I once vowed to never have to take my cars to a mechanic ever again, and I made good on that promise. There's not a mechanical device on my cars that I couldn't diagnose, rebuild, and or replace, including engines and transmissions. You're probably better off paying the $80 or $120/hour that mechanics charge, assuming you have a good one you can trust. Cars are my hobby (and being a mechanical engineer helps), but unless you want to end up with a garage full of expensive tools and spend a lot of your free time risking injury, many things are better left to the pros. It took years before I started seeing cost benefits of doing my own work, because early on you have to buy a lot of stuff and you waste a lot of time making rookie mistakes and driving back and forth to buy parts and materials. Honestly, the payoff from doing your own plumbing work is much better, though arguably plumbing is the dirtier job.

Thanks to both of you for the thoughts. I did pull a little bit out of my EF to help cover the expenses, but will put it back next month.

All in all, things are still fine. BF and I both filed our taxes - refunds come in another week or so.

Progress:

1) Pay off GEMoney loan. - Complete!
2) Pay off car loan then continue $400/month into car fund. ($1490/$3589 - 42%)
3) Max 401k/IRA. ($2875/$16500 - 17.4%, $648/$5000 - 13%)
4) Save $6000 towards opening AssetBuilder account.
5) Reach $8000 target emergency fund. ($4377/$8000 - 54.7%)

Feb NI: $1424

A hit to my EFund this month with the car repairs, but my tax refund will come in next week. It will pay off the last of my car loan *woot!* then bump up the Efund.

I sent the payoff check for my car loan last week. I'm all antsy for it to clear!!! Want to see it!!!!

Patience is not my strong suit.

wooooooot!!!!!congratulations!!!!

It cleared!!!! Loan shows $0 - Account Closed. Woohoo!!!! Yaaaay!!

First auto-savings transferred already bumped up to account for the reduced monthly expenses.

Way to go!!!!!!!!! That's an awesome accomplishment.

Progress:

1) Pay off GEMoney loan. - Complete!
2) Pay off car loan then continue $400/month into car fund. - Complete!
3) Max 401k/IRA. ($4313/$16500 - 26.1%, $1064/$5000 - 21.2%)
4) Save $6000 towards opening AssetBuilder account. - Goal on hold
5) Reach $8000 target emergency fund. ($4777/$8000 - 59.7%)

Progress:

1) Pay off GEMoney loan. - Complete!
2) Pay off car loan then continue $400/month into car fund. - Complete!
3) Max 401k/IRA. ($5750/$16500 - 34.8%, $1482/$5000 - 29.6%)
4) Save $6000 towards opening AssetBuilder account. - Goal on hold
5) Reach $8000 target emergency fund. ($5324.69/$8000 - 66.6%)


Recieved my clear title for my car in the mail last week. Was surprisingly nice to see.

Other than that, kind of a spendy month - took advantage of spring sales to add to my work wardrobe. Money well spent, but since I tend to do it in large bursts, noticeable in the spending trend.

Gearing up for a trip to London in September. BF and I are focusing on saving money towards that, so trying to tighten down until then.

Happy Belated Birthday!!!

Progress:

1) Pay off GEMoney loan. - Complete!
2) Pay off car loan then continue $400/month into car fund. - Complete!
3) Max 401k/IRA. ($7188/$16500 - 43.6%, $1901/$5000 - 38.0%)
4) Save $6000 towards opening AssetBuilder account. - Goal on hold
5) Reach $8000 target emergency fund. ($5529/$8000 - 69.1%)

Things are mostly boring right now. Planning/paying for vacation, saving, trying to eat at home, etc.