Well it's June 14th and I have not used the air conditioning!

We had a no heat contest in the fall that had quite a few contestants well into winter- anyone want to step up to the "no air conditioning" plate?

I thought of turning mine on today but decided to suffer through- reminding me to see how everyone else is doing.

Things are going well. I have recently had a few financial issues crop up.

*BB signed his contract for his new/old team and he is getting paid his original amount! But they will not reimburse him for the money he lost during the 1 month he was traded. I am happy for him, he did very well considering what they could have made him sign. So far he has had 2 outings with the team- did ok the first outing- allowed 1 run- but last night he did much better allowing no runs in 3 innings, though 2 people got on base. (just my moment to brag)

* I got my first paycheck from my new job and they only took out $7.00 for taxes!? It was for 1 weeks pay- but doesn't that seem wrong? I don't really understand what to file under- so I filed married with 1 dependent. (BB makes less than 10k a year so he feels like a dependent sometimes. LOL.)

*I have had 3 NSD's in a row! It is much much easier to not spend money when BB is away. I feel much "healthier" financially- finally saving money coming in than having a negative cash flow.

* I got to try out my new 2009 budget now that June has rolled around. It's a little complicated. I had to open 2 new savings accounts and break up checks to go into different accounts. I need to learn a streamlined version. I currently have 3 savings accounts and 1 checking account...is that excessive?

Nothing new to report other than I enjoy reading everyone's blogs. I don't have time to read every blog, sometimes I miss a whole days worth of blogs- but I try to hit this site at least once a day and see whats going on.

Everyone here is very enthusiastic, meticulous, and bright. It's a breath of fresh air to see well thought out actions, thoughts of future consequences, and discipline.

Sometimes it's a nice relief from the real world- where everyone appears impatient, foolish and selfish.

Maybe it was just a hard day.

I hate bugging people about my job. But I have been working at job A for 8 days. I have it about 80% down. My boss has put in a fair amount of time showing me software, procedures and stuff. It is mildly stressful, likely to be not at all stressful when I have the hang of it. I like it. I don't love it. Nothing too exciting, but it's pleasant. It pays $10 hr and maybe $50 week commission (depends). No benefits/no vacation (though I can take a day off here and there- the boss is cool.)/no raise till December.

Job B at the University has called again. They want to set up a job interview for 1.5 weeks from now. They want to fill the position by early July. It's a sales job, meeting quotas (I think I will be good at it), and don't know much else about it. I asked for $15 hr and was told it would not be a problem. Don't know about benefits/vacation/raises/commission.

I am kind of 'invested' in job A, and feel they are 'invested' in me.

I kind of want to approach job A and explain the situation. That job B might be available, and will pay $15 hr and I don't want to leave Job A, I like it, but cannot pass up the extra $5 hr. Then ask if Job A can match it.

I feel that Job A will then think "well- she is worth that pay, but what if she comes back to us in 1 month and asks for another raise? Whoever heard of an employee threatening for a raise after 1 week? When will it stop?"

So- suggestions?

I know everyone is going to come at me that I should interview first then worry about this. But if I interview for Job B, I need to take time off work at Job A- and would rather not go through the guilt of lying- or living in this "what do I do?" mindset.

I am working on a budget to use for the rest of 2009, now that I am working, and can predict my future paychecks. I am trying to include as many of my 2009 savings goals as I can. I am worried I made the budget too tight. I am not including any income my husband makes because he needs the money for his own expenses.

(My CA & GA incomes are rental incomes I net after monthly associated fees are paid. )

2009 Year Budget Allotment
starting June 1
7 months left in the calendar year

*CA Income: $1250 /month
Save 100% for future CA renovation
$1250 x 7 = $8750.00

*GA Income:$1050/month
100% for GA Mortgage Payment

*Work Income:$1300/month = Bills

Monthly Bills = $605 House Bills +$360 Savings +$335 Spending

$65 Brinks Home Alarm Security
$170 medical Insurance
$100 electric
$40 water
$120 Car(s)& Umbrella insurance
$110 cable/phone/internet
$300 Emergency Fund
$60 vacation/wedding travel
$335 spending

Emergency Savings /Goal $4,000
Start with $1900.00
$300 month EF
$300 x 7=2100.00 + $1900 start =$4,000

Wedding-Vacation-Travel/Goal= $420
$15 Week/$60 Month x 7=$420

Spending
$335.00 spending/4= $83 a week to spend

Home Improvement Savings
(commission checks only)
$300-600 monthly Commission
$2100.00-$4200.00 a year

(Fun Mortgage Fact: Paying $1050.00 every month (extra $108)
Total interest paid over the life of the loan (no pre-payment): $126,850.90
Total interest paid over the life of the loan (with pre-payment): $88,420.74
Saving:
Total interest saved: $38,430.17
30 yr loan will become a 22 yr loan)

So is this a do-able budget or am I setting myself up for failure?

Well, I guess I have a full time permanent job. My boss was not in the office today, but I am on the schedule for Monday, and the HR staff sent me paperwork to fill out.

Looking through the papers, I learned: That I am being paid $10 hr, I do not get benefits, I get 5 vacation days after 1 yr work, I do not get a raise/evaluation until December.

I am disappointed. I certainly expected a full time position that I ended up in would pay a good amount more, and provide benefits. Emotionally I swing from anger and feeling used to happy to be employed. I am angry at myself for naming such a low pay and believing I would be happy at that level of pay. I was just so tired of not getting the other jobs, that I thought pay might be a tipping factor in favor of hiring me- so I undercut myself by a lot. Now I have negative thoughts about this job. It's my own fault, but I am bitter.

I know most jobs only provide at the most 5% raises, and at that rate it would take me 5 or more years to make the money I earned at my last job- so I guess I worked my way into a situation where I have to leave this job. Just a matter of figuring out the timing. How long to stay and have them be a great reference? Whats the shortest I can stay and use them as a great reference?

I am not sure what I am going to do as far as looking for other employment, but if that University job I talked about earlier comes calling, I should have no guilt leaving this job behind.

Anyways, today work was easier than it's been. I am getting better at the job. Or- I am getting better at figuring things out. There is still much to learn, but since I now know the basics- the rest is getting easier.

Hey- at least I accomplished one of my 2009 goals! (getting a full time job).

And at least I will have a positive cash flow rather than the negative cash flow of the last 3 1/2 months. Now I can get started accomplishing those other 2009 goals!

(See?? Bitterness to optimism, I don't know how I feel about this job.)

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed right now. It's the new job. I have been there a few days, and I'm not sure how I fit into it.

I am in the transition phase adjusting to my new job and it is stressful. I thought this was a temp job walking in, with an option to become permanent- but everything might be different now.

As a new employee, I am not sure whats going on, but the company seems understaffed. My boss is taking over the work of 2 additional offices while they find replacements for the empty offices- and I am trying to keep up with the secretary work that comes with those new offices- until they find office managers for those locations- as well as handle the regular, local office. It was proposed that I was going to be traveling between 2 offices- but would work in the local office while the local manager is on vacation.

My local stint is finished and now I have been told the permanant local manager might be getting promoted and will not be returning back. So they need me to fill in during this adjustment time.

I now don't know if I might be in consideration for the local job, if I am still in the plans for the traveling job, or if they even want to keep me at all.

I dont have an email, I dont know about benefits/vacation time/commission/pay schedule, and I am actually not on the payroll yet. I have contacted HR twice to fax me paperwork, but the HR person was sick one day, and I have a suspicion our fax machine is broken. My boss hasn't looked at it- it's not a priority for him right now, but none of my faxes to clients have gone through, and we have never received a fax. (Though I don't know if anyone has tried to send us one- being an office I would assume faxes are coming in as often as I try to send them out.) -Anyways, the fax machine is not very important to this story.

I am a bit confused about the whole thing. I am confused about where I fit into the company, and how I am performing at the company. I don't know if I am doing well. I have not created any problems, but I kill myself at work to teach myself how the software runs, how the business is organized, and to figure out solutions to client complaints without bothering my boss.

Sometimes I spend 20 min trying to figure out something I either- have been shown how to do before, but have forgotten, or I have not been shown, but inherently know it is easy to figure out and I should know it. I finally give up and ask my boss about it. I get a hesitant blank "your kidding me right?" look and then I am shown how to do it, or I get the "I'll just do it later" response. (and then I STILL don't know how to do it!) So in those times, I am certain they will not keep me at the job, they will question their judgment in hiring me, and decide they are better off hiring someone else. But then occasionally, my boss will show me how to do something new. Completely new- not something I was doing wrong before. An added responcibility. In these cases I am relieved I am being prepared for the future, but I just don't feel secure.

I guess they are testing out me, I am testing out them, and that's why this is stressful.

When is it over? When do I get my self confidence back? When do I start getting a better idea of what I am expected to do? I thought this job would be easy as cake. And I think it will be easy in the future. But filling in for someone who already does it so well- I feel like I am just totally incompetent.

Well I appreciate all the career advice. Seems I just need to do what is right for me and not worry about how it disrupts the employer. I hate being the cause of problems, but I cant look out for others when it conflicts with looking out for me.

On to other ramblings...

BB has changed a bit in the last few months. Matured...not really the right word. Changed his outlook, or his sense of identity.

Since purchasing the house, BB has been a bit different. He loves owning the house. He loves the house, as do I. He loves making improvements, he loves talking about future improvements.(And he has a lot of big expensive dreams for this house.)

BB has been less focused on baseball. This was the first time he went off for the season without putting in a million hours to prepare for the season. Dare I say he was unprepared for the season.
He just wasn't focused on baseball. Baseball wasn't a priority. The house was a priority.

It seems BB has a new sense of accomplishment besides baseball. I think BB believed 'baseball' was his thing. People made more money, people had boats and cars, but no one was a pro baller and that was what set BB apart. That was what BB accomplished in life.

But owning the house has given BB a new focus. His family is so proud of him, he is so proud of himself. He really feels independent from his parents, the house has grown him up some.

And now BB is faced with a bit of a conflict. He sees how much money it takes to carry the house, he has dreams of major improvements...and he cant do any of it on his baseball salary. Even when I find a full time job, we cannot spread the money to go to all the areas we need to be saving (EF/retirement/savings for a baby/improvements). He finally sees the cost of continueing to chase the baseball dream.

And so yesterday one of his friends who is a pro scout called BB and asked when he will be retiring. He says he can get BB a job as a pro scout starting off at $35k a year, with a company car, a cell phone and a computer. And BB accepted.

Well, nothing is final. Everyone has to wait till October when the season ends before new scouts are hired on. But BB told him that he does want a scouting job.

I cant help but imagine our life when BB is making a real paycheck. I am already spending the money in my head! (not on clothes, but on mortgage paydown, and savings accounts.)

BB seems ok that this is his last year. For the first time he feels aggravated and used for the money he is (not) making. He feels more valuable than the money he is making. This coming from a man who last year said he would play for free if he had too...this is quite a change.

I truly think it was finding a sense of pride outside of baseball. It was finding 'something' that was worth sacrificing the baseball dream, or finding a new step in life that made him feel he has lived out this dream, and there is a new dream he wants to get started on.

For me, I am cautious. Once BB gets into the swing of the season, starts winning some games- this could all change. Winning and yelling fans have a strong pull on him.

If he changes his mind, I will be disapointed. I cant pay everything on my own, and I will resent him. Sometimes I resent him already. But those days a few and far between, but hard when they come. It helps me NOT resent him knowing that this is the last season.

Baseball players careers always end badly. They rarely retire on top. For a player to retire, they are either injured beyond rehabilitation, or they are released because they are not good enough. One is a source of bitterness and lifelong pain, the other is humiliating and also causes bitterness. If BB retired because he found another interest (our house, or a job), then he has a chance to go out on his terms. He has a chance to make the decision, rather than having it made for him. But he needs to really mentally be prepared to retire. He needs to be excited to retire. He needs to feel like baseball is holding him back from something, rather than providing him with something.

I think he is close to there. He looks at the game differently than he did. He talks more like a coach or a scout than a player. He assess other players abilities and thinks about the team as a dynamic whole, rather than how he alone is contributing. He is concerned with helping other players, rather than looking at them as competition. He's just talking and thinking a little differently than last year.

And if he does decide to retire after the season- I will feel a sense of accomplishment in myself. That I didn't force him to retire and give up his dream. That I stood by him and supported him. I will feel proud that I do have a husband who dreams big and tries. (It's easier to be proud that your spouse dreams when they are done dreaming and have given up).

I hope that if he does retire- that he felt he went as far as he could. That he played till the end, and he is excited for a new chapter in life. I do get excited about a bigger paycheck coming in, but know that the paycheck wont be big enough if he ends up regretting the decision and complains for the rest of his (our) life.

And this is all very far into the future. We still have to get me a regular employment job, and finish out this season before we can see what options are available for him. But it keeps me looking ahead.

Its raining cats & dogs outside, a good day to get into a blog and organize whats on my mind.

I recently posted my concern for a job offer paying below my worth. Well-the plot thickens.

I decided to have a discussion at the end of the week and explain my value and ask for more money. I decided to walk away if I don't get $13.00 hr.

Then yesterday morning I got a phone call. The call is from a local university about a job I reaaallllyyy want and would be perfect for. I had applied for the job weeks ago, but university bureaucracy- everything takes forever.

The university is starting up a masters in business program in the fall and will need an enrollment counselor to talk with students, sell the program and handle the paperwork. The woman asked me my pay rate and I boldly told her I need $15 per hour and she said that was no problem. We talked further and she said she will be in town conducting interviews in June, and hopes to have the position filled in early July.

I REALLY want this job. It's right in line with previous work I have done, continuing education is an industry I like, and I would be getting in at the ground floor of a huge University program. And it pays well! And BB plans to start finishing his college degree in the fall and I wonder if I might get a discount for him...or maybe a free education for him.

So now the question is what to do. I start the office job tomorrow. The university will not be interviewing for 2 weeks, or fill the position for 6 weeks.

Do I continue with my plan to raise my pay at the office even though I am hoping I will be providing my 2 weeks notice in 4 weeks? Do I work at the office for $10 hr for the next few weeks, then negotiate a higher pay in 4 weeks if I do not receive the University position?

I do want to work for the next few weeks while waiting on the University thing to pan out. But I also know I might not get the University job no matter how much I think I am perfect for it. I don't want to screw over this new/current employer, but do want to take the University job if it is offered. What should I do?

I think I need help. I feel a bit overwhelmed and disappointed right now.

I interviewed for a job a few days ago. An office job that is not terribly exciting but I know I can do it easily.

Early in the interview the man explained to me it was a temp job; to work for 1 week while his regular staff manager was on vacation. I knew it was for 1 week, it was in the job ad. 1 weeks pay is 1 weeks pay for the unemployed right now.

So, he asks me what salary I want to be paid. I said $10.00 per hour. I said this because I have no idea of this jobs pay grade, and $10 hr is my rock bottom salary. I have not been hired for several other jobs that I interviewed for, and I'm a bit desperate. I want this week long job and $400 minus taxes is better than $0.

So the interview continues and I know I can do the job. It's not difficult.

Well the interviewer starts to like me and says he might be able to hire me on as a 'floating manager' between 2 of his other offices that are each located an hour away. Neither of those 2 offices has a manager, though this local office does have a manager.

I agree to this idea and say I am fine with it. And I am fine with it. I don't mind the idea of driving and spending 2-3 days at each office a week.

So a few days later he calls to offer me the job(s). He asks me to work at the local office for the week the manager is on vacation, and to then work permanently as a floating manager between the other 2 offices each located an hour away.

He tells me the pay is $10 hr (surprise surprise) and I am going to start this week for training.

Now onto my dilemma-
$10 hr is fine for a week long temp job that is 10 min from where I live.

I have a problem driving 2 hrs a day unpaid, to work for $10 an hour. And not get benefits.

I currently pay $200 a month for my own benefits and was looking forward to dropping that bill once I started working full time. Or at least getting paid enough that the $200 a month wasn't a large chunk of change.

I figure, that after paying out of pocket for gas/milage, my own benefits, PLUS 10 hours of unpaid driving a week- I am clearing around $5 an hour.

I need to renegotiate with this employer. I figure I will do the 1 week in the local office for $10 hr, and ask for a time to meet with him at the end of the week to try to renegotiate my pay rate.

But is this a satisfactory argument? I am a horrible horrible negotiator.I am so uncomfortable doing it. I don't know what is reasonable to ask for. I am not familiar with the industry or this companies profit margin to know what might be a standard pay grade. I do believe the local office manager might be getting paid MORE- because this man does not want her training me, I will have no contact with her though I will be doing her job for the week she is on vacation. I would guess he doesn't want us talking about our salaries.

I don't care if I make more or less than this woman. I care about making the money I am worth. I care about not having this sick feeling in my stomach thinking about what happens if gas prices rise, or the mileage that will be added on my car, or my unpaid commute everyday.

He doesn't have to hire two employees, I am doing the job of 2 people, saving him one salary.

I just want a pay that doesn't make me feel insulted or angry. Am I being reasonable...What can I say to effectively get a raise?

Well it's been a roller coaster few last days. I am deep in the trenches looking for a job. It is SO FRUSTRATING!! It's hard not to take it personally when you don't get called in for an interview for a job you want. Or worse, a job you think you are way overqualified for.

It's hard not to get discouraged when you spend so much time answering job ads online and the jobs are all FAKE and creative ways to fill your inbox with spam and get you to fill out their phishing pages.

I don't know if its recent but a popular ad on craigslist is advertising great sounding jobs, then when you apply, they send you an email saying that "After reviewing your resume, you have fit the qualifications for the job, but due to the economy/viruses/company policy- they want you to present your credit score to them before they interview you, a free credit check can be found at XXX site." That SOUNDS legitimate! I learned about the scam by responding to their email with a request to do a credit check after the interview and the reply to sender was a fraud account. Since then over 50% of the jobs I apply for send me the same request for a credit check. Ugh. So frustrating that you cant tell legitimate jobs from Spam until after you have applied.

Anyways, I had one legit job offer for a low low wage, but the guy kept commenting on the way I looked and talked about how employees thought he was sleeping with his former assistant-so I declined the offer.

A lot of Work from home jobs that are cleverly disguised on craigslist too.

I have been inundated with commission only jobs selling insurance of some sort. A friend of mine decided to start selling life insurance and he has made about 3k this month...but hes working a lot and has been spouting "living the dream, if I can then I will" motivational stuff that his company is feeding him. He is sounding a bit cultish. Always trying to sell it to me or get me to sell under him.

I was called in yesterday to interview for a retail job. Retail is an industry I have ALWAYS fallen back on and its an industry I excel. It also drives me bat s***crazy. I can only tolerate retail for about a year and then must find a non retail job. I thought my previous retail management experience and degrees would at least get me head manager job, but no. I must complete a corporate mandatory 90 day "manager trainee" program earning MINIMUM WAGE for the 90 days then I am promoted to assistant manager and then can graduate to manager.
I am thinking about actually taking this job, because:
*I MUST wear jeans and flip flops at the store. (yes! I hate professional wardrobes!)
*I can stop looking for a job. (I mentioned looking for a job is ego crushing and awful- right?)
*I do like retail. I am good at it. I can excel at this job very quickly.
* Its fun working with younger college kids, music blaring, and talking about boys and other teenager angst type stuff. I admit I am not so keen on working with
adults who have real problems to deal with.

BUT:
* it pays minimum wage for 90 DAYS. I don't know what it pays after that. (I would guess in the $9-10 hr range). I was hoping to get into this job for maybe a year tops and get out when an office job becomes available.
*I have not worked for $10 hr since 2004. Is it really a huge regression for me to work for pay I earned 5 years ago or is it a sign of the times?
*I am working with teeny boppers. This is a big name brand clothing store that you wish your teenager didn't shop at because the clothes are so incredibly expensive (and they are sold wrinkled!). I think it might be REALLY ego crushing to be working alongside other managers who are 5 years younger than me.

Should I take it? It am so torn. And I just don't know what I am worth right now.

I miss you guys. Ya'll were so helpful when I had crazy questions about the economy and encouraging when I was saving for a house. Then I buy a house and *poof* my enthusiasm for this site dissipates.

I really need to get back into this site because the spending has been crazy and there is no accountability.

The house projects are nearing finished. I will be painting our foundation, steps and front porch all weekend. And we need to have our roof repaired after a major storm came through last week.

But BB leaves to play baseball soon so we hope the home improvements will end with his departure.

I have been looking for a job. After learning to sift through the 100% commission sales jobs, I have been on 2 legitimate interview. I have been so distracted with starting a new life here in GA that I have not given the job hunt the commitment it deserves either.

But our new home and new life is better than I expected. We are making friends, and now we live closer to our college friends. So we seem to have house guests or be out several times a week. It's a wonderful change from the feeling of isolation I had in FL.

Anyways, I'm signing off, I am interested to read what is going on in your lives nowadays.

So, I'm not sure whats going on with me- if this is a transitional phase for me or maybe I am different now. I have lost my interest in money!!!

It's true. I don't care anymore. I barely keep track of my expenses (but I do...but not meticulously). I just spend money when I feel like it. I don't watch MSNBC anymore, and I don't care about the dollar figures in my bank accounts.

Being as involved with my money as I was when I was saving for a house took up a lot of my time. I no longer want to devote that time to my money.

I don't know if it's guilt because I am eating out with friends several times a week, I am still buying things for the house, or if I no longer care because I am no longer saving up for a big ticket item.

BUT there is some hope yet. Finally! Things have slowed down around the house where I no longer "need" anything for it. So the purchases have stopped. And! I have a few "big" projects I want to do now that I previously didn't plan for (move a palm tree to close to the house, repour concrete front steps)and maybe that will inspire me to start getting financially minded again.

I am very motivated to get a job, so hopefully actually working for money will cause me to take an interest in where it goes.

I don't want to be in debt. I don't want to be irresponsible! I don't want to wake up one day and be years away from financial freedom! I am going to try and be a smidge more responsible and hope that kicks me into gear.

Anybody here like to garden?

If you do, even if you do it a little bit; you probably know more than me.

Lately I have been really into gardening. I created a flower bed and have slowly been adding plants.

The trouble is, when you go to the nursery and read the little tag attached to the plant in the store...you still have no idea if this plant will work in your flower bed! You don't get an idea how tall it grows, if it gets bushy, if the leaves fall off in the winter (I hate it when the plants look dead all winter).

So I am starting to experiment. I am very nervous. I don't know about my soil yet. I don't know how acidic it is. Nor do I care to figure it out at this point. From what I read that is pretty important though.

Anyways, I just bought two gardenia bushes but they are very little! I'm impatient!

And so I wonder...is the garden I plant "now" (this season) going to be the garden I like for a few years...or will it grow in looking awful? Do beginner gardeners generally "get it right" on their first try? Are there any ways to mess up a garden? What mistakes should I avoid?

This is frustrating because all the plants are tiny and so I don't know how it will look in a year or two. I don't know how it will pull together.

I am trying to only plant periannuals so that there is not a lot of ripping out and redoing...but its tough trying to find plants just based on that little tiny tag. It seems if left to grow, that all bushes eventually get too big, all garden edgers get out of control, and all ground cover eventually takes over everything. Ugh.
Anyways, here is what I am trying to achieve:

you see, that "wild, kind of not really organized, extra full" type of look.

And this is what I have (don't laugh!):

It's super organized looking! I am afraid to plant wildly and impulsively! I am afraid I will screw this up!

But this is what I started with:


So yeah- gardening is on my mind.

I have decided NOT to become an insurance saleswoman. For now. I will revisit the opportunity in a few weeks if I cannot find another job.

I applied for 5 more jobs today. Insurance data entry, dental hygienist(OK! I know I don't know how to do that, but the ad never mentioned going to school or being licensed...and it pays $30/hr), Human resources/payroll, dating coordinator (part time, I think the pay is bad...but I am setting people up on dates! How FUN!) and a marketing rep.

So we will see.

I had another interview today. Another sales job. This time selling life/medical insurance. I got the whole dog & pony show presentation and left confused.

The company will fly me to a training center for a week where I am paid $30 a day for meals (they comp hotel/airfare). Then I come back and 'shadow' a rep for 4 weeks where I am paid the commissions they earn. Then I go into the field. I make phone calls 3 days a week trying to set appointments then go to the persons home the other 2 days a week to do a presentation at the appointments.

I wouldn't mind trying it out, but...there are a few drawbacks.

I have to pay $300 to get licensed.
It's a lot of time spent on training before you even find out if you are good at it.
It's a lot of wear on my new 2008 vehicle.
No part time work allowed.

It's the 'no part time work' that concerns me. I have worked in call centers, I have worked retail and it takes about a year before I am burned out. I am very good at sales but sometimes if I have the wrong attitude I just suck at my job. And when I feel "trapped" in a job- my attitude goes waaay down. I am really looking for a stress free job right now where it's not a lot of "taking your work home with you". Right now I am willing to sacrifice $$ for the less stress.

The presenter kept emphasizing that most insurance agents make $50k a year their first year, and I just wonder how many hours it takes for that 50k. I am really just looking for 30k a year in exchange for flexibility/freedom/and a secure job.

I feel very selfish. I have been in sales my whole life. I know I am a good seller. And I have been on 2 job interviews for sales...but I feel like I already "invested" in my future by spending 3 yrs getting a masters degree and I don't want to "invest" in a job that may make me large sums of money down the road, but also may not.

These commission only jobs require a lot of risk and upfront investment. Granted the commissions here are larger than the last interview job...but I need to pony up $300 for a license and spend so much time in training to possibly turn around and decide halfway through that this is not for me.

I have seen insurance salesmen and know it's a stressful, time consuming job. Does the reward merit the invested time calling to set appointments, driving around, and getting licensed? Or is this an industry for suckers or extremely motivated/ambitious people? Am I awful that I already know I am not ambitious or incredibly motivated?

Well I did not take the "marketing" job selling for commission pay. I think I could have done it, but a year from now I think I would have been burned out, and I didn't like how they would reveal bits and pieces of their programs to me every time I went in for an interview, 2nd interview, orientation. I started to wonder if a big bombshell of "now you must pay US/buy equipment for this job" was around the corner.

So today is designated job hunting day.

In other news the house is fantastic. BB hung cabinet doors on our built in bookcases, and I created a flower bed out front.


Nothing else to really report other than I will be looking for a job and our spending has slowed down considerably. Thankful the money floodgates are almost closed again.

Well, it's been a while since I have been in the mainstream workforce. Seems things have changed a bit.

"Marketing" means: selling. "Generating leads" means: hard selling. "Management training" means: Good enough to be on your own (managing yourself?). "Pay is negotiable, $25k-$45k a year" means: Commission.

So today I had my second interview. More like an orientation. The job is standing around in department stores selling products.

I already told you the end of the story, but this is the ad I responded to:

"Looking for marketing representatives to work as aggressive lead generators in an on going campaign. Work for one of the top companies in Georgia. We aim to provide customers with the everyday value and uncompromising customer service that has made us so successful. We are now accepting applications for Marketing Consultants in our business development unit. Previous experience in sales, financial sales or self-employment a plus but not required."

My interview asked about my schooling and interests, and vaguely explained the job as "creating marketing campaigns to sell XX product. You will be traveling to work with clients. Hours are long and some days end at 8pm. Is that something you might be interested in?"

In my ignorant brain I thought the job was actual marketing. Like developing campaigns to sell the product. Not standing around asking people to sign up for a service for only commission pay.

So today (on the second interview)I got the full jist of the job. Standing around. Harassing people. Working on commission only. 40 hrs a week. Working full weekends. High school education preferred.

But here's the thing. I think I am going to try it out.

BECAUSE: the company just expanded into this city a few weeks ago and has 2 high up employees that have been sent here to get the business running up here. The job of these two men is to hire, hire, hire and create a full, well running office. Right now they are in full time hire mode to get the office off the ground, but they need people to take over the more complex "managerial" jobs that the best employees will get promoted to. Right now, from whom I have seen hired- my education outranks everyone by far. I have the advantage to be promoted very quickly. AND the head exec pulled me aside and said he wants to go back to FL (where they expanded from) ASAP and as soon as the office is self-sufficient he wants to go back to FL and wanted to see if I was interested in replacing him down the line. I ran around with him for 5 hrs today as my orientation and I can definitely do his job.

Beyond that, the man who hired me has been with the company 9 months and has already been promoted to head exec or whatever his title is.

So I just need to prove I am reliable, dependable, and I can effectively do the job I will be asking everyone else to do if promoted.

Beyond that, I make $140 per sale so I figure why not give it a shot and if I am no good then that will be a quick discovery. If I turn out to be good at it but hate it, maybe I can negotiate working part time and get a less insane job elsewhere.

New hubby thinks I will suck at the job and wants me to not show up tomorrow. He wants me to have a 9-5 "showy" job that utilizes my masters degree and pays benefits. I am more realistic and know those jobs are hard to find. I am willing to give this a shot but he is very pessimistic about my success.

Second job interview today. Rather than focus on all the things I will be losing as a result of taking this job; I will focus on the positives.

*I can get my eyebrows waxed regularly as opposed to only before big events.
*I can get haircuts regularly as opposed to once every three months.
*I will feel better about our retirement situation.
*I will feel more self worth and better valued.
*I will have money to travel to see my friends (though I will have less time to visit them).
*Big house renovations can start sooner.
*I will have more money to put into the emergency fund and therefore be better prepared in the future.
*I can pay down my mortgage faster and be less in debt.
*I can purchase more things on my credit card and earn more cash back bonus points Joke!

that's about it. Does not seem like much but that will have to do.

I think I have a job. I applied to a couple places on Sunday and was called in for an interview yesterday and they want to do a second interview tomorrow.

In this economy and job market I am grateful. I really am. But I'm not excited.

I don't like working for other people or big corporations. I dont like answering to people and making them money. I cant think of a single job that gets me excited unless it's some work-from-home or self-employment business.

But in this economy and this stage in life the smart thing to do is get a job. So it looks like I have one. As long as tomorrow goes well I might be on the payroll starting next week.

I don't know what the pay is. They start me on a probation trial for 2-3 months then will place me into a management training program.

I am lucky that I don't NEED any certain amount to live so I am flexible on the pay.

I am looking for a job that allows me to punch in, get the work done during my shift, then punch out and not have to worry about it. I hate "taking my work home with me". Since I prefer to "work to live" rather than "live to work", this trial period seems up my ally but if I move into management I might be getting into a situation that means more stress and more hours with that more pay option. So we'll see.

The good things are:
*I will meet people my own age or a bit younger.
*I have the opportunity to move up.
*It's about 10 min drive from my house.
*I am a little overqualified for it so I think I will get moved up quickly if I want to be moved up.

I'll play it by ear and see how it goes.

Grrrr....took dog to the vet yesterday to the tune of $325.00. She was throwing up and had diarrea. During the drive to the vet BB and I discussed how our vet always gives such good care but charges a bundle for it. We decided that this time around our dog doesnt need exceptional care. She needs some antibiotics and that's the end of it.

Guess what? Once at the vet, he starts talking about all the possibilities that could be wrong with her, all the possible sources of her sickness. He says "I'm just going to run some blood tests to check her white cell count, check her pancreas, check this, this and that." I was prepared for the vet wanting to do bloodwork and had a response waiting "no. If you dont mind can we just try some antibiotics and see if that helps her? We are on a tight budget and don't think the tests are necessary yet."

But I held my tongue! I didn't say it! I don't know why. The vet gets so darn reactive to all the possible things that could be wrong with her I kind of feel like it would be animal abuse to not allow the tests to be run. As it is he was already telling us she was running a fever and how did we not notice she was sick earlier?

I guess I feel like she is our child and no good parent tells a Dr to "skip the tests just give the medicine."

Then of course once I looked up the receipt and the "tests and blood drawing" was $110 of the bill I had major buyers remorse.

So I'm still bitter about that one. Very very bitter.

I have a weird family history in that my fathers kids from another marriage were estranged for my whole life and I only recently met them and now we are pretty tight and see each other at least once a year.

Anyways, I just saw them a few days ago and learned an interesting tidbit.

During a conversation about her finances, my sister told me our brother (age 35) has already paid off his mortgage. He paid it off in 2 years.

According to everyone who knows him, my brother has always been cheap, frugal, thrifty. My father was the same way. I THOUGHT I was like my dad because I was financially minded and always a little frugal but my brother takes it to a different level with the craigslist, freecycle, and coupons. I always agreed with my brothers mindset to look for free before you pay, find the best deal, use money wisely- and my brothers wife has commented I am like him a lot with my way of financial thinking.

Anyways, of course I was stunned to hear they paid off their mortgage in 2 yrs. They sold his townhouse that he had bought before he was married and I don't know what kind of down payment he was able to put down. They bought their current house maybe 5 or 6 years ago and immediately only lived off his income while they applied the wife's entire teaching salary to the mortgage. It took them 2 years to pay off the mortgage. They had their first kid after the mortgage was paid off.

They have lived mortgage free for years now and each year that I have known them they make 1 large improvement in the home. They added a pool with a beautiful deck, they added an addition, they replaced the kitchen appliances.

I am writing this because primarily I am celebrating that for me, this is proof that OUR PLANS WORK! All these thrifty plans, these frugal tools, the wisdom all collectively allows people to live life completely debt free!

Everything my brother and his wife do...all of us savers do! All the wisdom we spread to one another about "dont buy a house bigger than you can afford...pay in cash...use coupons.."- that WORKS!

It sure was nice to actually see a person actively, publicly following a religion I have been secretly trying to learn - and it WORKS!

After being surrounded by financially irresponsible people (just about all my friends) it's a breath of fresh air to see the battle to be debt free can be sucessful. And I am happy BB heard this conversation too- he was really impressed to see that financial diligence really pays off. I have new found respect for my older bro and look forward to really asking him for financial advice in the future.

To recap, I worried:

*About my mortgage falling through the cracks
*If I should buy twin sheets to fit a bed I have had in storage for years.
*If I could find the screws to put said bed together after it gets moved into new house.
*If I should re-use old bathmat and shower curtain in new house or buy new.
*how we were going to scrounge up some extra money to cover unexpected moving/closing expenses.

In the course of the day I have:

* no news yet on mortgage related stuff but that's ok.

*found sheets in storage to fit my twin bed (pretty rose colored).

*Screws are still missing but BB feels confident they can be replaced.

*When cleaning out our closets today, BB found a MOTHERLOAD of expensive clothes with the tags still attached. I'm listing them on ebay tonight, might pull us in an extra $60-70.00. Money could come in handy. However, my new years resolution is to NOT SPEND ANY MONEY EARNED OFF EBAY IN 2009 (Ironic-no?)

Is it true?? How can this be? I just received my stocks statement from December and I MADE $4,000!!

I didn't lose money! I didn't lose money!

I knew December was a better month than previous months but just thought that meant I would only lose a couple thousand, not make a couple!

I hope everyone else made money last month in the market as well, I hope I'm not the only one.

So far this year, nothings really happening. Started off 2009 with a lot of excess purchases of food take out/movies ect. But that has calmed down once I put my foot down. Last month we spent a wee bit much in luxuries and I worried we were backsliding and reforming old habits. 2009 was starting to look crummy but BB and I were both able to adapt back to our frugal ways after a hard day of "fasting" (NSD).

I am proud that though we still WANT things, we are getting deeper into a frugal mindset and it is easier to do without.

We just started tracking spending and being really committed to financial freedom this summer...I am proud of how far we have come. It was very painful the first few months, but it really is getting easier and easier to do without.

And it is easier to train my brain to run numbers/think about long term consequences/and to have a lot of patience.

I am actually surprised that after 28 yrs of thinking one way; I am able to train my mindset against thoughts I grew up with in just a few months. I guess that's part of getting older. Maturing, becoming responsible and doing what is right, not what is easy.

But it was tough- no ignoring that. I can understand why its so easy to "fall off the wagon". It's so much easier to have the mindset to spend than it is to save...but once you get through to developing a comfortable/frugal lifestyle, and creating a mindset that thrills over savings and reacts violently with guilt over stepping out of budget line, life gets easier.

And better. I love the discipline and self control I have. I feel empowered and respect myself more. And I respect my husband too- it's hard enough for me to do this-BB really did not want to do this but did it because I asked him to. And he has changed so much that now he WANTS to save; although he is still a bit liberal with the spending, he has come as far as I have and I love him more for being able to accomplish this change of attitude.

Hopefully the painful part is over and we are on the track to a long, healthy and prosperous life.

Back from vacation. Spent minimal money. Kind of worn out and now turning my attention to the house purchase. The upcoming bills are adding up so I will be asking advice soon enough regarding those.
going to tally up December spending now. Update coming soon.

I am off to pack. We are driving up to NY for the holidays. On the way up we will stop in GA and hang around for the house inspection- then continue on our way.

Happy holidays to everyone- everyone stay safe.

I'll be back around the 1st of the year.

Lets see whats been on my mind...
1. BB's 24yr old sister has a full time job, lives at home and likes to spend. After repeatedly telling her we are having a minimal Christmas this year because we had the wedding last month and bought a house this month- I come to find out she spent $100 on BB & I. *Sigh* so back to her favorite restaurant we go to increase her gift certificate. Next year- I am sitting her down for a discussion- no more saying things and hoping she understands.

2.BB's dad has been stressing us out telling us to hold on the closing of the home till Obama takes office because he might increase the first time buyers credit. I would have been fine if he told us to do that before negotiations started- once we started the seller made it clear he wants to close ASAP and I was agreeable to that. Now BB's dad has told us we should extend out the closing- and I thought I could- but it turned into a hassle and I didn't really get anywhere- and BB's dad keeps voicing his "concern" for "how much money we might lose out on." So BB finally told him to back off because "Gamecock was in a time sensitive situation where she had to make a snap decision, and that's what she decided so that's what we are going to live with."- he really thought he was defending me by saying that too. I just let it go. Didn't even point out how he is telling dad to back off because I made an unfixable mistake. He is proud that he backed me up and "defended me", so whatev.

2. Still pondering how to move 2400 sq ft of items and furniture into 1100 sq ft. Problem is I have all my stuff from childhood- figurines, some stuffed animals, blankets...my bed. And I have my parents things...a million photo albums from their childhood- their years books, my dads old war toys- stuff thats boxed up but hard to store in a no storage house (old houses- they have no closets!). But its ok. If the 2nd bedroom is storage for a while then it's storage for a while.

3. Scrapbooked my wedding into an album for BB's mom for Christmas. Scrapbooking is deceptively expensive; $12 for an album, then $20 for stickers/paper/trimming/stuff...plus I needed a new paper cutter (another $12). And forget that it took me 2 straight days, like, 12 hours to make it! But I love to do it anyways.

4. I messed up on ebay- sent the wrong barbie to the wrong buyer, and their barbie went to the other barbies home. So I will be refunding quite a lot of money and am praying they both do the right thing and send the barbies to the right home. One barbie cost about $50 more than the other- so I know one person wants to do the right thing so they an get their expensive barbie! Anyways, I think I stress about this situation more than they do. Neither buyer has contacted me in a few days, or answered my questions- they were supposed to ship out the dolls to the rightful owner a few days ago and I have heard nothing about it. Oh well. It's out of my hands. I have not refunded any money yet- I told them they will get a refund when I get a Delivery confirmation number so I know the item is on its way to the rightful owner. Whatev there too.
That's it- now I'm off to read all your blogs!

My best friend gave me a $30 Barnes & Noble gift card for my birthday (months & months ago) and I just used it to purchase some online items. Books are WAY cheaper online than in the store!

*I bought a beautiful garnet colored scrapbook to show off my wedding pictures.

*A dinosaur kit for my nephew for Christmas.

*"Debt proof your marriage" book by Mary Hunt. Someone (frugaltexan??) on this site recommended the book to me and I am finally going to read it!

I only had to pay $7 out of my pocket and shipping was FREE for orders over $25.00!!

I have not dropped off the face of the earth! I went to New England for my high school reunion- got back this morning- no thanks to the airlines- and have a ton to do. Cant wait to read all your entries though! And write some of my own. And tally up the November spending!