twelve by 2012 check in!

With about 7 weeks left until 2012, I figured a goal check in post might be in order. I made my list about 3 weeks ago, so let's see how things look!

In progress goals will be in blue, finished or unobtainable goals will be in green.

1. Read 2 books. - I'm currently reading The Power of Half by Hannah and Kevin Salwen. I need to finish this book so that I can move on to my next one.


2. Give Mia, Lila, and Jordan their belated birthday presents, and buy Dan his. - I bought Dan his birthday present. I need to either wrap or get bags for these presents and bring them over to the kids I babysit. So this goal is one that is almost near completion.


3. Post on my blog 3 times a week. -I feel like I'm doing well at posting multiple times a week.


4. Open my etsy shop. - Check it out! YAY One goal completed.


5. Get a job. - Multiple interviews. I'm trucking along with this one. But this one needs to be completed (as apposed to reading books) so I can pay off my loans.


6. Visit Eileen and Kyle before they head to Alaska. - So I set myself up for failure with this one. I don't have the money to take a trip, so unfortunately this goal is not going to happen.


7. Start a little freelance business. - I have business cards designed, though I need to print them. I have a friend with a business who needs a website, so I guess I can consider myself having my first client? I have started planning out what my portfolio will include. But need to make more headway with executing and finishing it.


8. Spend quality time with my friends here. -I've definitely been successful here. I've done dinners and gone to concerts with my friends here. I'm gonna call this goal good.


9. Finish my room design/clean/reorganization/set up. - Really haven't done any work here either. Maybe I will post pictures of what it currently looks like and what I need to do with it!


10. Figure out budget and start saving! -I haven't really worked on this goal yet. I should probably wait until I have a job.


11. Make 5 things (either food or crafts) I've pinned on Pinterest. - Doing well with this goal. I've made 2/5 things.


12. Visit Burlington! -I haven't even figured out when I might want to go. But if I want to go before they leave for Thanksgiving break, I should go soon. Or wait until after they get back from break.

Okay. 6 in progress. 2 finished. 1 unobtainable. Should get crackin on those other 3 that I haven't really worked on yet!

Financial Double Edged Sword

Well, first of all Welcome! To all my new readers. I'll try not to bore you with talking about my cat or student loan debt too much. :) Also, feel free to drop me a line at smalltown20something@gmail.com if you want to chat!

I woke up really early this morning, and my mind was racing everywhere. I was thinking about my student loans (which is a nightmare, really) and I just couldn't get back to bed. So I got up, and ended up taking a nap for a few hours this morning.

Which leaves me with the fact that it is now NOON, and I haven't really got much accomplished today.

SO my plan for today (I must warn you, it's THRILLING!):

• Roll Coins


• Take bottles to redemption center


• Working on my portfolio so that I can try to get some freelance clients!


• Hopefully launch my little etsy store!? This is really the only fun part of my day. I have a few bracelets made, and I'm going to work on some reflective dog and cat collars. Though I'm going to branch out. I'm also planning on making a watch and possibly some headbands! So stay tuned!

I don't know if it's the fact that I woke up at 5AM thinking of student loans, and that is why my financial situation is on my mind today. I don't know. But I'm feeling like my finances are a double edged sword. I am so incredibly thankful and greatful for what I have. I have this computer that I use for blogging, I have parents who make sure I eat. I have a roof over my head, I warm bed to sleep in, and cats and a dog to cuddle with. I feel so lucky that my parents have always been able to provide for my sister and I, and I really hope I can return the favor to them when they are much much older. But it's hard to know that pretty much all the money I have right now needs to go to the student loan payments I need to make. I kind of wish I had some spending money, to buy silly (kind of) frivolous things.

I've pretty much realized that I'm not going to be able to see Eileen and Kyle before they go to Alaska like I wanted to. I was really hoping to hang out, do bloggy things with Eileen and see them. But it's just going to have to wait.

So yeah, that's where I'm at today. Thankful for what I have, but kind of wishing I was in a better situation financially, so that I wouldn't have to worry about spending a few dollars buying my favorite drink from Starbucks.

twelve by 2012

So I have 125 different blogs that I am subscribed to in my Google reader. (You can see a bunch of them listed on the right.) I get a ton of inspiration from these blogs, and from Pinterest. This was how I stumbled upon the blog Oh, hello friend today. Danni is the girl behind the blog. Like me, she has tried doing 101 things in 1001 days. But I love this great idea that she had. I'm a little late to the party, so I have about 10 weeks left in 2011. I'm going to make my own list of goals I have for the rest of 2011. So go and check out the other people doing twelve by 2012 and what other people have planned!

Edit: Items in progress will be in italics, and finished items will be crossed out!

1. Read 2 books. - I have a whole bunch of books in my room and books on my to-read list. So hopefully I can get 2 books off my list read!


2. Give Mia, Lila, and Jordan their belated birthday presents, and buy Dan his. - The kids I babysit all but 1 have already had their birthday. I need to buy one more gift and make sure all the kiddos get their gifts, though they are very very late!


3. Post on my blog 3 times a week. - I definitely feel like I am doing well at keeping up. But I need to keep on trucking. Hopefully I won't loose steam with everything else going on!


4. Open my etsy shop. - I need to make more items for the shop, I need to figure out packaging. Other than that, I already started making the site on etsy, and I have figured out pricing. Check it out!


5. Get a job. - Hopefully I can find something to pay the bills (boo student loans!) and hopefully still give me time to spend time with friends and work on my side projects.


6. Visit Eileen and Kyle before they head to Alaska. - You've heard of Eileen (I <3 My Airman) and hopefully I can see her and her hubby before they head to Alaska!


7. Start a little freelance business. - Hopefully I can find some local businesses that could use web design/marketing/social media or event planning assistance, and take on a client! I made business cards! Need to work on my portfolio and start looking for clients!


8. Spend quality time with my friends here. - I need to see friends I haven't seen in a while and work on spending time with people face to face on a more regular basis. Went out to dinner with a friend today, and I'm going to a concert with a friend on Thursday that I haven't hung out with in a while.


9. Finish my room design/clean/reorganization/set up. - My room has been a serious work in progress. I need to make it fun and functional and definitely update it!


10. Figure out budget and start saving! - Figure out a budget where I save some money aside each month for specific long term goals, and how much 'fun' money I have per month.


11. Make 5 things (either food or crafts) I've pinned on Pinterest. - I've pinned a lot of different things on pinterest. I would like to make a few things whether they be food or DIY projects. I made the silhouette in my last post from something I pinned. Participated in the Pinterest Challenge. 2/5!


12. Visit Burlington! - I need to go back and visit friends at my alma matter! It's very much an overdue trip.

Now go check out other lists or make your own!

Student Loan Realizations and Treating Myself

I came to 2 realizations yesterday about my student loans. one good, one not so good, so in reality, they sort of balance each other out.

A) I don't actually have to start paying on most of them until December, and only two, I pay in November... but I thought I needed to start paying this month, so knowing I have another month is very exciting.

B) It's actually going to be about $38 more a month than I originally thought. So although I have extra time before I have to pay, it's gonna be more a month, which isn't that great.

And instead of doing the smart and responsible adult thing, I ended up spending money after I came to those realizations. But here's how I shopped smarter.

Payless had sent us a coupon in the mail for 20% off for the rest of the month. I hopped onto their website to see what they had, and in particular, for some brands that they don't carry in my local store. zoe&zac is a brand they carry that is made of all "green" and recycled materials. I saw this cute little bag below, and immediately fell in love. It has a zipper, which for me is a must have when it comes to bags.. considering I live in Maine where we get lots of precipitation, like snow, and I don't want all that stuff in my bags! The fact that it is all recycled materials and still looks adorable is definitely a plus! Originally the price was almost 25, but I used the coupon and that definitely made the price more manageable. And, because you can ship to your local Payless for free, the total came to around $20. Now, when it arrives to my local store, they'll call and I'll head over to pick it up! Yay for scoring some good deals. And for splurging and treating yourself to something every once in a while.

Note: Payless did not pay me to write that. All opinions are strictly my own!