Just The Beginning

Update on the personal finance front:

• I have signed up with Mint.com, a very valuable free resource where you safely plug in your account info, they have no way of moving and money btw, just monitoring it. So I have created budgets and I'm able to easily access all my assets and funds. They also send you updates when something happens such as fees, charges, or if you are close to reaching a budget.
  
• I have opened a Scottrade account and have initially invested $1,500 to work with. I'm pretty much obsessed with looking up companies and researching the first few stocks I have added to my portfolio. If I lose it all I may just throw my hands up and let my mutual funds work for me instead of aspiring to become a whiz trader.
  
• My Vanguard account is up and healthy. I initially invested $1,500 in their STAR fund which only requires a $1,000 minimum investment. But they I did some more research into the variety of their funds and decided to put $3,000 in their Wellesley fund. Both have done well in the past and these are more focused on income so they are less risk.
  
• I tried to open an Ally High-Yield Savings account to buy a 2 year CD for $2,000 with a 2.75% interest rate. But for some reason I wasn't able to open one?! I'll have to look into that further.
  

Overall I feel as I'm really starting to get a good grasp on all this financial hoopla. It's empowering to know I can be responsible and educated on these subject matters. And should really help in the future when I go to make more important decisions regarding my finances. Loans, real estate buying etc. I've taking it upon myself to educate myself on all this by utilizing the local library and pretty much getting every book I can about the economy, personal finance and real estate.

Learn Something New everyday

So on my quest to become more financially educated and independent, I am reading a new book called, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad." I heard about it online and noticed that the people I'm staying with had it. So I opened it up and can't put it down. Robert Kiyosaki makes the most intriguing points about personal wealth, investing, and managing money. I haven't finished it yet, since I started it today, but I can already tell its a great read especially for someone just starting out in the world of financial. Kiyosaki puts everything in easy-to-understand terms, and using a lot of diagrams to get his point across. As a very visual learner I found this to be a huge help as I understand things much easier when I can look at them and memorize them.

So I would recommend this to anyone look to gain some insight into the "rich" ways of thinking and managing money.
With that said, I learned a hard lesson today about being more careful with ATM's and traveling abroad. The other night when me and my boyfriend went out, I used the ATM twice to get some cash out using my American Card. The ATM didn't charge any fees which we thought at the time was great. I knew there would be a .03% international currency exchange fee, but what I DIDN'T know was that my bank would charge me $10, you heard me, 10 dollars each time I used the ATM. So that would be a cool 20 Dollars to make 2 separate transactions to get out $130. In addition to the train ticket I bought $6.50, dinner I bought $20, 2 drinks $10.
1 friday night out cost me $186.50. In addition to separate currency fees at .03% each. So total I spent probably upwards of $190 in one night.
I'm clearly living way beyond my means at this point. Seeing as my current income is a big $0.
So I have to start being more active in controlling how and why I spend my money. I'm going to create a budget on Mint.com and see if that helps. And although the ATM snafu is completely infuriating there is not much I can do about it. So I have learned and will not be so foolish next time.
I have been figuring out how to gain more assets through my Vanguard account. As I started out with $1,500 just to get my feet wet. I want to invest about $2,000-$3,000 more in different funds, bonds, or CD's. I have to thank my parents for :
A) Buying me a car my second year in college
B) Being smart enough to allow me to sell it
C) For letting me keep the money to continue my education
D) For not getting irate with me when I invest the money
E) Trusting me that I will not make the same financial mistakes they did
F) Giving me lots of hugs and kisses as a child (this doesn't really pertain, I just love them for this)

Hope everyone is having a wealthy and happy day!

young and LOVIN' the recession!

I'm loving me some personal finance lately, which you'd know if you read my earlier post on the book, "Common Cents." Well, I read it, subscribed to Forbeswoman.com, and finally opened a Roth IRA account at the ripe old age of; 20. I am officially an investor now and working on my retirement account. My parents couldn't be more proud, especially since they didn't start saving until their 30's and most of that went with the crash. With all the commotion going on in our economy and stock market right now, the irony of it all may be that my generation may benefit the most from it. With that said, the job market may be the only thing holding us back from completely reaping the benefits of this recession.

On paper my personal situation may seem rather dire:
Just over a $1000 in the bank
Don't have a full-time job (Or any job right now at that matter)
Don't have a college degree

But on the other hand, I do have:
An investment account (Finally!)
No student loans to pay off
No credit card debits
Intelligence and creativity

Us 20-somethings have huge opportunities to reap immensely from the recession! Our parents may not be happy with how things panned out, but right now is the perfect opportunity for us to get in at rates and prices lower than they have been in 10 years.
This article from AOLmoney offers the same perspective about how young people should be jumping at the chance to dip their toes in the stock market pool, make important purchases such as cars and invest in real estate. I never thought I'd get so excited over finance! woohoo. :D

Husbands like a new handbag

After less than one month of knowing each other Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian got married. Now...was this a real "Love at first sight moment" or a race to the alter moment to steal the spotlight from her famous sister Kim or recently pregnant other sister Kortney? I'm sure many people will agree with me that 1 month of dating is not ample time to get to know someone, understand them and feel confident that spending the rest of your lives together is what you want to do. It seems like the sacred act of marriage has been tainted by celebrities need to collect marriages like they do new handbags each season.

photo courtesy of Popeater

But Khloe and Lamar, I hope you prove me wrong and make me look like a fool in 20 years for writing this. Good luck to the both of you!
****
Oh, but the part I loved the most that Chelsea Handler attended the wedding. I'd love to hear what she had to say about it!!!

BAH-nanas

I don't know if anyone knows what I'm talking about, but I DIE for The Rachel Zoe Project. I'm sure there are a lot of haters out there saying Rachel Zoe is a complete nut case and is the definition of workaholic. but I LOVE IT! She is so outspoken, creative and fabulous in every sense of the word.(Can you tell who's team I'm pulling for?!) But that's when she's at work or working. At home (The few times she is at home) she relaxes in her plush robe (She has been quoted to say she's never put on sweats) and is rather soft-spoken especially towards her oh-so-supportive husband Rodger.
For anyone who hasn't seem the show, you should. Brad is the sharply dressed, overzealous gay assistant who is always the first to play BFF with Rachel. Taylor is the hard-working, bitchtastic, loyal first assistant to Rachel. And Rodger is a venture capitalist who started his own cyber media and internet awards company.
So the whole point of this was just to say how strong celebrities and TV personalities can influence us, "commoners". Rachel and Taylor always seem to have perfectly manicured, deliciously fashionable dark nails. So of course, since stylist to the stars knows best I followed suit.
(Not my real hand, my nail-biters anonymous status doesn't allow me to post my real nails)
Every other clip seems to show Rachel, Brad or Taylor clutching their signature designer starbucks cup like it was going out of style. (Or well, staying in style!?)

I am led to believe my addiction to Starbucks began somewhere around 2003 when I was old enough to act cool enough to drink coffee.


I'm craving a faux fur vest. (Although her's I'm sure is real, that would freak me out. So I'll imitate not copy if that's any different)
So those along with I'm sure a handful of things I have done due to star influence, I'm curious to see if anyone else is influenced by celebridom/hollywoodness/starpower?
Or, if I'm the only one.
*I know that I'm not, but if you'd rather post anonymously be my guest*