Suze Orman

One of my personal goals is to get out of debt and build my emergency fund back up. Personal finance has been a minor obsession with me for over a year now. Started when I read "Smart Women Finish Rich" by David Bach. I love that book. I believe it's a book that every woman should read, regardless of where she is in her life. The one point that I took from that book that I like to share, is that women should be saving 12% of their income, because the 10% rule was based on an average man's life expectancy. Women lives 20% longer then men, therefor should be saving 20% more. That book really frightened and inspired me. Cut to a year later and I'm much more worse off financially, just adding to my obsession.

Anyway, I don't expect that to last long (what's long...). When I began my search for knowledge I attended a seminar by the Learning Annex that featured Suze Orman as the keynote speaker. She was good. I've been meaning to pick up her book, but just haven't had the time. Anyway, surfing around last night I found her on my local PBS station giving a presentation on her latest book Women and Money: Owning the Power to Control your Financial Destiny. I was only able to catch about 30 minutes before they cut to the break where they ask for your contribution (I'm so guilty as I've not been able to renew my contribution) and then it Hero's came on. I'm going to program my Tivo to record the program for watching later on.

When I had cable, I would watch her program on CNBC, but at times found her manner abrasive. At times I felt really bad for the callers. Anyway, from what I was able to watch of her program on PBS, it seemed like a good inspirational, "women take control of your financial lives" talk. Once I watch the complete program I'll provide more info.

I'll post more about my personal finance obsession later. My question to you is, "Is your financial life in order?"

Job Search Update

So, I made some calls today and heard from two companies that either the position had been filled or would not be filled for three months or so.

Checked Monster and there were very little in the way of new opportunities. Called all the other outstanding opportunities as well. Hopefully more will pop up this week.

Planning on attending a job fair on Wednesday, I think a number of pharmaceutical companies will be at this one, so I will go to see about that.

Did some research on making money on the internet. I found a great blog called 2 Nickels Making a Dollar, written by a woman, who has a full-time job, is a mom and a wife, runs a business, blogs and is doing some other stuff on the internet to make money. Will probably give that a try.

Got to her site through today's Carnival of Personal Finance. Check it out. There is a personal finance story for everyone.

As far as my list of 43 Things, don't feel like I've made a ton of progress on anything during the first 8 days of the year. I'm a bit stressed to tell you the truth. Money is increasingly tighter and I'm sleeping less and feeling anxious more.

Well, hopefully something exciting will happen tomorrow. I have lunch with a friend, so that will get me out of the house for a bit.

Lots of Things

So, as you'll notice one of the 43 Things I'm doing right now is refraining from spending any money on clothes, shoes or accessories. I can purchase basics like skin care and makeup (no new lipsticks or eye shadows) just replacements for basics that I run out of. The point is I have plenty. I have plenty of clothes and stuff. And I need to not spend the money, save if you will. And the point is, there is so much consumerism out there, magazines just to get you to shop, shows that make you unsatisfied with what you have. Here is an article about a group of people who went on a Shopping Sabatical in 2006. Currently, I'm tracking not to spend for six months. My friend Susan is joining me in my effort for the first three months and my friend Heather is joining me for the second three months. I just want to be a more conscious consumer and be more cognizant of what I really need.

But now that I've just finished talking about how I'm going to refrain from shopping, I have to tell you, just because I'm not shopping, doesn't mean I don't want to. Right now I really, really want the Blackberry Pearl. It's so cool. I don't know why. Maybe its the 10 email accounts you can have on it.

And, I just recieved an email from Designers Guild that they are having a sale and if you are in the UK, you should stop by. I love their stuff, so bright and cheery. I would love to re-do my bedroom in this stuff.

Was cleaning out my bulk mailbox and discovered an email from the guy that Kristin set me up with. The older triathlete. Well, as you recall, Kristin met him on the street one night back early December, and passed him to me (she being married and all). We met for coffee. Well, the last time I heard from him was Dec. 9 as he was flying to Dallas for a trip. The email that he sent reads: "Hi Sarah, How are ya? I’ve been travelin’ hard for work and then I set to Seattle for the holidays. Did you get the job you were after? I hope so. Care to get together soon?"

Well, I'm not planning on replying. For me there was no chemistry whatsoever. However, if I was a ballsy girl, this is what I would say in my reply: "Dear Ron: I'm great. No, did not get that job I was after. Thanks for your invitation, but as it's been a month and when we did meet you were a little too busy checking your blackberry and checking out every woman that walked in for my tastes, so I'm gonna take that as a sign that you are just not that into me. I'm guessing that you're bored and trying to find something to entertain yourself with. Which is fine, but don't waste my time. I'm trying to find a guy who can't wait to talk to me again and who, when we meet, turns off his phone if it rings, cause he'd rather talk to me and when we are out, never notices other women (and if so, doesn't so blatantly check them out that I would notice). Good luck to you with your ADD or your Bigger Better Thing search or your whatever."

Cheers,
Sarah