8 posts tagged “work”

So, I've been working on a budget slash debt-payoff plan over the last week or so. It's really stressful and overwhelming. But I keep reminding myself how amazingly blessed I am to have this great new job with GREAT pay, because if I was still making $12 an hour and only working part time...I would basically be living on the street right now. Okay, probably a little bit of an exaggeration, but seriously. There's no way I could have managed my finances without this new job. And I'm especially grateful to have found this great job in an incredibly beautiful area where I can actually afford to live in a nice house despite the reputation that Santa Barbara has for being a really expensive place to live.

Anyway, I'm already going on tangents in the first paragraph of my note...that's never a good sign. :-P What I MEANT to start writing about was this budget stuff. I'm totally conflicted because I'm hearing different advice, methods of debt repayment, etc., and I'm just trying to figure out what is the best plan of action. There's Dave Ramsey, who says something like, "You should build up $1,000 in savings first and foremost (still making minimum payments on debts), and THEN start knocking out the debt." I think his point is that if you want long-term financial stability, you have to start NOW. Granted, it will probably cost you more in interest rates by extending the length of time it takes to pay off your debt, but it's about getting to a place of safety, and putting into practice better money habits right away. I think. Then there's Crown Financial, which my parents have studied a lot over the last few years, and their website has this tool that calculates an Accelerated Debt Payoff Plan. You are supposed to enter your debts in order from the smallest principal balance to the greatest, and you type in the balance, the interest rate, and the minimum required payment, then at the end you enter a dollar amount that you can afford to pay IN ADDITION to all of the minimum payments. (For example, you enter three debt amounts totaling a minimum monthly cost of $400 and you can afford to pay an extra $200 each month toward those debts.) So then what it does is tell you what your total principal balance, total interest cost, and total number of months to pay off ALL your debt would be if you only paid the minimums, and then what the total interest cost and number of months to pay it off would be if you paid that extra $200 each month. The plan they give you is to put that extra amount ENTIRELY toward the smallest debt, until it's paid off, and then put that extra amount to the next smallest debt, and so on until you have gradually eliminated one whole amount at a time. When I entered my information (some of it estimated because I didn't have the exact info on hand), it calculated that, with the amounts of debt, minimum payments, and extra monthly payments I can make, I would shorten my TIME of total debt payoff by 82 months (from an original 124), and I would SAVE $3,267 in interest costs (whereas, if I stick to minimum payments for 124 months -- over ten years!, my interest costs would be about $8,000 on top of the original debts). Bah! So...that plan sounds pretty good to me. I did notice that if I entered the debts in order of highest interest rate to lowest, rather than lowest total balance to highest, it would save me a little bit more, but I wouldn't be gradually cutting out one debt at a time...if that makes sense. Go check out the ADP Calculator for yourself. It's cool.

ANYWAY. So, I don't know if I should kind of combine the two plans -- set aside a little each month to build up an emergency savings fund, AND start paying off my smallest debts first, or if I should consider even MORE suggestions I've been given lately, too. Like I said...this is stressful. But I do feel a pretty amazing sense of satisfaction and anticipation of finally getting this all sorted out, planned and getting on the road to being debt-free. The fact that I could potentially pay off everything -- even my school loans! -- in less than ten years is something I never thought would be remotely possible. Then again, I never thought I'd be working for a defense company in Santa Barbara making $18.50 an hour, either.

The only thing that's got me kind of bummed right now is that I can't really plan for anything BIG for awhile, as far as cost goes. Like, I've been in the process of getting consultations, x-rays, etc., for braces, but now I'm at a standstill because I need $2,440 up front before I can get braces (and my ortho insurance won't pay anything until the braces are ON). So, that's not gonna happen anytime soon. And of course there are other potentially large costs that might possibly come up in the nearish, somewhat distantish future, like...I dunno...maybe a wedding. :) And I really want to start saving for that sort of thing, too...but I don't think I can do much saving if I'm trying to pay extra to get out of debt quicker, ya know? It's just a big fat cycle of stress over here right now.

Anyway, enough about money. Oh, except that I have decided I'm going to start tithing 10% on all the money I make, starting THIS pay period. Hold me to it, yo. :) Okay, now I'm really done talking about money.

In spite of the stress in my life right now with finances, I’m feeling pretty good about the big scheme of things. I really thought that by now, almost two months into moving to Santa Barbara and being much closer to Joe, I might have lost some of the excitement of our relationship. But it’s only gotten better and MORE exciting. I mean, yes, we’re getting more comfortable around each other, and it’s not such a huge deal every time we hang out now that we CAN hang out all the time...but that’s part of what I love. We don’t have to plan any big extravagant event whenever we’re together, but instead we can just spend an afternoon watching Arrested Development episodes on his computer, or making rice krispie treats (enough to serve like a thousand people, I might add). And yet, once in awhile, we still DO do new, exciting things, and that’s awesome too. Now, don’t think that everything’s flowers and puppies and big fat rays of sunshine, though...we’ve been learning a LOT about each other’s quirks and issues and pet peeves, and we’re constantly working at communicating better with each other in all areas, especially when it comes to things that are annoying, surprising, frustrating or otherwise prone to stirring up conflicts. I was actually talking to my mom and Rachelle a couple weeks ago and I said something like, “We have at least four or five serious or difficult conversations a week!” And it’s true...sometimes I catch myself freaking out for a second because I wonder if we “fight” too much already, but I have to remind myself that dealing with conflict is not necessarily fighting. It’s confronting issues that can be overcome with proper communication, and while it’s sometimes awkward and, like I said, frustrating, it’s ultimately some of the BEST time we’ve spent together because it is strengthening our relationship and growing us closer together, preparing us for possibly making this a lifetime commitment. And can I just tell you how freakishly READY I am to actually consider that? A year ago, I would have said (and probably did say) that I wasn’t sure I would ever really be “ready” for marriage. I couldn’t foresee myself being able to learn better communication, and I couldn’t imagine finding someone that I could look at and picture a life together with that person thirty, forty years down the road...because let’s face it, I’ve never been known for being particularly future-minded, however hard I might have tried. I used to think it was that I always freaked out at the idea of spending FOREVER with someone, but I’m realizing lately that I’ve kinda known what kind of person I wanted to spend forever with and just hadn’t found that person yet, or even really known how to describe him, because my immediate “wants” were much more selfish than my long-term, deep-hearted desires. I hope that makes some sort of sense. But basically, with Joe in my life I am becoming much more aware of the desires of my heart that have always existed but were previously buried by my own self-centeredness, and also by my fear that the person I’d want to spend forever with was someone I could never attain after all the shameful things in my past. So anyway, NOW...I’m excited to think about what my life might look like in five, ten, twenty years. And even aside from the great fulfillment I’ve found in being with Joe, I am SO appreciative of him for pushing me to improve the way that I communicate and relate with him, because it has been flowing over into my other relationships as well.

I could write a TON more about all this great life-type stuff, but my lunch hour is over and it’s time to get back to a busy Tuesday!

okay, so...i THINK...it's finally all worked out. assuming something disastrous doesn't happen.

long story short, the house i was looking to get into (the one where the girls said no at first, then yes)...well, they're once again without a room available, because no one is moving out right now. at the same time as i was finding all this out, i'd been talking with a girl who just moved here from texas to start her job as a professor at westmont. she's got a great house in the westmont faculty neighborhood, and i will be renting a room from her, along with another girl who's renting the third bedroom. so...like i said...assuming things go as planned, i'll be there within the next couple of weeks. i'm pretty excited about it...i'll get to make a couple of friends up here, make my room my own (which i've pretty much NEVER done outside my parents' house), and be in a gorgeous, safe neighborhood. i might even get to use westmont's fitness facilities, which would be awesome, since the gyms out here run like twice as much as i've been paying for my current gym membership. the one slight bummer is it's a bit of a drive (a windy, confusing drive) to get down the road and onto the freeway, then another ten miles or so to work. but alas...i've made this decision, i feel good about it, and i pray i will continue to feel as good about it when i'm living there. :)

other life news...well, job's going spectacularly well. in less than two weeks i've already grown to feel quite "at home" in the company, if that makes sense. i feel valued, respected, and capable of doing what's needed of me (and more, maybe)...and everyone is really great and easy to get along with...so far. :-P things with joe are also going well. we're learning more and more about each other, how we function in different settings and circumstances...and sometimes it is difficult, sometimes frustrating, but always rewarding. i'm so blessed to have him in my life.

that's the nutshell for now. i gotta work on shifting my sleeping habits up about two or three hours earlier so i can get enough rest and still wake up at like 5:30 every morning. bah!

p.s. i just realized something kinda cool: in a couple of weeks, i will officially and completely own my car (because the 31st is when my final payment is due to the lady who sold it to me). yay!

p.p.s. i miss everyone in all the various places i've become a bit more geographically distanced from. come visit me and i'll take you to the beach! :-P

Okay, so. It's time for a serious update. Since landing on U.S. soil Wednesday night, SO much has happened! I think the best way to cover it all is just to start writing about how the weekend played out...so get ready for some fun autobiographical goodness. (P.S. In case you've been on another planet the last three weeks and don't know this, I was in Romania from June 20 to July 9.)

So, we landed at LAX at 7:20 p.m. Wednesday night, and Megan and I were picked up by Joe and his friend Justin, who took us to get my car so that the four of us could head up to Santa Barbara for a relaxing, de-jet-lag-ifying weekend in one of the most beautiful places in California. Joe and Justin drove since Megan and I both would have killed ourselves trying to drive two hours right after landing. On our way up, we stopped at Joe's parents' in Woodland Hills to say hi really quick before they left for Scotland for a couple weeks. It was literally a seven-minute visit (enough time for Megan to pee twice), and we were back on the road. By the time we got to Joe's place in Goleta, it was pretty much midnight. So we tried to get right to sleep, both because we wanted to get right back onto a normal sleeping schedule, and also because I had to wake up in about six hours to get ready for a job interview.

A JOB INTERVIEW! (Just thought I'd reiterate that in case you missed it.) So, here's the insane background for that story. Joe's been trying to get me an in at a big company in an admin position, and at first they declined my application because they didn't think I was willing to relocate from West Covina to Goleta. So Joe let them know for me (while I was in Romania) that I WAS, in fact, willing to do that, so they pulled my resume again and, upon learning I'd be in Santa Barbara this weekend, requested to schedule an interview with me. Turns out the time that worked for them was 8:30 Thursday morning. Yep...the morning after arriving home from Romania. So, I went to the interview feeling completely exhausted and, admittedly, rather pessimistic. I knew I was underqualified for the position, a lot younger than most other people who'd apply there, and being jet-lagged on top of that, I figured I was screwed. But it couldn't hurt to try, and I decided to be myself, be confident and straight forward, and if need be, blame my jet lag for any spaceyness or stupid answers. :-P After a four-hour interview, meeting with six different people individually and getting a tour of the facility, I was told that I'd find out in two to three weeks whether I'd be offered the position. Then, like four hours later, I got a call from one of the women who interviewed me, and she said, "We're preparing an offer for you, so expect a call sometime next week. We just have to do the background check and verify your past employment, etc." NEXT WEEK!? An OFFER!? Okay...jet lag is apparently REALLY good for me...haha. Oh, and my potential boss told me during the interview that if I did get an offer, I should hold out for $18 an hour, in case they saw what I'm making now and tried to offer me less to see if I'd take it. So...that's kind of a huge deal. There's so much that will change if I get this job, like: moving to Goleta; making enough money to EASILY start paying off my school loans, credit card debt and regular bills and expenses, and still probably start actually SAVING money for potential MAJOR expenses in the future; FINALLY getting benefits and HEALTH INSURANCE!! (PTL); plus, I'll be a lot closer (wow, what an understatement) to Joe, so that will definitely change and strengthen our relationship... And then there's the sad side of this big change, which is leaving my roommates and close friends out in this area, leaving the amazing people at Arcadia Pres (where I'm working now), and adding another two hours to the distance between me and my family in the desert. But I've known that God was preparing me for changes, and I've been kinda leaving it all in His hands and saying, "God, if this is gonna work, make it REALLY work." So...let's see. Things have been going ridiculously well with Joe. I have a pretty much guaranteed SWEET job lined up, making enough money to survive comfortably (EVEN in expensive Santa Barbara), with benefits, and I've visited Joe's church and already really like it there and can see myself feeling at home there (but I'll write more about that later in this note). So, Joe: check. Job: check. Housing: check (two girls from Joe's church are looking for a third roommate and it looks like we might get a place for $1400 a month!!). Peace: check. Basically, as long as things keep coming together as well as they are, I think I'd be crazy NOT to follow through with it. But I feel at peace not so much in the sense that I know for sure it will work out, but in the sense that I know God is taking care of me and whatever happens, I'll be okay.

So, moving on with the weekend narrative. Thursday after the interview, Megan and I relaxed a bit and then Joe took us to Elephant Bar for a bit of socialization with some friends of his. Then we pretty much went home and slept. Oh, but first we played a little Wii on Joe's MASSIVE projected screen thingamabob. Saweet! Friday while Joe was at work, Megan and I rested, had breakfast at Denny's, I took an amazing nap, then we went to Ross and Payless to get some really cute outfits (and really cheap!) as a gift to ourselves for putting up with 50 girls in a foreign country, and then came home to get ready to go out on the town. First we went to Woodstock's Pizza, which, according to Joe, is the BEST pizza in California. It WAS pretty amazing. Then the three of us plus Justin (the guy who came with Joe to pick us up from the airport) went out to a couple of clubs on State Street for some dancing and drinks. It was a TON of fun!

Saturday we slept in (PTL), then headed to the beach for a bit. We met up with some people from Joe's church, who were super nice! Not to mention the fact that the weather was PERFECT. The overcast morning opened up into a sunny, warm afternoon and Megan and I basked in the chance to just lay out, close our eyes and BE. Then we got hungry. :) So we headed back home to change, then had Baja Fresh and went to see Wall-E. It was suuuuuper cute. But I need to see it again because I'm a lame-o and dozed off for a sizable chunk of it. :-P Anyway, after that we parted with Megan for a bit, who went to hang with another friend, and Joe and I met up with my cousin Sarah and her hubby and baby Felicity! I was still feeling the jet lag apparently, because we put on Arrested Development and I pretty much passed out. But it was good to see them for a bit anyway, and then as we were leaving I got to say hi to my aunt, uncle and cousin Katie who had just arrived home from being out of town. We left and met Megan back at Joe's place, and Joe and I played some more Wii before we all crashed at like 11:30.

Sunday Joe took us to a little cafe called Domingo's that had some really great breakfast -- I had whole wheat pancakes with eggs and sausage...deeeelicious. After that, Megan went to hang out with a couple of her cousins, and Joe and I visited my grandma, who was recently readmitted to a nursing home in Santa Barbara because of some medical issues. It was good to see her, and I think she was glad to have a visit from family as well. She seemed to like Joe, too, which is always nice. :) We didn't stay long because she's very weak and needed more rest, but I'll probably get to see her more if/when I move out to the are. Anyway, after that we picked up Megan and headed home to pack up our junk and rest a bit before going to Joe's church service at 4 p.m. The service was really great; I can't wait to hear more of the pastor's sermons. I wish I had had the time (or taken the time) to reflect on his sermon yesterday, because a lot of it really affected me and now just a day later, I can't recall some of the specific points he made! Curse my terrible memory. :( But anyway, it was great stuff, and the worship time was good, too. It's a very small church, but I think I'll like that. A close-knit group of people encouraging each other, lifting each other up and able to really invest in each other? Sweet. So, after church a bunch of us went to the marketplace/shopping center at Camino Real for "pick your poison" as Joe calls it, where everyone grabs food to go at whatever place they want (there was everything from sushi to Mexican food to the all-American burger joint), and sits outside together (since the weather is SO amazing!). That was really fun. And then Megan and I had to head home so that we could get some sleep before launching back into the real world again.

So...it was a wonderful weekend, and I am really thankful I was able to spend it away from home (both West Covina and the desert), because even home can be a bit stressful upon returning from a long trip away. Instead I got to relax, enjoy a short period with very few responsibilities or obligations, and as a bonus, get to spend some extended time with my long-distance (but not for long) boyfriend. :) And on that note...let's talk about how freaking much I love this guy. Call me crazy...I mean it really IS crazy that I feel this strongly about someone I've known for such a short time. But I love him. I love to be around him (and if you know me, you know I usually get pretty easily tired of being around people after awhile and need "me" time every now and then, but with Joe I've never thought, "Dang, I need a break from him." -- although I'm sure that time will come, heh). I love his heart. I love his determination. I love that he is a total gentleman and also a crapload of fun to goof around with. I love that he faces things head on, whether it's a conflict, a potential issue we might encounter, some miscommunication, or whatever...he is completely straight forward and honest and always seeks to be on the same page, no matter how awkward or tense the conversation might be in getting there. Anyway I could ramble on and on about all the things I love about him. Basically, if you read this post from when I was in Romania, it was largely written about Joe. I'm ready to try this whole love thing. I mean really showing love to someone in the 1 Corinthians 13 sense. And I'm immensely excited to do that with this great, caring, godly, mature guy who, by some miracle, finds me pretty great, too.

Ahh...it feels good to write so much and have it be about GREAT things happening in my life rather than stressful things. Not that there aren't plenty of stresses, worries and painful things still going on...but right now I'm happy to be able to look at all the blessings in my life and say, "Bring it on!" to whatever crappy stuff life wants to throw at me. Which reminds me...I gotta call my student loan people. Bah! But check it out: new job = no worries. :)

So...thoughts? Comments? "Tabitha, you're absolutely insane"? I love feedback. :)