1. Set a timer. 12 minutes. 8:15am.
2. Check paperwork. Bills? Notices? Unopened mail? Sort, pay, and share.
   
   
   
3. Check email inbox for ’starred’ emails of due bills. Pay and un’star’. Document.
   Nothing.
4. Go through receipts. Add shared expenses to daytum account.
   We still have shared hosting somewhere… I have to switch 24-7host to joint payments. Also need to fill out census form.
5. Check balances at Chase twice, Citi, Discover, student loans. Make appropriate payments, screen shot often.
   
   
   
6. Check calendar for upcoming due dates or milestones.
   • travel funding. Can I get funding to be a guest critic at UIUC? DO THIS SOON OMG.
   • I have to put my paypal money in the joint account, minus $9 for an individual signup. Then we need to make TPP subscribe buttons tpp paypal buttons instead of paying my email. The subscription package goes to jessicamullendesign, as does the single TPP premium feed subscribe. Our system is flawed. It’s also really janky if the podcast shows up locked in my lifestream even though you’re logged in. I hate having the podcast in my lifestream. I think it needs a different display.
   • powerbook logic board (will I ever deal with this? no.)
   • dentist appt
   • taxes. ughhhhh.
   • REDUCE JOINT CHASE CREDIT LINE
   • census
   • 247 host
7. With any remaining time, log into Wesabe and/or Mint and tag expenses, work on specific projects, etc. Too bad so sad.

Actual time to write this post: 19 minutes 8:22am

Mood: too busy to think much about this.

1. Set a timer. 24 minutes. 6:00p.
2. Check paperwork. Bills? Notices? Unopened mail? Sort, pay, and share.
   
   Omg you’re kidding me. My ‘loan servicing’ has been transferred again, away from the government. I do not understand this. Now I have to enroll in yet another online service, at a later date (mygreatlakes.org).
3. Check email inbox for ’starred’ emails of due bills. Pay and un’star’. Document.
   Paid loan:
   

   Had to pay another $420 in tution:
   

4. Go through receipts. Add shared expenses to daytum account.
   I need to pay my half of the renter’s insurance (21.20/2). But first I’ll see if Kel owes me anything in hosting charges. There is a pending 247host charge but I’ll wait on that. I’ll just put the insurance money in (the full total – I have to double what I contribute since we share the account if that makes any sense.)
   
5. Check balances at Chase twice, Citi, Discover, student loans. Make appropriate payments, screen shot often.
   Nothing due.
6. Check calendar for upcoming due dates or milestones.
   • travel funding. Can I get funding to be a guest critic at UIUC? DO THIS SOON OMG.
   • I have to put my paypal money in the joint account, minus $9 for an individual signup. Then we need to make TPP subscribe buttons tpp paypal buttons instead of paying my email. The subscription package goes to jessicamullendesign, as does the single TPP premium feed subscribe. Our system is flawed. It’s also really janky if the podcast shows up locked in my lifestream even though you’re logged in. I hate having the podcast in my lifestream. I think it needs a different display.
   • powerbook logic board (will I ever deal with this? no.)
   • dentist appt
   • taxes. ughhhhh.
   • REDUCE JOINT CHASE CREDIT LINE
7. With any remaining time, log into Wesabe and/or Mint and tag expenses, work on specific projects, etc. Too bad so sad.

Actual time to write this post: 44 minutes. Twice as long! Jesus.

Mood: starting to get more and more panicky about having to support myself come summer. And excited.

1. Set a timer. 20 minutes! 3:30p.
2. Check paperwork. Bills? Notices? Unopened mail? Sort, pay, and share.
   Huge stack!
   
   Paid gas bill: $68.19
   Paid electric bill: $121.43
3. Check email inbox for ’starred’ emails of due bills. Pay and un’star’. Document.
   Not much, just statement notices.
4. Go through receipts. Add shared expenses to daytum account.
   Squared!
   
   
5. Check balances at Chase twice, Citi, Discover, student loans. Make appropriate payments, screen shot often.
   $50 to Discover
   $500 to Citi
   $13.14 to Chase Business
6. Check calendar for upcoming due dates or milestones.
   • travel funding. Can I get funding to be a guest critic at UIUC?
   • powerbook logic board (will I ever deal with this? no.)
   • dentist appt
   • taxes. ughhhhh.
   • REDUCE JOINT CHASE CREDIT LINE
   • BLUEHOST PAPERWORK
   • get paypal account for new chase account (thanks Kel!)
     
   • activate debit card
     
   • have rent money in joint account by the 15th
7. With any remaining time, log into Wesabe and/or Mint and tag expenses, work on specific projects, etc. Sometimes I feel like I need to log in to make sure all of my banking info hasn’t mysteriously become public… Still not going to happen today.

Actual time to write this post: 28 minutes. Only a little over!

Mood: relieved! Kel and I are almost totally square and can start using our joint debit card now! WOOT.

1. Set a timer. It’s been two weeks since my last financial hygiene. I have sinned. Today I only have 20 minutes. I have too much to do. I always have too much to do!
2. Check paperwork. Bills? Notices? Unopened mail? Sort, pay, and share.
   This stack is way too big this week. I need to pay more attention to myself (cue upcoming premium content post).
   
   Holy cow. So paper tasks: activate new joint Chase debit, reduce credit line on weird new Chase credit card that should not even have to exist, and investigate some suspicious address change letter from Chase. Also file some UT tax and class paperwork. Address is fine. I have to activate this card at an ATM and refuse to call about lowering my credit line right now…
3. Check email inbox for ’starred’ emails of due bills. Pay and un’star’. Document.
   I still need to deal with Bluehost paperwork. Pls do it this week! Went to pay student loan but site was down for maintenance. Foiled again!
4. Go through receipts. Add shared expenses to daytum account.
   that was hard:
   
   Actually, Kel just paid off another $100 & we both put money in our joint checking for rent. We will pay rent from our joint account for the first time this month! Wooooot!
   
5. Check balances at Chase twice, Citi, Discover, student loans. Make appropriate payments, screen shot often.
   
6. Check calendar for upcoming due dates or milestones.
   • travel funding. Thought I was going to go to BIL but it’s the same day as the Austin marathon. Need to think about going to IL.
   • my registration is complete, just need to check & make sure a last payment goes through before Feb.
   • powerbook logic board (will I ever deal with this? no.)
   • dentist appt
   • taxes. ughhhhh.
   • REDUCE JOINT CHASE CREDIT LINE
   • BLUEHOST PAPERWORK
   • get paypal account for new chase account
   • start paying for things with joint debit card
   • have rent money in joint account by the 15th
7. With any remaining time, log into Wesabe and/or Mint and tag expenses, work on specific projects, etc. I never ever do this. When will I do this.

Actual time to write this post: um I think this took over an hour, I kept bad track of time. I need my minuteur app back but it’s corrupted!

Mood: relieved to have taken care of this, but pretty overwhelmed with travel expenses and all the work it takes to maintain joint expenses. Hopefully we will have our simplified, seamless money management soon.

1. Set a timer. I’m trying to work on this while fixing TPP at the same time. While large files are uploading I’ll come back to this post. Hopefully both will get done within an hour. 7:55pm.
2. Check paperwork. Bills? Notices? Unopened mail? Sort, pay, and share.
   I actually took care of my paper bills/junk mail as it came in this week. Nothing new to report.
3. Check email inbox for ’starred’ emails of due bills. Pay and un’star’. Document. Still need to fill out those Bluehost affiliate program tax forms. I’m also starting to get w-2s and the like in my inbox, so I should start thinking about doing my taxes soon… possibly my least favorite activity in the entire world.
4. Go through receipts. Add shared expenses to daytum account.
   We definitely have not opened that new Chase account yet. Kel tried to sign us up online & it wouldn’t go through. Waste of an hour. Need to put it on the calendar to deal with this week. I have a few purchases I need to add to the daytum… Bluehost TPP domain, Bread Basket for wine, Whole Foods, 1and1, 24-7host. Also just remembered I need to pay the rent, so that’s another $625 to add to her Daytum.
   
   
   
   
   The expenses add up to $239.30, so divided by 2 is: $119.65. Adding that plus $625 to daytum.
   
   
5. Check balances at Chase twice, Citi, Discover, student loans. Make appropriate payments, screen shot often.
   Made a big payment to my Citi card.
   
   & paid discover:
   
6. Check calendar for upcoming due dates or milestones.
   • travel funding. Thought I was going to go to BIL but it’s the same day as the Austin marathon. Need to think about going to IL.
   • my registration is complete, just need to check & make sure a last payment goes through before Feb.
   • powerbook logic board (will I ever deal with this? no.)
   • dentist appt
   • taxes. ughhhhh.
7. With any remaining time, log into Wesabe and/or Mint and tag expenses, work on specific projects, etc. I hate doing that crap. Not today.

Actual time to write this post: 8:03pm–68 minutes.

Mood: distracted. All I care about is getting TPP back up, but I’m glad I took care of this post.

1. Set a timer. 10 minutes! lol! End at 4:00pm.
2. Check paperwork. Bills? Notices? Unopened mail? Sort, pay, and share. |
   
   Ok why the hell am I getting checks for $0.18 from Capital One?! What if they are doing to everyone, and no one cashes their checks because the amount is so small, so they make BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
   
   Anyway, I am paying the electric bill.
   
3. Check email inbox for ’starred’ emails of due bills. Pay and un’star’. Document. Added some emails to my 2009 taxes folder. Have to fill out some paperwork for Bluehost affiliate program but not doing it now.
4. Go through receipts. Email photos of receipts with dollar amounts in heading. Add shared expenses to daytum account.
   Still square. Oh! We closed our Wells Fargo account and are opening a joint Chase account tomorrow.
5. Check balances at Chase twice, Citi, Discover, student loans. Make appropriate payments, screen shot often.
   Jesus Christ. I log in to look at my business credit card and my info is all gone from my card. No wonder shit’s been getting declined. What is going on… Going on the list to deal with this week.
   
6. Check calendar for upcoming due dates or milestones.
   • registration + tuition (to do on Jan 11, the day registration opens again) Will look at this again on the day classes start, waiting for my financial aid/job to pay for my tuition…
   • travel funding
   • powerbook logic board (will I ever deal with this? no.)
   • dentist appt
   • order stamps! need to do this soon to mail thank yous! Kel picked some stamps up & I just have to mail the cards, I made pretty pictures.
   • deposit grandma check
7. With any remaining time, log into Wesabe and/or Mint and tag expenses, work on specific projects, etc. This will have to wait. At least I got subversivelifestreaming.com up this week. Will start working on pushing that as a viable income stream.

Actual time to write this post: 21 minutes (4:11pm).

Mood: annoyance. Although I didn’t have to do much, there is plenty of annoying crap that happens to everyone financially every single week. A pile of junk mail disguised as ‘important information about your account’, fraud alerts (which I never did call back about, shit), online banking always going wrong, 18 cent checks that I don’t understand, having to close accounts only to open other accounts, and on and on.

I’ve taken yet another week off for the holidays, and now my posting schedule is a little screwy. Today is Saturday–will I continue to post these on Saturday? I really want to try to stick to a more rigid schedule. The holidays are a menace!

It is a new year with new financial goals. Here are my financial goals for the year:

• make $30k
• pay off Citi card

And onto the weekly hygiene. Kel & I are squaring up, which is annoying because we had a lot of road trip & holiday expenses. But here we go (h-dub):

1. Set a timer. 28 minutes. End at 9:30 am.
2. Check paperwork. Bills? Notices? Unopened mail? Sort, pay, and share. |
   

   Dude. I really need to paint my nails today. First: got confused by my US Dept of Ed loan statement. Looks like nothing is due. Next: activating a replacement credit card. Rescheduled a bang trim. Filed some papers.

3. Check email inbox for ’starred’ emails of due bills. Pay and un’star’. Document. Nothing.
4. Go through receipts. Email photos of receipts with dollar amounts in heading. Add shared expenses to daytum account. Adding some gas expenses from the road trip & netflix bill, splitting in two:
   
   So Kel owes me $58.83/2=$29.41. Adding that into the running total and subtracting what I owe her:
   
5. Check balances at Chase twice, Citi, Discover, student loans. Make appropriate payments, screen shot often.
   Made a Citi payment:
   
6. Check calendar for upcoming due dates or milestones.
   • registration + tuition (to do on Jan 11, the day registration opens again)
   • travel funding
   • powerbook logic board (will I ever deal with this?)
   • dentist appt
   • order stamps! need to do this soon to mail thank yous!
   • activate card
   • deposit grandma check
7. With any remaining time, log into Wesabe and/or Mint and tag expenses, work on specific projects, etc. Well, I went in and tagged a few expenses. I really need to spend more time in Wesabe, I think it could really help with budgeting. OMG I NEED INCOME.

Actual time to write this post: 38 minutes (9:40 am).

Mood: panic. I need income. My expenses aren’t that serious, but I need to seriously work on tearing down this debt. Subvert the system!

Still working on a new goal for this lifestream category/goalstream. I think 2010 should be about income generation, & at least I am listening to the $12 Gala Darling ‘Blogging 101′ podcast for direction & inspiration. Kel & I hope to have many scheming brainstorming sessions while driving to Florida. I want to start the new year off right in our sweet new office… To be completed shortly after we return.

1. Set a timer. 15 minutes. 3:18am.
2. Check paperwork. Bills? Notices? Unopened mail? Sort, pay, and share. |
   
   Finally canceled Geico this week. Also paid the rent. Also received my replacement stolen credit card and paid the rent. Big week. Now to pay the gas bill.
   
3. Check email inbox for ’starred’ emails of due bills. Pay and un’star’. Document. Paid some Discover:
   
4. Go through receipts. Email photos of receipts with dollar amounts in heading. Add shared expenses to daytum account. Added the gas bill, dinner and drinks from Kerri’s birthday drafthouse occasion, and a Bread Basket, Netflix, and the Drafthouse ticket:
   
   Also added the rent & sushi with my sibs (check split in half) and another drafthouse ticket:
   
   
5. Check balances at Chase twice, Citi, Discover, student loans. Make appropriate payments, screen shot often.
   Check and check.
6. Check calendar for upcoming due dates or milestones.
   • need to cancel GEICO by dec 21
   • registration + tuition (to do on Jan 3, the day the university opens again)
   • xmas gifts
   • travel funding
   • powerbook logic board
   • dentist appt
   • order stamps
   • activate card
   • deposit check
7. With any remaining time, log into Wesabe and/or Mint and tag expenses, work on specific projects, etc. Can’t. No time.

Actual time to write this post: 25 minutes (3:28a).

Mood: anxiety. I feel like I rushed through this hygiene, but I feel much better starting on our trip knowing where I stand. I organized my calendar & have a ton of stuff to do Monday morning when vacation is over, but I am so happy I took care of this today and not that Sunday night!

Well I did take one week off of my financial hygiene routine. I accomplished the goal I set out to achieve with this blog/goalstream: “to understand & simplify my personal finances while extracting a goalstreaming case study.” I am working on coming up with a new goal for this stream, which will likely involve more work with budgeting.

1. Set a timer. let’s try 19 minutes. 3:41pm.
2. Check paperwork. Bills? Notices? Unopened mail? Sort, pay, and share. Ugh still need to cancel my GEICO insurance. They won’t let me do it on the website of course. I have to call this number: 866-915-1172. Next: pay my electric bill. $124.62 this month. $20.59 less than last month.
   
3. Check email inbox for ’starred’ emails of due bills. Pay and un’star’. Document. iPhone still set to autopay:
   
4. Go through receipts. Email photos of receipts with dollar amounts in heading. Add shared expenses to daytum account. Added the electric bill:
   
5. Check balances at Chase twice, Citi, Discover, student loans. Make appropriate payments, screen shot often.
   Paid business credit card & loan:
   

   

6. Check calendar for upcoming due dates or milestones.
   • need to cancel GEICO by dec 21
   • registration + tuition
   • xmas gifts
   • travel funding
   • powerbook logic board
   • dentist appt
   • order stamps
7. With any remaining time, log into Wesabe and/or Mint and tag expenses, work on specific projects, etc. Logged into Wesabe. Nothing new to report. Until Kel & I are totally square, I won’t have many expenses to tag/budget.

Actual time to write this post: 37 minutes.

Mood: relief. The system I have set up is actually quite effective. I feel like I don’t have to worry about money for at least another week. Will work on budgeting in a group brainstorm with Kel.