Binder Series: Finance Binder- Part 1

I am so excited to start this series, it has been something I have wanted to do all year.... it has just taken me this long to get it going.  Every since I started my File Cabinet System, I have wanted to revamp how I handle my current papers- papers that I need right now and that can't be filed away.  I originally used my file cabinet for these papers, but the system just was not working for me... so now I introduce you to my Binders.  I LOVE THEM!!!

Here is all of them!  At least the ones I have done.  Still have 4 to do (I believe).  I also want to do side binder banners.  I just haven't had the time.

Each one was pretty easy to create. I got some different binders from Office Depot (plus what I had already).  I choose some different colors one to give the space some color and to help tell them apart.  I got the binders that have the pockets on the front, back and side, to put a cover page and banner so I can know what binder it is.  I also got dividers with pockets.  Then I printed my documents from the sites and set to putting them together.

Printables:

Most of my printables come from Nest Effect, Clean Mama, or Life Your Way.I will try and tell you where I got the printable from and the name of it to help you find it on their sites.  I do plan over the next few years to create my own.  I do like the ones I am using- these sites do a great job- but I am very particular and it will be nice for my printables to fit what I need exactly.

Here is the one for this week. (Sorry its on it's size, I took them with my Iphone and it wouldn't rotate it once I got it to the computer).  I chose yellow to help cheer me up- money saddens me!

My tabs, in order are:

Budget

Income

Spending

Savings

Bills

Debt (broken down into general debt, credit card debt, student loans, and other loans)

My cover sheets are from Nest Effect.

1. My monthly budget sheet.  Right now I have a generic one from Nest Effect in here, but I actually use one that I have on Excel.  I won't print it and put it in there a few days before the new month. (These binders are for 2013, I am using my old system till the end of the year.)  I do this because if I need to add categories or some categories are no longer relevant I am not wasting paper by printing them now and then having to reprint them to change what I need.  Example: Right now we don't need a rent category... we are living rent free right now... But towards the end of 2013 that will (hopefully) change.  But I don't want to have categories in my monthly budgets that I don't need, so that category won't be added till I need it.
2 Yearly Budget Sheet.  Again, right now there is a generic one from Nest Effect, but this is just holding space till I print my 2013 Excel document I use.  I use this sheet to keep track of budget totals from month to month.  This helps me plan for the next month (if I am continually spending 300 dollars a month on gas, I know to budget that much each month.  If for some reason we are continually under budgeting a certain category I can add to it for the next month.  Etc.).

3. Next is a Gift Tracking & Budgeting list.  This is from Nest Effect.  Here, I can keep track of how much I spend on gifts- birthday, Christmas, etc.  This is good to help me plan how much to budget for gifts and know what I can spend for each occasion.

4. Health Care Costs.  I have two copies of this sheet.  It is from Life Your Way.  I am not thrilled with this sheet, it will be one of the first I replace with my own creations.  It just doesn't do what I need it to, but it is the closest I have found.  I have a deductible for my insurance- separate for in-network and out of network.  On these sheets I keep track of my portion of health insurance costs, so I know how much of my deductible I am using.  

1. Income Sources.  This is a printable from Nest Effect.  I keep track of every single income source- stuff that I know about.  Why?  It helps me get an idea of how much income I will get each month- which is useful for creating my budget.  Plus if all of a sudden one month we have income that is much higher than normal I can look here and see what it is.

2. Total income for the month.  Nest Effect.  This is where I put down an income or deposit for the month and the type (C income, K income, gift etc.).  I have one for each month.
3.Total income for the year.  Nest Effect.  Help me plan for next year.  I can also see our income trends.

1. Spending Log.  Nest Effect.  Basically a check register, but I use it for every penny we spend- credit card, cash, check, debit, etc. It has a category column so it helps me figure out my budget

2.  I love this sheet...Online Deals Purchased. Nest Effect.  A place to keep track of items you get from groupon.com or livingsocial.com or other such places.  You can write when they expire and check it off when you use them... Never waste the money again!

1. Savings log... keep track of your balances in your different savings account.  We only have one right now- emergency fund.  But we do plan to start another in 2013 to start saving for rent and having our own place again... and anything else we want to save for (vacation, car, etc.)  I plan to use these sheets to keep track of my breakdown of that account too (200 in rent category, 55 for vacation, etc.)


Come back on Thursday to see my last two categories- bills and debt.

Read Part 2 here!

How do you organize your finances?  Do you have a great system in place or does your need
 some work?


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MMM- Week 14

Sw: 156.8
BF: 32.7%
M%:34.6

Another week has come and gone. Monday I walked a 5k, not sure of my time, my phone is dead and I keep the information on there.   Did Power 90 Circuit and Zumba ripped.

Tuesday I didn't get any workouts in.

Wednedsay was the last day of my challenge.  I did get my Power 90 cardio/ab routine and a zumba rush in.

I had hoped to end the challenge, and the month at 155.  But it didn't happen, probably because I missed my tuesday workouts :-(.  I did end the challenge at 155.6

I started a new challenge on Thursday, it will last me till the end of the year.  My goal is to end the year at 145.  It will be tough, with the holidays and all, but I can do it. Thursday I took a rest day, was busy and not feeling well.

Friday Was a rest day... merely for the fact that I was too excited to exercise( more on that later) and we had ended up having to take my in laws dog to the vet (bulging disc, he is recovering well).  Chad and I spent our evening watching a movie.

Saturday and Sunday ended up being rest days.  My 6 year old and 1 year old nephews spent the night so it was crazy and busy.

I wasn't too worried about so many days off- I figured it was my reward for doing so well with my challenge and that I could start the ground running on the new challenge next week.

I did hit my burn goal almost every day.  On Saturday I started the 6 day fat burning express program that came with my Power 90 program.  It has special meals and a special workout.  I didn't get the workouts in, but will next week.  The food is ok.  Salads, almonds, chicken and fish, lots of veggies and fruit.  I have had to make some modifications because I wasn't getting enough calories and was getting dizzy at times.  I just started to add more veggies and fruit and leave the rest of it as it.

Now on to my excitement.... I GOT A JOB!!!!!  That's right after 18 months I finally have a full time job again.  I start the first monday in December and can't wait.  I will be a nanny for 3 kids.  It will be about 40-50 hours a week.  I am anxious about what that will do for my workout time, but I figure chasing after 3 kids all week will help me still burn lots of calories even if I don't get all my workouts in. 

EW:156.4 (down.4)
BF%: 32.7 (no change)
M:34.5 (down .1)

Novemeber Reading List

I love the above picture... it is so true.  The whole "As soon as we finish one more chapter" applies to much more than ruling the world- getting stuff done, going to sleep, etc.  I can't tell you how many times my night of sleep was ruined because I stayed up till 3 am finishing a book!

Fitness Related

The Spark written by the guy behind Sparkpeople.com


Push by Chalene Johnson

Bring it! by Tony Horton

Made to Crave by Lysa Keurst.  This was recommended to me by one of my friends in my first fitness challenge.  Haven't started it yet, I will once I finish one of the above three.

Motivational

Unlimited Power by Anthony Robbins- recommended by my challenge coach.

Fiction

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore.  Last book in the series (at least that has been released, not sure if there are plans for more) Loving this series a lot.


Anne of Green Gables- listening via audiobook during my walks.

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld- Book 2 in a series.  Pretty good series if you like sci fi stuff.  

Everworld Books 2-4 by K.A. Applegate- I picked up this series at estate sale(have already read book 1).  It is one sold by Scholastic.  Deals with mostly Norse mythology, but pretty much every myth you have heard about is mentioned- Galahad, King Arthur, Leprechaus, etc.  I am really enjoying it.  And since they were made for the young teen crowd they are super short, I finish 1 in a day or two.


I have cut down on my reading because I am in the process of changing things around so 2013 is more organized and runs more smoothly than 2012.  Plus I only get books from the library, not purchasing them and I found I was getting so many at once and then not finishing them, or getting fines for keeping them too long, so I am only getting a few at a time right now.

This post and list will update as the month goes along, if I get to any other books.

I love book recommendations... what good books have you read lately?  I have a fairly broad reading interest, I read everything from Fantasy to Biographies, so feel free to shoot any idea out there... If I don't think it clashes with my values (aka 50 shades of soft porn, I mean grey) I will give it a shot.

Friday Fitness- a lifetime of medical checkups

Get health and fitness tips at Greatist.com, one of the best health blogs online.


 I admit I am bad about going to the doctor.  I seemed to be always sick for most of my life, that now that I am not sick that often (another benefit of getting in shape!) I just don't want to go.  Plus it doesn't help that I have horrible insurance and it is hard to come up with the money for copays and deductibles.  What about you?  Do you see your doctor for regular checkups?

Challenge and Change News

So yesterday, October 31 was the last day of my first challenge.  I am pretty happy with my progress... here are the changes from:

7/25-10/31

Weight: -13.6 pounds
Upper Chest: -1 inch
Bust: -2.5 inches
Midriff: -1.75 inches

Upper Arm Right: +.25 inches
Upper Arm Left: +.25 inches
Waist: -3 inches
Upper hip: -2.5 inches
Lower hip: -5.5 inches
Upper Thigh Right: -1.75 inches
Upper Thigh Left: -1.5 inches
Mid Thigh Right: +.75 inches
Mid Thigh Left: -.25 inches
Calf Right: no change
Calf Left: no change
BF%: -5%
BMI: -2.7
M%: No change (but didn't start tracking this till halfway through)

But beyond the numbers, I have more energy, I am eating much better, I rarely drink soda or eat sweets, I love finding new healthy recipes (though I wish I had someone else to cook them!), and I actually enjoy exercising (most days!)

I start a new challenge today 11/1 and it goes through 12/31.  The premise is basically the same as the last one, I think. The Coach hasn't posted the the guidelines yet, she is planning to later today.

On Saturday I am starting the 6 day fat burning express program that came with our Power 90 stuff.  It has a specific menu and a different workout.  Last time Chad and I tried it (last year!) we didn't make it past day 3 without getting frustrated.  I didn't think the food was that bad (don't think he was a fan) but the workout was tough.  One of the other girls in my challenge is going to do her special program at the same time, so we are hoping we can support each other.   My family will be eating most of the same meals as me (heehee) so it should be an interesting week.  Hoping that I have some great results (maybe get out of that obese BF% category!). 

Just hoping I don't wreck my results next weekend though... Chad and I along with another couple are headed to Wisconsin Dells for the weekend.... We planned our menu so that will be good, but we will still have snacks I am sure.... Just got to be careful what I eat and walk or swim when I can.

Chad took some new pictures of me.... but I am not ready to share them yet (I know I post pictures here but not sports bra and shorts only pictures lol).  Maybe when I have lost my weight and have some rockin' muscles :-)