Yikes!

This blog has been rather forgotten about. But hopefully it will be put to some good (and new!) uses.

Lately not only have I continued reading my favorite homeschooling blogs, but I have a new blog reading obsession: blogs about budgeting and living frugally. Yes, I am an odd teenager, but I find them so fascinating.

I've been reading back on Sense to Save and am into December 2007. I love it!
I found her blog through The Grocery Cart Challenge, which is also awesome!

I've decided to sign up on MyPoints and after asking my parents hopefully some paid survey sites. For ones I'm not old enough for I'll have my parents use their information and I'll just do the actual work (if they agree of course, but I don't think that will be a problem).

Now of course a lot of things in these blogs don't apply to me since I still live with my parents, but they're still fun and interesting. They are motivating in some ways. I want to make more of an effort to save up for my trip to Europe next year.
I've always kept loose change but now it will have a specific purpose.
I also want to try to keep better track of where my money goes.
I also want to try to find ways to make small amounts of money that'll add up by next summer, also in case something happens with my job.

I had decided before I wanted to get a DSLR before Croatia, from looking online I figured that through sales/coupons.buying used I should be able to get one for $650 if I shop wisely. The cheapest DSLR I can get is what I want. I want to make that a more definite goal, I'm not sure how yet. Right now my money all goes into one bank account that is more like two sub-accounts. One is interest-bearings and is accessible from ATMs. The other is my checking account which is accessible from ATMs or with my debit card. So both can be taken from with the ATM but only part with my debit card. I need to look into transfering money online I think.

Besides just saving money lately I've been making an effort to finally clean my room with a purpose. I figure that either because of college or working in the next 2-3 years I'll be moving out of my parents' house. So as I've been cleaning I've been sorting through things instead of just putting them away and asking if things are things I really want to bring with/find storage for. I have a couple grocery bags of cheap trinkets and lots of Happy Meal toys to either be donated/sold at a fundraising rummage sale my tambura group may have. It's a really good feeling. I'm also getting rid of a few dozen Archie comics I think. If my best friend wants them I'll give them to her, otherwise they'll probably be sold either at the rumamge sale or maybe somewhere online as a big lot.