Wednesday's Woo Hoo Moment

Over the past week, I have lost 4 pounds! I think drastically reducing my soda intake has helped move the scale downward. I'm hoping for a loss next week but I know I have to be careful not to sabotage myself. I've been eating like crazy! I'm adding exercise into my routine this week but I know that I really need to monitor my food intake if I'm going to see results. Time to work out!

Fit Friday: Kickin' the Habit

Hello, my name is BKHokie27 and I'm diet soda addict. Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Max...if it's zero calories, I drink it. I finished up the last soda in the apartment and I'm refusing to buy more to keep here. Right now I'm doing well with just having 1 diet soda at work. Since it's the weekend, I'll be interested to see how I do with drinking just water and juice (got some V8 light Fusion stuff). I've heard great success stories about people giving up soda and dropping lots of pounds. I'm wondering if the same will happen to me. Even if it doesn't, I'm still looking forward to measuring other health benefits (energy, overall health/well-being) over time.

Wednesday's Woo Hoo Moment

I'd like to start a "Wednesday Woo Hoo Moment" on this blog. The idea would be to post on Wednesdays something I'm happy about or surprised by.

Today I got my paystub. Yesterday I saw the money had been deposited into my account, but I didn't pay much attention the amount. When I got home from work, I sat down with my current paystub and pulled out past paystubs. This paystub was the first official one I had received since I made changes to my insurance back in June. After my divorce I, dropped my ex-husband from my insurance. I did the math and I'm no longer paying $118 of paycheck to my healthcare and that translates into an extra $72 in my net pay.

Even though it's only $72 and that money is already spent (bills/other necessities), it still feels good just to see it there. I haven't had that extra money in my account for the past 5 years!

Woo Hoo!

A beginning: File System

When I was married, I tried so hard to organize our paperwork. Every organizational method I researched and tried to implement, failed. I honestly believe that in order to make any organization work in a committed relationship, both people have to have access to what's being organized (i.e. bills) and they have to work out a system that works for both of them. Unfortunately in my relationship, I didn't have either one.

Now it's a different story and I was completely lost as to how to start with my own system. The system I have now is a beginning, and I hope to add to it and work out the kinks as time goes by. Here are the basics:
1. Small, shallow basket (from the dollar store) to house incoming bills, pen, checkbook, stamps, and address labels: After checking mail each day, bills to be paid go in the basket. I'm old school and not eco-friendly--the only bill I have deducted electronically is my car and renter's insurance. I get such a sense of accomplishment of sitting down each month, writing my checks, putting stamps on envelopes, and then mailing off my checks. Maybe one day I'll get around to e-bill pay, but right now I need to do it this way.
2. Hanging file folder system: I bought the one in the picture from Target. I divided mine in the following sections: Utilities, Insurance, Apartment, Car, Work, Bank, House and Food. Let me explain:

• Utilities: In this folder I have separate folders for each of my utilities which include: TV/Internet, Gas, Electricity, Cell Phone
• Insurance: Car/Renter's insurance (I'll probably separate these two, but for right now it works), Dentist (receipts), Doctor (receipts), Medical Insurance (explanation of benefit sheets)
• Apartment: Rental agreement and other important info
• Car: Payment notices, car payment contract, work done to car, etc.
• Work: paystubs and tax information
• Bank: monthly statements
• House (I'm still dealing with short sale stuff so I needed this folder): notices from mortgage companies
• Food: Recipes that I print off from the Internet

As I said, my file system is just a beginning. Even now I'm thinking I need to add another folder for my other financial information. For anyone struggling to get started with paperwork organization, here's my advice: do it now! It's not going to be perfect. You'll have to tweak it along the way, but you need to give your papers a home instead of your dining room or kitchen table.

Welcome!

My life has changed SO much in the past year. I could type paragraphs on everything that I've been through, but I don't want all that information on the Internet! Here it is in a nut shell: divorce, short sale on a house, moved into apartment. I still have moments where I mourn my old life and what "could have been," but then I realize that what I have now, while different, is soooo much better!

Starting my blog is my way of turning over a new leaf--electronically-speaking. In my old life, I hardly had any control over anything. I was either too busy trying to run other people's lives or I wasn't allowed to be involved the way I wanted to be in certain things or I always faced opposition when I tried to get involved. Now I'm truly on my own, responsible for just me (and 2 cats :)), and I'm enjoying every minute!

I plan on using this blog to showcase organizational and decor ideas (especially for apartments) as well as bits and pieces of life that I find interesting. Enjoy!