One of the down sides of the area in which I live is that we get snow in the winter. I'm not a big fan of snow and I'm less of a fan of getting snowed in. On the bright side, getting snowed in also means that I can't spend money, like I was intending to do yesterday. So Mother Nature forced me to have a no spend day.

On a different note, I finished my taxes yesterday (which was what I did instead of shopping). The pages I filled out are a "rough draft" of sorts. I haven't received any W-2s, interest statements, etc., so I filled out the tax forms using estimates and by going through pay stubs and bank statements I've received this year. I also found out that I can't get a credit for contributing to my IRA because I'm a student, which disappointed me.

I filled out the 8815 (Exclusion of Interest From Series EE and I U.S. Savings Bonds), 8917 (Tuition and Fees Deduction), and the 1040. If my estimates are close, I should be getting about $450 back. My dad says I need to change the number of exemptions I have so that less is taken out of my paycheck and therefore the less I receive come tax time.

I need to go into work later this week to change the accounts I have a direct deposit into, so when I'm there I'll change my exemptions from 1 to 2.

The money I receive back will be put into my IRA as I haven't contributed to it in a couple months.

Sometimes all you need to do to save money is to open your eyes.

Taking my usual way to work I found a new gas station that I hadn't noticed before. It's about .15$ cheaper than any of the other gas stations in my area and best of all, I don't have to drive outside of my normal route to get there.

Onto the purpose of Monday's post: my week's spending. I didn't buy the new iPod today (woke up late) so I'll be getting that tomorrow along with a father's day present. I want to spend less than $300 tomorrow (it is so incredibly weird to talking about spending that much!). I haven't the vaguest idea what I'll be getting my dad. Possinly a book.

Wednesday, Thrusday, and Sunday are no-spend days. Friday or Saturday I will be gasing up, but I haven't decided which. I've done more driving this past week than I expected and it has thrown me off. I expect $40 will be enough to gas up. Whatever day I don't buy gas on will be a no-spend day.

I filed my taxes late this year (I know, I know!) however I did not owe the government any money so I was not penalized. Not the best habit to get into, filing taxes late, but I'll do better next year, I promise. I just received my return so I'll be taking that to the bank tomorrow. I'll put $75-100 of the return into my checking and the rest will be put into my IRA.

As per advice of someone on here (I can't remember your name, my apologies!), I checked with my state's labor commissioner and according to them: "If you quit, wages and compensation must be paid no later than the day on which you would have been regularly been paid or within 7 days, whichever is earlier."

I should have been paid by today, at the very latest. I will be going in tomorrow to discuss this with my ex-boss. If I do not receive my paycheck within a couple days, I will be making a complaint. This wouldn't be the first trick she's pulled and I'm no longer going to put up with it.

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last entry. The next time I'm in Wellsfargo (which will be in about a month) I'll ask for specifics about the agreement between the bank and the school.

Onto the purpose of this post, I need to amend today's shopping list. Par tof my uniform at the restaurant is wearing khaki pants when I bus. Unfortunetly, I stained my only pair of khaki's and I need to buy another. I also ran out of sunscreen lotion, so I need to pick up some more.

Instead of buying headphones, mystery book, and consumer report I will be buying sunscreen and 1 pair of khakis. I'm keeping to my original budget of $30.

It's Monday and that means one thing: the time to list all of my spend and no-spend days for this week.

Today, Wednesday, Thrusday, Friday, and Saturday are no-spend days.

Tuesday and Sunday are spend days. For tomorrow I plan on spending $5-10 on a celebratory lunch. A group of my friends and myself are celebrating the end of finals and our high school careers.

Sunday I plan on buying a pair of headphones (I've been putting it off for months), a murder mystery book, and one of the used car reviews. I'm expecting to spend $30 on Sunday. If I spend more than $30 I'll put whatever more I spend into my $20 Challenge box.

But I bought a box of crayons for $2.14. I paid with a $5 bill, so I received $2.86 back. $2 into my $20 Challenge fund!

I came up with a great way to add more money into my challenge money. Everytime I plan a no-spend day but break it by buying something unnecessary (i.e. box of crayons) I have to put an additional .50C into the box. If I break it by buying something necessary (i.e. box of kitty litter because I forgot to buy some the day before) I have to put in .10C.

I think on Monday of each week I'll plan out my spend days and my no-spend days. I'll also list on each Monday everything I know I'll need to buy so I have a good idea of what I'll be spending.

I'm not going to "penalize" today's purchase because I thought of the penalty after I bought the item.

Old Balance: $3.00
+ $2.00
New Balance: $5.00

I'm re-organizing my photos and keepsakes. I used to keep them in the seat of my gossip chair, however, I recently got into collecting tins (like the ones that chocolates come in) and have since transferred the photos and whatnots into the tins.

With many, many photos and keepsakes left to move I've run out of tins. I stopped by the local thrift store on my way home from work and found a tin for .35C. With tax almost .40C.

I turned down the tin and left the store empty-handed (a true miracle for me). The reason I turned down the tin is because I can use somethhing else I have at home (like the empty photo albums...) to preserve these photos. Once I truly run out of things to store my photos in I'll buy some tins.

I more than made up for not spending .40C by driving so much. I wish my English group would get it together: either you need me or you don't! Actually, it's not my entire group, just one girl. I'm pretty much worthless until she arrives and everytime she said she was going to be there, she wasn't.

You win some, you lose some.