a giant step

today i got a giant step closer to my goal of setting out on an out of country adventure...
my passport came today. one less excuse for the type a, cheap, paranoid, people pleaser to get out, do something, and have fun...

looking for a place to grab my first stamp.
xoxo ashleycolean

4 months into 2012

{cred}

my little updates continue on my goal list for 2012:

1. pay off my student loan DONE! 

2. go on a vacation to another country-i'm actually feeling pretty good about this one! i just went to get my passport today! not smiling for the photo took three tries, but i am one step closer to some sort of international adventure!

3. do something spontaneous (i know it seems like i'm planning it)-......

4. run another marathon (or at least a half)-despite the absence of training, i am "running" a half on june 2nd

5. get back in shape (aka lose the 25 lbs i put on since my last marathon-ugh)-this turned quickly into 35 lbs before i got committed to doing it, so now...a couple weeks into my efforts, i have lost 17 lbs with 17 to go. half way feels about 1,000 times better than the starting line.

6. read 3 classic novels that are often referenced (help with these options would be great)- i got addicted to the hunger games. like, seriously, addicted. now that i am wrapping up book 3 i am preparing to tackle the grapes of wrath, which has been staring longingly at me from the bookshelf since about 2001.

7. hug at least one person everyday-as it turns out i'm not a big hugger. there really aren't that many people i am just dyin to throw my arms around. i get a few here and there, but this seems like a warped goal for me, at least at this point.

8. be more present (try and live for the day not for the future)-i'm working hard on this, and still a work in progress.

9. put at least $10,000 in savings- i haven't been spectacular in this area....i am just under $2,000 into the savings so far. i am however, dangerously close to beefing my savings back up to what it was when i started the lockdown...so that'll be a good step in the right direction. AND, in addition, i didn't buy the new anthropologie bedding i was coveting because justifying $380 (after my (recently revoked) discount) seemed irrational with a sturdy savings goal in mind this year.

10. (still under consideration)-seriously, i still don't have a goal??

as you can see there is been little progress, but little progress, is better than no progress at all.
xoxo ashleycolean

eight week update

{cred}

at the start of the year i posted about my 2012 goals. it's my anti resolution, and i do it every year. normally the list is much larger and significantly less...significant, but in an effort to actually do something with purpose this year i made some adjustments. plus, i doubt it would be too terribly interesting that i completed my "go to a movie alone" goal. alas.

i thought i'd give ya'll an update on my anti resolution list.

here's my list for 2012:

1. pay off my student loan DONE! WHOO HOO!!

2. go on a vacation to another country- this is feeling terribly distant right now, but i am going to try my hardest to make it happen

3. do something spontaneous (i know it seems like i'm planning it)-lack of spontaneity thus far

4. run another marathon (or at least a half)-signed up for a half and i have been hitting the treadmill again, which actually feels kind of good/miserable all rolled into one

5. get back in shape (aka lose the 25 lbs i put on since my last marathon-ugh)-HA

6. read 3 classic novels that are often referenced (help with these options would be great)- i haven't read so much as the hunger games, much less a classic yet this year

7. hug at least one person everyday-i gotta start hugging more. although, yesterday, i gave two hugs, TWO

8. be more present (try and live for the day not for the future)-i'm working hard on this, but it's a complete mental shift so it's a bit of a slow process. bare with me

9. put at least $6,000 $10,000 in savings-i updated the goal because if i can pay down $16k in 10 months, i can save $10k in a year...damn it!

10. (still under consideration)-help a sista out!

TA DA!!!

{cred}

I DID IT!!!!

i just pushed the button on the final payment (EVER) on my student loans!

i am officially out of student loan debt!!!!

in ten months time, i paid off $14,475.50!!! my starting balance on may 1st, 2011-when i started my lockdown, was $14,059.09-so i paid an additional $416.41 in interest.

imagine if i'd never started to pay down with serious ferocity how much interest i would have paid!

i have a million thank yous for anna from 'and then she saved' for motivating me to do it, and making it seem doable. when i read her interview in 5280 magazine last april i would have never dreamed i could make this happen in less than a year. as much as i wished i could have gone on that trip, or bought that dress, or picked up happy hour for everyone over the past ten months, the feeling of accomplishment i have right now FAR out weighs all of those little things i cut back on for a short period of time. small cuts make BIG differences-i promise!

today, i'm riding this high.
tomorrow, on to the savings goal-

i'm so happy i feel like punch dancing!
xoxo ashleycolean

in my 27th year

{other than dyed hair and an aversion to red clothing, i'm not sure i have changed one bit}

today happens to be my birthday. it's also fat tuesday. so i feel obligated to go out on the town and overindulge a bit tonight...but first, a bit of reflection.

i was talking to someone not long ago who was telling me about giving your year a word-a purpose-or a plan. assigning a word to the year and living by that word.

in my 26th year, i think my word was 'learn.' i didn't proactively assign a word, but it feels like 'learn' was my word looking back.

i learned a lot about myself-both good and bad. i learned how to pay down debt, and about finances in general. i learned that relationships are what you make of them and playing an active role in those relationships is the only way to cultivate them. i learned how to buy a car, and move on my own, and all kinds of other super adulty things. i learned that trust should be held a little closer to the chest than i'd previously thought. i learned that some people are still catty-no matter their age, and some people are so generous with their souls they just beam light to those around them. i learned there is no replacement for family, and sometimes all it takes to keep you level is a tuesday lunch with someone who knows you inside and out. i learned that there's always more to learn and ways to grow as a person, employee, sister, friend. i learned that my life is up to me and only i can create the life for myself that i want to have.

i learned that life is short and time flies, so i have to start living my life more presently rather than wishing my days away waiting for the 'next big thing.'

which brings me to my word in my 27th year....'live.'

i am making a promise to myself that for the next 365 days, and hopefully every day after that, i will be present and remember everyday that this life is the only one i get. i will try my best to live life with a passion and excitement that is easily lost in the day to day. i will live, and look back at this year on february 21, 2013 with an ear to ear smile on my face. i will live.

'live'...accompanied with 'love' and 'peace' oughta make for a pretty amazing 27th year.

may every sunrise hold more promise and every sunset hold more peace. -blessing
xoxo ashleycolean

rather than resolutions

{cred}

some people are anti resolutions. i'm not. i'd just prefer to make a list of the ten things i really want to do in the new year.

here's my list for 2012:
1. pay off my student loan
2. go on a vacation to another country
3. do something spontaneous (i know it seems like i'm planning it)
4. run another marathon (or at least a half)
5. get back in shape (aka lose the 25 lbs i put on since my last marathon-ugh)
6. read 3 classic novels that are often referenced (help with these options would be great)
7. hug at least one person everyday
8. be more present (try and live for the day not for the future)
9. put at least $6,000 in savings
10. (still under consideration)

no matter what your goals are...

i think this rings true. whether it's saving money, going to the gym, painting your bedroom, training for a marathon-whatever. the longer you wait, the further you put off your success. so, start now!! you'll be so happy you did!

good luck!
xoxo ashleycolean

can i get a....

{cred}

exciting news, i made goal 2 on my list!!! i am below $10,000 on my student loans! a total pay down in 3 months of $4,676.04. i'm actually bowing as i type this....now i'm curtsying...while bowing.

check meowt!
xoxo ashleycolean

small goals, big progress

i talked recently about making step ladder goals....little goals along the way to be happy about progress and breakup the hugeness of paying $34,114.73 in 24 months!

here are my bigger, little goals :)

1. pay off all consumer debt (credit cards)
2. get under $10,000 on my student loans
3. achieve a positive net worth
4. $7029.55 on student loans (which will be half of what i started with on may 1)
5. $10,000 down on my total debt in 6 months or less

the best part about goals, are rewards. so i came up with a few fun things i can reward myself with for meeting each goal.

rewards:
1. i already reached this goal, so rewarding now would be anticlimactic :)
2. mkors watch (don't worry, i've been saving gift cards)
3. a dinner out (my mom will be in town the month i think that i'll make it, i bet i could talk her into paying)
4. brunch with a friend at the st julien (use my gift card, that even includes tax/tip) i won from a contest)
5. a night at the st julien (with a gift cert)

i'm a big believer in goals and rewards. just be careful your reward doesn't hurt your future goals. they say when you're dieting it's horrible to reward with food-the same goes for financial goals, don't reward with spending money because it'll just curb your future progress!!

save those gift cards!
xoxo ashleycolean

one foot in front of the other

last october i ran my first marathon. i was one proud peacock over it. i felt like such a bad ass. so bad ass, in fact, that i simultaneously decided that i could spend the next 7 months rewarding myself for a job well done. thus, undoing, all i'd done. bummer.

so, with my bf erin's wedding, my overall fitness, and my competitive spirit in mind i am training for numero dos. (kill me).
dooms day october 9, 2011.

this is how happy i was about running marathon number 1:

this is how excited i am about training for marathon numbero dos:

oh yea, this'll be really fun.
i started yesterday, but i can't muster the drive to run until thursday (you see what i mean).

this is not going to end well.
xoxo ashleycolean

financial lockdown

one thing that has always driven me crazy is listening to people in my generation talk about how broke they are-while they are simultaneously terrible with their money. it infuriates me to watch people spend wildly and then complain about how they can 'never afford anything.' not to mention, wildly jealous when those in similar financial situations to myself do things like go to europe for 2 weeks, or buy $40,000 plus cars, etc etc and i can't do those things because i'm trying not to be wildly irresponsible with my money.

interestingly enough, i have become one of these people myself. pot-meet kettle. 
i love shopping. not just buying new things, but the whole shopping event its self. i have managed to keep my head above water, but don't feel financially healthy. interestingly enough, i would put money on (but seriously no gambling) the fact that i am in a much better financial situation that a lot of people my age. kids, we gotta get a grip. and i mean fast.

the other day, reading 5280, i saw an article about anna jones of and then she saved. she managed to pay off over $23,000 dollars in debt in 15 months. and it was like someone slapped me across the face-i could do this too. maybe not 23k, but, if i was diligent and smart, i could pay down some serious debt in the next year.
it would be a commitment, but hell, it's like anything else. evaluate the problem, make a goal, and devise a plan. check. check. check. sure, it's easy on paper...to pinpoint your 'problem areas' and then say what you'll do to fix them.

the ugly truth...
my debt in total: $34,114.73. sounds hefty-and it is. but, it's also under control, and i'd like to get a handle on paying it down before it isn't-under control-anymore. of that $34ish-k only $812.57 of that is credit cards, $14,059.09 is my student loan and then the honker $19,243.07 is what i have left on my new car (which i love and don't regret for one second).

the pitfalls...
1. i am points/miles hungry and i use that to justify overspending ("well i will be closer to a free flight if i just buy this wildly overpriced sweater that i'm not even sure i love")
2. clothes
3. booze-okay, not just booze-but entertaining myself with food and drink is more accurate. specifically brunch.
4. no limits. if i see it, and want it, i buy it. half of the time i don't even look at the price tag. not okay.
5. daily deal coupons. ya know, the craze taking over! they suck me in every time. to the point that for a while i was getting more than 1 massage weekly because they were all going to expire. totally overdone.
so these are my problem areas. my achilles heels, if you will.

the goals....
1. pay off the credit card.
2. student loans come next. i have to get that bad boy down as much as i can. despite doing everything right with my loans and going through the govt, being modest, etc that mba worked that sucker up to over $17k-and being naive i just assumed i had a good interest rate. and i do, but it's not great. 6.55%...which basically means that although i have been paying this damn thing for almost two years i have barely made a dent. damn it.
3. pay down gwendi-my vw. i can, however, be conservative on these payments because i got a bangin' interest rate when i bought her. 2.95%...thank you mom for burning the whole 'good credit score' thing into my head.
4. up my savings a bit. i have an okay amount of money-like an emergency fund. but i'd feel a lot better about said emergency with another couple thousand in the bank.

the plan of attack...
stick to the need, and avoid the want. sounds easy. problem is, i am a 'justifier' from way back so i'm going to need a few more guidelines.

the needs...
home
food
car
gas
gym
general health (shampoo/toothpaste/meds/etc)

the cuts...
air conditioning
dining out
clothes/jewelry/purses
internet
cable
mfd membership
alcohol
brunch :(

photos from weheartit

i'm going to take it from anna and say $200.00/monthly for anything that doesn't qualify as a need.
maybe posting these will help keep me accountable. and happy to share about my progress-assuming that i make some. i will update about my penny pinching and how fun paying down my debt is becoming (see how positive i'm trying to be). may 1-may day (fitting) will be my start date.

here goes nothin.'
xoxo ashleycolean