After another terribly expensive trip to Target (for some reason that place sucks me in and I'm totally powerless to stop it), my friend and I turned to each other and said, "Let's make a New Year's resolution. No more eating out during the rest of January and February. Go to the gym at least three to four times a week. And fewer frivolous purchases at Target."

 Have we kept to it? Eh, kind of. We grabbed a bite to eat later that same afternoon and vowed once again that starting tomorrow (it's always tomorrow, isn't it?) our new rule would start up.

I’m not the most money savvy person in the world.  Things happen in our lives where we can’t control what we spend like a best friend’s birthday coming up, replacing a UPASS (for the third time this year!), buying groceries, paying for utility bills, and buying last minute items.  Those small things don’t really enter into our “budget” so it might throw off how we spend.  However, since working at Financial Fitness, I’ve acquired a few skills along the way.  You have to know what you are good at.  I know I’m not the greatest with budgeting, but I also know what I can and can’t live without.   What are expenses for you? Do you always grab a candy bar when you’re in the checkout line in the grocery store? Do you always go out for lunch instead of making your own once in awhile?

I have an online account with one of my banks that I use continuously.  I always tell myself by the end of the week, I should have this much.  Or, don’t go over this amount.  It doesn’t work all the time.   If you are one of those people that budgeting and savings doesn’t come as easily, then maybe I’ve found the trick for you.

The Birdy.com is an online money management tool that is as simple as 1, 2, 3! Without banking accounts and other personal information, you simply respond to an email a day (other forms of communication can be given like texting or entering the information on their website), explaining what you spend money on that day.  If you are into hashtags, send those in a text or email!  The Birdy.com will record a pattern of your spending habits with a simple ready to read dashboard.  In addition to the dashboard, your expenses for the month will be highlighted in a pie chart or bar graph of your choosing. The convenience of this website is great for those who have trouble going through the process of continually updating their list of expenses.

 What do you buy too often? Is there something you can do without? Give this website a try to take the guesswork out of budgeting!

I wanted to wait a while before turning in a blog post about New Year’s resolutions.  There is no sense writing down a bunch of wishful thinking if I wasn’t going to make it past the first month of 2012 anyway.  After having successfully made it through my first paycheck of 2012 and already planning ahead for the next one I feel comfortable writing out my goals.  

                Since I started working for Financial Fitness in September I have been preaching standardized savings.  We use the 80/10/10 rule for students which states that 80% of your income can go to spending, 10% to savings, and 10% to paying down debts.  While I have helped a number of students find ways to fit their financial lives into this savings plan I had yet to really organize my own savings this way.  On top of this I have been researching a lot of charity organizations and have been really impressed with what they do, however I almost never donate any of my money.  So this New Year I have decided to start myself on a 70/20/10 plan including 70% spending money, 10% charitable donations, and 20% savings.   

So far things have been going well.  I am still doing the 20% savings and debt repayments that we teach but because my debts are very low right now I put that money into my savings account as well to help with future debt repayments.  To do this I set up direct withdrawals from my checking account.  If I don’t see that money even go in it is way easier to pretend I never had it in the first place.  For the giving part of my resolution, I didn’t want to interfere with my savings so I decided that 10% would cut into my usual spending money.  The way I explain it to myself is that I am fortunate right now to not have large debts to repay so I can learn to live without that money as if I did have to spend it on my debts.  This time around I chose to contribute a small donation to a Haitian radio company through Zafen; a microfinance organization that helps Haiti’s rebuilding process through no-interest small business loans.  

Hopefully, I can keep up these habits and have a more financially fit and socially responsible 2012.

We all know how hard it is to not grab dinner on the way home or lunch at the office when we have long, jam packed days. And doing that every once in a while is healthy, it's nice to treat ourselves to our favorite meals at a restaurant on occasion. It is a bad and hard habit to break when you consistently find yourself grabbing food on the go when you have a refrigerator full of food.

At the same time, it's probably not realistic time wise and financially to come home and make gourmet meals every night (I wouldn't know where to even start!) There are many tricks and tips for college students, and people in general to cut back their spending on food and make healthier, more cost effective decisions

• Bring your lunch to work - yes, I know you have been told this a hundred times but I know I have had many mornings where I find myself on the train and realize my plastic baggy is not in my bag like planned, but left in the fridge. Set a reminder or make it that morning (if you are a morning person that is, because if you aren't you know you won't)

• Make meals ahead of time for the week - whether it's cutting up vegetables, cooking chicken or making pasta - making food for the week and putting it in containers is a great way to have meals on the go and for those nights when you get home and can't imagine cooking

• Utilize your office fridge - if your planning on keeping cold food in your lunch but don't want it to get warm during class, pack your lunch the day before and keep it in the fridge at work. Just make sure you collect all your food by Friday's so it is not wasted or thrown out!

• Treat yourself with deals and specials - for those days you plan on treating yourself to lunch or dinner, use sources like FourSquare and Groupon Now to find deals around you for that day

• Have a list before you shop - having a list of pre-planned snacks and meals will save you from frivolously spending, as well as letting your stomach talk (don't shop on an empty stomach!)

Last April, I made the impulsive decision to get a kitten.

Let me back up a little: it wasn't totally impulsive. I had been thinking about adopting an animal for awhile, but wasn't planning on starting my search until the summer. Well, that obviously didn't happen. A friend sent me a link to a Craigslist posting with an absolutely adorable litter of kittens and the rest is history.

I did consider the costs of owning an animal beforehand, (and you have to), but I can also understand how easy it is to get caught up in the cuteness factor without thinking about if you're ready, if you have the time, if you have the space, if you have the MONEY, etc., etc. But it's crucial you do mull over these things first because as any vet, animal shelter, or pet owner will tell you, owning a pet is a lifelong committment. And yes, that committment could be 20 years.

Here's a list of questions you should be asking yourself:

1) Do I have the space? Different animals have different needs. Cats are perfectly comfortable in a small set-up, while dogs need more room to roam (and a backyard would be great too). At the same time you're asking yourself if you have the space for a new addition, you also need to ask yourself am I allowed to have a pet? Many apartment buildings have stipulations on the kind or amount of animals you can own. And there's usually a deposit that goes along with bringing in an animal. Also, it might not be a bad idea to check with your roommates on whether or not they'd be open to having a pet (just saying).

2) Do I have the time? Whether you're getting a dog, cat, or some other furry, or maybe scaley, creature, pets are work. There are doctor's appointments, trips to the store for food or supplies, afternoons spent cleaning up cages or litter boxes or messes, and the sometimes stressful and time-consuming process of doling out medicine. And then, you have to factor in the fun part: playtime! Plus, if you get a young animal, you also also have to include all the time you'll spend training. If you're at a point in your life where you feel you just can't handle one more responsibility then pet adoption is not for you. Pets, of all sizes, shapes, and varities, need attention and care. Period.

3) Do I have the money? This can be a hard one. How do you even begin to calculate how much an animal is going to cost? Of course there is daily maintenance-- food, toys, grooming products-- and then the most expensive aspect of all-- visits to the vet (yearly checkups, emergencies, and otherwise). And if you travel often, you also have to factor in finding a boarding service or paying someone to watch your buddy (if you don't have awesome friends like I do) while you're out-of-town. The month to month costs may not seem like a lot, but they can add up.

But, at the same time, how can you put a price on the happiness that comes with owning a pet? Numerous studies have been done on the pet-owning and most come to the same conclusion: pet-owners are healthier, happier, less stressed, and lead longer lives. (Seriously, Google "pet-owning studies" and you'll see what I mean).

Why did I get a pet? It can mainly be boiled down to the fact that I live by myself and was looking for a little companionship. My place is really small and they only allow cats, which limited my options (I'm a cat person so I'm completely okay with this), and let's face it, dogs really are more work (as much as I could probably use the daily exercise). I ultimately decided to go with an animal off Craigslist although I fully recommend checking out your area animal shelter first. If you do decide to meet up with someone off of Craiglist though, please don't go alone! I brought a friend to be cautious and for extra support.

I only paid $20 for my kitten, Milan (who was about two months old when I adopted her), which sounds amazing (and it was!), but she ultimately ended up being a lot more expensive than that, which is why shelters may be a really good way to go (especially if you're adopting a younger animal). Milan's original owners had never taken her to a vet so the first time we went, they had to do a physical exam, bloodwork, and administer several vaccinations; after three or four visits, the bill was already at several hundred dollars. They discovered she had an ear infection and stomach parasites; add on another $100. And then of course there was her spay surgery (a recommended procedure for all animals, whether indoor or outdoor), which cost me a cool $400. (Animal shelters oftentimes offer a lower cost spay or neutering procedure to residents, but the wait list is ridiculous.) And after the surgery, she had some complications, which meant three or four more additional visits to the vet and multiple examinations, blood tests, and x-rays (talk about stressful). Thankfully because I have a wonderful vet, they didn't charge me for any of the post-op visits; otherwise, I would be a much poorer individual right now. (Definitely makes you think more seriously about purchasing pet insurance). And then on top of all of this medical work was the money that went into making my apartment more kitty friendly: buying food, toys, a litter box, a scratching post, a carrying case (it really can get expensive!)

On the other hand, if you adopt an animal from a shelter (here are a couple in Chicago to look into: http://www.pawschicago.org/, http://www.anticruelty.org/, http://www.reddoorshelter.org/), initially it may seem expensive (to throw out a range: $50-$150), but all of the medical work has already been taken care of for you (that is until you need to take your new pet to his or her annual check-up). 

Something else to consider: if you're not ready for the full-time commitment of an adopted animal, many shelters also have foster programs. For a couple weeks to a couple months at a time, you can foster an animal (young or old) and get a taste of pet ownership. Shelters oftentimes give their foster parents a stipend for food and other supplies so the program is of little cost to you and by fostering, you help shelters free up space to bring in more homeless animals. I know someone that recently fostered a lovely young cat named Gerda and absolutely loved the experience! It worked for her because she wanted an animal but wasn't in a place to adopt one and the shelter was completely willing to work with her schedule as a student-- when she went home for winter break, the shelter took Gerda back. The only danger with foster programs is falling in love with the animal you're fostering (but there's always adoption ...)

So all in all, pet motherhood (or fatherhood) is awesome if you're ready for the commitment and have laid out the costs for yourself. Even for all the little stresses along the way and the huge initial expense, I can't imagine life without my new furry addition.