Financial Newbie » Reviews

Adventures in Accounting Homework

admin — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:23:44 +0000

I managed to stay up entirely too late doing accounting homework last night. I did finish it and was satisfied with the results, but that should teach me to put it off until the last minute. Now the question will be whether I can retain the information I’ve learned for tomorrow’s quiz.

I’m certainly taking a shine to the subject and can already see potential applications for future business endeavors. I’m also starting to see the mistakes made in some businesses I’ve been in. I could even see it as part of a career path for me. Granted, this is with 5 days of beginning accounting class knowledge so remember your grains of salt.

Getting used to how certain transactions are classified will take some getting used to, but I see how the accounting powers that be prevent transactions from being entered twice, for example. I’ll be sure to go into more detail once I can speak on the subject with any degree of authority

As I’m starting to feel the effects of the sleep dep, I must grab more caffeine. Until next time.

Accounting 201

admin — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:33:58 +0000

I’ve started the new quarter with the Accounting series for business degrees in my area. My likelihood of staying is contingent upon if I can pay for everything and have the time/focus to keep up my grades. The instructor seems very nice, knowledgeable, and accessible which puts points towards me staying. Spending $150 on a used textbook less so. He did make an interesting statement about how one of his colleagues some years back had put together a budget so he could retire at 45. Apparently his friend is still retired in his 50’s using what he had learned in accounting, so I hope I can make something work out for me.

Car repairs

admin — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:31:02 +0000

I’ve been delaying taking the car in for maintenance as cash has been tight. I know I need to because it will save a lot of money in the long run. I did learn how to fix my brakes and change the tires over the summer, but I still don’t know how to change the oil or the various filters. I’d like to do the 60k service and rotate the tires as well as a few other things, but I don’t know what to prioritize. Lack of car knowledge strikes again!

Most of my fear is I don’t know how much things will cost, which is spurring me to inaction, as it were. I should bite the bullet and get an estimate at the very least, and then ask around to see what I need to prioritize. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, after all.

Cheap workout ideas part II

admin — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:21:15 +0000

Staying healthy and slim can save you a lot in health care costs in the long run. Luckily, you don’t need to spring for a gym membership. Here are a few cheap ideas to get started on the fitness train.

Jump rope: You can usually get these for under $10. There is a learning curve, so take it slowly to start. After a few weeks of practice for perhaps 20 minutes a day, you should be able to get a fantastic workout. I find jumping rope to be a very efficient workout as there is full-body intensity. I might only recommend against it if you feel the shock is too much for your knees due to weight or other issues.

Swimming: If you can access a local pool or body of water, this may be a viable option for you. Swimmer’s tend to have very lithe, fit bodies as the exercise burns a lot of calories and develops a lot of upper-body strength.

Shadow Boxing: You can pull up some videos on the on the internet and find a few combos to work with intensity, as well as pointers on technique. You could even spring for pads and gloves for a one-time investment without having to pay for a gym membership. Bodyweight calisthenics with shadow boxing as your rest period makes for a fantastic and cheap workout.

I’ll probably start mapping out more specific workouts that you can try.

The return!

admin — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:45:33 +0000

I have returned!

I can’t believe it’s been as long as it has. I have managed to increase my savings account and IRA size, so the time I’ve been gone hasn’t been a waste from the financial side. Additionally, I took a macroeconomics course and got a deeper understanding of the financial world. Deeper being a dip of the toes in the shallow end of a very large pool, but at least I know the pool exists now.

I’ve put in a lot of time training for a fight, so between that, school, and time with the wife I’ve had little time to blog. I hope to better manage my time to succeed in balancing these items, but that’s how it is for everyone.

Until next time.

Mini-review of Mint.com

admin — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 04:23:20 +0000

I’ve come to the realization that the first step in achieving financial success is keeping track of where your money is going, which is why I signed up for Mint.com today and linked various accounts to it. The process took about 10 relatively painless minutes. Mint lets your break down your spending in various categories and links up with various accounts you may have so that you can see where you stand. In my case, I have a checking account, separate savings, and an investment account linked up. You could also link a credit card, loans, and so forth. The interface is clean and the pie charts are pretty useful, although I’ve yet to really get into it. I’ll post more about it as I go along, but it looks useful even without me customizing it further, as my balances are all in one place.