Balancing Finances

As we get caught up in our day to day lives, we often forget that most everything we do in a day costs money. For instance, there's the gas and tolls to drive to work, the money we used for lunch that day, and of course the car payment for the car we drove and cell phone payment for the phone we used. Then, we get home, and there's the bills that accumulate there, too. So how are we supposed to keep up with all the bills when we're already so incredibly busy? It's very similar to how we balance everything else in our lives, but we definitely have to make finances a priority.

First of all, make sure you write down your expenses each month. It's a lot like scheduling in everything you have to do in your planner. The reason for this is so you don't forget anything, which is very easy to do - especially if you're a very busy person. For instance, there was one month where I completely forgot about my car insurance payment because I was overwhelmed with tests, papers, and on top of that I was working a 50 hour work week. Luckily, I was signed up for automatic withdrawal so it just took it from my account and thankfully I had just been paid so I had the money in there. However, this could have been a really bad situation if I wasn't enrolled in automatic withdrawal or, even worse, if they tried to withdraw and overdrew my bank account. So make sure to write down what you have to pay and when either on a calendar in your house or right in your planner where you know you'll be looking every day.


If you do have a bill you forgot about, don't freak out. Most of them have grace periods, so call customer service and explain what happened. If worse comes to worse (for example, the electricity gets turned off,) just pay your bill as soon as you can and remember to write it down for next month. If it's one or two times, it is usually understandable - just don't make a habit of it.

In addition to writing down all your payments, don't forget to keep track of your bank account somehow. Now, I know a lot of us depend on online banking (myself included,) but a backup tracker is essential. One of the reasons is because pending transactions can sometimes show up wrong on online banking systems. For example, you might get $40.00 in gas but it shows up as $1.00 until it completely goes through. This can definitely get you into trouble. Another reason to have a backup way to track your purchases is that sometimes places will charge you twice and sometimes the charge won't even show up until days after you've made the purchase - so you're not even thinking about it. Yes, online banking is great for double checking everything is going through correctly, but don't let it be your only version of tracking your purchases.


If you're anything like me, you probably work a lot but also have a lot of bills that the money goes to. If that's the case, make sure you take into consideration any days you miss at work. For instance, if you're sick for a couple days, remember that you might have to go a few nights without going out because you'll need to use the money you'll be getting for bills. It's important to keep track of how much income you have coming in as opposed to what's going out.


In addition, don't lean too much on credit cards. Remember that the purpose of them is to build your credit and use strategically or in emergencies. The last thing you want to do is depend on it like a crutch and then find yourself trying to catch up on an ever increasing credit card bill. This will only add to the stress I'm sure you already have with a busy lifestyle. Credit cards are great - just be wary.






Don't let finances bring you down. Unfortunately, money is a huge source of stress for many if not all of us. Instead of letting it drive you crazy, remember to only focus on what you can control. In other words, work on getting the hours you need to pay your bills and pay off your credit cards and loans with whatever you can afford. Don't freak out if it's not all paid off at the end of the month, you're not alone in that. Just make sure to sacrifice what you need to in order to reach your financial goals next month. I can't even count how many times I've had to give up going out or doing something I really wanted to get caught up financially. It's not easy and you'll be upset, but it'll be worth it when you no longer have debt hanging over your head. Just remember to not let it get you down and opt for less expensive activities to get you through (like crafting or watching movies on TV.)

Not all of us have this luxury lol

In all actuality, it really depends on the person on how to balance out your finances. Try these steps and see if that helps you get things under control. Remember that, sadly, finances have to take a huge priority in our lives. Therefore, do what you have to do in order to set them straight. If you're having more trouble than what's discussed here, consider calling your billing companies and trying to work out a different payment plan or see a financial advisor. Hopefully you're just having a little trouble finding time to balance and this will help you out! Remember, you can't do everything (we're not superman, after all!) But you can handle a lot more than you think. So take a deep breath and tackle your finances for next month! 

Just A Little Fast Dinner - McCormick Chicken & Carrots

Do you have an hour to cook dinner? No? Well how about ten minutes to prepare it and stick it in the oven, then can you come back and get it 45 minutes later? If you can, you have to check out this delicious and easy recipe.

Pick up some boneless chicken cutlets (Publix is my preference.) Check out the spices aisle, and over by where the shake and bake stuff is you can find McCormick Bag n' Season packets. Pick up the one for chicken (I use original, but there's a spicier version, too.) Don't forget veggies (I love using baby carrots, but you can also pick up some broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, etc.)

Take the bag out of the packet and place it in a 13x9 inch pan. Put the oven on 350 to preheat. Take your chicken and season it with the packet seasoning (both sides.) Place chicken in the bag and  fill it with the veggies you want. Use remaining seasoning to sprinkle over the veggies and chicken. Loosely tie the bag up with the little black tie that comes with the pack and poke 4-6 small holes in the top of the bag.

Bake for 45-60 minutes (depending on how many veggies you have.) It's that easy! This is one of my favorite fast recipes, and it tastes great as leftovers. Oh, and did I mention this whole meal costs about $6.00?! Yummy, fast, AND affordable? Count me in!

P.S. This is a total carb friendly meal :)

Don't you just love my fancy dinner ware? ;)

Catching Up

Why is it that falling behind on tasks is so easy to do, but catching up is virtually impossible? This has happened to me many times throughout my academic and professional career, and when I fall behind I usually turn straight to freak out mode. However, I've learned a lot through my experiences and I've learned that falling behind isn't fun, but it's not impossible to overcome.

The first thing I recommend doing when you fall behind is to just take a deep breath and realize that you're going to have a rough week (month, year) until you can get caught up. It's not going to be easy, and it's going to test your patience. Just realize that whatever the reason was, you fell behind and now you have to deal with it. Then, grab your handy dandy planner or favorite to-do list pad, and start listing everything that needs to get done and the due date. This will help you organize your craziness and figure out what to focus on.


Something to remember when you fall behind is that you're not alone. There are so many people who fall behind on what they have to do, in fact, most likely your boss or professor has to do the same catching up that you do. However, this doesn't mean run to whoever is in charge and complain about your life to get an extension. In my opinion, extensions are rarely ever given - and if you ask for one, that person's perception of you will change drastically. Don't put yourself in that situation. Instead, take control and take responsibility for what's going on. It's time to get things done, not try to make them go away.

Remember to prioritize. If you have something due tomorrow, obviously that has to take precedence, even if the item that's due next week is a larger project that requires a lot of time. Prioritizing also goes for what you do with your day. Maybe you do yoga with the girls every Monday or you have an event for a social organization on Thursday. As hard as it is, you have to choose what is more important - going to that party, or getting that report on your boss's desk. I've seen it so many times in college where my close friends have denied their responsibilities because they would rather go out and have fun. The unfortunate truth is that with academics this can often lead to academic probation or disqualification, and with work, this often leads to disciplinary action, less hours, or worse: termination. 


It's just like handling stress, in a way. Put one foot in front of the other and take one step at a time. Crossing things off your list should help you feel a little better, but catching up is a little different than having a regular busy week. If you fell behind, that could mean that you're trying to do three weeks' work in one. The key is to realize that you should focus on what's attainable and what isn't. Spread your time out wisely and don't freak out over what you can't control. If you spend your energy worrying about that assignment that was due last night that you completely forgot about, that's less energy you'll have to focus on that report due on Friday that you can actually do. Sometimes, things happen - focus on what can be changed, not on the past.

Even though you've fallen behind, it's important to focus on what you need to do in the next couple of weeks, too, so that you don't fall even farther behind. I've had it happen to me so many times - I get to the end of "hell week" and get caught up, or so I think, only to look at my planner for the next week and realize I'm now behind on those tasks. So, even if you only do a little work on things for the upcoming weeks, make sure you don't ignore them completely.


Remember to take time for yourself. It's hard to schedule it in, especially if you're catching up on multiple things, but it's important to not add excessive stress to your already overloaded schedule. Take a few minutes to do something you enjoy, even if it's not to the fullest extent. For instance, if you're missing your daily workouts but don't have time to hit the gym, take 10-15 minutes to stretch. Doing this will release those endorphins you're craving but won't make you sweaty enough to need to take a shower. Stretching also clears your head for a while because you have to focus on your breathing and your reach.

Overall, falling behind can be a disaster. Most of us stress out until we're caught back up, but just remember to take it one step at a time and realize that complaining about it won't make it go away. Find your inner strength and power through your to-do list and before you know it, Saturday will be here greeting you with open arms.

Key West Adventures

For the most part, my blog posts have been mostly about tips on how to balance out a particular part of life. However, every now and then, I get a little selfish, and that's exactly what I did this week.


This week was spring break for my university, and since it's my last one, some of my sorority sisters and I decided to go to Key West. Now, I have lived in Florida for about 8 years now, but I have never made it out to the Keys. Let me just say, it's like living in an entirely different world down there! I had an amazing time with some of my best friends and it was honestly an adventure I'll never forget. So, I know it's a little out of the ordinary for my blog, but if you're ever in Key West, here are some things you MUST do!


1. Get a drink at Fat Tuesday's. Now, I made a visit to New Orleans for Mardi Gras a couple weeks ago, but the Fat Tuesday's there is surprisingly not as fun as the one in Key West. In my opinion, Fat Tuesday's is the best place on Duval to go for a GREAT tasting drink that does the trick, and if it's around this time of the year, it's likely to be the hottest spot on the street. My personal favorite: 190 Octane, but feel free to try whatever sounds good to you. :)

Fat Tuesday's Drink and Ray Bans, what more do you need?

2. Go to Mallory Square for the Sunset Celebration. Key West is one of the most beautiful places to watch the sun dip down into the water, and Mallory Square makes it a blast. They have fun street performance shows as well as street art you can buy. The crowd is usually a big one, and the sunset never disappoints. In fact, the day we went it was actually cloudy, but the sun still managed to peak out for a little while and the celebration made it just as great as I expected. My personal favorite: check out the guy who looks like Captain Jack Sparrow, you'll see him stumbling around talking to himself, so funny!


3. Visit the Southern Most Point. One of the most unique things about being in Key West is knowing that you can't go any further south in the USA. When you're down there, pull up your iPhone maps app and you'll feel surreal. Looking around and realizing you're completely surrounded by water and only a mere 90 miles from Cuba gives the key an out-of-this-world feeling. It's a must to document it with the Southern Most Point statue. My personal favorite: Check out the house right next door to the marker, it's the southern most house in the USA! 

4. Venture up to the top of the La Concha hotel on Duval. You can go inside through the Starbucks below and take the elevator to the top floor. There's a full service bar up there, as well as an incredible view of the entire island. Truly a breathtaking sight, and it's free! :) My personal favorite: check out the view of the cruise ships, it's a majestic sight.

5. Eat at The Conch Republic. This is a great restaurant that boasts some of Key West's finest sea food. Now, I don't actually like sea food, but their chicken was great! Honestly, the best part is their amazing mojitos - definitely worth a try! My personal favorite: Happy hour is from 4-7 at the bar! :)


6. Visit Dante's. Dante's is an outdoor bar a few blocks from Duval that has a pool right in the middle of it. The best part? You can lounge by the pool or even be in it and have your drinks delivered. It's a great hot spot and so much fun. My personal favorite: If you get there early enough or catch it at the right time, you can call dips on the floating beer pong table in the pool. :P

7. Check out Smather's Beach. This is the only little stretch of beach on the key that isn't private, and it's a lot of fun. If you go around Spring Break time, don't be surprised to find it swamped with drunken college kids. However, get there early enough and you can enjoy some peaceful hours, and from what my cab driver told me, it's usually not as crazy and is the number one beach to go to on the key. My personal favorite: Smather's Beach food stands - you can get two hot dogs or two tacos, fries, and a drink for 5 bucks! Hey, not bad for beach food in the Keys ;)


8. Hit up the mile 0 marker. It's crazy to think that you're at mile 0 in a state, let alone mile 0 in the entire US. You can find this marker not too far from Duval. It's a must see and a great photo opp. My personal favorite: walk there, because there is no close parking! :)

9. Make a trip to Hogs Breath. This little bar is located right off of Duval, and they are a fun spot to check out. When we were there, there was live music and the bar was full of fun people. My personal favorite: You have to try the key lime shooters! It's like key lime pie in a shot glass with a kick ;)


10. Drink some fresh coconut water. This is a pretty standard treat for an island, but it's something you have to try. They pull our a coconut and drill a hole in it for a straw. It's a different taste, but a fun experience! My personal favorite: Check out the guys who sell it out of their truck near the Southern Most Point, so nice and tasty!

11. Go to Rick's between 8 and 11 at night. They run a drink special there that for $10 cover, you get a cup and have free drinks until 11. The best part is that there are multiple bars within Rick's, so you don't have to stick with the same drink the entire time. My personal favorite: Check out the frozen daiquiri bar on the second floor - yummy stuff!


12. And finally, if you dare, go to the Garden of Eden. This rooftop bar is clothing optional, which means you're bound to see some interesting sights. I would suggest going at a busy time, like during Spring Break or a popular part of the summer. Sometimes it's only a few people naked, maybe just a couple who are topless, but you might end up there on a night where the roof is packed. At any rate, it's a fun time and something you don't see every day. My personal favorite: Check out the guy who does body painting in the corner of the bar. If you want to get a little naked but don't want it to show, he's great at illusions!






There you have it. If you're ever in Key West, these are the top things I think should be on your must do list. Overall, I've learned one thing about Key West: You can never leave as the same person you were when you arrived! :)