Cleaning Out the Financial Cobwebs

For a long time, I've been thinking about streamlining my finances. They aren't too complicated, but maybe more complicated than they need to be. It feels good to research better interest rates and makes positive changes to my personal saving goals. (SmartyPig and CapitalOne are my favorite online spots for saving so far.)

I'm also enjoying (for the most part!) learning how to invest. I'm using a couple of online brokers right now, trying to figure out which one I like best. Some of the terms are still fuzzy to me, but I've decided to wade in, a little at a time. My purchases so far have been mostly S&P 500 index funds.

It's a Virtual Piggy Bank

A few weeks ago, I happened upon the website SmartyPig, and decided to check it out. It's a website devoted to helping people set up savings goals, but with a real world way to put those goals into action.  The website has teamed up with Compass Bank to created online savings accounts for customers through SmartyPig, based on individual savings goals (not just amounts, but deadlines too). I'm pretty charmed by this concept, as well as the savings interest rate of 2.15% APY.

I've ended up setting up and tweaking several savings goals using SmartyPig, and it's helped me to be more realistic about my goals. Another plus is that it's helped me to alter my spending habits as well, which is not a bad thing! I've never been good at creating and sticking to a budget, much like trying stick to a diet by keeping a food diary. Anything that feels like too much trouble for an extended period isn't going to have staying power. So far, this feels like a fun (and consolidated) way of saving for different things in my financial life.

I'm curious, is anyone else out in blogging land using SmartyPig? If so, what do you think about it?

Lunch in Graham

Yesterday, George and I found ourselves in Alamance County. We stopped in Mebane (population about 9,000) first, where I joined the credit union that George joined last week based on where he works. Although I already do the credit union thing from my own job, I decided it wouldn't hurt to have a little cashola tucked a little (but not totally) out of reach. It also gave us a chance to open a joint savings account, which was a step in the right direction for our financial future as a couple. (We've been together five and a half years, living together for the past 11 months.) Our opening balance in the joint account is minimal, as we haven't decided how we're going to deposit money in it, what we're going to save together for, anything like that. We have time to decide, though. Not stressing over it.

Afterward, we went to nearby Graham, another small town. (With a population of about 14,000, it's not the largest city of the county, but it is the county seat of Alamance County.) George has been there for lunch a couple of times, and he wanted to show me around. It's a quaint little town, at least what we saw of the downtown district. The courthouse stands in the middle of the round-about traffic circle, with various side streets and businesses around. We ate in a cute little place called the Graham Soda Shop. It's a quaint place with that old soda shop appeal. I got a salad and a baked potato, a pretty healthy meal. My only gripe is that the salad came with bacon bits, which weren't listed as an item on the salad, or I would've had them leave the bacon bits off (not a big fan).

Afterward, George and I walked around and poked our heads into a couple of places. On our way back to the car, I decided I wanted to get a shot of the Graham Soda Shop sign, so I asked George to stand beside it. I was pulling out my camera when a lady walking by offered to take a picture of us together (the picture above). That was very thoughtful, so we agreed. Other than needing a comb for my hair, not a bad shot! :-)

More shredding

This weekend I did more bill shredding, and was able to get rid of several bags of trash. It's a relief to feel like I'm getting my financial house in order, especially since G. and I are moving in together. Moving to a new apartment has me thinking all the more about buying a home and other financial goals, both short- and long-term.