New (or Improved) Budget

I can hardly believe it has been all the way since June 4th that I last posted! Yikes!! Things have been so crazy with moving, though I'm almost settled now (almost being the key word) in the new place, and the old we just have the walk through tomorrow with our landlord. It's super clean but I doubt that will help them- they've only had one showing since they put the rent sign up 2 weeks ago.

I also took a look at my budget thinking that moving is a good time to do some rework on the darn thing. Most articles use budgets of percentages whereas I've just been trying to spend a set dollar amount or save a certain amount, and I'm hoping this new plan will keep me just a smidge closer to sane.

(Deep Breath)... Here goes...

24% Taxes/Unchangeable deductions (medical, dental, FSA- stuff I can only change once a year)
20% 401(k) Contribution
15% Rent (includes utilities)
10% Long Term Savings for a home, retirement, etc
5% Short Term Savings for 'sometimes' expenses like car insurance, vacations, weddings, etc
8% Roth IRA Contribution (which requires me rolling the thing over to a firm that doesn't stink)
18% Other spend including groceries, gas, and fun money

The hard parts are the Roth and the Long Term Savings. I've set up the 5% to come from my checking to my savings and I'll reroute when I need it to pay for these things, but the 10% I need to find something solid and looooow maintenance to put it in. I'm thinking index funds, but to go with ETFs or Mutuals? One that follows S&P or two to three to cover different spectrums? I've read up some, but it's so hard to pick what is best with the fees and everything. As for the Roth I just need to roll it over, the people it's with now don't have an office out here, and I don't like them anyways.
Not to mention sticking to the budget. That might not be a walk in the park, either.

Old Navy, Baby!

So I finally got to Old Navy to use the $50/$100 coupon I found during the oldnavyweekly.com reload Sunday night. Let's take a peek at my new clothes, shall we?

Disclaimer: I sound a little like an ON advertisement below, but it's been a loooong time since I've bought clothes for me that weren't specifically to improve my work wardrobe, and I'm a little excited.

We'll start with the dresses ($15 each sale price). They aren't fancy or anything, but perfect little sundresses. And in case you missed it a few posts back, I'm moving to the beach... I plan on wearing things with the word "sun" in them a lot. Sundress, sunglasses, sunscreen, sun... okay, that's all I got.

What is this? Color, in my wardrobe! Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, Oh My!

Of course, two dresses aren't enough, I can't wear them all the time... so we'll get some blue shorts and a bright green skirt, too! Skirt $15 on sale, shorts $19.50 regular price

Now, I suppose I should get some practical things for work... how about two tank tops to go under my liter dress shirts? $5 each, sale price. And I loved these shoes, $19.50 they're cute, feel comfy enough, and they are a small wedge, which I like- with the big ones I think "uh I'll just take a normal heel thanks".

As for the socks that snuck in, those are for this "GYM" thing I'm trying to go to right now. These were good thick socks, and I was just a little shy of $100, so I threw them in at $6.50 ($5 each if you buy 2+)

So my subtotal came to $100.50, which was just $50.50 after coupon! Plus tax. Stupid California. But I bought it in OC instead of LA county, so at least the tax wasn't as high as it could have been.