About Me

Denise T.

Denise is a freelance journalist and crafter who dreams of starting her own business-- a hometown Tiki bar. She is a former New Orleans Bourbon Street bartender.

The challenge: I can't use my primary income to fund the tiki bar. I can only use money I earn in other ways. Part of the challenge will be to develop new, creative revenue sources. It's like a pumped-up,long-term $20 challenge.

***2008 Tiki Fund goal: $1,500***
$990.56 in fund, $509.44 to go

***Monthly Tiki Fund Total***

June: $2.21
$2.21 interest on tiki saving act.
: (

May 2008: $98.70
$9.00 Web sales
$87.61 Google Adsense
$2.09 Tiki savings interest

For a full breakdown of Tiki fund money, visit my $20 challenge page.

***Personal Savings Goals for 2008***
$5,000 into my IRA
$2,000 into hubby's Roth IRA
$2,000 into 529 plan
$6,000 into savings account
$3,600 into brokerage account
$650 into new car fund
Total: $19,250

***Progress Report***
$4,199 in my IRA, $801 to go
$1459 to Roth, $541 to go
$1100 to 529 plan, $900 to go
$5200 to savings, $800 to go
$1995 to brokerage, $1605 to go
$357.25 in car fund, $292.75 to go
Total: $14,310

***
Debt to pay off:
Student Loan: $14,841.42
(Down from $40,000 in 2001)

***
No Drive Days (where me AND the hubby don't drive! Since May 15):2

New car fund balance: $285
For a Hybrid Honda Fit!!

***
All of these goals will be a little harder to reach this year because I am now a self-employed journalist and the hubby and I had our first baby in April. Last year, I was a staff reporter at a major metro newspaper so saving was easy.

We have always lived on one salary only. But we aren't quite sure how a new baby is going to affect our finances.

***The Big Picture***
Me 33, Hubby 35
-No credit card debt
-No car loan
-House paid off because we moved to a cheaper city

My Pages

$20 Tiki challenge

My first mother's day as a mom

May 10th, 2008 at 09:06 pm

Wow. Mother's day. It's weird that this year I too am actually a mom. I'm so used to being the kid doing things for my mom on Mother's Day.

The bean is six weeks old. It certainly has been rough. I knew it would be hard but not this hard! I thought he might at least be sleeping through the night by now, but no...

I haven't had more than 2 hours of sleep in a stretch for 6 weeks now, and frankly, it's starting to wear on me.

Having a life and working? Pretty much feels impossible right now. I was excited today because the hubby watched the bean so I could go to the grocery store. It felt nice to have 2 hours alone!

Boy, funny how life changes, isn't it?

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

6 Responses to “My first mother's day as a mom”

Blue Eyes Says:
May 11th, 2008 at 05:57 am

Have a great Mother's Day!!
honeichild Says:
May 11th, 2008 at 06:10 am

Have a great Mother's Day!
aevans1206 Says:
May 11th, 2008 at 06:35 am

Happy mother's day new mom. Hang in there. It'll get easier
compulsive debtor Says:
May 11th, 2008 at 07:56 am

Happy Mother's Day! It really does get easier. Before long the bean will be sleeping through the night -- and into the afternoon -- and you'll be hollering at him to get out of bed.
Apprentice Fun-Frugalist Says:
May 11th, 2008 at 05:54 pm

The time you spend with the bean will be the best investment you'll ever make.... The deepest and strongest relationship I have in this world at the moment is with my mother... I think there is something truly special about the bond between mother and son....

Just make sure to remind him when he is older of all the sleepless nights he caused you !! lol

Happy Mothers Day !!! :-)
Lisa Says:
May 12th, 2008 at 06:33 am

Happy 1st Mother's Day! Those first months are draining but will get easier. Just when you think you can't take anymore, they move into an easier stage. Hang in there!

Thrift-o-rama and the quest for a Tiki Bar

One girl's quest to shore up her personal finances and save for her own business

My first mother's day as a mom

6 Responses to “My first mother's day as a mom”

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