1st Month of the 2014 52 Week Money Challenge

Just so I'm accountable on my personal commitment to do this savings challenge. I decided that I will post my progress on a monthly basis in my blog. As of January 31, 2014 I have been able to set aside P420. That amount is actually the amount targeted for the week of February 8. I know it's a small amount but it does feel like an achievement to be able to stick to a plan. I can't wait til the end of the year when the amount is more substantial. I've read one blog before that  dismissed the benefits of this scheme but to me it seems to be working just fine. It may not work for everyone but I'd like to say that it works for me. 

I won, I won

I was was waiting for January 30, 2014 because I joined Naked Sun's Instagram contest. It was their #nsswim10k contest to mark their 10,000 followers. I wanted to win so badly for my Valentine's Day trip to Iloilo and Guimaras. I wasn't disappointed I won a P1000 GC. 

As I was about to call it a day when I saw a Berocca contest in Twitter. It was so simple, all I need to do was retweet so I did, just once. I didn't expect to win since peope who join retweeting contests in Twitter retweet as many as they can. I was happy to see this: 

I guess January 30, 2014 was a lucky day for me. 

Freebie from IloveBDJ.com

I was no longer expecting the Pantene freebie from the #choosetoshine giveaway of ilovebdj.com. When I registered I got a pop up message that they have reached their registration limit and I could join some other future promos. I was so surprised when I saw this on my inbox: 

I was even more surprised to receive this: 

I'm always happy when I get freebies. I wish to get more. Getting freebies make me more grateful thus I'm happier. 

Planner/Journal

I've had this Powerbooks planner for quite sometime, I can no longer remember if I got it in 2008 or 2009. My friend Nancy gave it to me as a Christmas gift. It was one of the best gifts that I've gotten. I absolutely love it. Although I particularly remember she asked me what I wanted for Christmas at that time and I shamelessly said I want this particular journal and planner in one. 

 

The very good thing about this, is that it is for no particular year and it's just days on each page and no particular date is included. I've managed to partially fill it without the hurry to fully fill it like most planners or yearly journals.   

 

True to the Powerbooks brand and line of business the planner and journal in one is book themed. While most pages are blank some pages are centered on what else but books. Pages to fill and journal thoughts on books read, being read, and will read. It also has book recommendations on the sidebar. It's one of my new year's resolution this 2014 to fill the pages. I want to make it a daily journal of the books I will be reading this year. I want to fill it with quotes, thoughts, and my personal impressions. 

2014 BDJ and Blogberry Planners

These are the two planners I am currently using. It is my first time to use two planners at the same time. I have gotten by with one for the longest time. The Belle de Jour planner has been a constant in my life. This 2014 edition is my 7th one. I had it personalized with my first name. I made sure it got done since they offered it for the first time to loyal BDJ users.  The Blogberry Foodie Lifestyle Planner was given to me as a Christmas gift by my friend Rhea. She thought it was the perfect companion to Alicia Colby Sy's book, Eat Out Now which she also gave me for Christmas. I love to eat out and the two together are just perfect. At first I didn't know what I'll do with two planners. I can't write tasks, reminders, notes, and what nots in duplicates simply for the heck of it. So I divided their use. 

My BDJ planner is used to list down my daily task,reminders, and notes. It has almost everything about my life that needs to be done, get paid, get noted, and paid attention to. 

My Blogberry is used to remind me of my 2014 52 Week Savings Challenge and restaurants I'm going to try and have tried on certain dates. I use it as some sort of journal whereby I write my reviews and thoughts on restaurants I've eaten at especially the new ones I've tried. 

 

This is my life in writing... Almost perfectly organized! (Pun intended there) 

Blogger App on my iPhone

I've had my iPad 2 for about 2 years now and my iPhone 4s for about a year and a half but I only recently downloaded the blogger app. I no longer have any excuse  for my blogging misgivings. I should be able to blog on the go now. It'll be my attitude towards writing that I have to deal with. I'm such a perfectionist when it comes to writing it becomes taxing no matter how much I love to express myself  this way. In my work as Editor in Chief of the Department newsletter I usually go through 4 drafts before any article I wrote becomes acceptable for public consumption. I have a long list of ideas I wanted to write about last year but due to time constraints, procrastination, and my neurosis it seems that all of those have become passè. I'm crossing my fingers that with the blogger app downloaded on my iPhone I'll be able to write more and let go of some personal reservations and just write. 

2014 52 Week Money Challenge

A friend of mine posted this on her Facebook page. I got so excited to do it. It felt great to start with my first P20.00 today. I can't wait for next week and well December 27, 2014 to see if I can sustain the enthusiasm to save money. I wonder why I haven't thought of this on my own or just simply why this is the first time I saw this.