Today I received my acceptance letter to my local community college, I am one step closer to my new future. The next step is to apply for my transcripts from all of my previous colleges and have them sent to the school. I also have to go in for orientation and academic advising.
In order to get into the LPN program I have to take the TEAS exam and get at least a composite score of 88%. I ordered the study guide and a GED study guide online and hope to start studying by next weekend. I am giving myself a month to study before I take the exam.
I found an online forum all about nursing (allnurses.com) and some of the stories I've read are horrifying. There are people with high test scores and 4.0 GPA's not being excepted into the programs.
Good thing I have a back-up plan.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Water Water Everywhere
How much water should you drink in a day?
I Googled that question and found this on the Mayo Clinic web site
I hardly drink anything through out the day, I'm surprised that I haven't died of dehydration yet. I was doing o.k. with my water intake for a while but then I fell off the wagon.
My first step toward better health is to drink 9 cups of water per day.
Currently I carry 1 700ml (1 pint) bottle of water to work with me every day, to get the 9 cups recommended I would need to drink 4.5 bottles every day.
To make this more economical (and earth friendly) I will buy gallon water bottles and drink half per day.
Wow, I am going to be spending a lot of time in the bathroom.
I Googled that question and found this on the Mayo Clinic web site
- Replacement approach. The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter (about 4 cups) of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace your lost fluids.
- Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Another approach to water intake is the "8 x 8 rule" — drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters). The rule could also be stated, "Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," as all fluids count toward the daily total. Although the approach really isn't supported by scientific evidence, many people use this easy-to-remember rule as a guideline for how much water and other fluids to drink.
- Dietary recommendations. The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.
I hardly drink anything through out the day, I'm surprised that I haven't died of dehydration yet. I was doing o.k. with my water intake for a while but then I fell off the wagon.
My first step toward better health is to drink 9 cups of water per day.
Currently I carry 1 700ml (1 pint) bottle of water to work with me every day, to get the 9 cups recommended I would need to drink 4.5 bottles every day.
To make this more economical (and earth friendly) I will buy gallon water bottles and drink half per day.
Wow, I am going to be spending a lot of time in the bathroom.
You're A Hard Habit To Break
In my effort to lose weight and eat healthier I have realized that when it comes to certain foods I have no will power. If I can get my hands on them I will eat them as fast as I can. Therefore I have decided to make the effort to not purchase these items anymore.
1. Frozen pizza
2. Cadbury chocolate bars
3. Tyson jumbo wings of fire (frozen hot wings)
4. Oreo's
5. Keebler Fudge Shoppe Fudge Stripes
Why is it that the food that taste the best are the worst for you?
Not buying these ever so delicious items will help me cut back on my spending too.
1. Frozen pizza
2. Cadbury chocolate bars
3. Tyson jumbo wings of fire (frozen hot wings)
4. Oreo's
5. Keebler Fudge Shoppe Fudge Stripes
Why is it that the food that taste the best are the worst for you?
Not buying these ever so delicious items will help me cut back on my spending too.
Why Nursing?
A few days ago Superstar Genius asked why am I now interested in becoming a nurse or dietitian with my background in retail.
These are questions I asked myself numerous times before I made my final decision, here are my reasons - in no particular order.
1. I never liked retail.
Retail was a means to an end. When I was in college I needed a job to pay the bills, I tried to get an office job but with no clerical experience I could not get one. I started out as a sales associate and worked my way up to manager. Working all of those hours took a tole on my GPA and limited the places I could apply to after graduation. I decided a job I hated was better than no job at all.
2. Visual Merchandising jobs are few and far between, and are hard to get.
Most stores do not have visual merchandisers, the few that do are either getting rid of them or have had the same employees forever. To go corporate I would have to move to New York and try to get a job from to small pool of available jobs.
3. I have no desire to open my own store, nor the capitol needed to do so.
I have been in retail long enough to see the way people act and treat stores. I would never want to take that risk with my own money.
4. I like helping people.
As a nurse (my first choice) or a dietitian I would get to help people feel better and live longer. In retail all you are doing is trying to get people to spend money they don't have and open credit cards they don't need.
5. I have to go where the money is.
I have been trying to pay off debt for years and it can not be done on $12 and hour. Nursing is an in-demand field that pays well.
As far as going back to school, once accepted I could be done with school in 4 years. In the grand scheme of things 4 years is not a long time, I will be 35. I can either be 35 doing a job I hate with no future or doing a job I would love (or at least like) with a future and a good income.
Good, Bad, or Ugly, these are my reasons.
These are questions I asked myself numerous times before I made my final decision, here are my reasons - in no particular order.
1. I never liked retail.
Retail was a means to an end. When I was in college I needed a job to pay the bills, I tried to get an office job but with no clerical experience I could not get one. I started out as a sales associate and worked my way up to manager. Working all of those hours took a tole on my GPA and limited the places I could apply to after graduation. I decided a job I hated was better than no job at all.
2. Visual Merchandising jobs are few and far between, and are hard to get.
Most stores do not have visual merchandisers, the few that do are either getting rid of them or have had the same employees forever. To go corporate I would have to move to New York and try to get a job from to small pool of available jobs.
3. I have no desire to open my own store, nor the capitol needed to do so.
I have been in retail long enough to see the way people act and treat stores. I would never want to take that risk with my own money.
4. I like helping people.
As a nurse (my first choice) or a dietitian I would get to help people feel better and live longer. In retail all you are doing is trying to get people to spend money they don't have and open credit cards they don't need.
5. I have to go where the money is.
I have been trying to pay off debt for years and it can not be done on $12 and hour. Nursing is an in-demand field that pays well.
As far as going back to school, once accepted I could be done with school in 4 years. In the grand scheme of things 4 years is not a long time, I will be 35. I can either be 35 doing a job I hate with no future or doing a job I would love (or at least like) with a future and a good income.
Good, Bad, or Ugly, these are my reasons.
Monday, July 12, 2010
How Do You Pay For Gas?
I am a pay at the pump kind of girl, there is nothing I hate more than walking into the convenience store, wait in line behind some idiot who is picking his lotto numbers, walk back to my car, and then pump gas. I like the convenience of sticking my card in the card slot, pump the gas, get my receipt, and drive away.
Here lies the problem.
Due to the fact that people like to tamper with credit card readers, there is always a chance of your credit card information being stolen. Because of this, I pay for my gas with a credit card instead of my check card.
This in turn stops me from maintaining a zero balance. I start off paying the charge in full the next day, but after a while I start to let it pile up.
Perhaps I should start paying with cash.
Here lies the problem.
Due to the fact that people like to tamper with credit card readers, there is always a chance of your credit card information being stolen. Because of this, I pay for my gas with a credit card instead of my check card.
This in turn stops me from maintaining a zero balance. I start off paying the charge in full the next day, but after a while I start to let it pile up.
Perhaps I should start paying with cash.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
New Budget
Current Budget
Income - $2000 per month
Sallie Mae - $600
Electric - $200 (estimate, most of the time it is less)
Cell Phone - $70
Phone/Cable/Internet - $170
Credit Card 1 - $90
Credit Card 2 - $140
Credit Card 3 - $250
Gas/Groceries - $200
Student Loan 2 - $200
Savings - $80
When I start classes the $200 I am paying to my second student loan and the $80 I am saving will be going toward tuition.
Possible Future Budget
Income - $1440 per month ($12 per hour)
Sallie Mae - $600
Electric - $0 (my mother will have to take over this bill)
Cell Phone - $70
Phone/Cable/Internet - $100 (my mother will have to take over the phone part of this bill)
Credit Card 1 - $30
Credit Card 2 - $140
Credit Card 3 - $150
Gas/Groceries - $100
Student Loan 2 - $200
Savings - $10
When I start classes the $200 I am paying to my second student loan and the $10 I am saving will be going toward tuition.
Or....
Income - $1760 per month ($14 per hour)
Sallie Mae - $600
Electric - $140
Cell Phone - $70
Phone/Cable/Internet - $170
Credit Card 1 - $90
Credit Card 2 - $140
Credit Card 3 - $250
Gas/Groceries - $100
Student Loan 2 - $200
Savings - $80
When I start classes the $200 I am paying to my second student loan and the $80 I am saving will be going toward tuition.
Until the final word comes down (or I get a new job) I am living week to week.
Income - $2000 per month
Sallie Mae - $600
Electric - $200 (estimate, most of the time it is less)
Cell Phone - $70
Phone/Cable/Internet - $170
Credit Card 1 - $90
Credit Card 2 - $140
Credit Card 3 - $250
Gas/Groceries - $200
Student Loan 2 - $200
Savings - $80
When I start classes the $200 I am paying to my second student loan and the $80 I am saving will be going toward tuition.
Possible Future Budget
Income - $1440 per month ($12 per hour)
Sallie Mae - $600
Electric - $0 (my mother will have to take over this bill)
Cell Phone - $70
Phone/Cable/Internet - $100 (my mother will have to take over the phone part of this bill)
Credit Card 1 - $30
Credit Card 2 - $140
Credit Card 3 - $150
Gas/Groceries - $100
Student Loan 2 - $200
Savings - $10
When I start classes the $200 I am paying to my second student loan and the $10 I am saving will be going toward tuition.
Or....
Income - $1760 per month ($14 per hour)
Sallie Mae - $600
Electric - $140
Cell Phone - $70
Phone/Cable/Internet - $170
Credit Card 1 - $90
Credit Card 2 - $140
Credit Card 3 - $250
Gas/Groceries - $100
Student Loan 2 - $200
Savings - $80
When I start classes the $200 I am paying to my second student loan and the $80 I am saving will be going toward tuition.
Until the final word comes down (or I get a new job) I am living week to week.
Minimum Payment Warnings
You gotta love the minimum payment warnings that credit cards come with, they are helping me plan my assault on the credit card demon that possesses me.
Awhile back I paid off my Master Card, since then I charged it back up and was carrying a balance on the store charge card I got for work. I am glad to say that I just paid off my Master Card for the LAST TIME, I am taking it out of my wallet and giving it to my mother to hold.
Next on my hit list is my American Express with the ridiculously high interest rate (29.99%). According to the MPW if I pay $126 per month I can have the card paid off in 3 years. That is to long for me, I want to have this card paid off in 1 year. That is going to be hard on a $1400 a month budget (remember, I have a pay cut coming any day now.) I am going to try to up my payment to $250 a month and throw any extra money I get at this card.
Awhile back I paid off my Master Card, since then I charged it back up and was carrying a balance on the store charge card I got for work. I am glad to say that I just paid off my Master Card for the LAST TIME, I am taking it out of my wallet and giving it to my mother to hold.
Next on my hit list is my American Express with the ridiculously high interest rate (29.99%). According to the MPW if I pay $126 per month I can have the card paid off in 3 years. That is to long for me, I want to have this card paid off in 1 year. That is going to be hard on a $1400 a month budget (remember, I have a pay cut coming any day now.) I am going to try to up my payment to $250 a month and throw any extra money I get at this card.
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