Car is almost paid off!!!

Well, I was able to refinance my car and now I don't have a whole lot left on the loan. With that, I have decided that I want to start saving for a house. I'm using the savings help of Smarty Pig to help me stay focused on my goal and I'm tracking my progress very publicly (see the side bar). I've also been tracking my credit score, for free, at Quizzle and Credit Karma so that I know when my score is looking high enough to apply for a loan. My plan is to have a sizable down payment (I'm starting with a goal of 20,000 at this time) and have a better score than I do now (it's not so hot) and qualify for a loan before I start looking at houses, so I know exactly how much money I have to work with.

Resume Help!

With times being especially tight, I know many who are working on resumes, trying to figure out what they "really" want to do, and learning to live more simply. I'm posting some links for those of you who fit into that group. ;-)

ResumeBear
JobHuntersBible
How to find your passion
How to Network: For Introverts
Simple Living Manifesto: 72 ideas to simplify your life
21 easy hacks to simplify your life

Tips for 2009

Now that 2009 is here, I wanted to put up some links for how to manage one's money in the current financial state our country is in. My Two Dollars has some wonderful tips to share. I really like their idea of recording everything. I do this to stay on track with my weight loss, it only makes sense that this would help me stay on track with my budget. Sound Money Tips suggests using a money management software. I use Mint, a free money management option that is completely online. MSN has some money tips for the self-employed and 10 ways to save money in 2009. Their biggest suggestion is to save for one month's expenses. The National Foundation for Credit Counseling has a lot of advice for how to pay down your debts. If you have credit cards that you'd like to pay down, I suggest to you take a look there. Get Smart also has some tips for paying down debt. Good luck!