uhhh

Not working at McDonald's. Oddly enough I could not get temporary weekly hours while I am off of work for three weeks. They would only schedule me for the weekend which would not really help me at all. (a weekend paycheck is not enough for gas)...

Received a notice from a collection agency about a balance I did not know I even had. The bill is from my old/new university and I will not able to enroll until I pay the entire balance, $950. I do not have that money anywhere so I will not be enrolling in the doctoral program.

I am really bummed and honestly I do not have much to say... I hope your day is going much better.

Overwhelmed....

Honestly as a new teacher there is always something and coming through a residency program or the non-traditional route does not help either. I wish that I had been warned of all the "extras" before entering the program. I still would have become a teacher but I would have prepared myself more.

#1. Content Seminars - required mentoring program for non traditional teachers which cost a whole lot of money and the program directors can not seem to choose a day of the week. Initially it was every other Tuesday for 8 months. Now it is whatever day we decide and it will still be for 8 months. I hate the fact that they behave as though new teachers have nothing better to do with their time (a part time job) than sit and wait for them to choose a day for me to base my life around.

#2 Certification Courses - EXPENSIVE, EXPENSIVE, EXPENSIVE - there are 5 other universities in the City that offer these courses and of course the residency program chooses the most expensive and elitists one of them all. Damn them. The school schedules their classes (both days and times) for their traditional students again somehow I have no life and want to teach all day (8:45- 3:30) and sit in class all night (4:30 - 8:45pm).

#3 New Teacher Orientation - Based upon principal discretion as residents we may also be required to attend the new teacher orientation. ---- edit----after constant screaming from residents we are now not required to attend.

There is more but I have to run to my McDonald's orientation. Will Edit....

Salary Raise

I found out today that all teachers will receive a 4% cost of living increase. For me it means roughly an additional $56 per paycheck. I know I need to start an emergency fund, but this debt weighs on my heart heavy. However, the plan for now is to automatically save the additional money per month towards an emergency fund. I have to find out how to do an automatic deposit into my ING account. I know emergency funds are for "emergencies" but I think I will try to allocate as much as possible so I will not have to work next summer. I thought about joining the teacher credit union so that I could allocate money throughout the year to receive 4 checks in the summer but I do not know if my monthly budget can handle loosing the couple of hundred bucks.

I am a McDonald's Employee

I was hired yesterday as a weekend employee at McDonald's. I will make $8 per hour working roughly 8 hours a day on Saturday and Sunday. I am not overly excited but after calling a friend she is going to contact her part time job boss who is writing new contracts to see if I can get a position at the ticket box office paying $10 an hour and I will be able to complete school work while there. So hopefully that will come through and I will not have to work at McDonald's long. Otherwise I am at McDonald's every weekend (day time hours of course).

Thanks for your support hopefully I will make it. I really need the money.

Welcome to McDonald's, may I take your order please??????

I have an interview tomorrow with McDonald's. They have an open interview process tomorrow from 6 to 9pm. I spoke with the representative who stated I should be there around 5:30pm tomorrow and I will have an interview on the spot. I am going to bring all my documents and I will be ripping and roaring to answer the questions so that I can get a part time job. Please wish me luck... I desperately need a part time job and McDonald's is my option.


Wish me luck!!!!

Cable?

So it has been a full month since I have turned off my cable. I received my bill for phone and internet and it was only $30.00. I am working with a summer school check I really will not know the benefits until the school year starts. It has been somewhat difficult not having cable over the summer since I get home at 1pm and turn that baby on. But I am beginning classes this week so 2 days a week I will be completely occupied. I am waiting for a new utility bill. I have no clue how to lower this bill.I set the thermostat much higher and keep it off at night and when I am not home. I grill more instead of using the oven and I make it a point to unplug everything that I am not using or when I leave the home.

Any other suggestions????

Constant Highs and Lows

So after my exciting news about the seminar courses, I must say I was on a high. Then I get my 2008/ 2009 property tax bill in the mail from the City. Well, blow me down the damn bill has doubled and of course my current escrow will not cover it so I can expect my mortgage payments to go up at least $70 a month. What are the chances?


But again here is another high!!! I was accepted in the Ed.D program...

I have got to find a weekend job. My schedule this fall is going to be crazy but I love going to school and teaching so I will make it work. I need a part time job that I can work on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I have already applied to grocery stores, etc. in my area and I have no takers. I posted a listing on Craigslist and I have no takers.

Any suggestions??? I said McDonald's but everyone thought it was the worst idea ever, but I am thinking that it might be my only choice!!!!

Ask and You Shall Receive

Whoever thought that becoming a teacher in a high needs area would cost so much money? No one wants to teach in my city so why not make it easier and less expensive for those that want to????

I am in the Residency program and my goal (along with theirs) is to have most if not all of their residents complete certification requirements by the end of their two year temporary certificate. But who ever knew that it cost close to $2000 for some residents and $0 for others. Residents who are obtaining certification in Early Child pay $0 for all certification requirements. For the rest of us, you may be asking (elementary, middle, and high school) we pay on average without pursuing a masters degree $1850. But if you have a masters degree from previous schooling you can expect to pay $3700. The $3700 is my cross to bare. Although I have only taught in early childhood grades (first and second) I am not eligible for the early childhood certification and the program decides which certificate you can pursue. If you do not like their choice then plainly do not enter the program.

So now it is time to pay up. I have tried to budget and spread out the payments by taking the classes further apart. Right now the university is allowing me to take the courses at half price (ask and you shall receive $300). but now I need to take the remaining 3 courses ($900 but 2 in the fall @600 and one in the spring 300) and the seminars ($1300).

So I had no idea how I was going to pay for these requirements up front. I tried to strangle the money out of my finances but I kept coming up short. Way short. So, my mother always told me "ask and you shall receive, you never know what asking someone for a break may bring you" and that is exactly what I did.

I contacted the Residency program today, explained my financial situation and my plans for paying for the requirements and how I came up short. Only to be told by the representative that they would not only knock my rate down to $900 for the courses (they do not know I already have that arrangement with the university) but also I would have to pay only $650 for the seminar. But the most important gift... I will be put on an extended payment plan that is interest free. I can pay the $650 over 8 months. YEAH!!!!

So now you may be asking where is she going to find the funds to even pay for the courses and seminars over eight months? Well, I interviewed for a after school job today that pays $20 per hour (10 hours a week). If I land this job man, I can put the payment plan and debt repayment plan in to overtime.

Waiting for some bills to clear, I am still knocking away at credit card debt and an emergency fund.