Has it really been a week since I last posted?

Guess so. A lot is going on so I'll just run off a few bullets to get to the points:

1. My employer is rolling out a new way for people not currently enrolled in a 401k to do so easily. It enrolls them in a portfolio that automatically chooses a mix of investments depending on the enrollees age and projected retirement. Sounds good eh? Of course, there is a cost for this service as the portfolio is managed by a professional. That cost being somewhere around $64 a year on top of whatever fees from the funds. I don't know if that's good or bad. However if all we have are about 10 or 11 funds to choose from, and if all one has to do is go to one of the many risk calculators to figure out what the allocations should be, I'm thinking I don't need to pay someone for that. I'll just make my own adjustments, thank you very much.

2. I decided to go with 90% coinsurance for my health care. It's a lot more money, however $300 extra is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

3. My performance/pay review is coming up in December and I'm nervous. I always am. I'm hoping for a decent raise, especially with the increase cost in health care. We'll just have to wait and see.

4. I'm eager to start mapping out a savings plan for 2008, however it's difficult to do if I don't know how much money I will be working with. I do know that my top goals are my Roth IRA and Health Care Fund. I don't include my 401k in this because to me it's a given. A straight 20% cut of my pre-tax dollars automatically invested. I would like to add saving for a down payment (5-yr. goal), a vacation (1, possibly 2 yr. goal), and a super, bad-ass gaming computer (1 to 1.5 yr. goal). A lot of very high-ticket items. Hence why I'm curious about my pay review. I'm also considering a part-time gig. Maybe something during the holidays at UPS?

5. I was chatting with my Mom recently, and while we were talking she was opening her mail. "Oh. Looks like my credit score is 830." She's taking out a HELOC to help pay for some property taxes coming up and they did a credit check. She was perfectly fine with that score until I said, "Wow! Almost a perfect 850!" Now she's sulking that she doesn't have 850. My mom, the overachiever. :::eye roll:::

6. I've been less-than-frugal lately with buying lunches at work, etc. I have GOT to get that under control Part of the problem is that I haven't gone grocery shopping. Because I hate grocery shopping. But I hate wasting money even more, so I guess I'll get my wide ass up and go grocery shopping. :::double-hard eye roll:::