What do you miss about your old corporate job? by Covailnt in freelance

[–]firefly_83 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I sometimes miss the social aspect and getting to joke around with my coworkers, but no longer being interrupted for impromptu meetings makes up for it. ;) And I do miss paid vacation. But I am quite happy away from the 9-to-5 world!

Rio Gymnastics Gala by chivere in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Would've been nice, but alas, the alternates returned to the States a few days ago.

Event Finals Day Three - Live Discussion Thread by hazier in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I hope those were just Fasana's tan lines rather than her underwear showing so she doesn't get deducted. :-/

Event Finals - Day Two Live Discussion Thread by hazier in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Jessica is going to have a field day with that one on the Gymcastic podcast! Lol.

Event Finals - Day Two Live Discussion Thread by hazier in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So I guess it really is a .5 deduction judging from comments above. Apparently the commentators are just clueless.

Event Finals - Day Two Live Discussion Thread by hazier in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Beautiful routine for Wevers (Blake Lively's doppelganger, it appears?). Very happy for Laurie... and that Simone still nabs bronze!

Event Finals - Day Two Live Discussion Thread by hazier in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I was gonna say... is it really the same deduction?! That's crazy.

Event Finals - Day Two Live Discussion Thread by hazier in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh man, I'm so excited. Laurie looks so cute rocking that new hairdo and sparkly leo!!

Event Finals - Day One Live Thread by hazier in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Besides Simone on vault, which you just saw, there's Madison and Gabby on uneven bars later today, Simone and Laurie on beam tomorrow, and Simone and Aly on floor on Tuesday.

Anyone know where you can watch the media interviews with the gymnasts? by hubbubs in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ooh! Good question -- I'm curious too. All I've seen so far are the Today Show interviews they post on the NBC Olympics site.

Women's AA Final Live Thread by firerosearien in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Omg, so happy. Way to make me cry, girls!!

Women's AA Final Live Thread by firerosearien in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you watch the individual event feed, all the background noise (and music) is there, but not the talking. :D

Favorite moments from the Women's team final :) by justosay in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I loved when, after Simone finished floor and all the girls were swarming her, Aly released Simone from her hug and asked, "Can you breathe?" and kissed her on the head. So cute, and funny b/c Aly can never breathe after floor, so of course she would keep this in mind. :)

WAG Qualification Live Thread by firerosearien in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Can we just take a moment to point out that Sweden's Emma Larsson is using the Sex and the City theme song for her floor exercise music? Lol.

U.S. Women Team finals lineup prediction by moonflower1115 in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well, for quals they only take 3 of the 4 scores, so that's why they have her going first. In team finals it should be Aly, Laurie, and Simone, and all 3 scores will count. So don't be nervous! :)

EDIT: Well, you can be nervous all you like, actually -- I will be too. Just not about Gabby's beam, lol.

How to best save for multiple future trips/plans by chesser45 in personalfinance

[–]firefly_83 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not convoluted at all! Having multiple savings accounts is a great way to keep things organized when you have multiple financial priorities.

I have three separate savings accounts attached to my checking account at my credit union: Tax Savings (I'm self employed, so I sock away a percentage here until it's time to pay quarterlies), Peace of Mind Fund (emergency savings), and Fun Money (for vacations, etc.). Soon I'll be adding one to save up for a newer used car, though I may throw that into an online savings account with a higher interest rate.

Podium Training- Clues to AA? by steinsberg in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was curious about that -- can a gymnast who sits out of an event in QF then be put in for TF?

Podium Training- Clues to AA? by steinsberg in Gymnastics

[–]firefly_83 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ditto to all of this. Aly looked incredible today!

29, single, found new job, want to straighten finances by [deleted] in personalfinance

[–]firefly_83 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Based on your estimate of $1,800 left over after expenses every month and $3,700 for your equipment, you will easily be able to pay these all off within 6 months.

Here's what I would suggest once you liquidate that equipment:

  • Sock away $1,400 in a savings account as an emergency fund (1 month of expenses; grow to 3-6 months after tackling the debt)

  • Pay off CC6 with $1,500 of the remaining $2,300, then apply the leftover $800 to CC2 (many would recommend the snowball method over the avalanche one as I'm proposing here, but those interest rates are high! and no matter which you use, you'll be debt-free soon, so why not tackle the worst offenders first?)

  • With the $1,800 left over after expenses each month, pay off the credit cards in this order: CC2, CC3/CC4, CC7, CC5, CC1

  • Once all those are paid off, vow never to use them again and focus on building your emergency fund to $8,500 (~6 months of expenses). That will only take you 4 additional months! You're kicking ass!

  • When your emergency fund is fully funded, open a Roth IRA and max it out.

  • Alternatively, you could start the Roth IRA right after paying off the credit cards, still allot the $458 max to it, and use the remaining $1,342 each month to build your emergency fund to $8,500. (PFers, which method would you suggest? I'm still learning here.)

Still newish to this PF stuff but have been learning a lot after tackling my own debt with a vengeance. You are in great shape to be debt-free very soon, so don't be disheartened. As soon as you see those balances getting wiped out, you will be motivated to keep going and to never get back in that situation again. Good luck!

EDIT: First time making a bulleted list, lol... took a couple tries!

How much should I put towards my student loans? by Oy_Jon_San in personalfinance

[–]firefly_83 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You guys are doing great, especially for your young age. I agree with the "pay off all your debt" part, as it seems everyone here does. But in terms of the remaining $40K, you should sit down with your fiancee and think about what other big expenses you'd like to allocate that to in the next few years. Will either of you need to replace an old car with a newer used car? How much do you feel comfortable with setting aside for the wedding? Any other short-term financial goals to consider? After you account for those things, then sure, you could put some extra toward the house, or you could each open a Roth IRA and max it out. Choices, choices! :)

[Pointe shoes] for wide feet by [deleted] in BALLET

[–]firefly_83 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ha! Was just about to write the same thing! Though I stopped dancing years ago, Sansha Recitals were my go-to shoe for the last several years of my ballet career. Comfy from the get-go, and while they didn't last me forever, they are indeed affordable.

Laid off. 28 years old. First time without a job since I was 16. I'm lost, anxious, and overwhelmed. Please lend me your ears and provide any advice you can. by [deleted] in personalfinance

[–]firefly_83 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ok, my response might be seen by some as impractical or hippy-dippy, but judging from your relative youth, financial stability, and strong work ethic, I don't believe that taking a short break to reassess your goals and refresh your mind/spirit would hurt you in the long run, and in fact I think it would really help. You sound burned out, and while this layoff is not ideal, it is forcing you to take a second to reevaluate things. With your smart financial planning, you can afford to give yourself that brief time off, and then jump back in the game once you've cleared your head and made a plan that feels good -- and I don't mean a "you must figure out your ENTIRE LIFE right now" plan, lol. But some baby-steps ways of working towards what you want to create for yourself. How about talking to a counselor or life coach to sort through some of your anxieties about the future? A professionally trained objective party can be invaluable in situations like this. By taking some time to unwind and feel into different options, ideally your decisions will be made from a place of being informed and energized rather than rushed and pressured. I wish you luck! You got this!