Okay so my bonus is here and no, I didn't buy any Bling. I didn't even really want to, though. I just discovered there was absolutely nothing else on earth I really need to buy right now (well, there are a few things, but they will come if they come). And even the things I "want," I don't want that much. So I basically woke up one day with a pile more money that I made myself and it feels pretty good.

I actually did contribute additionally to my 401k, a rather paltry sum (a little north of $2500), because at the last minute, I crunched the numbers pretty hard and discovered nearly $1100 in "free" money from the federal government. My bonus was so ok that I wouldn't miss the other $1400 or so I'd have to pony up myself anyway. I guess it's gone for another 40 years...

I bought my first share of Berkshire Hathaway today, and saw it rise (how satisfying)! I should be holding onto that for quite some time. In addition, I opened, or started the process of opening a Roth IRA account, into which I should be putting some money, bit by bit. I am slowly saving my way to $$$, from $, and I am pretty satisfied with my personal progress in that regard. I have set myself some new goals which I think are challenging but not impossible, and doubly more reasonable if the below strategies work out:

I'm still looking to buy a house to rent out and a couple of other off-the-wall money making ideas, and looking into opening my own business at some point, the first two within the next year or so, and the latter within some period of time, as of yet unspecified, but definitely around 5 years from now should the right opportunity come along.

It's a little gross, but a friend and I were talking over dinner tonight about how we can...basically afford to buy bottles every week at the club (we can), or how we can more or less splurge however we want (I mean, I could buy a brand new Porsche...), but really, we would rather not. We spent the rest of the night laughing at how cheap we were. He brings coffee to work in a thermos to avoid having to buy it. I bring lunch in a Ziplock container in my $1500 purse. I took the subway all the way downtown to save $10 on my running shoes. We are both seriously thinking of getting a Charles Schwab credit card just to earn free trades. Ted and I both went to coney island and spent less than $80 for the two of us for a "vacation." On top of that, the only vacation we've taken in the last YEAR came up to <$800/head because we were too cheap to fly anywhere.

In other news, I signed up for my first bike century! 100 miles in Philly, a Livestrong ride...I am starting to train hardcore...

And I am really, really happy.