Archive results for “May 2010f 2010”
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Hi Everyone! Tricia here with an update.
First things first, we are still credit card debt free. May was an awesome month and I had a renewed zest for stockpiling money away in our savings account. That’s not to say we didn’t purchase a bigger ticket item, because we did. No, it’s not that LCD TV 
Instead of purely talking about our finances, I thought I would briefly talk about two different topics on my mind this month. I suppose you could call them “mini-blogs.”
Big Ticket Item Purchase
Near the beginning of our debt reduction journey, we decided to stop using the freezer that came with our home when we purchased it. We were using way too much electricity and I had a hunch the very old freezer was drawing way too much power. As soon as it was unplugged, our electricity bill went down.
We’ve been without a freezer ever since. Sure, we had the one with our fridge but you can’t fit too much in it. I have been patiently watching the sales and finally…there was a 7.0 cu ft freezer for sale for $170. My price point was met and we now have a freezer. Yay!
I’m anxiously waiting to stock it with fruits and vegetables this summer. But something I didn’t necessarily realize is how much money we can save on dining. Our schedules have been hectic lately and we find ourselves grabbing fast food at least once a week. I can stock the freezer with some frozen foods that we can pull out and pop in the oven or microwave in a pinch. So far it has been working out great. We don’t want to eat those foods too often for health reasons (sodium content being a biggie), but fast food often has a lot of salt as well.
It’s never easy for me to spend that much money on a single item, but I’m very happy with the purchase. I see it paying for itself in less than 6 months.
Coupons
I’ve never been that big into coupons. The coupons I would see in the papers were often for expensive brand name items that we don’t buy. I live in an area where the local grocery stores do not offer double coupons. It was usually cheaper to go with the generic brands.
I started reading Money Saving Mom and started watching how others have made the coupons work for them. I gave it a shot and was surprised at how many coupons you can get online (including those you can find on Facebook (I’ve found some great ones from there). During the month of May, I’ve probably saved at least $50.
It’s addictive, though. The first time I did it I was armed with a stack of coupons. I could feel the adrenaline rush through me as the grocery bill got lower and lower as the cashier processed the coupons. I found myself wanting to find more and more coupons and go back out to the store.
And that is where it can be dangerous. It’s great to save a lot of money, but you don’t want to spend too much and have food go bad or have a cabinet full of food you probably won’t eat. I don’t even want to start thinking back to how many products I have purchased because they were a great deal. Many of them ended up at the last garage sale I had and someone else got an even better deal then I did! LOL.
I am still very much a coupon newbie and I am figuring out the happy balance with my couponing. I need to do it responsibly and figure out how to take less time doing it. I was spending way too much time figuring out what coupons I should print. Anyone have any couponing tips to share?
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That is all for this month. I have had a very exhausting week and I have had very little rest. I am ready for some serious rest and relaxation this weekend and my bed is calling my name right now.
Have a great weekend everyone!
After months… OK, over a year… of delaying the inevitable, I finally caved and bought a new cell phone. My phone is several years old – which in cell phone years equates to centuries. I would have kept it, but when the reliability of actually being able to make calls sinks under 50%, it’s simply time to move on.
I went into my local Verizon store and pulled out my phone to show the salesman the level of phone I wanted – aka, a cheap one. He looked at me, looked at my phone, and then replied, ‘They don’t make phones like that anymore. Exactly how OLD is that thing?’
He was incredibly helpful and walked me over to the section of phones that don’t require data, internet, or gps plans. He didn’t pressure me to purchase accessories and helped me choose a phone that worked for my um… ‘discriminating’ taste. Some like to call it cheap, but I think ‘discriminating taste’ sounds more refined.
My phone was ‘free’ after a mail-in rebate.
Today, I received my rebate – a Verizon Visa card. Sure I can use the card anywhere Visa is accepted but what happened to the good ol’ days of checks I could cash? Now I have to figure out where in my budget I can use the card and try my best to spend it all at once so I don’t have to keep a record of how much is left on the card. If I only use part, I have to record the amount remaining and charge the exact amount on the next transaction, otherwise the card will be declined.
They make it nearly impossible to complete the rebate submission information correctly and now spending the rebate will be equally as difficult?!?
It’s a good thing I have another 5-7 years before I need a new cell phone.
When it comes to cars, I have a poor track record.
Sure I get my oil changes, my tires rotated, and every once in a while, I’ll throw in a radiator flush when the service guy nags me enough, but that’s pretty much where it ends.
I’m more of a reckless, fix it when it makes weird noises kind of gal.
This always worked when I was in college – but maybe that’s because dad was always there to ‘borrow’ my car and bring it back a few days later after he paid a mechanic to clean up my mess.
After I graduated, I bought a new car and with that, bought myself out of any service requirements for at least 50,000 miles (in my mind anyway).
Unfortunately for me (and VERY fortunate for my car), my husband believes in regular maintenance. Both our cars hit 60,000 miles this month and he scheduled maintenance on his truck this month and mine next month.
He worked with a family friend and was able to get the service done for $300. As I was figuring out where to pull the $300 from in our budget, the lovely state of California sent his truck registration bill of $295 – the fee unexpectedly raised yet again from last year (Thank you Arnold Schwarzenegger).
My husband and I were both able to work some odd jobs this month – thank goodness! – and should have most of it covered. But this week is turning out to be one expensive week!
If you read yesterday’s post, you know I’m ‘grandma shoe’ bound while my foot heals from a tendon injury.
I tried to remember the last time I owned a pair of flats and I think I can pinpoint it to 16 years ago. My mom let my wear my first set of heels at 14. Sure, they were only an inch or two high, but it was the beginning of a love affair.
This morning, after I safety pinned my pant legs up 5 inches, I headed to work. As I walked from the train to my office, I missed the loud click clack of my high heels but…
Holy cow…
Since when is it possible for shoes to feel like this? Each step felt like a hug from a plush pillow! I was ready to write a sonnet about my love for the new shoes! Why has this amazing secret been kept for so long!?!?!
I’m trying to be optimistic about my injury. I’m disappointed at the financial setback (even though it isn’t huge) and the pain is, at times, nearly unbearable but hey, the injury probably kept me from being the only 70 year old sporting stilettos.
Less than a week ago, I injured the tendon on the underside of my foot. I wish I could say it was from doing something cool like… snowboarding or… saving the world… but leave it to me to injure myself while doing something boring like running.
It was run, run, run… face to concrete.
Apparently, it’s a fairly common injury – albeit a very painful one.
The bad part is, if I don’t get this thing under control, the doc will saddle me with a big, ugly, expensive medical boot.
Hmm… perhaps wearing 5” heels to work 10 hours later wasn’t a bright idea.
As someone who still periodically thinks I know better than others far more educated than myself, I didn’t think it would do too much damage… plus, other than two pairs of running shoes and two pairs of the mandatory California flip-flops (neither of which are HR approved for work use), I don’t own a pair of flats.
By 9 am, tears were streaming down my face.
So, I was forced to purchase… *gasp*… flats.
Maybe it was from the pain, maybe it was from the financial frustration, maybe it was from the stress of my 30th birthday, but I found myself with a face covered with tears blubbering to the poor shoe salesman about having to buy ‘grandma shoes’ and “it’s not in the budget – but neither is an ugly medical boot or more doctor’s bills.”
It wasn’t my strongest moment.
*Sigh*
Goodbye to my favorite pair of high heels, hello to ‘grandma shoes’ for however long it takes to avoid medical boots, doctors, and surgery.
For those with weak stomachs, stop reading. For those with a disturbing sense of curiosity, read on.
Last summer, my husband and I planted a beautiful garden in our backyard. The vegetables flourished. We had such a large bumper crop that we had to give huge amounts away to friends, neighbors, co-workers, friends of friends, perfect strangers… you get it.
Despite our daily picking, there was the occasional ripe tomato that escaped our notice and wasn’t picked. They may have escaped our notice but they did not escape the notice of my tomato loving Boston Terrier.
For most of the summer, his face was covered in red tomato juice.
This year, we decided to intensify our debt diet in an effort to shave off a few months of debt payments. Sadly, that meant cutting out our yearly garden budget.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered a tomato plant sprouting from the middle of my yard a month ago. A few days later, while weeding a side planter, I discovered another. Over the next three weeks, more and more tomatoes sprouted with a high concentration of plants where… um… my dog does his business.
Oh. Dear. Lord.
We pick up our yard but sometimes, the dog buries his… uh… business, effectively planting his own… um… garden.
I went to rip out the offending plants, when my husband yelled, ‘LEAVE THEM!!’ Apparently, he wanted to keep the plants and hoped I wouldn’t consider the origin.
So yes, we have an odd definition of a free ‘garden’. No, I won’t be eating those tomatoes. And yes, I understand gardeners use steer manure, but those gardeners don’t have to look at the butt the manure came from.
If you are planning on visiting me this summer for a BBQ, avoid the salsa.
I’m not into gambling and I have never purchased a lotto ticket. I believe that my return will be 100% if I keep my money and I’ve been 100% right every time.
But, I listen to Dave Ramsey everyday and can’t help but smile whenever he gives away $1,000 in his Real Estate Rescue giveaway. I know the chances of winning are slim, but give it a shot and enter anyway. It’s free so you’ve got nothing to lose. http://www.daveramsey.com/specials/process.real-estate-rescue-giveaway/
But if you win, you should share your prize with me. ; )
Also, if you’ve been putting off buying one of Dave’s books, now is the time to finally make the move. Nearly all his books are on sale for $10 each. http://www.daveramsey.com/store/10_dollar_books_cds_dvds/c10dollarsale-p0.html
And no, this isn’t an infomercial for Dave Ramsey – I don’t make any money if you buy anything. His methods and his books have helped me get serious about becoming debt free and I want the same for you.
About This Site
My Debt
- Original Debt: $38,495.86
- Added Debt: $1,781.50
- Total Debt: $40,277.36
- Paid: $36,084.36
- Remaining: $4,193.00
- Broken Down
- Auto Loan 1: $0.00
- Credit Card: $0.00
- Student Loan: $4,193.00
- Auto Loan 2: $0.00
- Vet Loan: $0.00
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