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It’s cold and flu season.
How do I know?
Because I’m home sick today.
I work out. I eat right. Yet somehow, I get smacked with a cold every time someone sneezes.
My husband suggested I take a sip of vodka every 20 minutes to cure my sore throat but so far, the only effect is an inability to type without 15 errors in each sentence.
So. What’s your best common cold cure?
My husband was helping my mom move some large furniture and accidentally jackknifed the trailer while pulling it up over some uneven ground. Fortunately the trailer didn’t do any damage to the truck body…unfortunately, it shattered the back taillight.
He went to the discount auto parts store down the street to buy a replacement but came home empty handed.
‘Didn’t they have it in stock?’ I asked.
‘Yeah. But I’m not paying $125 for a piece of plastic and a couple screws. I’m going to shop around and see if I can get a better deal’ he said.
I blinked… then stared.
My husband is a no-nonsense kind of guy. He walks into a store, finds what he wants, and buys it. From grills to socks, the man doesn’t waste time with comparisons – which may explain how I was lucky enough to marry the guy.
So I don’t know who that man was in my kitchen – but he certainly wasn’t my husband.
He spent the next hour researching different suppliers until finally settling on a company who was willing to provide the part for a little less than $60 with free shipping.
Meanwhile, I was still standing in the kitchen, staring off into nowhere, completely confused.
This morning, as my husband was driving to work at 3:30am, he was pulled over by a police officer. My husband explained what happened and then shared his experience with the ‘rip off auto parts store’ and his attempt to save money by ordering the part online. The cop laughed, agreed with him about the ‘rip off auto parts store’, told him to have a nice day, and let him go.
He now brags to everyone that he saved 50% by shopping around and bonded with a cop over the experience.
I don’t know how it happened. I don’t know when it happened. But somehow, somewhere, my husband embraced frugality.
We’re getting there.
The folks at E-mealz contacted me about their Family Week promotion this week. If you stop by their website, they are offering free menus including grocery list & prices, complimentary desserts, as well as family activities & games – and aren’t we all fans of freebies?? So if you are on the fence about trying E-mealz, stop by their website this week and enter your e-mail address for your free menu (including dessert!). Don’t worry, this sharing of your e-mail address won’t sign you up for pharmaceutical sales or the Nigerian lottery – I promise.
I’ve been signed up for E-mealz (yes, I pay for it. E-mealz DOES NOT pay me to promote it) for a few months now and I absolutely love it. If you’re anything like me, you are frequently in a rush and generally buy a plethora of frozen dinners. There was always a little embarrassment whenever the grocery checker rang up my purchases. It was a pretty big spotlight on the fact that I didn’t make time to eat right.
Now? I shop in the produce and meat/fish sections more than anywhere else. I haven’t purchased a frozen dinner in months and to be honest, I feel a little smug when buying $35 in fresh food while the person in front of me buys 20 frozen dinners.
But I totally understand if the plan doesn’t work for you. My sister, a raw vegan, can’t use the plan and my other sister’s husband has certain food allergies and is also unable to use it. There are others, God bless you, who already prepare good meals every night and don’t need the help.
For those who signed up in August, let me know what you think. I’m interested in your feedback!
E-mealz is still offering 10% off to BloggingAwayDebt readers if you use the code: bawaydebt
The discount code expires on October 15th. So hurry up!
The folks at E-mealz sent me a sneak peak of the menus (yum! – but it’s a secret!) and a Press Release (below).
“Let’s Celebrate Us”
The family is such an important part of who we are and where we belong. Within our families we have purpose, goals and dreams that we intend to make come true. Family Day, A Day to Eat Dinner with your Kids®, recognized as a National Day of Observance the last Monday of every September, speaks to the primary importance of family connection around the dinner table. We love Family Day® so much that we want to extend the celebration for the entire week of September 27th.
Regular family discussion around the dinner table is an important part of family life as well as a key element of healthy development during childhood. Research suggests that family dinner conversation builds language skills, critical thinking, and relationships and lessen the chance of substance use in our children. Often in our daily lives we forget to take the time to continue to learn about our loved ones. The E-Mealz family is inviting every family to celebrate during “Let’s Celebrate Us” Family Week. Any size and type of family can enjoy five nights of “Dinner Dialogue,” “Gab and Games,” free dessert recipes and a fun-filled activities for everyone.
There is a fundamental logistical problem that interferes with dinner for most busy households…it’s 5 o’clock and there is nothing in the pantry to cook. E-Mealz purpose is to make dinnertime feasible and the grocery budget manageable for every busy family.
E-Mealz was created as a simple organizational tool for big and small families, couples, empty nesters, and roommates from every corner of America and around the world as well. Any family, with or without children, can be encouraged to continue to learn about our spouses, significant others and children.
Communication is the key to relationships, which largely involves asking questions to learn more about each other and connecting on a regular basis. E-Mealz has provided fun, food and games to encourage all types of families to engage and enjoy each other’s company. E-Mealz challenges everyone to carve out time for “Family Week” to focus on dinner as a regular evening ritual and the uniqueness that makes each family special. So, E-Mealz invites you to join us throughout the entire week of September 27th celebrating and strengthening families across the country.
Once upon a time, a very long time ago, my husband’s family member took out several cell phones in his name. The bill wasn’t paid and went into collections in 2002. After we married and I took on the responsibility of bill payments and credit checks, I found the collections record on his credit report in 2005. At that time, we weren’t making much, living in a tiny apartment, and didn’t have more than $1,000 to pay off the collections debt.
The collections record finally fell off my husband’s credit report in February of 2009 and I assumed we could move on.
Dave Ramsey says collections follow you for the rest of your life.
I didn’t believe him…
Until my husband received 8 phone calls from a collections agency this week.
I told them my husband’s address was correct as listed on his credit report and if they had anything to send us, to send it through the mail because I sure as Hades wasn’t going to give them any information or promises of payment over the phone. Not surprisingly, they didn’t appreciate my response.
This… is when I start banging my head against the wall.
Every once in a while, I try to read a book that isn’t somehow related to the economy, personal finance, or motivation. While I don’t write reviews of these books here, they are a big part of the reason I’m still sane…or at least a version of sane anyway.
I rented ‘Sh*t My Dad Says’ by Justin Halpern from the library and didn’t anticipate sharing it with you based on the fact that it isn’t about finance AND, let’s be honest, the name of the book makes it a rough sell – but hear me out.
Halpern moved home with his father at 29 after a particularly difficult break-up. Eternally amused and occasionally miffed by lessons from his father, he decided to write them down. The stories and quotes are funny and weirdly touching. Don’t tell anyone but – I cried during the last chapter.
It seemed like a good idea to read it on the train. ‘Seemed’ being the operative word.
I laughed so hard, people started to stare. Once I realized this, I attempted to stifle my laughter by closing my mouth… which only made my giggles come loudly out my nose as snorts. What seemed like 10 minutes into my commute, I looked up and realized I had missed my stop…3 stops ago.
After work, on the way home, I thought I fought the urge to burst into laughter a little better but when I went to exit the train, a gentleman touched my arm and asked what book I was reading. A little embarrassed, I showed him the cover and he said, ‘I have never seen someone laugh so much in a 45 minute period. I’m buying that book. Thanks for the afternoon entertainment.’
Here are some of the reasons I couldn’t stop laughing…
ON THE DEATH OF OUR FIRST DOG
He was a good dog. Your brother is pretty broken up about it, so go easy on him. He had a nice last moment with Brownie before the vet tossed him in the garbage.
ON MY BLOODY NOSE
What happened? Did somebody punch you in the face?!… The what? The air is dry? Do me a favor and tell people you got punched in the face.
ON SHOPPING FOR PRESENTS FOR HIS BIRTHDAY
If it’s not bourbon or sweatpants, it’s going in the garbage… No, don’t get creative. Now is not a creative time. Now is a bourbon and sweatpants time.
The worst thing you can be is a liar… Okay, fine, yes, the worst thing you can be is a Nazi, but then number two is a liar. Nazi one, liar two.”
“Are you wearing perfume? …Son, there ain’t any cologne in this house, only your mother’s perfume. I know that scent, and let me tell you, it’s disturbing to smell your wife on your thirteen-year-old son.”
WARNING WARNING WARNING: This book contains profuse use of profanity. If you are at all sensitive, don’t read it.
Bank of America left a flurry of voicemail messages over the weekend.
*Beep* Rebekah, this is Bank of America calling about the HAMP program…
*Beep* Hi, this is Bank of America. We’re calling about the paperwork…
*Beep* Rebekah, please return our call at 877…
If Bank of America were an ex-boyfriend, I’d have a restraining order by now.
On Saturday, after the third phone call, I finally picked up.
“Hello Rebekah. This is Carol from Bank of America. I’d like to walk you through the application package we mailed to you last week. Have you had a chance to complete it and mail it to us?”
‘Carol’ kept me on the phone for nearly 30 minutes explaining what I had to do to get approved for the program. I find it incredibly odd that two years after my first application, they are ‘coming to my rescue’.
Did they come to my rescue when I lost my job? Did they help when I had to take a job making more than 30% less? How about when my husband lost his job and our mortgage payment was 115% of our income?
Not a peep.
The came to ‘save’ me now…two years later. Two years of not one late payment despite everything.
To add insult to injury, I received another copy of the package yesterday as a ‘back-up copy’ in case the first copy didn’t get to me.
I don’t understand why B of A is suddenly taking an interest in me – and only after I got my head above water.
I didn’t think it was possible to lose more respect for Bank of America.
Turns out…
It is.
Is Bank of America saving me? Or am I saving them?
My husband, as per usual, was working a side job last night. The homeowner had a huge map across her wall marked with red string indicating the cities she had visited. Clearly she loved to see the world. She and my husband chatted about our plans to visit Italy and he asked for her advice about the Cinque Terre.
He spent the next four hours fixing her washer, her sink, and various other handyman projects she needed help with.
When my husband packed to leave, she shoved $300 in his pocket. He tried to return the money, even running to the truck, but she caught him, slapped the money in his hand and said, ‘Have fun in Italy while you’re young. It’s harder when you’re 65. I would know.’
Sometimes the kindness of others overwhelms me.
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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