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Feb 21, 2013    |       16 comments

Sold!

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I’ve had a frenzy of a week with selling stuff.  I finally got my ring posted on “I do now I don’t” and it sold in the first 8 hours.  I have all the paperwork showing what it cost and I priced it at 50% of that and it sold.  I had a few inquiries asking for a reduced price but based on some online research I knew I was giving and getting a deal.  So, I’m $4,000 richer.   This website is pretty ingenious with its built in protections for both buyer and seller.  The buyer has to pay and then the money is held in escrow until I send the ring in to IDNID, they confirm the authenticity, they mail to the seller and then send me my money.  So far, I’m totally impressed.  This was, in many ways, “found money” and with no emotional attachment to this ring (yes, even the ring was a source of conflict in the marriage), I’m feeling good.

Next, I took your advice on my Craigslist items.  I had to step back and realize that there is a little money value in someone coming and picking up this furniture.  My bedroom set is on the second floor.  It is gigantic, solid furniture and my stairs have a “turn” in them.  The amount of time it would take movers to get this out is significant.  So, I lowered my  price by what I estimated movers would cost me to get it out of here, plus the cost of storage bc this furniture will not fit in the apartment and the reduction in price got it sold pretty quickly.  I bought this furniture 10 years ago for $2600 (it was a floor sample at a nice furniture store) and I sold it for $1000.

The table and buffet sold too.  I got $750 for those.  The two buyers have given me a cash deposit and they’ll come pick up this weekend. So excited!  We have a folding table that will serve as our dining table for now and my bed will just be on a metal frame.  Somehow I am finding even MORE motivation in this reality because a bit of discomfort in my living conditions (which really isn’t all that uncomfortable, but hopefully you know what I mean) will push me to get out of debt even faster I think.  I have a big dresser in my master closet that I call the ugly dresser bc it is in terrible condition as far as appearance goes but it is old school, solid furniture.  It was my grandmother’s and it is one of those dressers that has drawers so big that you just can’t find these days.  One day I hope to sand it down, paint or stain it and add new hardware but for now the scary dresser will do just fine!

There’s the sales frenzy update.  I’ve emailed the Homeowner’s Association because I can’t find any rules on yard sales but I know there has to be rules.  This neighborhood has A LOT of them and as I thought about it–I can’t remember a yard sale in the 3 years I’ve been here.  There are other options but the idea of selling the smaller stuff at a yard sale sounds very efficient.

Have a great day!  I’m off to look around my house for more stuff to sell!  I feel “lighter” by each moment!  🙂

Feb 12, 2013    |       23 comments

No bonus, small raise

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But I am NOT complaining!  I really had no expectation of either given that I was promoted to Senior Trial Counsel last year and got an 8% raise and a $6,000 bonus.  Isn’t that the way it usually goes?  At my company merit raises are given out based upon your performance within your group.  As a brand new Senior Trial Attorney I am competing against a lot of lawyers that have a lot more experience than I do AND since they’ve been in the position longer their case load is such that they likely have more trials of major cases than I do right now.  That is going to change this year with two major cases on the horizon that I do anticipate going to a jury.  One is a fatality and the other a severe injury.  This is the first year I haven’t received a bonus but I did get a 2% merit raise and $9,000 worth of stock options and I have a great job!  No sour grapes here.  Others in the office that were eligible for bonuses didn’t receive one either.  No time to spend moaning and groaning!  I am on track for the stupid IRS debt and that 2% raise gives me back the payroll deduction amount I lost at the beginning of the year.  I am seeing a lot less in  my monthly paychecks with all of the adjustments but I am still on track.  That is because of SERIOUS planning and THINKING about every purchase I make.  It’s also because I no longer have a reluctant spouse to drag along on the road to financial peace!!  I do worry that suddenly I am going to fall off the wagon and wake up and have a new high end luxury car in my driveway–or some other insane purchase.  Not because I want or even think about a luxury car or any other major purchase but just like an alcoholic envisioning waking up in an alley!   It’s all about keeping things in my conscience thinking and this blog helps with that tremendously.

My church is offering Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University beginning in early March.  $100.  I am thinking about making that investment.

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