Day 32-
I completed the two shops and sent them off. In 60 days I should receive a check for $40. That will go right in the SD account.
Other than that I am exhausted. ABSOLUTELY EXHAUSTED! One of my cases is killing me right now.
All I can say is I hope I make some serious money this weekend.
I crunched the expected net value numbers. In 9 years when I turn 45 ( geeze, I'm getting old), I should have a net worth of $202,500. We'll see.
Day 27- Sometimes busy is NOT good
Work is overwhelming right now. We have a difficult situation with a seriously disfunctional family. I have spent 3 whole days working on this case. I am behind on all my other cases.
So.... The plan is I will work Saturday need to visit two patients. Drive down to my sister's house do a little work for our sale, do a little work on my house, and then sleep. Sunday we will hang out a couple of hours, not long at all and then I'll head home. Seems my boss called a work meeting at 5 freaking o'clock SUNDAY evening. WTF????
It is imperative I have all my ducks in a row this week. It is the end of the month and I absolutely must see the last of my patients. I have two bank shops to do AND this next weekend is the big yard sale. My goal is still $300. I can't make that goofing off. As I previously stated This money is earmarked for SD.
Today was payday. My mileage is still down. All this craziness at work has been cutting down on my getting out in the field. This is bad, Not that I completely depend on my mileage for expenses. I use it to cover auto expenses and what is left goes toward debt. When it is low, I have less to put toward debt.
I ate out twice today. I am still doing good on breakfast.
The young lady I am looking at moving in with for at least a year may have found our apartment. The rent would be $425 each. It is also a luxury ( to me)apartment.
The luxury apartment has me thinking. I can see pressure to upgrade everything after we move in. I mentioned this to her and we are thinking about it. I think our belongings and wardrobe are better suited to a more simple apartment. I am still looking for something in the general area and cheaper. Surely we can find some killer deal on something. There is no deadline for either of us. That said, I still want to get this over with.
Day 26- Sometimes Busy is Good
I have been so busy lately that I have not had time to spend. The no spending part is great for my budget and SD reduction plan but the level of busy I have been is tiring.
More positive notes: The EF jar is piling up. I currently have I am getting more in the habit of cooking all meals from home. The hummus I made was not all bad. it's not as good as I have had before but it will suffice and I'll get better. My job is still enjoyable. Overall, my coworkers are great and supportive. But I have been stuck in the office 2 days and that is not helping my mileage check at all.
I have also made a hard decision. I have decided to charge everything for the next few months. I need to finish paying off the SD before I move. The move alone could cause haywire with my mail and getting the payments in and receiving the verifications. I am set on getting this out of the way once and for all by the end of the year.
Day 24
It wasn't a bad day but it was hectic. I do currently have 44/125 qtrs for this month's challenge. That is about a third of the way. I still have 9 days and a lot of opportunities. This real challenge may come to complete fruition.
I tried cleaning a skirt that had color bled on it from a pair of red pants- looks like NO dice. :( Just for sport, I am soaking and giving it a try.
I was bad again today. I bought a soda and a hamburger, $4. I did eat breakfast at home and a poptart for lunch. I also made an interesting concoction. I cooked the last half of a box of spaghetti, can of water chestnuts, drained can of crush tomatoes, sliced green olives, shredded chicken and a half bottle of Rasberry vinegrette. Dang, it is good!
I also completed my first attempt at Hummus. While it is not bad, I look forward to future results.
DAy 23 Not a Bad Day
I now have 37/125 qutrs for my Aug challenge.
Another plus is that I think I found the right apartment. My share of the rent will be $450. Not bad, and it is a luxury aprtment. This one is close to work and the amenities are to die for. The other one that is $100 ( my share $50) less is a dump.
Day 22- 3 Steps forward- 2 Steps Back
I made a little progress today and I discovered I am sliding back.
I made pasta salad for lunches this week. I even stretched it with a can of diced tomatoes.
I cooked a frozen "turkey entree" for meals this week.
I ate ramen noodles for dinner. I do like them and every so often they are not too bad.
I repaired a skirt - my hips destroyed the seam yesterday.
I repaired a blue blouse- the button had fallen off
I repaired a wonderfully fluffy and comfy towel- The hem came out
I sucessfully washed a dry clean only suit. YEAH
Not only did I discover my hips are spreading and I am a cow,I checked my cell minutes.I am already over 100 minutes over my 1000. I have to confess. I did this last month. For 2 months in a row, I am facing a cell phone bill way over $100. I just learned how to check my minutes and I will need to put my phone on hold until the beginning of the next billing period. :(
I am also having a terrible time finding a new apartment. My current landlord is being a total jerk and has finally crossed the line with his behavior.
Ending on an upnote: I have 28 of the 125 needed qutrs to meet my August Challenge.
Day 21- Another no Spending Day
Not only was it a no spend day, it was a pretty good day. I attended the free seminar with my two coworkers.
I received a door prize that I can re-gift. It was a very nice fine china coffee cup with Laura Ashley stationary and candy. I took my lunch but there was no need to even touch it. They served a tremendous amount of substantial snacks.
I received another prize that will make my stocking stuffers for two sisters. It was an all-a-round success. Well, at least it is better than several of the last few days I have experienced.
I did have some success last night making flour tortillias from scratch. I am trying to use up what I have in the cabinets and refrain from spending cash for groceries.
And I have 18 of the 125 qtrs I need to reach my goal for the EF deposit. That challenge that seemed a little too challenging seems to be coming along.
Day 20- A no spend day
I did very well today. I did not spend anything. I was able to put $1 in the EF jar. That little jar is filling up nicely. I have decided on a little challenge for the rest of the month that I will outline a little later.
I and two coworkers are attending a seminar tomorrow. While it is a Saturday, I am not complaining. I will receive 5 CEU hrs and the whole thing is FREE. Let's see, I have 18 hrs already. This 5 will make it 23. I need 30 in 23 more months. That leaves 7 more hrs to accumulate before my license is up for renewal again. I am doing pretty good as far as accumulating them for free. 7 more free in less than 2 years should be pretty easy.
One of the ladies is having her birthday on the same day. I have challenged myself to raiding my gift stash and arranging a nice birthday gift for her. I am also considering baking a cake for others in attendance. We'll see how it goes.
Back to my EF jar challenge. I currently have $30.50 in my EF jar. I want to deposit $80 to bring my total of $320 up to $400. I need $49.50 to accomplish this goal. I would have to save at least $1 - 125 times before the end of the month. That means I need to put almost 11 qtrs a day in the EF jar. The numbers don't add up even for a challenge. That makes it even more challenging.
Day 18- chipping Away at Debt
I made a $14.25 deposit to my SD account. That leaves me with a total of $3592.17 left to raise in order to reach my pay-off goal of $5000.
The $14.25 consist of $13.25 I made at a yard sale my sister had. The weather was aweful but I did make that little change to deposit. I have been looking for other ways to make a little extra to add to this account. the other dollar was from a pocket in my purse. While I was at the bank, i decided to add what was in my purse.
While I was out and about working, I discovered a place that will allow you to have a yardsale and it is next to a big grocery store. They hold this group yardsale every second Saturday of the month.
I called the manager/ contact person. It is first come, first serve and there is no charge to set up your yard sale. I think it is a great idea. It helps the store draw business and local people to earn a little extra money.
Some readers may be familiar with the grocery store. The name is Piggly Wiggly. They call the event Peddling at the Pig. I love it!
My sister and I are having a yardsale the weekend before Labor Day. In that area it is supposed to be a good weekend for holding yard sales. The following weekend, I will hold a yardsale at the Pig. Should be fun and I look forward to the extra dollars I can put toward my current goal.
Day $17- I AM Trying
I was lax in my eating out again. :( I spent $4.75 at Jacks. I ordered a med drink NO ICE, and a grilled chicken sandwich. They gave me and charged me for the combo. I had so much ice ( which hurts my teeth) that after I scooped it out, I only had 3 inches of drink. The chicken was old too. Phhht- I emailed the comp-any and told them about it too. I have no doubt I will hear nothing from them.
I did make a sandwich at home for dinner. .25 for the EF jar.
Day 16- WOW- I Amazed Myself
Yesterday, I retiled my bathroom wall. How is that inexpensive??. Because it only cost me $20.
Here's the whole story. My house is up for sale. Some hoodlums kicked in the bathroom wall as they climbed in the window. This was even before I moved out.
I needed to replace the wall and tile in the bathroom where it had been damaged. My dad was INSISTING I buy a $300 tub surround kit. I told him my plan was to replace the spot in the wall and replace the tile. He swore I would never find enough tile to match. :: Looking around like he must be talking to someone else:::: Did he think I threw the unbroken tile away??? He also swore he wasn't going to be any part of my stupid idea. ( y'all know I was laughing on the inside)
Stupid?? What is so stupid abut saving $300?? Beats me!
My sister and I prepare to go on over to the house and he asks how do I think I am going to make this work. I simply state my whole plan. Measure to the studs, remove damaged wall, replaced damaged wall, replace tile.
What he doesn't know is that I have researched this project right down to the adhesive I need to buy. (They have DIY websites that lay out how to repair this exact same damage.)
He says it will never work, That I'll never get it even, but he will go along to mow the yard. ( I mean heck, all I had to do was measure the depth of the blue sheet rock and round up a piece of the right size- how hard is that to figure out??)
We get there and he starts doing exactly what I had laid out. He measured, cut, and replaced. I glued the tile back, while he mowed the yard. Not one word out of my mouth since he is doing the hard stuff, unasked even.
My sister came in and was smirking as I followed the adhesive directions. "Oh NO, he wasn't going to be a part of this dumb idea. So when are you going to start putting the tile back?"
I laughed with her and said, "For a dumb project it looks pretty good so far."
Her response, "It doesn't look too bad. We'll see how the tile looks when you put some on."
My response, "I have two rows on now."
"WOW! For real? I can't even tell those are replaced."
Me,big smile and swelled pride. "I know."
She asked me how I got them so straight. I told her it was sheer inspiration. I was inspired not to spend $300 plus instillation and still have it look tacky. Mostly the $300.
Of course, my dad is out mowing the yard and does not hear a word of this. I'm not stupid. When he came in, he said, "It'll pass." My sister and I know those are words of praise coming from him.
Today when I called and talked to her, she said Dad was bragging to his customers on what a good job he did and how it came out perfect. I say let the old man have his brag. I have a repaired bathroom wall and my $300.Oh, and the sincere sense of accomplishment. Since I saved all that I decided to put a whopping $1 in the EF jar.
Some of you have e-mailed me regarding my EF Jar. Some asked what it is, some asked why I bother putting in quarters and some suggested I put the whole amount of what I saved, in the jar instead of token quarters.
let me answer a few questions.
1) What is the EF Jar? The EF jar is a medium sized glass jar that once contained chocolate syrup for sundaes. I received it free when we had sundaes at work and had a few items leftover. I and a few other girls split up what was left. I liked that the jar label reminded me that savings are sweet.
2) Why do you bother saving a quarter at a time? You should be budgeting a set amount toward your emergency fund.
I won't argue about setting a budgeted amount for my emergency fund. It is a good idea. My response is that I am putting extra money toward a Stupid Debt ( SD) I incurred. It is one that is weighing on me financially and mentally. I use the jar to motivate me to save on my daily espenses and to make wise financial choices. I am working toward retiring this SD by the end of the year. I need as much motivation as I can get.
Every time, I make a wise finacial choice and save at least $1, I put a quarter in the jar. I try to be able to put $1 a day in the jar. When the jar is full, I make a deposit in my Credit Union account. the current total is $320.
3) Why don't you put the entire amount you saved in the jar and you would be able to see your savings more clearly?
Again, I am using the actual savings to apply more money to my SD until it is retired. I use the quarter sytem to build good financial habits and put a little bit toward the long term EF as I go along. Later it will be a focus.
Day 14- Plugging Away-
Friday was payday. With my pay envelope, came a statement regarding our Health Insurance/ BCBS. As I began reading the blah, blah, blah, part I started to get a little nervous. It was not looking good. Then I got to the important part. My once free health coverage was now going to cost me $15 a pay period. Not too bad, although I did like it when it was free better.
This is this payday's breakdown
Check = $1093
-mileage $165
$928
-Sept rent $587
$241
- Aug tythe $200
$41
-Aug Food $25
$16
- Qtrs for EF $10
$6
-Nkls/proc $4
- EF deposit $2
BALANCE $0 EVERY DOLLAR HAS A NAME
With today's extra $2 to my EF account, I have aproximately another $30 to deposit. I am waiting until the jar is full and then I will make the deposit
I had a pretty easy day at work. They don't come often and I enjoyed it. I even got to wear jeans. Which helped keep me comfortable while I saved wear and tear on another outfit.
LOL- yeserday I had an incident that may have retired one of my more versatile tops. It is a white terry cloth long sleeve t-shirt. I was sprayed with clay mud while driving ( my window was cracked about 1 inch) and it is yet to be seen whether the shirt will come out of the oxyclean wash and still be presentable.
The big negative last night was that I came home and took a nap that lasted until 1:00 am. Sheesh- My sister is going to flip on me. So I'm staying up, taking care of some household chores and a little after sun up will head on up to her house. We have plans to make and things to do. We have an upcoming yardsale event and we are going to make some money. We are also going to look into one town's annual 13 mile yardsale. We made good money there one year.
Speaking of money, I am now $4 over budget on groceries and I have $2 left in my dining category. The good news- I am aware of this. My Handy Dandy spread sheet told me so. :) The fun thing about this spreadsheet is I can see daily and category totals at a glance
I have spent $123 on gas so far this month.This tells me a couple of things. 1) I really need to step it up in the mileage department. I like to bring home $800 a month in mileage. At this rate I need to drive 1500 miles next week just to meet my goals ( that's not very likely). FYI- $400 of that is to apply to SD. I will be SOOO glad when SD is gone. Just writing that inspires me to cut expenses and increase income.
Another good note: I received free products and coupons for free products this week. A couple will be used for baby shower gifts coming up in the near future. My favorite is a $5 voucher for free meat. I am saving that one for when I get the freezer empty. Could come in very handy right after the upcoming move.
What are you planning this weekend to be frugal, save money or make money?
Day 13-- baby steps
Things are going well. I had my pancake marathon last night. I made 36 pancakes from one box. There are pretty good. I look forward to having easy breakfast the rest of this month.
I estimate 36 pancakes to be 12 breakfasts. that is conservative estimate of $12 saved. When the freezer is less full, I plan on making french toast and pancakes to heat and eat at different times.
Today is Payday- yeah! I can see where I am for the month and I'll get back with you. It looks decent.
Yesterday I was thinking about how hard it is to get ALL the frugal steps in place. Then I realized I was being quite hard on myself. I am doing much better and baby steps will get me further than sitting on my butt.
Soon I will have the cooking from scratch down, soon I will remember to pack my lunch every day. Soon, I will have my frugal wardrobe looking much better. More importantly, SOON, I will be debt free.
I did spend $7 at Wal-Mart yesaterday. I bought two bottles of Spicy Mayo. It will be good in salad dressing, sanwhiches and chicken salad. It was on clearance and I knew I was going to need Mayo so I bought it. I also bought a $3 cuban sandwhich because it was late and I was hungry. ok. I splurged and bought Orange Spice tea on clearance. $1 for a very small box.
I received some very good news. Someone looked at my house and they are going to the bank and trying to borrow the money. YEAH- IF it goes through. I have heard this before and then heard nothing else. heck, the house is way under market as it is now-I am loosing money and it still sits there.
The plusses if it sells: No house payment ( ridiculously low but still). No more maintaining it YEAH and the biggest plus is that the money left over after paying off the mortgage will pay off the rest of my stupid debt AND CC debt. I will still have enough left over to add about one months worth to my EF.
I don't plan to currently stop raising/saving money to put toward my Stupid Debt. I figure every dollar I set aside will still put me that much further ahead. There is nothing wrong with being further ahead in my book.
I plan on taking the amount of the monthly mortgage and placing that in my EF each month. I want it funded for a minimum of one year before I relax on that one. I don't plan to stop adding to it anytime soon, but I may reduce how much I add each month.
Another bit of good news this week. My sister and I will be participating in a BIG yardsale Labor Day weekend. I hope to make $300. I plan on unloading a great deal of the extra STUFF I have in my home. Yep, $300 is my goal. I am already boxing stuff for the big event. I'll keep you posted.
How do you raise a little extra cash from time to time? Post a note and let me know.
Day 11-
Ok, confessions first. I bought 2 drinks, a hotdog,and a Nutty Buddy bar today. I also bought a box of pancake mix, a box of those flavor staws by crystal light, a half gallon of milk and a bagged salad.
The bad- I did not pack my lunch. I did make more tea, but I did not even carry it with me to work. I was also VERY tempted to check out the Thrifts today.
I had to fill up. Not so surprising. But oh NO, I gotta screw it up. I missed the 2.74 button and hit the 2.87 button. I wasted over .10 a gallon because I was not paying attention. Which with over a 10 gallon fillup cost me $1
The good- I did not eat breakfast from McD's. I opted for a soda ( CAFFIENE) and a .25 Nutty Buddy bar. The second drink I had of the day was a pink lemonade, not so bad.
The half gallon of milk was only .50. I have three days to finish it but hey even throwing half of it away, it is still a bargain.
The Pancake mix?? - I am planning a pancake making marathon. The plan is to make 'em, freeze 'em and save money on breakfast each day. The box states it makes 23 pancakes. All of this for $1 ! Well, $2. I previously bought the syrup for $1 on sale. :) I think this is a much better deal than prepackaged pancakes for Goodness knows how much but I know its more than $1 for one frozen box of six.
The bag of salad mix? That is a good deal. It was Ceasar Salad with all the fixin's. Dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow. Hey, .50 a meal is not bad.
The 10 pk of Crystal light flavor staws? Half Price= $1.74. I'll either use it as a "pick up your day" gift at the office or I'll pick up my own day :)
More good news, I resisted the urge to check out the thrifts.
Day 10- Tuesday's post
I did well , I went out to dinner with the girls for dinner and spent less than $7 for dinner. I'm impressed with my own progress. I still have money left over this month to eat out or apply toward debt.
Just received, my J.Peterman catalogue. I am inspired by this piece of mail. Some of it is just crap to sell and some of it is timeless classics. I enjoy looking at timeless classics
Although I am more likely to wear this 1930's Silk Crepe de Chine Dress . I like the cut of this skirt but not the print or color choices, Left-Bank Gypsy Skirt - The J. Peterman Company . Unfortunately, I do not like the price of either one.
Fortunately, I own a sewing machine and have access to fabric. I am looking into duplicating the skirt.
That is one of the things I do to save money. I keep up with fashion ( sort of), sift through for what would be appropriate for me and either copy it personally or find a well made and affordable similiar item.
I am aware that for some items only an original will cut it. But I keep an eye out and over the years have developed an eye for what I can copy.
Some of my best copies have been food items. I can duplicate an expensive cake and decorate it myself. Often it is better than what I can buy at an expensive bakery.
I have also duplicated extemely expensive but simple drapes. When I say simple I mean s-i-m-p-l-e as in plain panels but in a rich fabric I paid $1 a yard for ( total $10) and when I say expensive, I mean $400 minimum. I like mine better and I think the fabric is a better choice also.
What have you copied for great savings?
Day 9- Stupid Debt
I deposited $80 in my SD account. Only $3606.42 to go
My Very Very Best Money Saving Tip
No Credit Needed: Your Very, Very Best Money Saving Tips
This is a great blog. The owner even works with others to chart their progress I have my very own chart that is being updated as I write.
NCN is accepting submissions of your very very best money saving tip.I of course thought of several. Alas, when I read other entries each one was already mentioned. Sigh
I thought I would check out a list that a friend posted long ago on a AOL board.I have been referencing for years. Then it hit me. My very very best tip is to listen to others working toward the same ,learn and gain support from them . Which in my opinion is what this project and the blogs are doing.
We can all have our tips we discovered on our own but when we tie all the knowledge together, sift through and use what we can, we all come out ahead. I love learning from all of you and I hope I share something that helps someone else along the way.
Ok, I have settled down a bit
Sorry about all the drama in the last post. As I said I was feeling a bit overwhelmed.
let's list some of the things I did to save money.
- Cooked out with neighbors last night. I provided hotdogs ( Ball Park .50 on sale) and baked beans ( .33 on sale). Even including gas to bake beans, condiments, paper plates, napkins and the charcoal I spent less than $5. They provided buns, beer and good company.
- While the grill was still hot I cooked up a second pack of hotdogs for lunches this week.
- I ate leftovers from last nights cook out for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Went to the grocery store and only purchased cigarettes. I used a coupon. This will help me stay out of convenience stores. I bought 2 cartons which will hopefully last me until the end of the month. If so, then I will come in $18 under budget for cigarettes. Sounds like a new challenge- cutting back on unhealthy cigarettes and saving money- works for me.
- Made tea for this week's beverages
- Making plans to pack my lunch tomorrow. I made the ice packs and tea, just not decided on what I will be eating.
- I was able to put $1 in my EF jar- I am doing better. I average $1 a day. I budgeted for $10 a month to put in my EF jar. This is one category I do not mind going over on.
- I decided that any money left over in a category at the end of the month will be withdrawn from my checking and put in the SD account.
- Applied for a few free items by coupon. Most of these will fill out a baby shower gift I need to make- gasp- I have 2 baby showers coming up in December or January- possibly even November YIKES
- Called AOL and was able to get $9.95 a month- should have tried for a few free months. At least I lightened my budget by $5 a month.
- I was able to add $1 to the EF jar.
- Tried for an opinion place survey- no dice
While entering today's expenses I noted that I had entered Friday night's food under Groceries instead of Dining. I fixed that and realized I can go out with the ladies this Tuesday as long as I don't spend over $13. I also still have $14 left for groceries in my budget for the month. Neither of those should be a problem. :)
Feeling a Tad Overwhelmed
After reading Single Ma's post, I realized that my computer is two years old and my last one barely made it to 4 1/2 before it died the true death of deaths. If you have been reading for a while you know I put out a chunk of change due to a stolen work laptop. I am now concerned about budgeting for a new computer when mine goes copute.
I am contemplating saving all my FF miles( Redeeming FF Miles Update) for the inevitable future purchase of a new computer. Points.com Does have cards for Circuit City.
I could go ahead and buy a laptop now with the miles I currently have. I won't. I don't need one. I am focused on getting out of debt before I upgrade anything.
I am contemplating dragging the life of this computer out past its usual life. When my last one died, I should have just had parts replaced but I did not think it would be cost efficient. I know better now.
I am going to continue contemplating the use of my FF miles.
My car is also making a funny rattly noise- you know the one. The one that usually means new valves. I DO NOT WANT ANY MORE CAR REPAIRS RIGHT NOW! I checked all the fluids and everything is good. It only makes the noise when I climb a certain hill on the way to work. Maybe the incline is just causing the noise. Which means I should change my route because if the incline causes the noise then the incline is causing too much wear and tear on a car that needs to go another 5 years in my game plan.
I am also looking more into the moving situation. Last night I cooked out with the girl who I plan on rooming with and a couple in the building. We discussed all of us moving into a house I know of that will be coming up for rent in the future. I don't know how that will pan out. We do like them and we do share a good deal of the same values. We'll see.
The girl I am originally considering moving in with is not participating a whole lot. She is busy with school and work so this is understandable. It is also good in that it buys me more time to work on getting rid of more of my stuff before the move. Still, the faster we move the more money I will save.
I feel like I should have a second or at least a steady side business(es). I want to be pretty and social and have a long term relationship. I want lots of pretty clothes and a new car. I want a fully funded retirement account. I want to go out to eat a lot. I want to go on great vacations. I want tons of friends that admire and respect me. I want so much and my resources are just not there yet. I want to have the clout of wealth and the admiration of a finacially savvy person. I want my psycho-worker to just chill out and quit backbiting. I want to be known for giving the best gifts. I want to be the smart one. I want all the girls I went to school with who ridiculed me to envy me. I want to be the go to person at work. I want to be incredibly organized. I want it all RIGHT NOW. I am kicking myself because I wasted so much of my life.
Then there is my house. I need to unload it soon. It cost me more and more for nothing in return. There is so much to do and I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the things competing for my priorities.
I need to prioritize everything. This week's top three will be:
- WORK- without it- life would be soooo much more stressfull
- Car tags- yes, they are late- I am sooo gonna get busted.
- My house repairs- I just NEED to do the bathroom wall and bathroom fixture-
There is a couple coming down from out of state this week. They will be here on the 11th and they want to look at the house. I need to take this opportunity and use it. The sooner that house is gone the further ahead I will be. Just selling the house would pay off my CC and my Stupid Debt. This is on top of the fact that I would not have the problems I do with the house nor the house payment. The house payment each year would cover the cost of my Grad school tuition in 4 years.
Focus- focus- focus
Day 8 - Redeeming FF Miles Update
I looked into the situation further. As it stands now, I will continue with my current CC. I would have to change to a Mastercard from Citi and the APR is not as good. It's not terribly bad, but it is more than I pay currently. I am also leary of non-disclosed issues that may pop up. Knowing CC companies like we do, we know they will screw us anytime they can.
The other problem is that to get the $500 Target card I need a few more miles. By the time those post, the window for a refund of my annual fee will have expired. So to get $500, I need to pay $50. It is a little more complicated but that is what it boils down to.
I will start charging my rent and possibly my gas. I will up my Auto Pay each month to cover the rent ( plus gas) and the amount I am currently paying toward the balance. I will be charged the annual fee, but I can turn my everyday expenses into rewards worth far more than the annual fee.
The reward GC used frugally will allow me to cut cash expenditures from certain categories. These categories include groceries, certain misc. expenses and a portion of my gifts. Used wisely I could come out ahead.
I looked at GC's for gas. The stations they listed were more expensive than where I purchase gas. Wise investigation on my part. I will continue to monitor.
I am also aware that Target is more expensive than Wal-Mart. I am confident that despite the extra cost, I will reap more than the $50 annual fee in free giftcards.
Just for the sake of argument, I could assume Target is 25% higher than Wal-Mart. I would still be receiving $375 in benefits. Weighed against the $550 I have paid in annuals fees in the last 11 years, that is not great. Still better than a fat lip.
I envision myself utilizing this card frugally and still recouping my annual fees from day one. The next project will be to recoup the inflation adjusted cost of all interest I have paid to Visa. Then I will declare myself the Victor! I need to create a file for these projects. I love a challenge!
In order to maximize the benefit of the Target card I can:
- Scour the sale paper
- Not buy items "just because" I have a GC
- Continue to make most of my own gifts or get them from alternate sources.
- Continue to plan my meals as frugally as possible- buying from other sources if it is the MOST cost efficient solution
- Scour the clearance section, especially in the grocery section. They do have really good deals from time to time.
- Take advantage of the fact that my job takes me right in front of at least one Target location each week ( one is about to open- which should net excellent Grand Opening sales- ONLY BUY IF I NEED IT AND IT WILL SAVE ME MONEY)
- Use Target (in ad and online)and Manufacturer coupons
- Maintain a list of needed items ( I do this already) and monitor for the best deals
- Accept that occasionally I CAN have something I want. I have already scoped out the ER DVD's.Target is definately the cheapest source. - don't stress, My focus is on getting out of debt. But "earning" the DVD's by working toward debt free levels could definately inspire me to work harder.
There is also the point that I have already spent the money on fees and interest. If I do not redeem them and allow them to expire then I have gained nothing at all.
I am sure the cost of this program will eventually outweigh the benefits but I have decided to go this route for the time being. I will be cautious and I will monitor the situation for any problems- like out of hand spending.
Even moving and not being able to charge my rent to my CC will not negate this deal. The amount I spend on gas alone will earn more rewards than the cost of the annual fee.
I am grateful I looked into this issue. I made the best choice in light of all the information and choices. I am grateful I discovered I could swap the miles for something other than a flight. AA has high rates and I think I could get a better deal online elsewhere.
I looked at other participating merchants and so far I like the deal with Target best. Although, I will be ordering GC's to resturaunts for my oldest sister's Christmas gift next year. ( I already redeemed her GC's for Christmas this year from another program.) I may also find a good choice for gifts for my father. I will continue to monitor this also.
To recap, I will use my FF miles to redeem for Target GC's. I will use them for frugal grocery, misc, supplemental gift purchases and for purchase of my personal reward program items.
The personal reward program would entail allowing myself to "earn" credit twoard the purchase of ER DVD's each time I reach a goal. I like this plan. I know me and I know I am willing to make more sacrifices if I know it will take me tangibly closer to getting ER to watch at home. It helps when I play games with myself.
If I know by taking my lunch, skipping a soda or cutting back on cigarettes I get visbly closer to obtaining my beloved ER then I can tough it out. Hmmmm- this may be the perfect way to stop smoking- Which by the way blows $1500 a year and increases my future medical cost.
I have already earned Season One- but have not purchased it for various reasons. Among those reasons are buying a box set is a better deal than buying each one individually and I had to pay for a stolen laptop which blew ALOT of my onhand cash.
All in all I had a decent 24hrs and increased the value of my finacial future.
I just learned I can turn in my FF miles for GC's. I am giving serious thought to turning in my miles for a Target card. I would then use the card to buy all my groceries and gifts for the rest of the year. Well, actually I could probably go though most of next year.
The card would be for $500. I have almost all my gifts covered right now. I also have plenty of food in my pantry. I am steadily working on eating all of that.
The biggest plus would be that I could utilize all my frequent flyer miles, transfer the account to a no annual fee card while maintaining my credit history with the same compnay. My card would still say "member since 95."
I have 79K +. If I charge my rent next month AND pay it off by auto pay. I could order a $500 Target card. I could then change my credit card to a no fee card that gets me reward points. Maybe not a huge deal since I am paying the card off and not charging.
BUT I would have a $500 GC, no fees and still be able to pay off my card and accumulate a few free items.
I just looked and this seems like the way to go. I also called Citi.They cannot tell me if I am eligible nor can the tell me what my APR would be due to updating the servers. phhht, I can call back in the morning.
While I was looking at Citi-Advantage's Diamond preferred card site, I saw several GC's I could use. Sadly, no Wal-mart. That would have been the best choice. I can use that one for food, gifts and gas. They have the better prices around here.
SO, the plan currently is to charge and payoff next month's rent, allow the miles to show up, redeem for $500 Target GC, transfer account to Diamond Preferred and then continue charging and paying off my rent to accumulate more GC's for gas, groceries and gifts. I confirmed each of these.
This would work out great. I can still earn gifts cards for my oldest sister's gifts like I currently do at Mypoints. I could then use Mypoints to earn Wal-Mart cards for my gas and groceries. ooooyeh!
************************************
hmmmmm -Mypoints has a Visa card also. I need to ask if I can transfer my Citi Visa card to Mypoints Visa with the same deal ( keeping same % rate and credit history).
************************************
UHOH- I did a search and it seems Mypoints is acting crazy and not letting anyone have prizes- DAYAUM- well at least I researched that one. It appears, I saved myself a headache .
Day 7 Better choices = baby steps
So far I have placed .75 in the EF jar. I refrained from two sodas I was CRAVING and eating out lunch. I ate one of my poptarts that I have stashed in my work cabinet.
I feel proud of myself for not caving on the way home. I was not really hungry and I have plenty of food at home. I was really wanting a soda. I could just taste the cool refreshing burst of coldness on my tongue and in my throat.
I reminded myself that I would be able to add a quarter to the EF and still be saving a $1 if I resisted for the 30 minute drive home. At home I had ice cold refreshing peach tea waiting. While it is not the best for me is still definitely better than soda. Sadly this is the last batch of peach tea. I used the last of the peach flavored sugar I bought at a Bent and Dent. It was dirt cheap but such an indulgence.
While I was driving home I was thinking about the crackers I bought for breakfast. You know the ones. Those little round crackers with peanut butter in the middle. I find they are a decent breakfast. They fill me up ( sort of) and they give me the needed protein for the start of my day.
I was thinking about how I buy one pack for either .25 or like this morning .49. It doesn't seem too bad. I could make less nutritious and far more expensive choices.
I spied the box of crackers I bought at big lots ( yes, it was just sitting in the car). It is just regular saltine crackers. It was $1.99 for 8 full size sleeves. That got me to thinking. I looked at the nutrition panel ( while sitting at a red light) that revealed there are approximately 300 crackers. Allowing for 50 broken crackers and that would be high. I could make 125 snack crackers with my pantry peanut butter.I paid .99 a jar for honey flavored Jiff. I bought 31 jars.
For less than $3.50, I can have 125 peanut butter crackers. Purchasing them 6 at a time for .25 = about $6 ( 21 x .25). I save at least $2.50. But it gets a little better. My crackers from home are much bigger than those little bitty snack crackers.
Just for the sake of argument I ran the math on the .49 brand snack crackers. 21 packs x .49= $10.29 pre-tax - $3.50 home version= $6.70 in savings. My crackers are still twice the size of these crackers. :)
All I need is a butter knife and I am in the savings business on this one.
Day 6- NW update, added to SD account
Over all, it was not a bad day. I got off work on time. That was good.
I paid my rent. I deposited my paycheck. I deposited one of the insurance checks.That was a deposit of $1066.58 toward my Stupid Debt. I was able to add $1 to my EF jar. I also received another deodorant sample in the mail. At this rate, I won't have to buy any deodorant for the rest of the year. I'll take that savings.
The second emergency fund is only at $320. The jar held $70 last time I made a deposit. I am going to shake that jar until it holds an extra $10.I want the EF to sit at $400 next time I make a deposit.
I need to shake other things up and fill that jar faster. Triple payoff in that. I save more to pay of SD, I build better habits, and my EF grows.
I would have deposited the other insurance check BUT I cashed the $80 check (car rental) to cover gas Monday, when I was not able to get to the bank. I did take this out of gas money ( mileage). I just need to deposit it. At least when I make the deposit, I can make a new update to my debt payoff.
Unfortunately, after taking out the $100 I spent on CEU courses ( face to face classes), $80 for the ins check ( where did most of it go??), I am left with $152 for gas until the end of the month. I may need to pull from the next mileage check. And that check, isn't going to be very big anyway.
This week I worked in the office 3 days with very little mileage. Tomorrow is the last day of the week and the last day on this mileage check. I am going to get up early and book it all day. I need to tack on as many extra miles as I can. I need to pack a lunch and beverages along with that. Luckily, I am booked solid for the following mileage check.
Day 5- 18 hrs in 45 minutes :)
Well I pulled it off. I took advantage of the fact that the CEU's I earned were the day before the deadline. 2 days after the deadline, I relogged on and took the courses all over again. This time it took 45 minutes. And I have a whopping 18hrs toward license renewal.
When I paid, I took note that the site allowed you to take the test as many times as you want. I took the courses for this year's renewal. Then when the rollover date occurred and I was allowed to accumulate hours again, I did.
We are only limited to duplicating courses in the same renewal period. I am now in my next renewal period. So the courses are new to the accumulation period. I am also over the halfway point to having all the hours I need to renew again next year, at no additional cost.
How's that ?Single Ma ? I think that is good for $1.25 ( .25 for each course) in the EF jar.
Day 4-
Today I did not eat any food I paid for that earns $1.00 to the EF jar. :)
I have been so busy since Friday, I have still not deposited my paycheck :(
Last night, I had no money on me. :(
I had to stop at Wal-Mart and cash one of the Ins. checks and PAID $3 for the priviledge. :P
I received a sample of Ban deodarant. Went straight to Walmart.com and ordered a different brand's sample one for me and one to my sister's house.
I also received a gift of a banana and a granola bar- tomorrow's breakfast :)
For those who want to know: I have spent $1 this month. Let's see how it goes the rest of the month.
