Effects of Debt

I am the poster child for the effects of debt. (Constantly worrying about money, robbing Peter to pay Paul, etc. ) Well, not really, I guess. There are people in much worse shape than me. My debt is annoying and keeps me from doing all that I can do. If I didn't have debt, I would actually have quite a bit of money left at the end of each month. Makes me sick to think about it. But I am not losing my house, etc., so I am not in as bad of shape as some.

But I am where I am. I don't seem to be making as much headway paying it off as I hoped, but I am not adding to my debt, and I guess that is progress of a different kind. After I pass the bar exam, I am really going to work at ways to make some extra money and to save money. I just need to make enough more that I can see some headway.

But never--through all my dumb mistakes with money have I considered bankruptcy. I never did and never will go that route. I have wanted to avoid bankruptcy at all costs. It is just the way I am. Not saying that people who declare bankruptcy are bad. It is just not for me. I wouldn't want the shame, and I do think I would feel shame. I would want to take care of the mess I created. And I wouldn't want a bankruptcy to dog me the rest of the life the way it does. If you are considering bankruptcy, click the link above to see some alternatives. The site offers great explanations of bankruptcy terms and procedures and what it would mean for your life. And it shows you how you can be debt free in five years. A much better plan in my mind.

Not As Many Mystery Shops Right Now?

I have noticed that there doesn't seem to be as many mystery shops available right now. Not sure if it is my imagination, or if it is a fact. I used to get a lot of opportunities just a short while ago, but now they seemed to have dried up a tad. Maybe it is an end-of-the year thing, or maybe more people are out of work and need to do more shops. I could use the extra money, but I need the extra time I have by not doing the shops as well. You know--studying for the bar exam and all that. Time is definitely money in that sense. Maybe it is lucky after all I am not getting shops right now.

Dodged A Bullet!

I think I dodged a bullet and may escape getting overdraft fees this time. This is sad, isn't it? That I have to dodge a bullet to do this? Well, at least this time I had the presence of mind to contact a couple of people and ask them if they could hold a check I had given them for a week. At least one said yes. And I think that is enough for me not to get overdrafts, even if the other person says no or has already deposited the check. With Christmas and everything coming up, I just can't afford to give right now to my regular charity--Regions Bank. Hope they understand! They are so used to my regular paycheck to them. I am so happy! yay!

A Mystery Shop Was Snatched Out From Under My Keyboard!

This is wierd--I have never had this happen before. I had just gotten an email saying that some new mystery shops were available in my area. A lot of mystery shops are released at the beginning of the month. I clicked on the link to learn more about this particular shop, and I couldn't have spent more than a couple of minutes pondering whether I should take it or not. I clicked to go backwards on the link, and the shop was already taken. Right from under my nose! I have never had something like that happen so quicklyl. Probably for the best, as it required me to spend some money (of course I would be reimbursed). But with studying for the bar and all, I really shouldn't take too many shops. But this particularly company is one of the fast-paying companies, which made me consider it for that couple of minutes.

I Could Have Been Taken By A Mystery Shopping Scam!

I have been doing mystery shopping for several months ago and was aware that there was some kind of check cashing scam going on. It is sort of similar to the Nigeria scam but on a smaller scale. A friend forwarded me an email, and I actually applied. Nothing about it seemed wierd. But when I got "accepted" as a mystery shopper, I got a reply back saying they wanted me to do a Wal-mart and a Western Union shop. Something about Western Union rang a bell in my head. I googled mystery shop scams and sure enough--there are scams out there involving Wal-mart and Western Union. I wrote back and told him to cancel my application. I wish I hadn't done that though. I would love to turn him in. I read comments from others on the internet who had been taken by this same scheme for about $3,500 or so. Whew! Glad I figured it out. This is the email reply I got, just in case someone else gets this too:

Hello XXX,
You have been Accepted as our Mystery shopper/Survey Agent.
You will be evaluating a Wal-Mart Store and a Western union outlet in your neighborhood. You will need to locate the Nearest Wal-mart and Western union store as soon as you get this email today. Email us the STORE NAME AND STORE ADDRESS in your next email. That is where you will be doing your 1st Secret shopping and Evaluation.
Please remember that you are to act Cool, Calm and Confident through out the period in which you will be carrying out the survey, in order not to arouse any suspicious. We will furnish you with transfer details which you will send Funds to via Western union. Also you will be shopping at Wal-mart stores close by, after which you will write a report and send back to us via Email using the following pointers:
1) How long it took you to get services.2) Ambiance/Outlook of the Shop/Outlet3) Smartness of the attendant4) Customer service professionalism5) Reaction of personnel under pressure6) Information that you think would be helpful7) Your comments and impressions.
Payments will be mailed out to you as soon as you reply back to this email,which you will cash and expend in carrying out all that will be required of you including your compensation.

Online Coupon Sites

I stumbled onto this article today that mentions some good online coupon sites: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveMoney/5-favorite-sites-for-online-coupons.aspx.

I was glad to find it as I tried to find online coupons the other day for Target and didn't get very far. I wanted to find online coupons I could use in the store but had no luck. I finally called my local store, and they told me they didn't accept online coupons.

But I am glad to find these sources as I haven't started my Christmas shopping yet, and I know I will be buying some things online. Every bit helps!

Mystery Shopping Has Made The Difference For My Budget

I read an article online not long ago about how many people just need to earn an extra $100 or $200 a month to make it through the month. That that little amount of money can make the difference between meeting your budget and going further into the hole. Well, I have been doing mystery shopping for three months now, and I just added up the checks I have received thus far. Total: a little over $600, or $200 a month. That has made the difference for me. It has plugged up some of the holes between paychecks and helped me not overdraft. It has been a godsend actually. I can't wait until after the bar exam, when I can go whole hog on it again.

Target Was Like A Ghosttown Tonight

I went to Target tonight to pick up a few things after work, and it was like a ghosttown. Usually, this Target at that time of night is humming. It was almost scary. I bought a slipcover for my sofa and felt like a spendthrift. Everyone else just had food and essentials in their carts.

Maxed Out: The Film

I joined Netflix for the free two-week trial period, and the first movie I watched is Maxed Out. Its prescience in the debt and credit sphere is unbelievable. The movie was made in 2006 and totally foreshadows the mortgage and credit meltdown we are experiencing today. The most memorable moment from the movie is when it is mentioned (to no one's surprise) that the banks make money from those with bad credit and the subprime products. No wonder they kept pushing the products. The saddest moments are when you realize two college students killed themselves because they didn't see anyway to get out of their debt, and an older mother went missing, presumably also a suicide victim for the same reason. So sad. Makes you want to hold them and say, "It is not worth that." Good movie.

Another Tweak To Mystery Shopping

I forgot to mention in my post yesterday about another tweak I am making to my mystery shopping gig: I am not going to take any shops where I have to shell out money first. Unless---they are very interesting or well paying, and they hit me at the right time of the month. The problem is for those kind of shops, you may have to buy a product or a service. In some cases, you return the product and the store gives your money back. That is usually not such a problem because you normally get the credits back in a few days. But the other kind of shop is where you have to pay for something and you get reimbursed by the mystery shopping company. In this type of scenario, it can be 30 days before you are reimbursed. And that can play havoc with a checking account as tight as mine.

Narrowing My Focus in Mystery Shopping

I am now at the end of my third month of mystery shopping. I have to say overall I like it. What I like is the money and that some of the shops are outside my ordinary routine and pathway. I get to go to other parts of the city and try things that I ordinarily wouldn't try.

Like test driving the sportscar. Now that was fun! It was a little hot roadster, and boy did I look good in it, and was it fun to drive! I have enjoyed the apartment shops and also the bank shop I did the other day.

But now that I am three months in, it is time to take stock. I am also starting to study for the bar exam again, and I have to be aware of my time. What I am going to do is not take anymore low paying mystery shops, which means no more fast food ones. That is OK, since I don't need fast food anyway. I am not going to repeat some of the time consuming ones, like the dry cleaning one I recently did. Not that it really was so bad, but I had to drive a long way, and they kept not having my clothes ready. So I had to make multiple trips.

Basically, I am going to make $15 the bottom fee that I will accept. And I will only accept that if the shop sounds interesting or is extremely easy. I really don't want to do anything under $20. My bar exam study time won't allow for it.

Credit Cards That Go The Extra Mile

There are many credit cards out there that pay you back for using them. For example, I am a big traveler, and I have gotten many miles--literally--from my Citicard. To Spain and back, to be precise. I saved up enough points (with some help from their triple miles program in effect for a while) to obtain a roundtrip ticket for me and a friend to fly to Madrid. And to rent a car free for three days to boot. That was pretty darn good.

There are also credit cards that give you reward points toward sports merchandise, free hotel stays, and automobile products and services. Some of the more practical cards in my opinion are the ones that offer rewards for buying groceries at certain stores, or rewards and cash back programs for gas purchases. There are dining rewards programs (good for those of us who love to go out and eat), but the most intriguing are the credit cards that not only offer discounts on home improvement products but allow you to accumulate unlimited points to put towards mortgage payments or the purchase of a new home! That would be especially valuable in today's economy.

There are sites you can go to to compare credit cards, and they are a useful tool.

Work At Home Scams

Since I am trying to make money on the Internet, I am cautious about work at home opportunities. How do you know which ones are legit and which ones are scams? I don't know what it is about the Internet that still makes me a little cautious. I guess it is because you really don't know who these people are, unlike brick and mortar places, where at least you can walk in the door and eyeball someone. I found an article on AOL today that had some good tips to keep in mind when considering work at home opportunities:

http://jobs.aol.com/quiz/hoax?ncid=AOLCOMMjobsDYNLprim0001&icid=100214839x1211593361x1200746144

Hate/Love Relationship With Mystery Shopping

I am really liking mystery shopping. Most of the time. I love it when I get an assignment. And I love to see all the assignments posted. But I don't love it when I spend time on one and I don't get paid. I have done a couple of apartment shops, and those have been fun. But there was a mix-up this weekend on one of them--not my fault--and I won't get paid for it. I spent about two hours out of my time, plus the stress of not knowing what to do--and I still don't get paid for it.

I had an audio shop and was assigned to a particular person. You have to call first and do a phone shop on that person. Then you have to go to the complex that same day and do an on-site visitation. You generally use a different name for the phone shop. Well, I called several times, but my person never answered the phone. I was starting to run out of time--the office at the complex was only open until 5, and it was already 3. I tried calling the mystery shopping company--they act like they are always available for questions. Nada a word from them. I emailed and I called. No answer from the shopping company.

So I did what I thought was best--and that was to go on out there. Turns out my target was on vacation. I couldnt' have shopped her anyway. I thought it best to go ahead and do the shop on the person who was there. Well, that was the wrong thing. The shopping company said they can't pay me, because I didn't shop the right person.

That really ticks me off. Their instructions don't say what to do in these instances. And I tried to reach them. And they were no where to be found. I expressed my feelings about this, but they won't budge. I guess I'll put up with it for at least a while because I need the money and it is fun.

But I think they need a mystery shopper to shop them!

I Didn't Pass The Bar Exam

I hate to even write those words, but I didn't pass the bar. Yes, it is true. I feel bad, but I am trying to keep it in perspective. It is not the end of the world; I have a job that doesn't depend on me passing the bar; the rest of my life is pretty good right now. And taking it in February and getting the results back in April will give me a little more time to get my credit score back up before I have my interview. Not that that really matters, but I am assuming that would make my interview better.

Another Way To Get Cash Back

I just signed up for something that looks good: ebates. Yes ebates. I guess they are like rebates, but you get them online. It is free to sign up, and you get cash back with certain purchases. I could really use a lowes coupon. I have so many home repairs to make. They also have Liz Claiborne coupons, and I love her clothes. Also travel! You can get cash back for using Travelocity, Priceline and such. So it will be very useful for me. Every little bit helps, and even if you are watching what you are spending, you can still make a little cash back from what you do buy. You can also use your paypal account with this.

The Great Financial Crisis

It is hard to believe what is happening out there right now. Like most people, I don't really want to think about it too much or I might go crazy. The one financial thing that I had done right was save for retirement, and now it is plummeting. I did the obligatory call to the brokerage house, and was told to leave my money where it is, which I knew I should do. Right now, they reminded me, it is only a paper loss. But if I sell my stocks and put them in a safer mechanism, and then later try to buy them back, I will have a real money loss. I know to stay put. But it is scary. That retirement fund was the one thing I thought I could count on. But I didn't count on this mess. I am totally disgusted with the greedy CEOs. I thought we had learned our lesson after Enron, et al. People complain about the government, but sometimes it is business that is really the evil. Or the people running business, I should add.

Deciding Not To Buy A New Sofa

I made a smart move over the weekend and decided not to order a new sofa. Well, really it is a futon. I saw a modern futon that was on sale for an amazing price and put a down payment on it. I am so tired of sitting on my sofa after years of law school and bar study. I just need something new. So, the futon would spice up my living room and add a modern touch. It was a neat gray color, and I thought that would give my room a whole new look. The biggest reason I wanted it was because of the phenonmenal price.

But I couldn't get past that the futon really didn't look sturdy enough. I admit that I have some "healthy" friends, and I was afraid the futon wouldn't hold up. Plus it sat too low. It might just be an optical illusion, but I was afraid it would look strange in my place. Plus, there are no arms on the sofa. I realized how much I lean against my sofa arms or put my head on them when I fall asleep on the sofa. An armless futon, I am afraid, would just not work. I have decided to buy a slipcover instead. I will go looking for one next weekend. This is a great move for me, I think, as it will give me the impression of a new sofa, without actually buying one, and I won't have to pay someone to remove my old sofa. I went to the store last night and cancelled my order. They gave me my deposit back. All in all a good decision, I think.

Saving A Life: Priceless

My family has a history of leukemia, and I have known many others who have had the disease or one of the other ones affiliated with it: lymphoma, hodgkins, etc. It is nasty stuff, and it scares me to death. But then all cancer scares me. I have been fascinated with how a baby's cord blood can help treat these diseases plus many more, including diabetes and cerebral palsy. It is just amazing. It involves stem cells, which we have all heard about.

When my nephew was born, I told my sister about cord blood and was hoping she would save his. She didn't, and I don't know if it is because she forgot in the midst of the birth or if it was too expensive. I am sure the expense is what keeps many families from storing cord blood.

If this is something that interests you, you might want to think about companies such as Cryo-Cell.

Mystery Shopping Foibles

I have done mystery shopping for a little more than a month, and in some ways the honeymoon is over. I have had a lot of success--I have made about $400 or more during this time. The checks will start coming in next week or the week after, and I will gladly deposit them in my credit union account. I am going to keep on doing mystery shopping as long as it is fun and profitable.

But there have been a few glitches in the past week:

1) A woman from a mystery shopping company called me and asked me to do a couple of bank shops for her. I was excited, because they are easy to do and are good pay. I was supposed to look over the contract and send it back, and then call back the next morning for a quick training. I did all of that, but when I called her back, she told me the job had been assigned to someone else over night. I was astounded, which I think I had a right to be, but I let my astonishment and disappointment show. I think I actually hung up on her (not sure) which is really bad. I couldn't stop myself. I am sure she will never hire me for another shop now.

2) The gas shortage situation was so stressful last week in Nashville that I actually went to the wrong grocery store for a mystery shop. It was the right store, but wrong location. I emailed and apologized and said I had no excuse except the whole city was going crazy, including me, about this gas shortage.

3) I had been hired to do some kind of job. Not sure what to call it, but it wasn't mystery shopping. It might fall under the rubric of merchandising, which mystery shoppers also sometimes do. I was supposed to count the number of certain products in two grocery stores. It sounded like fun and something different, so I agreed. Well, apparently I really stink at this. I counted the way I was told to count, but the scheduler seemed upset and wondered why I hadn't done the job. "But I did the job," I replied in my email. "You can see from my fax." The grocery store didn't carry some of the items, so that might have been part of the confusion. But no more of these kinds of "counting" jobs for me.

Despite these glitches, I am still getting good work. I guess the longer you do it, the easier it gets. And I can use the money, at least until I pay for my cruise and build up my emergency fund. Notice how I put my vacation first!!

No Gas In Nashville Causes Financial Problems

There has been no gas in Nashville! Literally the pumps have run dry. A few stations got some gas today, but it has been hit and miss. Once a station gets some gas, it runs out in a few hours, because there is so much demand. On Friday, I was desperate to get some gas. I ran out to Sam's Club in the afternoon and filled up. But because they don't take cash--I had plenty of cash with me--I had to use my debit card, and I overdrew my account Friday night. That is upsetting to me, but the alternative was not to get gas, and that was not an option right now. Hope things get back to normal very soon.

How To Keep Your Cool When Your Home AC Goes Out

My home AC has gone out for the second time this summer. Yes, it is still summer until tomorrow. Here in Nashville, no AC can be deadly, since temps go so high. At least, the temps have not gotten above 85 this week. I have found a pretty good way to keep cool in a pinch. I am sitting here on the sofa sweating. Not fun. But if you take a cold pack and wrap it in a towel and put it next to your neck or mid-area, it actually cools you down. It is not perfect, but it helps, and it is cheap.

Selling Your Gold Jewelry

Times are tough, and the financial news just keeps getting worse and worse. I couldn't believe the news yesterday about AIG. Unbelieveable. Isn't anyone minding the store at all anymore? I am afraid to look at my 401K balance and in fact will not until things get a little better.

Many people, including me, are looking for big and small ways to earn some extra cash. I have been doing a little freelance writing and also some mystery shopping. The mystery shopping so far has been lucrative for me.

If I had some gold jewelry that was not meaningful to me anymore, I would sell it. Apparently, you can get good money if you sell gold. I can imagine two scenarios where I would sell jewelry: 1) I just happened to have a lot of gold jewelry, and some of it wasn't important to me, or 2) I had gold jewelry from a previous marriage or relationship and wanted to get rid of the baggage and memories. In either case, cash for gold would be a good option.

Like many though, I would wonder where I could go to sell gold or sell diamonds. I would not feel comfortable going to a pawn shop.

Wall Street Mess

I refuse to look at my 401K balances until some of the financial mess clears up. I am afraid I would freak out, and nothing good would come of that. How in the world do we get in such messes? The most recent ones were the dot-com mess, the Enron type messes, and now this. And people say the government is incompetent? Business hasn't looked too good lately......

My First Mystery Shopping Check!

I did get a good piece of news today! My first mystery shopping check. It was for my bus station shop, and it was exciting to get it. I feel more secure about the whole mystery shopping thing now--like it is for real. Mystery shopping is one of those things that you are afraid you are being "taken"--until you see some proof that you aren't. That check is good proof! I have about $100 worth of shops to do over the weekend, so I am happy. I may not do anymore fast food shops though, because they require so much for such little pay.

How To Turn A $9 Water Bill Into $100 One

Q: How do you turn a $9 water bill into a $100?

A: Don't open your water bill, put it aside, and don't think about it. Then when your water is turned off, Metro Water Services will not only charge you $50 to turn it back on, but $50 for a deposit as well. And of course you still owe the $9.

I am a dunce.

Credit Card Reps Being Helpful--Sort Of

I have been more attentive lately to credit card due dates, and my bank balance, and not overdrawing my account. I have been able to move some due dates around. I get paid twice a month, and for me this is harder than getting paid once a month. I used to get paid once a month, and then you can pay your bills as you go along. With twice a month, I always run short of money. Bills are due at inopportune times between my paydays. Lately, I have had a lot of luck with calling bill collectors and asking them to change a due date. They mostly have done it. I have been shocked, but thrilled. That is until today when I called Discover. The rep said he would be able to move my due date forward two days, but then said they may drop me from my payment program. I was very disappointed. They want to get paid, and I want to pay my bills, and something simple like moving a due date one or two days would be productive for everyone involved. But I guess some CC companies can only be so helpful.

Disclosure Policy

This policy is valid from 09 September 2008
This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.
The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content.
The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.
This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.
To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

Mystery Shopping Going Well

I am now in my third week of mystery shopping and have made more than $300! Not bad for my $4.99 trial fee. I may not even have to renew, as I have signed up with so many individual shopping companies that I can get assignments directly from them. So far, I like the apartment and health club assignments the best. I have done a couple of restaurants--the fees are either small or non existent, but you do get reimbursed for your meal, so you could see it as eating for free. I would love to make at least $400 before my first month is out. At the rate I am going, I may make it! It does eat into some of your free time, but so far, it has been fun for me. We'll see how long it stays profitable and fun. I'd like to do it for a couple of months at least. I may get pickier about assignments though and not take any of the low paying ones anymore. We'll see.

What Price Mystery Shopping

I do have to say I did take a risky assignment the other day. The company wanted me to evaluate the local bus station. Not only that, but they wanted me to do it late at night! I was rightfully hesitant in taking the assignment. The station is not a place you really want to go, particularly "after hours." But they were offering a pretty good fee to do it, and you could also get reimbursed for a lovely meal there.

I drove by the day before to figure out where to park. I couldn't believe I was doing this! It made me feel better when I noticed the station had its own small parking lot. At least I could park near the door and it wouldn't take long to get in the front door.

The next night I drove down at the appointed hour and booked a ticket to a nearby small town. It was as bad as I expected. All kinds of unsavory characters. Craziness. People talking to themselves. I am not a snob, but it is the kind of place where you fear for your safety. I didn't even notice a security guard there. Not good. I made notes that I would later put in my report.

I went in to buy my meal. I really didn't want to eat in there, as there was another man talking to himself nearby. But I had to according to my mystery shopping agreement. The cook behind the counter was the best part of the evening. He smiled and took time to get me what I wanted. He scored high points.

I guess it is good that the company hired a mystery shopper. Would I recommend it to others, I was asked. No. There are a lot of improvements that need to be made. I hope they make them. It would be good if bus companies could not only be a cheap, but safe alternative for people looking for transportation. I hurried out to my car and got in, glad I was not leaving on a bus to anywhere.

My Hand at Mystery Shopping

In my quest to make some extra money, I have been investigating a number of ways to earn some extra cash.

My latest venture is mystery shopping. I have been intrigued by it for some time, but just did not have to time to even investigate it while in law school. Now that I am out, and have taken the bar, I am taking a stab at it while I wait for my bar exam results.

I signed up with a mystery shopping company, one that alerts you to shopping opportunities in your area. There is a fee to belong. I know people say don't pay to earn money, but I am only doing a trial run, which only cost me $4.99 for a month.

So far, I have to say it has been worth it. Just slightly halfway through my paid month, I have already made about $150. Not bad return on the money! In the process, you have to sign up with individual mystery shopping companies, so at the the end of the month, I might not even have to renew. I can just go directly to the individual companies' websites and accept assignments there.

In doing mystery shopping, you do have to plan and take assignments that will fit into your schedule. I have limited myself to one assignment a day. I don't want to overdue it with my regular job, etc. So far I really like it. It seems to be an easy way to make a little cash that can help close the gap financially.

Dave Ramsey Forums

I just checked Dave's website recently, and his community forums are now free. I believe you used to have to pay a fee to use them. So that was exciting, and I immediately started reading the posts. I have not participated in any discussion yet. I love forums, especially when they are about something that can help you so much. Well, off to check out the new discussions.......

Searching for Cash Surveys

Previously, I signed up with a lot of survey companies, but because of being in school, I ended up not being able to do most of them. Now I have time and would like to revisit those companies. I am going to search through my email and read the fine print. One of the ones I re-read about yesterday offers prizes for doing surveys, and although that is nice, I just really want cash for doing them right now. Cash is what I need to pay off debt and to save. So, I guess I will just keep searching through my old mail. I know with some companies, you can redeem points for cash, but I just haven't stumbled on them and figured it out yet.

Applied For a Part-Time Job

Now that I have my JD degree (I love the sound of that!) I have a little more time to devote to my writing. And getting out of debt. I searched online for freelance writing jobs, and found one that fit me. I applied and should hear back in about two weeks. I can do it remotely, which is perfect, and it seems like it would not be too difficult to do. I would need to learn more of the details first, since the job description was a little sketchy. I guess they will contact me if I get it, and I can then ask more questions. My only worry is that now that I am not in school, I don't want to fill up all of my spare time again. Hopefully, I can contain this job. But I do need the extra money to help pay off bills and to build up my savings.

Inflation Hitting Retirees

Another article I read yesterday about finances and retirees is how inflation is robbing the elderly of their retirement plans. When they made their retirement money plans, they did not account much for inflation, since inflation has not really been a problem for quite some time. However, it is raising its ugly head and having consequences now. So, retirees who wanted to travel more or have fun, are not realizing their dreams, or at least having to cut them back. Same old story: either the retirees have to scale back or return to work. In this case, I vote for people to return to work, at least part time. If they can find something they enjoy doing, they will keep their skills and memory sharp and not have to worry so much about finances. If they work part time, they would still have time to travel too.

Sharing Resources

I read an interesting article yesterday in the newspaper. Talked about retirees/elderly having trouble making ends meet and what can be done about it. It talked about the economy of marriage--how two can live as cheaply as one. But what if you are not married? Getting roommates is one way to do the same thing, and it mentioned how this strategy could be a good one for the elderly. It would make everyone's dollars stretch further. I predict that some of these McMansions that are going up, particularly in Nashville, will be used for this very purpose on down the road--little communes for elderly baby boomers. It could really be fun. But there are a lot of elderly people (not talking about baby boomers here, but older people) who don't seem like they would like to live with other people. If people could just see how this could be fun and liberating, maybe they would try it, and it would enable people to be independent and live more fully longer.

Doing More Surveys

I now have time to get back to trying my hand at making money from surveys. I haven't gotten too far with it, but will have the time now to put into it. I just requested two $30 checks from two survey companies I have worked with in the past. That is my earnings to date with surveys! Not a lot of money, but it is a start. A reader in the past told me she made about $300 a month from surveys, and I would like to get up to that level. Hopefully with a little work and investigation into how to do it better, I will be able to do that.

Making Payment Arrangements

Now that I am out of law school, and the bar exam is behind me, I am trying to get the rest of my life that I have neglected back in order. This of course includes my finances. I have set up payment arrangments with all of my credit card companies. This will lower my payment and lower the interest rate. I can also pay the debt off faster, once I am caught up with my expenses, etc. Only one arrangement is unsure: HSBC tentatively set up a payment arrangement for me, but it has to be approved by someone else there, and I will receive a letter within two weeks telling me whether I was approved or not. This sounds kind of wierd to me, but that is what they told me. The woman on the phone said she didn't think I would have any trouble getting approved. Now I just need to get my house in order. My real house in order.

Now I Can Sleep Relieved

Once again, I made a bank deposit today, only to realize it was about $30 short. I was worried--I have 3 checks hanging out there, plus a string of pending debit charges. Oh whoopie--just the recipe for another onslaught of NSF funds.

I called the management company of our condo association to see if they could hold my fee check until tomorrow. That would solve the problem. Lucky me--they said they only deposit checks on Tuesday! So now I can deposit the other $30 tomorrow, and I will be fine until payday on Wed. Part of the problem is just paying attention, and now that I am out of law school, I can start paying attention to my finances again. Any my housework. Any my weight. And getting back in shape. And finding love.......

Making Money on the Web

A friend and I went to a free seminar today on how to make money on the web. We were skeptical, but figured we might glean a few pointers. Actually, it was quite good, and the product is reasonable and useful. We are going to another seminar in a couple of weeks. Both of us could use some extra money and have a good service to offer, so maybe this will be a go. We were both pleasantly surprised at today's seminar. Glad we went.

Voice Your Opinion About Bank Overdraft Fees

Ok, I am a slow learner, but I do learn. I have not gotten any overdraft checking fees in the last two weeks. Hooray for me! (Telling myself to keep it up!)

But apparently, I am not the only one with the problem. As a matter of fact, there is a hearing going on about these deceptive bank practices. Complaints include banks charging you fees for overdrafts before the transactions actually clear (I don't think my bank does this, but some do. I have time to make a deposit the day the transaction will probably clear to avoid overdrafts. My problem is I forget to make the deposits on time. ).

Another problem is that banks will clear the checks from high to law amounts. This is the one that enrages me. For example, if you have $200 in your checking account, and transactions totalling $220 you are going to be screwed. But the way they clear the checks is what really screws you. Say you wrote a big check for $175, and you have a bunch of small purchases making up the other $45. If they all come in at once, you would think they would clear in the order they are presented. So, maybe all your little purchases could clear first, and you would only get one overdraft fee for the $175 purchase.

BUT NO! The bank always presents the largest check first, no matter in what order it came in. I complained about this to my bank once, and they said they "were doing it for the consumer's sake, to make sure they got that big item paid."

Baloney. They present the highest amount transaction first, because then all the smaller items don't clear, and they rake in many more fees.

See how clever this all is?

If you want to complain to the Federal Reserve about it, you have until Monday to do so.

Go to the this link and let your voice be heard!

http://www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/foia/usr_agrmt.cfm?url=ElectronicCommentForm.cfm?doc_id=R-1314%26doc_ver=1%26name=Regulation%20AA%20-%20Unfair%20or%20Deceptive%20Acts%20or%20Practices%26date=20080502a

And again and again

A few more payments have been made to my favorite charity: Regions Bank. I know they love me! A week to go until the bar exam, and then I am determined to get my financial head on straight.

Still Stumbling

I am not paying tuition anymore, but am still making regular payments to my favorite charity: Regions Bank. They are so lucky I am one of their customers. I help make sure they have a roof over their heads and get a lot of plucky benefits! Kidding aside, I am still not paying attention enough. My last two paychecks, I didn't also transfer over enough from my credit union and bounced some checks. Well, not really bounced. You know the drill--they were paid, but I paid a nice little tidy sum to Regions. They must really love me. I will not let this happen again. I repeat--I will not let this happen again.

The Gas Problem

My car is very fuel efficient, and I am so glad. I didn't buy it for that reason, but am grateful now. Things are getting very bad, and I worry about the people who are already on the poverty line. Many of them have already had to decide between paying bills and buying food, and now they have to worry about paying for gas in the mix???? It doesn't bode well for our economy. I wish we were like Brazil and had been proactive about the oil problem. Their gas totally comes from sugar cane, and they are not reliant on the middle East at all for oil. I wish we had already taken care of that.

Paid My Last Tuition Check

About two weeks ago, I paid my last law school tuition check. That was such a nice feeling! Now I can save more money every month and put more towards my debts. I have been waiting four years for this, and I am so excited! I really want to see some progress financially now.

I Got My Stimulus Check Today!

The money was deposted in my account--the last day they had to deposit it. That is great, because I was afraid I might bounce some checks. Or really, not bounce as the case may be. But I would still get insufficient funds fee. But now I don't have to worry about it, because I am covered. And I am going to withdraw most of that money next week and deposit it into my credit union account. Have to start reviving my emergency fund!

Was I Just Born Yesterday?

OK, I have admitted I am far from being a financial genius, but at least I do have some awareness. I just got a sales call on my cell phone (I had heard these were going to start.) The sales pitch goes like this: I get a $1,000 shopping spree online if I buy some magazines. Of course I don't know where online I can do this shopping. What if it is restricted to some kind of website I don't like? Like it wouldn't benefit me to get a $1,000 shopping spree for a camping gear site, for example, because I would have no need for that. I asked the woman what the site was and she wasn't going to tell me. The catch is I have to buy 4 magazines at $24.98 a month for 60 months. Guess what? Of course that adds up to more than $1,000! I guess they thought I was born yesterday. I feel sorry for people who have to work at places like that. Imagine having to make your living by peddling back schemes like that?

Make Money Online

I am really impressed with the various ways people can make money online these days. Once I am out of school, I want to investigate further. And it is only going to grow in the future, I believe. You can have an expert website and make money that way, or sells things online. For instance, on Laura Williams' Musings blog, you can purchase all kinds of Hallmark ornaments, many of them geared to kids. So if you have a particular Disney or cartoon ornament in mind, you might want to check it out.

Driving Smart

I am for being green and working to save the planet. It is important that we are good stewards of our planet and keep it clean and in good shape for future generations. I have to admit I have fallen down on my share since being in law school. But then a lot of things have fallen down. I will do better. I am looking to be more involved. Moving forward, I think there will be a lot of great inventions that will help us in this regard.

An Offer Came Just In Time

I was worried about ordering the credit report I needed to fill out the bar application. (See preceding post.) I had to order one in order to see where I currently stand. It had been five years since I had gotten one, and I was not looking forward to it. In that five year period, my credit had gone from being caught up and perfect to late again. For a number of reasons. Anyway, I was putting it off until the last minute. Then, I got an offer to be paid $12 to order my credit report. I had to sign up for a free trial, and then I could cancel. And I would be paid $12. Pretty cool. I got the credit report I needed for free. And got $12 to boot. I could stand more of that.

Laying My Financial Soul Bare

In applying to take the bar exam, you have to disclose any bankruptcies, defaults, revocations and other credit stuff. This is of course my one bugaboo. No lawsuits, no criminal activity to report, but I do have financial stuff to report. Luckily I do not have any bankruptcies, or defaults, but I do have credit card revocations that I had to list. But I pay debts off, even though I may pay late. And my amount of debt is high. Not unbelievably high like some people, but high. This will not look good. But what does not look good is really not that bad. As I mentioned, I have never defaulted. I will be out of debt within two years of graduating if not sooner. Hopefully, they will be able to ascertain this.

The Rebate Checks are Coming Early!

At least that is what the news said. They may start coming as early as next week. That is good news for me, as I will need the money to tide me over during bar exam study. I don't have enough vacation saved up and will have to take some time off without pay. I would have still loved the check if it came in Sept. but it wouldn't have helped me as much then. As soon as the money lands, I'll have to grab it out of my checking and put it into my credit union account until July. That is when I will need it.

What My Wallet Says

I read an article today about what a wallet says about its owner. I would say off the top of my head that mine says "I need more money!" But, I don't even have a wallet anymore, so I have to rethink my answer. The point of the article was does your wallet reflect that you respect money or not? Since I don't have a wallet, I put my money in my change area of my purse. Like the article pointed out, my money is thrown in there, with change sometimes collecting at the bottom of my purse. That would indicate, the article said, that I don't have respect for money. Hmmm. That may actually be true. Not sure what it means. It either means that, or that I don't think money is important, therefore I don't take pains with it. I may not think money is important, but lack of money is important. Note to self: Treat money better.

I Really Don't Like Wal-Mart

Just when I think things with Wal-Mart are getting better, they pull another boner. Back in my previous job, I heard a speaker who had been a consultant to Wal-Mart's CEO say the CEO wanted the company to be a more socially responsible company. Like being more environmentally aware and being a better employer, i.e, providing health insurance and such. It warmed my heart. I was hoping it was true. Well, maybe it is true on some level. But I have never seen a company step in it more than Wal-Mart. The news about them suing the woman who was their employer who had had an accident and is now brain damaged is beyond belief. She won a settlement that will help ease her now horrible life a little. And Wal-Mart wants to take that money from her! It is not that they are not entitled to it. Of course they are. That is not the point. They look like the greedy bottomless scum that they are. Apparently, they have never heard of public relations before. They really suck at it and deserve the bad rap they are getting.

Disclosure: I did get a Wal-Mart gift card for Christmas that I used the other day. I had to hold my nose the whole time in the store. Yes, they do offer low prices that do help out poor people. But that is about all you can say about them. And they could be much more.

Coupon Fun

Well, this wasn't really a coupon, but an IOU of sorts. I had gone to Firestone a while back for an oil change, and had a coupon, and the man forgot to figure in the coupon when he rang me up. And for some reason, he couldn't ring me back up with the coupon figured in. But he gave me a business card with his signature on it, saying I could have a free oil change.

My problem, good or bad, is that I get very tunnel-visioned. Which is good when you are on a deadline at work or school. But bad when you are on a deadline and still have to think about personal things--like making sure you change the oil in your car.

I had forgotten to change or add the oil in my car for a long time because of my focus on work and school! I was driving my boss on an errand, when I saw my oil light flick on quickly and then disappear. My stomach went into my throat. I almost said, "Let's stop the car," but I was worried about him thinking poorly of me for forgetting to add or change oil! I knew if it just flicked it was momentarily OK. I dropped him off and went immediately to a service station, where they gave me a huge guilt trip. Said I was close to ruining my engine. Put two and a half quarts of oil in. I felt like a chump.

So I knew I had to get my oil changed soon. I am also tight on money with all of my law school and bar expenses. But I remembered that free oil change IOU that was in my glove compartment. I overslept this morning and didn't get to Firestone early enough to get in the lineup. I had to be back at school this afternoon for a PMBR review, so I couldn't leave my car.

I asked if I brought my car back after the review, could they do my oil change before they closed? He said yes, give it a shot.

So I drove back, late in the afternoon, not so sure that they would be able to do it that late. But maybe having that card with the manager's signature on it did the trick. They had me in and out in 30 minutes. A record! I promise to take care of my itty bitty car. I wuv it.

I Did It Again.

Yes, I did it again---argggh. Overdrawn! I am so mad. I even had a little extra money in my check this time which just went to what is obviously my favorite charity--my bank! (just kidding of course--they don't need my money!) I had made an online phone payment. They had always taken two days to clear before, but of course, this time it just took one day, which was one day before my paycheck was deposited. Just can't believe it. I don't have time to get depressed about this--just press on! (And try not to do it again.)

In Re Bar Application

As I have mentioned, I have slow credit. I have had slow credit for years, followed by periods of great credit, followed by periods of slow credit again. I have been worried about this in regards to my bar application. It is important for lawyers to be financially responsible. We were told to call the lawyer's assistance program if we thought we had any red flags that we needed to worry about, so that we could start working with them before the bar examiners start working with us. I called them today to see if I needed to make an appointment. He said no. That they have never denied a bar application because of slow credit. (Wipes brow. Relief) But I need to be transparent, which of course I will be. I just have to be a big person about my stupidness with money. But what a relief overall.

Extra Paycheck

For those of us who get paid bi-weekly, we get an extra bonus twice a year: three paychecks in a month instead of two. The next one coming up is in July. I was hoping it would help me when I am not working for a few weeks while I study for the bar. My only question is where it falls....will it really help me, since I am going to be off work for the last couple of weeks in July? hmmmmm. Maybe it won't be "extra" money, but hopefully, having that extra pay period will mean that at least I won't lose money that month. Have to think about this more.

Keeping Your Job

The workworld is very different today. Change happens at an ever increasing rate. There is a greater amount of change and it is increasingly happening at a faster pace. There aren't many jobs today that don't incorporate change. Well, maybe there are a few. But it seems that even unskilled or semi-skilled work have change as a component. Here is the reason why: Competition is more keen today with outsourcing and streamlining. An employer has to constantly think about how to change the business to stay productive and respond to market needs. Even an unskilled worker may need to do different things or take on a new task every once in a while. A trend is to also work faster and better, to work smarter if you will. To work smarter, you have to think about what you are doing, and how you can do it better. What steps you can leave out, or how you can be more efficient. In my previous job, I had to think about this all of the time. Luckily, I was able to do it. This can be important to keeping your job. I know of two people who have lost their jobs because they were unable to work faster and smarter, and I know of another one who may lose his job soon for the same reasons. (And losing your job can be disastrous for the budget, for obvious reasons.) It is not really difficult to adapt--you just have to accept that you have to do it and be willing to try to adapt to change. Change can be exciting, and like anything else, the more you do it, the better you get at it.

No More Credit Cards

A relative today was saying I should get a certain department store credit card, because I could realize some savings on every item I buy with it. I just nodded my head and said, "OK." I didn't go into the fact with her that I already have too much credit card debt, and am not sure I would get approved for it anyway. But the bottom line: I would never even dream of trying to get that credit card. I just don't feel the need to explain my situation to people anymore. I can just do what I need to do. And that is empowering.

Value Vet

I have a regular vet (and boy, is he hot). But his clinic tends to be a little on the pricey side, so in the last couple of months when I have had to schedule vet appointments, I have chosen Value Vet. There are a couple of locations in Nashville. I earlier took my cat Loopot there, and he was diagnosed with diabetes, which we are trying to maintain with diet. I took my dog Stoopot there yesterday for a heartworm check. I was holding my breath, because I had let his heartworm pills lapse, and I was frightened that maybe he had gotten exposed. He doesn't go outside very much, so I guess there was less risk. But anyway, his test came back negative. I was so thankful! Every time I have gone to Value Vet, they have been great to work with and have treated my pets very well. It is nice to have such an economical alternative when you need pet care.

Save on Gas

For those who shop at Krogers and have a Kroger card, it is a good way to save on gas. Anytime you enter your phone number at the pump, it will recognize you as a Kroger card customer and will give you three cents off the price of gas. If you spend $100 in groceries during a particular month, you get ten cents off instead! I have spent over $100 at Kroger's this month, and just filled up my tank. I got $3.05 cents a gallon rather than the $3.15 posted price. Nice!

Change Jar

One more small step to better money management--I am starting a change jar! I have had one before and did quite well, but had to cash it in. Of course I needed the money, and that was OK. But I didn't start up another one until now. I can use the extra savings. I will "cash in" the change every so often and deposit the money into my credit union savings account. Hopefully I won't need to withdraw it for quite a while and can let it grow. But I might need to tap into while I am studying for the bar exam, and that will be OK. I just don't want to wait another couple of years to save my change again.

Financial Mistakes Pass in Front of My Eyes

There is nothing like having to stare down your mistakes. Seeing them in black and white. Your financial mistakes laid out in a row for you to see how you messed up year after year. And all the money you wasted. That is what happened to me tonight. I have to fill out a bar application, which includes filling out financial information from the beginning of time. I haven't pulled a credit report yet (shudder). I am sure it is slow. But going through some old papers, I found some old credit reports that will help me reconstruct my past. Looking at them made me just shake my head.

I am really dreading filling this out. My one saving grace is that I have never declared bankruptcy, and I have always paid off my bills. Even if it has been slow. I always make payment arrangements. I am not worried about my dedication to paying off my bills. I am worried about how bad this looks to someone else. One good thing is that by seeing this right in front of my eyes, it reinforces that enough is enough.

Saving With My Debit Card

I took a step today I have been meaning to do for a while--sign up for rewards with my check card. It was free and easy to do online. You can get money back by using your debit card at certain retailers. I think that is a good idea as long as I would be shopping at those stores anyway. The offers are good both online and in the stores. Another little step towards better money management!

America Saves Week

Well, leave it to me to learn about America Saves Week toward the end of the week. Truly a day late and a dollar short!
There was a good column today on Yahoo Finance titled "Saving in the Age of Chronic Consumption" that talked about America Saves Week. Sponsored by the nonprofit America Saves, the group's Website does have some good tips on saving money. I will definitely be following some of the suggestions.
The column also talks about how much easier it is to be a consumer today in the age of the Internet, when you can gamble, shop, or participate in an auction in the middle of the night. It used to require some effort to be a consumer. You had to get in your car and drive somewhere to make a purchase.
Also the article talks about how consumers have less discipline today in an era in which they need to save money the most. There is less job security and more part-time jobs with no job benefits. People are more likely to have a volatile income stream.
http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/moneyhappy/68883;_ylt=AjDvyiA02K23s6fC24x683e7YWsA

Property Taxes

It is near the end of February, which means "property taxes" to most of us homeowners. I paid my taxes in full a week ago, but by that I mean I paid my delinquent property taxes in full last week. For the last couple of years, I have run a year behind. That is OK, because you have two years to pay your property taxes--at least here you do. Like everything else, my finances have screwed up a number of things--paying my real estate taxes on time included.

All that means is that I am paying extra interest and penalty, and paying for it in extra stress and anxiety as well.

I always breathe a sigh of relief as I write that last check. Almost like a feeling of "saved by the bell." I am never really worried as I know I will always have the money by the deadline. I feel sorry for the people who won't and end up with their property being sold at a tax sale. You see their names and property listed in the newspaper.

I know it is dangerous to wait until the last minute like this and am not going to do it again. I am cleaning up my finances this year, and will be helped by the fact that I will not have to pay tuition anymore in a few months.

The danger is something could happen--you could forget to pay, you might not have the money when due, you might get deathly ill, have a car accident etc., and the tax is forgotten. The consequence would be dire--your property is sold at a tax sale. (Although you do have a number of opportunities even then to pay up.)

I don't want to be in that position anymore.

Even talking about delinquent taxes reminds me of the book and movie, The House of Sand and Fog, a truly wonderful but sad tale of a young woman who is depressed and thinks she has taken care of an erroneous business tax bill on her house but hasn't. The house is sold from under her, and she becomes obsessed and desperate to get it back, as I am sure we would all be. It is very sad to see perfectly normal people become undone and end in tragedy.

All because she didn't open her mail.

Just gives me the shivers thinking about it.

Repo Man

Like many people, I have a car payment. I get paid every two weeks, so my paydays vary from month to month. This month I will have to pay my car payment a couple of days later than usual, so I called the company and let them know. They said fine. Well then, I get a snitty letter saying I should call to make a payment arrangement. Helloooo!? I just did that. I called and explained my frustration, and they said that these letters are automatically generated and of course they had my payment arrangement and to just ignore it. I said fine.

But these letters can be scary. They talk about pursuing all and any remedies......

What I have just learned in my secured transactions class is that a car can be repossessed without notice. (I am not worried about this, as my payment is only going to be a few days late, not enough to get into this dilemma.) But I guess I never knew that they didn't have to give notice for this. This is because, of course, that if you knew they were coming to repossess the vehicle, you would have it somewhere else!

But a few tidbits about reposssesion I learned in class:
--They do not have to give notice.
--They can't breach the peace in repossessing. They can not break into your garage for example to get the car out, and they can't go into the garage to get it even if the garage is unlocked.
--They can reposssess it from the street or the driveway.
--But if you see them repossessing the car and you come out and make a fuss about it, they are supposed to leave. That is because at that point they are breaching the peace.
--They can come back to try again after a break in time from the first attempt. The law does not define how long the break in time has to be. It might be again later that night.
--I remember something about they cannot have a police officer to come with them, etc., but I am foggy on this detail.

This was part of my test the other night. How do you think I did?

Refund to Pay for BarBri

I am so happy to be getting a great tax refund from the IRS! It is enough to pay for my entire BarBri review course. That is important as the course costs in excess of $2,000.00. Sadly, I had money set aside for this earlier this year, but the financial genius that I am, I let other things eat into it. I was worried about paying for it by April 1. So this solves the problem! As soon as I get the money, I am whipping out the old debit card and paying that baby off!

Wealthy Personality Traits

Do you have the personality to get rich? According to an article today on Yahoo! Finance, the key to getting rich is your attitude toward money.

The key traits include (see which ones apply to you)
1) patience to wait to buy something until you get a good deal;
2) satisfaction with your life, cushioning you from buying to make yourself feel better;
3) organization in your finances, so you don't pay late fees, buy two of an item, etc.;
4) discipline to save for longterm goals;
5) reflectiveness, to learn from your financial mistakes;
6) creativity in juggling money to stay out of debt, finding a cheaper alternative, making something last longer, etc.;
7) curiosity to learn and improve yourself;
8) taking calculated risks;
9) setting and working toward goals;
10) hard work and nourishing the traits in this list that you have and working towards obtaining the ones you don't have.

I definitely have curiosity and work to improve myself, I can take calculated risks, and I am good at setting and working towards goals. I can be pretty good at juggling money--but I think I need to work on the rest!

http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/104385/Ten-Traits-That-Make-You-Filthy-Rich;_ylt=Aoj7jzmBzFRMKzvTBpcRQ9q7YWsA

Glad I Have Long Term Care Insurance

I may not be the best at money management, but one thing I did right was buy long term care insurance at a young age. My previous employer offered it, and I signed up for it, and I could take it with me when I left. It is with a great company. My premiums are very cheap, but they will go up over time with inflation.

Dave Ramsey would tell me I did the wrong thing in buying it when I did--that I should have waited until I was older to sign on for the insurance. But I don't agree. Yes, I could have not bought the insurance and invested the premiums, yadda, yadda, yadda. But my annual premium is only about $350, and I don't think that money, divided by 12, would have made that much difference to me. I probably would have used it on another evening out. But that same $350 a year gives me peace of mind.

I guess I am just hyper about being able to control my own destiny. I have a strong fear of someone being able to tell me what to do or how to live, or taking care of me in a way that I don't like.

LTC insurance lets me feel like I will stay in control of what I want. After all, I could have a wreck tomorrow and need that care now, not when I am elderly.

$1 Starbucks

I heard that Starbucks may start offering $1 coffees and free refills to keep up with some new coffee competition. I think it is a great idea! I study a lot at Starbucks and go at least twice a month, but sometimes I go 4 or more times a month. Sometimes I even go to different Starbucks on the same day! I'll be meeting a friend at a Starbucks tomorrow to study for an upcoming test.

It would only be a small step, but if they did this, it would save me between $2 and $8 a month, maybe more. Not enough to build my fortune on, but it is a start.

One thing I wish Starbucks would do is offer real food. Their desserts are great, but sometimes when there, I want a sandwich or some fruit or something. Then I have have to decide whether to stay despite the fact that I am hungry or go home or go somewhere else. And sometimes I am not ready to pack up and leave right then.

$5 Saved My Butt

I am proud of the fact that this time, I paid attention to my bank balance yesterday and noticed that I was in danger of overdrawing if I didn't deposit at least $5 to cover an electronic check that was coming through last night. If I hadn't deposited that, I might have ended up with $133 in nonsufficient funds fees this morning. That is because the bank pulls that funny little trick on you where they clear the largest check first. That would have meant that my electronic check would not have cleared, also making several pending electronic debits not clear. And walla! I would have been $133 in the hole.

I can't afford to do that anymore. I have to pay for my BarBri course by May, as well as some other things, and that $133 could make the difference in being able to pay everything or not. I have made that mistake so many times. Glad I did not make it last night.

Security Breach at Election Commission in Nashville

Many of us have been hearing the horrors of identity theft for sometime and how prevalent it has become. We in Nashville now have an additional concern: There was a security breach recently at the Davidson County Election Commission when a couple of laptops were stolen. More than 300,000 of us have been affected. They think our names, addresses, and full social security numbers have been stolen by an unauthorized person.

My first reaction was one of helplessness. What in the world can I do about this? My second reaction was, well if they got 300,000 files, with my mixed up finances, I don't think identity thieves would pick me out of the pile--that there would be riper plums to pick! But you can never be sure of that--thieves might be able to make hay with anyone's ID.

Of course, there is also concern about voter fraud, particularly in this election season.

But Nashville has stepped up and is taking measures to help us. The gov. has alerted the credit bureaus about the situation and is providing free identity theft protection. We can renew for a second year at a big discount from the regular rate.

I am sorry this happened but I am glad that Nashville responded so well so quickly.

Impulse Control

There was a great article today on MSN.com called "Middle Class Reality Check: The 'Essential ' Indulgences." (Link at bottom of post)

It talks about how a lot of us consider nonessential items to be essential now. I am bad about this. Nonessential items for me that have become essential are eating out, buying wine, going to school when I can't afford it, buying skincare products I can't afford, etc., etc.

Someone in the article commented that she knows she shouldn't do this, but it makes her feel better.

I commiserate with her. I do a lot of things too that I can't afford to make myself feel better. I am single and sometimes I have to treat myself. Sometimes buying something is the only way to make yourself feel better. I know that sounds lame, but if you need a new piece of clothing so you won't look fat, you just have to get it!

The problem for me is that my splurges would not be a big deal if I were not in debt. I don't spend that much on things--it's just that I don't have much wiggle room with my money.

As soon as I get out of school in August, I am going to damp down my debt and save my emergency fund. I actually can't wait.

I guess the good thing for me is that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. At least when school is out, I will free up a huge piece of cash each month to pay off bills. And I won't have taken out more debt for school. That is probably different from those who have debt, continue to overspend, and will not have a break like that coming up.

I will get out of debt and save. I will get out of debt and save. I will! I will!
The article talks about how so many Americans live on the edge with debt now and I have been one of them. But not for much longer.

http//articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/HomeMortgageSavings/MiddleClassRealityEssentials.aspx#pageTopAchor

I did it again, arrgh!

I did it again--I wasn't paying attention and got some nonsufficient funds fees. I couldn't believe it--if I had just thought to check my pending transactions, I would have seen that I only needed to deposit about $10 to keep that from happening. But I didn't, and I wound up with over $100 of NSF fees. Ouch. Double ouch. Triple ouch.

One of these days I won't do this again. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

On another subject, I did think to look up a drug I am taking on the Internet. The prescription is expensive, and I was delighted to find a $10 rebate coupon. And yes, I had kept the paperwork I need to send in.

A small step in the right direction.......

Happy Money New Year!

Today is Jan. 2, 2008 and it is a good time to try to start off on a new foot money wise. I am always interested in reading articles on money tips, saving money, and paying off credit.

One of the best tips I read today was to start a money calendar. Put down on a calendar all the due dates of your bills. This sounds like a no-brainer and it is. Like many things, it is just something I haven't done yet. I keep all of the dates in my head, and I have to say I manage that info in my head pretty well. But I have the occasional slip up, and that is an occasional slip up I can't afford to have. So I will be writing down all of my due dates on a calendar that I will look at regularly in another step toward better money management.