Time to make some deposits at your local thrift store! So put on those energy pants and start rummaging through the house. The more you can donate, the more you can write off!

Not sure what that means? Don't worry, i didn't either 2 years ago ;) It's basically another way to legally hold on to your hard earned money. According to thefreedictionary.com:

"tax write-off: a reduction in the gross amount on which a tax is calculated; reduces taxes by the percentage fixed for the taxpayer's income bracket"

So let's say you have to pay taxes on $10,000 this year. Well, if you donated $1,000 (say from a combo of cash and clothes, electronics, etc) to a charity or thriftstore this year, your "tax write-off" would be that $1,000 and NOW you only have to actually pay taxes on $9,000 instead of the original $10,000. So you basically just saved yourself $300-$400 depending on your tax bracket. Make sense?

There's a slue of rules and regulations with all this stuff (like being able to prove your donations w/ receipts and what not), but that's basically the gist of it all. Be sure to consult an actual accountant or IRS.gov for better information ;)

Hare are 5 Other Reasons Why you Should do it:

1. Your house feels cleaner and less cluttered! There's definitely something to that "less is more" saying here - especially if "less" pertains to less junk/unwanted items taking up dust.
2. You get some exercise - all that running around finding goodies in your home breaks a sweat! The key is to pick up a big box or trash bag, and then just start clearing things right off into it. When one fills up, just quickly get another and throw it all in your trunk 1-2-3! Just be sure to make a quick list of what you're donating so you can calculate the values later.
3. You easily help out your community! These thrift stores do A LOT for those less fortunate than we are, so you really are helping everyone out.
4. You don't have to sell anything. Unlike taking the time to list them on Craigslist, eBay, etc (although also highly recommended), all you have to do here is drop them off and voila - you save money! It all adds up too, esp. if you rarely ever do it. My first drop off back in August added up to a good $200 in items, and then my last one (3 weeks ago) included another $400.
5. You'll now be at bargain central! Stay an extra 15 mins and go shopping for yourself ;) He he...why not pick up a couple goodies for yourself? Just don't go overboard and cancel out the $ you just saved, that would suck.

Did i convince ya? If not, no worries...i give you permission to punch me in the face later. Interestingly enough, however, I just saw on the news that a store in Northern VA had over 1800 people stop by yesterday alone!!! Crazzzyyyy. They expect even more today too which makes total sense - everyone's trying to grab those tax benefits before '08 ends. So if you're one of them, go get 'em tiger! It's a Win-Win situation :)

Labels: charity, taxes

Hello my fellow budgets-are-sexy readers! I've been getting a handful of emails lately w/ the economy being as it is these days, but rarely do i get one from actual business owners.

But as luck would have it, i was blessed with a comment from one of them this week and clung on for dear life! haha....A brother has questions, ya know?

And boy was i lucky! The business owners agreed to my very first interview, and i pumped them for all i could :) After all, employers and "Big Business" are usually made out to be the bad guys, right? They couldn't be nice *gasp!*, could they? Well my friends, today we get to hear THEIR side of the story. Please to enjoy:

====================================================================
1. What sort of company do you own?
A 15.5 acre RV Sales, Service, Parts, and Restaurant company with over 275 RVs in stock at multiple locations. We employ anywhere from 80 to 125 people, and are one of the largest RV dealerships around.

2. When did you notice you'd have to make changes?
Like everyone, we have watched 2008 steadily deteriorate starting this early Spring. Winter was long, lasting well into spring, and chocked off the early part of our selling season. By mid-summer we saw our sales numbers not reaching previous years highs, then gas prices went out of control hitting RV sales hard. Presidential election years are always "iffy" too. People don't like the unknown and are nervous. By mid-to late-summer, along with everyone else, we watched the stock and financial markets self-destruct, with the media fanning the flames.

3. What were some of the benefits you had to cut?
Watching the above unfold, we knew that we'd have to cut wherever possible to survive the company.

• We slashed our own salaries first - We only took enough for monthly expenses, that's it.
  
• Stopped Christmas Bonuses this year - By Sep-Oct we generated a letter to everyone explaining in detail what we believe was happening with the markets (all of us see the real life results – few customers in the doors) and explained why, for the first time in 20 years, we would have no Christmas bonuses this year. [our Christmas parties have always been extravagant – bonuses from $100 to $5000, gifts in value from $50-150 chosen, wrapped by me throughout the year for every single employee; an excellent hotel Christmas dinner; hotel rooms subsidized by us for those who want to stay and play and those who should NOT be driving!]
• Stopped Matching portion of 401(k)s - Our next step was to send out another letter to each employee notifying them that we were stopping our matching portion of our 401Ks temporarily, but that employees could continue to fund their 401Ks with pre-tax dollars as usual. We will notify them when we can again start matching.
• Increased annual lay-offs - We have annual lay-offs normally (ours is a very seasonal business) so this year we have just included more staff. We are rotating staff in various departments and sending them into lay-off with a company letter stating to unemployment office that we want this person back by xx date.

4. How did you bring it up to employees? Was it crazy hard?
We notified our folks early because even though every year we say "now please don't count on these bonuses because each year is different, these are a gift of thanks, not a promise;" we know folks count on the cash anyway (who wouldn't, especially at Christmas!) So when we knew it was going to be a dangerously ugly year, we sat down and composed a letter to go to each person saying exactly what was happening, why we have to conserve every nickel for maybe a long time, etc etc. Then we held a company-wide meeting so we could reiterate the company's situation. We asked for everyone's understanding and help, right down to "turn the light off when you're out of the room." Communication is everything!

5. Did anyone go nuts when you told them?
Well, this is the interesting part of being an owner… you hear things from managers and employees about "somebody said this or that" but they NEVER name names! Human nature being what it is, there most certainly are a very few people we'll lose over this. There are many others who fuss and talk behind our backs (not knowing we started like most folks – with NOTHING. All they see now is this big giant business and think we're loaded! We're not, but the banks are!) And then there are some who make it possible for owners to get up each day and face the battle over and over. The ones who support us and say, "good call, a tough one for tough times, but a good one, we support you" and "I'd rather have my job than a bonus if that's what it comes to."

6. Do you have any lifelines you're holding onto in case 2009 is even worse?
A hope and a prayer! We have also secured a home equity line of credit as a last resort measure to fund the company until we're back on track. This is nothing we like to tell employees because it scares them a little bit. While we want everyone to pitch in to get through the lean years, we don't want to lose good people.

My husband expects Spring to be easier as gas prices are far better, the election is over, and our annual RV show starts in January. I expect a lean year because this is a recession and our fearless leaders (BOTH sides of the isles) are idiots. So… our home equity line of credit will be our last resort after some small savings we have set aside. We will negotiate heavily with our bank on flooring rates and even refinancing loans if needed.

We are both very financially conservative (sweet words for a Budget Guy?!) and we have gone to great lengths to pay off business building and equipment. We owe nothing on our huge custom paint booth, zero on our expensive Italian RV lifts in the shop, Zero on our new Clubhouse cafe we build this year. All we pay on are the initial loans for the ground which will be paid off in seven years, and now this year, the purchase price for our second location, but it pays its own way (so far).

7. Do you have any advice for those of us who have our own companies?
Stay the course, stay confident, smiling, and uplifting no matter how difficult. You MUST cut costs wherever you can. Negotiate hard with your bank; shop for a second "backup" bank just in case. Be honest and open with any employees who are afraid or worried. Answer their questions honestly and fully. (Fear of the unknown is the worst!) Those good people who understand will stay with you, those who don't usually end up leaving anyway.

8. Do you find budgets sexy? ;)
Thanks to years of planning and BUDGETING, we grew this business from one ratty old building with a dozen people to a new, state-of-the-art facility with 80-125 employees and 1700 foot freeway frontage, 250+ RVs in stock, and the BEST STAFF on the PLANET! Yeah! Budgets are sexy!
====================================================================

And there you have it, my very first big boy interview - whew! Gotta give mad thanks to my RV owners out there for taking the time to share with us, and more importantly being so open and honest :) I'd proudly work for you all anytime!

Labels: career, crazy economy, interview

Yup, def. won't be splurging around if i can't leave the house. Not that it really makes a difference though considering i couldn't even muster up enough courage to blow a little $ on my bday! I wonder if i'm cured of this so called "splurge" virus now? i hope not...i like giving in every now and then.

Of course, it always helps when you actually FIND something you like though :) That was my problem on Friday (my bday) and then Sat. when out shopping w/ the family - i didn't come across anything i really wanted. You usually get most of the things on Xmas anyways (or at least i do since i only put small things on there), so unless you're really dying for a new flat screen - cough, cough Clever Dude - you're pretty much set before you even venture out.

AND, randomly inserted here, you'll be happy to know that i came pretty close to my Holiday Budget this year!!! I spent an extra $41.66 to be exact, but much better than previous years. It was the baby nephew who put me over really - too many cute things out there for kids! You think i can NOT buy a Redskins jersey for that little rug rat? pshhhhh, no way no how. But it all worked out nicely, he was able to open up something nice AND get the grandpa savings bond at the same time w/out hating me! haha....good times, good times.

I must have behaved too this year as i didn't get any coal in my stockings ;) Here were a few of my favorite presents i'm thankful for this year:

1. Framed copies of our family crest! I'm HUGE into family history and antique like stuff from the start, so these were welcomed with big arms for sure :) hot damn.
2. Artsy Shoe box! Yup, my brother pulled out the big guns on this one and spent time decorating a big shoe box for each one of us in the family - so creative! He drew pictures, sayings, doodles, and anything else from our past alllllll over it. And then he even put a cple presents inside! haha.. BEST present he's ever given by far, I salute you sir!
3. Pile of art supplies - Canvases, paint brushes, paints, you name it! All so i can produce another one of these bad boys - although this time without the $48 extra dollars ;)
4. Vampire Weekend CD - My new favorite album! These guys are soooo freakin' talented.
5. $350 in cash - this is mostly bday money since i couldn't pick anything out while shopping...but now i can slowly pick things up over time when i come across them! It's like having a free debit card attached to someone else's bank! haha....3 rules of cash gifts here i come ;)
   

So besides getting sick in the midst of it all, i'd say Xmas/Bday time this year was most excellent! Especially spending all that quality time w/ the fam - always good for the soul.

How did you all make out? Get anything SUPER crazy/odd/just plain weird this holiday?

Labels: gifting, holidays

Yup, a bit slow on these bad boys, but better late than never. Please to enjoy:

• Carnival of Personal Finance #184 - "From the land down under" ed. hosted by Saving to Invest.
• Festival of Frugality #157 - the "Queen's Speech" ed. hosted by Miss Thrifty.
• Carnival of Money Stories #90 - the "Happy holidays" ed. hosted by The Personal Financier.
• Money Hacks Carnival #44 - the "Merry Christmas" ed. hosted by Where You Are Now.
• Carnival of Debt Reduction - the "very raw... but highly functional clickable link format" ed. hosted by Destroy Debt.

Labels: weekly roundup

Awww yeahhh! Not only is it Boxing Day (although not really sure what that is?), but it's also a day of mad discounts and sales all over town :) And what better time to shop than when your pocket is full of present money?

Of course, having your birthday right after the man upstairs DOES have its drawbacks, but there are a lot of pros too: You're always around friends and family, everyone's all chipper and in a good mood, and you have like a kajillion days off of work!

I really wouldn't change it for the world....although funnily enough i do remember changing it to November 26th growing up. This way people would actually ATTEND my bday parties, and i never got gypped on the old 2-for-1 present deal and all. Hey, you gotta be crafty when you're a kid, right?

So yeah, i've really come to enjoy this shopping tradition over the years. It's pretty sweet because i can pick up anything that i didn't get the day before - and at usually a lower cost! We usually hit up my favorite stores first- TJ Maxx, Rugged Wearhouse, Target, the mall - and then take a time out and share a nice family lunch together downtown. It really does come close to a "perfect day" :)

And on that note, i leave you all to a very merry Friday! May your weekend be full of love, and your pockets full of the blingy bling. J. Money.......OUT!

Labels: awesomely awesome, holidays, shopping

We here at Budgetsaresexy.com love ya! And we only want the best for our awesome as hell readers :) Here are today's Do's & Don'ts - you listen up:

Do's today: open lots of presents. be thankful. drink a lot of beers. hang out w/ a lot of family. be merry!

Don'ts today: be upset that you didn't get ___. curse God, Jesus, or any other religious figure. be sad. do anything naughty, unless it's the *good* kind of naughty ;)

Labels: holidays

Right when you think you couldn't love them any more ;) Okay, so maybe this won't cure all the haters out there, but it's still sexy as hell! Especially if you drop as much as I do there - or our company really.

So this is the deal, Starbucks came out with a new V.I.P. card a while ago (i'm a bit slow) that saves you 10% off every time you swipe! Here are the deets:

Starbucks Gold, Starbucks new membership program, elevates the rewards experience for Starbucks most frequent customers - a $25 membership fee qualifies members for a 10 percent discount on most purchases at participating Starbucks - from espresso beverages to espresso machines.

Again, it won't help the average coffee drinker, but if you're as addicted as i am you can save some mad money over time. Our company goes through around $150-$200 of coffee/snacks a week there, so you can imagine my excitement :) That means we save what, $800ish a year? And all for a measly $25 bucks? Holla!

You can check out a flyer on it here (in .pdf), but here's the skinny:

• 10% off most purchases in participating stores*
• A free drink when purchasing the card in-store
• Options to pay for purchases (cash, credit card, Starbucks Card) while still receiving the membership discount

And if you register online, you also get the following goodies:

• Complimentary beverage on one’s birthday
• Free Wi-Fi access for 2 hours each day
• And other exclusive offers and discounts

So there you have it, yet another reason to fall in love with Starbucks ;) haha... nah, just some good savings if you're already spending boatloads over there. Now tell me, WHY don't i work for their marketing team again?

Labels: bargains, starbucks

This is the cutest/sadest thing i've read all month! My girl over at J.D. Maybe? linked to it and i couldn't help pass it along in hopes anyone has a few mins to spare and write a quick note. J.D. summed it up perfectly:

"One little girls wish is to receive mail. She has Cerebral Palsy. This is the cheapest easiest good deed one could do....This little girl just wants mail for christmas. If you can find it in your rotten lil hearts to write this angel a letter, I am sure Santa will be very happy....

Alexis Krosky
PO Box 195
Columbiana, Ohio 44408"

MAIL - that's it! Incredible...if you've got a few minutes, send over a letter, a joke, a drawing, anything! Even if you read this after Xmas...I just pray she gets more than her little ol' eyes can see :)

UPDATE: She's getting hundreds of letters from all over the world!! Amazing.

Labels: gifting, life

That's now 2 foreclosures in 2 months :( And, just like the other one, i can literally see the place right outside our living room window! Perhaps they both partied together??? Arghhh....

But you know what? I'm done ranting about it all, i've said my peace last time and it didn't get us anywhere (although it did make for a good blog post!).

Yup, this time i'm gonna be Mr. Positive and help create a happier atmosphere up in here :) You know, in the spirit of Christmas and all. So let's get started!

1. The Foreclosuree's can now start fresh.
This may be pushing it, but it's true! Imagine all that stress and frustration they must be feeling? Sure your life is in shambles and you have to start all over again (esp if you filed Bankruptcy, which i'm assuming would happen), but you just got rid of your #1 liability!

2. Someone's gonna get a helluva good deal!
Word on the street says the place is going for $225k!!! Considering we bought our townhouse for $360k, and our neighbor's for $350k, that's a 35% discount! Our places aren't *exactly* the same, but who really cares at this point...if you're a shopper, you'd be crazy NOT to pick up the cheaper one.

3. It'll probably be the last foreclosure on our street.
I say this only because the "core" residents here - about 75% - have owned their places since construction ended in the 80's. So most of them have probably already paid them off, or are close. The two pulling the foreclosure cards have been newbies so dar, and there's only a handful of us around. You can never tell exactly what's gonna happen, but this is all about staying positive ;)

4. We didn't lose any good friends.
That's a good thing right? It's not like i'm THAT close to any of our neighbors anyways, but it would def. suck if any of those living side-by-side of us left :( We've been getting pretty close to one of them, and would hate to see anything horrible happen over there.

5. It forces us to stay on top of our game!
This is probably the most important of the positive outcomes - making us pay even CLOSER attention to our finances so we're not next! I'd like to think we're already doing this, but a little *extra* attention never hurt. Plus, imagine if God forbid we DID have to foreclose after all this $hit i spilled last month?! I guess at that point it would be the least of our worries, but the whole idea is still scary...

How'd i do? I gotta admit it was pretty hard at first to come up with, but once i put myself in OTHER people's shoes the positives started flowing in :) I only hope that it does us all some good, i can only take so much bad news at a time. HAPPY XMAS EVE-EVE!

Labels: foreclosure, home ownership

Cuz i gotta tell you, it sure feels like it ;) I don't know about you all, but that's alllll i got growing up from the g-parents! Birthdays, holidays, confirmations, you name it. A big, fat, weird paper looking thing that we weren't able to cash.

Of course, back then if it couldn't be played with or eaten, i didn't care what it was! haha..but NOW i'm like "Hot damn i got some bling bling in my safe!" That's an extra $500 smackers i have access too.

That being said, do i really want to go down as the next Grandpa in our family? Sure I find them sexy as hell, but would a 1 year old? (okay yeah, that sentence didn't come out right at all). I'm not sure to be honest, so i say it's time to play the ol' Pros vs Cons game! This usually helps sort it all out.

PROS of Gifting Savings Bonds:

1. Double the present, for half the money! If you pick up an EE Savings Bond, you only pay half of what it'll one day be worth. So if i go the $50 route per my holiday budget, i can actually give a $100 bond! And even if the kid can't wait the 20 or whatever years, it'll ALWAYS be worth at least the original $50 you plopped down.
2. You can buy them online. That's right, so as i sit here typing away 3 days before Christmas, all i have to do is hop over to TreasuryDirect.gov and fill out a little info! Of course, you could also just slip into your neighborhood bank as well. (Update: #1 - there's a 2 week waiting period once you sign up online :( #2 - some banks stopped issuing them...Our local M&T bank stopped, BUT our local credit union still does them! Filled out the form and good to go now)
   
3. You can buy one for ANY amount. Have a budget of $25? no problemo. $200? works for me! If you're picking up an electronic EE bond, you can actually buy them to the penny with a min. of $25. If you go the paper route, the denominations are $50, $75, $100, $200, $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000. Remember though, you only pay HALF of that with the EE bonds.
4. No wrapping required! It's like giving yourself a gift :) Or if you prefer, you could always print out the online "gift certificate" Treasury Direct concocted and wrap that little guy up too....i don't know why, but it cracks me up. Click on the picture up top to see what i mean ;)
5. Your Grandparents will smile down on ya :) Yup, that's a fact Jack.

CONS of Gifting Savings Bonds

1. You'll be perceived as an old fart. I think we pretty much covered this one...
2. It can't be used anytime soon. Not so great for instant gratification.
3. It's sorta like giving cash. While it's def. an investment, you're still handing over money.
4. It may get lost over time. If in paper form. (You can always purchase electronic bonds through Treasury Direct though, and/or convert your old paper ones.)
5. You'll get thanked 20 years from now... Unless the kid is the next Warren Buffet, he/she won't actually appreciate your thoughtfulness until they grow up ;)

Yeah, i think the Pros won me over. It may not be the funnest gift out there, but perhaps i can convince the little booger of value early on (he's 1 y/o). Plus, i'm really running out of time here! I swear one of these years i'm gonna have all my Xmas shopping done in November...

Any of you ever give the gift of investment? And did it go over smoothly?

Labels: bonds, gifting

I can't believe i haven't blogged about this yet! Man, and i call this a personal finance blog? Shoooooooot. Guess losing one salary doesn't merit much around here! haha....So today's post is about how we're putting Mrs. Budgetsaresexy through grad school. AND, you'll be happy to hear that she pulled straight A's this first semester!!! Keep doing your thing baby :)

The last i mentioned, the Mrs. had gotten into 2 good schools, but couldn't decide which to choose. School #1 was a more prestigious one (at least in ranking), but didn't offer any scholarship whatsoever, and actually didn't offer her specific major. School #2 offered a full scholarship AND paid teaching assistantship, specialized in her major, but wasn't as highly ranked.

After some visits and budget review w/ yours truly, she *luckily* decided to go w/ School #2 ;) I stood by her her either way, but deep down the financial part of me was like "ohhhhhhhhhhh mama! pick #2, pick #2!". Cuz you have to remember, her schooling now wipes away her hefty $50k/year salary which means we're rolling on ONE salary for 4 years now! So this def. took the sting out a little ;) There's a whole mess of variables that play into this, so i thought i'd break it down a bit for ya:

All amounts needed to cover 1 year while in school:

• $14,400 to cover house/livings expenses normally received from her $50k salary
• $30,000 yearly tuition
• $2,000 miscellaneous fees/books
• TOTAL: $46,400

All amounts we have been fortunate to receive for the 1st year:

• $8,000 (est. after taxes) Teaching Assistantship salary - $12k/year
• $30,000 Scholarship for yearly tuition
• $12,000 Sale of oil stock a while back - saved for this reason
• $x,xxx Summer internship/job
• TOTAL: $50,000+

Man, looking at the numbers like this really does a doozy on the brain! As crazy as it sounds, i'd never broken it down like this...makes you realize a) how EXPENSIVE school is, and b) how blessed we are!!! Damn. I'll have to remember to thank The Man upstairs again at church this week ;)

So, as you can tell from the above numbers, 80% of the amount needed each year is taken care of from the scholarship & T/A. That leaves us with at LEAST (the Mrs. still needs "play" money and all) $8,400 needed to cover the rest of the yearly expenses once the stock money disappears next year. We still have a majority of the "pay it forward" money we received a while back, but we're hoping the summer job and other budget-y things make up for the rest.

So 1 semester down, 7 more to go! Yikes. But as my Auntie always says, "when you're on the right path, things have a way of working out for you." and so far so good! In the meantime, i'm conjuring up some grad school ideas of my own for when she's done... I'm thinking either a PHD in Texas Hold 'em, or a Masters in Fieldgoal Kicking so i can help out my aching Washington Redskins ;) Either way, i'm sexcited!

Labels: education, grad school, money management

It's been a while since i've given a shout out to my top 10 Referrers lately, so this one's for all you bloggers and blogees! And while i can't list everyone on here, you know i have mad love for each and every one of you :)

If you haven't been to any of these, check 'em out! Everyone has their unique perspective on things and it makes this blogosphere a most beautiful place to be around. The top 10 total referrers from Nov & Dec (minus stumbleupon, reddit, etc) along w/ previous standings:

1. Bargain Briana (11)
2. Give Me Back My Five Bucks (1)
3. MSN Money's Smart Spending (*new)
4. Chicky Finance (4)
5. My Money Blog (2)
6. Clever Dude (3)
7. Always the Planner (10)
8. Single Guy Money (6)
9. Financial Ramblings (12)
10. Saving 4 Later (*new)

And here are the carnivals i participated in this week:

1. Carnival of Personal Finance #183 - the "Pre-holiday sales" ed. hosted by The Frugal Duchess.
2. Money Hacks Carnival #43 - the "I'd rather be surfing" ed. hosted by Liberta.
3. Carnival of 20 Something Finances - hosted by I've Got a Little Space to Fill.

Labels: weekly roundup

I almost forgot! Today, December 18th, 2008 is FREE SHIPPING DAY :) Check out http://www.freeshippingday.com/ and click on the merchant to get it while it's hot. Sometimes it pays to be procrastinators! And most stuff is guaranteed by Xmas eve too...

Labels: bargains, shopping

Yup, even my beloved USAA is fighting the good fight these days. Got a nice little letter in the mail yesterday (which may, or may not, have been cleverly disguised as junk mail) stating there will now be a minimum annual interest rate set @ 6.00% starting in Feb, 2009 :(

It's certainly not the worst thing in the world, but that doesn't mean i have to like it. Currently I have two credit cards that are set at "prime", which as of 2 days ago just dropped again to 3.25%!!! It won't remain that low forever, but it still means this new minimum will now be DOUBLE.

The good thing here is that I don't have any balances right now on either card that would be affected by this. Here's a quick snapshot of both cards, and what their used for and all:

• Card #1 - the "House" card: $25,000 limit with a fluctuating balance. We put all household expenses on here (utilities, groceries, etc), and then pay it off in full each month.
• Card #2 - the "Auto Loan" card: $30,000 limit with a locked in 3.4% rate for 1 year. This is how i financed my old school cadillac ;) I knock off around $500 a month so the balance is slowly going away. Currently it has a $4,000 balance.

So right now we're fine...i'm just REALLY hoping that the credit limits don't get slashed next :( I pumped those bad boys up to help our credit scores, but it seems like a lot of companies are slowly cutting back now. Oh well, i don't have much power over it all anyways...

Oh, and i almost forgot!!! The funniest part about this whole thing was when i skipped halfway through the letter and saw, "You may reject these changes between Dec. 6, 2008 and Jan 23, 2009". I was like helllllll yeah, thank goodness i read that b*tch! I'll just opt out of it and be on my merry little way ;) haha...

Until i read the next header which read, "What it means if you reject the changes". Wanna take a guess as to what was in there? It wasn't fun, that's for sure: Your card would get closed down, you'd lose all your rewards/points/etc, and more importantly you wouldn't be able to re-apply for it again. Yikes! And yes, you'd still be accountable for all previous charges you already put on there ;) although it WOULD be at your normal rate, so at least you'd have that going for ya.

The moral of the story is to just read the stuff your bank sends you. It may look like junkness, but that one minor detail you miss might come back and bite you in the a$$ later. As for you USAA, you know i love ya! Can't get rid of me that easily...

Labels: credit cards, USAA

Well my damn if today just keeps getting better ;) First Budgetsaresesexy gets on MSN's Smart Spending, and now our Xmas bonuses just popped outta thin air! Have i been doing extra good deeds that i'm not aware of?

I must admit it's starting to restore my confidence in our employment, that's for sure!This new info means that a) our company has money (yayy!!!!!), and b) the ol' boss appreciates all our hard work this year. If that doesn't boost company morale, i don't know what will.

How much did we all get? $1,500.00 a piece! No special considerations, no scale, no b.s. - just an equal "thank you" for every one of us :)

So what does that mean in terms of take-home pay? Well, it'll probably go a little something like this: $1,500 (original) - $750 (est. taxes) = an extra $750.00 in the pocket! You can't see me, but i'm doing the happy chicken dance right here in my chair.

And naturally i already have a plan for this money - $610 of it will go towards my Holiday Gift Budget (as previously alluded to), and then the remaining $140.00 will go towards Mrs. Budgetsaresexy's Bday presents since she's a December baby like me :) And *then* if anything survives this massive shopping extravaganza, the rest will get applied to my outstanding credit card/auto loan balance. Always gotta have a plan baby!

So THANK YOU boss-man, you have made one little boy's Xmas as merry as it can be this year! And to show my thanks, i shall now get back to doing actual work and stop stealing company time ;) God bless each and every one of you, and may this stream of good news hit you all too!

Labels: career, fast cash, money management

The whole wedding pic. fiasco was picked up by MSN Money's Smart Spending Blog last night! How hot is that??? I've never been featured on a big site like that before, so i'm totally sexcited about it all :) And it makes going through the whole ordeal that much sweeter too! So mad thanks go out to Karen Datko who blogged about it, and my man Clever Dude who gave her the heads up - you guys are great scholars, and fine Americans!

Labels: awesomely awesome, in the media, link lovin, wedding

For the first time in 28 years i finally won! I can't believe it....I'm pretty sure if my mother was reading this she'd say something about pigs flying or hell freezing over, but luckily she doesn't so i may bask in my glory joke-free ;)

Now, they weren't the hardest or most fascinating goals in the world, but they were enough to get me believing in them again! My old resolution was to always have better handwriting, but needless to say i failed each and ever year...so this time it feels good!

Plus, it doesn't hurt when you write a personal finance blog...and you pick personal finance subjects to work on :) So really, i should be thanking YOU Budgetsaresexy.com, and YOU readers of Budgetsaresexy.com - you are the light that guides my financial way! haha.... So here they are, cut and pasted from my mid-year update back in May (and not much different too, i might add).

My 2008 New Year's Resolutions:

1) Start using a budget (a what?). A+
Yup, for the first time in my entire life i created, and stuck to, my budget. And in all honesty it wasn't as hard as i thought it would be...although i'm guessing that's becuase I a) kept the same job the entire year for once, and b) now "own" a home and forced to watch myself. A lot has changed since creating it back in Feb though, so I'll have to post a new one for 2009 here shortly.

2) Learn more about finances; stocks, mutual funds, reits, etc. B
Hum.....well i def. DID learn more about stuff in an "overall" kinda sense, but i didn't get down and dirrrrrty like i originally wanted to. I pretty much just did enough to get by and be happy with myself in this dept. I think i'll just leave the hardcore details alone until they actually play a part in my financial game plan.

3) Learn more about web design. A
Yep! Blogging away every day, and being our in-house designer @ work sure helped this one along :) I still think i could have learned more and applied myself, but overall i gave myself an A because i'm a helluva lot further than i was last year.

4) And finally, read more....helps 2 & 3 out, eh? A+
You know what helps this? Ordering 4 magazine subscriptions, and commuting via train for 2 1/2 hours a day ;) That, and having your wife go back to school and start studying all day and all night. Turns out you have a lot more time to yourself! But $hit, it got me to read again didn't it :)

So, another year gone, and another year wiser....and older :( This is my last year being in my twenties - yikes! I don't think it'll feel all that much different though - I pretty much act like a college kid and do as i please anyways ;)

You all make good this year? Even if you LISTED your resolutions somewhere i'll give you a virtual pat on the back though, that ish is hard! You know i got mad love for ya...

Labels: awesomely awesome, education, goals, updates

I recently got a most-exciting xmas gift from the mother-in-law: a $100 shopping spree!

Saaawweeeeeeeeeeeet, gotta love that :) Nice and early too! She's since given up on trying to read our minds, and now likes to give us cash so we can get something we really want ourselves.

I have no idea what i'm gonna use my $100 for, but it did remind me of a few rules i set up for myself a few years back. It's not like i'm a rule-natzi by any means, but if i don't get my mind right i'll over-think the hell out of it and forget it's supposed be an enjoyable experience...i guess this is a down fall of being both A.D.H.D. and frugal ;)

It usually goes a little something like this:

1. Always make sure to spend it on yourself! This may sound selfish, but i'm a firm believer of not re-gifting cash gifts. I feel like it's important because the giver obviously wanted you to pick out something nice for yourself. Unless i was debt-ridden or extremely strapped for cash, I wouldn't feel comfortable spending it on others for gifts or anything of that nature.
2. Buy something you've always wanted, but are too frugal to get yourself. This is my *favorite* rule because it's the only time i allow myself to just get whatever i want w/out having to worry about the consequences! Being frugal is great, but you need a break from it every now and then. Sometimes it's still hard, but i usually try to think of it as if the person actually handed me over the item i wanna buy, instead of the cash behind it....this way i can get totally excited and be like, "wow, you are an AMAZING gift giver!" instead of "Wow...i just spent $xxx.xx on THAT?". All a matter of your mentality really...
3. Keep the money separated from all others. This helps your brain deal w/ the above. If you're anything like me, it's a lost cause once the money gets intermingled with my bank account or with my everyday budget. Keeping this present money in a separate part of your wallet or purse, or even in a jar somewhere @ home helps to get your mind right.
4. *Bonus* Tell the gifter what you got! This one's brought to you by my girl Dawn over at Fighting Foreclosure: "make sure to tell the person what they bought you and why you love it. Cash gifts in particular (in my opinion) deserve a thank you note, email or phone call, to tell the giver what an awesome, amazing gift they just gave."

I think i have some other rules too, but those are the main ones i try to follow. Now it's just a matter of finding something i want really bad! Ever since starting this blog my shopping has been cut in half, so i'll have to get back out there and look around ;) I just have to remember to get all my xmas shopping down FIRST before i start thinkin' about myself...and luckily i've finally started! I ordered those wedding pics. books i mentioned in my holiday budget post last week.

Do you all have rules on this stuff? Would you use the money to buy gifts for other people? Or am i just a big ol' nut bag today? haha...don't answer that last one ;)

Labels: gifting

I've noticed it hasn't gone UP at all, but i feel like i just transported back into 2001! It's amazing. The last time i blogged about gas it was around $4-something and i filled my Toyota Highlander for $60.56!

Know how much i spent yesterday? $27.89!!! for the same almost-16 gallon tank full, only this time @ $1.96 - and that's for Premium! Dannnnng son, gotta love that. Now, my cadillac will def. use up more than the SUV, but it sure makes my decision to switch cars much better :)

I know there's a whole butt-load behind the reasoning for all this - supply and demand, oil reserves, blah blah blah - but i have my own theory here, and it's probably not original in the least:

I simply think gas gets more expensive when it's warmer out, and much lower when it's colder out. plain and simple.

The hotter it gets - the higher it goes! And the colder it gets, the lower it goes. whatcha think about that? i'm only basing it on this past year, of course, but it makes sense to me :) I don't need no stinkin' variables and high-tech gadgets to figure out this one! haha...

From this day forward, GAS is back on the friend list. And this makes me happy - i hate having enemies! And know what else makes me happy? It's FRIIIIIIIIDAYYYYYYYYYYYYY bitches! Now get out there and make poppa proud!

Labels: car stuff, gas

Hooray! Jokes and personal finance, how ya like that? I should start compiling a list of all these bad boys, they def. help my mood :) Today's bail out joke comes from Mr. Conan O'Brien, please to enjoy:

"The auto executives for the Big Three are being criticized now, because, before they asked Congress for billions of dollars, they all flew to Washington in private jets. Yeah, separately, in private jets. In their defense, the executives said, 'We would have driven, but our cars only get three miles to the gallon.'"

Hahahhah....bah dum-ching! Cracks me up every time...whew...Okay, and now for the carnivals this week, there were some awesome ones in there too this round - unortunately i'm just a bit lazy right now to dig them out :( but one day my friends, one day...

• Carnival of Money Stories #88 - hosted by The Dough Roller. *Editor's Pick!
• 42nd Money Hacks Carnival - the "Laid-off and Freelancing" edition, hosted by Financial Wellness Project.
• Carnival of Debt Reduction #169 - hosted by Four Pillars Investing.
• Carnival of Personal Finance #182 - the "Don't Go Broke Over the Holidays" edition, hosted by Free From Broke.
• Festival of Frugality #155 - the "Chic-Tacky Christmas" edition, hosted by Greener Pastures.

Labels: jokey jokes, weekly roundup

Maybe now that i have a budget set up i'll actually start BUYING the presents :) Seriously, i haven't bought a single thing yet...i don't know if it's because i'm lazy (the most likely), uninterested, or just plain tired right now, but i'm hoping to shake it off soon...

The good news is that i was able to muster up enough energy last night to put together a decent list of ideas! So i'm thinkin' this weekend will be the start, and possible end, of my Xmas shopping this year. Well, at least for everyone but the Mrs...i always have to put a bit more thought into hers due to the whole husband stuff and all ;)

I've also decided to keep being generous this year, despite the world crumbling around us. I still can't afford a crazy amount of gifts - i'm actually hoping to get a bonus this year to help pay for it all! - but to me, it's a huge chunk of change. Here's what we got:

As you can see, $50 is the sweet spot around here...it used to be $20 but i find that it takes wayyyy more work to get some goodies under that range, and usually i can only find 1 good thing at that price. With $50, i can get a few things and usually have enough to make stuff as well which i like :)

And the "random" section comes in nicely so i don't have to go through one of those, "Oh $hit, i have to spend MORE money now cuz i forgot that thing/person!" I find budgeting it in keeps me calm, and then even happier if i don't use it!

So where do i fit in with the average person this holiday season? Well, luckily my girl Erin over at TrueCredit.com sent me some interesting stats they conducted with Zogby International about holiday spending this year. Check it out (with commentary):

• The majority of U.S. respondents (54%) plan to spend less this year than they did last year. hum...def. not me, these #'s are almost exactly the same as last year.
• An overwhelming majority (73.3%) will use cash and savings to finance their holiday purchases. not me again! still on the ol' credit card gameplan...although technically i'll be paying it off in cash next month.
• Most people (44%) are controlling their overall spending by shelling out less money per person this season. yeah, that makes sense...def. one way of doing it
• Nearly one-third of respondents (32%) will buy items on sale. That's it??? that surprises me. every single thing i'll buy will be on sale, believe you me!
• 2 in 10 people will “set and adhere to an overall spending limit”. That's it??? maybe they're just talking about those who will "adhere" to it ;)

Alrighty, well that about covers it. Now let's just hope i kick it into high gear and go make something of myself, eh? Good luck out there everybody, you can do it too!!!

Labels: budgets, gifting, shopping

Yup, i was wondering when that was gonna happen... but you know what? I'd MUCH rather *know* what's going on that be in the dark the whole time - that's the worst. It doesn't even matter if the news is good or bad either, i just always have to know. (it also gets me in trouble :) )

So the GOOD news here is that so far our 401(k) is still in tact!!! I'm still a bit worried about our match going bye-bye in '09, but i guess i'll just have to wait and see on that one. I'm pretty sure the bad cuts are actually gonna happen at the start of the new year, so i guess you can think of these below ones as a practice run.

And so far we still have our free unlimited starbucks too! In fact, that's the one benefit our boss seems to make SURE we have every week...i think he knows what will happen to productivity if it goes away! haha....how sad is that? like we NEED our coffee to work. i mean, suuuuure we can buy it ourselves, but that free $3-$4 bucks every day sure gets us excited!

Okay, so on to the items that are being cut so far (in order of importance to me):

1. Our huge, over-the-top crazy a$$ holiday party! And this ain't your ordinary One my friends, we're talkin' about fancy pants dinners (think $100/person), stretch limmo, bar hopping, and our fav. to cap the night off - bottles of Crystal! haha....seriously, i sometimes wonder if we're running an underground hip-hop label or something - i love it :) or *loved* it i should say...
   
   With all due respect, we can go w/out some of these extravagances here anyways. I'd gladly lose this one night out to keep a job i love, and the rest of the benefits....plus, i'm sure my body will love me for not pulling the ol' college night out!
2. Sports tickets. We used to have a lot of tickets so we can woo clients and all, but these are steadily disappearing. We're still able to pick some up here and there, but i'm sure overtime they'll just go extinct....or at least only be used for true "business-y" events instead of semi-kinda-sorta business-like stuff ;)
3. Gym benefits. This doesn't affect me all that much - mainly because i'm a slacker and haven't worked out in a good 1.5 years - but it does suck for those hardcore workers around here :( Esp. since it hooked them up at a great gym. But, such is life....again, there's nothing wrong with us paying for this stuff ourselves, ya know?

So yeah, that's about it for now on the work front. Again, these aren't the most horrible things to deal with by any means. All i truly care about is a job, and a salary - you let me keep those, and i'll keep rockin' it out :)

How about you all? Starting to notice anything around your neck of the woods?

Labels: career

...if he knew what people were doing to him! Oh man, you have to read this.

My girl PJ over at Broke in The Suburb posted about her days as a bank teller, and let me tell you, it puts a whole 'nother perspective on things! I won't give it away, but let's just say some bodily fluids are discussed. *shiver*....check it out, if you dare ;)

Labels: banking, cockamamy indeed, link lovin

Despite the fact that today is a Woot-Off (my fav!) , they just sent out a mass email telling their members NOT to buy anything!

In fact, their latest newsletter tells us to save all the money we can so we can watch out for our own in this crazy economy! Sincere? Possibly. Creative/borderline genius? Without a doubt ;) Anyone with a sarcasm sensor can read between the lines here...but does that really even matter?

They actually get people to READ their newsletters! haha...And why wouldn't you? They're funny, insightful (to the degree that John Stewart and Colbert are), and they regularly feature items that are discounted by 60-75%! I won't tell you to refresh the site every 30 mins like i'll be doing today, BUT if you're looking for a particular present to buy (esp. an electronic), you might wanna check it out.

But back to the main point here: Woot's marketing team is freakin' good. Take a look at the email they sent out yesterday and decide for yourselves:

Subject: BREAKING: Economists declare water at least 50 percent wet!

Attention, member name:

Welcome to Woot's first official recession-era newsletter! For the next 12 to 24 months, all citizens are expected to fret over, worry about, or even directly experience the nadir of a consumerist society - OMG! What will we do when we stop buying stuff? Economists now agree that we're headed through a prolonged period of decreased consumer spending (you really need an advanced degree to come up with insights like that). Beyond that, it's anybody guess. Will the only growth sectors in the economy be shoe repair, pipe salvage, and roadside apple sales? Or will we bring on a quick recovery by doing patriotic things like buying stuff we can't afford and spending more money than we make?

As a retailer, it'd make sense for us to fall in with the BUY STUFF, AMERICA conga line. But by now, you know that we at Woot never do things the "normal", "sensible", "rational", "intelligent" way. We're not about to follow the herd over a cliff. When we go over a cliff, it's because of our own poor judgment, not someone else's. That's been our credo since about five minutes ago, when we first thought of it. And we've stayed true to it ever since.

That's why we're encouraging you and your fellow wooters to save this holiday season. Save your money! Save until you pull a saving muscle. Horde your money until you are literally choking on it. Save until maybe, like, mid-February or so, when the market will be a-glut with great deals for the taking every day. You'll avoid the crowds, take advantage of desperate retailers, and not have to hear "Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time" even once.

Sure, maybe you'll disappoint some of your loved ones. But if they really love you, they can wait a couple of months, especially if your finances are at stake. Besides, if your so-called loved ones wanted you to set yourself on fire, would you? Of course you wouldn't. And that's the kind of independent thinking that will one day break the mindless conformity of our consumerist holiday ways.

But be warned: you'll want to stay far away from Woot.com this week. The breadth and scope of bargains we'll be offering - especially starting Tuesday morning at midnight - will be powerfully tempting. They could even lead you back down the spend-spend-spend path with the rest of the sheep. And that would make us sad enough to cry while we're taking your money.

See you in February!

Woot.com

Clever as hell, right? My favorite is the whole "Sure, maybe you'll disappoint some of your loved ones." deal...haha....oh man, good times. good times.

Labels: awesomely awesome, bargains, link lovin

In fact, we actually paid $0.00 at closing! Looking back a year or so ago it didn't seem all that crazy, but with everything going on NOW it's like, "woahhh...did we actually DO that?"

Welp, we sure did, but we're def. happy with the results. At least as far as financing goes ;) I wish we would've waited another year to actually buy the place, but whatcha gonna do - that's life.

So why bring this all up now? Well, a) i haven't blogged about the whole story yet, and b) Chicky from Chicky Finance started asking me questions ;) And who am i to deny anyone such answers?

Here are some quick facts about the place:

• Townhouse w/ lake view, 3 finished levels, 2 bedrooms (the master is HUGE and could really be 2 bedrooms), 3 1/2 baths, 1700 sq. feet.

The crazy thing here is that we were initially looking to RENT! And a 1 bedroom apt. at that. It just so happened that we got lost on the way to check one of them out, and BAM - 4 days later we had a contract on the table and were on our way to being new home owners! Needless to say it was all pretty spur of the moment, but that's life right? You see something you want, and you go and get it....kinda like your wife or husband ;)

And here are some quick facts about our financing:

• Paid $360k ("bargained" down from $365k)
• Sellers gave us $10k to cover all closing costs & 6 mos of condo fees.
• 1st Mortgage (80%): $288k - 30 year fixed rate (6.875%), interest only.
• 2nd Mortgage (20%): $72k - 10 year variable rate (9% initially, but now "Prime - 0.45%" currently making it 3.55%), interest only HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) to avoid paying PMI.

I know people are gonna call us insane for some of this stuff, but ya gotta pick financing that best works with your situation. While we were able to afford a conventional loan (principal + interest payments), our main goal was to get our monthly payments as LOW as possible.

And the best way to do this? Pick up interest-only mortgages where we only pay the interest every month, *but have the option* to pay off principal anytime we wish w/ no fees or penalties (we're pretty good at that). As with everything else i talk about, this DEFINITELY isn't for everyone...

We then chose a 30 year fix for our first mortgage so that we didn't have to worry about crazy fluctuations out there. And then went the variable route w/ the HELOC hoping that it wouldn't get outta control - and lucky for us it's been dropping like crazy!!! Every time the Fed cuts the prime rate, our interest % goes down. It was initially set at 9% (Soooo high back then), but we refinanced to get Prime - 0.45%, now setting us at a measly 3.55%.

So that's the story about our residence and the financing behind it. I gotta say it was pretty fun putting this all together :) It still scares the $hit out of me owing so much, but i'm slowly getting used to it...

-------
- Here are some more mortgage posts.
- And here are some home ownership ones.

Labels: home ownership, interest, mortgages

Yessir! Mr. D-head made contact within 48 hours of our blog launch ;)

How interesting, huh? It turns out people respond a lot faster when you market their name all over the internet ;) And it's a good thing too as we were slowly running out of options!

But our hard work paid off, and it's one less thing to worry about now. In fact, i might even miss all this drama! haha ... nahhhh, scratch that. For all enquiring minds, here are a few fun facts about the anti-blog...who woulda thunk it?:

• Within 2 days we receive 300+ hits!
• Dozens of comments and emails fly all over Facebook & Myspace.
• An old friend offers his skills to get d-head's name to the top of Google! (we decline, but keep this card in our pocket just in case)
• A DIFFERENT photographer offers to do a whole shoot of the Mrs. in her wedding dress for FREE!!! She hates when people give their industry a bad rap.
• Angry clients come out of the woodwork for this guy, and post their own reviews!
• Within 48 hours we receive the pics online, and a week & a half later the physical images.

So for a measly $9.99 (for the domain name) and a few hours of hard work, Operation Wedding Pictures was a sucess! I still can't believe we had to go through this whole thing, but at least it ends happily and we can now move on.

And you know I have to give you all guys mad love too! Your support and encouragement kept us sane throughout the whole thing, and we thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the comments...esp. the not-so-PC ones ;) It was definitely therapeutic using this blog to bitch, so THANK YOU times a million!

And just for $hits and giggles, i figured i'd post a recap of everything that's transpired. On last crazy story to wrap things up! Here it is, from start to finish:

• Feb 6 - We sign contract and PRE-PAY for all photography.
• May 31 - We get married!
• Jul 15 - Day our printed proofs are due, per contract.
• Jul 30 - Day our online previews are due, per contract.
• Aug 6 - We check on status. D-head says ready in 1 week.
• Sep 1 - We check on status. D-head says he'll call in 1 week.
• Sep 18 - D-head starts using our photos to advertise his company!
• Sep 22 - We check on status. D-head schedules time to meet.
• Sep 28 - D-head fails to show up at our house.
• Sep 30 - D-head says our proofs were repossessed with his car.
• Oct 9 - D-head says pics coming soon...moves across the country.
• Oct 12 - D-Head comes up with even MORE excuses...
• Oct 17 - We file a B.B.B Complaint.
• Nov 5 - D-head tells us to just "stop calling".
• Nov 6 - We threaten to take him to court.
• Nov 19 - We launch blog and market the hell out of it!
• Nov 21 - Pictures are uploaded online!!!
• Dec 3 - Pictures are securely in our hands :)

So there you have it, the past 2 months of craziness all rolled up nicely into 1 happy ending :) I'm not sure *why* exactly we were put to this test, but i do know things happen for a reason. Perhaps this guy has learned his lesson?

Thank you all so very much, and God bless the Internets!

Labels: cockamamy indeed, updates, wedding

And so here they are:

• Money Hacks Carnival - "The Best Crazy-Simple Money Hacks" ed. hosted by Ask Mr. Credit Card. *Editor's Pick!
• Carnival of Personal Finance - "Cyber Monday 2008" ed. hosted by Mighty Bargain Hunter.
• Carnival of Debt Reduction - "Hosting a Dinner Party" ed. hosted by Green Panda Treehouse.
• Festival of Frugality - "154th Edition" - hosted by Living Almost Large.

Now, get out there and get your finance on ;)

Labels: weekly roundup

You KNOW how much i love my 401(k), would you really do this to me? We've fallen in love, and could not bear such a tragedy :( I promise to behave, really. Whatever you wish, i shall do - just name it!

What? You want me to do what? Stop blogging @ work? errr......

Haha, yes, i am all hocked up on coffee and cold medication ;) Seriously though, it's like my brain work a lot better when i'm in a total state of loopiness.....the words just flow out like butter! warm butter, that is. it's the only up-side to possibly getting sick...but i digress..

So WHY, exactly, would companies start getting rid of their 401(k) matchings? The Economy - plain and simple. Here's a clip from a recent CNNMoney article i just read:

"[In a slowing economy] it's reasonable to assume that some employers will reduce or even eliminate the 401(k) match," said Frank Boucher, of Boucher Financial Planning Services in Reston, Va.

Any well-drafted 401(k) plan allows the employer discretion to change the company's matching policy at any time, Boucher said.

It's all about weathering the storms i suppose. And I have a sinking feeling our company could be next...i don't have anything to back that up, but i'm pretty sure changes are coming in '09, and that seems to be a favorite to cut.

I know not everyone cares, or even particpates, in their retirement funds (naughty, naughty!) but when you're getting matched 100% of 100% of your contributions, it's a big deal! That $15,000 i threw in so far this year has rewarded me handsomely with an extra FREE $15,000!It's seriously insane.

All that being said, what'll happen will happen no matter what my feelings are on it. After all, if it's between firing a couple of us OR losing our generous benefits, then by all means slash away! The money is nice - okay, HOT DIGGITY nice - but my employment is better. I like it here and i don't wanna go anywhere :(

Labels: 401k, career, crazy economy

It's reader mail time again, and it's all about Credit Cards! You all know i love me some emails (and comments, twitterings, etc) so don't be a stranger, my virtual door is always open :) And if the stars align, i'll sometimes even blog about it! oooohhhh, ahhhhhh...

So yeah, today's post is brought to you by a fellow Budgets are Sexy reader who wants some advice on the old "Pay everything with your credit card" idea. And guess what? That's one of my specialties!

But before we start, you know i have to throw in a quick disclaimer here: Using your credit card like this is NOT for everyone, esp. those who aren't good at managing their money. If you've got that on lock, then continue reading my friend ;)

Here's what my dear reader asks:

"My question is this- I know folks like you swear by using your credit card for daily things, bills, etc and then paying it off each month. (by the way, neither myself or my bf have ANY credit card balances since we decided to buy our house this past year...) Anyways, I want to try this with this rewards card, but I\'m not sure how to go about it. I have online bill pay set up through my credit union for most household/regular bills and just worry about tripping up and getting screwed if I try to use this cc like you say you do. Help? Can you do a post about this, perhaps?"

Your wish is my command young lady ;) People use their credit card this way for a number of reasons, but the two main ones for ME are A) To help me budget & track my expenses easier, and B) To rack up a crazy amount of rewards! Plus, you'll actually find yourself spending LESS since you see the amounts build week after week. Here are the 4 steps for Operation Credit Card:

1. Create a Credit Card Budget!
Since you wont' be using debit cards, checks, or cash all that much now, you'll have to make sure to have enough to pay off your c/c balance each month. VERY IMPORTANTE amigos. The first time i did it i just guestimated and came out $200 short. Not. Fun. Here's a look into my own credit card budget to help get you started. Remember, it doesn't have to be all that complicated...

2. Find a Credit Card w/ Cool Benefits.
Everyone has their own soft spot - free mileage, gas rewards, cash back, there's a whole mess of them out there. Once you have a favorite, do a little research and check around for the best cards that focus on it. Pf Blogs, financial magazines, they're all great for finding them. I use USAA's Platinum Rewards card to get cash back, but you have to be affiliated w/ the military to get it. Here's a few others i found in Money Mag the other month, and also some of MyMoneyBlog's favorites to help get ya started.

3. Now, Use the Credit Card for Everything You Possibly can.
Cell phone bills, utilities, car insurance, life insurance, lunches, presents, tv/internet/phone, etc. Whenever it's time to spend money, try using the credit card first. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) you can't pay off ALL things like mortgages or car payments with it (well, you *can* but you'd have to use the cash xfer option which you NEVER want to do), but you can get pretty close.

4. Pay it off IN FULL Each Month!
Seriously, don't forget this - it's the most important part :) It may take a few months to get used to 100%, but it'll be second nature soon after. It can actually be pretty fun too - each month you get to see how you compare to the previous month! woohoo! haha....

There's a couple ways to pay here and stay out of trouble. I prefer using my bank's online bill pay over automatic anything simply cuz i'm scared $hitless of overdrafting my checking account accidently. If you manually pay it each month, you're more likely to stay on top of it! And if you're worried about forgetting, well, that's what we have Gmail/Outlook for! You can easily set up customized reminders and calendar events to help remind you every month. Plus, don't forget you'll still get the monthly credit card statements in the mail (or emailed) too.

And there you have it - the 4 steps to get in on Operation Credit Card! Again, it's not for everyone, but it sure is for Rock Stars :) It's all about maximizing the benefits baby!

Labels: advice, budgets, credit cards, reader mail

Cuz i gotta tell you - it feels AWESOME! and not because it's payday, which is nice, but you can actually see *how much* money you're earning in the purest form. It's an incredible feeling!

I usually just deposit it right away, but w/ some of the weirdness going on here at work lately, I figured better to be safe than sorry this round.

It's not that i don't trust our company, cuz i really do, but it's just annoying having to worry about your check bouncing every now and then. For once i wanted to know 100% that i have the money and it's safe and sound. Plus, i was up for the adventure ;)

So, i followed a fellow co-worker to the bank where the check was issued from (that way it clears %100 and you get cash right away), paid my $5 fee for doing so (i hate banks), and out we walked full of greenbacks!

It was the first time i clearly saw my paycheck - and i was mesmerized. I couldn't believe i brought in THAT much every 2 weeks!

We all know how much we make, but there's a HUGE difference seeing it electronically over piles of cash. A slew of feelings took me over, and it went something like this (in order):

• WOW, $1802.00 in pure cash sitting right in front of me!
• I'm so proud of myself, that's a lot of money!
• I wonder how many $50's are actually in there? (36)
• Man, imagine all of the stuff i can buy with this! (i daydream for a bit...)
• $hit, every last bit has already been budgeted for...
• I can't believe i go through ALL THIS every 2 weeks.
• How the hell do other people survive on much less?
• I REALLY need to figure out a way to keep more of this.
• How cool would it be to go 100% cash from now on and F the computer age?
• I really hate seeing this...it'll all be gone in no time.
• Damn, i hope no one jacks me on the way home!

My emotions really were all over the place, it's just so CRAZY how the mind interprets the money this way. I mean, it's still the SAME $1802.00, right? How can seeing it in actual dollars be that much different than seing the # up there on the screen?

I don't have the answers for you, but what i DO know is that it was quite majestic :) A feeling that has since come and gone, but a beautiful one all the same. I'm not sure if i'll try it again anytime soon - losing $5 each time and then carrying around all that money before re-depositing is pretty insane - but i'm willing to bet i'd find ways to keep more of that cash around!

Have any of you tried this? Or maybe get paid this way in your line of work ;) bow chicka, wha wha!

Labels: career, cash, paychecks

It's much better than last month's $10k loss! Gotta be happy these days with everything going on out there, especially since i'm employed :)

We had a person leave this month, but luckily it was on his own accord. I'm really just hoping we can weather this storm by cutting back on some of our extravagances here @ work...i've already noticed a few things here and there, so fingers crossed!

It's pretty obvious i'm not gonna reach my Net Worth goal of $100,000 this year, but ya can't say i didn't try ;) Sometimes it's just not meant to be i suppose, but you better believe i'll keep working on it. As long as i continue to stay on top of my budget each paycheck, and slam more money into that 401k while prices are cheap, i'll be on a good track. After all, it's the best time in 50 years to buy, right?! at least that's what i've read recently ;)

I can't tell you *when* things will start turning around, but i gotta stay hopeful and keep my head up. I can't change the economy myself, but i sure as hell can keep staying on top of my finances!

Here's how it breaks down this month:

CASH SAVINGS: Sweetness! I only used $160 of my monthly $200 cash allowance this month, and i guess i saved in some other departments too....esp considering i didn't bring in nearly as much blogging income as i had the previous month or so.

ROTH IRA: Down $400? Yeah....still not fun. I suspect this will go down until the markets level off, but again there's nothing i can do about it. i mean, i could always throw MORE money into it, but i'd rather max out the 401k first, and then pump a little more into the ol' Emergency Fund.

401(k): Down $3,000, BUT that doesn't include my bi-weekly contributions unfortunately... because our 401k company is *still* all sorts of F'd up, i'm awaiting on these to hit my account. If these amounts ($593.75 + $593.75(match) + $593.75 + $593.75(match)) were actually in already, i'd really only be down around $900! And THAT'S not bad at all :)

SAVINGS BONDS: Another 20 cents in the ol' pockets....i'm ritch biatch! haha...crazy old buggers. You can check out the breakdown of my bonds are here.

CONDO INVESTMENT: I stopped lending money to my brother months ago, so it's really just a matter of collecting it all now at 5% interest. There's no real time frame here, but i've been told he'll pay the remaining $900ish over the next cple months - works for me! It all seems "free" anyways since i used to classify it as just another bill to pay. So now it's like a have an extra $123 a month to play with!

HOME EQUITY: This amount still reflects our purchase price minus the money we accidently paid off the mortgage when our heloc froze. As always, i still don't know how to classify this as the house isnt' worth what we paid anymore, but it's on my New Year's resolution...i'll probably just Zillow.com it and then add another row to both Assets and Liabilities to reflect it or something.

AUTO WORTH (kbb): Down $10 bucks - i love it! It's a helluva good feeling knowing that my car is now worth more than i paid for it ($3,100). I do sorta miss riding high in the SUV, but i'd take the stress releiver any day over that :)

CREDIT CARDS: This amount is from buying my Caddy and selling my Highlander (i owed more than i sold it for) a few months ago - that's it. No other consumer debt on this bad boy, just the car amounts. And to keep on track, I'm still applying my old $443 car payments towards the balance every month until it's paid off.

AUTO LOAN: Zeroooooooooooooo! That is if you disregard my credit card balance ;) If you remember, i was losing anywhere from $450- $1200 a MONTH keeping the Highlander, so the steady value for my Caddy is freakin' great.

That's it for this month folks. As always, I sincerely hope you did better than i did! Keep staying on top of your finances, and remember that it's just a matter of time until it all turns around :) I'll see ya out there.

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*The sweet & sexy side bars have been updated.
*And here are the past Net Worth updates.

Labels: net worth