Let's get to know each other some more :) I filled out this questionnaire for a series Automatic Finances put together recently (he interviewed a few of us bloggers), but I thought it would be a great discussion tool for us too. After all, we see each other almost every day, yes?

If you'd like to participate (and I hope you do), list your answers in the comments below. You can be as short, and anonymous, as you'd like. And if you'd rather not, no worries either - you can always stalk us from behind that computer of yours ;) Let the getting to know each other commence!

1) How do you spend: cash, debit or credit?
As much as I can on credit card baby! I find credit cards to be an excellent budgeting tool as long as you stay on top of it, and pay 'em off in full every month (which I do). If you're spending roughly the same every month, why not pay with plastic and milk 'em for all those extra rewards?

2) Do you bank online? How about use a financial aggregator (Mint, Wesabe, Yodlee, etc.)?
I bank online at USAA.com aka the best bank e-v-e-r. Since most of my 10+ accounts are there, I find a trusty excel spreadsheet & google doc is the only other thing I need to manage it all and stay on budget. Although I could certainly see the value in personal finance software like Mint & the rest. If I didn't like manually updating my budget so much I would have switched out long ago ;)

3) What recurring bills do you have set on autopay?
Oddly enough, only a few things: Comcast, condo fee, and insurance. My income gets staggered so I like to manually pay the rest to make sure all is on point.

4) How are your finances automated?
Currently, they're not as automated as I'd like. I deposit my paychecks, xfer out the money to the right accounts, and then manually pay a chunk of the bills asap to make sure I don't forget. I'd like to have *all my finances automated* but it's gonna have to wait until things are more concrete.

5) Do you write checks? If so, how often?
Checks? What are those? :) They only get the pleasure of my bad handwriting when it's time to pay a stray bill or give a wedding present to somebody. All other times they stay in my drawer sobbing, knowing the end is near.

6) Where do you stash your short-term savings?
In a regular ol' savings account. I like the freedom to xfer out at a moment's notice, and having your accounts in one spot makes it even easier to manage it all.

Your turn! How do you manage your finances?

Labels: about j., banking, bills, interview, money management

I wrote a check for the first time in 6 months and realized we're no longer as close as we used to be. "What happened to us?!" I asked myself. "Remember the days of filling up gas for Ma and having the honor to use a blank check?" It feels strange never officially breaking up.

These days, we're more like distant friends than lovers. We see each other every now and then - exchange some niceties - and then scurry away in this fast paced world of ours. Who has time to write out checks these days? Or to keep track of them so quaintly as we used to? The digital age sure has changed our behavior.

Back then, we used checks for everything - rent, groceries, clothes, utilities - I even remember using one for a couple of chocolate bars ;) Credit cards were around, but from what I recall were very hush hush. The only people using plastic were the scoundrels racking up debt and living the high life (literally and figuratively!). Of course, I was a mere child in those days so my memories are a little skewed, but the point is that plastic is the new check. Both debit and credit.

And you know what? I'm totally happy with! It's faster, easier, and fits in my pocket much much smoother. It's true there are still some old school'ers holding up the register lines at times, but at least I can now appreciate the nostalgia of it. They continue writing checks because it works for them. More power to ya Grandma! I just wish more places accepted PayPal. I'm starting to forget how to properly fill these things out...

Labels: about j., bills, checks

Nothing I'm about to say will come as a shocker, but it needs to be said ;) And that's because I'm getting dangerously close to a few of these! I know human nature will always play its part, but without reminders every now and then we tend to keep going until caught. So today, we tackle the law. And how staying on the right side of it will keep more money in our pockets.

Don't park illegally. You'll be faced with fines from $25 to $250 an occurrence! Or even worse, you'll get towed. And that's definitely no fun to work out - for both you and your wallet (especially if you live in a city like NYC or DC, bleh.) The Mrs. learned this the hard way the other month and she didn't even have to go far. She parked in an emergency lane IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD and was promptly handed a $250 ticket. She was pissed off to no end (she had parked there late at night because she didn't want to walk far alone), but it sure did teach us a lesson!

Don't Speed. Not only will you get slapped with fees, but it's a one way ticket to higher insurance rates! That one speeding trip costs you years of extra premiums for nothing. I know we never *try* to get caught, but some of you test the limits a lot more than others and you know exactly who you are ;) The last speeding ticket I got (knock on wood) was 10 years ago and the only reason I remember it was because I never told my dad and yet he "somehow" found out! haha...Cops, insurance companies, parents - none of them like it.

Don't Cheat The Government: Guess what? If you don't pay our taxes you'll be slammed with even more once you're caught! And possibly jail time. You still locked up Mr. Snipes? Stay on top of it the best you can or hire someone to do it for you. It may cost a little more, but it'll save you a lot more down the road.

Don't Go To Jail: Not only does it suck, but you can't earn any money in there. Or at least anything decent (I've been told you can earn a dollar or two a day doing chores?). That means all your debt & bills out in the real world will keep piling up awaiting your beautiful return.

And Lastly, Pay Your Bills on Time! It's not illegal if you don't, but it's a surefire way to keep burning money for no good reason at all. Banks and credit cards LOVE people who pay late so they can legally jack up the fees & interest rates! And unfortunately the only person at fault here is you :( So please, don't let them bend you over like that - stick with the game and pay attention.

Labels: advice, bills, car stuff, saving, taxes

Bills as in "the accounts you owe", not the Clintons or O'Reillys ;) (Although, some would prefer to forget about them as well, but that's a whole other topic)

Today, I share with you my 3 super fantastic steps to managing those pesky bills of yours. Or at least the way I prefer to handle them! I look at 'em, I pay 'em, and then I happily ever afterly forget about 'em! Nice and easy, right? Here's how to do it:

Look at the Bill. Does it look about right? Were you expecting it to be a lot higher or lower? One of the perks of getting your bills down to a relatively small number is that you can easily give it a thumbs up or thumbs down upon first glance. You can do this by cutting back & getting rid of some completely (the best way), or you could do it by throwing as many bills as you possibly can on a credit card (my personal method, but not great for everyone). Either way, you get a general idea of what those totals should look like every time a bill comes in. If it looks good, move on to step #2! If it's jacked up? Do your research and get it all squared away.

Pay the Bill. Similar to the credit card method, I try and funnel as many bills as possible one way - electronically. I do everything I can to attach it to my online world since I know I'll be connected to it almost every single day ;) I set up email alerts, online billpay, and as many automatic payments as feasible. The more you can get technology working on your side, the more you can spend on the exciting & important stuff in your life. For all those bills I can't automate, I pay right away as soon as I confirm the amount's legit. I don't like them lingering around and tempting me to forget!

Forget about the Bill. The whole out of sight, out of mind idea - except you're conscientiously choosing to for this ;) No one likes looking at bills more than they have to, right? As long as I'm budgeting for them okay and following steps #1 and #2 above, I can safely cross them off the list and move on with my wonderful life. No pressure, no problem!

That's it! The secrets to my stress-free bill paying. Of course, the more bills you cut back on the less you have to worry about, but easier said than done ;) We'll always have something or another popping up to eat our money, but if you have that game plan locked in there's less chance of it phasing you. And that's really what it's all about.

Labels: advice, bills, debt, money management