Is It Time To Cash In Your Old CD?



Will you make or lose money if you cash in an old Certificate of Deposit? Will the new higher interest rate really compensate for the hit you take on the early out penalty? Check here for the calculator that can help you decide!

Short and Sweet



This will be short and sweet. Today was a No-Spend Day. Although I did leave FrugalSon's lights on in his truck and ran the battery down...so it'll cost me some electricity tonight when The Hubster puts it on the charger!

Better Coupon Savings



Just a quick note to log some better coupon savings than my last go which was an 11.50 savings.

Yesterday I bought $68.48 worth of groceries before coupons.

Final cost was 33.98 plus tax 4.55, total of $38.53.

Manufacturer's Coupons was 16.50
Bonus Coupons of 10.95
and Store Card Savings 7.15

Meaning a savings of 34.60.

I can live with that! It took me about an hour in the store and I already had the coupons out I wanted to use.

Part of the length of time was because this is not the store I usually shop at and I have to acquaint myself with where things are located at in the store so I can line the coupons up in the order they fall throughout the store.

I used to do a bit better with coupons, but it's been a number of years since I used them regularly and I don't have a very good supply yet. BUT, I'm working on it!

Also if I'm going to pursue couponing again then I need to buy myself another rubbermaid type check box w/ a handle or a nice binder w/a handle.

September Sales Report In



Went Monday and picked up my check for September's sales from my antique booth.

392.78 Total Sept sales
-39.27 10% fee
-50.00 rent
-05.00 advertising
______
298.51 check

I'm thrilled with it! This is one of the largest checks I've gotten from it - maybe even the biggest, can't recall without looking.

My booth is filled with lots of small things priced -- ohhhh lots under 10.00, and the majority under 25.00, so to come up with a big total is sometimes hard to do.

Once all these small things go that were in my house at one time then I can restock first with the things from my in-laws house - that's what's in the basement now and then move on to bigger items that I pick up at auctions.

Took over the cowboy bathtub and Morris chair this week.

I like having a mix of bigger and smaller items. Because sometimes the larger items sit there a long time before they move. And I don't want to pay rent month after month for things to just set!

Using Jesse's You Need A Budget software, this money earned in September, but paid in October, will not be used to live on until November. It is certainly a nice feeling not to be living paycheck to paycheck!

Dime Dime Do-diddy De-Dime Dime!


Change leftover from a burger run AFTER son's employee discount left me with a dime to add to the $20 Challenge.


Photo Credit: Bee

$20 CHALLENGE

00.59 balance
+0.10 Do-diddy Dime
_____
$0.69 Oct MTD

Cummulative Total $50.78

Estimate for Painting - Done!


We have been having a really hard time finding someone in our small town to come and paint the second story of our house.

We have a walkout basement in the back and thus have ground slopes on two sides. Seems not many want to tackle the highwire act it would be to get to the second story roofline at the same time transgessing a ladder that sits atop those slopes!

Finally got a guy out yesterday who has given me a decent estimate and we are going with him. Never fear - I didn't tell him how hard it was to find anyone! Next stop was going to have to go to the Metro area to find someone who would be willing to do not only the job, but also to drive out here to the burbs!

The boys and I have painted all the house that we can reach on a regular ladder and I'm not about to try and tackle the extension ladder and I don't want The Hubster to do it.

He just turned 60, we don't have disability insurance and I need him to keep working for at least the next six years! I myself fell off the ladder onto the fence (ouch it, that made a big hole in my side!!), so really, this is the last house I will ever paint. That little fall was early in the springtime but it did slow me down a bit.

The ole gray mare just ain't what she used to be!! No longer invincible. BUT, if you tell anyone THAT I will hunt you down and kick you right in the keester. I can't climb worth spit, but I'm still a pretty high stepper!

Really, I'm not a total clutz, we just have really sandy soil, and all of a sudden as I was leaning in to paint barn #3 (The Clubhouse) there was just a definite lean to the left out of the clear blue and splash went the paint and poke went the hole in my side. Need a sign - Beware Sinking Sand!

To paint the three sides will be $1280.00. If we have painter also give the front side a second coat it will cost us $1880.00 for the total job. The extra 600.00 seems cheap to me as our house is pretty good sized. Anyway, I've booked him to do at least the 3 sides and his crew will be here in 1 1/2 weeks. YES!! YES!! Y.E.S.!!! I am so excited at finding someone and that this will get done before the snow flies this year.

WEEEE-DEEEE-WOOOOOOOOOO-HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

Will I go whole hog and give them another 600.00?? I'm not sure, but I sure am tired of painting. There is this big house and five barns here. FIVE, I tell ya!!! The barns I've gotten all done. Let me just back up and say the boys have helped me - but only a little. They've been busy working and usually I paint a bit each day that I feel like it. Seems like I've been painting forever!!

Anyway, excited about the prospect of having it all done may make me turn loose of the extra money. Sure I could do it myself next spring, but really I'm absolutely sick of painting! We'll see. I may get good and rested up and take on finishing it up myself!

But, no more ladders, No - definitely no more ladder jobs for me! I had a dickens of a time getting myself down off the sunroom roof when I climbed atop it to do the ridge line on the front of the house! Twas comical, but still my equilibrium just isn't the same anymore. Mind is willing, but the bod is weak!

Next house I buy will either be 1)a condo where someone else does these kind of maintenance jobs; 2)a brick house; or 3)one with siding! Never again will I paint one of these jobbies!

More Ground Pickin's


CashHappySon gave me .58 cents to feed Piggy for the challenge. Also from ground pickin's!! Did you hear Piggy squeal? It's been a day or two since we fed him anything!!

$20.00 Challenge

0.01 seed money
+.58 ground pickin's
____
0.59 Oct MTD

Aligned and Up To The Minute


Last night was a bit of a bug a bear. We've had quite a few issues at the boys' job with Managers making inappropriate come-ons to them both. And last night another Manager can't seem to keep her hands to herself. They've both asked her to stop, and finally Mom got on the horn. She will not be happy to see them next time they work, but oh well, into each Mother's life comes a few times when she has to advocate for her kids! Next stop my attorney's office if need be. My kids are not to be trifled with. GRRRR!

Yesterday got FrugalSon's October budget aligned. Yes, aligned. I'm not sure of a better word for it. I wrestled all the money into it's proper spot. He's easy to work with as he can be completely satisfied with no cash to walk around with and is happy to let me massage his money for his future good.

Yes, he did give himself a $20.00 allowance this month plus 5.00 for a haircut. He gets to eat free at work, has gas money in the checkbook, so he's pretty good w/little to no dollars and even when he gets cash out he just sticks it in his wallet and there it generally stays.

He paid his 139.00 November truck payment (yes early) to Mom & Dad and had enough money that he could of made a second one, but I'm really wanting to ramp his Emergency Fund back up, so that got a flat 100.00 this month. And although they could be combined, at this juncture I've just started him a separate account called Money Market Savings. We use Jesse's budget software, "You Need A Budget", and hence are operating in October on the money earned in September.

I just dislike that all three of us - me and both boys' money sits in our checking for a month idle. We are all opening these MM savings accounts so we can get enough cash in a wad to each open ourselves a Money Market account to earn some interest on that money all month and then transfer it on the first in order to pay the bills.

I used to move their money the day it cleared the bank, but that was in the days before YNAB. Okay, I'm willing to operate a month behind on the paychecks but I still want that money to work and earn some interest. Anyway, FrugalSon's MM Savings got 13.45 in September and 26.49 for October.

I moved all his money yesterday to his various savings sub-accounts. All that is left for him this month is to go buy an I-bond. Yes, lousy interest right now, but he was able to buy a small CD this month and still there is enough to do the I-bond. It's a habit I'd like him to get into doing and thus we'll just keep plugging a little into that budget slot and pray that the interest rate will come back up soon.

He was also able to put 45.00 back in his Truck Battery Savings Account which fills up the need for that as he now has 50.00 in there and it can just sit earning money until he has to replace his battery. Next big push is to fill his Truck Tire Replacement Fund which is on the low side being $9.50. He puts back 35.00 a month & has roughly 250.00 currently put back in Truck Maintenance Fund and just got his oil changed last month. Needs to buy an air filter this week though.

Paid his room and board and tithe. Made his Roth IRA Contribution. He has a 403b taken out at one of his jobs. In addition various amounts got put away for Long Term Savings, Short Term Savings, Clothes, House Down Payment, Education, Vacation, Gifts, Truck Replacement, Truck Tag, Medical/Dental/Vision Co-Pay, and Miscellaneous.

Left in checking is enough for his gas purchases for the month of October plus his little buffer. Income from his October paychecks will go into checking and wait for November til they can go to work! Still have yet to check w/our local bank to see what the minimum for opening a MM account is and the minimum balance they require to keep from incurring a fee.

Put that on Mom's to-do list!

Another bear to wrestle. I'm up for it!!

Go Go Go Sale!!
Round Oak Table Sold



The lady from the antique store I sell at called and I sold my old round oak table yesterday that has been sitting there for a year! So glad that moved on to bless someone else.

What this means for me is I'll have to find something in the basement (never fear it's mounded up down there with Good Stuff) to take over there tomorrow to restock the booth. That table held a bunch of stuff!!

Think I'll take my Morris Chair and the old galvanized cowboy bathtub. I can put some of the tabletop stuff on the chair and loads of it in the tub. Will have to spend a little longer than normal over there reworking the display. CashHappySon is off in the mornings so he can help me haul stuff! YEAH!

This should mean an additional $100.00 of income from the booth! Since it happened yesterday it will be on my September check which I can pick up tomorrow as well. Isn't that great how that all works out?

This is money that I use to stretch out my own personal income of which I have none! Ha! I collect this booth money, the grocery money, the room and board money, my allowance and the household cleaning products & papergoods money and any other money that comes along into my own checking.

I did have another source of income that has decreased over the last 2 years from $720 a month to $360 a month. Last month was the last of those checks, so that income stream has dried up. Sadly!

Anyway, these bits and pieces of money are those from which I fund part of my retirement and other savings and investment projects, plus some of my truck gas, and the groceries, cleaning supplies & papergoods.

August's Check from booth sales was $159.35. I haven't asked how my other sales for September have been going so whatever's above the table sale will be a surprise to me.

It should be fairly good because from the middle of August until the middle of September I held a 30% off Summer Clearance Sale and there were many gaps in what was on the shelves when I went there the other day.

So perhaps there will be an amount equal to August's if not more. Whatever it is as long as I make booth rent $50 & advertising cost $5.00 per month then I'm generally happy with anything over because it means something has left my possession for good and I did try to redeem it without just tossing it away or giving it away.

I do donate lots of stuff to my local women's shelter and the Goodwill, but I prefer to make a little money on the things I can. LOTS of antique stuff in the basement just waiting to GO, GO, GO!!!

Anyway, glad my table sold. I originally paid $125.00 for the table and 6 chairs about 15 years ago at a garage sale. I refinished it for about $5.00 in supplies. We used it for a good number of meals until it just wasn't 'us' anymore and moved on to another style of decor.

I freecycled the chairs last year when I bought a replacement dining set at the auction. The table worked well for my original display at my booth, but it's past time for it AND other things to leave these premises in the countdown towards downsizing for retirement!

Moving On!!

Triple Threat


Photo Credit: by Derbotti


Okay to catch up here -

Friday, Sept. 29th was a No Spend Day!

Saturday, Sept. 30th was also a No Spend Day!!

Sunday, October 1st, you guessed it, ANOTHER No Spend Day!!!

It was a triple threat!! No Spending Sprees - Ye-haaawwwwwwwww!!

Brownie Magic

Picture Credit: Palmer Cox

Does anyone besides me remember the neat Brownie pictures that were in the old Junior Great Books and The Book House? Neat illustrations of the Brownies by Palmer Cox. I enjoyed looking at those pictures for hours as a kid. So many details...similar to (but far better than) the Where's Waldo type pics. Those Brownies were such busy little creatures.

This morning I was counting Piggy's gluttony and ending the September books on the $20 Challenge. Looks like somebody mysteriously stuck .06 into piggy during the month of September!

Bookie did you sneak in here??? Bookie as a Brownie! Ha!

Anyway those six coppers boosted the September $20 Challenge to $28.04 total. Cummulative total for the $20 Challenge is now $50.09 and off we go towards October. Left .01 cent in Piggy for seed money!

So little Brownies feel free to feed Piggy every night! A Piggy gets awfully hungry long about midnight and four a.m., don't ya know?!!?

And Bookie while you're here, the silver sure could stand a good polishing!

Read The Brownies Canoeing here:
http://members.tripod.com/box_of_delights/canoe.html

!!!EXCITEMENT!!!New Amortization Feature



Well, that certainly isn't a very exciting title, but I can tell you what is exciting...IF you are a Countrywide mortgagee like myself and The Hubster.

While checking to make sure that our payment had posted correctly (yes, anal - so what!! You guys are too! That's why I love you so much!!) I noticed something I hadn't earlier.

Countrywide has recently (when??) added a new feature. Calculators that let you play around with the actual numbers to see what your results would be if you made additional payments on a one time basis, or on a monthly basis, etc. and it projects out your earlier payoff dates.

I LOVE THAT!!

Especially as The Hubster and I would love to enter our 'golden years' mortgage free and smiling!

I have routinely added extra to our mortgage from day one. Yes, literally day one. Immediately upon closing I made out a check and gave it to the closer to be applied! They hated me on sight!

Well, actually they respected me, but still...the envy / confused / hate looks were there. Why not just add extra to the down payment? Read John Avanzini (sp?) book on debt reduction.

Anyway...back to today, we've always added a bit extra on each payment which wasn't always easy, but we've done it.

Usually it's only been in the $12-25 range as that was truly all we could afford (back then there was too much car & CC debt) but it has helped.

If we continue w/my minimum current extra principal buydown rate we'll have the mortgage paid off by May 2013.

If I double that (may be relatively easy with my still-new $20 Challenge money) it will payoff in December of 2012.

BUT IF I can continue paying the same amount of interest money thrown off by the Money Market account, plus my challenge money, plus the extra we've always done it should fall away in Sept of 2011. Eleven months before our projected retirement date of August 2012. YEAH TEAM FRUGALIS!!!

But I think all of you, like us, who've paid off our credit card debt will agree that as you see that light broadening at the end of the tunnel, that things ramp up and somehow money comes from out of the blue and it just MIGHT go quicker than that! Here's hoping!!

Crossing my fingers! Because the more months ahead of retirement we pay it off -- the more we'll have to stick back for those early transition days from paycheck income to retirement income.

Anywho...if you're a Countrywide customer run on over online and check out their new calculators right there w/your own account information. I think you might get happy if you can find some extra dollars to throw at the mortgage!

Bank Run Week 39




Bank Run on 9/30/06 was for a deposit of $3.66. This is extra for retirement saved out of weekly allowance.

10.02 balance forward
+3.66 9/30/06
_____
13.68 September Bank Runs

Polka Everybody!!



Updating the mortage balance over on the right as October's payment has now posted.

On the 29th of September I was able to apply $253.04 extra to my principal in addition to my regular payment of 353.96. Part of this extra - $22.04 came from the August $20 Challenge Money and part from some of August & September's interest on the Money Market account.

August balance 24,882.58
September balance 24,630.49
October balance now 24,162.04! OH YEAH!!

Belly up to the bar folks, as it's time to roll back that balance!! Root beer for everyone!!