More Blurbies = Fool's Gold




To add more to today's Quickie-Blurbettes:

Blurb 5)When I went to put in the $1.02 that was waiting on the keyboard to go into the $20 Challenge Piggy I found that some mysterious fool of the April variety had stacked up $2.95 in front of Piggy! I'm thinking it must of been CashHappySon as he's the only one who knows I log it here before feeding it into the private stash. So we are up for the day!

$20 CHALLENGE
$01.02 balance
+$2.95 Fool's Gold
______
$3.97 April MTD

Blurb 6)Using Craigslist yesterday the Hubster sold one of the many EXTRA computers we have around here. $700 samoleans to go back (loaned) into the Emergency Fund! Tonight we take pictures of computer 2 that needs to be sold and posting it online! Expected proceeds of about $600 also to be paid back to the E-Fund.

Quickie-lite Blurbettes!!



blurb 1)Scaled Hubster's 401-K contributions back to only get the matching and the rest that we've been putting there will now go into his Roth IRA. He was convinced when we started that we couldn't even put back 1%!!! Slowly over time I inched us up to 10% but we only need 6% to get all matching funds. He's now convinced that we can save on our income!!


blurb 2)Hubster has agreed to let me take what's needed (about $3700)from savings to round him up to the complete $5000 IRA contributions he can make for 2006! YEAAAAAAAAAA DOGGIES!!! The man is finally coming around. It will have to go into conservative investments for him as he is so near to retirement, but at least we'll have met the yearly contribution...and then we are on to seeing what all we can do for 2007 contributions. The above change in the 401-K contributions will help.

blurb 3)Showing him the monthly statements that his money is now growing instead of just stagnating has been helpful. And for all of you out there who are dealing with spouses who are not yet on board, keep rowing, sooner or later you're bound to hit some smoother waters. The Hubster is finally beginning to realize he has to put his money out to Hard Labor before it can come back to knock on his door!

blurb 4)Adding $1.02 in change to the $20 Challenge to get the April party started.

Spinning Wheels



Okay, life has been revolving on without me and rather sucky over here with the crappy recurring blue-funk 'lost my voice' cold/virus/whatever that we kept passing back around and around at my house. To update the info over on the right...

Paid another $419 on the house - 353.96 normal payment and 65.04 in extra principal. I will update the new balances later.

In Piggy for $20 Challenge for the month is: $23.10 - that is now going into my Roth IRA instead of to the mortgage as I was doing in the past. And speaking of the ol' Roth it finally made it's way from ING over to Fidelity.

Lawseeeeeee, but those folks sho' do take their own little sweet time getting this stuff done. You may not remember but I made my first inquiry into doing this in late DECEMBER folks and it just made it to Fidelity this past week! Sheeesh!!!

We mailed all the paperwork in one envelope for the entire family's Roth IRA accounts over to Fidelity on the same day back in early January I believe. In February I had to mail it again since because true to everyone's predictions of course it must of got lost over at ING!

Hubster's got moved about 3 weeks ago. Mine went early in the past week. CashHappy & Frugal's had to have paperwork mailed a THIRD time!!! I've had to call several times as well.

CashHappySon's made it over yesterday.


And get this -- FrugalSon's is still sitting in ING!


Another call to Fidelity yesterday and hopefully things are moving again. It be enough to make a body pull the very hairs out of their head! Nothing like feeling you are spinning your wheels, heh? THIS is how 'banks/brokerages' act when you want to move your money OUT - but don't YOU dare be late making a payment! GRRRRR and ARRRRGGGHHH!!!!

So far in my Roth at Fidelity I've gone w/FFNOX and FAGIX. I'm still deciding where else to go.

For March to my ADDITIONAL retirement savings goes the bank run money which evened out to a nice $10.11 in change & my regular $42.00 contribution this month. Nothing too exciting.

Of other QUICK news I did read Suze Orman's new book in March and started my $50 account at Ameritrade. We'll see how it goes. Depending on income this may set me back in my keeping up the $42 autodraft on the BankRun monies. I'm hoping that there is enough coming in to do both.

Besides being sick for most of it and as March was a rather long month following the shorter days for earnings of February let us just say that I've had quite a few days of No Spending during March. AND, that I've gotten quite creative in stretching out the pantry goods for meals.

Only one more day till I spend money again! YEEHAH!!! My refrigerator will be grateful for something to cool off! And my crew is getting ready for some 'fresher' foods.

(Do not worry - there was plenty to eat and plenty of money here that I could have gone and spent I am just working very hard to keep w/the YNAB philosophy of only spending last month's earnings in the next month.) Sticking with a budget is more difficult some months than others!

If we pay an additional $64.50ish a month between now and August 2012 we will pay off our mortgage right at the same time The Hubster is slated for retirement.

The figures below do not include today's payment that I just made of $419.00, which was actually a nice rounded up figure of $65.04 + 353.96 to come out an even 419.00.



Countrywide's little accelerating payments calculator came up with this future forecast:


Scheduled Monthly Payment: $353.96
Total Additional Payments: $4,264.02
Total Interest Payments Without Pre-Payment: $5,721.46
Total Interest Payments With Pre-Payment: $4,601.53
Interest Saved: $1,119.93
Total Reduction in Term: 1 Year(s) 9 Month(s)

I'll be charting an updated mortgage balance tomorrow when today's payment posts - I'm expecting it to be in the 22,798.00 range.

~~THE CHANGE IN PLANS~~
I have decided that we will pay the extra 65ish a month, but won't be paying any additional down on the mortgage, thus making a change in my $20 Challenge.

Our joint budget (house budget) will be making the additional payment 65ish (early payoff right at retirement) and I'll be taking my $20 Challenge money and putting it directly into my Roth IRA instead of on the mortgage.

Thanks to everyone here for finally convincing me that it is the better option for our financial bottom line.

This is a compromise of sorts, as we could just take the 65ish and put it into retirement as well, but gosheedagnabit, I LIKE the idea of entering retirement with our home paid for.

The Bank Run Challenge $$'s will still go into my Extra Retirement Savings which will be invested outside of the Roth.

Last night finishing up February's books, I found I had $2.48 in change in my wallet. Taking it to the February challenge, as I was too sickly with the snizzles & snuffles yesterday to give a big rat's fanny...

...just shuffled off to bed in my furry houseslippers and flannel nightie w/the tissues sticking out 'my pockets! Here's hoping today is a better health day. Not to worry though, I'm wrestling with it!!





$20 CHALLENGE

$33.46 balance
+02.48 change pocket
______
$35.94 Feb Total

2007 Challenge $89.87
Cumulative Total $215.98

In other February news I was able to plow an additional $650.00 into my Roth IRA during the downturn in the market.

Bought on sale! YIPPEE.

This was extra sitting in my checking that wasn't really planned for anything else, so was tickled to have a bit to put in while things were selling at a discount. Only wish it were more. This amount is over and above my regular Roth IRA contribution.

Yesterday was a no spend day for me, but the house budget bought Arby's since the cook was sick last night.

HONK! HONK! BARK! SNIZZLE, and SNIFF! My, my, isn't THAT attractive? NOT!!

Thank God for Puff's Plus w/Aloe Vera and a very loving Hubster who takes care of Dr. Mom when she is sick!

HELLOOOOOOO SPRINGTIME!!



Good news is that I was able to turn off the heater today and open the windows and patio doors for some nice cross ventilation. It feels great when those fresh breezes come wafting through to help clear out the winter stuffiness!

When I left the house awhile a go I saw that I have two daffodils that are bloomed out by my driveway! HELLOOOOOO SPRINGTIME!!

Daffodils are always a Happy Sign!

Of financial note I spent $31.02 yesterday at the scratch n' dent and got some great buys - Catsup at 25 cents a bottle, crackers 50 cents a box, BBQ sauce 50 cents a bottle, syrup 35 cents a bottle, sausage 99 cents a roll, etc. Came home with five HEAVY sacks of groceries.

Tax Efficient Mutual Fund Placement For Maximum Return




a useful article:

Maximum Returns: Tax Efficient

Look At Your Payroll Stub & GET Good & MAD



Wow - don't you look HOT this morning!??!

No?

Well, just wait.

I want you to get capital M.A.D. mad this morning. That's right - P.O.d!!

I want you so mad that you're steaming!

Steaming hot that is.

I want you to go and get your payroll stub out of the filing cabinet. (You do have this stuff filed, right?? RIGHT!)



}}}}}frantic rifling of piles{{{{{{



oKAY... I heard that mad shuffling of papers!!



Go ahead. I'll wait on you.






Good, you're back!!


Now I want to tell you about a little conversation the Hubster and I had this past week when I was being headhunted for a nice little J.O.B. in the financial sector.

Afterwards Hubster was asking me how I decided to turn our finances around - the answer "Your payroll stub."

"Huh?"

"As a matter of fact it was your health insurance that did it for me."

"auhhhhuuuugguuu (quizzical Tim Taylorish grunt???????)"

"I saw that we were paying more out every pay period for health insurance than we were saving for ourselves. --Way MORE! Like 85% more and it hacked me off royal that the insurance company CEO's
were living in mighty fine houses and driving super nice cars and have maids and lawnkeepers and such and we were barely scraping by.

It was then at that very moment that I decided to get serious about our finances - I determined that we were going to put back more for retirement savings than the health insurance company was taking out.

That is what began our financial turn-around."


After thinking about it, it made me wonder if it will help any of you to GET MAD enough to want to do something for your own future??

My message, dear friends, is for you to look down at your payroll stub and if you aren't saving at least the same as, if not more than, the health insurance company is getting then I want you to ask yourself, "Why do I think more of their future than I do my own?"

Then get angry enough to do the financial footwork - Take The Actions - necessary to get your future on track!

Stepping off soapbox now!

Okay, you can go back to your paperwork filing now. You are going to file that stub back in it's slot aren't you??

BTW, did I mention how hot you look this morning??

Totally H.O.T.!!

(note: cross posted in forums)

Our Experience With This Firm



For informational purposes to you guys and also to keep track for myself I'm posting this entry...

On 1/11/07 I sent in the paperwork to get our Roth IRA's transferred from ING over to Fidelity. In this a.m.'s e-mail bag was this notice:

"Your transfer was initiated by Fidelity on 01/19/2007. Based on our experience with this firm (ING), your estimated completion date is 02/06/2007."

Here's hoping!

edited later to add: About three years ago I printed this little graph above out and stuck it in three places - my wallet where the cash goes, in my makeup case where I see it daily and on the dresser mirror. It does help give me pause before I spend will-nilly!

Tidying Up Loose Ends

Spent last evening tidying up the loose ends on the office front. Money to Hubster and my Roth IRAs. We had cancelled the automatic drafts at ING but still want to put our monthly amounts in and went ahead and did that because I'm not sure just how long it will take for them to rollover to Fidelity. Moved & done!

Then moving more dollars that came out of ING savings on over to Emigrant for myself, CashHappySon, FrugalSon and The Hubster. Moved & done!!

Tidying up the little loose ends makes me feel much better. The mind noise - the nagging sound of interest being lost - can now SHUT UP!!

Yeah!

Done & DONE!!

Now reading CubeChic:



I don't have a cubicle, but if I did, I like the one on the front cover - only slightly less on the nick-nackery.

The Difference a Couple of Sticks Can Make!

The Hubster spent yesterday evening and will spend part of today putting up trim sticks around the top of our kitchen cabinets. Now mind you a decent stick can cost about 6-10 dollars, but you only need a few.

Our cabinets were all just tacked to the wall when we got here w/a 1/4 to 1/2 inch of space at the top (no nothing was level) and it looked cheap and crappy for as long as we've been here and this year we'll start on year 7.

I've been after him nicely to put these up since day 1. At anyrate he's on it now and they look SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER! A tiny bit of trim and few nails and V.O.I.L.A. (that people is how you actually spell waaa-laaa) it looks freaking fantastic! Luxes it up nicely!

The fact that our house used to be a rent house is quickly fading into the sunset.

A few little details are what have helped majorly. Little things such as replacing all the old silver tone INSTITUTIONAL LOOK el-cheapest you could buy light fixtures w/brass and goldtone lighting fixtures.

Really they only cost a few dollars more and they make it look So Much NICER.

Little things like replacing all the light switch and outlet plugs w/brass plates. Simple and inexpensive lil' upgrades like these few trim sticks and things are beginning to make a turn around.

Shewwww, I'll be so glad to have this stuff done and off my honeyman-do-list!!

Nothing looks sweeter to a woman than the sight of a man getting her 'PLEASE' list crossed off! YEAH HUBSTER!!! He says he's gotta keep the cook happy!



Guess I'll whack him on the shoulder more often!

Just Stop It Already & Spare Lung Anyone??!!

On today's financial forefront was a phone call to National City Credit Card to STOP sending me those dumb convenience checks. Only took a minute or two, and I did use their toll free number but wish these places did not send this crap out!

No bank run today as we are iced in AND I took all my wallet cash out earlier in the week and stuffed piggy with it for the $20 Challenge anyways. So, nothing there to run with.

Today finds us eating leftover white beans w/ham chunks for lunch. Yummers. That will be the end of that and I'll make us a big pot of potato soup for supper. I love me some tater' soup folks! The best next thing to being home at Momma's and eating HER potato soup! I did get a call from her this morning and they are without electricity but the worst to her was that she won't get to make her weekly trip to the hairdresser! Oh Vanity!!

Of family note is that my sister took my brother to the doctor yesterday and he hasn't been doing his breathing treatments like he should. Doctor gave him a good talking to. Sister asked him on the way home if he understood it all and if he knew what the cure was for the acute pulmonary hypertension that he has.

"Uh, no - a cure???"

Well she tells him..."It's a lung transplant bubba - do you know anyone who's going to give you one of their lungs???? No? Then better start doing those breathing treatments, heh? ...and keeping that oxygen on at ALL TIMES."

His breathing level is practically nil and his heart is already grossly enlarged. Can the boy not get a hint???? Sheeesh! You gotta love my sister, God love her she tells it like it is. No sugarcoating. Just blunt.

It's reality time brother!

Sometimes it feels like a swift kick to the backside is not doing any good and you'd like to go for a good whack up side the head if you thought it would penetrate, ya know????

I got off the phone w/Mom giving me the medical update and walked outside and there was Hubster with a lit cigarrette in hand. I just whacked him right on the shoulder - thru his parka coat and asked if he'd had the quit smoking prescription dealybob filled yet? I already knew the answer was no. He got it from the doc early last week!

I am tired of sitting by the bedside of folks who won't take care of their own health!!!! I gave him the evil eye, I'm watching you look and re-entered the house! Lord help us all!


K.I.L.L.E.R.

No spending - I haven't spent any money this week at all - none since last Saturday when I spent 3.24 on drinks for three harried remodeling folks after our sawing & hammering. Yeah me!!

Washed That Orange Right Out of My Hair!




I sent in the paperwork yesterday to change all four (mine, Hubster's, FrugalSon's and CashHappy's) of our Roth IRA's to Fidelity from that orange place! Ahhhh, now that feels better! I know it may take a bit for it to all settle out, but am glad to get that taken care of!

Peel THAT oh orange place! Of course, I'm filing this one under Kiss My Assets! (Nope that's not our lil' happy fambly! We're all WAY prettier than that!)



Kiss Off Orange

Updating Mortgage Balance

Updating the mortgage balance as my last $33.12 extra payment posted.

New balance is $23,360.41!


(Not my house - just like the visual of a hairy house - that's what a mortgage feels like!)

Is She Typhoid Mary? LuckyRobin's Avoidance Fever

I seem to have caught LuckyRobin's Avoidance fever! FrugalSon is off today and I used that as an excuse not to work on the budgets but to rearrange furniture!

We have completely moved my room back to it's normal bed position after the window & blind installation got completed this weekend.

Moved The Hubster's dresser out of CashHappy's room and into our bedroom and taken the ugly bookshelf of Hubster's audio & media stuff out of our bedroom and put it in the place the dresser was in CashHappy's room.

Too much stuff - too little house.

Actually I have a big house it's just that folks want everything on the main floor when some of it could concievably be better accomodated in the basement.



This moving of furniture will allow the door-hanger guys to get to The Hubster's closet to put in a closet door. There hasn't been a door on his closet since we moved here! Only a curtain over it. I'll be so glad when this gets done!! They sent a second guy out to measure the other day as the first guy just wanted to be sure he got it all straight. Nothing here is standard measurements!!

The Hubster called the window people today - they are the ones putting in the sliding door and asked when they were coming back! They took off the awnings and threw them in the yard...they were supposed to haul them off. They've left broken glass in the yard, also supposed to be gone and hadn't bothered to notify us of when they intended to come back and put in the sliding glass door.

Okay - they haven't got paid the second half of the balance as the sliding door isn't installed yet - they have to rent a concrete saw, but hey, get the trash out of my yard if you're just gonna drive off into the sunset peeps!!

Oy vey!!

He says they are planning to show up Thursday - now wouldn't it have been nice of them to check and see if Thursday works for us???? Oh well, I will make it work!

Warm Cockles and Budgeting Done Right



Here's hoping there's a chicken (or TWO) in every one of your pots for 2007!!

After this post I'm off to make a big pot of chicken soup for the hungry hordes who are bound to come out of hibernating some time this year! In the crockpot is the traditional New Year's hoppinjohn (blackeyed peas & ham).

Ta-da, just now checking the mail from the last few days and here's the tag notice for Hubster's car. Happy I am that the money is sitting there all nice and pretty in savings waiting to pay the little sucker!!! Anticipatory budgeting does work if you do it right!! Yeah Frugalis Family!

Just updated the mortgage information over to the right! Oh how I wish that bugger was gone! Good to know that zillow.com states my equity is inching upwards quite nicely! Warms the cockles of my heart!!

Ummmm...I'm with disneysteve, moving and selling is quite the chore. That's why if The Hubster and I do decide to downsize it'll be one last hooray right about the time he retires. Getting his Dad's house ready to sell was a MAJOR chore and still we have no buyer in sight! I'd hate to be trying it when he's pushing 70's or beyond! Makes me tired just thinking about it!

My mother just recently built a home and she is still a year and a half later disconcerted when trying to find her stuff to bake and get ready for the holidays!!

NEW always sounds fun and exciting...but a wise person counts all the costs, eh? Seems more and more I turn things down because of the effort it would require.

How about you?

Big Orange Can Kiss My Rosy!



Well, one of the reason's besides the holidays that I haven't blogged on is that I've been having a whoo-ha fest with the savings account people who like to throw the color orange about - (NOPE, I'm not even giving them free advertising while I gripe about them.)

I was locked out of my accounts for many days as I was later told we had 'too many' accounts (see unlimited doesn't really mean unlimited number of accounts - they do have their limits). It took them about five or six days to figure out the problem and only after I'd made about three phone calls.

I was told "You NEED to consolidate." No, I don't NEED to, you NEED me too. There is no beneficiary contigent to their accounts. It was a pissing contest of sorts because I was named as joint owner on all The Hubster's accounts and both of the kids at home numerous accounts, as well as my own. Good thing I waited to open the ones I was going to for the nine grandkids and one great-grand-kid heh?

I was also VERY RUDELY told that I "should talk it over with my husband". Now, I don't know about you girls, but at my house I make 99% of all the financial decisions and to be told in the year of our Lord 2006 that I need to discuss it with the man of the house just ripped it for me.

I had been hanging mostly with the orange people because of having all my accounts set up there - savings and CDs and even their IRAs, but let me tell you I couldn't move OUR money fast enough after that little statement. OMGosh that did it -- hello orange people -- there are plenty of others out there who pay better interest and happen to live in THIS CENTURY -- not the dark ages.

So, goodbye orange. Take your men CSR's and give them a little sensitivity training, would ya? No, we are not high-rollers and you probably won't miss our money too much, but I'll be happier with it somewhere that knows that a majority of all household financial decisions are made by the lady of the house THESE DAYS.

So, yes, I've been gone celebrating the holidays AND though time consuming also liberating my family's dollars from the female-bashers and putting it somewhere else where they appreciate those of the fairer sex.

Kiss Off Big Orange! Why Yes,YES you CAN kiss my rosy!

That sounds fair doesn't it?

Auto Insurance Unexpected DISCOUNT



Earlier in the month when I paid my auto insurance for the year which is a big ole whopping amount I was trying to do it by phone and the girl told me that since I was paying the entire coming year's premium that I would get a $43.69 discount! YEAH!!! That was certainly a nice surprise!!

I'll take it!!

(...but it makes me wonder that if I'd just sent the check in the mail if they would have refunded anything, you know what I mean????)

Anyway, an unexpected little gift from good old Santer' Clause!!

Pamper Me Pamplona

Okay - Between Flylady's posting about pampering ourselves and my extended family acting all crappy about Christmas I decided that the last two days was a PAMPER MYSELF necessity!

FrugalSon and I went to see 'The Holiday' with Cameron Diaz and Jude Law! A very nice movie that I would watch again and again.

Watching that reminded me that I'd been wanting a haircut and I'd had mine styled similarly to Cameron's before so I went for it -- a cross between Diaz



and Sandra Bullock's.



While at the Supercuts (I wanted to go to a nicer place where the stylist takes more individual time with you - but the budget did not allow PLUS I had a Supercuts coupon!) ...anywazsoz' I decided while there I should do something else for myself that I've been wanting to try. I was up until yesterday an eyebrow virgin. Meaning I never pluck, shape, sugar or do that weird thing with floss.

I had my eyebrows waxed for an expenditure of about 12.50 or so. It was good. The shop was virtually empty so all three of the girls 'did me!' One cut my hair and the other two did the eyebrows. Fortunately both eyebrows match!!

THEN, I went further and went to Cato Fashions. I had been reading my MissusSmartyPants stuff and thinking I needed a fresh look. So while there I got myself a new pair of basic black pants that actually fit me perfectly. As you ladies know that is a Major FEAT unto it's own. There is usually always something a bit off. These were regularly priced at 19.99. And I got a very cute and flattering top to wear to Christmas at my Mom's and will work well with the pants and also go with a long black skirt for church later. My color, a flattering blue/green that makes me ol' hazel eyes blue for the duration. Daring decollatouge' and all. Woo-hoo it was on the clearance rack for $5.99 velvet bodice ribbon and all! A SCORE!

Next up was a trip next door to the Payless Shoe store where I was able to purchase at the BOGO sale and got myself a very nice black flat everyday type (working world) dress shoe and a pair of black tennis shoes.

I know I know I said I wasn't going to buy any more shoes this year so I've blown my Vow (See Thrifty Ray's Vow post). I needed new walking shoes in the worst way. I've had three foot surgeries and shoes that fit and are on sale are hard to run into in the same breath. I promise to only wear them once this year to Mom's (it's an outfit) and then will put them away till January 1, Thrifty Ray!!

Okay, so I went a little wild. But hey, I look hot, and my feet will thank me later!

So a day of pamper me luxury - a very rare thing - and if my internal adding machine is working I'm somewhere in the $99 dollar range. Not too bad - but I don't make a habit of this kinda thing. Matter of fact I can't even remember the last time I did such a thing (maybe four or five years ago) which tells you it was long over due!

Wow -- Broken Arrow - it really does feel good to confess our indulgences! BTW, I love the tea-light lamp!!

Tres' Chic!

Like the 'new and improved' me!

Little House So Very Small
Just Room Enough For Love That's All

Somehow the LOVE is missing this weekend. At least for my mortgage holder.

Okay - we are blanketed with the blizzard this past week and this weekend and Wednesday night the cable line snapped in the onslaught. Today they finally came to fix it. Because I sometimes pay more than the set amount on my mortgage I don't have it set on automatic, but just log on at the end of the month and make the next month's payment.

Yesterday comes and STILL no cable. No logging on. Nope - no can do. How to make payment - I get on the horn and think I'll just phone in my payment and they can take a check over the phone like so many others do. Yes, I can do that but it's a $15.00 fee to do so....augh!!! I'm halfway thru the AUTOMATED payment process before they finally tell me there is this DUMB fee!!! Can I talk to a HUMAN BEING with feelings please???

Oh well, I went ahead and did it rather than be late on my payment. I tried to call them today and ask to have the fee removed or payment cancelled or something because of the blizzard - so I could log on and make the payment at no charge but there are no service reps there today. I will try again on Monday.

SHEESH - $15.00 bucks! Oh yes, did I mention that they also have stopped sending statements so there is some little bit of difficulty in even trying to mail them a payment and getting it accounted for correctly. Go ahead - ask me how I know!! I dare ya!

No really - You probably don't wanna ask as I don't think it would be pretty! Did I mention that I hate Countrywide?

No?

I hate Countrywide.

You can't tell I'm disgusted, can you????



$15.00 bucks to take my payment - AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUGGGHHHHHHH!

Updating the Mortgage Info:
New Balance as of 12/01/06 $23,674.36
Contractual Payoff 7 years 5 months
Actual Payoff 7 years 1 month

Bank Run - 02 December 2006



Bank run for today was $2.58. The Hubster had to drive me as we boondocked over the washboard ice from the blizzard! We had to get out to take FrugalSon to work anyway. He missed yesterday and the day before that because of the snow. CashHappySon didn't work yesterday or today because of it as it is too far to drive in this ice!

The Hubster dug out from 8:00 a.m. to 11:50 yesterday morning in order to get his car out of the driveway and went in to work and left at 4:00. The day before it had taken him 1 hour and 45 minutes to get home from what is a normal 20 minute commute.

Okay, back to bank runs - I didn't get to do some during my brother's stay in hospital (8 days) so November came up a bit short.

The Bank Run money IS deposited every week when I can get it there (and haven't spent it on crappy hospital cafeteria food) and then moved the same day to Emigrant in a specially marked retirement account there where it resides until I decide WHERE I want to invest next.

Right now I'm closing in on close to $750.00 in this account and will probably pop it off to some other investment at that time depending on the interest rate climate at that time. This account is also fed by a line item in my personal budget each month.

December Bank Runs $2.58

Cummulative Bank Runs $30.20

A Laundry Tip & Margaritaville



First off let me just apologize to Jimmy Buffett as I'm not into stealing your hits man!

I'm having to adjust myself to the new schedules of folks around here. Moving the laundry to the dryer (formerly CashHappy's chore upon arising) this morning I found a quarter.

FrugalSon used to fold & put away in between job 1 and 2 at lunchtime and I'm trying to eliminate him coming all the way home in the middle of the day and we're packing him a lunch so when I pick him up at job 1 I can just drop him at job 2 w/o going back out! This taxi business is aging me! The Hubster does his own laundry (his choice) on the weekends. Now I've got the guys starting their wash at night before bed, and I'll move it to dryer in the mornings.

FYI: According to an article in SouthportToday, "Americans spend between seven and nine hours each week cleaning their clothes, according to a survey by Procter & Gamble. That’s a whopping quarter-ton of dirty laundry per person every year."

Uhhhh, I think folks are going to need to leave a bit more than a quarter in their pockets if that be the case. With four of us here currently that means we'll be doing a ton of laundry a year, literally! Egads - remember the days of seven at home!

Even so with just currently four the laundry lady may have to up the anty a bit then!

Taking it to the challenge:

$20 CHALLENGE
6.21 balance
+.25 laundry tip
____
6.46 Nov MTD

Cummulative Total $77.00

I saw a sign once - a smiling apron wearing lady of the 50's thereupon said "I finished your laundry - the ashes are in the fireplace!" heeeheeeee Cute! Guess I'll just waste away here doing the laundry!

I have that same exact washing machine in my garden with one of those neon green Margarita (ornamental sweet potato) vines growing in it! This plant really pops w/it's bright color and looks good trailing over the sides. The bottom of wash tub is painted black to match the shutter trim on the garden barn. Found it in the dump area that the renters/former owners had back behind the house by the creek. We literally had to dig it out of the creekbank.


Pretty!

Skimming, Rebalancing, and Good Pension News



Purchased into a new Fidelity account this morning in The Hubster's Traditional IRA - which was a rollover account - in the amount of $2500 to FSUTX - Fidelity Select Utilities Growth Portfolio.

This was done by skimming off some of the profits from some of the other funds in his portfolio that have been performing extremely well.

I call it skimming the gravy - the pro's call it taking or booking a profit. This is how we have been able to diversify and grow this IRA without putting in additional funds.

FSUTX is up 23.62% this year-to-date. Hope it continues!! Cross your eyeballs and hold your tummies in as we all know that past performance is no guarantee of future performance. So far this year we are up about 5,000.00 in this account. YEAH TEAM FRUGALIS!! Wish it were more of course but very grateful for the positive results.

FSUTX is into telecommunications and electrical utilities as their main investment focus.

Also done this morning was an account rebalancing in his 401-K. Made a big play in one particular small-cap that has been doing well the last couple of years - 45% of future contributions into Allianz NFJ Small Cap (Growth) and 22% into American Funds Growth Fund R2 (Growth), 8% in Vanguard 500 Index (Growth & Income), 15% in American Fund Cap Inc Bldr R2 (Equity Income), 5% Pimco (Bond), and 5% Templeton Foreign (Growth). I will be keeping a close eye on performance. The trouble with the 401-K is that we are very limited in the funds available to invest in.

The Hubster has absolutely no interest in finances, just brings home the paycheck. He's signed over administration of his accounts to me - thankful I am that we are seeing positive results then, heh???

I do discuss everything that I do on the account and get his go-ahead first and I have even insisted that he get on the phone w/the CSR and do a few trades that I've suggested just so if something happened to me he wouldn't be a total newbie. So far he seems satisfied with my results. I do appreciate the vote of confidence but it does tend to make one nervous as I'm taking a somewhat more aggressive tack than what's recommended for someone his age it's just that we have limited time to make up for the disappearing pension!

There is some good news on that front but still iffy and even if the rumors I've heard are true then it's good news/bad news stuff. IF we can get some things straightened around with his employer (they claim they have no interest in seeing this thru as it happened before the buyout). We did find out recently what company is holding the funds purported to be in the 4 1/2 million dollar range for the group of about 390 employees but they are missing a contributor's list WITH UPDATED ADDRESSES and have refused to pay out to any more new retirees until said list is updated. SHEESH!!

Anyway - the way they explain it makes sense in some ways but not others...too complex to get into here. I dunno about you but I'd hang on to the 4 1/2 million too and claim that we can't make any more payouts but I think the government and lawyers might have something to say about that. Can you say CLASS ACTION???

But it may be forthcoming!! We have approximately 6 years to get it straight! This investment company that's holding the pension funds is a big one probably one of the top four or five of it's type so it's not likely to disappear, but how to unclench their tight little fists may be the challenge.

Even though present company is not playing along nicely I do believe by law that they are required to do some certain amount of performance like making old records available.

At any rate the monthly $$ amount being touted about is on the smallish side (no worry, we'll happily take what we can get) and will be cut in half upon his demise!

Ladies - SAVE YOUR MONEY you may need it one day!!!

Steaming!



The Hubster has now announced that two of his siblings (5 kids in all) want to drop the price on FIL's house a whopping $7000.00! We just listed it about a month and a half ago!!

These are the same people who took almost a year to get it cleaned out...all the while I'm encouraging them to please hurry as there is a prophesized real estate bubble about to burst.

Slow shuffle, slow shuffle, slow shuffle...and now they want to run to the finish line????

I mean, I mean, I mean, good gravy people where was all the rush when it would have been useful??

Now, they may eventually HAVE TO drop it 7000.00 but all in one fell swoop? Get real people!

I'm steamed!

...and having a hard time keeping my tongue. Wondering about their logic.

So glad that these folks are no blood relation to me!

Mortgage Update



After yesterday's payment posted I have an update on our priority goal of paying off the mortgage:

Drumroll please!! Gotta get these beasties off my back!

11/01/06 Current Mortgage Balance = $23,893.92

Is 0% APR On Purchases Better Than Cashback?



Neat article:

http://www.mymoneyblog.com/archives/2006/10/is-0-apr-on-purc...

Forget Cashback??

How Do I Miss These Things???



Okay, I'm rocking along thinking I'm doing great on the budgeting front when WHAM a realization that I've only been budgeting for six months worth of auto insurance premiums but stretching them over 12 months! Duh!

So, in other words I only have half (312.00) of what I need (624.00) and it's due on 11/30. If I squeak the payment to my agent late in the day on the 30th I might get by with taking some of December's auto-insurance allocation to pay it. Then I've got to save like the dickens to get it together before the end of May when it'll be due again.

I hate screwing up. I especially hate messing up financially.

RAAAAAAAARRRRRR!!

Today I paid off my October CC charges - of 223.48 which was the October groceries and some Christmas, due on the 9th of November. These were all budgeted and saved for items.

So far scheduled for November payments as they were put on the CC in October after the cutoff date are:

534.00 car warranty mainten. unexpected
380.00 paint planned
25.00 paint planned
626.00 tooth crown - emergency
______
1565.00 CC - must be paid off as I refuse to carry a balance!

and now try to come up with
312.00 auto insurance - dumb mistake
_______
1877.00 As I said, the E.F. is definitely going to take a hit!! And I think I see mounds of beans and rice in the near future.

OUCH, OUCH and Double OUCH!!!

It's Soooo Rewarding!



Just noting that today I requested online a $20.00 rewards check payout on my Discovercard. They said it will take 5 to 7 days to appear in my checking. Just wanting to note here when it was requested so I can count down the days to see how quick they are.

I bet they don't slow down on drawing my payment out of the checking though! This is the first time I've done an online request for this.

Anticipating money = good feeling as long as it doesn't take too long! I'll log it as inflow when the money clears my account.

Also of note today I made a payment on the mortage of 404.03. Will update on the right when it posts.

Deposited 20.45 today from the October Challenge - a mysterious .07 cents made it into Piggy this month as I only logged 20.38 as income. You gotta love a good mystery!

I spent about 4.00 today out of my allowance as I had already wiped out the October grocery budget and after yesterday's freezer fiasco I needed some hamburger for tonight's dinner and an onion, plus I got myself some Vitamin A&D (1.67) which really helps me along with Vitamin B6 & E to fight off the cold/runny nose/mucus/sore throat thing when it starts to creep up during the winter months. I had run out of A&D and I don't like to head into cold weather without it!

So, at first twinge I dose myself up w/2 B6's, 2A&D, and 2E's. By morning my head is 99% of the time cleared up. If not totally clear then a dose of one of each for the next few days usually zaps any crud that is trying to jump on me!

There you have it - L.L.Frugalis' cold remedy. Anything that gets past those vite-viti-vege-mums requires a dose of the Hot Toddy (hot whiskey, honey and lemon) and some Vicks Vapor Rub to the chest just for the Mom effect.

Go, and cough no more!

Santa I've Been A Very Good Girl



The window man is here measuring as we are getting new insulated windows in the top story of my house. It will be about 6 weeks before they can install but I'm excited as I think Santa is going to be extra good to me this year and will be doing my whole top floor (11 windows) instead of just the five windows we thought we were going to do!

YEAH SANTA!! I think we'll have a snuggly Christmas this year! On the outflow side today is a deposit of half for $2490. Not bad.

The January Effect: Volatility & VooDoo



Okay, I was clicking around...click, click, click when I ran in to this website which has a great article on The January Effect. Thought you guys might be interested since this in / out timing of the market was just recently being discussed on the forum. Neat historical chart.

http://www.moneychimp.com/

Once there click under Volatility and Voodoo to find the article.