Financial Elementary School

How goes the Xmas shopping?

2008-11-30T15:10:00.000-08:00

Ok, in the past the "obligatory giving" has just about ruined the Christmas season for me. This year I'm only giving a handful of presents, and for the most-part there's no obligation felt at all! Not a lot of money is being spent either, because there's not that much to give. But I'm planning on enjoying what giving I do.

This year I'll stress out about getting the decorations up, instead!

My "Not-A-Checking-Account" Checking Account...

2008-11-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

I have a "checking" account with ING Direct. They call it a checking account, but you can't write checks against it. You do have a debit card, the use of ATMs, and bill-paying. It even pays interest. You just don't get a checkbook to write checks with. The online bill-pay will print a check and mail it to the designated recipient, but that's still not the same as being able to write a check on the spot.

The account is free, however, and the interest rates are relatively high. It's all part of the economizing that most of the "Internet" banks do. No bricks-and-mortar branches. No checks. No tellers. No high fees, either. I think I'll keep them.

I'll also be keeping my account at Truliant Credit Union, so I can write checks, or walk in and make a deposit or get a cashiers check.

Gas Saver Tips

2008-11-17T09:40:00.000-08:00

Just because gas is less then $2/gall again (Hooray! BTW) it doesn't mean anyone should slack off on their conservation measures. The best way is still to minimize the miles you drive by consolidating and eliminating unnecessary trips.

One of my favorite methods is to keep a well stocked pantry, so that I don't have to make trips to the grocery store. There's nothing like a loaf of bread in the freezer and a few envelopes of powdered milk in the pantry. I generally rotate bread from the freezer when I buy a new loaf. It thaws quickly and there is no deterioration in quality.

Powdered milk is also great, and can cost less than 'real' milk. I buy Walmart's GV brand which is packaged in one-quart envelopes. You can also add a single drop of vanilla, but it tastes great as is. Just follow directions, mix well, and chill.

Electricity Breakdown

2008-11-13T09:43:00.000-08:00

Or rather a breakdown of the usage. My electric company, Duke Energy, provides online tools to help you understand your energy usage. It only takes a few minutes to set up and then you'll get an idea of where the electricity goes in your household. I live in an all-electric house, so it's good to know this stuff.

Not surprisingly, heating and cooling the air top the list, followed by heating water. Afterwards it's all about food, keeping it cool and getting it hot (i.e. refrigeration/freezing/cooking). Then there's cleaning (washer/dryer/dishwasher). Then you get to things like lights, computers, televisions, and well pumps).

Obviously for biggest savings it's about insulation and adjusting thermostats. Refrigeration seems like an all-or-nothing proposition, but newer models can be more efficient, and refrigerators and freezers operate more efficiently when they're full.

And turn off the computer when you aren't using it. I used to leave one running 24/7, which can cost $14-$18/month! Now I'm mostly using the laptop, so the power strip with the 'big' computer, monitor, and printers is unplugged.

Finally, the bill analysis shows my monthly usage for the last yeat. Not-surprisingly the hottest and coldest months I used over three times as much as I did in May and October, the most comfortable months.

We'll see what kind of help the electric blanket makes this winter. Not to mention to four-footed, fur-covered heating machines.

Linen's N Things Clearance

2008-11-13T09:01:00.000-08:00

An opportunity for anyone with a kitchen-gadget fetish? Not yet.

The advertised sale is "20-40% off" everything in the store, but most of the kitchen stuff is 'only' 20% off. They used to give you 20% off every day with the coupons, with which I used to paper my second bedroom, they were so plentiful. The coupons aren't good towards the sale items.

Call me when you get serious, 40-50% off everything.

A Time To Be Cheap

2008-11-07T07:43:00.000-08:00

Cheap is not the same as Frugal. To me, being frugal means getting more from your money, not spending friviously, minimizing expenses. all within reason.

Being "cheap" on the other hand is avoiding spending any money that you don't have to. It means buying lower quality, having less, or not buying at all. It means skipping things instead of merely economizing.

Frugal, to me, is the right way to live. I like to think that even if I were to have a lottery-esque windfall that I would still nmake decisions based on frugality, though I know my lifestyle would change. (New carpet, landscaping, paved driveway).

Cheap, on the other hand, seems more like a psychosis. Don't know if it comes from an impoverished past, or what. Of course more often peoples psychosis tends towards the opposite extreme.

But in tight times with poor economic forecast and cash in short supply even the frugal need to be somewhat cheap.

That being said, I'm off for a frugal weekend at the coast. A friend invited me down, so for the cost of some gas, a little food, and a $5 fishing license I get a vacation! Glad I'm not too cheap to enjoy it.

Save Money Eating Abroad!

2008-11-04T09:11:00.000-08:00

Ok, not really. This post is actually about the money that can be saved by familiarizing yourself with ethnic grocery stores. Chances are that your locale has at least one hispanic grocery store or, if you're lucky, hispanic supermarket. Many larger cities have asian markets, and I know of at least one, um, Indian(?) grocer within 15 miles of my home.

Ifyou're like me, you won't be able to identify some of the ingrediants, nor have any idea what to do with many of the identifiable ones. But I can guaranty that you'll find many staples that are familiar to you. Some ingrediants are more of a staple to traditional American palattes, so are available much cheaper. Talking beans and rice, and many many other staples. Spices and sauces, are frequently cheaper, plus there's likely to be much more variety then you'd find at "regular" grocery stores.

Really, you may feel like you've entered another world, and in a way you are. Admission is free, and you may find that you're visiting on a regular basis. Personally, I only visit the Asian market when I need something specific, but the hispanic market, which I recently visited, will probably be a regular stop because of some good produce deals, the mist extensive meat department you can imagine, and other products which aren't too "foreign" to me.

Arrrrrrgh! Spoiled Hamburger Edition!

2008-11-03T09:50:00.000-08:00

I am VERY upset with myself, as I just remembered the $5 pack of hamburger I bought last night to make meatloaf. I remembered it, but didn't remember putting it, or seeing it in, the refrigerator. It was the more expensive meat, too, meaning more lean. Oh, I could just chew nails when I do something like this! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

Hard on myself? Yes. But I really hate doing something so bone-headed and wasteful when I try to live frugally.

The problem was that I had to go to two grocery stories to get what I needed, and somehow only emptied the plastic bags from the second store, putting those cold items away, and left the paper bag from the other store sitting on the floor. I was kind of in a hurry to get dinner going, too. :-( I probably won't do that again for a long time.

There was also some orange juice that I left out, but we'll find out later if it's ok or not.

Saving Money With Mr. Electricity

2008-10-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

I've just discovered the website of Mr. Electricity and spent a few minutes exploring. Ever the economist, I like to find the truth about how much it really costs to operate things.

The biggest revelation, the coffee maker uses a LOT of electricity. I frequently forget to turn it off and will leave it turned on for four hours, making the coffee really terrible. The cost of running a 900-watt coffee maker, according to the site, is $34/year, if run for an hour a day. So running it for three extra hours cost, woa, $102/year, just to make bad coffee!! I'll be making a point to drink my coffee and turn it off as soon as I'm done. If I want more I'll just give it a minute in the microwave, at a cost of 96c/year.

The biggest cost, to my surprise, is hot water. Washing and rinsing clothes in hot water can add 55c/load to your electric bill! I'll save my not water for the shower, and cut the water off while I'm shaving.

Explore energy savings with Mr. Electricity at http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/

Woo Hoo! Free TV Rocks!

2008-10-22T19:22:00.001-07:00

Ok, after weeks and weeks of waiting my $40 discount coupons came for my digital tv converter box! I made a quick run to Best Buy for the Insignia brand box that I'd already picked up via research. Once I got it home I had it connected and working withing about 10 minutes!

Backstory: Since January I've been surviving on a combination of DVD rentals, download and streaming tb shows, and rabbit ear television.

Rabbit ear television isn't SO bad. It least it is watchable, mostly. I get the four networks and PBS, and a couple of other channels. The picture varies from near-perfect to, well, if you have company it can be pretty embarrassing.

But the converter box: After going through the first few steps of the configuration it went through an automatic scan, finding 14 channels. 3 were basically unwatchable, so I deleted those. The eleven remaining provide 4 network channels, 3 PBS channels, CW, two local weather channels, and a local, independent station.

The picture is perfect. At least, to me, it's indistinguishable from cable tv.

Not only is there a good picture, but there's also a simple guide. You can see the name and description for each program, as well as the next scheduled program on each channel. The remote also control the volumn, closed captioning, display preferences, and power for both the converter box AND television. That means I only need one remote, unless I want to watch a DVD.

And all the is free!

Free! Free! Free!

Free once you have a converter box and some rabbit ears.

The Insignia converter box retail price was $60. With tax and after the $40 coupon it was $24 and change. I already had rabbit ears ($10 at Walmart).

Now I look forward to a lifetime of free tv.

Of course I'd like to have a few of the cable channels, but to get a cable or satellite package the would provide them would probably be $40/month, about $500/year. That's an expense I choose to live without right now.

The digital converter box kind of makes me feel like I'm getting one over on the cable company. About time.

If I was a provider of pay tv I'd be worried, especially after word starts getting around about how great free tv can be!

Dollar Store Burning

2008-10-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

Yep, I got burned.

Ok, maybe no-one's to blame here. When the price is $1 a lot of the offerings will be crap. Like the paper towel holder I was just installing. When I went to put the roll or paper towels into, and celebrate my victory, the arm of the holder snapped off. Trash can callin'.

Still, for cards, cleaning products, personal products, decorations, kitchen stuff, and so much more...the dollar stores are still the place to go.

The Food Savings Tips

2008-10-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

I gave my best gas savings tips, so thought I'd follow it up with the best budget saver I know, food savings tips.

1) Cook! Cook! Cook! You can cook almost anything for much, much less than you could ever eat out. Food, snacks, desserts, beverages (especially alcohol) are all cheaper at home.

2) Learn to Love Leftovers! They really were one of the basic food groups when I was growing up. Now that I'm the cook, the leftovers that are left over are all things I like.

3) Leftovers make great lunches, too! And cleaning out rhe refrigerator regularly keeps food from spoiling which is wasted food, time, and money.

4) Get a meal plan. When you plan meals a week or two ahead thenyou don't waste time trying to decide "What's for supper?" whose answer is frequently a restaurant anyway. It also allows you to shop ahead, or plan to use the sale items from the last grocery trip. When you plan and shop ahead you don't need last-minute trips to the grocery store, which saves time and gas.

5) Get a freezer, if you cook much it's wonderful to have enough room to store a few weeks or months worth of food. Uprights are easier to organize, but they cost more. Chest freezers may be a little more efficient.

6) Stockpile the basics. Bread freezes well. Parmalat shelf milk is very handy when the milk in the refrigerator runs dry. Those "tubes" of hamburger freeze great, and are best when put in the refrigerator the day before to thaw. Dry pasta lasts "forever" as to most canned items.

7) Instant mashed potatoes are one of the great inventions of our time. Also, frozen pie shells and non-stick cookware.

8) The Dollar Store is great for some kitchen essentials. Things like tongs, whisks, measuring cups, flatware, big spoons, plastic bowls, chip clips, pot holders. You need several of all of these things.

What?! Aldi is for Poor People?

2008-10-13T12:52:00.000-07:00

That's what some people have said. Probably more than a few.

Ok, call me poor, if it makes you feel better. Poor but smart. Smart enough to shop Aldi because they have good food (and a 200% guarantee to back it).

Also saves me money and saves me time. Not just because Aldi is the closest grocery store to my house (with a second Aldi only a little further away), but because it’s so efficient to shop there. I don’t mind bagging my own groceries, it just means they get bagged the way I like.

Do I mind depositing a quarter to use a cart? No, it just keeps prices down because Aldi doesn't have to pay someone to wrangle carts. And since people don't waste a lot of time at Aldi, the parking lot is small, so it doesn't take any longer to return the cart to the front of the store then it might take to walk to my car at Walmart.

And yes, you have to pay for the nice paper bags. But that means they go back to the store instead of the landfill. Greenies take heart.

I keep a couple of quarters in my console and a dozen Aldi bags in the trunk, so I’m always ready to go!

Ok, the selection is smaller than at other grocery stores. It is impossible to do all of my shopping at Aldi, but that’s ok, it gives me a chance to mingle with rich, ‘dumb’ people from time to time.

Cell Phone Changes

2008-10-13T12:37:00.000-07:00

Today my new cell phone plan goes into effect. There should be no real changes to the way I use it, other than to minimize text and picture messages, as I'm paying for each one individually. I was paying $6/month for a package. If my usage even approaches that then I can always go back to it. At 15c/text and 25c/picture message it doesn't take much.

More On Milk

2008-10-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

Not long ago I blogged on trying the Parmalat "shelf" milk, because I wanted some milk to keep on hand in case I ran out, so I didn't have to make an "emergency" trip to the grocery store. I have to say, now that I've finished off the first carton, the Parmalat milk is delicious. I think I could drink it all the time, were it not twice the price of the $3.49/gallon milk at Aldi Foods.

I've also purchased some powdered milk. It is also expensive, but I found some with 10 1-quart envelopes for about $8, which is the same price or cheaper than "real" milk. The next time I run low I'll mix up a quart. If it truly is terrible I guess I can try baking with it, or saving it for the end of the world.

I read a few tips on powdered milk. 1) Add a drop of vanilla. As smell is a big component of taste that's probably what makes it more palatable. I've noticed the Parmalat milk also has kind of a vanilla-ey smell. 2) You can mix a quart of powdered milk with a quart of "real" milk to stretch things out.

In the meantime, I've got a couple of quarts of Parmalat milk on the shelf.

Gas Savings Trips

2008-10-13T11:24:00.000-07:00

1) Don't drive so often. Think about it, can a trip be put off, and consolidatd with other trips. Even more profitable than better mileage is fewer miles. Saves not just gas and tires, but time.

2) Easy leadfoot. Drive the speed limit, or even a little slower.

3) GPS it. My GPS lets you calculate routes a variety of ways, but the obvious ones are Fastest and Shortest. Sometimes one makes more sense, but today I had to return something at K-Mart and tried both calculations for my return trip. The Fastest way was on the highway at 13 miles. The shortest way was on secondary roads and came in at only 10 miles. Sure it took longer, and there were a few stop lights, but the highway route was 30% further! Also, on the highway the speed is 65 mph, as opposed to 45 max on the secondary roads, so while it took a little longer, I was probably getting much better gas mileage as well.

Cell Usage For September

2008-10-12T06:34:00.000-07:00

Anytime Minutes 167
Night and Weekend Minutes 50
M2M/My Circle Minutes 894
Outgoing Text Msg 28
Incoming Text Msg 18
Picture/Video Messages 41

Note: Next month my plan changes. Only 5 MyCircle numbers and a-la-cart messages. I'm also losing the Vonage phone, but gaining a second pre-paid cell phone. Free phone and $25 worth of credit, good for 90 days. AT&T Wireless.

Risky Mortgage Borrowers-SHUT UP!

2008-10-08T20:10:00.001-07:00

I'm sick of hearing people whine about how high their payments are for their sub-prime loans. You should have known better!

Sure, the banks are guilty too, for making these crazy loans to people who couldn't swing the payments for a conventional mortgage. They're feeling the pain now, as we all are.

But the borrowers are JUST AS MUCH TO BLAME! Just saw a guy on tv saying he "Felt like a slave making his home payments." Well guess what? If you buy it you're supposed to pay for it, no mater what happens to "the value". It's the house you wanted to buy, now make your stupid payments and live there. The payments are exactly the same as they would be if the value of your home had doubled!

Shut UP already!

Jumping Through Hoops For Turkey

2008-10-08T08:41:00.001-07:00

Or for a $20 gift card, at Food Lion, who has this promotion with the following rules:

To receive a *$20 Food Lion Coupon (good toward any item(s) sold in Food Lion with the exception of alcohol, tobacco, gift cards, pharmacy, lottery, postage stamps and services), you must do the following:

REASONABLE ENOUGH

* Present your personal MVP Card and Turkey Giveaway Card (available in the Food Lion Flyer October 1 – November 25) to the cashier each visit.

OOPS! FORGOT TO PRESENT THE TURKEY CARD. I DOUBT THEY'LL ASK FOR IT. WASTED A SHOPPING TRIP.

* Purchase $45 or more per visit (purchase of alcohol, tobacco, gift cards, pharmacy, lottery, postage stamps and services do not count toward the $45 requirement).

NOT HARD IF YOU DO ALL OF YOUR SHOPPING AT FOOD LION. FOOD LION IS WHERE I PURCHASE SUPPLEMENTAL ITEMS, I DO MOST OF MY SHOPPING AT ALDI.

* When you use the Turkey Giveaway Card from the Flyer, personal MVP Card and meet the minimum requirements, the ticket number will print on the bottom of your RECEIPT. You must collect and return the full receipt.

DON'T LOSE THE RECEIPT OR YOU LOSE.

* Collect (1) Turkey Giveaway Ticket (RECEIPT) per visit (ticket numbers change each Wednesday and run through the following Tuesday).

OH, I THOUGHT WEEKS STARTED ON SUNDAY, BUT AT FOOD LION THEY START ON WEDNESDAY. ANOTHER DETAIL THAT CAN TRIP YOU UP.

* Shop (6) of (8) weeks to collect (6) different weekly Turkey Giveaway Tickets (RECEIPTS).

DOESN'T MATTER THAT YOU SPEND $100 ON WEDNESDAY, SATURDAY, AND TUESDAY, YOU CAN ONLY USE ONE RECEIPT.

* Present your (6) different Turkey Giveaway Tickets (RECEIPTS) to the STORE OFFICE/CUSTOMER SERVICE by December 2, 2008.

AGAIN, DON'T LOSE THE RECEIPTS. YOU HAVE AN ENTIRE WEEK TO COLLECT THE COUPON AND AN ENTIRE TWO WEEKS TO USE IT. ALL IN ALL, THIS SOUNDS LIKE A TURKEY OF A DEAL TO ME. JUST FIND A TURKEY ON SALE FOR 39c/lb SOMEWHERE AND BE DONE WITH IT.

Is It Over For Coupones?

2008-10-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

Somehow, good coupons seldom work for me. I'm talking about grocery coupons for national brands. It's not that they are without value, but there seem to be so few coupons that are actually useful to me in the coupon section. I'd like to use them, but they mostly don't seem worth the effort for the savings they'd produce. Perusing the inserts of last Sunday's newspaper produced one "clip-worthy" coupon, $1 off 1 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers. Ok, maybe it is worth looking through them. Maybe.

Saving Money By Buying The Most Expensive Milk.

2008-10-07T14:44:00.001-07:00

When you live alone, or alone save for priceless feline companions, you are faced with difficulties when it comes to saving money on food. It's hard to cook for 1, harder to shop for 1, and can be difficult to eliminate leftovers before they go bad. OTOH, it can make you popular, if you are generous about sharing leftovers, especially desserts!

Milk is an especially difficult problem. I don't drink that much milk, a gallon may go bad before I use it. 1/2 gallon cartons cost even more, though I think Aldi currently has 1/2 gallons for $2.

I've also been trying to keep my cupboard and freezer stocked, so as to make fewer trips to the grocery store, saving time and money. So what do you do when you run out of milk and shopping day is still a week away?

I splurged and bought a box of "shelf" milk. Sort of a quart-sized juice box with milk that's been treated using an "Ultra High Temperature" or "Ultra Pasteurized." Supposedly it's good for up to six months. A quart was only about $1.70 at Walmart. I know that's almost $7/gallon, but this isn't my main milk supply. I took it home and stuck it on the shelf in my pantry.

A few days later I noticed that the 1/2 gallon jug of milk was getting low, so I placed the Parmalat into the cooler (refrigerator). A few days later I cracked it open for a test. The kitties and I both found it acceptable. There seemed to be a slight vanilla taste, but it was very drinkable. I tried some on cereal also, and it was delicious.

But the price? Yes, it's almost twice the price of regular milk, by the gallon, but about the same price as a quart of milk when purchased by the quart. A special trip to the grocery store will take a dollar or two in gas, and why waste gas OR time.

The verdict? Parmalat shelf milk is about as good as regular milk. I'll be stocking up on at least a couple of quarts the next time I'm in Walmart. I'd like to experiment with powdered milk, but the high price is prohibitive. Maybe I can send for some samples?

Changing My Circle

2008-10-04T19:40:00.000-07:00

It's good to review expenses from time to time, which I did with my cell-phone bill today. I was on a "family" plan which gave me 900 minutes with national roaming for $59/month with a $5.99 messaging package. A little analysis showed that I could go with a $49 "local" plan (with "local" including the entire state, as well as the one to the South of my state) with 1000 minutes. Long distance is included. I also dropped the text plan, as I'm not using it much. I can pay by the message and probably do better, on average.

My cell is currently with Alltel, who I'm generally happy with. There service at my home (my cell IS my home phone) seems to be a little better than Verizon. It looks like AT&T may have even BETTER coverage, but I'm locked in with Alltel until at least 2010. Also, Alltel features their "My Circle" calling, where you can choose telephone numbers that you can call any time for free. The family plan I was on gave my 10 My Circle numbers. The new plan only gives me 5, but most of my calls only go to 2-3 numbers anyway, so I can manage, given the other 1000 anytime minutes. 1000 minutes, or 16 & 2/3 hours is a lot of talking. Of course if that's enough there're still the unlimited night and weekend minutes!

Now, if only I could do as well with my other bills!

Quizzle! What's on YOUR credit score!

2008-09-29T10:28:00.001-07:00

Until recently, annualcreditreport.com was THE way to check up on your credit report, for free. You could check with each of the three credit bureaus one time each year. Whatever you do, stay away from freecreditreport.com

Now there's another alternative: Quizzle.com. Quizzle is easier to sign up for, free, and while there may be less detail about some things on your credit report that's actually a good thing. Also, the information is presented in a much more digestable form. There's other info as well, such as how much your home has appreciated and how much available equity you have. (And of course offers to make use of it!)

A bonus is that they also provide your CREDIT SCORE, and you can come back any time you want to see the latest. Quizzle.com. A good thing.

Quizzle is owned by Quicken Loans. I don't sign up for every financial site that comes along, but Quicken is big enough that you can probably trust them. Not that they wouldn't be evil, within the bounds of the law, if given the chance. But I feel relative confident to trust them in this situation.

Taking Stock

2008-09-28T18:45:00.000-07:00

Actually stocking up, but I have been keeping track of my grocery spending for the last month. Amazingly, I've spend $330, and the month isn't quite over. A large contributing factor is stocking the new freezer and buying some other staples.

I'm well stocked up now, even with things like bullion cubes and corn starch, so I'm pretty sure that I could get through October with just a few stops for things like eggs and milk.

Maybe I should give it a shot, of course then it'd be back to stocking up in November. I plan to continue tracking the grocery expenses for a few months and see what it settles down to. Of course it could change if I start eating out again.

Not that I've completely given it up, but I hardly remember eating out in September, other than a stop in McDonald's when my mom and I had to go to Charlotte for the day.

Why am I avoiding eating out? Well, I haven't eaten there on my own because I've been trying to eat healthier. Also, I'm trying to eat cheaper. C) My social life is pretty lame these days, so it's better to eat at home with my cats for company than to dine out alone.

The Deals Are Out There!

2008-09-25T20:14:00.000-07:00

Wow, was playing around on CheapCruises.com and found that I could get a 7-night cruise of the Caribbean, out of Charleston, S.C., for $419 a head (double-occupancy, I assume). This is for November, which doesn't sound like a bad time to go to the islands to me. Anyway, not happening, but maybe next year.

Of course, by the time fees are added on you're probably at $500/person, not to mention whatever else you spend (alcohol, internet, excursions, shopping). Figure on another couple of hundred dollars unless you're extremely cheap, er, well-disciplined. But still not so much money for a nice (Norwegian?), long, cruise vacation.

Yardsales! Who can afford 'em?

2008-09-18T18:40:00.000-07:00

Ok, the title's a slight exaggeration because some of the best deals around are at yardsales. I love yardsales, and used to spend many a Saturday-morning cruising the best neighborhoods for a sale. (Hint, more alluent neighborhoods have better stuff and are often more likely to deal because, often as not, the sellers are looking to get rid of stuff as much as to bring in a few bucks.) And I always enjoyed the thrill of bargaining for a lower price, or the thrill of the bargain. Books are especially good deals, if you'll read them, and I once got a highly collectable HP calculator for only 18 bucks!

Nowadays I rarely indulge, though. Why? Well, I have all the basics, for one. If I do need something particular, a new kitchen tool, for example, it's much more cost effective and time effective to just go and buy new at the discount store than it is to burn gas driving to sales in hopes that I might find what I'm looking for.

Another reason is that I already have enough crap. I should be HOSTing a yard sale, or two.

Jumping Through (Rebate) Hoops

2008-09-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

Patting myself on the back for successfully (let's hope) sending in the SECOND rebate for my cell phone. I purchased a new cell phone back in March when poor reception inspired me to switch FROM the "Can you hear me now?" carrier to the "My Circle" crew. Reception is marginally better, and the My Circle actually works very well for me, as most of my calling is between either other people on the same carrier, or a few others. The only trick is that you have to program non-Alltel numbers into your circle at least one calendar day ahead of time to get the calls for free, or they use your anytime minutes, but with 900 minutes I usually have 500-600 left over at the end of the cycle.

But back to the rebate!

The phone, a Motorola Razor, or MOTORAZR V3a, to be exact came with two rebates. A $50 mail-in rebate, which I sent in, and a $30 mail-in rebate. The trick to the second rebate is that you had to include a copy of a page from the August, 2008 bill. I bought the phone in March, 2008, so there's a 6-month wait. No problem, I just put a reminder on my calendar and filed the paperwork away. Ok, I left it sitting on my desk where I could keep an eye on it.

Well, the reminder was one week ago, and today I finally got around to working on it. I found the rebate paperwork and the original bill. Reading over the rebate instructions I caught the part about sending in a page from the bill. I'd long since forgotten the exact details. Fortunately I had just thrown out the bill last night, and it was neither covered in stinky garbage, nor had it gone to the dump. I pay this bill online, so don't need the paper bill.

I had to send in a copy of the original purchase receipt AND a copy of the first page of the bill. The first page that actually SHOWS MY PHONE NUMBER, which is actually PAGE 3 OF THE BILL, not the first page as I original interpreted. Fortunately I caught this, copied the correct page, filled out the online purchase of the rebate, and stuffed the particulars into an envelope, which I'm reasonably sure I'll be able to mail by the October 10 deadline.

Whew! Where rebates are concerned, this one's a real bear. Now, anybody want to buy a really nice, lovingly used Motorola RAZR?

Frugal Gourmet Elementary School

2008-09-15T17:34:00.000-07:00

One way I can really save money is by not eating out. I love to eat out, but I can cook pretty good, and when the "savings" of leftovers are factored in, the difference is very significant. On top of that, the food is probably healthier, because if I am deliberate about my meal planning and shopping there won't be a much tempting food around, or I won't "super-size" or add fries as often.

This isn't to say the the lasagna I made a few days ago was healthy, but deprivation is not the key to healthy eating. By balancing the meal with a salad and maybe a single piece of garlic toast I'm eating moderately. But even moderation in moderation. Some of the leftovers go into the freezer so I can enjoy them next month, instead of eating it six times this month. (The two-edged sword of living single is the sheer volume of leftovers).

Another cost-savings technique, not to mention money- and gas-saver it to plan my meals and try to grocery shop just once per week, or less. I've heard that some real die-hard cheapskates shop just once each month. I actually enjoy grocery shopping, and shopping weekly lets you take advantage of weekly sales, too. The plan, which I've just adopted, fared poorly last week as I ended up shopping on four or five different days. A lot of that was stocking up, and going for missing ingrediants. I may now be able to go for a few weeks before my next shopping excursion, as I'm well stocked up. Exceptions may have to be made for perishables such as veggies, bread, or milk. Or maybe a steak?

One of the easiest, and most effective tricks is to keep an online calendar for meal planning. It's easy to shuffle meals around as plans change, too. I also keep online lists of what perishables and leftovers I have on hand. It helps keep the refrigerator from becoming packed with forgotten, rotten, treasures, and saves waste.

Coupons work for some, but not for me.

2008-09-08T19:50:00.000-07:00

Are coupons passe'? I'm talking about grocery coupons here, dear. I frequently look through the coupons included with my Sunday newspaper, but rarely find one that I deem worth clipping. 1)Most coupons don't seem that good. "$.50 off when you buy three?" 2)There aren't many that I'm likely to use. 3)It's a pain to organize, find, and use before they expire. 4)I usually buy store brands, so coupons need not apply.

The Power Of The Plan. Meal Plan, That Is.

2008-09-04T17:55:00.001-07:00

Yes, a meal plan. Not only does it save the mental effort of trying to figure out what to eat, a little list makes it easier to shop, cook, and remember what leftovers are around.

I have a special calendar on Google calendar called food where I plan my meals (dinners, mostly). I plan specific dishes on particular nights, and add a bunch of items on a random day a few weeks out. The latter are things I plan to cook, but don't exactly no when. On Google Calendar I can easily drag meals around, putting the future items onto the agenda, and re-shuffling what's already there.

I also keep a list of a bunch of the items that I have on hand, which helps when trying to think of what to add to the plan. It also helps me remember what fresh ingredients I need to use, before they turn on me.

Pound Foolish

2008-08-27T12:41:00.001-07:00

I was reading an article on the FrugalDad blog called How To Go Broke Being Frugal. In a nutshell, the cost of being frugal, or the "start-up" costs, can take the luster off of the expected payback. For example, the $50 Costco membership which you rarely use, of the $2000 washer and dryer set which will save $100/year.

For some reason my FoodSaver came to mind. I have had my FoodSaver for over a year. It is an appliance that I lusted over for some time, thinking of the money is could save me by buying bulk items which I could separate, vacuum-seal, freeze, and enjoy much later. I have used it at least twice.

Was this a bad investment? Time will tell. I purchased when I could save a lot of money, but my lack of suitable freezer space has limited my use of it. This has just changed, so we'll see if I start to use it more. Is there a high start-up cost? Definitely. The FoodSaver and extra FoodSaver bags were over $100. It's also been occupying space. Not that I had to buy a bigger place because of my FoodSaver, mind you.

Yesterday my uncle gave me a small, nearly new, chest freezer. Start-up cost: the gas to go pick it up. Time to make space for the FoodSaver on top of the counter instead of underneath it.

Week 9 - Round-Up and Wrap-Up

2007-11-24T15:28:00.000-08:00

Tonight we looked back at the series of lessons and all the topics we've talked about. Honors go to Andy and Ethel for perfect attendance! We also talked about some of the resources, radio/tv, books and the internet, for anyone wishing to stay on top of the latest and greatest information on managing and saving money. Thanks to everyone who attended the classes. I hope that this is just the beginning of a life-long ministry of helping others better manage their finances.
Sincerely, James Messick listen

Week 8 Review

2007-11-24T15:27:00.001-08:00

This was one of my favorite weeks because we covered ways to save money as consumers, whether it be shopping, using energy or whatever. Unfortunately I saved too much money as the battery was dead in my portable audio recorder, so no audio recording of this week. That's why it pays to come to the "live" events!

Week 7 Review

2007-11-03T05:30:00.001-07:00

This weeks topic was banking. We covered traditional things such as checking, savings and money market accounts, and how banks have changed over the years, now offering services such as ATM's, debit cards, and online bill paying. We also discussed the problem of overdraft/"convenience" fees, the new internet banks, mortgages and tax preparation using traditional methods as well as tax preparation software. It was a full hour! To listen click here.

Week 6 Review

2007-11-03T05:27:00.000-07:00

This weeks topic was "Investing." The discussion touched on what an investment is before focusing on equity investments, stocks and mutual funds. We also discussed financial professionals and tax-deferred instruments such as IRA's and 401k's. To listen click here.

Week 5 Review

2007-10-19T18:31:00.000-07:00

Taking a break from the usual PowerPoint presentation, the class met in the parlour this week. The planned topic was on "Retirement", but the instructor realized that he could learn more from the class on this topic then the class could learn from him, so we spent the time talking about what the bible says about retirement (very little), living on retirement income, and retirement experiences. I did record the session but will not be posting the audio file for this class. See you next week!

Week 4 Review

2007-10-11T19:41:00.000-07:00

This week we discussed some difficult necesities of life, family life in particular. Topics included combining finances, buying life insurance, wills & trusts, and funeral planning. If you missed it you can listen in by clicking here.

Sadly, our mascot Inky, a.k.a. "Quarter Cat" passed unexpectedly on Monday.

Week 3 Review

2007-10-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

This week's topic was "Life Events", big events with potentially huge financial impacts on our lives. The "Events" discussed included weddings, buying a house, having a baby, sending kids to college, and retirement. Obviously we moved fast to cover so much in under an hour, and we didn't even try to discuss other events such as buying a car, aging parents, or declining health. To hear a recording of this weeks class, click here.

Next Week's Topic! When You Love Someone (and it's Not about weddings)

Free Credit Reports

2007-10-03T14:41:00.000-07:00

To get your totally free credit report visit the website AnnualCreditReport .Com or click here. You WILL have to provide some verification of your identity, including your SSN, and other information such as address history, account numbers, etc. Your credit score (not credit report) is available for an additional fee, and I am not encouraging this. Nor am I discouraging it.

Each of the three credit bureaus is required to free credit reports once/year. I think which credit bureau offers it during a particular month is based on the state in which you live. I checked my credit report today from TransUnion credit bureau.

Do NOT go to websites such as FreeCreditReport .Com as they want to sign you up for additional services. Only AnnualCreditReport .Com is the official free credit report site.

Before You Buy...

2007-09-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

...Ask these questions.

Do I need it?
Can I substitues something I already have.
Can I borrow or rent it?
How much will I use it?
Can I wait a day/week/month/year?
Will having this really worth to me?
How long will it last?
Where am I going to keep it?
How unhappy will I be without it?
How much time/money/trouble will having it be?
Is this the best one available for me?
Will I be able to get rid of it?

What would you add to this list?

NetBank Is NetBust!

2007-09-29T12:59:00.001-07:00

To my great surprise, I learned that that NetBank, an Internet bank where I have an account, is in receivership! I learned this when I went to log on and check my account via the web this morning. The opening page included a message that the bank had been taken over by the FDIC (good news), and that accounts at NetBank would be taken over by ING Direct, another Internet bank (more good news).

Fortunately I had over $99,000 of breathing room in this account, as FDIC insures accounts of up to $100,000. The money that I do have in the account is supposedly still currently available via an ATM or by writing a check. My greatest concern is for the outstanding electronic payments which I had set up for the coming weeks. Supposedly All banking operations will resume by 5pm on Sunday (tomorrow), so hopefully this will include the electronic bill-paying, which is the main reason I opened the account. Free bill-paying and higher interest rates than local banks offer.

Oddly, I had looked into opening an account at ING Direct a week or two ago, but decided that having yet another account to juggle would be just a bit too much. I guess fate had other plans. ING is actually more attractive than NetBank has been recently. Wonder how long I can still use my old NetBank checks?

Budget Planner

2007-09-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

I found a nice resource on About.com for budget planning. It will give you a list of common budget categories you might want to use in working on your personal budget. You can find it by clicking here.

Week 2 Review

2007-09-27T19:53:00.000-07:00

Hi Gang! We added to our numbers by three this week, which is great! Since we're covering a new topic every week it's definitely OK to come in late. I did record this weeks class again. The audio file can be found by clicking here.

This Week's Homework!

Last weeks exercise of tracking your spending will help with this one, so you can keep doing that (optional of course). Then,
-List your expenses.
-Calculate your monthly spending. -
-Determine what recurring expenses you have that aren’t monthly, and determine how much they cost/month.
-Create A Budget with monthly spending expenses, and an amount to put aside for emergency fund and annual fund!

If you're like me you'll find that it's hard to come up with a budget that balances, but if you trust Him you'll always be ok. Consider the following:

"Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!" Luke 12:22-24 New Living Translation

See you next week! If you like something about this course then tell a friend. If you don't like something the tell me!

in all things...love

Financial Elementary School Mascot: Quarter Cat!

2007-09-22T11:55:00.001-07:00

Expensr!

2007-09-22T10:19:00.001-07:00

For anyone wanting to try the free Expensr tool to track your spending, it can be found at www.expensr.com, or by clicking here.

Week 1 Review

2007-09-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

The class got off to a great start this week. I was pleased by the group that turned out but am hoping others will join us in the weeks to come. Since we're tackling a new topic each week, no one needs to worry that they'll be "lost", after all it's just elementary school!

This week we discussed the growing need for financial education, especially for working adults and married couples. We also had brief introductions, discussed the sources of wealth, what it means to be "wealthy", and how our spending can easily equal or surpass our income, if not held in check (no pun intended).

I did make an audio recording of the lecture and created an MP3 file. You can download it or listen from your computer. The quality isn't great, but I'm making it available for anyone wishing to listen again, or anyone who's joining the class late and wishes to hear what they missed. The audio file can be found by clicking here.

Homework! This weeks homeworks assignments were to send me an email so that I can create a class mailing list (jamesmessick@gmail.com) and to try and keep track of all your spending for the week, to learn where your money is going. You might be surprised! Remember, the homework assignments are not to be turned in, as they deal with very personal information, but they are very important, to get you thinking about your money in different ways!

Next week we'll look at prioritizing out spending to keep the wolf from the door, and the "unexpected" expenses that often push us over the financial edge!