Other stuff....not moving!

All I have talked about for a month is the move.  And while it consumes all of my thoughts, you shouldn't be subjected to it all the time.  Sorry!

So other stuff that (financially) has happened....

1) Escrow reimbursement.  Because our taxes went down ever so slightly on the house, our escrow account had a surplus.  So we got a surprise check in the mail for $342!!!  WIN!  I would have been perfectly happy to let it sit in the account and it get credited toward the house when it sells....but here it is.  Not that it is really staying.  It is going toward the expenses we have already laid out for fixing up the house.  But at least that covered our window ($288) and flowers ($45). 

2) Bossy's supplies.  Oh, I will NOT miss the company that currently supplies all of our feeding tube supplies.  We have not received a correct bill in at least 2 years.  And the woman who places the order each month oversteps her bounds and questions the doctor's orders.  Anyway, we got a bill for the Oct, Nov, and Dec 2013 (yes....last year) orders.  We previously had gotten the bill for October back in the March 2014 area.  And it was messed up.  We had a credit at that point and stopped paying monthly until they got the following months billed...since I didn't want to keep paying them for an unknown amount. 

So yes, they are finally billing it.  And the bill was wrong.  Again.

Once again they didn't subtract the discount for our financial waiver (actually, I was told that someone did, and then someone un-did it before the bill went out).  The $515 bill went down to $158 with the credit we had. 

We MAY have a slight bill after this, depending on how they bill things.  Our 100% waiver kicks in for 2/2/14...so there are about 5 days before that which haven't been billed yet that are technically at 60%.  It would be about $10.  Who knows what they will do....or when they will do it!

3)  Taxes at the store.  My brother bought Sassy a sweater for her birthday at a national chain store that sells over priced, very sparkly clothes.  Sassy loves them.  I say ick.  But that isn't the point.

The sweater was the wrong size, so I took it back (with the receipt that Bro sent with it, just in case) and did an even exchange.  Then they proceeded to charge me the difference in tax!  My state has a higher tax rate (go figure....) than Bro's state.  So while I didn't get charged anything for the item, I was expected to pay the difference in the tax.

We have returned and exchanged lots of things over the years at a variety of stores, and I have never been charged the difference in tax.  So I called customer service to inquire about it.

First the girl tells me it isn't their policy, it is the state. 

Mysti: This is CT policy? 
Girl:  Well, no.
Mysti:  So where did you get this information?
Girl:  From Home Office.
Mysti:  OK, then it IS company policy.
Girl:  Yes.

*sigh*  Then yes, it is THEIR policy.  This girl has no idea what I am talking about....she is reading it from a book.

She proceeds to tell me that the company isn't going to eat the cost.  I tell her that if no refunds or charging of difference in tax, then there is a good chance that it will be a net zero anyway.  Plus, there is always the price of doing business.

For the record, this wasn't about the AMOUNT I had to pay in tax....it was that they advertise free returns/exchanges....and my exchange transaction wasn't "free."  No, I wasn't charged to actually exchange the item...but I am penalized because I live in a more expense state than my brother.

The bottom line was I lodged my complaint and told her that I will be less likely to tell family to purchase from the store because of this.  She offered to send me a gift card for what I paid....no thank you....it was a very small amount and I don't need the GC.  I didn't tell her what the amount was.

It was 20 cents.

It wasn't about the 20 cents.......it was about the policy.

My BFF laughed at the story.  She said it sounded like the scene in Father of the Bride where the dad wigs out over hot dog buns.  Enjoy!!!

My First Giveaway!!!!

In honor of my upcoming blogiversary (2 years on Saturday!), I am proud to announce my first give away!

Novica.com, a fabulous site that strives to unite artisans through out the world with YOU, has generously sponsored this giveaway to allow you to meet their artisans and partake in some beautiful goods.  Their mission (from their website):

We want to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow.

I will be reviewing some products shortly, but wanted to get the party started NOW!  If you are interested in entering this giveaway for a $50 gift code to the site, to purchase anything from clothes, scarves, jewelry to home goods, spiritual items, and more....then here are the rules:

1)  Contest will close at 7pm (east coast time) on 8/8/11 (that's Monday).
2)  Anonymous entries will not be honored.
3)  The winner will have 48 hrs to respond to me.  In the case that the first winner fails to contact me, another winner will be chosen.


So, how do you enter?  I don't Facebook or Twitter, but I want to allow you to have a few chances. Each of the following ways will gain you one entry into the contest (just make sure you leave them as separate comments).

1) Follow my blog (it's at the bottom....keep scrolling!).  If you already are a follower, then leave me a comment that says so.  If you aren't, then become a new follower, and THEN leave a comment!


2)  Check out Novica.com, and let me know what you are interested in.  I will warn ya, it is soooo easy to want it all!


3)  Tell me one talent you have....c'mon, we all have them.  Don't be shy!

4)  Tell me why you read this blog....the good or the bad.  Am I just a train wreck and you can't look away???


So that is it folks.  You have up to 4 ways to enter.  Get to it.  And Good Luck!!!!

Beating away the financial blahs

I already know where and why these feelings are creeping in.  But there are here....so now I have to deal with them.  It is a combination of my meds being a little off, plus having a night out and spending money, and.....I am leaving for a few days to visit a friend.

I never claimed to be Gazelle intense.  And while I love to read about others who are....it does frustrate me that we can't/won't do that.  I just hate to adjust our current totals and have to adjust them UP.

I am frustrated that no matter what I do, the "master" plan doesn't work.  There is ALWAYS a repair that ends up being way higher than what we have set aside.  The cars...I question if we should have gotten rid of them awhile ago.  The order of doing things seems to be in a constant state of change.

This year has been rough.  But honestly...every year is rough.  2007 was the death of our twins, along with a huge oil leak.  2008 was my miscarriage and having to replace the roof.  2009 was the death of my father-in-law, car issues, and a myriad of other things.  2010...who knows.  And now....2011....marriage issues, the pool, car issues.....now having to fix Bossy's room.....

Apparently....I just suck at this getting out of debt thing.  G-man made a comment the other night that really upset me....."debt is just a way of life."  That spoke VOLUMES to me.  While he wants to be out of debt, and is participating more in the discussions....he isn't getting it yet that this noose around our neck is just weighing down our LIFE.

Now that our medical waiver is gone...my student loan is going up....we are unable to lower our interest rates without either opening another credit card, or maybe a new Lending Club loan....it is time to revisit the budget AGAIN...and figure this out. 

I know I am not getting a raise at work (state budget cuts).  I know that G-man is willing to work more overtime, when it is available....but if it isn't available....there isn't much we can do.  I know that we are saving for Christmas, car stuff, irregular expenses.....and we are doing the best we can.

I am just frustrated that others are pulling way ahead, and we are treading water.

So my two small things for the day to make me financially feel better are 1) continue to pack up yard sale leftovers to sell at consignment (we did a trial run on Friday, and we will probably get about what we were asking at the yard sale), and 2)  I bought some bulk coupons for shampoo, which with sales...will come out to about $1 a bottle. 

Pity party over.

Are you saving money this summer?

This is a guest post by Andreas from moneysupermarket.com; who writes about all things finance including savings, loans and credit cards.

The economic climate during the last couple of years has caused people to be a bit more frugal during the months when we’re normally most likely to spend more money.

Many people get carried away with their spending during the summer months, but I see it as a great time to save money. The sun is shining during the summer months (depending on where you’re based) and you can use the hot weather to your advantage to save some money. 

Hang Your Clothes Outside  
Whilst the sun is shining during the summer period you should hang your clothes outside instead of using the conventional dryer. 

Hanging your clothes outside should help you to save money on electricity, and if you’re green minded you’ll be happy to know that you’re doing your bit for the environment too. 

Go on a Holiday Closer to Home 

I normally go abroad once a year but last year I decided to vacation at home in the UK and I did save a lot of money. Often referred to as a “staycation”, going on vacation locally is becoming much more popular as it’s a cheaper alternative to going abroad.  

As long as you feel like you’ve traveled far enough away from home then you will still feel like you’ve had a holiday experience. Do some research and see what areas you could travel to where you have never been before and try something new.

 

Try Not to Use Air Conditioners 

Using air conditioners during the summer can seriously inflate your electric bill; try to circulate the air around your home more effectively. You can use portable or ceiling fans and you can open all of your windows to try and generate a breeze. If you really feel like you need an air conditioner, make sure the one you choose has an energy star rating for being energy efficient.

 

Try to Avoid Using Your Car 

Instead of jumping in your car and heading off to enjoy the summer weather somewhere, why not consider jumping on the train and taking your bicycle with you? You’ll save money on petrol and do your bit for the environment too.

 

Grow Your Own Fruit and Veg or Visit a Farmers Market 

Take advantage of the hot weather and grow your own fruit and veg during the summer, you may be surprised by how green fingered you actually are. Foods like tomatoes, cucumbers, beans and even corn grow fantastically well so try them out. 

One other thing you could do is pay a visit to any local farmers markets in your area; they can be a great resource for fresh produce at great prices so see what they have to offer.

I hope I’ve outlined some ways in which you can save money during the summer period, if you have anything that you think I’ve missed be sure to let me know in the comments section.

Mysti's Note:  Thanks to Andreas for this post.  The thing I love about this post is that despite the fact that Andreas lives "across the pond" from me, in the UK, the ideas are still the same!

How do you save for it ALL?

Let's just put the saving while in debt debate aside for a minute.  We all know there are things we WANT and if you save for them...then great, have at it.  But what about things that you NEED, and you need to save for it ALL????

Home maintenance is pricey.  I think the statistic is something like 5% of your home's value per year.  For us, that would be about $9,500.  I think that is a little on the high side yearly.  But I would say that $3-4,000 isn't totally off the mark at times.

All of the things that need replacement aren't dead and broken....YET.  They are all senior citizens, who aren't quite at round the clock care, but definitely in an assisted living situation.  Legitimately, they all have lived out their lifespan.  It isn't unreasonable to think that they need to be replaced.

The problem...trying to save for it all at once!!!

I sooooo wish I was more money savvy when we bought the house 10 years ago.  There are so many things that I would have done differently as a whole.  But one HUGE thing would have been starting a home maintenance fund.  And then when things wore out, I would have a cushion.  But no...we couldn't afford to save (how can you afford to NOT SAVE......ugh, lessons learned).

Things that need work around here (in no particular order):

1. Pool liner (in process....the current liner was placed in 1993)
2. Deck boards (also circa 1993)
3. Stove/Oven (circa 1998)
4. Refrigerator (circa 1998)
5. Carpeting in Bossy's room (um, no idea on age, but I am guessing that you aren't supposed to see the floor boards underneath through the worn holes)
6. Carpeting in Sassy's room (eh....it is really ok, but if we have an Adventure in Carpeting (starring 80's teen star Elisabeth Shue!), we might as well replace hers)
7. Furnace (circa 1950's....still works but is highly inefficient)
8. Windows (circa 1911...original to the house....again, works, but is inefficient)

Additionally, there are household items that are also worn out, or getting there.  These have moved way down on the priority list, but at some point will need to be addressed.

1. Living room couches (circa 1997)
2. TV in our bedroom (circa 1994)
3. Closet system (for the larger of the 2 closets we have...where 3 of us share it for all our clothes, and it just isn't working)
4. Digital camera (circa 2004; we did get a newer one, and it doesn't work right and we hate it)

It is completely overwhelming.  Where do you even start to save???  What if you aren't able to do it one thing at a time, and multiple things go at the same time?  What if a larger ticket item goes sooner than expected??  ARGH!!!

Back to the saving while in debt.  Yes, we have an emergency fund, and the majority of things on the list aren't emergencies (kitchen appliances and furnace really are the only true emergency items).  But I don't want to deplete the EF, and then struggle to rebuild, all the while with debt and other things looming.

Right now, the I call the plan the $115 plan.   This is the amount that gets transferred from our checking account to ING savings per paycheck.  It is the go-to money for larger savings goals.  Camp was funded this way.  The kids' birthday party (almost funded!) and Christmas will be funded this way.   Once each of these accounts is funded, then the $115 will go towards saving for the extra stuff, until it is time to start saving again for Camp and Christmas.

Piggy back this with gift cards and such from other savings programs (My Points, Swagbucks), and we are cobbling it together.  Not a great plan...but it is the only one I have at the moment.  If we can make some MAJOR headway in the debt snowball, maybe I will slow that down a little to allow for more savings for the items.

And maybe in Fantasy World...we will get to take a vacation someday.

What do you think of this store policy?

The store shall remain nameless.  But lets just say it is a popular children's clothing store, and you pay for quality clothing.

I bought each of the kids one item of clothing about a week and half ago.  They are both awkward sized right now....super skinny (ah, to have THAT problem), and getting things that are long enough and fit in the waist is a challenge.  I found something for each of them that would work, and they would be able to use for awhile.

Unfortunately, it wasn't on sale, but I bought it anyway (save the lecture....I know...I know....).

Well, the store had a sale where everything was 30% off.  So I took the items back to see if they would price adjust it, or I would return and re-purchase.  The store must have this happen alot...because they have a whole policy AGAINST it.

They only price adjust for 7 days (I was at 11).  Ok, no biggie.  I will return and repurchase. NOPE.  They make you wait 24 hours to repurchase.  The only way around it is if they have the clothes on the floor, in your size....THEN you can purchase THOSE, but not the ones you just returned. 

Of course, the 2 items were on the floor, but not in the sizes I needed.  And the sale ended today, so returning them would have just been a return.  And even if the sale went on until tomorrow (which it doesn't), if someone bought my sizes, then I would be out of luck.

What do you think of this????  I get that people could just keep returning and repurchasing, but I think it is a bit extreme.  It isn't a store I frequently  buy from, but this policy sort of turns me off a bit.  Do you think it is reasonable?  Am I being unreasonable?