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Archive for June, 2011

Debt Payoff and Savings with Reimbursement Progress

June 25th, 2011 at 10:48 pm

Here is my progress so far with the reimbursement.

$1241.38 (total reimbursement)
-$200.00 (payment to credit card)
-$200.00 (deposit to car savings to eventually replace the car)
-$90.00 (pay off the balance on the lawn mower)
-$325.64 (bought a new PS3 because our old one is about to die)
__________
Balance $425.74

I will make at least one more deposit to the savings and payment on the credit card next week.

The other thing we need to get is a new filter for the water filter connected to our kitchen faucet. That will probably be around $75-$80.

Text is http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=231719&catid=46844&aid=333840&aparam=AjPJcvMU9To-FnU3abzqLuTSpS.LvhzFvg and Link is
http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=231719&catid=...

A computer geek we know has basically offered to buy our old PS3 because he fixes old ones and sells them. We don't know how much yet, but it should help some.

The note about my credit card balance at the left is correct for the first time in a long time. I had not put the actual number up there because it was so embarassing. Now, I will be putting the correct, and declining, number there. I am getting a pretty good raise in July and that should help a lot in enabling me to: 1) increasing regular savings, 2) increase retirement, 3) pay down the credit card, and 4) put away more for house upkeep and eventual car replacement. Woo-hoo!

My Reimbursement

June 23rd, 2011 at 03:58 am

My reimbursement for my travel expenses has arrived. Normally, I only get $500 per year, but if there is any travel money left at the end of the year in my organization because someone didn't use their travel money, someone gets the benefit of that. So, it is being deposited and once it clears, I will begin the process of dolling it out. The first amounts to go out will be: 1) $90.00 for the lawn mower, 2) $250.00 to the credit card, and 3) $250.00 to savings. That is just the beginning of my plan, but it gets better than that. This is gonna be FUN to pay off debts and bring up savings balances!

Debt Payoff Challenge

June 20th, 2011 at 07:20 pm

Well, I just got $10.00 in survey money, so I immediately set up a payment in equal amount to the credit card for Thursday. By then, I should also have my reimbursement money and can alter this amount to include what I was going to pay out of it on to the credit card.

Netflix Problems

June 20th, 2011 at 03:07 am

Anyone know what's happening with Netflix? We cannot log into our account or watch instant movies.

Food Challenge

June 18th, 2011 at 09:57 pm

I did pretty good with the Food Challenge this week. I only bought an occasional iced tea or soda and lunch on Friday. I had to buy lunch then because the floor in our break room was being cleaned and waxed, making the only refrigerator in the building inaccessible.

Here is something I am trying in order to get away from drinking soda and also to drink cold tea in the summer. I just cannot stand drinking hot tea right now.

Text is http://www.vitacost.com/To-Go-Brands-Green-Tea-Energy-Fusion and Link is
http://www.vitacost.com/To-Go-Brands-Green-Tea-Energy-Fusion

Well, here are my meals for the next week:

- Oatmeal, raisins, almond milk, flaxseeds, and honey, 6 servings

- Gluten free pasta salad with tuna, 2 servings

- Poverty meal (a.k.a. beefaroni) with elbow macaroni, ground beef, tomatoes, tomato sauce, spices, onion
Text is http://www.food.com/recipe/poverty-meal-27520 and Link is
http://www.food.com/recipe/poverty-meal-27520, 6 meals

I don't know why they call it poverty meal, because I have been eating stuff like that nearly all my life.

- Beef stew with hamburger, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, spices, rice, black beans, carrots, onion, 6 services

Update on My Trip, Debt, and Savings

June 6th, 2011 at 08:12 pm

Well, I survived with no major catastrophes. However, while ironing clothes in my hotel room last Friday morning, I burned myself with the iron. It will probably take a couple of weeks to heal, but it's okay and does not even hurt. It itches a lot, though. I also managed to something get my neck vertebrae out of place and had to go see the chiropractor. I sounded a lot like a popcorn machine when he put them back in.

As for the financial news, you will note in my list of the debts to the left, hospital bill #1 is PAID OFF. After I got back from my trip, I found that I had some money in checking that I had allocated for the trip left over. So, I immediately wrote a check to pay off the hospital debt. It feels great. I had planned on paying it off with part of my reimbursement from the trip, but this is even better. It's like found money.

I also had $6.00 in cash left over from the trip. That money went to the regular emergency savings account, bringing the balance to $522.43! I am loving this!

Also, I got a $20.00 survey check in the mail today, so I deposited it to checking without delay and scheduled a credit card payment for the same amount.

I managed to do fine with eating on my trip. I was a little bit afraid I would not be able to find gluten free food to eat, but there was a market close to the hotel where I bought cereal, bagels, almond milk, fresh fruit, lunchmeat, peanut butter, and bottled water to eat. It cost a whole lot less than going out to eat. Most of the cash I took with me went for food at that grocery store. I am so proud that I never whipped out the credit card and only used the debit card 4 times, so I was way under budget.