I called today to sign up for my 16% discount on SprintPCS services as an ING customer and was told the deal ended "on the 15th". There was no mention of a deadline in the flyer that came with my statement. Who is asleep in the ING marketing department? I did some searching and it appears this promotion was a mess. I'm not sure of the details.
I have been happy with ING so far, but this just makes me psychologically feel as if they have "taken something away" from me with no notice. And that is not a nice, happy, orange feeling.
So I fired off and email to both the ombudsman and the email address given on the now defunct promo web page telling them (politely, I promise!) how I felt. If mistakes were made with this promo, they still aren't proactively handling it and that just doesn't seem like them.
I happened to check my account balancejust now and I noticed that a $25 "new account bonus" was posted to my account today. Huh. Nice. Still no reply, but $25 in free money will keep me happy. And of course...Orange.
Friday, July 29, 2005
Thursday, July 28, 2005
7 out 9 Funds at 52-Week High
Micro Boom?
Things are looking up for my retirement portfolio. After I opened my new Fidelity Rollover IRA in April with the "previously ignored 401(k)" I watched it plummet (I have a knack for timing apparently) and I have been cheering it on as it slowly made a comeback. 3 out of the 4 mutual funds I have in that account are at a yearly high and I have 4 more funds across my portfolio at highs. I'm not counting chickens or anything, but I can relax a little now that a lot of things look kind of upswingy.
Things are looking up for my retirement portfolio. After I opened my new Fidelity Rollover IRA in April with the "previously ignored 401(k)" I watched it plummet (I have a knack for timing apparently) and I have been cheering it on as it slowly made a comeback. 3 out of the 4 mutual funds I have in that account are at a yearly high and I have 4 more funds across my portfolio at highs. I'm not counting chickens or anything, but I can relax a little now that a lot of things look kind of upswingy.
MA Sales Tax Holiday Aug 13-14
I was checking out the CNN Money Personality Type Quiz after reading frugalgirl's post and an article on upcoming sales tax amnesty days caught my eye. Mass tax rate is 5% (which isn't huge, but it's still a "discount") so I think this is when we'll buy our new washer and save $40-$50. Eleven states are doing it this year, here's the info for Massachusetts:
Dates: August 13-14
Items covered: All nonbusiness sales on a single item costing $2,500 or less are covered. Automobiles, boats, telecommunication items, meals, utilities and tobacco are not covered.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
2005 Mid-Year Checkup (Part 1 - Debt Free)
Ok, so the halfway point was a few weeks ago ;)
Honestly folks...I am feeling a little lost out here. I know I've made some really useful accomplishments but mostly all I can focus on is how my original goal of a $10k emergency cushion by year end now seems unreachable. I know that the key to succeeding is a positive attitude and a willingness to face challenges so I am trying to get out of this rut and re-frame my goal because my current inner monologue is bringing me down.
I was inspired by Nicole's birthday-eve reflection and thought that if I concentrate on what I have done right, maybe I will be inspired to find a way to meet my goal...or at least give it my best shot.
JANUARY
My partner and I started 2005 with about $14,000 in credit card debt and no non-retirement savings to speak of. Holy crap. Watershed moment. (More on that another time)
FEBRUARY
JUNE
The rest of the year presents other challenges...stay tuned for Part 2
Honestly folks...I am feeling a little lost out here. I know I've made some really useful accomplishments but mostly all I can focus on is how my original goal of a $10k emergency cushion by year end now seems unreachable. I know that the key to succeeding is a positive attitude and a willingness to face challenges so I am trying to get out of this rut and re-frame my goal because my current inner monologue is bringing me down.
I was inspired by Nicole's birthday-eve reflection and thought that if I concentrate on what I have done right, maybe I will be inspired to find a way to meet my goal...or at least give it my best shot.
JANUARY
My partner and I started 2005 with about $14,000 in credit card debt and no non-retirement savings to speak of. Holy crap. Watershed moment. (More on that another time)
FEBRUARY
- By the end of the month the entire $14k was paid off (thanks in part to my bonus and the IRS)
- I opened a savings account with ING and earned $25
- I gained control of an old 401(k) that I had been ignoring worth approx $16k (duh me)
- I started this blog to help keep me accountable and serve as a repository for useful info
- I went back into debt for $3000 (at 1.9% promo rate) to purchase an asset ...a 2004 Roth IRA
- I started automatically deposting $100/mo into savings
- I entered as much historical data as I could that was missing from Quicken (three months of cash expenditures, a few retirement accounts)
- I created a budget and met it the first month (w00t!)
- Opened a checking account with free online billpay and cancelled two other billpay services which were costing me a total of $15/mo (gah!)
- Enacted my new allocation scheme for my retirement accounts
JUNE
- Finished paying off Roth "debt" which cost me a total of $15 and change
- Came in nearly $400 under our vacation budget
- Set up monthly automatic Roth contribution
The rest of the year presents other challenges...stay tuned for Part 2
Hot in Herre!
Hot in.....
So hot in herre.....
So hot in.....
I was like, good gracious heat's outrageous!
My apologies to Nelly but this heat wave has me almost ready to run out and buy an air conditioner. Almost.
I've never owned one and I intend to keep it that way (unless I move to somewhere where the heat is dangerous of course). I just don't want to spend the money on a unit and I dread the effect on my electricity bill and the environment. I know our ceiling fans cost money to run too, but we did try to buy very efficient fans - and they cost extra! how annoying.
Our house is now insulated (Yay! Yes, I am proud of that improvement) so it's really only on these really humid sweltering days that I feel my resolve waiver.
FREE things I do to keep cool:
So hot in herre.....
So hot in.....
I was like, good gracious heat's outrageous!
My apologies to Nelly but this heat wave has me almost ready to run out and buy an air conditioner. Almost.
I've never owned one and I intend to keep it that way (unless I move to somewhere where the heat is dangerous of course). I just don't want to spend the money on a unit and I dread the effect on my electricity bill and the environment. I know our ceiling fans cost money to run too, but we did try to buy very efficient fans - and they cost extra! how annoying.
Our house is now insulated (Yay! Yes, I am proud of that improvement) so it's really only on these really humid sweltering days that I feel my resolve waiver.
FREE things I do to keep cool:
- Keep the ceiling fans on...of course (ok, not entirely free...)
- Use evaporation! I tie a wet bandana around my neck and/or splash water on my face and arms
- Open the fridge for 10 seconds and stand there
- Go into the basement for 2 minutes (it's not very nice down there, but it's cool!)
- Drop in on our friends K&K who have A/C (they think we're crazy and we have an open invitation to partake of their cooled air)
- Do errands (again, not entirely free since I use more gas with A/C on)
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
2005 Roth starts...right now
OK, technically it starts on 8/19 with my first automatic deposit of $330 that I just finished setting up.
I finally get the importance of the Roth, and while I am glad I got it together to do a 2004 contribution...I *hated* owing money on the eve of being consumer debt free. The psychological "weight" of that credit card balance isn't something I want again if I can avoid it, so I took the auto-contribution plunge.
Since I am starting late in the year, I will still have to find ways to do some catch up contributions to make the limit.
Making this commitment (while it makes a ton of sense to me) will severely impact my initial goal of having $10k in an emergency cushion by the end of the year (especially after a reduction in my income) so I still need to revisit that.
I finally get the importance of the Roth, and while I am glad I got it together to do a 2004 contribution...I *hated* owing money on the eve of being consumer debt free. The psychological "weight" of that credit card balance isn't something I want again if I can avoid it, so I took the auto-contribution plunge.
Since I am starting late in the year, I will still have to find ways to do some catch up contributions to make the limit.
Making this commitment (while it makes a ton of sense to me) will severely impact my initial goal of having $10k in an emergency cushion by the end of the year (especially after a reduction in my income) so I still need to revisit that.
Monday, July 18, 2005
The Incredible Shrinking Paycheck
First there was the sudden "bump" to my state taxes...seemingly caused by nothing...which left me with about $32 less a month. Not a big problem, and I was working on getting to the bottom of that one....
When my company announced a 7% paycut and that employees would now need to contribute 50% of health and dental benefits (they had been paying 100%) Now...this is all probably a very sound business move to assist with (what seem like) temporary cash flow issues and I certainly know I have it better than a very large percentage of our nation's workers. But...um...
OUCH!
The net effect for me is a 15% reduction in my monthly take home. And I will now be bringing home what I earned "way back" in 2000 (at another job). While this doesn't *have* to impact my current spending budget, it smashes so hard into my year end goal that it makes me want to drown my sorrows in a nice fancy bottle of tequila. It basically cuts in half what I had intended to stash away monthly between now and the EOY.
My company announced this change about 6 weeks ago, but the first affected paycheck was on Friday and it still stung. I have been noodling, but I need to seriously re-visit my savings plan. Also, without a clear sense of my "freedom account" type expenses, I feel pretty spendy and not so savey lately...even though I have been spending on planned expenses and coming in under budget mostly (ie summer vacation)
Stay tuned for Savings Plan Redux....
When my company announced a 7% paycut and that employees would now need to contribute 50% of health and dental benefits (they had been paying 100%) Now...this is all probably a very sound business move to assist with (what seem like) temporary cash flow issues and I certainly know I have it better than a very large percentage of our nation's workers. But...um...
OUCH!
The net effect for me is a 15% reduction in my monthly take home. And I will now be bringing home what I earned "way back" in 2000 (at another job). While this doesn't *have* to impact my current spending budget, it smashes so hard into my year end goal that it makes me want to drown my sorrows in a nice fancy bottle of tequila. It basically cuts in half what I had intended to stash away monthly between now and the EOY.
My company announced this change about 6 weeks ago, but the first affected paycheck was on Friday and it still stung. I have been noodling, but I need to seriously re-visit my savings plan. Also, without a clear sense of my "freedom account" type expenses, I feel pretty spendy and not so savey lately...even though I have been spending on planned expenses and coming in under budget mostly (ie summer vacation)
Stay tuned for Savings Plan Redux....
Thursday, July 14, 2005
"Loan" for 2004 Roth Paid Off!
A few days ago I received my credit card statement confirming that the money I borrowed to fund my 2004 Roth is all paid back. w00t! It took me another month to pay off than I had originally planned. I was on target until my intended mid-may payment, but we had some work done on and around the house (foundation pointed, trees trimmed) and I took a Reiki I class so all that ate up the $1500 targeted for that credit card. I didn't have much choice about the timing of any of those expenses, so I chose to see them through and take another month.
I had the credit card down to below $500 as of the beginning of June (I'm not even sure how I did that), then with the mid-June paycheck - poof! At 1.9% it was a very cheap loan. Here's how I did:
The bank fee was caused by my own stupidity ... I waited to late to mail a check (I'm totally ETF all the way usually) and called in a check payment. They are the only one of my credit cards to CHARGE for that. Despite their awesome promo deal that experience soured me on this card (probably for good). I decided to pay it instead of risk losing my 1.9% rate on about half the balance. Lesson learned.
So borrowing this money could have only cost me $5.26, but even at $15.26 it's not too bad a deal since that money is up about $100 in my Roth account. Sweet.
I had the credit card down to below $500 as of the beginning of June (I'm not even sure how I did that), then with the mid-June paycheck - poof! At 1.9% it was a very cheap loan. Here's how I did:
Original Amount -$3000.00
Rebate +$ 3.00
Interest Paid -$ 8.26
Bank Fee -$ 10.00
===========================
TOTAL COST $3015.26
The bank fee was caused by my own stupidity ... I waited to late to mail a check (I'm totally ETF all the way usually) and called in a check payment. They are the only one of my credit cards to CHARGE for that. Despite their awesome promo deal that experience soured me on this card (probably for good). I decided to pay it instead of risk losing my 1.9% rate on about half the balance. Lesson learned.
So borrowing this money could have only cost me $5.26, but even at $15.26 it's not too bad a deal since that money is up about $100 in my Roth account. Sweet.
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