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Archive for January, 2013

Gas Usage was Higher than Usual

January 30th, 2013 at 09:44 pm

I filled up my car yesterday and it took $44. It usually only takes between $28 and $30. I did make an extra trip to Ellijay(about 30 miles) and we are driving to the rec center several times a week to go walking. I just didn't think that driving the 6 or 7 miles to the rec center would make that big of a difference. I will have to see how this week holds out.

We had bad storms come through this morning and afternoon. DD is at home sick and she decided to sit in the bathtub for an hour until the tornado warning was cancelled. She kept me on the phone the whole time. I guess she does still need her mom.

Drained the Savings Account

January 29th, 2013 at 03:59 pm

I transferred all $300 out of my savings account into my checking account today. I did this so I could go ahead and apply for the new health insurance. I don't know when they will debit the checking account but I want the money to be there. I should be able to replace it when I don't have to pay for the first month's premium. I just hope that the quoted rates don't go up too much. I submitted both applications today.

Health Insurance Decision

January 28th, 2013 at 03:32 pm

I called BCBS again to day to get the specifics of the policy offered to DD. It is not as bad as I remember. There is a $2500 Deductible and out of pocket max of $3000. So worse case scenario it is $6500. It covers preventative care 100%. There are no sick visits until the deductible is met. I have to submit prescriptions for reimbursement instead of the pharmacy doing it. And there is no maximum amount spent like the policy she has now, no coverage once $20000 is reached. This policy is $216 a month.

I also found a policy for DS. $3500 deductible but preventive care covered 100% and has 3 sick visits with a $30 copay. DD never goes to the doctor so this is fine. ER coverage is $500 our responsibility and the rest is covered 100%. It also has prescription coverage. This policy is $57 a month.

Both policies combined come to $273. Still $200 less than I am paying now. I am nervous about high deductibles but hospitals always accept payments.

I have sent my rep an email asking what we need to do to be covered March 1.

Weekend Update

January 27th, 2013 at 09:50 pm

We went to the grocery store yesterday and managed to stay under our $125 budget. $123.22. Just by the skin of my nose. But we did it!

We rented a rug doctor yesterday to clean DD's carpet. After potty training the puppy, her carpet was in desperate need. So far the smell is gone and it smells nice and fresh.

While we were at Dollar General I saw that they had Dr pepper on sale. I tried to send DD in to buy three twelve packs. She refused. I had told her earlier that I have $24 to last til next Friday(not including money already alloted to other items.) She made me think about a purchase before I just went in and did it. Good for her!

Insurance Increase

January 25th, 2013 at 08:13 pm

I just typed this post and lost it before I could post it.

I just got notice in the mail that the kids health insurance is going up by $60 a month. I am thrilled. I would love to figure out how to decrease this. I have tried to get a different policy but because she is under 18 there is only one policy and it doesn't offer any benefits until the high premium is reached, no office visits or prescriptions. I looked at getting a policy with me and her and I was denied due to all the medication I take. I just don't know how I can reduce this. If I add her to my policy at work it is about $800 per month. It is great insurance but it is real pricey. Any suggestions would be great.

Ice day

January 25th, 2013 at 06:41 pm

The roads that I use to get to work were reported as being icy so I stayed home today. Love that I can work from home if need be.

Today is payday. Everything is on autopilot so there is nothing for me to do. Love online bill pay.

DD has decided to play soccer. We will go tomorrow and get all her equipment.

Filed my Taxes

January 24th, 2013 at 03:53 pm

I got all of my forms online this year so I can file early! Unfortunately the IRS isn't ready for one of my forms so I won't see my refund until late February.

I am getting 1927 back from the Federal and $597 back from the state. It turns out that I could claim the high insurance premium on my Ga return as long as I didn't itemize, which I didn't. That gave me an extra $200. I don't know the time frame to get that back. I am having both refunds direct deposited into my checking account.

Glad I checked my checking account online

January 24th, 2013 at 12:50 am

It appears that the dr's office charged my debit card twice for DD's visit today. I logged on line and discovered this in time to make a deposit to my account. I can make a deposit at the atm up until 9:00 to have it credited to that day. So glad they started that! Could potentially save me a bunch of overdraft fees. I transferred the money from my rental checking account and will pay it back on Friday.

Self Eval at Work Update

January 23rd, 2013 at 10:20 pm

Well, I had my self eval at work today. It went well. Although I get the sense that my boss wants me to get more education in order to increase my knowledge and capabilities. He is planning on the business growing and is afraid that I will not be able to handle the increased financial obligations. So he would be forced to hire someone else that I would report to. Not a great option for me. So I see some more college courses in my future. Don't know where the money will come from for that...probably have to take out some more student loans. That sucks.

I also went online at sallie mae and was able to get my tax information. Plugging in how much interest I paid for my student loans last year my refund went back up to $1900. All I am waiting on now is my interest statement. My bank doesn't have that online.

Tax Update

January 23rd, 2013 at 06:20 pm

Thanks to CCF, I decided to see if my W-2 was online yet. And it was!

So I went and updated the information in turbo tax. My income was $1000 more than I had estimated which made my refund $200 less. Bummer.

I am waiting for interest statements. I only earned a few cents in interest but I want to make sure I include it in my taxes. I might also get a statement for my student loan that I paid on in 2012. Can't wait for all this information to get here so I can go ahead and file.

Self Eval at Work

January 23rd, 2013 at 03:22 pm

I work for a company that replaces the modern evaluations to a more humane process. The first step is for the employee to fill out a form listing accomplishments, disappointment for not completing something, and where I want to be in two/five years. I hate filling out this form. I don't know where I want to be in two years let alone five years. I don't have any work related goals. My job is kind of on auto pilot and I like it that way.

Anyway...I have to fill this form out and have a meeting with my boss where I turn in the form. I am not looking forward to it.

Booked the Hotel for New York

January 22nd, 2013 at 04:44 pm

I got a very decent rate of $177 per night including taxes and fess. It isn't the Hilton, but the pictures looked nice and clean. I think it will be fine.

I found airline tickets for $253 today but unfortunately i won't have the money to purchase them until I get my tax return. Hopefully this good price will still be around then.

I ordered DD's yearbook today. I don't remember them being so expensive when I was younger! I used the credit card so I didn't use 70 of my extra 100 this week. I have already set up bill payments for $42 to come out this week and the remaining $30 to come out next payday. That way I will pay for it before interest is charged on it and it won't derail my plans to pay this card off.

Best laid Plans...

January 21st, 2013 at 11:03 pm

I tried to go walking at the rec center today but they were closed for the holiday. Bummer. Will have to start my new walking plan tomorrow.

Went to Food Lion to get orange juice. They were out of the store brand that I usually get so I had to get name brand. I spent $12 on three cartons of orange juice and a pack of cinnamon rolls.

Free Lunch

January 21st, 2013 at 06:15 pm

My boss took us out to lunch again today. YEA!

My sister bought me some Garcinia cambogia pills to try to lose some weight. I started them today. I also plan on walking after work.

Cheap Weekend

January 21st, 2013 at 02:14 pm

I only spent $14 this weekend. That is great for me. The weekend are usually my weak spot.

I went to heat up the pizza last night and discovered that while we were gone my cat ate all the pineapple off of it. I left it in the box sitting on the stove. Crafty cat, able to open a pizza box and just eating the toppings off of it. I was disappointed because I was really looking forward to that pizza.

Ordered Pizza for Dinner

January 20th, 2013 at 01:45 am

And I am okay with that. I have about 40 left in my eating out budget so I am good. Plus I will get 3 more meals out of it. I have passed on delivery though and went to pick it up. That saved me about 8.

Made pancakes for breakfast for my sick dd. She called me at 10:00 this morning asking me for medicine. She is downstairs and didn't want to get out of bed. So I found some tylenol cold and flu and took it to her. She is feeling a little better now.

No Snow

January 18th, 2013 at 03:48 pm

Well, we didn't get any snow. I am a bit disappointed. I really wanted something. I waited until 10:00 to leave for work to give the road crew time to salt any black ice. I didn't hit any ice. They either did a great job salting or it didn't freeze to begin with.

Financially I am still coasting along. Nothing major in the next week until payday. I still have the $85 left in my account. DD is going to the chiropractor today but I already have that figured in to my budget for the next pay day.

Expecting Snow

January 17th, 2013 at 05:03 pm

I know that some of you have already had your first snow, but we are expecting ours later today. And when it snows here, it shuts everything down. People get crazy. The main concern is black ice that is expected to form on the road tonight. If it does than school will probably be out tomorrow. And I will come into work late.

I am feeling pretty good financially right now. I have $85 in my checking account to last until next Friday, not including my allowance which is in cash. I still have quite a bit of it left. This also doesn't include my gas budget that I have set aside. So all in all I am looking pretty good.

I've Missed You

January 16th, 2013 at 02:44 am

I was lost all day not being able being able to check the blogs today. I missed everyone!

I forgot to take my cream cheese to work with me so I didn't have anything for lunch. I had to get something. Not just a financial faux pau but nothing fast food sounds good. I settled on a ham and cheese sandwich. My bagel would have been better!

I worked on my budget through March. It is anything but final, but it is a work in process. One thing I added to the budget is $100 each payday to keep in my checking account for unexpected expenses. If I don't spend it it will stay in the account and go toward the next paycheck's 100. A little bit of a cushion for peace of mind.

I keep forgetting about the $200 I got from work. I will need to cash it in in March to make the budget.

Email from Jeffrey about Blog Issues

January 15th, 2013 at 04:38 pm

Greatest apologies. We have been having some major issues with the site since yesterday and will be working to resolves them all day today. We are aware of them and apologize for the inconvenience.

Mortgage Payment

January 14th, 2013 at 05:43 pm

I made my mortgage payment today. There was only $499 due but I had written the check for $535, the amount of the usual payment. I was going to pay extra but then I remembered that I only have $25 to last me until payday(not including the amount budgeted for gas). So the teller just gave me the amount over the amount due in cash. I deposited it into my regular checking account. I now have $62 until payday. This is only for things that come up at the last minute, like milk or something. I should coast into payday.

I would love to send this amount to the hospital bill but I am trying to think ahead and be smarter.

Grocery Store Success

January 12th, 2013 at 10:09 pm

I had budgeted $125 for the grocery store and we spent $121.84.

Sucked it Up

January 9th, 2013 at 06:29 pm

I sucked it up and asked my mom to buy DD soccer equipment. She said she would. I just couldn't fit it into my budget. I have made an appointment for Friday to take the physical.

All this will change if DD decides not to play after the meeting tomorrow. They are going to tell her she has to take out her nose ring, but she doesn't think they will. Who knows what she will decide if they do. It would close up pretty fast since it isn't that old.



Another Payment to Hospital Bill

January 9th, 2013 at 03:48 pm

My gas budget came in $24 over this week so I sent a check to the hospital bill for that amount. So far this month I have sent $49 extra to the hospital bill. And it is only the 9th.

DD decided she wants to play soccer with the school this year. That means I need to budget in soccer shoes and shin guards. It also means more driving for me to get to each game. At least it will get me out of the house.

First Paycheck of the New Year

January 8th, 2013 at 03:57 pm

I have entered my check stub into quicken and my pay is about 30 less per pay period. I guess I can live with that considering some of you are getting hit with hundreds of dollars. I guess I just don't make enough money for it to matter too much.

Rental Property Update

January 7th, 2013 at 11:38 pm

Well, since my son and his friends moved into the rental property I have not had one month when the rent wasn't paid. There is one that I kind of have to chase, but it is always paid by the end of the month. Amazingly, the one girl that is in there is the only one with full rent on the first. I guess girls are just more responsible, at least in this situation. I take my son's rent directly out of his checking account on Fridays so he doesn't have to come up with it all at once.

One of the renters, the problem one, has said that this will be his last month. He wrecked his mom's car a couple of weeks ago and has to move back in with mom for a while. I told DS that meant that the rent was going to go back up unless they get another person in there.

He wants to talk to me about buying the property. I don't think it is a wise investment for him. The roof is 10 years old and it is fixing to need a new furnace. But once he gets something in his head it doesn't go away.

Norton Annual Renewal

January 7th, 2013 at 06:15 pm

Not mine. My DS's. He apparently signed up for automatic renewal and it hit his checking account today for $64. This put his account in the negative. I transferred $50 to his account so that he doesn't have any fees but told him that I would need that money back. Right now it is just sitting in my account.

He is going to call the bank to see if he can get that charge reversed by telling them he didn't authorize it. We'll see.

NSD

January 6th, 2013 at 11:32 pm

I haven't left the house today so it has been an NSD.

The comforter set I bought with my gift card came in on Friday. It has been washed and just needs to be put on my bed. Will try to do that before I go to bed tonight. Nothing like sleeping on clean sheets.

School Lunch

January 5th, 2013 at 09:43 pm

DD cleans my mom's house every Saturday. My mom gives her $20 for this. Today my mom gave her two checks. She also gave her a check for her school lunches. Since I had forgotten to budget that it really came in handy.

I used the last of my allowance today to buy DD a taco at taco bell. It was only $1. But that wiped me out. I will have to be real strict with myself next week.

Free Lunch and Gift From Boss

January 4th, 2013 at 07:47 pm

My boss took us all out to lunch today for our Christmas/New Year lunch. We went to a place that is okay but not one of my favorites. The food is too fancy for me.

He also gave us a Christmas bonus. I got $200. It is in the form of AMEX giftcards. In the past my bank has cashed them in for me. I hope they still do that.

I really want to send the $200 to the hospital bill but I need it for February when I am short for my budget. What to do...I could probably make some changes to budget and move stuff around but I hate to do that. I will have to think about it.


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