About two weeks ago I decided to say goodbye to Alltel and pony up the $200 termination fee to rid myself of an expensive commitment (smart phone cell plan). I called the company to end the contract and was transferred over to a very nice young man by the name of Joseph. Joseph did his best to convince me not to end the contact. When he realized that wasn't going to work he pointed me in a different direction, one that I didn't know existed. He informed me that I could find someone to take over the existing contract, thus relieving myself of the monthly expense and circumventing the $200 termination fee.
I immediately placed (free) ads on a local site and craigslist. It didn't take long before I found someone willing to accept this exchange. So, long story short, as of yesterday I am out of the contract for no extra fees!
I still have the second line on the Alltel account. It would have been an additional $200 to terminate that line also. Since that contract expires at the beginning of December it is simply cheaper for me to continue that plan for another month and then cancel it for no cost. I dropped it to the lowest plan available and will say goodbye to Alltel for good come December.
It was surprisingly easily to transfer the phone line. I guess they're just happy that they'll be socking someone else for the ridiculous amount I was paying. I have purchased my new Net10 Phone (package deal of $25 for the phone, a case, headset, and car charger + 300 free minutes at W***mart) and feel a bit lighter knowing that this monthy cell phone bill will soon be gone. A big thanks to Joseph for showing me a no cost way of eliminating this expense!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
MSN Money and Me
Who knew that a simple comment could drive site traffic so high?
The other day I commented on the blog Student Scrooge. The post was in regards to tipping and the practices used by servers to increase their tips. I don't comment a lot but this was one post I felt I had the knowledge with which to back up my comment. What I didn't know was that this post would be used by Karen Datko on MSN Money in her post dated October 21st. Or that she would choose my comment to be included as part of her post.
The lesson? Words are forever. You never know how they will be used, good or bad, so think about what you say (or write) before it comes out of your mouth.
While I'm tickled to be included in this article, I'm also happy that what I wrote was not something that could come back to haunt me. Not to mention that I enjoy looking at my site meter to see where all of these visitors to my little site are from.
The other day I commented on the blog Student Scrooge. The post was in regards to tipping and the practices used by servers to increase their tips. I don't comment a lot but this was one post I felt I had the knowledge with which to back up my comment. What I didn't know was that this post would be used by Karen Datko on MSN Money in her post dated October 21st. Or that she would choose my comment to be included as part of her post.
The lesson? Words are forever. You never know how they will be used, good or bad, so think about what you say (or write) before it comes out of your mouth.
While I'm tickled to be included in this article, I'm also happy that what I wrote was not something that could come back to haunt me. Not to mention that I enjoy looking at my site meter to see where all of these visitors to my little site are from.
Bloggers Like Me?
I have been perusing personal finance (PF) blogs for about 4 months now. I've found several ones that I enjoy reading and many that have achieved their goals to be debt-free or are close to it. So far I have only found one whose situation I can relate to. Single Mom, Single Money is just like the title, a single mother trying to achieve financial freedom on a single income while raising her child.
I'm happy for all of those who've scaled back their lifestyles and made the commitment to achieving a debt-free life. I love reading the posts that are written by those who have actually done it. I'm thankful for their advice as I begin my journey and glad they are sharing their knowledge so that I can learn from them.
However, I'd like to find more people like me. People who have a lower income, people going back to school mid-life, people who are already cutting back on extra's because they need to in order to survive. Where are these people? Are they just not out there blogging about it? Or is it next to impossible to become debt-free for those making less than $25,000 per year?
I'm happy for all of those who've scaled back their lifestyles and made the commitment to achieving a debt-free life. I love reading the posts that are written by those who have actually done it. I'm thankful for their advice as I begin my journey and glad they are sharing their knowledge so that I can learn from them.
However, I'd like to find more people like me. People who have a lower income, people going back to school mid-life, people who are already cutting back on extra's because they need to in order to survive. Where are these people? Are they just not out there blogging about it? Or is it next to impossible to become debt-free for those making less than $25,000 per year?
Monday, October 20, 2008
What's Your Normal?
I read a lot of blogs, many of them personal finance blogs (I really need to get around to update my blog roll on the side). A common theme in these PF blogs is to host a carnival or a round-up of posts. On Budgetsaresexy's Carnival of Personal Finance this week I found a blog post I could completely relate to. Stumbleforward.com hit the nail on the head in regards to where I'm at right now. I am in my comfort zone. I have been in debt and just getting by for so long now that I'm comfortable with it and in an odd way, I feel safe.
Safe? Comfortable? How the heck can anyone feel safe and comfortable knowing they're in debt (& not even knowing by how much)? How can anyone be comfortable not knowing what they're going to do when that next emergency pops up (and it does!)? How can you be okay with being broke you might ask?
My answer? I've been here for so long that this is my normal. Give almost anyone enough time in a certain way of life and they will become accustomed to it. It's their routine, their sense of "normal", be it right or wrong. I've been screwing up my finances for so long that this is where my "comfort zone" is. Messed up? Yes. Although it's absolutely true for the majority of people around us. We may moan and complain but few of us ever change our habits and behavior as we've fallen into what is normal for each of our lives.
This is where is takes drive and determination and the will to create a new "normal" for your life. This is the stumbling block that most people encounter. It's said that it takes 21 days to create or form a new habit. Unfortunately 21 days is longer than most of our "want it now" society is willing to put into the effort of change.
As for me, I'm tired of my "normal". If I have the will and determination to move my family across a state, change careers and go back to school when I'm almost forty, then I think I must have the drive and determination somewhere within me to change my idea of normal in regards to my finances. I need to be brave enough to leave my comfort zone and create a new reality for myself financially. Easier said than done, I know.
What is your normal?
Safe? Comfortable? How the heck can anyone feel safe and comfortable knowing they're in debt (& not even knowing by how much)? How can anyone be comfortable not knowing what they're going to do when that next emergency pops up (and it does!)? How can you be okay with being broke you might ask?
My answer? I've been here for so long that this is my normal. Give almost anyone enough time in a certain way of life and they will become accustomed to it. It's their routine, their sense of "normal", be it right or wrong. I've been screwing up my finances for so long that this is where my "comfort zone" is. Messed up? Yes. Although it's absolutely true for the majority of people around us. We may moan and complain but few of us ever change our habits and behavior as we've fallen into what is normal for each of our lives.
This is where is takes drive and determination and the will to create a new "normal" for your life. This is the stumbling block that most people encounter. It's said that it takes 21 days to create or form a new habit. Unfortunately 21 days is longer than most of our "want it now" society is willing to put into the effort of change.
As for me, I'm tired of my "normal". If I have the will and determination to move my family across a state, change careers and go back to school when I'm almost forty, then I think I must have the drive and determination somewhere within me to change my idea of normal in regards to my finances. I need to be brave enough to leave my comfort zone and create a new reality for myself financially. Easier said than done, I know.
What is your normal?
Thursday, October 16, 2008
An Expensive Lesson - Goodbye Alltel
It's time to start trimming the fat around here. I went to Alltel today to switch to a cheaper plan as I've determined that switching to a smart phone was a dumb thing for me to do. The plan is too expensive. Between the two phone (with a "family plan") I've been paying $145 per month. Ouch!
Apparently when you have a smart phone plan you are not allowed to switch back to a regular plan. Huh. I guess I missed that part when changing things around last July. The gal politely told me that there's nothing she can do and I have 21 months left on my plan. She looked a little stunned when I asked what the termination fee would be. The fee? $200.
Now I forgot to ask if that's per phone or for both. The kid's phone reaches it's 2 year plan end in December but I'm not sure if that changed when I mixed things up in July. I'm seriously thinking of paying the (insert cuss word here) termination fee and going with Net10 prepaid phones. I don't use mine much anymore so it won't be hard for me. It would be hard on Anime who has been sending an average of 2200 text messages a month and receiving roughly 2400 texts per month. Now it won't hurt my feelings at all if she can't text as much (or at all!) and if she has to use the home phone to make her phone calls on. (It's right outside her room where everyone can listen in. No cordless phones in this household.)
What I've learned? Stick with what you NEED over what you WANT. Internet on your phone is a luxury, we lived just fine before text messaging, don't get in over your head & cave to societal pressure to have the latest greatest toy (or in my case . . . phone). Keep your expenses as low as possible so that extra money can be going to either pay down debt or into something that will fund my retirement.
This is an expensive lesson for me, but a needed one, I guess. I'll pay the termination fee and put the pretty shiny PalmTreo up for sale on either craigslist or ebay.
I guess my decision is pretty much made. Bye-bye Alltel. Hello prepaid Net10.
What would you do?
Apparently when you have a smart phone plan you are not allowed to switch back to a regular plan. Huh. I guess I missed that part when changing things around last July. The gal politely told me that there's nothing she can do and I have 21 months left on my plan. She looked a little stunned when I asked what the termination fee would be. The fee? $200.
Now I forgot to ask if that's per phone or for both. The kid's phone reaches it's 2 year plan end in December but I'm not sure if that changed when I mixed things up in July. I'm seriously thinking of paying the (insert cuss word here) termination fee and going with Net10 prepaid phones. I don't use mine much anymore so it won't be hard for me. It would be hard on Anime who has been sending an average of 2200 text messages a month and receiving roughly 2400 texts per month. Now it won't hurt my feelings at all if she can't text as much (or at all!) and if she has to use the home phone to make her phone calls on. (It's right outside her room where everyone can listen in. No cordless phones in this household.)
What I've learned? Stick with what you NEED over what you WANT. Internet on your phone is a luxury, we lived just fine before text messaging, don't get in over your head & cave to societal pressure to have the latest greatest toy (or in my case . . . phone). Keep your expenses as low as possible so that extra money can be going to either pay down debt or into something that will fund my retirement.
This is an expensive lesson for me, but a needed one, I guess. I'll pay the termination fee and put the pretty shiny PalmTreo up for sale on either craigslist or ebay.
I guess my decision is pretty much made. Bye-bye Alltel. Hello prepaid Net10.
What would you do?
Saturday, October 11, 2008
INGDirect vs FNBO
Things are moving right along. Except at work. Business has been very slow at the restaurant and many shifts have been cut from the schedule. I have the whopping total of two, yep . . . count 'em . . . two, shifts next week. This doesn't exactly inspire me with any loyalty for the place. I know that this is a fickle business but I think the majority of it has to do with the fact that they have never advertised. So the job hunt continues.
I interviewed with one of the hospitals this past week and have another interview with a second hospital next week. If offered either of these jobs, I will accept. Although unemployment is low in our city and we are fairly insulated against major economic downfall (barring the crash of the medical community or the one really large bank/credit company in town) as we are "one of the states the world forgot". (By that I mean that our state tends to be a few years behind each of the coasts in trends)
The big question I have right now is where to put the money that I'm sitting on. Many of the personal finance blogs I read talk about INGDirect for savings, while a few have talked about FNBO. I've done a little research and it seems that FNBO has a bit better interest rate, so that makes me wonder . . . why do so many bloggers seem to prefer INGDirect? Any answers or even guesses? I'm interested in hearing your take on the differences between the two and which you prefer. . . or even if there's something better out there to put my emergency fund money into. Talk to me!
I interviewed with one of the hospitals this past week and have another interview with a second hospital next week. If offered either of these jobs, I will accept. Although unemployment is low in our city and we are fairly insulated against major economic downfall (barring the crash of the medical community or the one really large bank/credit company in town) as we are "one of the states the world forgot". (By that I mean that our state tends to be a few years behind each of the coasts in trends)
The big question I have right now is where to put the money that I'm sitting on. Many of the personal finance blogs I read talk about INGDirect for savings, while a few have talked about FNBO. I've done a little research and it seems that FNBO has a bit better interest rate, so that makes me wonder . . . why do so many bloggers seem to prefer INGDirect? Any answers or even guesses? I'm interested in hearing your take on the differences between the two and which you prefer. . . or even if there's something better out there to put my emergency fund money into. Talk to me!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Searching for Job Security
Finally, finally, one of the local hospitals called to see if I'd be interested in interviewing for one of the eighteen thousand positions I've applied for over the last 5 weeks. Okay, maybe not quite that many but I have applied for at least twenty various positions between the three local hospitals. This interview was for a position as a therapy aide in the rehab department. (no that "rehab" but physical therapy rehab) I have been amazed that it's taken this long. I guess having that EMT certification didn't mean quite as much as I thought it would as far as when applying for a nurses' aide or patient care tech job. I hope that even if I don't get this position, having met the recruiter and putting a face to the name will get my foot in the door for interviews for other positions. Seriously people, I've never had as much trouble finding a job as I've had these past two months!
Ironically, an EMT position has opened up in the hospital nearest to the town from which I've just moved. This hospital is about an hour's drive from my new home. How desperate am I feeling to get into a hospital position (with insurance!)? Desperate enough that I've applied for the position. The kicker? Folks, this is the ER that I talked about when I did my EMT clinicals. (To refresh your memory click here) Yes, for the right amount of money and health insurance I am willing to go to work there and drive 2 hours round trip. Of course, considering the way my job hunt has gone thus far, I probably won't be called for an interview.
Why am I looking for something other than what I'm currently doing? Yes, I like my job at the restaurant and I like (most of) the people I work with. However, I'm scared of what's happening with our economy. I'm worried that even if I worked 8 serving shifts per week (the max that we are allowed) I still wouldn't make enough to support the kids. As people start to tighten their belts, restaurants are one of the areas that are going to feel the pinch. My perspectives has changed a lot over the past two weeks as I listen to the news and read the financial blogs. I'm strongly feeling the need to be in a somewhat secure industry. People are always going to need the healthcare industry. That being said . . .
What the heck does it take to get into an entry level hospital position?!
*crossposted at http://celticbuffy.blogspot.com
Ironically, an EMT position has opened up in the hospital nearest to the town from which I've just moved. This hospital is about an hour's drive from my new home. How desperate am I feeling to get into a hospital position (with insurance!)? Desperate enough that I've applied for the position. The kicker? Folks, this is the ER that I talked about when I did my EMT clinicals. (To refresh your memory click here) Yes, for the right amount of money and health insurance I am willing to go to work there and drive 2 hours round trip. Of course, considering the way my job hunt has gone thus far, I probably won't be called for an interview.
Why am I looking for something other than what I'm currently doing? Yes, I like my job at the restaurant and I like (most of) the people I work with. However, I'm scared of what's happening with our economy. I'm worried that even if I worked 8 serving shifts per week (the max that we are allowed) I still wouldn't make enough to support the kids. As people start to tighten their belts, restaurants are one of the areas that are going to feel the pinch. My perspectives has changed a lot over the past two weeks as I listen to the news and read the financial blogs. I'm strongly feeling the need to be in a somewhat secure industry. People are always going to need the healthcare industry. That being said . . .
What the heck does it take to get into an entry level hospital position?!
*crossposted at http://celticbuffy.blogspot.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
