Sunday, January 23, 2011
There is Nothing New...
| There is Nothing New Under the Sun By Lynn Forgy Does the fact that there is nothing new under the sun ever cross your mind? Nothing that is being done has never not been done before (or something like that). Ideas for increasing income, decreasing expenses, ways to save, ways to earn - I search, Google, and scour the internet and other reading material, only to find the same old, same old everywhere. If you've tried cutting expenses, and used all or most of the ideas you've read or heard about, what is left??? Cutting expenses to the bare bones is one thing, but chipping away at that bone is another matter. Basic Ideas for Cutting Expenses: 1) Electricity * Use fluorescent light bulbs * Don't use the oven to cook - instead, try using an electric skillet or, better yet, a crockpot 2) Water: * "Reuse" shower/bath water - place a bucket in your shower to catch all that water that's flowing down the drain and use it to fill up the washer when you're washing clothes 3) Heating/Cooling * Set your thermostat to a lower temperature in the winter and add an extra layer of clothing; in the summer, turn it up and drink lots of cold drinks :) 4) Food * Make a list of meals and their ingredients prior to going to the grocery. Stick to the list * Use coupons and research the ads - this can easily be done online 5) Clothing * Visit your local thrift store * Buy new clothing after the season ends (I bought 3 new pair of jeans from Old Navy in October for $4 each!!! That's $1.89 cheaper than my local Goodwill) Beyond the Basics: 1) Unplug ALL appliances not currently in use 2) Cancel your cable/satellite subscription - why not watch your favorite shows online? Many television stations offer some episodes online, and Netflix is a lot cheaper than cable 3) 76 the landline - I've used my cell phone exclusively for years, and haven't missed my landline yet :) Do you have any wacky, different, unique, or creative ways to save on expenses? I'd love to hear them! Labels: clothing, cutting expenses, Debt, electricity, expenses, food, water |
I fell off the wagon...
| By Lynn Forgy So it's been quite a while since I've written anything, mainly because I've been too busy but also because I've fallen off the wagon. I confess - I used the credit card again, and again...and again. Prior to my gluttonous activity (using the credit card in December, which I justified by telling myself that I hadn't had a new bedroom outfit since, well, forever), I hadn't used a credit card in 5 1/2 years. The worst part is, I don't feel terribly guilty. I do feel some guilt, and some remorse, but not enough to make me take all of the items back and to hide the card from myself. My solution? Begin writing/posting again. I need to have some accountability, and if I put it in writing then it's not so easy to deceive myself. Labels: credit card, Debt, spending |
Thursday, February 19, 2009
GRRRR....
| By Lynn Forgy I'm sure some of you can understand my frustration - whenever I think I might be just a little bit ahead, WHAM - some unexpected expense smacks me in the face! A brief summary - I did my taxes, and thought I would get a nice refund to pay off my student loan debt and then put half of the remaindert in my 3-6 month emergency fund and the other half towards my upcoming dental surgery. So what happened? First, I got a bill from my daughter's dentist. $312 remaining from what the insurance wouldn't pay. OK, so I thought that wasn't too bad. I can handle $312. I just made the little deduction in my notebook. And then? I got ANOTHER bill from my daughter's periodontist. Apparently, the insurance didn't want to pay for that consultation either (I think she had actually reached her limit for the year and I wasn't aware of it - long story, but that's the gist). Another $110. So I made another deduction. And another, and another... What was I left with? Well, I had enough to pay off my student loan (Yeah!! Finally). And I'll be able to pay the aforementioned dental bills ($422). And I'll be able to pay back one-half of what I owe to a family member that fronted me the money for my daughter's root canal. So instead of being finished with Baby Step 2 (my original plan), I am still stuck here, and with the following debts: $600 - remaining payment for root canal $3050 - dental surgery (mine) Sometimes I just feel like giving up - except I know I wouldn't be any better off, particularly since I performed surgery on my credit cards. Grrrr... Labels: Baby Step 2, Debt |
