"In God we trust; all others must pay cash"

That was my fortune cookie today @ lunch ;) That is all, now back to work...

           

Net Worth: December - 2008 Ends w/ a bang, Hallelujah!

Up $4k - not a bad way to start the year, eh? I have a REALLY good feeling it's gonna be a good one, so get ready everyone - 2009 is the year of mad financial skills!!!

It's also the year I finally man up and combine Mrs. Budgetsaresexy and I's finances here on the blog :) Oooooh, ahhhhh, how exciting! What, oh what, will our net worth look like now?! (you can hardly keep it in, i know)

It's also a year for new resolutions - although unlike many of you, i have yet to figure out what these will be :) I'll def. holler once they pop into my brain though...i'm thinking a lot of blog stuff in general, but we'll see.

I guess I should also review last year's sexy sidebar goals too while we're at it here. They're now updated again, but as you can see I didn't do as great as my actual '08 New Years resolutions :( I'll have to leave them up until they're completed before swapping them out again. Here's a quick summary on how I did:

1. Pay off all credit card debt: 100% A+ bustaroo! I actually accomplished this twice - once in the first half of the year, and then again in the middle when we added on more wedding expenses. But, luckily enough, we used our wedding booty to knock it all off again!
2. Pay off cars: B. Since the above was scratched off, I decided to replace it w/ this category in late '08, except i pretty much new it wasn't gonna be wiped away before the end of the year ;) but ya gotta give it a shot, right?
3. Emergency Fund to $5,250: B I didn't quite make it all the way, but i sure as hell followed my plan...just turned out our work bonuses didn't pan out like i expected :(
4. Net worth to $100,000: Fail. Pwned. Jacked. Not even close...but again, way out of my hands really. I dutifully paid off debt & made my 401k deposits like a good little boy, but it just so happened the stock market didn't want to cooperate this year.

Not my best end to a story, but I definitely gave it my all!...and momma always said you gotta feel proud for that ;) haha....ah man, good ol' moms always have our backs don't they?

And here's how Dec's Net Worth breaks down:

CASH SAVINGS: Not too shabby considering it was the holiday season! It's all about that holiday budget, baby...well, that and an xmas bonus....but i still had to save it ;)
ROTH IRA: I'll take that $200 any day - a nice break from all the down months recently.
401(k): WOOHOO!!! Up $2.5k! I'm sure many of you noticed the same right? Or are you one of those who stopped looking altogether? ;) Who knows how long it'll last, but i'm enjoying every bit of it.
SAVINGS BONDS: One dollar, two dollar, three dollar SCORE! You can check out the breakdown of my bonds are here.
CONDO INVESTMENT: I stopped lending money to my brother months ago, and it looks like i'll be getting this leftover $700 sooner than i thought! My brother did some side work and gave me a pre-dated check to cash in Jan, 15th. I love it...and so damn proud of that guy! He's seriously come a long way since 2 years ago....*shiver*
HOME EQUITY: This amount still reflects our purchase price minus the money we accidently paid off the mortgage when our heloc froze. As always, i still don't know how to classify this, but it's on my New Year's resolution, so keep your eyes peeled.
AUTO WORTH (kbb): Zero loss? Well that's a first! Perhaps it's because my Caddy is now sixteen (16) years old! haha...but my damn is it ridin' nicely these days...ballin' like a mother ;)
CREDIT CARDS: This amount is from buying my Caddy and selling my Highlander (i owed more than i sold it for) a few months ago - that's it. No other consumer debt on this bad boy, just the car amounts. And to keep on track, I'm still applying my old $443 car payments (plus any other amounts leftover from my budget) towards the balance every month until it's paid off.
AUTO LOAN: Zilch, nada, nothing! But please see above :)

And that's it! 2008 comes to a happy end. This is the first year I've tracked my finances like this, and I gotta say it's interesting seeing all the ups and downs through it all! More ups are always better, of course, but as I mentioned 2009 will be full of 'em :) Keep doing your thang ladies and gentlemen...

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*The sweet & sexy side bars have been updated.
*And here are the past Net Worth updates.

           

My new tipping rule: Everyone gets 20%! Nice and easy...

I'm tired of figuring out who gets what, and why. Plus, it'll make the math all that easier ;) So from now on it's a flat 20% wherever I go - no more ifs, ands, or butts about it!

And can you blame me? Wherever we go these days someone, somewhere, "deserves" a tip for something and i'm done thinking about it. Servers, cabbies, doormen, delivery men - they all get the same tip from me now - 20%.

Sure it may not be the *best* idea out there, but you know what? It makes life simple, and sometimes you just have to do what's right for the brain! It's definitely worth at least considering. Hell, you might already be doing it! If you're trying to calculate a 17% tip on a $24 meal, odds are you'll round up and get close to the 20% mark without even realizing it.

Of course, that alone isn't enough to convince the naysayers, so I've put together a list of PROS and CONS that'll help make it easier for you:

PROS of Always Tipping 20%

• You NEVER have to think about it again! This is a biggie because it's one of the most annoying things you have to deal with after eating/drinking/getting your hair cut/whatever.
• You come off as an exceptional tipper, no matter the case! If people, on average, are tipping 15-20%, you're automatically looking great. Everyone likes to come off as a baller, and this, my friends, helps to maintain this image ;)
• It's easy to calculate! No more whipping out the "tip calculator" on your cell phone. All you have to do is add $2.00 for every $10.00 of service/food/etc. that you spend. EASY! Spend $4o bucks, tack on an additional $8. Spend $47, round up and add $10, or round down to $45 and make it $9 - that's it!
• It FEELS great too. The more you give, the better you feel about it! Anyone who's ever worked in the service industry can tell you that a larger tip makes all the difference in the world, esp. since they're always getting gypped.

CONS of Always Tipping 20%

• You have less money in your pocket. Sure, but it's not ALL that much less, you know? On that same $40 example, a 17% tip would still set you back, what, $6.80? (had to use that cell phone calculator again) That's a $1.20 difference. Yeah it adds up over time, but peace of mind definitely trumps this in my opinion.
• You might overtip for horrendous service! Probably the strongest case against the 20% rule. If you were treated like a jerk the whole time, it's going to take a lot of willpower to drop a hefty tip for them. Maybe this could be the one exception to the rule?
• You could make your friends look bad. Kind of a stretch, but it's possible! This comes into play more when splitting the bills with those who skimp on the tips. Everyone has their own reasons for the amount they give, but you still run the possibility of making them feel like they "have to" throw in a few extra dollars now.

It's definitely tempting, right? It won't be for everyone, sure, but it's certainly an idea. It's not like i'm the smartest, or even first, man in the world really for coming up with this. But i tell you what, when that check comes floating by next time - you better believe I'll be looking the most relaxed :)

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PS: This also reminded me of the whole "tipping BEFORE you started the service" topic we went over months ago! Remember that? Good times, good times.

           

Guest Post: Banks should pay their employees correctly, right?

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Guest Post: You all know i LOVE me some crazy money stories, so when a fellow blogger hit me up on the side i couldn't resist but share! I'll have to keep her nameless (you'll soon see why) but it probably feels getting it all out in the open! Enjoy, and THANKS my dear blogger :)
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A few years ago I worked for a major bank. I spent my days convincing its customers to trust this bank with their money, all while I didn't I trust them with mine. Why not? Because they got my paycheck wrong every single pay period for an entire year.

Everything was fine at first. I worked full time, got paid biweekly, no problems. Then I finally got the part time schedule I had been applying for, that is when things went horribly wrong. For some reason, part time folks get paid weekly, rather than biweekly. The first week went by, no check. I wasn't too worried. I figured there was a little lag time. Then I got a check on the normal full time pay cycle, and it was a full check. Ok, must be some kind of retro action thing. Two weeks go by and then I get another full time check. I thought this was very strange. But I didn't know to be concerned, I figured the next paycheck would be right for sure.

But it wasn't. I was working part time but I kept getting paid for full time. It had taken me so long to figure out what was going on that now I was confused why no one else had caught on. What the heck was happening? I mean, I work for a bank for cyin' out loud! They should be good with numbers.

I didn't know what to do. So I didn't do anything. But I'm not an idiot, I took the extra cash and stocked it away. I knew someone was going to come looking for this money someday.

One month was really over the top. I got my regular full time check like always, then a week later I got a part time check (my first ever), then a week after that I got another full time check. I went to my manager and explained what happened. I told him that I had received three checks in the month. I swear, he didn't believe me. I had to get a calendar out and explain it like three times. He said he would talk to payroll, but I could tell he thought I was losing it. I never heard anything about it again.

I know this sounds awesome. I was working 30 hours and getting paid for 40. And in a way it was awesome, but it was also stressful. I was worried about what was going to happen when they figured it out. I knew I had done nothing wrong. I didn't falsify my time sheets or anything. They were paying me wrong. It was their error, but still, I knew I hadn't done everything I could to point out their mistake. And the longer it went on, the bigger deal it became.

Finally, 7 months after I started my part time schedule I get to work and there is a note from my manager to come see him before I started my shift. My heart sank. I knew exactly what he wanted to see me about. I walked into his office and he asked me if I've been getting paid for full time. Gulp! I didn't try to hide it. I admitted that I had been. And then... he apologized to me! He apologized to me. I couldn't believe it.

A week or two later he forwards me an email that payroll had sent him saying that I owed something like $600. Which stunned me. By my calculations I owed them about $3,600. They said I had til the end of the year to pay. No one ever contacted me directly, no one ever explained how they came up with that figure. And I had questions, was the $600 gross pay? If I have to pay it back with net pay, what about the taxes? What about my 401(k) contributions? None of those questions were ever answered. But I knew I owed the money. I knew I was getting out cheap. I was going to pay it back.

In the meantime my paychecks were a disaster. Every single mistake that could be made was made. They would pay me for the wrong amount of hours. They would forget my holiday pay. They would over pay me. They would under pay me. Once they spent $25 to overnight me a correction check due to an underpayment and they mistakenly took out my health insurance deductions, which made the check $0.00. They FedExed me a check for $0.00! Idiots! Every single week it was one thing or another. Me and the lady in payroll were on a first name basis.

Finally December rolled around and I called payroll to find out exactly how much I owed them and where to send it. But they had no record that I owed them any money. So I never sent anything.

Then the mistake of all mistakes. The one I almost quit over. I switched departments and went back to full time. I was hoping this would leave all my payroll problems behind me. I was getting a 5% raise to go to the new department, and I was going from 30 hours to 40 hours a week. I should have seen a huge increase in my check. But no. It was something like $13 more than usual. I freaked!

They had taken my annual salary and increased it by 5%, that's it. No accounting for the fact that I was working 10 hours a week more. They should have increased my annual by 33% and then added the 5% raise. So I went from making something like $16.00 down to $12.00. And no one would believe me. Everyone had this attitude that I was trying to get something I didn't deserve. Like I was trying to trick them. Even though I knew exactly what had happened I couldn't get anyone to fix it. I was so frustrated. Finally I went back to my old manager who had figured the whole thing out in the first place and had him look at it. He knew my payroll history and would at least listen to me. He saw what I was saying and was able to fix it.

And then it was over. I worked there for another year and didn't have a single payroll problem. It was that darn part time shift. They just couldn't handle it.

           

This week's Carnival & Jokey Joke roundup!

I wrote up this round up (trying saying that 5 times fast!) late last night when feeling a bit giddy, so hopefully you find this joke as hilarious as i did ;) You can find more of them at workjoke.com:

Why do accountants make good lovers?
Because they're great with figures! (ba-dum-ching)

Good? Bad? Couldn't care less? Okay okay, on to the carnivals...but first, ENJOY this extended holiday/vacation/fun-filled WEEKEND!

• Carnival of Twenty Something Finances - the "December 29th,2008" ed. hosted by Insight Writer. *Editor's Pick!
• Money Hacks Carnival - the "New Years Eve" ed. hosted by Cash Money Life.
• Carnival of Personal Finance #185 - the "Cheesehead" ed. hosted by The Fraud Files.
• Carnival of Debt Reduction #169 - hosted by Ask Mr. Credit Card.
• Carnival of Money Stories #91 - the "Manifesting Wealth in 2009" ed. hosted by Greener Pastures: Personal Finance.

           

Happy New Years! Time to party like it's 1999 ;)

Can you believe it's been 10 years since then? yikes. I remember hitting up a college party and staying up 'til the wee morning talking and sipping on stuff ;) Man those were the good ol' days...Well, whatever your plans are this time around, just be sure to get out there and have some fun! Cuz remember, it's a New Year and a New YOU baby! Now go out and make poppa J. proud...

           

Today's the last day to grab those Charity tax write-offs!

Time to make some deposits at your local thrift store! So put on those energy pants and start rummaging through the house. The more you can donate, the more you can write off!

Not sure what that means? Don't worry, i didn't either 2 years ago ;) It's basically another way to legally hold on to your hard earned money. According to thefreedictionary.com:

"tax write-off: a reduction in the gross amount on which a tax is calculated; reduces taxes by the percentage fixed for the taxpayer's income bracket"

So let's say you have to pay taxes on $10,000 this year. Well, if you donated $1,000 (say from a combo of cash and clothes, electronics, etc) to a charity or thriftstore this year, your "tax write-off" would be that $1,000 and NOW you only have to actually pay taxes on $9,000 instead of the original $10,000. So you basically just saved yourself $300-$400 depending on your tax bracket. Make sense?

There's a slue of rules and regulations with all this stuff (like being able to prove your donations w/ receipts and what not), but that's basically the gist of it all. Be sure to consult an actual accountant or IRS.gov for better information ;)

Hare are 5 Other Reasons Why you Should do it:

1. Your house feels cleaner and less cluttered! There's definitely something to that "less is more" saying here - especially if "less" pertains to less junk/unwanted items taking up dust.
2. You get some exercise - all that running around finding goodies in your home breaks a sweat! The key is to pick up a big box or trash bag, and then just start clearing things right off into it. When one fills up, just quickly get another and throw it all in your trunk 1-2-3! Just be sure to make a quick list of what you're donating so you can calculate the values later.
3. You easily help out your community! These thrift stores do A LOT for those less fortunate than we are, so you really are helping everyone out.
4. You don't have to sell anything. Unlike taking the time to list them on Craigslist, eBay, etc (although also highly recommended), all you have to do here is drop them off and voila - you save money! It all adds up too, esp. if you rarely ever do it. My first drop off back in August added up to a good $200 in items, and then my last one (3 weeks ago) included another $400.
5. You'll now be at bargain central! Stay an extra 15 mins and go shopping for yourself ;) He he...why not pick up a couple goodies for yourself? Just don't go overboard and cancel out the $ you just saved, that would suck.

Did i convince ya? If not, no worries...i give you permission to punch me in the face later. Interestingly enough, however, I just saw on the news that a store in Northern VA had over 1800 people stop by yesterday alone!!! Crazzzyyyy. They expect even more today too which makes total sense - everyone's trying to grab those tax benefits before '08 ends. So if you're one of them, go get 'em tiger! It's a Win-Win situation :)

           

Interview: One on One with an Employer (they have feelings too?)

Hello my fellow budgets-are-sexy readers! I've been getting a handful of emails lately w/ the economy being as it is these days, but rarely do i get one from actual business owners.

But as luck would have it, i was blessed with a comment from one of them this week and clung on for dear life! haha....A brother has questions, ya know?

And boy was i lucky! The business owners agreed to my very first interview, and i pumped them for all i could :) After all, employers and ”Big Business” are usually made out to be the bad guys, right? They couldn't be nice *gasp!*, could they? Well my friends, today we get to hear THEIR side of the story. Please to enjoy:

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1. What sort of company do you own?
A 15.5 acre RV Sales, Service, Parts, and Restaurant company with over 275 RVs in stock at multiple locations. We employ anywhere from 80 to 125 people, and are one of the largest RV dealerships around.

2. When did you notice you’d have to make changes?
Like everyone, we have watched 2008 steadily deteriorate starting this early Spring. Winter was long, lasting well into spring, and chocked off the early part of our selling season. By mid-summer we saw our sales numbers not reaching previous years highs, then gas prices went out of control hitting RV sales hard. Presidential election years are always “iffy” too. People don’t like the unknown and are nervous. By mid-to late-summer, along with everyone else, we watched the stock and financial markets self-destruct, with the media fanning the flames.

3. What were some of the benefits you had to cut?
Watching the above unfold, we knew that we’d have to cut wherever possible to survive the company.

• We slashed our own salaries first - We only took enough for monthly expenses, that's it.
  
• Stopped Christmas Bonuses this year - By Sep-Oct we generated a letter to everyone explaining in detail what we believe was happening with the markets (all of us see the real life results – few customers in the doors) and explained why, for the first time in 20 years, we would have no Christmas bonuses this year. [our Christmas parties have always been extravagant – bonuses from $100 to $5000, gifts in value from $50-150 chosen, wrapped by me throughout the year for every single employee; an excellent hotel Christmas dinner; hotel rooms subsidized by us for those who want to stay and play and those who should NOT be driving!]
• Stopped Matching portion of 401(k)s - Our next step was to send out another letter to each employee notifying them that we were stopping our matching portion of our 401Ks temporarily, but that employees could continue to fund their 401Ks with pre-tax dollars as usual. We will notify them when we can again start matching.
• Increased annual lay-offs - We have annual lay-offs normally (ours is a very seasonal business) so this year we have just included more staff. We are rotating staff in various departments and sending them into lay-off with a company letter stating to unemployment office that we want this person back by xx date.

4. How did you bring it up to employees? Was it crazy hard?
We notified our folks early because even though every year we say “now please don’t count on these bonuses because each year is different, these are a gift of thanks, not a promise;” we know folks count on the cash anyway (who wouldn’t, especially at Christmas!) So when we knew it was going to be a dangerously ugly year, we sat down and composed a letter to go to each person saying exactly what was happening, why we have to conserve every nickel for maybe a long time, etc etc. Then we held a company-wide meeting so we could reiterate the company’s situation. We asked for everyone’s understanding and help, right down to “turn the light off when you’re out of the room.” Communication is everything!

5. Did anyone go nuts when you told them?
Well, this is the interesting part of being an owner… you hear things from managers and employees about “somebody said this or that” but they NEVER name names! Human nature being what it is, there most certainly are a very few people we’ll lose over this. There are many others who fuss and talk behind our backs (not knowing we started like most folks – with NOTHING. All they see now is this big giant business and think we’re loaded! We’re not, but the banks are!) And then there are some who make it possible for owners to get up each day and face the battle over and over. The ones who support us and say, “good call, a tough one for tough times, but a good one, we support you” and “I’d rather have my job than a bonus if that’s what it comes to.”

6. Do you have any lifelines you’re holding onto in case 2009 is even worse?
A hope and a prayer! We have also secured a home equity line of credit as a last resort measure to fund the company until we’re back on track. This is nothing we like to tell employees because it scares them a little bit. While we want everyone to pitch in to get through the lean years, we don’t want to lose good people.

My husband expects Spring to be easier as gas prices are far better, the election is over, and our annual RV show starts in January. I expect a lean year because this is a recession and our fearless leaders (BOTH sides of the isles) are idiots. So… our home equity line of credit will be our last resort after some small savings we have set aside. We will negotiate heavily with our bank on flooring rates and even refinancing loans if needed.

We are both very financially conservative (sweet words for a Budget Guy?!) and we have gone to great lengths to pay off business building and equipment. We owe nothing on our huge custom paint booth, zero on our expensive Italian RV lifts in the shop, Zero on our new Clubhouse café we build this year. All we pay on are the initial loans for the ground which will be paid off in seven years, and now this year, the purchase price for our second location, but it pays its own way (so far).

7. Do you have any advice for those of us who have our own companies?
Stay the course, stay confident, smiling, and uplifting no matter how difficult. You MUST cut costs wherever you can. Negotiate hard with your bank; shop for a second “backup” bank just in case. Be honest and open with any employees who are afraid or worried. Answer their questions honestly and fully. (Fear of the unknown is the worst!) Those good people who understand will stay with you, those who don’t usually end up leaving anyway.

8. Do you find budgets sexy? ;)
Thanks to years of planning and BUDGETING, we grew this business from one ratty old building with a dozen people to a new, state-of-the-art facility with 80-125 employees and 1700 foot freeway frontage, 250+ RVs in stock, and the BEST STAFF on the PLANET! Yeah! Budgets are sexy!
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And there you have it, my very first big boy interview - whew! Gotta give mad thanks to my RV owners out there for taking the time to share with us, and more importantly being so open and honest :) I'd proudly work for you all anytime!

           

All this excitement = Me getting sick and not spending money :(

Yup, def. won't be splurging around if i can't leave the house. Not that it really makes a difference though considering i couldn't even muster up enough courage to blow a little $ on my bday! I wonder if i'm cured of this so called "splurge" virus now? i hope not...i like giving in every now and then.

Of course, it always helps when you actually FIND something you like though :) That was my problem on Friday (my bday) and then Sat. when out shopping w/ the family - i didn't come across anything i really wanted. You usually get most of the things on Xmas anyways (or at least i do since i only put small things on there), so unless you're really dying for a new flat screen - cough, cough Clever Dude - you're pretty much set before you even venture out.

AND, randomly inserted here, you'll be happy to know that i came pretty close to my Holiday Budget this year!!! I spent an extra $41.66 to be exact, but much better than previous years. It was the baby nephew who put me over really - too many cute things out there for kids! You think i can NOT buy a Redskins jersey for that little rug rat? pshhhhh, no way no how. But it all worked out nicely, he was able to open up something nice AND get the grandpa savings bond at the same time w/out hating me! haha....good times, good times.

I must have behaved too this year as i didn't get any coal in my stockings ;) Here were a few of my favorite presents i'm thankful for this year:

1. Framed copies of our family crest! I'm HUGE into family history and antique like stuff from the start, so these were welcomed with big arms for sure :) hot damn.
2. Artsy Shoe box! Yup, my brother pulled out the big guns on this one and spent time decorating a big shoe box for each one of us in the family - so creative! He drew pictures, sayings, doodles, and anything else from our past alllllll over it. And then he even put a cple presents inside! haha.. BEST present he's ever given by far, I salute you sir!
3. Pile of art supplies - Canvases, paint brushes, paints, you name it! All so i can produce another one of these bad boys - although this time without the $48 extra dollars ;)
4. Vampire Weekend CD - My new favorite album! These guys are soooo freakin' talented.
5. $350 in cash - this is mostly bday money since i couldn't pick anything out while shopping...but now i can slowly pick things up over time when i come across them! It's like having a free debit card attached to someone else's bank! haha....3 rules of cash gifts here i come ;)
   

So besides getting sick in the midst of it all, i'd say Xmas/Bday time this year was most excellent! Especially spending all that quality time w/ the fam - always good for the soul.

How did you all make out? Get anything SUPER crazy/odd/just plain weird this holiday?

           

Last week's carnival roundup.

Yup, a bit slow on these bad boys, but better late than never. Please to enjoy:

• Carnival of Personal Finance #184 - "From the land down under" ed. hosted by Saving to Invest.
• Festival of Frugality #157 - the "Queen's Speech" ed. hosted by Miss Thrifty.
• Carnival of Money Stories #90 - the "Happy holidays" ed. hosted by The Personal Financier.
• Money Hacks Carnival #44 - the "Merry Christmas" ed. hosted by Where You Are Now.
• Carnival of Debt Reduction - the "very raw... but highly functional clickable link format" ed. hosted by Destroy Debt.

           

It's my birthday, and i can shop if i want to :)

Awww yeahhh! Not only is it Boxing Day (although not really sure what that is?), but it's also a day of mad discounts and sales all over town :) And what better time to shop than when your pocket is full of present money?

Of course, having your birthday right after the man upstairs DOES have its drawbacks, but there are a lot of pros too: You're always around friends and family, everyone's all chipper and in a good mood, and you have like a kajillion days off of work!

I really wouldn't change it for the world....although funnily enough i do remember changing it to November 26th growing up. This way people would actually ATTEND my bday parties, and i never got gypped on the old 2-for-1 present deal and all. Hey, you gotta be crafty when you're a kid, right?

So yeah, i've really come to enjoy this shopping tradition over the years. It's pretty sweet because i can pick up anything that i didn't get the day before - and at usually a lower cost! We usually hit up my favorite stores first- TJ Maxx, Rugged Wearhouse, Target, the mall - and then take a time out and share a nice family lunch together downtown. It really does come close to a "perfect day" :)

And on that note, i leave you all to a very merry Friday! May your weekend be full of love, and your pockets full of the blingy bling. J. Money.......OUT!

           

Merry Christmas & a Very Sexy Holidays!!!

We here at Budgetsaresexy.com love ya! And we only want the best for our awesome as hell readers :) Here are today's Do's & Don'ts - you listen up:

Do's today: open lots of presents. be thankful. drink a lot of beers. hang out w/ a lot of family. be merry!

Don'ts today: be upset that you didn't get ___. curse God, Jesus, or any other religious figure. be sad. do anything naughty, unless it's the *good* kind of naughty ;)

           

Starbucks wants you to be a V.I.P! New "Gold" card out...

Right when you think you couldn't love them any more ;) Okay, so maybe this won't cure all the haters out there, but it's still sexy as hell! Especially if you drop as much as I do there - or our company really.

So this is the deal, Starbucks came out with a new V.I.P. card a while ago (i'm a bit slow) that saves you 10% off every time you swipe! Here are the deets:

Starbucks Gold, Starbucks new membership program, elevates the rewards experience for Starbucks most frequent customers – a $25 membership fee qualifies members for a 10 percent discount on most purchases at participating Starbucks – from espresso beverages to espresso machines.

Again, it won't help the average coffee drinker, but if you're as addicted as i am you can save some mad money over time. Our company goes through around $150-$200 of coffee/snacks a week there, so you can imagine my excitement :) That means we save what, $800ish a year? And all for a measly $25 bucks? Holla!

You can check out a flyer on it here (in .pdf), but here's the skinny:

• 10% off most purchases in participating stores*
• A free drink when purchasing the card in-store
• Options to pay for purchases (cash, credit card, Starbucks Card) while still receiving the membership discount

And if you register online, you also get the following goodies:

• Complimentary beverage on one’s birthday
• Free Wi-Fi access for 2 hours each day
• And other exclusive offers and discounts

So there you have it, yet another reason to fall in love with Starbucks ;) haha... nah, just some good savings if you're already spending boatloads over there. Now tell me, WHY don't i work for their marketing team again?

           

All I want for Xmas is for you to write this little girl :(

This is the cutest/sadest thing i've read all month! My girl over at J.D. Maybe? linked to it and i couldn't help pass it along in hopes anyone has a few mins to spare and write a quick note. J.D. summed it up perfectly:

"One little girls wish is to receive mail. She has Cerebral Palsy. This is the cheapest easiest good deed one could do....This little girl just wants mail for christmas. If you can find it in your rotten lil hearts to write this angel a letter, I am sure Santa will be very happy....

Alexis Krosky
PO Box 195
Columbiana, Ohio 44408"

MAIL - that's it! Incredible...if you've got a few minutes, send over a letter, a joke, a drawing, anything! Even if you read this after Xmas...I just pray she gets more than her little ol' eyes can see :)

UPDATE: She's getting hundreds of letters from all over the world!! Amazing.

           

Another foreclosure on our street...Is it time to get positive?

That's now 2 foreclosures in 2 months :( And, just like the other one, i can literally see the place right outside our living room window! Perhaps they both partied together??? Arghhh....

But you know what? I'm done ranting about it all, i've said my peace last time and it didn't get us anywhere (although it did make for a good blog post!).

Yup, this time i'm gonna be Mr. Positive and help create a happier atmosphere up in here :) You know, in the spirit of Christmas and all. So let's get started!

1. The Foreclosuree's can now start fresh.
This may be pushing it, but it's true! Imagine all that stress and frustration they must be feeling? Sure your life is in shambles and you have to start all over again (esp if you filed Bankruptcy, which i'm assuming would happen), but you just got rid of your #1 liability!

2. Someone's gonna get a helluva good deal!
Word on the street says the place is going for $225k!!! Considering we bought our townhouse for $360k, and our neighbor's for $350k, that's a 35% discount! Our places aren't *exactly* the same, but who really cares at this point...if you're a shopper, you'd be crazy NOT to pick up the cheaper one.

3. It'll probably be the last foreclosure on our street.
I say this only because the "core" residents here - about 75% - have owned their places since construction ended in the 80's. So most of them have probably already paid them off, or are close. The two pulling the foreclosure cards have been newbies so dar, and there's only a handful of us around. You can never tell exactly what's gonna happen, but this is all about staying positive ;)

4. We didn't lose any good friends.
That's a good thing right? It's not like i'm THAT close to any of our neighbors anyways, but it would def. suck if any of those living side-by-side of us left :( We've been getting pretty close to one of them, and would hate to see anything horrible happen over there.

5. It forces us to stay on top of our game!
This is probably the most important of the positive outcomes - making us pay even CLOSER attention to our finances so we're not next! I'd like to think we're already doing this, but a little *extra* attention never hurt. Plus, imagine if God forbid we DID have to foreclose after all this $hit i spilled last month?! I guess at that point it would be the least of our worries, but the whole idea is still scary...

How'd i do? I gotta admit it was pretty hard at first to come up with, but once i put myself in OTHER people's shoes the positives started flowing in :) I only hope that it does us all some good, i can only take so much bad news at a time. HAPPY XMAS EVE-EVE!