I’ve had some pretty good run-ins with money this week, as well as some not-so-fun ones, so I thought we’d take some time to divulge some of these with with y’all, and then see how YOUR weeks went over there :) Money never sleeps even when we think we’re on top of it all!
Here were the best deals of the week for me:
- Buying my new pair of shades! $9.99 from TJMax and 1/10th of the pair I bought 2 months ago that I regretted and ended up selling on Craigslist ;) Turns out cheaper glasses make me happier!
- Selling my dumb Oakleys on Craigslist! Haha… that counts as a “deal” right? Even if I only got $65 in cash instead of the $100 I paid for them? I loved the way they looked, but man, just didn’t feel “right” whenever I tried wearing them. And I couldn’t return them either since I bought them at an airport I never frequent! (Me = dumb) But now I’ve replaced them AND have an extra $55 to boot!
- Going on that road trip earlier this week! We spent about $100 on gas and snacks/tips/etc, but nothing clears the mind like some quick ocean visits with the family! The best use of money in my opinion, I love it :) Which reminds me – don’t forget to enter our iPod Shuffle giveaway!)
And here were the worst ones:
- Getting a $40 speeding ticket :( I took a different route in our neighborhood, and right as the wife told me to slow down we see this big shiny flash go off and I just knew right then and there I had gotten busted. Arghh… but always better than getting pulled over by the police! And getting points on the license! You can bet I drove like a granny for the rest of the week after that too, haha…
- Getting dinged a $5.00 late fee on our cell phone bill :( The first one I’ve gotten in a good 2-3 years! And we even have it automated!! Only problem was that our credit card had been replaced (stupid scammers!) and within the 5 days of us getting the new one and updating our accounts, the bill had hit and got us when we weren’t looking… and then I assumed the next automated pull would just take care of *both* charges and I was dead wrong – it just carried right on over into the next cycle. So I called and made sure everything was paid up 100%, and used this as another reminder to myself that we STILL need to pay attention to things even when they’re automated!
Nothing TOO crazy overall in either department, but it’s always good to watch out for these kinda things and make sure nothing stays recurring where we don’t really want them to be :) Even though we’re all gonna make mistakes here and there no matter how hard we try!
How did you guys do this week? Anything juicy happen to you on one side or the other? Anyone make it out with bucket fulls of cash? :)
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(Photo by davidsonscott15)
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*searching every bucket in sight*
nope no cash :(
No speeding tickets or late fees either so maybe it’s a wash?
Since you are a reliable customer call your phone provider and ask if the $5 fee can be waived. Good customers get breaks!
The excitement for the week – I rescued a perfectly good entertainment unit from the garbage. I HATE seeing good stuff going into the land fill. It makes me crazy. I have no room for it, so it will probably go to charity.
Glad you got money for the Oakleys but sucks you got the speeding ticket. You’re lucky though, those VA speeding tickets can be really nasty from what I’ve heard. $40 doesn’t seem that bad.
This weekend will be a massive cash outflow as I replace my air conditioner. Luckily I have cash in the bank and a Chase Sapphire Preferred card waiting for its $400 bonus after this purchase :)
Totally get the sunglasses thing. I have pair of really nice shades that I only wear when I’m tryin’ to be stylin’ and profilin’. But the ones I wear most often and get the most complements on are my $8 pair from the drugstore I got on vacation!
Ugh that stinks about the speeding ticket!
I got a $101 seatbelt ticket :(. I (almost) always were my seat belt but I just ran a quick errand, less than a mile from home. I was not thinking and forgot to put it on. I was actually pulled over for blocking the crosswalk while I was trying to turn right on red. BS reason but I did break the law so I owe the money.
I know it costs you time, but I’m sure if you send them a polite email asking them to credit you the late fee based on your long standing relationship and excellent pay history they will probably do it.
We got our 5th and 6th free can of formula (and tons of coupons) for signing up with Similac. Can 7 and 8 should be on their way since I had my parents sign up too!
We made it all week without eating out! This is a HUGE accomplishment for our family. Today is the one and only day we’ll have lunch together at Chick-fil-A, and that will be our only meal out. We had been eating out 3-5 times a week, including weekends. To get back to not eating out means we’ve conquered our demons in this area! Now, about the house…
This week was lots of spending for us, but by means of donations. Like I told you on Twitter, J, there is a major fire on the westside of Colorado Springs, that of this morning, has burned over 16,000 acres and has taken at least 346 homes. It started last Saturday. So here’s what we’ve bought…(at this point, I haven’t calc’d how much we’ve spent, and frankly, I don’t care…it’s about helping my community)
3 cases of water
3 cases of gatorade
random toiletries for evacuees
a bunch of eye wash and contact solution at costco for the firefighters
monetary donations of at least $50.
It’s been a long week in Colorado Springs….
This week was kind of expensive. New tires on the truck today is going to cost us almost $700 but we have a rebate coming that will bring it down to $630. I’m pretty sure our water heater is on the fritz also. Thank god I don’t have a house payment in July due to our refinance. Yay!
As for the automatic payments, I love them but had a bad experience last year. After I paid my car off they still ended up taking out the next months payment. It took them 14 days to refund the money (can’t do it electronically for some reason) and they said the payments would still come out until I cancelled the automatic payments. You would think the computer software would recognize a zero balance, guess not.
Best Deal:
$100 off of a recliner chair I wanted since last year. When I had surgery I would have paid $1000 if someone would have brought me one. But alas I waited and got a steal of a deal on an as-is one at Ikea. Never thought I could love a recliner or even allow one in my house, but that is the best thing EVER!
Worst Deal:
Late fee on credit card for a balance of $134! It was on a card I rarely use and if I do, I go home and setup auto-pay and pay it before it even posts to the card. I was in money saving mode and thought I would wait until the end of the month to make interest off of the money. OOPS, was so interested in making money, I forgot it was due on the 17th, not the end of the month. Emailed them to see if they would wave it, and set the card up for auto-pay through the company.
Most heart-warming deal:
I too live in Colorado and am buying whatever I can to help those in need and making monetary donations.
The Red Cross always can use help or the Pikes Peak Pet Pantry (in Colorado Springs) that gives food to animals in need. I think there is going to be a telethon on this weekend on one of our local stations for ALL of the fires. Last I looked there were 9 fires (some spot fires) with Colorado Springs, Boulder and Fort Collins being the 3 biggest. :(
This week has been pretty nice, my parents are visiting from China so they finally got to see the new house and meet Bullet (the puppy). My dad’s been helping out around the house fixing things which I’m terribly grateful for.
I wish I had something juicy to share. :) Instead, I was kicking myself for paying a $12 fine at the library. What is the point of going to the library if I have overdue books that I have to pay for? Yep, a dumb one for sure.
I used to be a cop and i hated giving tickets. Coming in for a shift and being told “you’re on enforcement today” always sucked. It meant i’d be dinging people for silly rolling stops and pro turns. What a way to spend 10 hours.
I havent sold anything yet, but I just listed a ton of stuff on Craigslist. Its amazing how much stuff we own that we can sell on Craigslist for some extra money :)
I actually found a pair of sunglasses on a chair I was sitting in during a conference I was at in New Orleans. I dare anyone to try and outdo the number of prepositions in that sentence. Then I got another free pair of sunglasses at the conference. I also re-upped on journalism supplies – laptop bag, pens, notepads, etc. – at the conference for F-R-double-E. Hashtag winning. This group I’m a member of managed to get a free trip to New Orleans on a bus line. I won’t mention the name of the bus line here because they kept the temps so low on the ride back that it was literally like being tortured. They said the bus was climate controlled and there was nothing they could do, so we all just suffered in silence. Actually now that I’ve said all that I guess I should say who it was. Megabus. Never riding with them again (without a jacket).
On the losing side, I must’ve dropped about $200 being in New Orleans for five days, not even counting hotel. Also got dinged with a $25 parking ticket. At least it’s not like LA where they’re $55.
Wow your speeding ticket was low! My husband just got one and we’re estimating $375-$500 depending on what ridiculous fees the court decides to add on (Ga sucks for tickets). He was doing 48, the speed limit was 50 until someone ran over the sign and they changed it three days ago to 30. Boo! I did well this week, brought in $200 from Craigslist sales and another $350 set to sell on Monday, assuming they show up – fingers crossed!
It’s party time!! Friday night – woo!! (Says the nerd typing on the keyboard)
@Mikayla – Can’t complain about that!
@Slackerjo – Awww, that is wonderful! I hate seeing perfectly good stuff getting trashed too – though I never pick it up just to donate it, you’re kinder than I am ;) I’d probably try and sell it first and THEN donate if I had no luck, haha…
@Lance@MoneyLife&More – Nice job! That Saphire bonus is no joke :) Only reason my ticket was so low was cuz it was a speeding camera and not a police pullover – thank goodness!
@Alexa – Haha, I like the way you roll :)
@Michelle – I know, but totally my fault :(
@Marc @ FatAndBroke – Oh jeez, that’s the worst. I’ve once seen a bike cop ride up to a friend’s car and hand over a no-seatbelt ticket too, they’re no joke!
@Brian – Yeah, I probably could get the fee waived, but I’m over it at this point… as silly as it sounds, it’s not worth my time right now w/ the wee one on its way :( but soon enough I’ll be a father like you!! :)
@Laura Brown – Wow good for you!! That’s quite the accomplishment! :)
@Trinnie – You are an angel, Trinnie!! I admire you so much!!! We feel so bad for your community and everyone losing their homes out there – I can’t even slightly imagine how that must feel for everyone :( Keep spreading the love!!! Your God’s little helper! :)
@DebtsnTaxes – Woah that is bad!! What a nightmare – I’m glad they at least TOLD YOU to go and cancel manually/etc – that could have been a lot worse over time :( Congrats on the refinance though – that’s exciting :) And I hear you on the water heater – our brand new one is looking mighty shiny these days, haha… with a grand less in our pockets too (boooooo).
@LB – It really is incredibly sad – been watching it on the net for a while, just freaky! :( Way to go on your recliner deal though, I used to never like them but am a huge fan of them now too :) Maybe it’s a “getting older” kinda thing? Haha…
@Jenna, Adaptu Community Manager – COOL!! I didn’t know they lived in China?? Exciting :)
@Melissa@LittleHouseInTheValley – HAH! You’d think they’d be like Netflix now and just let you take them for however long you want, but you can’t rent anymore until they’re returned ;)
@Tino – I imagine so – you’re def. not anyone’s friend that day ;) Has anyone ever tried to bribe you or offer any “services” for letting them off the hook? Haha…
@Debt Free Teen – Oh heck yeah! Best place ever for cleaning out your house. And then you just donate what doesn’t sell and take the tax write off too – win/win/win! (The last win is for the cleaner house ;))
@Dion – And where was that $200 spent while there, good sir? Hmmmm?? Some thirst quenching and shiny beed action, perhaps? ;) I think you did better than me the last time I was there though – I’m pretty sure I spent like $200 in one night, haha… but you gotta hook up your boys on bachelor party time of course.
@Angella – 50 down to 30??? That’s horrible!! HUGE difference, jeez!! But yeah girl, damn good job on selling that stuff outta your place – soak it all in! :)
Haha J, nobody ever tried to bribe me. People could get in trouble for that and so could the cop. That still works in some countries, though.
Augh, PiC totally got a speeding ticket taking his usual route this week too! AND at the end of the week he forgot to pay for parking in his rush to catch transit and we very nearly got a ticket for that on top of the speeding ticket. I was going to blog about this today too! :) tsk tsk.
@Tino – I know they could, but they still do it allll the time! People are nutso.
@Revanche – Haha, go for it! There can never be too many ticket posts out there ;) We all need constant reminders!
You should pay MORE attention to automated payments. Sounds a little weird, but I’ve seen some terribly upset people (at the credit union I work at) who neglected their auto-pays even after they had canceled the service. Your case is slightly different since it is a credit card but some people like to use ACH which takes money directly from your account. The problem with this is that some companies either don’t process the paperwork to cancel the ACH in a timely fashion OR don’t really care if you canceled your subscription. Then you have to pay a $25 fee to the credit union or bank to cancel that ACH and take up the rest with that company that you chose not to use the services of anymore. Just be careful when you set up your automatic payments :).
Yuck!!! Yet another reason to use credit cards for most of these things! ACH stuff freaks me out, unless I’m getting PAID that way, haha… great things to consider though for sure, thanks for stopping by my friend :)
Wow, that’s really quite inexpensive for a speeding ticket. I think they are at least a couple hundred in Arizona. And if you go to the “class” it costs almost as much but you don’t get points placed on your license. We’ve been having some major car trouble but we think someone in our family got sabotaged… we’ve had to replace fuel pumps in three of our four vehicles and one was going to cost almost $600 to replace from the dealer but my husband found just this morning that he can get the actual fuel pump for under $40 plus shipping. So we’re thrilled about that.
OUCH, that’s so messed up :( Sorry to hear, my friend. Our speeding ticket was caught on one of those light thingie’s so luckily no points or real police/courts to deal with. Just had to pay the fee and wipe my hands of it, thank goodness… hope your luck gets better!
You spent $200 in 5 days in New Orleans? Did you even leave your hotel? o.O
I need to spend more time reading budgeting blogs.
Haha yup! I just don’t throw any at hot girls ;)