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Archive for November, 2006

Saved lots of money today

November 13th, 2006 at 12:54 am

The wife and I needed to get a new table for the living room/ everything else room and got a great deal. After looking at 4-5 consignment shops and not finding anything we really fell in love with we stopped at Sofa Mart and got the following:

2 Metal and Glass End Tables Retail $318 set
2 Metal Lamps w/ square Shades Retail $166 set
1 Metal Vase with wrapped wire Retail $72
2 Urn w/ Silk Flowers Retail $127

We walked out paying $157.50 with tax for all of the above. The end tables have 2 glass shelves the bottom one on one was missing and everything else is perfect. They had everything clearanced out at $240 and we asked if we bought all of it what kind of deal we could have if we bought it all and he grabbed his calculator and told us $150 plus tax. Everything is so wonderful and was just what we were looking for. Now to talk to a local glass place about making me a replacement shelf. Well was a spend day but got out with $533 in savings from Sofa Mart. Smile Hope others did well today.

Craig

I'll be back to read the blogs later time for salsa dance class.

Its snow and Retirement Planning in one day!

November 10th, 2006 at 09:36 pm

Well the day started out down pouring rain, why I'm home, then switched to sleet now it great big snow flakes. Smile Got the paperwork to get mine and my wifes retirements going and to start a mutual fund. We're going with T. Rowe Price Retirement Funds 2030 for her and 2045 for me. Not sure on what mutual fund I will pick but looking at Prime Reserve. We will be starting with putting $50 ea a month into our funds, just a start till I get good hours again next year, winter makes it hard to do construction and she is just starting her own buisness. Hope to get the paperwork in the mail before Monday. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Craig

My Debt Reduction

November 7th, 2006 at 02:35 am

Well after toying with quicken again I plugged some numbers into their debt reduction planner and came up with this:

Amount $1250 month

3 Loans: 1 22.99% owe 7440 - Personal
2 7.5% owe 52000 - House
3 7.14% owe 6891 - Student Loan

If we follow Quickens debt strategy we can be out of debt by Mid 2012. I think I might try it out. We will have to tighten our belts some more but it would be great to own the house in less time than expected. Now to convince the wife it would be possible.

Craig

Somewhat back on track

November 5th, 2006 at 03:20 am

Well I'm somewhat back on track for the month. I did go and purchase Quicken 2007 Home and Buisness as I've needed some good accounting software and since the wife is starting her own massage buisness I figured I would go with what I wanted to use. It is great for what I have figured out all ready, now to figure out all the little stuff. Tracking our 5 personal accounts and her 1 buisness account from 1 page is great. Now to find a place to invest some money. Anyone have an ideas? I will start investing after the first of the year as to make sure I don't get laid off (I work construction). I need to find the best method of starting out with a couple of small investments of around $1k. By the end of next year I plan on setting up a Roth IRA for both the wife and I. I'm leaning toward the Vangaurd Retirement 2030 for my wife and
the Vangaurd Retirement 2045 for me. They look like easy to run investments and I would like to invest a little more else where as well but not sure where to go with it. If anyone has any good ideas on investment I would love to hear them as I'm reading all I can to find the best places to invest. Thanks for the wonderful site and the great blogs.

Craig

Novembers budget already shot down!

November 3rd, 2006 at 02:25 pm

Well I have already shot down my November budget as I've missed 22 hrs of work out of 24 since the start of Nov. due to me coming down with bronchitis. Top that off with the visit to the chiroprator for and adjustment, accupuncture, laser therapy, and natural supplements for a total of $155 should have been $250 but since my wife is a Massage Therapist there I received a disount. Part of the bill can be claimed to insurance so I should get back about $80-90 from them. I do have insurance but don't care for western medical practices so I end up spending more when I get sick. If it wasn't for my wife and I wanting to have a child in the near future I would just cancel it and put the money into savings as I could have more in savings as the only thing it gets used for is 2-3 Chiropractor visits per month, but the dental has been great though. Well that's my rant for now. I did do fairly well last month as far as the budget goes since it was the first I figured kinda low and wasn't over too much, except for the vet bill. Now to figure out how to make some more money this month. How long does money have to sit in ING before I can transfer it to my emigrant and not lose my $25 sign on bonus? Well sorry for the long post but I feel better now.