May 25, 2008 - My New Blogstore! LOL

Ok, I have so much clutter, it needs to go.  Ebay proved fruitless this time around since they raised their fees.  I will put the link into my sidebar...so you can visit when you desire.  Hoping you can find some special deals that you can USE!  LOL... don't become ME! 

Treasures in the Dust

I may check out the blujay marketplace as well, if this doesn't go well.  But I'm hoping it does.  I hate posting in so many different places.  I want to find something that works.  Feel free to pass the blog store addy around.  I'd love to get rid of some stuff and pay off some more debt! 

I will be adding some postings each day as I have time.  So please check back.  I plan to post clothing, homeschool books, craft items, home decor, other books, baby stuff, and more! 

Warmly, ~Melissa

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May 3, 2008 - Debt-free Journey...Federal tax refund

I just checked our bank account and surprise, surprise!  We got our federal tax refund back for 2007's taxes.  I was so excited, I paid bills tonight and guess what... it is all gone already!  LOL. 

I am not going to be distraught over that fact.  Instead I will praise God that we paid off our Discover card in full!  While that is a relief, that wasn't ever in our budget, so it did not help the initial plan to get back within our budget.  But it did help me not to have to depend on Dh's overtime as much anymore. 

Next on our to pay off list is our Sears Credit card.  That is sitting at $8341.06.  This is at a low interest, we took advantage of combining bills at one time with lower interest offers.  But it is now time to pay it off completely.  I put $2000 of our tax refund onto this amount, so I am down to $6341.06.  We plan to put money from the tax rebate on this card as well, whenever that comes.  And our overtime money will also go towards paying off this debt as well. 

My next project with our finances is to come up with a budget and make accounts to accomodate the budget.  We are currently in process of refinancing our home.  When that is finished, we will be settled on monthly amounts of all our current bills and I will be able to set up a budget that is current.  We've been switching funds from one thing to another in effort to save on interest that we are paying.  I've found that hasn't really saved me any money in the current state of affairs, but we will be saving thousands from interest paid had we left it the other way.  But since we (both Dh and I) agreed to get debt free... we have been trying new ways to manage our money and I tell you monthly it changes because we find a better deal with interest or a better way to pay for items.   Making up a budget hasn't been easy, especially with all the financial changes.  We hope to settle our refinance of our house shortly and hopefully that will be the last of our moving around of the finances for a while and I will be able to concentrate on a budget and keeping it, rather than moving funds here and there. 

It is exciting to see that debt-free counter moving down... Tax refunds can make a big difference if we are faithful to apply it to debt! 

Warmly, ~Melissa

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April 17, 2008 - Paperback swap... bargain or no?

I've been signed up to Paperback Swap  for a while now.  At first I really wondered if it was worth the trouble!

I maybe made the mistake of listing 50 items during that first week I signed up.  I wanted to get a set of 5 books for my daughter and by signing up you got two credits, so I needed 3 more.   I wanted to increase my chances of getting these books, BEFORE they were gone.  I was lucky and in the first week, I had takers for 4 of my books.  I was able to get the 5 book set that I wanted (with the freebie credits).  I did leave my list of 50 books up there and Dh gave me permission to list his old comic books cuz they were just collecting dust, especially if I could pick up books for the homeschooling, he was fine with that. 

I have had 17 books requested so far.  Great!  But I have to realize that each time a book is requested... I am paying the postage for those books to be sent out.  Most are around $2.13, but some have been as much as $3-4 and a couple as low as $.80.  I didn't track the postage on the first 13 books, but thought I would start.  I have 4 books tracked for postage. 

I have gotten some nice books in exchange and when I get it for homeschooling, it is a valuable trade in my opinion.  I didn't have to buy it for a price plus shipping, just the shipping.  I have saved quite a bit.  The Paperback swap site tracks how many books you have received and figures your savings at around $4.50 a book.  I'm not sure this is totally accurate, but a savings is being had. 

I am tempted however to swap for "interesting books!"  Books I don't need and books I likely won't get around to reading for quite some time.  And books I could easily borrow from the library.  To me that is making the swap more costly.  That is like buying a pop at the convenience store or a fancy coffee drink that I really don't need and could likely wait until I was home.  Going debt free really is making me examine my motives with alot of things.  Sure some things in life are nice... and yet, we can get carried away in thinking we deserve to have things even when really money doesn't allow for such niceties... especially on a regular basis.   I have to watch my contentment factor.  Am I doing this because I am discontent?  Or am I doing it out of need, desire, or creating a hobby?   Do I have time and expense to do this long term and participate financially without taking money from the regular budget? 

For the time being, it is helpful.  It is ridding clutter of books we don't read and I have been unable to sell.  It also has allowed me opportunity to build our homeschool library a bit and also afford me the ability to get some self help books I have been wanting to get (that would help me down the road) that I just wasn't willing to pay $10-15 a book for.    I will have to guard my heart in upcoming days and watch and see if this activity is continuing to be worthy of its time and expense. 

Warmly,

~Melissa

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April 14, 2008 - Debt-Free Journey...

We are still continuing on with trying to keep paying off our bills.  I updated my debt ticker in the sidebar and it still seems enormous!  We have applied for a new mortgage as our 5 year mortgage (balloon) is up.  They will renew, but at the higher percentage and only for 5 years... so in five years we will be looking to refinance again and hoping the interest is low.  We want to lock in for our last 15 years and hope that we will be able to do that.  We are still waiting on the appraisal, which was done last month.  Perhaps it was a blessing, because the Fed rate dropped again!  I haven't seen this last drop affect prices as far as lowering it further, but perhaps it guaranteed that low rate we were looking at. 

It is a delightful change to be on the same page with DH when it comes to paying off our debt.  We still need to make some purchases, but our first concern is getting to the place where we can manage our monthly budget on his base salary... and not the overtime.  We aren't there yet.  But God is still teaching us...how to get there!

I figured my checkbook today and found that I had an item to transfer $1400 to the other account to cover bills.  Well, after figuring the checkbook, I hadn't done that.  I checked the other account (the bill account) and found that I never entered it into that account as well.  This was done on a week Dh had some overtime, yet we hadn't yet learned the art of putting that away into savings for a rainy day.  I would have likely paid it on some bill if I had the chance, but God knew that we would need it just a month down the road.  I thought the money had been spent and was gone... but here it was ... a large amount.  Well, Dh has gotten no overtime for a month... bad news for us until we pay down some bills.  I was just sick about paying bills today as I knew the car insurance of $700 was due.  Where was I going to get $700?  I also need groceries and gas in the car.  Plus the other regular bills that keep coming... Insurance has always been paid off of overtime and we have not been good with budgeting it into the financial picture, but somehow we've been ahead on the budget enough to not worry about that... not this time. 

Finding the money in the checkbook was so thrilling!  Paying bills is such a draining task for me.  I just get so down.  I hate seeing realistically where we sit.  But with this surprise... that I found enough money to cover the insurance, plus paying my daughter back for the groceries she bought the past two weeks (she is in town and every pay check I pay her back), plus paying the regular bills, plus paying my daughter back $550 for the sheep we just bought (and plan to sell in a couple weeks).  Well, Both Dh and I were relieved.  We didn't like borrowing the $550 from our daughter for the sheep, but we hadn't planned on the purchase and yet it was a good buy.   Dh agreed before checking with me about the money situation and we didn't have it in there (well, we did with that lost amount floating in there... but I didn't find it until today).  Anyways, everyone is paid back and my 16 yo says to me... so we're back to broke, right?  LOL 

Well, that is partly true.  I have $200 to make it until next payday, filling two vehicles will run nearly $150... That leaves $50 for groceries.  I have a full freezer, so that will do us with fresh produce and we can use pantry food to fill the rest of the meals.  But to me, I feel rich!  God blessed! 

Dh laughed when he heard the story and he said... you sure have been making alot of mistakes with the checkbook lately... but all have been in our favor... I take money out but when I get distracted, I come back to the bills and take it out again...yet I only write one check... so two entries for one bill... All the mistakes have been a gift... something that has allowed us to get through a tougher tighter time that was just ahead that I didn't forsee... but Someone else was watching over me and my family... whispering to their little minds... go distract Mama... at just the right time... Hmmm, it can't be coincidence.  I suppose it could... I could say I'm getting older and more forgetful... but why do all the mistakes go in our favor?  I could say I don't add as well as I used to, but I've done the bills all along in our marriage and it's not like I LOST my touch, recently.  I can only think that God was watching over us and providing for our tigher days by removing them from our immediate thought and reach by me making extra payment entries in the register. 

Praise to God!  We'll get debt-free someday.  Hopefully sooner than later!

Warmly, ~Melissa

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April 7, 2008 - Sheep in... sheep out...

Today Dh went and picked up some sheep.  We were called and asked if we knew anyone looking to buy some sheep.  Dh didn't know, but gave the person some advice on selling them, but said he wasn't looking to buy sheep at this time.  The guy asked if he would pay $500 and pick up the sheep this week. Dh told him that he should be able to sell his sheep for $1000 easily.  Dh offered to be the backup plan for $500 if nothing else came through by the time he had to move.  The man didn't want to wait, his wife was expecting a baby and they are moving and he just wanted them gone.  So, Dh agreed to buy the sheep for $500... His reason for accepting this man's low offer is the fact that he knew he'd have to feed out hay and grain until the lambs were grown up.  This wasn't something he was looking to do.  And we are trying to get out of debt, not go into more debt.  The man sounded desperate and it was more of an agreement to ease their troubles at this time. 

Shortly after we agreed to buy the sheep, Dh got a call from someone wanting sheep.  Dh now has someone coming to pick up between 3-6 of the 8 sheep that we have purchased.  If he buys the 6 sheep, we will likely make a good turnaround of money that we were not expecting to get.  They will be coming in a couple weeks to check out the sheep. 

It is somewhat odd.  Dh wanted to find a great buy on sheep last year and be able to sell them for a good price and make some profit.  It didn't work, we somehow ended up losing money on the deal and didn't even keep any lambs because the mom's were so skittish they were horrible mothers.  This really troubled us.  We wanted to use the money to get out of debt and put some towards college costs.  That was OUR plan... God's plan was different.  

We now are working on getting out of debt with more vigor and more conscious about our spending all around the board.  (Good thing... not sure we would have been that dedicated to this debt reduction if we had gotten a lump sum of money that just made day to day monies go easier).  We got so tight with funds we had to seriously look at our spending and make some honest decisions about our lifestyle.  

Secondly, While I had thought I missed the deadline for my daughter to get her scholarship (hence a big need to sell sheep to get some college money)... God provided a way for her to get that same scholarship THIS year.  All in His timing... it is so awesome!  

Third, now that we are devoted to getting out of debt and have come face to face with some big things in our lives, now that our hearts are set right with our finances... NOW is the time that God sends a little investment blessing our way.   And the first thing Dh said when he found out about the monies was not... NOw I can get... (that's his normal response to a lump sum profit) ... NO... rather it was... what bill can we put these funds on?    All in God's own timing... God is soooo Good to us! 

Warmly, ~Melissa

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February 3, 2008 - Ponderings on our debt free journey...

Today, we were sorting out decisions.  I am currently cleaning out last years files of paperwork and as I went through each file, I was happy to place those paid in full in the back!  Of those that I am coming to that we still owe, I figured the end payment date if we continue to pay as we are. 

Our truck is financed at 0% interest and will be paid off by December of 2010.  Our furniture also at 0% interest will be paid off by March of 2011.  Our home has 15 years left on it as well.  And our refinancing of our "extra debt" will be 8 years.  We have a Discover Card, which all online purchases are made with that we hope to pay off within the next couple months.  And one last Sears Card that has low interest... 4.9% of which is second to pay off after the Discover Card.  

We are on the market for refinancing our home loan.  We had a 5 year rate loan (30 year payment figures of which we have paid 12 years on), which ends sometime this year or next... I forget when, but after that 5 years, the bank asks us to resign at the "current rate".  We decided we would like to lock our rate in with the low interest for the rest of the loan, rather than worrying that in 5 years, the interest may not be as good for us.   We started exploring options of what to do with our finances overall and discovered some wild and crazy thoughts...

If we can refinance the house on a 15 year loan and tack on the refinance portion and pay as figured on the loan calculator... we can save $5,000 on interest AND have a lower payment by $300+ each month.  Dh figured 11% down to 5+% even going 7 more years will save us money... that was wild for me to conceive!  And if we pay what we pay now on the refinance and put it on the house loan, it will reduce our 15 year loan to 10 years... and save $22,000 + in interest on both loans. 

Dh was really disliking the idea of refinancing the house and going hunting for a loan that would have the same interest for the entire 15 year term.  But this revelation was incentive to his ears.   We are now hoping to find a home loan that will cover both loans and refinance.  Then we intend to find a way to make bi-monthly payments, which reduces your interest by tons as well.  (we have this currently as well).  Then we hope to make the larger payments, without penalty. 

Our drive on the other bills will be to pay off the highest interest of debt...(as the totals reflect this to some extent)... the smaller debts are at higher interest.  And to continue moving that payment to the next area of attack.  It is a bit hard to pay off a no interest loan ahead of time, but with several financial seminars they say... get rid of those bills, work smallest to highest, not focusing on the interest so much as the ability to pay it off quicker.... as you will then put that payment on the next bill... which may be a higher interest, but you will pay it off all that much quicker.  We are praying about that.  with having two loans currently at 0% interest that both last 3 more years... we wonder if we shouldn't just put the extra on the house payments and continue paying those for the three years and then after three years, we can attack the house with gusto... possibly paying off in 7 years or less if we are diligent with moving that payment over.  (I realize we are looking at needing another vehicle in the future, but we are trying to put that off as long as possible.... although it is entirely too tempting to look for a car to trade in for my van to get better gas mileage.... that would be a savings, too... with day to day expenses!)  We also are researching energy saving ideas and trying to come up with more money saving ways.   Also, gardening, groceries and menu planning are another way we are trying to save some monies.

Anyways, I am in such hope.  I have never felt that we could ever dig out of debt... especially in less than 10 years, but it is hopeful that we can.  And if we are totally diligent and not over aggressive with new expenses (realizing college is on the horizon... one starting next fall!)... we could be out of debt sooner.  

I am also selling extra household items on ebay and last week sold $42 worth of items.  While not alot, it is still helpful.  Now I am trying to come up with a plan for those funds.  How am I going to tuck it away to make a difference in our bills.  I would love ideas from those that are more into these financial strategies.   I was thinking that after tithe, I should give some to savings and some to bills?  I was thinking of maybe putting a definate amount on our child sponsorship giving...5% or so and then split the rest... I don't want it too difficult, or hard to keep track of, but I do want the use of the money to be noticable. 

I feel so encouraged today.   Our finances are on our mind alot lately.  Dh is trying to sell sheep as best he can with the market being so slow last year and this year people wanting "deals".  He has to figure costs of keeping sheep rather than selling them at a lower cost, but having savings on feed... It is an interesting time.  We also have some considerations of using an acre or up to three of our pasture acres to raise sweet corn or some other items and sell on road corners to make more money as well.  That would be a timely investment as well, and needs consideration as to what would be expected out of me.  As we found that farmer's market kept me too busy to do as much canning as we would have liked to have done.  Canning our own food helps save money too... if you are too busy selling one crop, and leave the rest to rot, what good is it to sell the one crop... I might as well of stayed home and canned, rather than running off to market to sell what little we did.  (And still end up buying food cuz we didn't can enough!).   I think the encouraging part is knowing that we are finally realizing the expense of how we once lived... And trying to change that... well, that is at times a frustrating endeavor.  The benefits will some day outshine our seemingly painstaking efforts. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

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January 12, 2008 - God is good!

Yesterday, was the beginning of a new step for me... limiting myself to a budget for food.  I am pretty frugal for the most part.  But if someone wanted something (reasonably priced) I usually didn't avoid getting it.  We are trying however to run within a set budget and for the first time, groceries, gas and entertainment are being added to the budget.   I've always tried to stay close to a reasonable amount anyways, so it is not horrible for me to think about being on a budget.  But I am trying to stay within $75 a week for gas for the van, groceries,  household expenses, and entertainment.  The gas I have never added into my budget and that worries me a bit.   We have a full pantry, so really groceries just need to be incidentals... out of milk, fresh fruit and veggies, that sort of thing.  I can bake our own bread, we have lots of beans, chicken, lamb and burger in the freezer. 

Anyways, I was trying to get at this week's temptation for me.  I wanted nuts... mixed nuts to munch on.  We have plans to head out next week for a short trip.  I knew we needed some munchies and I was trying to keep it to a minimum, so that the grocery money would be on hand for groceries on our trip.  (Dh's overtime paid for the trip).  It would be very tempting to just blow money on eating out just cuz we wanted to treat ourselves, but we are limiting ourselves to what needs to be spent.   This going debt free is really touching every aspect of our lives, it is such an adventure to think that every decision really works to help us be debt free or not to be.  I suppose that is much like a Christian life... each thing we decide to do either brings us closer to Christ or away from Christ.   Back to my nuts... I wanted some, but decided I didn't need to have nuts for the trip.  They were more expensive than what I was allowing and even though I wanted them, I didn't need them. 

So, that brings me  to today.  I was at church and a gal comes up to me.  She says, my daughter wanted to thank you for taking her to MN on several occasions with you.  She enjoyed the trips and just wanted to say thanks.  Well, she had already "said" thank you, but they got me a gift.... a tin of mixed nuts!  Isn't God good?  He knew that I would be wanting nuts.  He knew that I might deny myself of the nuts.  He knew just when and what to impress this family to get me when thinking of me for a gift... nuts.  My Dh might roll his eyes at the coincidences, but I choose to think on this as a God thing.  God moved someone else in such a way that I can see His love touching my life.  Affirming our decision to go debt free, affirming my choice to live without the mixed nuts.  But still loving me enough to give that which I didn't ask for, but He knew that I would enjoy.  God is truly good to me.   Has He been good to you?

Warmly, ~Melissa

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January 3, 2008 - Financial struggles...

A couple weeks ago, we got word from our insurance company that they would NOT cover the presurgical physical of our daughter we had several months ago.  This was after submitting an appeal as well.   Well, yesterday we just got word from our insurance company that they would not cover the hospital bill, either.  This was a real blow as it was preapproved before we even signed on for the surgery.  The total bill $5800!!! 

Talk about being heartsick!  It was late when we opened the statement and we couldn't do anything about it until morning... so we just were sick all last night.  I prayed and prayed.  I was so restless sleeping that everytime I awoke, I prayed again. 

Well, Dh called the insurance company and after talking with the adjuster, he said that the claim had already been re-submitted and it looks to be like they will cover all but our deductible of $500, plus a few dollars of copayment stuff.  But overall less than $600.  This was what we expected, and was a true relief.  He said it wasn't approved, but did look like it was pending approval and was in the correct path of being approved.  I don't understand because for the doctor's physical bill, we had to appeal it before it was resubmitted and somehow they just resubmitted it without our appeal???  Also he told us that he would reopen up the doctor bill as he felt it should be covered as a presurgical physical.  Whether it is or not, we aren't certain. 

This adjuster also told us to submit the dental fees that we had already paid in advance.  Our medical insurance will cover dental fees that are from illness or disease.  Beings the tooth was falling apart and not a normal decay pattern and the dentist even told me after the surgery that he felt that something in the development of the teeth was hindered as the rest of the mouth was sparkling clean.  To submit the costs, we just asked for a letter as they do not file the claims for medical insurance (the dentist office).  I just asked him to put into writing what he stated to me after the surgery.  He refused over the phone today.  It just makes me sick.  I hate dealing with people that lie.  I just can't tolerate that.  I instantly felt his "talk" after surgery was just saying what we wanted to hear so that we'd come back to his practice... NOT because he was being honest... I mean why else would he not be willing to write the note?  Dishonest people just cause me to recoil instantly... I really really really dislike dishonesty.   So, I still can submit the fees with the receipt to the insurance company with our own explanation, but the dentist was vague in his fees.  He simply wrote dental caries... not broken chipped teeth, so it does not seem like it falls into line with what our insurance company covers.  I'm not sure "my" explanation will be enough.  Dh still wants me to make the effort to write the letter.  He says, state that this dentist was a referral... and saw her long enough to determine treatment, not long enough to determine the cause.  Our family dentist was more than willing to state the fact that it was abnormal development of the teeth which caused a loss of structure.  I am considering asking her to write a letter in our defense as well.   She actually took the time to talk about our history and she knows our entire family and our dental histories... this was totally different!  Dh says it is only a stamp and my time that we are out if we submit it... they may say no, but they can't say yes if we don't submit it. 

So overall, at the moment we are out the dental fees we paid upfront...$1300.  We are out the doctor fees...$150... and the (hopefully accepted hospital claim) of $600.  Now the coming up with $750 to pay these other two bills off is our next challenge.  Luckily they will accept payments of what we can afford until they are paid in full.  We were just hopeful that it could be better, if the dental fees could be paid by insurance, that would cover the bills we need to pay currently.   Oh well, at least the day ended better than it began. 

Warmly, ~Melissa 

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December 31, 2007 - Budget update...

Well, some reworking on the budget was done here recently.    In trying to reduce our debt, we realized that come January, we lost a lower interest on one of our credit cards.  Dh called to negotiate a lower interest... they wouldn't hear of it.   So, instead we refinanced the credit cards... all of them.  They are all overall at a lower rate, but on one loan to be paid off in 8 years.  I am hoping that will be sooner.  In doing that, they closed down our largest credit account... fine with us!  

The way the loan works is that the bank the credit account was through, offered us an unsecured loan.  They closed the credit card account.   They will then transfer the amount leftover to our bank account for us to pay off the other credit cards.  I thought this a bit risky, but it will be done.  I have no need of double payments.  The refinance actually dropped our total payments by $45... and they have an end date to be paid off.  

After the cards are paid off, I now have a very large payment each month, rather than several smaller ones.  So, to compensate, we will be setting up a specific account for our bills.  Actually we have this done already... for all our bills that have regular payments, we set aside a specific amount to be transfered into our "insurance" account... named by us originally to deal with insurance payments, but has grown to cover vehicle payments and now this larger consolidated loan as well.   The money from Dh's check is divided at the bank into the different accounts and this one account is untouchable, as it is specifically geared to cover specific bills. 

I agreed to the transaction, but asked Dh to please not use the credit card for gas or whatever little things he needed... he admitted it just adds up... like getting off work and having no money, but wanting to go to the farm store for sheep wormer, which costs $70, then filling the truck, another $80... that is $150 on the credit card just like that.  He says that he agreed with something he thought my Dad had said... never to charge gas or groceries, as that is money gone and you have nothing to show for it.  So that is the plan.   We will see how it works.  I already took the cards out of my own purse as well.  I had used it a couple times for "groceries" because the holiday meal is just bigger than our normal budget allows.   My bad... as the kids these days tend to say! 

Dh is getting moved to a different shift at work and the amount of overtime he gets will go down, so we are trying hard to live within the means of his base income.  This has been a work in progress, one we were trying to get to, but one that was not a priority until we knew we had to live without  the amount of overtime pay that we were used to. 

So, it is a time of adjustment coming up for us.  I hope that these changes will make it easier to pay things down.  According to the new payment schedules, in 8 years, our truck, the van, the consolidated loan and our furniture loan will all be paid off.  Actually in 3 years our truck is done, so we ought to be able to pay down the other loan even faster.    That will leave us with no extra liens other than our home loan.  I pray that we are diligent to this path we've begun to take.   May God lead us each day with our expenses, that we will make good decisions. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

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December 12, 2007 - Inexpensive presents?

I am trying hard to keep within our budget with buying gifts this year.  I am usually about done Christmas shopping by now, but this year... I am no where near done.  I am thinking a few late nights at the sewing machine may be on my list for the next week or two.  I just am running low on ideas.

But to my grateful heart, I was out shopping at the second hand store yesterday and I am looking for something that would be nice for gifts yet not too junky.  I easily was persuaded by the book rack to fill a bag for my youngest who is 2.5 yo and she loves books!  Finding books that are simple yet sweet was not the easiest and after thumbing through about 500 books, I found 8 or so that I thought were acceptable....all for 10 cents each!  And all looked like new... as if no one had ever read them.  Dh was pleased and felt it was a great gift... he was planning on getting her a book (spending $10 on one book...so $.80 was a deal for 8!) 

Now, I just need to figure out something that will be just as loved for my  other three daughters.  I always buy them a pair of pajamas and we fill stockings with little gifts.  I have none so far.  I am stumped and low on funds.  If anyone has any ideas for homemade items that teen girls might enjoy... I'm all ears! 

Warmly, ~Melissa

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