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Archive for the ‘credit card’ Category

Well, I was tempted to skip over this update and hope no one noticed.

Darn my honesty.

We went nowhere on debt this month. Why? Shopping Sprees? New TV’s?

Not so much.

Our extra debt payments went to insulating our home and to pay to my brother’s father-in-law (combined with some manual labor) for some desperately needed furniture.

Perhaps the best part of this equation? We have a nearly new fancy mattress. Now, sure, it would be difficult NOT to impress me. Our previous mattress was more than a dozen years old. But for TWO YEARS, I thought I was an insomniac.

Turns out. I’m not. I just needed a new bed.

I would say I’m losing sleep over this update but for the first time since we bought this house, the temperature in our bedroom is over 55 degrees even though it’s 37 outside and our mattress is zzzzzzzzzzz…

My Debt
• Original Debt: $38,495.86
• Added Debt: $1,781.50
• Total Debt: $40,277.36
• Paid: $ 31,662.16
• Remaining: $8,615.20

Broken Down

• Auto Loan 1: $0
• Credit Card: $0
• Student Loan: $8,615.20
• Auto Loan 2: $0
• Vet Loan: $0

My company is sending me out of town for training after the 1st of the year. I have to successfully complete one month in accelerated courses to pass my probationary period.

Funny. They still haven’t ‘officially’ given me the job, but they are organizing my training.

As we sorted out hotel accommodations, they reviewed my per diem rates for food, gas, etc. The budget manager tapped on my plastic company card, ‘OK Rebekah, we both know you don’t eat much and you’ll never get anywhere near spending all of your allowance. Don’t be tempted to drink the difference. Alcoholic beverages are not covered’ he said with a wink.

They take away all the fun.

It’s been a while since I’ve flown on tickets purchased by my employer.

Traveling on someone else’s dime is always a lot more fun.

My husband has to pay his university tuition this week. He doesn’t register for classes for another month and a half and they won’t give him his financial aid until that time but they demand full payment now.

Doesn’t make sense? If there is one thing I understand clearly, it’s that college finance departments make absolutely no sense.

Every year, we request a delay of payment until he receives his financial aid check and every year they turn us down. Then, two months after we pay tuition, the school sends us a reimbursement check for nearly the full amount we paid.

In the past, this hasn’t been a problem. We put the tuition on the credit card and paid it off when his financial aid reimbursement check arrived. Silly me got so ticked off at my credit card a few months ago, I cut it up – shredding my emergency parachute in the process.

So now we’re left in a scramble trying to dig up $3,000. Why weren’t we prepared? I completely and stupidly forgot.

If I empty our spare cash and juggle some payments, I can do $1,900.

I’m looking for stuff to sell. Hubby better watch out. His tools are looking mighty nice about now.

Goodbye vet bill!!

Oddly enough, I will miss the monthly reminder that my dog defeated a snake. Er, well, that he survived a snake is a better way to put it.

One bill down, one to go!

• Original Debt: $38,495.86
• Added Debt: $1,781.50
• Total Debt: $40,277.36
• Paid: $31,576.11
• Remaining: $8,701.25
•
• Broken Down
• Auto Loan 1: $0
• Credit Card: $0
• Student Loan: $8,701.25
• Auto Loan 2: $0
• Vet Loan: $0!!

My co-worker lost her sister suddenly to an unknown health condition. Understandably shaken from the unexpected loss, she took a few days off work. During that time, she tried her best to notify her sister’s creditors of her death.

She came back to work this week and I stopped at her desk to see how she was doing and ask if she needed anything. She talked to me for a little bit and when she finished, I started to walk away. She caught my arm and said, ‘I have another reason for you to hate credit cards.’

Hmm. I may be a little too vocal about my hatred for credit cards. I’m starting to get a reputation.

She told me she had called one of the credit card companies to inform them about her sister’s death and the jerk on the phone said, ‘Are you planning to pay your sister’s remaining balance?’

‘N-n-n-o’ she stuttered, shocked.

‘Someone needs to pay this debt. Can you or your parents make payments? Does she have any other siblings who can pay this debt? Are you willing to sign on this account?’ he demanded.

She couldn’t even answer. She was crying so she hung up and has not called back.

What kind of SLEEZE demands payment from the sibling of a person who recently passed away?!?!?

Leave it to credit card companies to take advantage of the emotional roller coaster of death to force payment.

What is your worst credit card company story?

OK. Ready? Italy was unexpectedly tough on our finances.

We didn’t expect to have to pay a cover charge for each meal. We didn’t expect the exchange rate to be so poor. And we didn’t expect the high entrance fees to see the sights (and by high, I mean 50 euro – EACH).

The exchange rate surprised us the most. We made the majority of the plans in June – when the exchange rate hit its lowest. We traveled in October… the rate was nearly at its peak for the year.

I budgeted high thinking I would come home with extra money, money I could use to make a large debt payment.

That didn’t happen.

In fact, I had to stop by an ATM three times before returning home.

How bad was the damage? $500 out of our emergency fund. Eek.

Upon returning home, our water heater broke, taking out an additional $300 from the emergency fund plus another $35 for miscellaneous parts.

Add that to the $150 we had to spend on cleaning supplies and replacement curtains thanks to the stupendous house sitter.

Are you following my math?

We have $15 left in our emergency fund.

In the whole scheme of things, if this is the worst of the damage of an international vacation, it’s not bad. I just hate another month of no progress. Minimum payments this month so we can replace our emergency fund fully.

Here are the new numbers:

• Original Debt: $38,495.86
• Added Debt: $1,781.50
• Total Debt: $40,277.36
• Paid: $30,546.19
• Remaining: $9,731.17
•
• Broken Down
• Auto Loan 1: $0
• Credit Card: $0
• Student Loan: $8,781.17
• Auto Loan 2: $0
• Vet Loan: $950.00