tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78451787654455137242011-12-22T19:18:00.256-06:00Updated mostly in the summer!!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.comBlogger2151100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-52311575239666808112009-10-16T16:04:00.000-06:002009-10-16T16:04:00.303-06:00

Wow! Talk about a weekend! I guess it all started with a dishwasher. Our dishwasher was having trouble. I said, let's repair it. Dh said, I need a new tool and I can fix it. Father in Law says lets look to see what kind of tool he needs. Wait I can fix it with this tool. Oops, I broke your dishwasher. $365.I say, I have some work to do on Monday while school is out. Take kids to daycare.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-23277973677458110882009-10-15T16:03:00.001-06:002009-10-15T16:03:38.722-06:00

You can go anywhere online and find a ton of tips about what to do if you are in debt and want to start paying it down. You can also find plenty of advice on how to save and invest your money once you are out of debt. But, what about those at the mid-way point? Is there a big difference between someone starting out and someone who has half of their debt paid off?The simple answer is YES! If

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-91714356709001846072009-08-30T14:05:00.003-06:002009-08-30T14:16:35.317-06:00

I think I posted a few months ago about my budget being messed up. I did not have enough money to cover something and had no idea where the money went. It was just gone. I didn't spend it, not that I had recorded anyway. Well, I think I found it. But, again, it makes no sense. This month I have an extra $200 in my account. It makes NO sense. I have zeroed out my budget twice now. Well,

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-40988835761992125582009-08-15T08:50:00.002-06:002009-08-15T09:02:20.177-06:00

Can I just say I am SO glad I bumped up my emergency fund? I added an extra thousand to it from our tax refund this year and thank God I did, because I am about to have to tap into it.I haven't been around this month because I have been SICK! It started out as bronchitis and turned into ASTHMA! I didn't know you could just "get" asthma. I thought it was something you were born with. I also

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-44465599850148854282009-07-28T13:12:00.002-06:002009-07-28T13:24:42.763-06:00

I blew every bit of my snowball this month. It was not ALL due to the budget mess up. Actually half was due to the budget screw up and the other half was because we are SICK around here. I have a pretty severe case of bronchitis that apparently required 4 different medications and my daughter was put on a prescription decongestant. All together those 5 scripts were $103!!! Yes that is with

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-64113466142510130622009-07-19T12:07:00.002-06:002009-07-19T12:17:38.309-06:00

I messed up somewhere. My checking account does not have enough money in it to cover what is left to come out this month. I don't know what I did, but I have a feeling it has to do with daycare. My daycare checks generally come out of my account the Monday after I write them. However this last week nothing came out on Monday. So that means I have 3 weeks left to go and not nearly the money

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-29969333065883532512009-07-17T08:34:00.000-06:002009-07-17T08:34:00.675-06:00

Dave Ramsey has a good plan with his baby steps, but I almost wish he would write a follow up book for some variations on the plan. For example, here are his steps:$1,000 to start an Emergency FundPay off all debt using the Debt Snowball3 to 6 months of expenses in savingsInvest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirementCollege funding for childrenPay off home earlyBuild

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-39982163043098363382009-07-16T07:53:00.003-06:002009-07-16T08:14:15.269-06:00

I can't believe it has been four months since I have posted anything. I am a bad bad blogger!!What I decided about the car...I am paying on the car as soon as I get the money. I found that it doesn't really matter when I pay it, the interest does not change, except that I pay a little less each time I pay on the car because the principle is going down. Also, this keeps me from saying... well,

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-26142380135099847212009-04-18T09:15:00.002-06:002009-04-18T10:08:15.341-06:00

Ugh, I have quite a few decisions to make soon. I am not exactly sure what I should do on the first one. The second decision is kind of a no brainer, but I still have options so I guess I have to decide what is most important... money vs. sanity!Anyway, the first thing is snowballing my car payment. I will have my car paid off this year one way or another. I have a $366 snowball to add to my

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-86837030600970380022009-04-15T16:12:00.003-06:002009-04-15T16:24:33.568-06:00

I think I am getting a little too comfortable with my finances again.The more bills that we pay the more room we have to "breathe". I know I am overspending, but it isn't really causing a big problem right now because I have the money to do it. However, I am using money that could be snowflaked to my debt.Snowball- using money from a paid off debt toward your next debt. You continue paying the

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-7313328958252287012009-03-29T15:22:00.002-06:002009-03-29T15:42:10.095-06:00

Two years ago, I bought 10,000 dollars worth of furniture. I really wanted to give our house a facelift, and I totally succeeded. I just put us in a lot of debt at the same time. Two years ago that decision or really lack of planning, caused me to start this blog. I have had LOTS of blogs before and since then, but this is the only one that still gets any posts.I was reading back to some of

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-45803250687696651182009-02-24T16:15:00.002-06:002009-02-24T16:25:14.839-06:00

Hi, yes, it is me again, the woman who never posts. Well, I won't be doing much better any time soon, but I am sure this summer you will have more posts than you want. Ha ha. Anyway, we paid off a debt in full yesterday and as soon as we get some more bills from recent hospital visits we have endured we will probably pay off one more. If it is not paid off completely it will have a huge chunk

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-71353563961620396602009-01-08T15:04:00.000-06:002009-01-08T15:04:00.843-06:00

A little over a week ago I was deciding exactly how I was going to spend my tax refund. I hoped to pay off my smallest debt, put an extra $1000 in our emergency fund, and if there was any left at that point, I was going to pay it toward my next debt.Approximately two days later I was in the hospital which lasted almost an entire week. Oops. While I do have insurance, I still will have to pay

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-39230204918580495562009-01-07T14:56:00.002-06:002009-01-07T15:04:28.736-06:00

Since my last post over two months ago our economy has gotten even worse than it was. Because of my work on our finances, my family was able to make it through crazy gas prices with no problem and we are actually doing just fine now too. However, I feel like I haven't been doing as well as I could be. I think I can do even more.I just ran my debt snowball calculator to find out where I am at.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-78509317481481332182008-10-25T09:27:00.002-06:002008-10-25T09:35:38.580-06:00

Trent at the Simple Dollar posted recently about what you should do with an extra paycheck. He says you should treat it like a regular one. I agree somewhat buy not entirely. Of course I don't believe you should blow it all on yourself either. Since we will be getting ours next Friday I thought I would break down what I plan to do with it.1. Take out 2 weeks expenses. Don't forget to take

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-20805023515013355972008-10-13T13:49:00.002-06:002008-10-13T14:09:57.635-06:00

I am conflicted. I cannot post as often as I would like, so part of me feels very guilty when I am "trying" to post daily and cannot. I feel like I am letting my readers down. However, I guess not posting anything is just as much of a let down. I had a long conversation with myself today though and I forgot that I started blogging for ME not anyone else, not to get readers, not to make money

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-66398665882133531102008-09-21T15:03:00.002-06:002008-09-21T15:12:15.801-06:00

I really thought that I would be able to get more posts in. Lately I haven't even had time to get on the computer and check my email. I have decided to just let POW go static for the time being. I may post some things here and there, so if you do enjoy my posts I highly suggest you subscribe. That way you will be updated ONLY when there is a new post and won't have to check here for new

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-63612242012942962862008-09-18T13:56:00.000-06:002008-09-18T13:56:00.577-06:00

PoW Retro (that is Picture of Wealth, not prisoner of war) is a look back at some of my favorite posts over the past year and a half. I hope you enjoy these!http://picturewealth.blogspot.com/2008/01/my-biggest-money-mistakes.htmlhttp://picturewealth.blogspot.com/2008/01/my-biggest-money-accomplishments.htmlToday you get a two-fer. My biggest money mistakes followed by my biggest accomplishments

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-5422556942522041002008-09-16T01:19:00.001-06:002008-09-16T01:19:00.527-06:00

For the final post in this series I just wanted to talk about what to do when all the debt is gone.First of all, you need to think about the future. Dave Ramsey suggests continuing to save until you have 3 to 6 months worth of income in savings. This will cover you if you lose your job unexpectedly.After that it is time to think about retirement. You should be able to max out an IRA at this point

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-66041776186328930472008-09-11T13:55:00.001-06:002008-09-11T13:55:00.192-06:00

PoW Retro (that is Picture of Wealth, not prisoner of war) is a look back at some of my favorite posts over the past year and a half. I hope you enjoy these!http://picturewealth.blogspot.com/2007/08/big-news.htmlThis was the BIG News that changed my plans and my life forever. And, I am pleased to report that I DID IT…. DEBT FREE…. BABY!** My thoughts and prayers are with all those who lost

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-48303298597199180252008-09-09T01:18:00.001-06:002008-09-09T01:18:01.097-06:00

If you are just finding the Back to Basics series you can find all of the posts in the series by clicking on “Back to Basics” in the sidebar. So far we have discussed tracking our money, finding money in our budgets, saving for an emergency fund, things to do before you start repaying your debt, and how to choose and implement a Debt Snowball.Today I want to tell you how to get your debt paid

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-20598104057802069532008-09-04T13:53:00.000-06:002008-09-04T13:53:00.143-06:00

PoW Retro (that is Picture of Wealth, not prisoner of war) is a look back at some of my favorite posts over the past year and a half. I hope you enjoy these!http://picturewealth.blogspot.com/2007/07/objects-in-rear-view-mirror-may-appear.htmlI don’t know when you will actually read this but today is July 28, 2008 (I am scheduling this for some time in the future). This post was written exactly

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-24632783217773048632008-09-02T01:16:00.000-06:002008-09-02T01:16:00.579-06:00

If you are just finding the Back to Basics series you can find all of the posts in the series by clicking on “Back to Basics” in the sidebar. So far we have discussed tracking our money, finding money in our budgets, saving for an emergency fund, and things to do before you start repaying your debt.The next item up for discussion is the Debt Snowball. This can be quite controversial. There are

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-74467280468949143192008-08-28T13:52:00.000-06:002008-08-28T13:52:00.864-06:00

PoW Retro (that is Picture of Wealth, not prisoner of war) is a look back at some of my favorite posts over the past year and a half. I hope you enjoy these!http://picturewealth.blogspot.com/2007/07/how-truthful-are-you-about-debt-40000.htmlOh, the lies we tell ourselves!! I was telling myself a whopper. We are actually a little worse off now having just purchased another vehicle, but it

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-37863919039527598322008-08-26T01:15:00.000-06:002008-08-26T01:15:00.486-06:00

If you are just finding the Back to Basics series you can find all of the posts in the series by clicking on “Back to Basics” in the sidebar. So far we have discussed tracking our money, finding money in our budgets and saving for an emergency fund.Today’s topic is what to do before you begin the debt snowball. Now that you have $1000 in an emergency fund you are ready to begin paying off your

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-73947149230715297702008-08-21T13:51:00.000-06:002008-08-21T13:51:00.551-06:00

PoW Retro (that is Picture of Wealth, not prisoner of war) is a look back at some of my favorite posts over the past year and a half. I hope you enjoy these!http://picturewealth.blogspot.com/2007/06/i-am-so-proud-of-myself.htmlAhh, my first milestone. I won’t say what this refers too, because I want you to read the post…. But I am happy to say I can now boast the same thing except instead of a

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-53191972256784227322008-08-19T01:13:00.000-06:002008-08-19T01:13:01.269-06:00

If you have been following along with this series you should have a good idea of where you money is going each week. Last week, we also talked about some ways to “find” money to help get you out of debt. Today we will talk about what to do with that money.First, if you have not already done so you must pledge to STOP CREATING NEW DEBT. Until you have done this, you can go no further. You

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-65525663483995039152008-08-16T07:57:00.002-06:002008-08-16T08:04:43.768-06:00

Well, not all that stupid. I won't LOSE any money over it. But, I decided to sell our old Blackberries. We recently traded up/down (depending on how you look at it) to some different phones to save money. We ended up saving about $100 a month doing this so it was well worth it. Anyway, I sent them to casholdphone.com I was going to get about $16 for the pair. This was the highest amount I

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-68473560085370310862008-08-14T13:49:00.000-06:002008-08-14T13:49:00.822-06:00

PoW Retro (that is Picture of Wealth, not prisoner of war) is a look back at some of my favorite posts over the past year and a half. I hope you enjoy these!http://picturewealth.blogspot.com/2007/04/when-you-dont-see-eye-to-eye-on.htmlI still think this is hands down, the best thing I have ever written about finances. If you and your significant other don’t agree on money, THIS is the post for

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-72692797924245071212008-08-12T01:12:00.000-06:002008-08-12T01:12:00.857-06:00

We started out our Back to Basics series talking about what your goals were for your money. Last week we set up a budget so we could begin tracking expenses. If you have these two steps down you are actually doing pretty good.Chances are when you made up your budget last week you subtracted expenses from your income and came up with a positive figure. It may have been in the hundreds of

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-84368966012598883722008-08-07T13:48:00.000-06:002008-08-07T13:48:23.737-06:00

PoW Retro (that is Picture of Wealth, not prisoner of war) is a look back at some of my favorite posts over the past year and a half. I hope you enjoy these!http://picturewealth.blogspot.com/2007/03/some-things-i-did-today-to-lower-my.htmlI made a few changes early on to start lowering our bills. Eventually I cut off our phone service and had it added in with our cable services which ended up

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-85979704154749332072008-08-05T01:10:00.000-06:002008-08-05T01:10:00.709-06:00

Last week we talked about what was upsetting you about your finances and what you wanted to get out of getting your money under control.Now that you have some roughly defined goals, lets move on to step two. If you had a ton of money left over each month you wouldn’t be reading this. You wouldn’t need to. So, most of us are here because we are living paycheck to paycheck or perhaps worse…

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-90935678690688175582008-07-31T13:48:00.000-06:002008-07-31T13:48:00.484-06:00

PoW Retro (that is Picture of Wealth, not prisoner of war) is a look back at some of my favorite posts over the past year and a half. I hope you enjoy these!http://picturewealth.blogspot.com/2007/03/so-here-begins-my-road-to-wealth.htmlThis was the very first post on this blog. Dated March 25, 2007. Wow, has it been that long. And, reading this again I was surprised at how much I have learned

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-9037251138805494132008-07-29T13:57:00.001-06:002008-07-29T13:57:00.439-06:00

I can't imagine what life will be like when my daughters are my age. Even I have become somewhat corrupted by today's technology which is awesome.... but disposable.A few days ago our washer quit working. The agitator would not agitate. And, our clothes were not getting clean. My knee jerk reaction was that we were going to have to use our emergency fund to buy a new one. And, our dryer was not

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-44710981236498011532008-07-28T13:08:00.001-06:002008-07-28T13:10:13.586-06:00

First let me say that I love almost every personal finance blog I come across. I love the how-to’s, the out of debtors, the still in debtors, even the bread recipes. However, for the newbie just getting their finances in order some folks are forgetting that there are still people who need the basics. This is for you!! Over the next eight weeks, I will be running a series called “Back to Basics

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-37776677792802259532008-07-28T08:44:00.002-06:002008-07-28T08:50:08.753-06:00

The winner of the Snowflake Challenge is Tammy!! Yea, Tammy!! I will try to get in touch with you through your blog but if you read this please send my your address via email to pictureofwealth@yahoo.comOn another note, I am getting back to work here this week!! Ahhhh.... you know what that usually means... no new posts. However, I am working hard to have some things up for you all during my

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-1201229599758088412008-07-23T09:55:00.002-06:002008-07-23T10:10:15.817-06:00

I wish I could report that we are now debt free, but that is still a little far off. However, I can now report that we are no longer living paycheck to paycheck.That's right, we are now officially spending less than we earn. Most of the extra money is going to be going toward the debt, but if I had a month where we needed the money for something else we now have it!!On top of that, we are

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-32381154969341843522008-07-20T19:20:00.002-06:002008-07-20T19:26:05.471-06:00

Ok, here is your chance... Last week I started the Snowflake Challenge. The winner, via drawing, will get a copy of David Bach's Start Late, Finish Rich. Like I said before, even if it does not apply to you, you could always use it for credit on Paperback Swap, etc. But, if you are over the age of 30 there are a lot of good "catch up" tricks in the book.Here are the rules again. Add a link to

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-72830398699734754482008-07-20T14:02:00.002-06:002008-07-20T14:04:07.348-06:00

Cash CrateThey have some new easy registrations for Home Depot and it goes straight to their website so I am pretty sure it is not going to spam you.Also, if you fill out your info profile it will automatically give you a dollar... no waiting for offer pending etc. If you haven't joined yet you should. I got my first $10 check last month!!

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-32589486626627984222008-07-20T13:09:00.003-06:002008-07-20T13:15:05.924-06:00

I just joined a new site called SayNation.com It is for anyone 13 or older to join and take surveys. I just joined a few minutes ago and I already have 2,200 points!!! They are also giving away gas cards when you meet a certain point goal. The prizes are mainly gift cards but you can also redeem points to have $25 put into you Paypal account which is the best option as far as I am concerned.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-11670183029040339232008-07-20T05:33:00.000-06:002008-07-20T05:33:01.026-06:00

I hate to say I am wrong about things. But, I think I was wrong. Hmm, that wasn’t too painful.I think the reason finances are so HARD to deal with is that there is no right answer for every situation. I think it is a great idea for everyone to begin with a $1000 emergency fund, but even Dave Ramsey says some folks only need $500 and others need even more.A week or so ago, Trent at The Simple

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-30379397403918817912008-07-19T05:26:00.000-06:002008-07-19T05:27:14.409-06:00

I honestly don’t know what I would do without my husband. He is an awesome guy! He helps around the house, in fact last night he made dinner. We complement each other pretty well. He is a talker, I am a listener (until I decide to give him what for, lol) He is outgoing. I am shy. I am the eternal optimist and he is rather pessimistic. Sounds like those two would not go together but

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-47207933262412162342008-07-18T06:06:00.002-06:002008-07-18T06:10:47.813-06:00

The Snowflake Challenge will be posted Monday for you to add your own stories. I will close it on Wednesday. Be sure you post about what you did by Wednesday!! More info here.I just wanted to get your creative juices flowing by letting you know what I have been up to. I sold two items on Ebay that I got for FREE. So I made a little cash off of those. I also got my Single Check Rebate from

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-28994481259369946802008-07-16T10:21:00.000-06:002008-07-16T10:22:09.132-06:00

Alright, my hypermiling experiment probably got more comments than any other post I have ever written. I think it got 3, lol. So, I wanted to publish my final report on the matter.I did things a bit backward. I hypermiled a tank of gas first and found my mileage. Then I realized I needed an up to date baseline because the last time I had checked my MPG was a few years back.So, my regular

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-35221891886245229292008-07-15T18:20:00.003-06:002008-07-15T18:22:59.707-06:00

I hope everyone is thinking up some great ways to snowflake this week!!Check back soon for my final report on Hypermiling. I finished my regular tank of gas and you will be surprised by the results.That report was supposed to be posted today, but I have had a lot of "life" happening lately!!It will very likely be up tomorrow, but definitely before the week is out.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-83238197531059376532008-07-14T09:32:00.003-06:002008-07-14T09:51:43.289-06:00

What is it? The Snowflake Challenge is a contest of sorts. You come up with creative ways to earn money toward snowflaking your debt. The winner will receive a copy of David Bach’s book, Start Late, Finish Rich. (If you don’t like the book you can use it to get a credit on Paperback Swap or something.)For example: You dress up like a clown on the side of the road and make balloon animals for

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-83365660204567388102008-07-11T08:37:00.003-06:002008-07-11T08:38:23.177-06:00

Most people took a little vacation last weekend, but Picture of Wealth kept going with some stories to keep you busy. Well, it is my turn now. I am taking this weekend off. So have a nice weekend and check back next week!

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-19313816801106489372008-07-09T01:35:00.000-06:002008-07-09T01:35:00.864-06:00

I got this information over two months ago, but never thought to share it until now. On a recent visit to our pediatrician he made a comment that was pretty unbelievable. If one product were to be outlawed he would probably see 400 less cases a year!That thing was plug in type air fresheners. He said it also would help if people did not use products like Febreeze and other spray fresheners too

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-88994383806592410102008-07-08T10:00:00.000-06:002008-07-08T10:00:00.609-06:00

In Total Money Makeover (see sidebar), Dave Ramsey says that when people start making fun of you or thinking you are crazy that is a good sign. It means you have "gazelle intensity" on paying off your debt and getting your finances in order.Well, this weekend I was talking to some family members about thinking I had lost some coupons. One was for buy one get one free of something I use a lot, so

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-31321620525311621352008-07-07T16:38:00.002-06:002008-07-07T16:39:59.596-06:00

Picture of Wealth is featured in this week's Carnival of Debt Reduction. An editor's pick too!!!! How cool!! I will try to post back with my faves later. You can check out all of this week's submissions here.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-3226022108307434432008-07-07T06:38:00.000-06:002008-07-07T06:38:00.672-06:00

I posted a while back about what stockpiling is, how to do it etc. I am really beginning to reap the benefits of it now.Current items that I have stockpiled are meat (in the freezer of course), cereal, other breakfast items, snack foods, soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, paper towels, and DIAPERS!! (yea, diapers!)We also have what will be for us a year's worth of shampoo and dish liquid. And I

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-40118865554824211902008-07-06T06:25:00.000-06:002008-07-06T06:25:01.346-06:00

Trent at the Simple Dollar recently posted about starting a Debt Savings Account. My first thought was, this would not work for most people because the minute something came up (not an emergency) they would be tempted to spend it. I still feel that way, but I thought of a great way to make this work for me in a few years.First of all, I have done this before. You will remember it as my crisis

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-30222368520953011592008-07-05T07:05:00.000-06:002008-07-05T07:05:01.016-06:00

I recently posted about using CVS to rack up some great savings. It is true that you can do this, and you can save a lot of money. However, I found I was going for things we did not need. I have decided that it is just not worth my time to work up deals (moneymakers or not) for things we don't use. CVS still has some GREAT sales.Two weeks ago my husband's coffee was $2 cheaper than we can get it

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-4634802736799268832008-07-04T06:08:00.002-06:002008-07-04T06:09:59.695-06:00

I am getting away from the basics this week to update you on my Hypermiling Experience. Remember, you can add your links at the bottom, but please be mindful of the RULESRULES1. Post a link to your post NOT your blog.2. Your post MUST mention Financial Tip Friday and include a LINK back to this post or my blog. Any posts not following the guidelines will be deleted! But, it isn’t hard!! Please

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-26534548441378788852008-07-03T08:22:00.001-06:002008-07-03T08:22:54.062-06:00

Well, the numbers are in and have been carefully calculated using a special formula. Ok, so not that complicated just miles divided by gallons. Anyway, my final MPG total is 22 MPG. Wha wha wha…. Actually it isn’t that bad. If I figure that I was getting 20 to 21 MPG a few years ago (the last time I checked) this means on average I am getting an extra 1-2 miles per gallon of gasoline. My

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-31884752029959423002008-07-03T01:19:00.000-06:002008-07-03T01:19:13.119-06:00

How cool was it that one of Dave Ramsey's web people helped me last week! I feel somehow closer to being debt free now..... lol j/k!!

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-91036139610887766622008-07-02T23:57:00.001-06:002008-07-02T23:59:07.254-06:00

This is just a test post to see what is going to happen with some changes I made via Feedburner. I just didn't want to put a true "test" post up there. So I just thought I would say hello... instead of "testing".I really appreciate all those who subscribe and read and comment on this blog!! You all ROCK!!! Ok, now to submit this and make sure my blog doesn't go all topsy turvy again.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-68121880638802043172008-07-02T06:42:00.002-06:002008-07-02T06:46:22.777-06:00

I am getting ready to update my blogroll. There are some there that I don't really read anymore, some that I no longer agree with, and some I plan on keeping. However, I only do this once in a blue moon. And, once I get it all done, I won't be doing it again for some time.SO, if you have a personal finance blog, or other productivity blog etc. Feel free to leave a comment and I will check it

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-43325735244239010242008-07-02T01:51:00.001-06:002008-07-02T01:51:24.568-06:00

Shelby T recently asked in a comment:Have you thought about how you would define "debt-free"? I have been asking everyone I am comfortable with, and have recieved some interesting theories and opinion...especially with married couples.My thoughts on this would be too much for a comment response, but this is a great question so I thought it deserved a post all its own.There is really only one "

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-24247754310793570102008-07-01T08:42:00.002-06:002008-07-01T09:50:16.309-06:00

Today I was reading back through the journal I have kept over the past year. I am the type of person who HAS to get things out of my head or they drive me crazy and keep me up at night. One thing struck me today as I read and I thought I would share. I was actually referring to cleaning house and other chores, but the statement I made was no one does these things for the pleasure of doing them.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-90352203381561896112008-06-28T10:30:00.002-06:002008-06-28T10:35:30.271-06:00

Well, I would love to let you know my MPG.... only one problem. I haven't run out of gas yet!! I still have just under a half a tank left. I have driven about 220 miles so far. I am not driving as much as I did last week, but it is only a difference of maybe 50 miles. So, I can't give you a real update at this point except to say the last time my gas lasted over 8 days I was probably on

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-29065152136639480332008-06-27T10:30:00.002-06:002008-06-27T10:33:20.515-06:00

Well, not Dave himself, but Jeremy from his web team helped me find the problem this morning. Turns out it was NOT the Dave Widget but actually my feedburner script. I am not sure why it didn't happen until after I added that widget, but I am just glad it is working right now.However, I am still having problems. My Linkies were working fine yesterday and now they are giving me problems. Also,

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-17528869739612774662008-06-27T10:16:00.001-06:002008-06-27T10:17:40.465-06:00

Please bear with me while I get everything taken care of. I will update on the problems as soon as I get it all figured out.Thank you for your patience.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-13131621472727102842008-06-26T15:59:00.004-06:002008-06-27T12:58:00.851-06:00

Hi! Welcome to Financial Tip Friday. I hope you will create your own post and add it to the list at the bottom. If you found this post after Friday, that is okay you can still add a link to your blog.I wanted to get very basic for my first tip. I often surf other personal finance blogs and I notice that a lot of them have gotten away from simple debt reduction tips and often post things that

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-26364733107816262022008-06-26T15:45:00.005-06:002008-12-08T20:48:43.864-06:00

This post is part of Frugal Friday hosted by Crystal aka MoneySavingMom. You can find all of the other posts here at her blog.I wanted to share a few frugal baby tips. With my older children one thing I always did was buy a pack of cloth diapers. Not to use as diapers but for burp cloths. It may be a regional thing, but everyone I know does this. Well, this time I skipped the purchase. I

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-74867505173398385602008-06-26T06:25:00.003-06:002008-06-26T06:28:51.589-06:00

I absolutely hate this template. However, it is the only one that does not stick my sidebar at the bottom of the page. This thing is so cramped. I hate hate hate it. Yes, Dave Ramsey really did this to my blog!! I was trying to add his widget that allows you to take a little financial check up and it is what caused my side bar to relocate itself. Now I can't get it to fix itself no matter

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-44169550896087697662008-06-26T02:24:00.000-06:002008-06-26T02:24:00.434-06:00

I have been paying an extra $36 a year for my insurance. I am not sure how long, but I would say for at least the last 5 years. So let’s see, that is 180 dollars I think? Yeah, that is stupid. The reason? My insurance company charges me to bill me. So I pay an extra $3 a month because I get a paper bill.I actually find it hard to believe that it is legal to do this, but apparently it is.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-31967410638496535852008-06-25T12:36:00.004-06:002008-06-25T13:15:37.598-06:00

Starting this Friday I am going to host my own little "carnival". It is open to ANY personal finance blogger OR any blogger who wishes to post a financial tip. The name of the carnival will be Financial Tip Friday. On Friday you just post something that is helpful to others. Mention Financial Tip Friday and provide a link back to this blog. At the bottom of my Financial Tip Friday post there

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-8724427168141425392008-06-25T08:53:00.000-06:002008-06-25T08:57:01.457-06:00

My husband and I recently had a conversation where he said for Christmas he wanted to buy our daughter something for Christmas that would make all the other kids on the street jealous. See, this past Christmas she got a scooter and in the last month about 4 other kids have gotten them too. These other kids have not had birthdays or any other reason to get a scooter. I guess their parents just

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-40882607464597144462008-06-24T00:24:00.000-06:002008-06-24T00:24:00.444-06:00

Sunday, I talked about changing my W4 and the fact that we would no longer be able to use our refund to pay off our house taxes. Yearly expenses like this are pretty easy to save for so they don't hit you like a ton of bricks. I like Dave Ramsey's statement, "Christmas is NOT an emergency." Nope, it is every year on Dec. 25th, just like our taxes on our home are due each year on Feb. 1.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-91151439204268982372008-06-23T13:32:00.002-06:002008-06-23T13:34:09.289-06:00

On the visibility of my blog. Can you read it? I had a reader who could not. Are the colors merging together? Is the sidebar where it belongs? It looks fine to me, but I want to make sure you can all see it. Thanks!!

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-74246800651894519782008-06-23T13:14:00.002-06:002008-06-23T13:20:00.554-06:00

I realized I never actually said what my mileage had been before the experiment. I was getting 20-21 MPG. My tank is a little over 15 gallons so roughly 300 miles on a tank of gas. (I think... not really in a math mood today :)Anyway, at this point I have driven about 70 miles and my needle has moved a little over 1/16th of a tank. I know this is not a really accurate way to measure anything,

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-40692775944512954752008-06-23T01:03:00.000-06:002008-06-23T13:13:30.964-06:00

We talk to our kids about not smoking, drinking and taking drugs. At least my parents did, and that is one major reason I never tried drugs. I knew their expectations. But, do your children know how you feel about money? What about credit cards? If you think they teach this kind of thing in today’s public schools you are sadly (very sadly) mistaken.So, when do you start talking to them about it?

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-67966366354301762222008-06-22T09:06:00.001-06:002008-06-22T09:08:19.148-06:00

I hope this does not confuse anyone. You ARE at Picture of Wealth. I had to change my template because Blogger had moved my sidebar to the bottom of the page. I don't know why, but with the template I had, it would not go back to normal. This one is more cramped but for some reason it works. Go figure.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-89216231373624127382008-06-22T05:24:00.002-06:002008-06-22T05:27:50.656-06:00

I got my first check from Cash Crate!! It was for a little over $10. My plan for money like this is to use it to snowflake the mess out of my debt. I am still waiting on a couple of rebate checks that will go toward the same thing.Please read more about Cash Crate HERE before signing up.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-52175175064674185832008-06-22T00:07:00.001-06:002008-06-22T00:07:00.429-06:00

I never thought a person could enable himself or herself. It is possible though. I did it for many years. Even though I carried around a credit card with a balance of a few thousand dollars every year, I never saw myself as being in debt. (In case you didn't read yesterday's post, this is a direct example of being in denial)The reason I didn't consider it debt was because each year in January

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-82817915761244880222008-06-21T12:06:00.000-06:002008-06-21T12:07:04.099-06:00

I remember a long time ago an article I read. Basically it said that many people with debt had weight issues as well. I don’t think it was trying to say that if you aren’t good with money that you aren’t good with food. I think it was more along the lines of you are in debt and are turning to food in response. However, I find it funny that I see these things linked up quite often.Take Total

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-68568544292146111402008-06-20T16:16:00.002-06:002008-06-20T16:26:27.320-06:00

Recently, in a comment, Shelby asked how I was doing with my debt repayment. I knew it was lower, but I thought perhaps I had made a mistake in my calculations because it was thousands of dollars lower than I thought it should be.Well, I decided to figure it up. I subscribed to NetworthIQ last year so I had the exact figures from August of 2007. Since then I have paid off around $6000 of debt!

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-10423082172077705532008-06-20T12:02:00.006-06:002008-06-22T05:37:22.258-06:00

Lately I have been experimenting with changing up my driving habits a little. I haven’t tried to do a full blown experiment, but today I decided to try just that. After my trip to work and back, I realized my gas needle, which usually changes by about an eighth of a tank, had hardly moved at all.So I filled up my tank and I am going to try all of my little tricks out for the next week. Here are

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-47460989558621602008-06-19T17:24:00.003-06:002008-12-08T20:48:44.099-06:00

To discourage anyone from starting a Blogger blog I am leaving this picture like it is. Blogger is stupid and this is how my right side up picture came out.BUT.... this post is about the fact that THIS is a debt free baby!!! Our plan gave us the money to be able to pay our bills in full, so no extra debt due to baby!! Yea!! It is also to brag on my beautiful baby!!

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-11087302476032402292008-06-17T02:22:00.001-06:002008-06-17T02:22:00.224-06:00

A few months ago I realized that I was NOT going to have any extra money to pay on my credit cards. This would mean that I would have to pay only the minimum balance which would mean I'd probably be out of debt about 5 years after I died.So, I had to think drastically! I had to get myself really motivated to get the debt paid off. I am going to share some of the things I did to get it rolling

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-52598985614598701462008-06-16T12:21:00.003-06:002008-06-16T14:22:18.010-06:00

Do you ever hear a piece of advice that makes no sense to you? Do you ever hear it so often it begins to get on your nerves?Can I just say... If I froze my credit cards in a block of ice, there would be nothing but lack of a little hot water that could keep me from using it?This really is a mindset and if you are not ready to stop using them, none of these little tricks will really work, but I

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-84176772580541875462008-06-14T00:45:00.000-06:002008-06-14T00:48:58.836-06:00

Last year, I wrote about the fact that I hate how I only have the money to work towards paying my debt off once a month. Well, in a moment I will talk more about how that is not necessarily true even if you are only paid once a month like me. However, I am getting really frustrated right now because I can't even do this!!I am still waiting on final bills from our hospital, anesthesiologist, and

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-24617797842681555292008-06-13T15:29:00.000-06:002008-06-13T15:29:00.805-06:00

My monthly emergency fund is something I have done for quite a while but I just realized yesterday that I had never mentioned it. It really is a misnomer, but let me elaborate.I take a certain amount of my paycheck each month that is not allocated to any other purpose and save it. It goes into savings with any other overage, but it can be taken out for miscellaneous expenses. This helps me

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-64676277859512055702008-06-13T12:53:00.003-06:002008-06-13T12:57:48.172-06:00

At work the other day, I was finishing my morning snack. I had a peanut butter sandwich, no jelly, in a Zip-lock bag. I folded the bag and put it into my take-home bag, so I could bring it home, rinse it out, and reuse it.Have I lost my mind? This is something I used to think was SO stupid. I never understood people who bought disposable products and reused them. Now, I am one of those “

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-84116454121587697622008-06-12T15:16:00.000-06:002008-06-12T15:16:01.095-06:00

This month has been an odd one. I got paid a week and a half early because we get paid on the last working day of each month. It was "just in time" because my budget for the previous month was pretty much gone. Now, I am in the process of really revamping our budget and this month was the first trial run of that. That hurt us a little too. Add to that the cost of gas, another strike. Finally

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-86319128302145781102008-06-11T00:44:00.000-06:002008-06-11T00:45:00.383-06:00

I have a friend who laughs at me when I talk about my deals. He asks, “You know smart shopping is not a new concept, right?”Yes, I know. But, for a long time I was a very bad shopper. I thought the fact that I shopped at Walmart meant I was getting the best prices and the best deals. The truth is on a day by day basis, Walmart does have better prices, but only by a few cents in most cases.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-39771219259876783242008-06-10T10:52:00.000-06:002008-06-10T11:10:44.849-06:00

You can now link your Sallie Mae student loans to your Upromise account. In four years, my account has only accrued $2. But, I recently went in and connected it to my student loan, added another debit card and my CVS card. It won't pay off the loan much faster, but free money is free money.On a side note, I just looked and in 18 months of paying $140 a month I have knocked off exactly $1000 of

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-75156742744431298812008-06-09T08:05:00.000-06:002008-06-09T08:05:00.964-06:00

A little over a year ago (March 2007) I began this blog. It started as a way to help me vent about what was going on with my debt repayment. I wanted to get some ideas out in the open so that I could see them in print and evaluate them. Some of those ideas have continued to be part of my plan. Some have not. So, a few months late…. Here is an update on my first year of debt repayment.In the

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-84999013079473355532008-06-08T17:11:00.002-06:002008-06-08T17:23:18.038-06:00

Sometimes, when I think back to "when I was young" I can't believe the advances that have taken place with technology. I also never really thought about the fact that in the United States we have access to credit cards so easily. I guess this is not the case in other countries.There is a new service, called Password By Call, for people who have websites with paid content. Since many websites

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-37073856257297383532008-06-08T01:16:00.000-06:002008-06-08T01:17:22.174-06:00

The Simple Dollar is one of the first personal finance blogs I ever came across. I honestly don’t remember how I found it. Probably a search on Google or a link to a link to a link. However, there is some great stuff here. Blogger Trent has even put all of this in the realm of public domain, so his posts can be used to help even more people. He has daily features, so if you find something

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-25754427748459190102008-06-07T12:29:00.002-06:002008-12-08T20:48:44.350-06:00

I created this little spreadsheet that allows you to input the items you wish to buy, the price, any coupons, and the ecb's they give back. Then you can enter any ECB's you have and the deal maker will tell you how much you will pay OOP, OOP w/Tax, how many ECB's you are using and how many you have earned!!! I love this little thing. It is the only way I have gotten my OOP totals lowered. Yea ME!

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-70613264056011459342008-06-07T04:30:00.000-06:002008-06-07T04:30:01.565-06:00

I recently had a conversation with a friend that led me to believe he had finally declared bankruptcy. He had been considering it for some time. I made a comment about my summer job and how all the money would be going toward my debt, and he said he no longer had to worry about any of that. So, I am quite sure that is what happened, although I would never be so rude as to ask.That got me

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-81870715963449710042008-06-06T12:42:00.000-06:002008-06-06T12:43:08.849-06:00

Well, I haven’t gotten my check yet but I did make $10 last month and right now that check is being processed to be sent out to me on the 15th of this month!! I know $10 isn’t a whole lot of money, but it was 10 free dollars and there was not a lot of work involved. In fact, I kind of enjoyed some of it!! You can get your own free $10 here, but please follow these tips!!Set up a dummy email

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-43741564847364437652008-05-26T14:19:00.000-06:002008-05-26T14:20:43.671-06:00

I have always clipped coupons when I could find them. However I never really went out and got the Sunday paper just for coupons etc. And, when I did, I was always disappointed because it never contained any coupons I needed right then. Therein lies the problem. Using coupons has to be a consistent thing. And, NO IT IS NOT a waste of your time. If your consider than in one month’s time I have

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-62872144896887749762008-05-25T11:08:00.003-06:002008-05-25T11:37:59.367-06:00

Last year I attempted this silly little grocery challenge where I tried to save by buying store brands and clipping coupons. However I did no research into HOW to use the coupons etc. Now I have and I have some tips for you. Let me put it into numbers first.Since 5/6/2008 I have purchased $318 worth of merchandise for $118. I don't know the exact percentage but I know it is over 50% and that is

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-56304467088766950522008-05-25T11:02:00.002-06:002008-05-25T11:08:40.341-06:00

I was looking at my credit card to see what the balance was. While doing this I noticed a column that said Interest paid YTD and Interest paid last year. Last year I paid this credit card company $369!! I have already paid over $100 this year. Talk about an eye opener. The main reason I have been wanting to get it paid off is so that my payment can go into savings each month instead of paying

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-47983333562226964912008-05-21T20:01:00.002-06:002008-05-21T20:05:58.797-06:00

Sorry I have been MIA. I am back at work now trying to close out for the year. My baby has been a little sick too. So, I am working on a lot right now. I actually have to spend $10,000 by Friday... I hate it, because it takes a lot of work to spend that kind of money, but it also helps me curb my need to shop and it is fun spending someone else's money!!! Even though it will belong to work I

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-22522118692550863442008-05-14T09:55:00.002-06:002008-05-14T10:00:07.068-06:00

I want a Wii Fit game and balance board SOOOOOO bad!!! I have wanted it for over a year or whenever it was that they first announced it would be released. Then I read a review of it and now I really really want one. However, I really really really want to be out of debt. After the changes we made to our insurance and seeing the bills that have come in from the hospital and doctors' offices I

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845178765445513724.post-56877441786372854052008-05-08T05:58:00.000-06:002008-05-08T05:59:20.405-06:00

With gas prices rising, prices in the stores are rising as well. If you have never taken a serious look at your grocery spending you may be paying too much. Here are some tips to help you save more in that area of the budget.1. Stay away from convenience foods. If you can put your entire meal from the freezer to the microwave you are probably paying too much. Yes, it will save you some time

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14765403942285370190noreply@blogger.com0