Hegazelle: New Pay Scale

Well you haven't heard much from me here except to comment on a few different subjects, but I am really excited about how things are shaping up for us since we started working toward financial peace. In the very near future my job is going to be changing to a new pay scale. We are going to be using a flat rate system on all of our jobs. The way it works is for every repair in the book there is a code for the amount of labor it should take. We will still be on an hourly wage, but we are going to start getting paid for the billed hours instead of just actual hours worked. For instance if a job's labor code totals 5 hours and I finish it in 3.5 hours I will still get the total 5 hours. The cool thing is if we get stuck on a job and the actual hours worked is more than the billed hours we don't lose those hours either. It is really a no lose deal for us. I can't wait to switch over to the new system. It is going to feel like getting another raise. It is always nice to have extra money coming in. I wish we would have been on the new system today I would have gotten an hour and a half extra pay. I am also trying to sell as many service contracts as I can because we get 5 bucks for each one we sell. I am trying as Dave says to " increase my income." More money coming in equals faster moving piggy. And that is always a good thing.

Last Call!

Ok, I know it's all been preliminary discussions, but if you are in my area and you or someone you know is serious about joining the next Financial Peace University Class we've got to know NOW.

I just got the word that we need 8-10 sign ups in order to start the class. I think I have 4 families for sure- Morgan, Miller, Dillon & Sieckman. Please confirm your intent in the comments section of this post.

To review- the cost for the class is $149 per household and includes a great set of materials (newly updated too!)

If you know someone who wants to take the class, but may not necessarily read this blog- please let me know somehow. Email is fine... shegazelle@gmail.com. The key here is to get a solid number of at least 8-10.

Tell people! Get them to commit! Let's do this! EMAIL ME!!

I've washed my car twice this week...

For some reason, every time I wash my own car I feel a strange sense of what I can only call "pride in frugality." I sorta get the same feeling when I'm gardening or mowing my lawn. I'm not sure how to describe it...I know, it's silly. But when I think about it, I don't know many people who wash their own cars. So, maybe that's it...I feel special because I'm different? Hmm...naw, it's more than that. When I wash my car, I think about my financial goals. I think about when I pay the car off. I think about paying my house off early. I think about maxing out my 401K and Roth IRA contributions. Every time without fail, my mind drifts to thoughts of financial peace while I'm shining up the car. All that just because I'm saving $17 bucks on a job at the local hand car wash? Sheesh! I am weird.

March Outlook and "Hills and Valleys"

I just logged in to take a look at my loan payments so far for the month of March and was disappointed to see we've only paid down $350 thus far! Major bummer.

On a brighter note, we are well over half way thru with the amount that we pledged to our church remodel. I'd rather be behind on my debt reduction goals than to be lagging on what I pledged to my church.

Hegazelle and I had what I'll call a "superior week" on payday last week, so we decided we would begin to fund a "Hills and Valleys" account. That name was coined by Dave Ramsey, but the concept is age old. Save in the good times to prepare for less prosperous times. This is in addition to our baby emergency fund, and will serve as a supplement to our pay in the slow season. I don't really have a plan on how much to accumulate in this fund, my only plan is to set some aside when we experience those "superior weeks."

Feed The Pig

You know America has a money management problem when ad campaigns are formed to encourage saving.
Cool site nonetheless: www.feedthepig.org .

Priorities

I'm sitting here wondering if the day will ever come that when I need something I go out and buy it, instead of waiting for the need to become extreme. This is on my mind because the chair mat upon which my chair stands is so brittle that any scooting of the chair mutilates the mat and tears holes in it. It's been this way for months, yet I cannot bring myself to go buy one. Maybe someday it will get bad enough to make it higher on my priority list.

Well, I've gone a long while without mentioning it, but that ends today. "It" being the American economy. I don't write about everything I hear or read in the news about the market because while I do think there's a problem, I don't think the problem has to be as big as the media hype. Before it's all said and done, I believe the media will be to blame for breeding fear that could cause major problems in America.
My opinion? Americans don't fear what they should, and they fear what they should not. They don't fear consumer credit, (read Maxed Out) and have taken on debt to elevate their lifestyle to impress others, while neglecting to save for a rainy day. They do fear when the market has three down days in a row; even those with very little or none invested get shook up. People have skewed priorities.
True- amazing things have happened in recent days. Bear Stearns, a company, who as I understand it, survived the Depression and two World Wars, but couldn't survive in 2008, was sold for $2/share to JP Morgan Chase. That's HUGE. But I'd venture a guess that they had different business practices back "in the day" than they did in the last few years...
Anyhow, in the midst of it all, I have found something I like in all of this: people are willing to talk to me about personal finance. People will talk to you about money and saving, debt and reduction and frugality in general. I LOVE it. I'm sorry to watch foreclosures taking place all around my city, but I love it that people are willing to discuss budgeting now. Maybe I could start a business as a "Budget Coach"... ;-)
As for the the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, I got my notice about it from the IRS the other day. 1 husband+ me+ 0 kids= $1200 around early May. In the big scheme of things, I think the EcoStimAct is kinda cheesey, but I'm by no means gonna turn down $1200. I recommend doing what's best for your family with this money, not necessarily what the government asks you to do with it. I say securing your own finances is good for the American economy. We plan to spend ours eventually (more on that some other day.)

Well, I wish you all a Happy Easter. Take time to think about what Easter is really about, and then enjoy the spring air with family & friends.

Money Fun

After this Friday's paycheck I will have enough saved to pay my April 10 property taxes. It's great to have that money set aside and easily accessed when the tax bill is due. There was a time when we didn't have it planned so well, so in the weeks leading up to the payment date we had a very imbalanced budget, with most of our money going to a bill we knew was coming but didn't plan for.

I received my energy bill for March and was glad to see that our cutting back this winter on gas usage is paying off again. I received a rebate for $33. That means our January Freeze Fest has net a $80 savings for us. Very cool.

This month at Walgreens there's more free stuff. Garnier Fructis Hair Stylers 2-8.5oz. (I dig their hairspray so this works well for me,) Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste, Listerine Smart Rinse, and my moisturizer, Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew. That's $25 worth of product for FREE! Last month's rebate check for me was $18. This is what I call fun.

Lunch Stuff

There's something about springtime that draws me to Trader Joe's. I really like that store, but since I can't buy everything there, I get lazy and don't go there at all. But this week I got some of the stuff for this week's lunches there- some organic baby spinach, romaine hearts, frozen strawberries, a mango (for which I was overcharged; my blood boils to think of it,) roasted garlic hummus, a cracked wheat sourdough loaf and some pita bread. We spent the last couple of weeks eating salads for lunch; they were quite good, bagged salad with shredded rotisserie chicken (or canned tuna,) tomatoes and homemade dressing. I don't do well with the everyday lunch box sandwich, I will fall off the lunch wagon everyday if that's all there is to eat. Anyway, I have everything prepared ahead of time for lunches this week, and I'm feeling pretty good about it. I grilled 3 marinated chicken breasts and sliced them up. Hegazelle's lunch this week: Garlic chicken pita sandwiches. He has his instructions for in the morning: spread the inside of the pita with roasted garlic hummus, throw in some of the chicken slices, a piece of romaine heart, and tomatoes or whatever is in the fridge that is deemed tasty. For me, sourdough, cheddar & garlic for grilled cheese sandwiches. Additionally, I had a hankerin' for that delicious salad my cousin Jenny makes- baby spinach, slivered almonds, strawberries, mango, avocado and balsamic vinaigrette. This will be a great side to our sandwiches.
Something about when I eat salads everyday for lunch though, while I enjoy them thoroughly, come Thursday or Friday I am in major need of a cheeseburger or some Flamin' Hot Cheetos. I don't know what's wrong with me!
And while I'm talking about food that could possibly kill me I should mention that we finished our wills this morning- complete with a notarized affidavit and two witnesses. I had no idea I had to have two witnesses in the presence of both me and Hegazelle and the notary! We were glad a friend of ours agreed to notarize the will at church this morning- that made things a lot easier.

Just a reminder

Don't forget the rules of this blog! I know, it's been a long time since I reminded you, so it's my fault. With so much talk about money on this blog, I have to remain anonymous with strangers so I don't get robbed! :-P

Dollars, Tax Refunds & Spring Home Improvement

Tomorrow is payday and I'm looking forward to it. I need to feel some cash in my hands again. Although, the dollar isn't worth what it used to be, what, with all the interest rate cuts. Thanks to the fed making it easier for Americans to borrow money, and in turn reducing the value of the dollars in my hand. Maybe I should ask to be paid in euros...
We got both our federal and state tax refunds deposited into our account, and quickly assigned to different things. We had our lawn mower serviced and the blade replaced, changed the oil in the car (so cool that it only has to be changed every 7500 miles,) and paid our internet filter subscription for the next few months. Then we put a bit aside for some "future leisure." Whatever that may be. $433 was the whopping total of our two refunds. MUCH better than owing more taxes.
Spring is here, and with it brings home improvement projects. We have doors to replace, walls to paint, and more yard work. I'll do my best to work these things into the budget, but I have a tendency to neglect other things for the sake of debt reduction.

Get more bang for your fuel buck

I first heard of Wayne Gerdes at Get Rich Slowly. Once I read the article about how he squeezes 59 MPG out of an ordinary Honda Accord, I started paying closer attention to my own driving habits and fuel economy. While I don't recommend some of his driving techniques (for safety reasons) I have implemented a few of his tricks myself. I haven't actually calculated my MPG on a tank of gas (I never fill up, I only pump enough gas for the week each Friday,) I did manage to stretch my fuel and avoid a refuel for two extra days last week. I have been playing the game a bit this week and have used hardly any fuel at all. Which is a GREAT thing since I paid $3.39/gallon last time I refueled.

Photo: American Public Media

Blogging Blahs & Vacation Dreams

I'm sorry...these last few days my mind has been blank and personal finance posts evade me. I read all of my favorite PF blogs, but have nothing to post on my own. I haven't even sat down to write out goals for March. That's partially because it seems like my goals repeat themselves each month.
You know what's on my mind? Vacation. Getting away, far away for at least a week. Since our honeymoon we've never been on a week-long vacation together. We've done short trips on weekends and such, but not the standard vacation many folks take come summer time. I don't necessarily think I'm entitled to a vacation, but I sure would enjoy it. I envy my supervisor at work. Someday, I want to be just like her. Last year she took a 12 day Panama Canal cruise, spent two weeks in Hawaii and also took a 7 day Mediterranean cruise. **sigh**
It would be so nice...

Spring Fever

I am sore. From my shoulders down to my calves I have muscles screaming at me. I guess that's what happens when you sit on your rear all winter, and then go out and do yard work when spring-feeling weather arrives. Me and Hegazelle worked over the front flowerbeds. I had planted 80 tulip bulbs in the fall, so we have been waiting for some color. I took a bit of money from my "household goods" envelope and bought some mulch and some annuals that should bloom in a week or two. So I did some squatting, kneeling and digging that has contributed to my current state. But it looks so much better now.
I also mowed and ran the weed eater around our rather large backyard. The weed eater contributed to my sore arms and shoulders. Then I hosed off and straightened up our patio. All this yard work mixed with the time change for daylight savings has me exhausted today.
It was worth it all today when I came home from work and saw the first of the tulips had bloomed.

First Spring Tulip in Shegazelle's Garden


Shegazelle's Azeleas



Misc. Other Blooms

More about insurance

Insurance is a big deal. Insurance is all about transferring risk. There are all types of insurance available these days, but it's up to you to be a wise consumer and determine which types are a good value for you. For my readers in the UK, AutoNet Business Insurance offers you an opportunity to get various types of insurance quotes online. I like the idea of researching insurance and getting quotes online. And I have done just that with my auto, life and even identity theft insurance. By doing so, I saved $500 a year on my auto insurance versus what I had been paying. I actually budget $82/week out of our paychecks to cover homeowners insurance, auto insurance, his and hers life insurance, and identity theft protection. Yeah, insurance is a huge deal, but we all know what a bigger deal it can be if you're caught in a situation without it. (Don't worry, health insurance isn't in my budget because my employer pays for it. That's the best deal I've found on insurance yet!)
The one type of insurance that we are lacking at the moment is long term disability insurance. I have looked high and low for a good deal, but insuring some blue collar workers is nearly impossible to do at a decent price. Hegazelle's employer offers a group plan for short term disability, but not long term. I plan to keep looking.
The more I learn about insurance, the more I know I'm in the wrong business.

Disclosure Policy

Recipe: Shegazelle's Burritos

I just finished a most delicious burrito (if I do say so myself.) We eat burritos for dinner quite often for a few reasons: they taste great, they're easy on the budget, they're low fat, they're a quick dinner, and they taste great. And besides all that, they taste great.


Gazelle Burritos
10 min. meal

1 lb. lean ground turkey
minced onions to taste
1/2 packet Lawry's Taco Seasoning
1 16oz. can Taco Bell Fat Free Refried Beans
1/4 cup water
Flour tortillas

Brown ground turkey with minced onions. Stir in Lawry's Taco Seasoning. Combine refried beans and turkey, adding water to thin out mixture. Warm tortillas on open flame and serve burritos with desired toppings.

Gazelle Burrito Toppings:

shredded cheese
lettuce
tomato
avocado
Naturally Yours Fat Free Sour Cream
Herdez Salsa (medium)
salt
pepper



Also, if you feel like clogging your arteries a bit, try the fried version of this burrito. Roll up a tortilla filled with the meat mixture and cheese, fry it in oil, then put the toppings over the top of it. Obviously, this one has to be eaten with a fork.
Enjoy!

Wanna be weird?

Some have emailed me and some expressed interest in the comments section of my Good Stuff post about attending a Financial Peace University class in my area. Interest is high, so hopefully the Facilitator can do a class this year.

Anyone who's interested can email me at shegazelle@gmail.com and I'll get you in touch with the right people!

What I'd do if I had a lot more money

Now, I know I just posted that link about the key to wealth is being satisfied with what you already have. And I really am, but that doesn't mean I don't have goals and dreams. So for fun, here's an off-the-top-of-my-head post of what I'd do if I had a lot more money! Join the fun with your own list in the comments section.

• Buy Hegazelle a truck
• Tile my master bathroom shower
• Re-landscape my backyard
• Go visit my brother & his family
• Go on a loooong cruise
• Replace our blinds with new window coverings
• Write a big check for my church to give to the missionaries
• Write a big check for my church's general expenses
• Get a massage
• Buy some summer clothes and of course some new shoes
• Buy my parents something they want but never got themselves
• Max out my Roth IRA
• Spend whatever I want at the local nursery
• Pay someone else to paint some of the walls in my house
• Hire a gardener
• Randomly hand out $100 bills to people who need it
• Buy a laptop
• Buy groceries at Whole Foods instead of WinCo
• Buy a puppy and have someone else train it and clean up after it

I know there's a whole lot more, but I can't bring anything else to mind at the moment. If I think of some more I'll throw it in the comments section.

Sorry...

I have turned on the word verification for comments to my posts because the amount of comment spam I get has gone through the roof. If it doesn't help, I'll remove the word verification and just deal with the spam.

The Key to Wealth

I read an article over at Get Rich Slowly, one of my favorite personal finance blogs, and I wanted to share it here. It's titled The Key to Wealth is Being Satisfied with What You Already Have. I'd love to sit and learn from the guy JD talks about in this post.