Amber's Personal Finance Blog

Ok as you all know I am nickeling and diming my car payment (by paying extra) any how I do this through my electric orange account (checking) I opened this account so that I can pay my car payment and any extra online. So to make a long story short I have been paying on line now for a while.I check the balance on my car account to compare the numbers and nothing has change the bank (lovely BoA) applied it to the interest (?) I was so mad because the rep I spoke to over the phone informed me any extra payments are applied to the principal, well she was wrong. It took me almost an hour at the branch to straighten it out (and he had to call some place else because he could not fix it at the branch). I can't pay online and have it applied to the principal because I do not have a checking account with them but I have a $5k CD which has been there now for about 3 years and a joint checking with my mom with about $10K (mom's money not mine but my name is on the account) I guess that really deosn't matter since they have $15k of our money in which they use to invest to make money and yet can't won't allow me to pay online and have all extra funds applied to the principal
So my options are to open a checking account in which there is a minimum balance unless I have direct deposit (why would I when ING pays more)or there will be a fee or go into the branch make payments or mail it in (cost .41 cents vs free online ) So I beat them at there own game (not really) I was on line and read if you open a CC you get free checking, no minimum payment no direct deposit required plus I get 0% interest until 2008. So I opened the account and will link my ING account with the bank's and transfer funds that way and then make my principal payments

sorry just needed to vent

I have not checked my credit scores in a while since they haven't change at all even though for over a year I have paid my bills on time and paid down or off CCs there are a couple of doctor bills that I have to take care of and an old cell phone bill that my ex did not pay (long story) but I was surprised this month when I saw a slight increase see below, take it from me it is soo easy to screw up your credit but hard as H&&^^ to fix so learn from me and be responsible. Hopefully by next year when I am ready to buy a homethings would have changed

TransUnion Experian Equifax

651 630 611

Saved $15 today plus the item I bought was tax free (tennis shoes) I was looking for some new tennis shoes and Penney's had them on sale and since it is tax free week I decided go for it
I am adding the $15 to the challenge, $7.50 towards my new home and $7.50 my car. My mom was laughing because I send $5 here and $10 there on my ca but it adds up and I figure the more I pay it down the better

New total for challenge home $3848.82

I have got to really stop dining out. I know, I have been singing this song now for months but it is a drug I guess. I have over come my shopping addiction but can't over come the dining out syndrome
Grocery bill is up as well, my miscellaneous is high because I let my sister borrow money, bought some ink for the printer a other non essential things; here are the numbers for last month

Automobile : Car Payment $158.48
Automobile : Gasoline $152.03
Automobile : Maintenance $451.85
Bank Charges : Interest Paid $5.04
Bills : Cable $68.14
Bills : Cellular $58.30
Bills : Electricity $148.95
Bills : Online/Internet Service $121.72
Bills : Telephone $80.54
Bills : Water & Sewer $41.39
Charitable Donations $40.00
Clothing $16.99
Dining Out $83.40
Education : Supplies $3.03
Gifts $47.35
Groceries $190.28
Healthcare : Dental $31.65
Healthcare : Eyecare $2.79
Healthcare : Physician $30.00
Healthcare : Prescriptions $15.00
Household : Furnishings $14.99
Household : House Cleaning $14.66
Insurance : Automobile $236.30
Leisure : Newspaper $2.50
Miscellaneous $252.85
Personal Care $92.37
Sales Tax $12.20
School Supplies $0.47
Snack $5.98
Taxes : Federal Income Tax $283.64
Taxes : Medicare Tax $42.35
Taxes : Social Security Tax $181.07
Total Expense Categories $2,886.31

Grand Total -$2,886.31

This was in my inbox from the Dollar Stretcher and thought I would share:

Free Improved Scouring Pads I do a lot of cooking, and often, my pots need a goodscrubbing on the bottom because my kitchen sponge won't cutthrough. I was going through a lot of those little silverscouring pads. And after you use them just once, the food getsstuck in them and they look terrible. I'm sure they are fullof germs after the food sits there for awhile. I started using the mesh bags that my onions come in to scrubmy pots, and they work wonderfully! You can use the whole bagfor a bigger, thicker scouring pad, or you can cut it to yourdesired size. And after using it, they rinse out clean!Josephine C

Well even though I contribute $50 twice a month to my own personal IRA with no matching funds I realize that this is not enough for my retirement. I decided to enroll in the 401k plan at my part-time job. If I am not mistaken the first 4% they match 100% and anything after that upto 6% they'll match 50%. I am not sure what funds are available and how the whole thing works, so I will be posting my questions as soon as I get the packet this weekend for everyone's help. I know I will do the 4% since that is pretty much what I can afford but we will see

I added $25 today for not going to the hair salon to my challenge; new balance $3840.81. I also paid an extra $10 on the car loan so now I am down to $17,260.97. Some times it seems like I am not making progress but I know from experience $10 here $5 dollars there will add up quickly

I have good news all around, my nephew came home today. He said he was doing much better and wanted to start work on Monday, I told my sister to go ahead and let him (try not to baby him) so I am happy; he's also not hearing the voices which is great

My brother paid me the $500 + an extra $30 so I was happy with that.

I added $100 to my challenge/home account $50.00 to my car account (for payments) and $20.00 to the principal on my auto loan and paid on my misc stuff like the cc in which I had dental work done

So today was a great day

I rarely go to the movies and I have had a couple of free passes for awhile and decided to use them. Well, I firgured no one will be there at 7:40 and I will leave a few minutes before just so I could get there in the nick of time to miss all the previews, wrong. Well I get there and the line is around the corner with tons of teeny boppers and no parking spaces other than valet and I am not paying for valet; so guess what no movie for me. Maybe I will try it again later

Well I paid $10 on my car, I think every extra funds I get I will split it between the challenge and my car loan. The goals is to pay off the car ASAP. I don't care if it is a $1, if it is extra $.50 will go towards my challenge and $.50 towards the car's principal. The sooner I pay it off the better

I have not been posting or reading blogs like I normally do; I have been so busy. I did however upped my challenge this week by adding my weekly deposit of $25
new total $3352.86, I also upped my car account. The goal with m car account is to save a $1000 and once I do that (while earning interest) send it directly to the bank in order to try and pay off early

In regards to my nephew he is doing a little better he's still hearing voices but not seeing the faces so hopefully after a while he won't hear a thing. He's on Haladol which causes a lot of complications and I told my sister to speak with his MD in regards to changing it to something else, even though it is the less expensive it causes a ton of other problems

I have my second test today (health law) I think I will be ok, the last one I got a 91 so I am striving for a 100 this time around

I have great news, my sister saw my nephew today and before she could get in the door the guard told her he was soooo much better. I am soooo happy, tomorrow before work I will go and see him. Monday, he will wil re-evaluated to determine if he can come home or not. Even told my sister that he was glad that he went, which is a good hing because now he recognizes that something was wrong.

My neice made a valid point, she said he was going to be alright because he heard voices that only told him good things and not things to steal or kill; which made sense to me

Any one uses ING bill pay with the checking account. I was trying to set up my payments for the car and it says to allow 2-3 days, deos it really takes that long?

It is so nice to have a support group and that is what I like about this site. On my way to work I cried pratically all morning for my nephew and right before I was leaving I got a sense of relief. Next I spoke to my sister who said he was doing much better, so a special thanks is do to every one who kept him in their prayers, it's not over bu at least we are making progress

The more and more I think about my nephew the more and more I get depressed. All my life basically I battled depression so I know or some what have an idea what he is going through. He did state today that he was very depressed because he wanted to go to college and felt like he couldn't. Also the nurse told my sister today that he is facing the first stages of schizophrenia. I did some research which states the actual onset in males are 18-25 my nephew is 19. They think that he may have been facing these troubles all along and what ever he took triggered it. I am asking any one here who believes in God to pray for him so that he may pull through this. I am praying that it is the drug he took and once it is out of his system he will be back to normal. Just thinking about it puts me in tears. Please keep him in your prayers
Poor kid he ever gave any trouble and he tries he really deos but he also says it is hard for him to concentrate

Well I have not been adding to the challenge like I should but I did ad my weekly $25 deposit; new total $3352.85
I also added $148 to my car account, I firgured I still should be adding to this fund for any repairs or insurance etc that will be coming due that new total $756.11. I almost forgot I added$30 to my EF account and $50 to my IRA, paid $100 on the cc as well

Well I saw my nephew today, I can't tell if he looks better or worst. But I took a book that I thought was easy for him to read and a Bible. Unfortunately I wasn't even thinking when I bought him a journal with a button, you can't have buttons in a mental institute because people are known to swollow them. I hope he can pull through this, his blood was drawn and we will know what he had took or what was in his system. Poor kid, thank you all for your thoughts...it is really appreciated

What a day from Hell, I had to leave work only after about 3.5 hours because my mom was watching over my nephew who tried some sort of drug with a friend and began hallucinating. My sister would not answer her phone at work so I kept calling her cell phone she would pick up but not say a word and then hang up, finally I said to her I am taking M to South County ( mental institute ) and she needed to come (he is her son).

What the Hell are these kids thinking? I am so annoyed with him, because he never gave any trouble and now he is doing this stupid crap. Now I know he has a learning disability and he reads on a 6 grade level I think and because of that coupled with being picked on in school he has low self esteem. And why is it that people do not teach their kids that making fun of is the same as bulling and can cause a ton of problems

In two weeks I have not gone to the hairdresser so I have saved $70 ($35 each visit) I added the $35 for this week, so my new total is $3328.85
I am still waiting for the $500 my brother borrowed

To take a test and know the answers. I took my first test today (health law) and I knew all the answers except for maybe two but they were essay questions so I BS'd around the answer. I can't wait until next week to see how I really did, but I am very comfortable because I was studying my behind off

a few weeks ago, a woman was raped and her son (12 years old ) was forced at gun point to participate. This case has got me so upset that I have searched online for a place or a company who might be accepting donations for this woman and her kid. What's even more disturbing is that the crime was committed by a 14 year old and a 16 year old as well as about 8 other kids. My God what is this world coming to. My boss told me that Wachovia is excepting donations so I will go in tomorrow, I am using my tithe money in a way I feel guilty but I also feel like we as society owes this lady and her kid something and God would understand. She lives in a really bad part of town and according to neighbors she never spoke or bothered anyone and that she kept her son inside all the time because the neighborhood was so bad. Now these a%%^$ holes knock on her door and tell her, her tire was flat then pusht their way into her apartmet. Now what if her kid goes out and commit a crime can we really blame him...poor soul. I am just so P.O'd by what is going on here with these damn kids committing crimes and parents are saying they are too young, you're damn right too young to be commiting these sorts of crime but old enough to and understand the consequences
Sorry I am just so upset

I actually paid off all my CC's the earlier part of this year but had to use them for the dentist and my tuition. Anyhow on the 4th I called in regards to cc1 to cancel my account and was told if I did ,so until the balance was paid off I would be charged $3 so I decided not to close it and pay it off next pay check. Well guess what it was closed So I went ahead and paid oit off, thus far I do not see a charge for $3 but will be a little annoyed if next month I get a bill, the only good thing was I wasn't charged the annual fee ($69) or any finance charges because I paid it off

I know it is going to hurt my credit because I closed the account but I do not plan on buying anything soon and being the frugal person that I am now, I am not going to pay another company to use their card, when I can use another's for free

So new balance $508.82 (one clas plus a book) This will be paid off next month

I just checked my checking account and found a $23 charge from Sam's club (?) I have no idea what this is for, now I renewed my membership online for $35 but what in the hell is the $23 for. Of course I have disputed this charge with the bank but now I have to figure out who to contact at Sam's. What a pain in the you know what, it says they (customer service ) is open on Saturdays but of course when you call the office is closed

Hope everyone had a really nice holiday, it rained here most of the day. Now I am not complaining because we really need the rain here in south FL, however I wish it would rain over the lake where it is needed the most. Anyhow, just wanted to wish everyone a Happy 4th

I tried yesterday cancelling a cc that charges me an annual fee, well the idiot on the other line was unable to cancell my account and "tried' so he says to transfer me to another person, in which I never actually spoke with. I had to then get ready for work and and once I tried to call later that evening, of course the office is closed, I tried again today and of course the office is closed Now I have to wait until tomorrow and probably will be charged the $69, why didn't I do this sooner? darn it.

I thnk i may have jumped the gun, but I bought a new car. I love it, it is an 02 Camry XLE fully loaded here are some pics. I did however, keep my old car just in case, also I can use it to put all the miles on and I know it is just a matter of time before it knocks out. Now my uncle did fix the shaking, so I guess he knew what he was talking about after all. So pray that everything works out an that this process is not a sstruggle

To get a new car that is I have been holding off as long as I could but now I am at the end of the road. I took my car in today to my mechanic who could not find anything wrong, but my car was shaking so bad all the way home last night and today that it was scary. It felt as though I was going to cut off any minute. The only thing my mechanic could come up with was age, but I know it is more to it. He said for me to continue to drive it but I am afraid to. I drive about 13 miles to work each day (26mi round trip) and about the same to school two days out of the week so two days a week I average about 52 miles; and leaving school at 10 o'clock at night only to break down on a busy highway I simply do not want. I did apply for a loan and was approved with out a co-signer but the problem is my interest rate is high, very high (13%) even though I have paid bills on time for the last year and paid off CCs I still had some minor things on my credit like doctor bills, a broken cell phone contract by my ex and a partial car loan that the gap insurance did not pay when I wrecked my car ( I am filing a complaint with the BBB, this should have been taken care of and I thought it was)Anyhow, Monday is payday so I am paying off the two small doctor bills, I will later attempt to pay off the cell phone debt and then refinance the car. So this weekend I will be out and about, I am really interested in the Camry so we will see

Now that I know what drips are it is a matter of finding a credible company to go through in order to purchases. I was just wondering what companies are being used by some of you? I know what stocks I would like to purchase but am not sure which firms are credible, I am afraid to purchase online due to all this identity theft

I am not letting anything stop me from making my weekly deposits to my challenge/new home account ($25 a week). I am more determine than anything, my mom drove me nuts yesterday morning. She was up running the vacuumcan you believe it. I was soooo mad, now the kicker is, if my uncle was home and was sleeping she would not have done that. All I could think about was if I had my own place I would not have to worry about this bull **&&%$. My first Saturday off in a long while nor did I have to study and she was up making all this noise
new total $3727.45

I have got to get a hold on this, dining out that is. I spend way too much money on eating out on a daily basis and no matter how many times I post about this, (so that I can be held accountable) I just can't seem to move forward. So far I have spent $74.96 about $20 less than last month which is fine but the point is I want this number/amount down to $20 for the month. I am almost positive that I did not indicate some cash transactions so I am sure I spent more than this