Archive for the ‘Finances’ Category

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Student Loan Debt


15 Apr

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Posted in Budgeting, Finances, School | Comments Off

Student loan debt has been in the news again. The reality of college is changing. More and more employers expect a college degree, even for entry level jobs, and colleges are becoming more and more expensive. It is becoming less and less possible for students to pay their own way through school working part time and getting federal aid. It creates this space for private lenders to mortgage the future of the next generation.

And this wouldn’t be YM if there weren’t at least a couple mentions that loans are okay for Pharmacy school, but not for an English degree.

Life happens when its the most inconvenient


13 Apr

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Posted in Budgeting, Car repair, Finances, Home Ownership | Comments Off

I had a plan for this week, a very good plan. Then the work in the basement took a day longer to complete, and there was an error in the verification of our taxes, so those took a day longer to submit.

In addition, we had an appointment scheduled for the car to get an oil change on Thursday, because I need to do some running around for work today. But on Tuesday night, the check engine light came on. So now the car is going in to the shop today, and I’ll be getting a loaner from the dealership.

Taking care of you


08 Apr

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Posted in Budgeting, Dental Care, Finances, Healthcare | Comments Off

There are a number of controversial threads going on YM this week, but I wanted to talk about this much simpler (and shorter) one. How much is your smile worth?

For people who are really involved in debt payoff, wealth building, net worth, and assets, it can sometimes be hard to remember that we really do need to invest in ourselves. $10,000 is a lot of money. I don’t know anyone who would argue it isn’t. The question is, are you worth it? Is keeping your own teeth and having good dental health worth $10,000? With or without dental insurance?

The world is not made of lists


01 Apr

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Posted in Budgeting, Finances, Friendship, Relationships | Comments Off

One of the things about financial boards is that we are all Type A personalities (or close to it). We are planners, list makers, get things done now now now types of people. Its something we have to remember because most of the world is not like that, including many of our spouses.

This thread is about a spouse who doesn’t react to stress the way his Type A personality wife does, and its driving her crazy. Yes, there are financial issues and steps need to be taken, but we can’t force other people to think and act like us.

Rent vs Buy


25 Mar

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Posted in Finances, Home Ownership | Comments Off

I had a hard time trying to decide what to post about this week. I chose the “Never own a home again” thread because it addresses a question I think a lot of people are considering right now.

Each person should make their own decisions about owning vs. renting. We own. Part of that is peace of mind. Yes, we’ll have taxes and insurance, but having no other housing costs once we retire seems pretty ideal. In addition, we have dogs, which always makes it harder to get the deposit back when you rent, adding to the long term costs.

California Dreaming


23 Mar

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Posted in Budgeting, Finances, Home Ownership, Travel | Comments Off

I recently planned a vacation we will never take. Well, never may be a strong word, but the likelihood is probably 15% or less.

I like planning. I like dreaming. I know how much we can technically afford, and I love the idea of going places.

So why won’t we take the trip? Mostly because the money we have would be better spent preventing the basement from flooding, paying for college, or saving for a trip to Europe in a couple of years.

Still, I like my $1,000 dream, and will hold on to it for a day or two.

 

Smart Spending Actions


18 Mar

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Posted in Finances | Comments Off

Taking us over to the Smart Spending board today and their thread “What I did today to save money and improve my life”. Its simple concept- celebrate the choices we make every day that help us financially and emotionally.

These things include paying a family member to do cleaning for you after surgery, or finding a way to take a 2 week vacation for minimal cost. Often they involve saying no- to eating out or a concession stand.

The little things add up, and its nice to have a place where people will celebrate those smart spending decisions with you.

I <3 Les Schwab


17 Mar

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Posted in Advertising, Car repair, Finances | Comments Off

A few years ago, a friend posted about a negative experience he had going to a local company for new tires. Over 20 people responded that he should have gone to Les Schwab. Seriously, they could have lifted the entire thread and made it an ad.

I love Les Schwab and prefer to go there for any car maintenance they can handle. This week, I had to go in for a flat tire. Turned out I needed to replace all my tires. They got me in and out in less than an hour, and I didn’t even have an appointment.

The Hidden Costs of Being Poor


16 Mar

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Posted in Finances | Comments Off

It costs more to be poor than it does to be middle class.

If the cheap version of something costs $10, but only lasts for 2 years, while the expensive version costs $20 but lasts for 5 years, in the long run, it’s obviously better to buy quality. But what if I don’t have $20 in my budget? What if I don’t really even have $10, but I need this item now? Which am I going to buy?

Sadly, I think this may be why Wal-Mart is so successful. If you buy it cheap, you have to buy it often.

8.9 on the Richter Scale


12 Mar

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Posted in Finances, International Politics, Politics, Weather | Comments Off

The question for insensitive me is, will individual people be sending aid to Japan? The quake was huge- 8.9. But Japan has modern infrastructure. The quake has left hundreds dead- hundreds, not thousands. Can you imagine what this would have done to a coastal area of China?

At the same time, this is likely to be the most expensive natural disaster in history. The costs to repair will be huge. So will there be an outpouring of aid via the Red Cross? Will we text to donate $5. Or do we decide Japan can afford to care for its own?

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