Archive for the ‘Finances’ Category

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Your Money & Your Health


21 Jan

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Posted in Finances, Healthcare | Comments Off

It’s been health care week over at Your Money. None of the conversations I was really involved in are still going strong, so I’m linking to the main page. We had two conversations on which I’m a subject matter expert (because of my day job) involving authorization of procedures and appeals of insurer decisions (of not to pay the bill).

There’s also been a migraine and lost wages thread, one about the proper way to use health insurance, and one about medical costs in relation to joint custody.

Just a reminder that our finances touch every part of our lives.

 

Your Money – “not quite adult”


14 Jan

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One of the fun things about the Your Money section of the Refugees board is the great disparity of demographics. We’re all interested in money and how to use ours’ in the most effective ways, though “effective” is up for debate.

This week, one of the big discussions stems from an article about extended adolescence, or delayed adulthood. It started with a poll, asking when we left home. Everyone has a slightly different story, and many disagree about whether parents should kick young adults out. But it seems most agree even people living at home need to be financially responsible.

 

Controlled / No Spend


07 Jan

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Posted in Budgeting, Debt Reduction, Finances | 1 Comment »

I have been a member of the Controlled / No Spend board since last February. This board does for my budgeting what my critique group does for my writing. They take what I have, point out the good, and show me how to make it better. They offer the moral support to say no, I do not need a trip to the vending machine or company cafeteria today.

The ladies there take a holistic approach to finances and understand that the complicated bits of our lives can have the biggest influence on how, when, and where we spend our money.

Student Loan Frustration


05 Jan

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Citibank owns my graduate student loans. In December, I called to complain that my auto-payment had been cancelled. They said it was because I had already made a payment that billing cycle. Well, I made a payment this billing cycle, so imagine my surprise when an auto-payment was taken from my account this morning. It’s what I wanted, but not what they told me, and there was no communication letting me know the terms of their auto-pay had changed. And worse, the amount wasn’t for my new minimum payment, my old minimum payment, or even the difference between the two.

Women In Red


31 Dec

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Posted in Budgeting, Debt Reduction, Finances | Comments Off

On Dec 30, 2009, I decided I needed extra motivation and accountability when it came to paying down our debt. We didn’t know how long unemployment would last, and debts that had seemed like no big deal when we were both working loomed menacingly overhead.

I started with the Women In Red message boards whose purpose was to help women get out of debt (men are welcome). I became a Racer, someone with specific debt payoff goals.

Today, I’m linking to the new home of the WIR. It’s a nice place to visit, and a great place to stick around.

Goodbye, MSN Money Boards


30 Dec

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MSN is closing its Money Message Boards. As of January, they will be gone, and years of advice, hundreds of ideas, will be memories.

Who knows why MSN is doing this. They’re a huge company, and I’m certain it makes business sense for them, but its leaving a community of people stranded. Luckily, one enterprising soul set up a new board for the MSN Money Board Refugees, and it appears the community will remain strong.

Now the challenge is to keep bringing in new blood. From now on, my Friday post will link to an interesting conversation happening over there.

Financial Politics (2)


19 Dec

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Posted in Budgeting, Finances, Politics | Comments Off

There is a Bible story about Joseph interpreting the Pharaoh’s dream of seven fat cows followed by seven starving cows. Joseph tells the Pharaoh that it means that there will be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine, and that in order to make it through the famine years, they should save during the years of plenty.

This is sound fiscal advice, advice I wish our government would follow. We may not know when the lean years will come, but they always do. They ALWAYS do. During the years of plenty, we should be funding our future.

Financial Politics (1)


18 Dec

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I am a social liberal (who’d have guessed, right.). And while my nature is to be fiscally conservative, our government isn’t, and has never been (at least in my lifetime), so I would rather we spend the money on liberal social programs.

I should clarify, when I say I am fiscally conservative, I don’t mean we should spend more on the military (payroll yes, other things, not so much), or give tax breaks to the rich. I mean, we should be responsible with our spending, in the same way that as an individual, I need to be responsible my money.

Stop Excessive Spending, but No One’s Ever Asked for a Smaller Gift


16 Dec

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Posted in Advertising, Finances | 1 Comment »

(More ranting against luxury car commercials.) I hate the current advertising slogans. Its like the people who write these things do not live in the real world.

Acura wants us to put an end to excessive holiday spending and buy an Acura. Perhaps they do not know what excessive means?

Lexus tells us that no one ever wanted a smaller gift. They apparently don’t have wives or girlfriends who have ever dreamed of the perfect diamond earrings.

I know I’m not the target audience, but having a slogan that actively makes me dislike you doesn’t seem like a good plan.

Surprise! It’s a 5 Year Loan


15 Dec

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Posted in Advertising, Finances | 1 Comment »

Luxury car commercials always annoy me to some extent- who needs real silver dust polished in to the dashboard? But around the holiday season, it’s worse.

Every we have the conversation regarding one of us buying the other a car as a gift. And the decision is- don’t do it, bad plan. Even if you can afford to pay cash for a car (which most of us can’t), does this really seem like a good unilateral decision? (Then there’s the Buick commercial where the wife gets the husband a car and he’s all happy until he sees a new Buick…)

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