August 15, 2006
It’s my August mid-month challenge! After I straighten out a couple of issues and pay back one card for work expenses that were reimbursed, I have [150] dollars for the rest of this month. And I’m [135] dollars for the hideous utility bill. I’m negative [235] dollars at midmonth. For shame!! This is not a good tingly feeling I’m getting here. How shall we make up that negative, so as not to dig into the savings allowance this month?
Well, I have a small chunk of DealBarbiePays money coming in the end of the month. I think I’ll wait a little while longer to request the next withdraw since I could spend a little time looking for more high amount offers.
Just requested a cashout on my wee little Fatwallet balance, they PayPal now! I hope that means it’s coming sooner.
I think that leaves me needing approximately $150 of creativity.
[I know I worked a LOT of OT last pay period, tomorrow we’ll see how much that overage really amounts to, but since I’m behind on my insurance/household bill deposits I feel like using that would just be cheating. Filling in old holes takes priority over new holes in the budget.]
Working even more OT this week is rather difficult considering my boss wanted me to take this Friday off to hang out with CousinDucky. And frankly, she’s worth more than a little OT.
So, creativity, GO!
Three weeks ago I started going to a yoga class that a few friends were going to try. The relief has been incredible. I’ve been able to go without a couple of my daily pain medications that had become routine substitutes for pain and stress relief. [I know, bad, I didn’t like the idea either.] I’m saving money on those prescriptions and who knows? Maybe the condition that those meds were prescribed for will improve as well! Ok, maybe not but still, it’s a far better treatment for my aches and pains than the “take three, call me next month” routine my doc and I had going.
If I break it down, purely financially, then I think this is the more expensive out of pocket route:
Yoga: approximately $8 per class, once a week.
vs
Meds: $30-$40 once every three months, plus a $10 copay for the bimonthly visit.
Total:
Yoga: $88 for three months
vs
Meds: $50 for three months
However, the intangible benefits are more difficult to measure. How much is not having a funny taste in your mouth worth? How much would you pay to learn how to ward off the physical symptoms of stress rather than popping a pill when they start manifesting? Let’s say it’s worth $5 for a major stressor, $2 for a minor stressor. At that rate, I could “afford” to be stressed or upset 2 major and 4 minor times, or 3 major and 2 minor times in three months before yoga broke even.
I’m going to guesstimate that Yoga will break even in two days. Tops.
Here’s my real math problem for this post:
Can I afford to go twice a week AND take MaDucky with me one of those two days? Obviously I’d be paying her shot. Yes, it’s a luxury to take the class twice AND add MaDucky to the bill, it’s just that … well …. I take that class to get away from everything. That includes family and family problems. I’m concerned about her health too, but am not willing to completely sacrifice my only relaxation time.
I’ll lose an hour of overtime per day that I leave *early* to go to this class, so I’ll lose that if I just don’t work on the train. Again, I break even working on the commute home twice a week. I’m planning to take up that second class when the next session starts, in about three weeks. The second class will be the one I bring MaDucky too.
It’ll cost $88-90 for the both of us for the next 6 weeks, due in early Sept. [It’ll go on my credit card of course, but I don’t use the card as a crutch, it’s just a halfway house for my finances – a means for me to make a little extra on the side.]
Hm, at $15/week, that’s about $60 out of my personal budget, leaving me $30. Or I could split it between my medical and personal budget, my half is medical and MaDucky’s is personal.
In any case, my point is that if the yoga classes ultimately relieve the pain and discomfort long-term then the amount of money I’ve been spending on medications and doctors’ visit will decrease annually, and I will not have to continue spending on new medications to treat the almost inevitable conditions that will arise secondary to the main condition.
Case in point: the stress became so intense at one point that my eyesight was compromised. The optometrist said that the condition of my eyes were such that I needed bifocals. $280 later, I don’t even use those glasses anymore. What a waste!
***As I’m writing this I realize that I’ve been positively negligent when it comes to tracking my expenses, just depending on knowing vaguely what my allowances are. Considering how well that’s NOT going, either I return to the daily/monthly budget sheets, or I create yet another fund for the bigger expenses like travel and miscellaneous expenses like dog and driver’s licenses.
August 11, 2006
Holy mackeral. Our damages from the breathtaking heat waves of July have finally been tallied. We used the a/c at night only, for a few hours, if that, to allow us to sleep. And we didn’t even use it every night, at least not if the night air was cool enough.
July 11-August 09: $236.94
*twitch*
Needless to say, this is one of the two bills I pay each month, aside from the rent. This and the water bill.
The thought that someone’s actually getting something from this blog, even if it’s just from one post makes me smile.
August 10, 2006
Daniel, wait a sec! get a $100 BofA check when you open any new, personal checking account with a Check Card. Get an additional $25 when you open any new, personal savings account.
This is actually targeted to existing customers, so you should do both, your other one first and this one just for the bonus!
This deal says you must respond by December 31, 2006.
Ok, so you didn’t have to come see this first, I just couldn’t remember the details and didn’t want you to miss the greater bonus if this wasn’t targeted to existing customers.
Oh, wait a sec, yes you did, check this out: Receive $100.00 – when you open your new checking account online.
The fine print on this one says you have to keep your money in there for the approximately 50 days it should take to credit your account.
Open this one online first, you’ll still get checks and ATM cards, and then the other one up there for a total of $225. A wee bit more than the $35 for a little more work. Whatcha think? =)
I haven’t done either yet, but now that I’ve done the legwork for you, I might just do it too!
August 9, 2006
What would you do?
I just can’t make up my mind — practical? Frivolous? And then there are degrees of practicality, clothes are practical but also frivolous … the comics and comic accessories I could get boggle my mind! (I would not just stock up on the long boxes, bags ‘n’ boards, but I could go for a spinner or two.)
But, spending without trying to squeeze the value out of every single penny with coupons, rebates and sales? I don’t know if I could do that. In all honesty I would probably take the money, throw it into a savings account and crow Victory! Or buy a large chunk of airline gift cards so that BoyDucky and I can visit/travel more frequently without worrying about the monthly expenses, or just plan a nice vacation and shopping trip for MaDucky.
Do you know, in all her life, she has yet to go on a vacation or shop without paying attention to how it’s going to affect the budget? It’s always been survival and raising the kids and giving them what they need, want or should have. Piano lessons, private school, books, clothes, cars. Maybe they weren’t needs but they were definitely sacrifices that she made for us. Scratch that, she didn’t buy me a car, but she did provide for most of her family (6 sibs, 2 parents) none of whom thanked her, much less paid her back.
Hm. Today’s question should have been fun, but I got sidetracked on Guilt Highway, carpool lane.
August 8, 2006
is up over at Single Ma’s!
In terms of your annual gross salary, what percentage do you save? Are you happy with that amount or do you think you could do better?