About sixteen years ago, I met him for the first time. My trainwreck sibling brought home this adorable puppy he had no business adopting because he had not one thing in his life that wasn’t a mess. I was furious at my sibling – he didn’t even take care of himself, how could he drag
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October 8, 2009
Sooo I think I’ve rounded up all the extant parts and widgets (widgets?? It’s a whole different language going on here.) Yes, Blogger switched to New Blogger or some sort of thing forever ago, but like New Coke, I thought it’d go away soon enough. Or at least by the time I was ready to take on another template change.
I sure was wrong, but in the flush of new-cold delirium, it seemed like a worthwhile endeavor since I was stuck cooped up in the house anyway.
Uh yeah. Not really. Turns out that you have to upgrade from Classic Blogger, add these newfangled widgets, replace the HTML template with the right one, save that, go back and re-add those widgets because the first time around you forgot to save it, save, then find out you added the wrong template that has text screaming from one end of the screen to the other right over the sidebar.
Oh wait. Start over. Replace the HTML template. Save. Edit widgets. Save. Realize that you’re now missing Adsense and can’t add it because javascript in the HTML? Doesn’t. Show. UP.
*sigh*
Annnyway. It took a good long while, but between that and watching listening to old episodes of Reba, we might be all set around here?
Many many thanks to fantastic FB who did all the designing, colors, more designing, tweaks and twitches needed to make this happen! You wouldn’t believe the amount of work she had to do, between rewriting crap code, tailoring things for New Blogger who is unbelievably picky, and still making things pretty.
*dusting hands*
Whatcha think?
October 7, 2009
I’m doing a quick vertical analysis of my Vanguard accounts which include the tax deferred 403(b) and 401(a), a Rollover IRA integrated into the 403(b), and my Roth IRA.
The column showing my account purchases/withdrawals since February 2006 = 34,938. There haven’t been any withdrawals, by the by.
The column showing my investment returns to date = -63.
Total? Less than I’ve contributed over a 44 month time span.
I’m going to put my full-of-hope hat on and be glad that I’ve squirreled away at least that much, mostly pre-tax, and be glad that I haven’t seen such numbers like –$1,571.82, –$1,908.34 or even –$3,711.14 in a good while.
How close are you to breaking even? Or has anyone’s portfolios returned to full health?
October 6, 2009
Given the recent local break-ins, and a belated sense of general responsibility, it seemed like time to check out the world of renters insurance. After all, I did just successfully shop around for my auto insurance and saved a good chunk of change. If I were willing to tackle health insurance this week, we could call this an Insurance Trifecta! But I still have subsidized COBRA for another 5 months, so I might not be that ambitious.
Renters insurance is one of those things *everyone* says you should have, but most people I know don’t. Logically, it makes a lot of sense because I would absolutely hate to have to replace my belongings out of pocket.
The big ticket categories are: electronics, comic book collection, clothing, furniture.
- As a rough estimate, my personal gadgets probably cost in the neighborhood of $1500 and I can’t begin to calculate how much my comic books would cost to replace.
- My wardrobe, humble though it is, contains just enough pricier items that it’d be difficult to rebuild in less than 2-5 years. That’s how long it took to accumulate a couple good coats, a high quality leather bag, two suits, and a few really nice dresses (>$1500). That’s without considering all the daily wears which are more numerous than quality.
- All my furniture is old, I haven’t got anything less than 7 years old in here and most items are well over fifteen years old, but when you have to replace it, age doesn’t matter.
Of course, renters insurance will cover the entire household, not just my stuff, so that puts in perspective the value of the insurance.
I requested my first rate quote from Geico. As a renter, I find some of the questions odd: do most renters know the year their home was built or the construction/build type as a matter of course? I had to look it up on Zillow, and I’m still not sure what sort of build this is. Perhaps that’s a dunce cap question if you can’t answer it, so just call me a construction dunce. (We do have an excellent Walk Score, by the by.)
Geico coverage limits
| Personal Property (includes personal items such as clothes, furniture, appliances, linens, even toiletries and cleaning supplies.) |
$30,000 |
| Personal Liability (protection in the event an insured is found liable for unintentional bodily injury or property damage, occurring on or off of the property, not related to automobiles or business. For example: a slip and fall on the premises, or even if you should accidentally injure someone with a golf ball at the driving range.) |
$50,000 |
| Deductible |
$250 |
| Medical payments to others |
$500 |
| Property damage to others |
$500 |
| Replacement Cost Coverage |
included |
| Earthquake Coverage |
included |
Cost: $435/year
State Farm coverage limits
| Personal Property |
$30,000 |
| Personal Liability |
$100,000 |
| Deductible (lowest option available) |
$500 |
| Medical payments to others |
$5000 |
| Property damage to others |
n/a |
| Replacement Cost Coverage |
n/a |
| Earthquake Coverage |
Must purchase separate policy |
**State Farm only offers online rate quotes, not online purchase.
Cost: $212.
Spending all the money I just saved by changing auto insurance makes me grumpy, though.
Does anyone out there have renters insurance? Do these quotes seem reasonable to you? (These quotes include coverage of a full household with two large dogs on the “special” list.)
And if insurance shopping bores you, My Pretty Pennies went shopping for much more fun stuff: bathing suits!
And Fabulously Broke bought delicious boots!
Mapgirl went to New York and bought clothes! And food, yumm….
Stacking Pennies has a clothing buying plan!
All of which should provide the color against my boring and DebtHater’s car troubles.
October 5, 2009
Turns out that the tagline isn’t such a gimmick after all.
Rather than waiting for my current insurance term to end, the new policy’s scheduled to start midweek. Even with only a little more than a month to go, it’s worth it to get a small refund from Mercury and put it toward the new policy now. Why pay 1/6 of a $1000 policy when I can use that to start a new $600 policy?
The deductibles are lower, and the coverage is actually a little better, too! I did a bit of research and it seems like there’s an even split between people who love and hate just about every insurance company that it’s worth taking the chance on Geico. My other choice was Progressive but for every kind of coverage, they were $200+ more costly than Geico.
October 4, 2009
The funeral was this weekend.
I managed to keep it together for the most part but it was difficult. Everywhere I went, I was introduced as an adopted daughter. That made me smile because, let’s be honest, it’s been a long time since I felt like a part of my own family. Or even since I wanted to be part of my family, the way things have been.
I can’t have been the only one who heard echoes of their father’s voice as we organized the family, completed chores, cooked, ate, and rested together. At first, it was oddly comforting to “hear” him as the days went by. But it was upsetting too. He should BE here, this shouldn’t be happening, it’s not right that he’s not here for this! *”This” is the moving. The family was scheduled to move into another house and nothing is going the way it would have if he were still here. Everything would have been like clockwork.
The resounding sense of wrongness grew louder as I watched the family dynamics shifting. The teenage daughter, already struggling with her relationship with her father, now struggling with the lost authority figure. The brothers quietly trying to find the right place and pace for their new responsibilities. We’re all busy with necessary chores, but we’re also driven by a need to fill the hours with work, to keep moving.
We worked on the house yesterday, after recovering from the funeral. Locks were changed, outlets taped off, walls washed. Painters and carpet cleaners were scheduled, and I’ve been asked to help out again when they arrive next weekend.
That’s where I’ve been, mostly. And that’s where I’ll be, mostly, until we get adoptive mom moved in and settled safely and securely. And after that? I’ll be a consultant as my friend learns the financial ropes his father always kept safely tucked away. Yet another reason to hit the books even harder and make sure I’m up on my money knowledge.
October 3, 2009
First up, Quizno’s Coupons, exp 10/16/09:
1) Buy one sub and a regular fountain drink, get one sub free.
2) $1 off one sub, $2 off two subs, $3 off three subs.
I don’t like Quizno’s anymore, but I hope that any fans out there can use one of these deals.
Second, the silver lining to recent overspending mean that credit card rewards redemption time rolled around much more quickly than usual. My Chase Cash Plus check arrived in the mail: +$50
Third, slow and steady email clickthroughs have finally yielded a $25 gas gift card from MyPoints. That’ll defray a bit of the recent and upcoming driving.
Fourth, FINALLY redeemed Swagbucks for a reward. Would have gone for Amazon GCs except my savings accounts begged for a cash infusion. $5 is better than nothing. HOW is everyone accumulating ‘bucks so quickly? I feel like I’m the slowest earner ever.
Now that I’ve settled up the bill for Dad’s tickets, I’m on a mission to get lower auto insurance rates. Wish me luck!
October 1, 2009
| Retirement Savings |
Roth IRA: $4,137
401(a):$30,814
Total: $34,951 (33,611)
|
| Emergency Savings |
Catastrophe: $ 35,887
Problem Cushion: $ 1,000
Total: $36,887 (36,963)**
|
| Short Term Goals |
Car Maintenance: $2,244
Insurance: $2,467
Travel/Con: $568
Taxes: $3,590
Moving: $3,994
Total: $12,863 (12,144)
|
| Long Term Goals |
House Down Payment: $102
|
| Investments |
TradeKing: $1,094**
Prosper-ish Loan: $12,630
Personal Loan: $1,500
Savings Bond: $362 (current accrued value)
Total: $15,586 (15,542)
|
| Total Assets |
Illiquid: $34,951
Semi-Liquid: $15,586
Liquid: $36,887
Expense Acct: $7,506
Goals Savings: $12,963
Total: $ 107,893 (105,862)
|
| Debt and Liabilities |
AmEx: $144
Chase: $2,510
Rent: $1,360
Total: $4014 (1,770)
|
| Net Worth |
$103,879 (104,092)
|
A few thoughts …..
Yodlee is all over the place. A few weeks ago, I got an invitation to try their Beta and it kept locking me out of my account. When I gave up on the Beta, the original version kicked me out too! Now it’s showing me bills due two weeks ago that it didn’t think were important until now. Thanks!
Bills-owing are at an all-time high thanks to the school bills (>$1000), and the unexpected traffic fee. That’s eaten into the gains made in the retirement accounts. I’d better hit the books even harder, that quiz I took last night made me sweat!
**Dividend!! My stocks paid out a fat $4 dividend. Marked this one ‘specially because I’m excited. Whoo!
Wonky math. Somewhere in the emergency funds, we’ve got math gone wrong and I can’t figure it out. I never take money out of that account, or at least haven’t yet, but it’s down by a handful of dollars. No time to work on it today, unfortunately.
Changes. This snapshot is useful tracking, but everyone doesn’t need all these details. It’s time to consolidate more accounts and simplify both the system and reporting while preserving the subaccounts I love so much. Currently, my money is spread across ING/ED/Citi/Wamu.
I get free checks from Wamu, Electric Orange can’t serve all my checkwriting needs. Citi is the easier B&M from which to bank with linked checking and “high” interest savings accounts, while the ING/ED accounts have marginally better interest rates. It’s nice to have the flexibility of looking for either Chase OR Citibank branches when I’m travelling rather than hoping for one or the other.
I’m looking for a single bank with B&M and online access, free checkwriting (paper and electronic), ability to manage sub-savings accounts with good interest rates, and no fees. Too much?