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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May 11, 2009
I love my current ride, which I did buy new, but I just don’t see myself doing that again. New cars are great but they mostly smell like big fat monthly payments, insane insurance premiums, and freaking out over every ding and dent. My car’s six years old and I still get mad every time I discover a new scratch. My nerves just can’t take this.
I discovered three new dents in the driver’s side door last weekend and my blood’s still boiling.
The older I get, the more I feel like I’d be happy with an older beater car, something about 10 or 15 years old with just basic amenities like heat, a/c, working locks and windows. Not just happy, happier. Happier that I can worry less about the car being stolen, broken into (I leave nothing of value in there), or vandalized. I could be totally wrong about that last, because if you’re parking in an iffy area, I doubt it matters what you drive. But again, if it were an old, properly functioning vehicle, that wasn’t worth too much, it probably wouldn’t matter as much as a $23k car, right?
Am I fooling myself, though? I’ve only ever driven a real beater car for a short time back in college when I was between cars and someone had gifted my brother a really old two-door Toyota circa 1980.
Blame it on a hazy memory, but it wasn’t that bad. I do hate manual windows because I can’t reach across the car and roll down the passenger side window, but also because my hands are the first to go when I’m having a bout with the disease. Then again, it’s not like I was stuck with it.
Perhaps I’m more willing to wear [a little of] my money than drive it. This is all hypothetical anyway. She’s on a 20-year contract, aka: I’m driving her until the wheels fall off, replacing them, and driving her some more. š
May 6, 2009
Has anyone else had a problem with their account aggregators of late? For the past 3 months, Yodlee has given me error messages for my ING and ED accounts and I’ve been growling at it under my breath. They finally told me that the contact was being limited at ING and ED’s end today. ING’s reply to my inquiry into the veracity of this statement:
I understand that you recently had an issue trying to connect to our website using Yodlee. This service is commonly referred to as an account aggregator. While this service may have worked in the past, most users are finding that their aggregator does not work with our New Sign In Process.
The security of your information is very important to us. Once your personal information leaves ING DIRECT, we have no control over your information or how it is used by third parties. Because we have no way of monitoring how account aggregators address security, privacy or the use of cookies we are unable to support the use of these services.
To best protect your personal information and your funds, we recommend that you do not share your personal information (including your Customer Number and PIN) with any third party.
Thank you,
XXXX
ING DIRECT USA
This pretty much infuriates me. Why did it take Yodlee this long to tell me what the real problem was? Why did I keep getting useless “we’re working on it” and “the problem has been resolved” messages?
And ING! And ED! Why do ING and ED get to arbitrarily decide that they’re not going to allow you to allow access to your own accounts?
I feel like I’m being flung back into the personal finance era of 2001 before I discovered account aggregation and had to sign into every single account manually.
I am not a happy ING Direct customer. Why can’t we have the choice about whether or not we’re going to share our personal information with a relatively secure third party? Is it my account or not?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
And while I’m on my soapbox about losing personal control to a faceless entity that “knows what’s best” for me:
This Reuters article about The End of Personal Finance really put my back up. Of course individuals can’t take care of, plan for, or be prepared for every single possible disaster in life, and expect to succeed. But to suggest that “personal finance” primarily consists of hot stock tips and therefore, personal responsibility was simply a pipe dream? *deep breath* And the implication that taking responsibility at all – under the “guise” of a misdefined personal finance – is actually usurping the “rightful role of the government?” That has me sputtering in outrage. Ridiculous.
The government is not our life-support parental unit! Heck, my actual parental units don’t expect to support me for the rest of my life, as well as my kids’ lives. And you bet that I’m disabusing brother of the notion that he’s got the right to that as well.
*grumble*
May 5, 2009
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Some of these are train-related, from back when I Twittered that the train folks were in a feisty mood. I only participated in ONE of these conversations.
“Remember that one girl who always shoved her husband’s photos in our faces? Whatever happened to her?”
“Ugh, that was obnoxious, I’m just glad it stopped.”
“Come on guys, she’s just insecure.”
muttered: “She should be!”
“Congratulations on your new house!”
“Thanks! You have crazy bedhead!”
“…… thanks!”
*burst of giggles from three people*
“That is NOT sexual harassment!”
*more giggles*
“My dad called me this morning: ‘Don’t leave your house, don’t go to work, don’t take the kids to school! Don’t do anything you don’t have to!'”
“Dad, are you going to pay my bills?”
“He says, ‘Oh. Go to work.'”
April 30, 2009
| Retirement Savings |
Roth IRA: $4,031
401(a): $6,551
403(b): $14,390
Total: $ 24,972 (22,362)
|
| Emergency Savings |
Catastrophe: $ 29,352
Problem Cushion: $ 1,000
Total: $ 30,352 (29,721)
|
| Short Term Goals |
Car Maintenance: $1,068
Insurance: $2,539
Travel/Con: $401
Taxes: $3,365
Moving: $3,469
Total: $ 10,842 (8,633)
|
| Long Term Goals |
House Down Payment: $101
|
| Investment Loans |
Prosper-ish: $12,630
Personal Loan: $2,000
Savings Bond: $362 (current accrued value)
Total: $ 14,992 (15,992)
|
| Total Assets |
Illiquid: $ 24,972
Semi-Liquid: $14,992
Liquid: $30,352
Expense Acct: $9,960
Goals Savings: $10,842
Total: $ 91,118 (86,841)
|
| Debt and Liabilities |
Citi 2: $177
Chase: $650
Rent: $1,360
Total: $ 2,187 (1,786)
|
| Net Worth |
$ 88,931 (85,055)
|
Notes and nothings:
Continuing to stash cash in the emergency fund, which may as well be called the unemployment fund at this point, and in the retirement funds to “front load” for the rest of the year in case I’m unable to contribute.
Upcoming expenses: the auto insurance is due mid-May, and I’ll be responsible for paying the life insurance independently once I’ve separated from employer. I’m not terribly concerned, that account is relatively healthy for now. As long as I’m gainfully employed sooner rather than later ….
I spent a lot this month. On the bag which I’m still really enjoying (I haven’t had a “where’s my PHONE??” panic attack since getting it), and on a lot of small eating-out ventures. Small is usually about $5 or less, but they can add up, too. Not to worry, I’m still on the brown-bagging wagon. Oh, and there was the surprise bridesmaid dress.
Of late, there’s been a significant shift in my mentality towards spending and acquisition. First, I really just don’t want all that much stuff. Less isn’t more, it’s just less. And I much prefer that. Second, even though I won’t part with money unnecessarily, some things are worth spending on: travel, quality goods that serve their purpose well and with class. For years, I was willing to buy cheap, and relatively cheaply made clothes that were basically “good enough.” I just got sick of hunting for clothes that fit me and my budget so I settled. Now, good enough isn’t good enough. A serious purge of the closet is underway, and at some point, I’ll need to restock a few key pieces. And thanks to all the fashion advice in the PF world, I might actually be picking up some style points. Is this what growing up feels like? Maybe it’s just what getting older feels like.
[Full disclosure: I’m still happiest in a t-shirt/tank top and comfy pants. But if I want to be taken seriously IRL, webcomic tees are probably not the way to go.]
April 28, 2009
CVS: Picked up another tube of Neutrogena Rapid Clear, a nostrum I’ve hopes to cut out of my life once life and skin become less stressed (on sale, $6.99);
Trying out the Neutrogena Sunblock, Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 70, to ward off sun cancer once I start all that vacationing and sunbathing š (on sale, $9.99);
= $18.xx, and *$5 Extra Care Bucks for buying $15 of Neutrogena products
* ECB to be used towards two packs of Q-tips (2 for $5). I hate paying real money for cotton and paper products.
Vons: Bananas, three (on sale, 86 cents);
New white potatoes, half pound for boiling (not on sale, $1.50);
Spinach, one bag (on sale, $1);
Corn, two ears (on sale, $1.58);
Classico pasta sauce, 2 jars (on sale, $4);
Store brand pastas, 2 boxes 1 lb each (on sale, free with sauce purchase);
= $8.46
Ironic: Digging through my office supplies bag from the desk, I noticed the expiration date on the Tums for the first time. (exp: July 2009) Hah! That is completely a sign of better things to come. In my world. Where I live.
April 27, 2009
’tis back to the grindstone, m’hearties!
Glad to be bringing home a paycheck for another few (9) weeks, but not so much to have to actually do it. Here. With these people. You understand.
Had a wonderfully *waiting* weekend with the BFF et al. We’re anxiously awaiting her new bundle of joy and have bets going on how much he’ll weigh. Your positive thoughts are much appreciated, I’m worried that he’s been so quiet.
We had other good news to celebrate: her sibling is engaged and will likely be having an Aussie wedding. I promptly texted my congratulations and asked if I was invited to the shindig. š [Yes, I am.]
I figured that I should invite myself early on to guarantee that I can find a decent flight. I’ll be doing my travel research soon, it’d be so cool if I were, ah, still unemployed and able to do a NZ and Australia jaunt in the fall. [Cool minus the part where I’d still be jobless ….. priorities, priorities…!!]
Oh, and I just realized that this will be the first wedding that I’ve attended in years where I won’t be part of the ceremony. Oh, to simply be a guest and not a working participant! Fun!
Spent $6 on admission to the Fair on Saturday, another $9 on funnel cake (with powdered sugar) and roasted corn on the cob. Friends treated us to our demolition derby tickets ($8/each).
Overspending goes hand in hand with unhealthy fair food. Refrained from buying apple butter, peach butter, cinnamon apple butter, and apricot butter. Luckily, I really only had $20 in cash, so I put a couple things on my card, and stuck to cash only the rest of the time. Total spending was about $32.50.
I wanted to treat them to lunch on Sunday for putting us up and all, but didn’t get the chance to. I did run their dishwasher for them, though. Imagine that, an Asian using the dishwasher to wash dishes! Such a novelty.
The real plan is to trade them manual labor (babysitting, cooking and cleaning) later this summer when I have time on my hands. We’ve been such close childhood friends that we’ve never practiced such etiquettely habits as host gifts and bringing wine to gatherings before, I guess there’s no reason to start formality with practically-family.
April 24, 2009
Or was that just my family?
I didn’t even score an A- on this CNN money quiz, I pulled down a whoppin’ B+ but I’m not ashamed. They dinged me on diversification, but frankly, it’s because my allocation used to be 90/10 and the stock market changed it to 75/25 just for me.
I was just working out, with pen and paper, how to reallocate but instead decided to dump a whole bunch of money into the stock side of my retirement funds. That’ll make up for the low contributions throughout the year and increase my exposure to stocks. That’s a quick fix and easier than selling off some of my bonds in the Roth IRA and buying stocks with it. Probably. Yes? No? Whatever, I’m taking the path of least resistance for now. Until I start sleeping through the night again, I’m not making life any harder than it needs to be.
As for life insurance? I got sick of dealing with private insurance brokers and enhanced the term life insurance that I get through work after making sure of its portability. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing and will serve as a safety net until I buy private life insurance. (Which I should do while I still have an income!)
