It’s the first week of November already! Yikes! Where has this year gone to?
If you’re like many women, you’re beginning to feel a little panic as you look at the calendar and realize there are only a few weeks until Thanksgiving and then a few more until Christmas/Hanukkah!
Anxiety comes as your mind reviews the many tasks (and few hours) that lie ahead. More apprehension settles in if you’re concerned about having enough money to do all the things you’d like, and still be able to keep up with the bills!
Well, don’t panic! I’m a practical person who operates well with lists, so grab a pen and paper and let’s make a plan.
- First, write the dates on your calendar of every event, program, party and family gathering you expect to attend. If you plan to bring food or gifts, write those down too.
- Write in when your bills are due, and promise to pay them on time.
- Determine your holiday budget and promise not to go one penny over it. Get a free copy of my Holiday Spending Plan.
- Make a list of who you will give gifts to, and what you’d like to give them. Get a free copy of my Holiday Gift List.
- Plan your menus now.
- Do as much grocery shopping now as you can. Cook and bake ahead as much as you can. It’s not too early to start!
- Buy or make as many gifts ahead as you can, get them wrapped, labeled and hidden.
- Buy, make, write or print out any Holiday greeting cards you want to send or use Send Out Cards. Send 2 cards for free!
- As soon as Thanksgiving is over, go through your Holiday decorations to purge, add or revive
- Get a copy of the new e-book Stress Free Holiday Entertaining to help you with all the details
- Remember to keep things simple and spend time relaxing with the kids and your spouse.
- Plan now to enjoy the holidays!
Sandra Jensen makes family meal time a priority and enjoys putting homecooked food on the table even when budgets and schedules are tight. Be sure to pick up Sandra’s newest Stress Free Holiday Entertaining ebook where she’ll provide you with tips and tricks to help you breeze through the Holidays and enjoy your friends and family for once.
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First time home buyers can get up to an $8,000 refundable tax credit courtesy of the Federal government’s Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 and expanded in 2009. It can definitely be a good deal if you qualify.
So, what does it all mean?
You have to purchase and close on the home before December 1, 2009 so there’s not much time left to find one, get financing and get it closed before then. If you’re building a home, you must be living it in by December 1, 2009.
If you haven’t owned another primary home in the last 3 years, you are a first-time home buyer and you can get up to $8,000 (or 10% of the home price for homes less than $80,000) refunded to you at tax time. If you’re married, the law requires both of you to be eligible.
For example, if you haven’t owned your principal residence in the last 3 years but your spouse did, you won’t qualify. If you owned a vacation home or rental property and didn’t use it for your primary home, you will qualify.
If you would have gotten a refund, the $8,000 will be added onto it. If you would have owed taxes, you’ll get the difference. For example, if you owe $500, you’d get $7,500 back.
This must be your primary residence and you have to live in it for 3 years (or you’ll have to pay it back) and you can’t buy it from a close relative. It’s OK if you rent out part of the house as long as you live there, too. It cannot be purchased for a rental or a vacation home.
Any home that is going to be your primary residence will qualify including single-family detached homes, townhouses, condos, manufactured homes, even houseboats!
You’ll get the money back when you fill out your 2009 taxes. Your tax preparer can help you with it or you can use IRS From 5405.
If you are married and have an adjusted gross income (that’s not your take home pay) over $150,000 or single and have over $75,000 in adjusted gross income, you may be limited in using the $8,000 refundable tax credit. Again, your tax preparer can help you figure it out.
Note that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has programmed its computer to be on the lookout for fraud. In a statement released at the end of July, the agency said it uses “sophisticated computer screening tools to quickly identify returns that may contain fraudulent claims for the first-time home buyer credit.”
What’s different about this home buyer tax credit than the one that was available last year? This year, you don’t have to repay it! Last year, it was really a 15 year interest free loan.
Can I use the credit as part of my down payment? If you’re getting an FHA-insured mortgage, you may be able to use the tax credit toward the home purchase and for certain closing cost expenses. Other agencies and non-profits have created plans to help you access the money before tax time. You can also reduce your income tax withholdings so that you’ll have more money in each paycheck. Note: this doesn’t affect your state income tax obligations.
If you haven’t owned your primary home in the last 3 years, there’s not much time to dilly dally around. Find a realtor and purchase a home to qualify for up to $8,000 in tax credits.
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]]>The House authorized another $2 billion dollars with the Senate expected to vote on Monday. If you’re interested in participating, negotiate your deal this weekend as all deals will be honored according to the White House.
CNN is also recommending that you “make sure you don’t sign a waiver that forces YOU to pay the voucher if your deal doesn’t go through. And, have the dealership wait to destroy your old car until they are absolutely sure that you are getting the voucher money.”
Have you heard the federal government will give you cash for your “clunker”? It’s true!
Officially known as Cars Allowance Rebate System (CARS), it’s typically known as “Cash For Clunkers” and you can get $3,500-$4,500 in credits if you trade in your old car or truck.
Scam: Scammers are getting folks to pre-register or provide their Social Security number to be part of the program.
Truth: You don’t have to register or obtain any sort of coupon or voucher. The deal will deduct the correct amount of the credit when you purchase.
Facts: The CARS program only applies to the purchase or lease of a new vehicle Here’s more:
1. Your vehicle must be less than 25 years old on the trade-in date
2. Generally, trade-in vehicles must get 18 or less MPG (some very large pick-up trucks and cargo vans have different requirements)
3. Trade-in vehicles must be registered and insured continuously for the full year preceding the trade-in
4. Program runs through Nov 1, 2009 or when the funds are exhausted, whichever comes first.
5. The program requires the scrapping of your eligible trade-in vehicle, and that the dealer disclose to you an estimate of the scrap value of your trade-in. The scrap value, however minimal, will be in addition to the rebate, and not in place of the rebate.
For more information on CARS, visit www.cars.gov or call the CARS information hotline at (866) CAR-7891 (227-7891).
The Real Question, Though, Is…
Should you purchase a new car under this program?
Basically, the answer is that you shouldn’t use the new program unless you were already planning to make a new car purchase.
For one thing, you will only get scrap value for your trade-in. So, if you have a 2000 Jeep Cherokee 4 door AWD, Edmonds says the trade-in is $3289. But if you’re doing Cash for Clunkers, you’ll get the maximum credit + scrap value. So, you may not actually only much more than you would have if you had traded in your Jeep.
And, you’ll have a payment where you didn’t have one before.
At Edmunds, they have a calculator to figure out how long it will be before you pay for the car just with gas savings.
Let’s run a scenario of purchasing a 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid and giving up your 2000 Jeep.
The cost of the Toyota Camry Hybrid is $26,150 – $4,500 (maximum credit) and let’s say $500 in scrap value. So, the new car cost would be $21,150.
At 33 mpg hwy (your mileage overal would undoubtedly be lower) for the Camry and driving 1,000 per month and assuming $4.25/gallon for gas, it would take at least 137 months (11.5 years) before you’d break even. And that’s not counting any additional insurance cost.
And, your car payment would be around $408 ($21,150 financed at 6% for 5 years)!
What could you do with $408?
If you can afford $408 per month, you could pay down debt or start saving for the new car.
Bottom line is that this program is designed to move cars. You’re the only one who can really determine if it’s a good program for you and your family.
P.S. Don’t ever give out your Social Security number or other personal information unless you initiated the call or contact.
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Balance: $10,000
Old Payment (2%): $200
New Payment (5%): $500
Previously, the amount of the payment was approximately 2% of the balance - now it will be 5% and the only way you can keep a lower payment is to close the account and take a higher interest rate.
I moved my car loan to a Chase card 2 years ago at 3.99%. Last month the payment was $187 and I paid $301.
Next month the payment will be $472!
I think I was targeted because I haven’t used the card for any purchases (that
wasn’t a requirement of getting the card or doing the balance transfer) so they’re trying to get their money back sooner and be able to use it on a more profit generating customer.
After months of watching the the banks get bailouts because they’re “too big to fail” all the while reducing credit limits and increasing interest rates, this is
the next version of “Flipping the Bird” at American consumers.
Along with the bailouts have come bank mergers so there’s less competition and they’re not worried about going bankrupt.
By the way, what they’re doing is completely legal and the new Credit Card Act of 2009 does not address this situation.
What can you do?
- Expect more banks to follow Chase’s lead - so it’s time to review your credit card balances and step up your efforts to pay them off.
- Look for smaller or local banks or credit unions willing to offer better deals.There’s a big vacuum coming in this area and hopefully other financial institutions will see opportunities the “big boys” are leaving on the table.
- Let your Senators and Congressional representatives know you are outraged when the big banks continue to take advantage of the American taxpayers.File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov.
- Be sure to read any letters or correspondence from your credit card company because it’s probably telling you that they’ve changed the terms.
- Adjust any automatic payments you’ve set up or they’ll sock you withlate payments and penalty interest rates.
- Stop using the card until the balance is paid off. Don’t close the account unless you have to because it can affect your credit score.
- If these increases in payment will put you over the edge, consider talking to a bankruptcy attorney. If bankruptcy is in your future, it’s best to do it early so you can get it behind you and move on to restoring your credit.
In the end, the days of easy credit with low interest rates and big limits are gone for now. Look to your spending plan to live within your means and get the debt paid off.
Listen to my thoughts on the changes we’ll see with the new Credit Card Act of 2009 at http://www.MendYourMoney.com/perfect.html.
Want to see how soon you can get debt-free? Find out with my Pay Debt Quickly kit!
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Question: I have an extremely low APR (6.24%) with one credit card company, and am pretty good at making my payments on time, if not early. However, another credit card company has raised my APR to 29.99%. They’ve offered to close my account at a set APR of about 3% or so but I’m afraid of how it will affect my credit. What can I do about it? Thank you! ~ Renee
Answer: Hi Renee, that’s a great question. Normally I would discourage you from closing your credit cards because it can hurt your credit score.
However, if I was in this situation, I’d take the hit on my credit score for the short term and get that 3% interest rate! If you owe $10,000 and your minimum payment is $260, it will take you 11 years and you’d pay $24,231 in interest!
If your interest rate is 3% and you continue to pay $260, you’d have it paid off in about 3 years and the total interest would be $527! That’s a big difference!
In time, your credit score will recover and, you’ll save a lot of money in the meantime!
You may want to get my Pay Debt Quickly so you can create your own debt payoff plan. It’s fun to see what a change in interest rate or increasing your payment will save you in interest charges!
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The National Foundation for Credit Counseling created a Consumer Financial Stress Test based on it’s 2009 Consumer Financial Literacy Survey.
See how you’d do…
Q: On a scale of A to F, what grade would you give yourself in terms of your knowledge about personal finance?
Results: It appears that many of us would not be moving to the front of the class, as 41 percent of U.S. adults, or more than 92 million people, gave themselves a grade of C, D or F on their knowledge of personal finance.
Q: Which best describes how you manage your money?
Results: Less than half, 42 percent, keep close track of their spending, with 7 percent, or nearly 16 million, admitting they don’t know how much they spend on food, housing, and entertainment, and do not monitor their overall spending.
Q: What best describes your financial situation?
Results: 26 percent, or more than 58 million adults, admit to not paying all of their bills on time, with 13 million admitting to having debts in collection, or are seriously considering filing for bankruptcy, or have done so in the last three years.
Q: In which ways did the terms of your mortgage turn out to be different than what you initially expected?
Results: 42 percent, or more than 94 million people currently have a mortgage. Of those, 28 percent say that the terms of their mortgage somehow turned out to be different, including either the payment amount or terms of the loan, the interest rate or its duration, or they had no knowledge of the required Private Mortgage Insurance.
Q: Do you have any savings excluding retirement?
Results: One-third of adults, close to 72 million people, report that they have no savings. Of those with no savings, more than one in four report that, if faced with an emergency, they would charge that expense to a credit card or take out a loan, thus adding to their debt load.
Q: What percentage of your household income do you save toward retirement?
Results: More than 74 million people do not put any part of their annual household income toward retirement. This number is up from 28 percent in 2008 to 33 percent in 2009.
Q: Compared to one year ago, how has the current economic climate affected your spending, and if you are spending less now, if your financial situation were to improve, would you be likely to spend more?
Results: Although 57 percent of adults report spending less than they were a year ago, 45 percent of those now spending less admit that if their financial situation were to improve, they would resume their previous spending habits.
Q: Have you ordered a copy of your credit report, and do you know your credit score?
Results: In spite of it being free, nearly two-thirds, or 144 million people, have not ordered a copy of their credit report in the past year. Additionally, more than one-third admit that the do not know their credit score.
Did you pass the Stress Test?
The good news is that all these items can all be fixed – starting with small, practical steps that will really make a difference in your finances and in your life. Begin by reading other articles at the Mend Your Money.com site or call me for help at 541-387-2995.
The 2009 Financial Literacy Survey was conducted by telephone within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of the NFCC on March 13-16, 2009 among 1,000 adults ages 18. For more information about the NFCC, go to www.nfcc.org.
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In 2007, Congress passed the Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Act of 2007 to help homeowners whose homes have been foreclosed or negotiated loan principal reductions.
Before this law, if your home was foreclosed and your home was sold for less than you owed, you would be taxed on the difference as if it were income. This was also true if your mortgage company agreed to reduce your loan balance – the difference would have been taxable.
Wow! That could be a lot of money for some people in certain parts of the country in some cases as high as 35% depending on your income. If it was 35% and your home’s mortgage was reduced through negotiation or foreclosure by $100,000, you would owe $35,000.
The new law says that if you renegotiate your morgage (or forclose) through December 31, 2012, there will be no taxes to pay on the amount of debt that was cancelled up to a $2 million dollar limit and it must be your primary home. If debt is forgiven on a second home or rental property, you will have to pay taxes on the amount of debt forgiven.
One more wrinkle is that if you refinanced your home and took cash out to pay for credit card debt, autos or other purchases, you may not qualify for the forgiveness. Check with your tax preparer to find out all the details.
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- They’re useful and can even change the reader’s life
- Most people don’t already have too many
Here are a couple I recommend:
Living Rich by Spending Smart: How to Get More of What You Really Want
As The Millionaire Next Door revealed, building wealth isn’t just about working harder or what you choose to invest in: it’s about spending smarter. This book isn’t about depriving yourself. Instead, Gregory Karp shows how to build real, long-lasting wealth by plugging the money leaks you’re barely aware of and making sure you spend with a purpose. You’ll discover how to focus spending on what you really care about…spend less on gifts without becoming a cheapskate…slash your phone bill…pay less for food and still eat what you want…eliminate spending leaks in insurance, education, even entertainment.
Smart Women Finish Rich
Bach is an experienced investment advisor and a snappy speaker who knows how to package his material. The meat of the program is clear advice about limiting spending, avoiding taxes, and investing for the future, and he delivers it with an obvious desire to be helpful. Though delaying gratification is a hard concept to sell to anyone, he’s got a pitch that is remarkably upbeat and motivating. Here’s a fantastic way to create the security you deserve and fund the dreams you dream. It just requires making decisions independently, planning, and sticking to that plan week after week. Highly recommended for all people wanting to manage money better, especially women.
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Here in the US, we’re officially celebrating Thanksgiving. While we’re spending this one day with friends and family being thankful for the bounty and abundance in our lives, I hope you’ll take the time every single day to express gratitude for what’s going on in your life.
We know how easy it is to be grateful for the good things but it’s not so easy to be grateful for what’s not going our way. I bet even in the midst of that, there’s at least one good thing going on.
A couple of years ago, I broke my leg and knee in a bike riding accident. It took 5 surgeries, a 2 week hospital stay and 4 months of pain killers and non-weight bearing. When I did start to walk again, I practically had to learn how all over again. But there were good things both then and now:
- I had an excellent surgeon and today I have almost full use of my leg and knee
- My church family provided meals for my family for over a month. Members stopped by to visit and sent cards.
- I was able to keep working since I could still use the telephone and email!
- I have wood floors downstairs so I was able to “scoot around” on my desk chair and be fairly mobile
- My children and parents were really there for me. Mom and Dad spent 2 weeks at my house to take care of us. My kids provided daily massages to keep the circulation moving in my foot.
- I had a great pain doctor who was willing to try different therapies until we found ones that worked
- The friend who drove an hour at 10:00 pm to see me in the hospital when I freaked out.
- Another friend who brought me my computer so I’d have something to do.
- My chiropractor who kept things adjusted.
- My friend who took me to the warm therapy pool to swim and stretch out.
- The acupuncturists who came to my home for treatments and helped me totally relax – ahhhh!
Today, I’m going to be officially grateful that I’m healed from that injury, for my parents, kids, a warm house (with freshly painted doors and trims courtesy of my wonderful Dad), being alive and healthy, my dog, my friends and business partners and the opportunities that come my way every day.
I’m also especially grateful to each and every one of you because you are all helping me to fulfill my mission to help people get out of debt and have financial well-being and peace of mind. Thank you for allowing me into your Inbox and your life.
So, from me to you, Happy Thanksgiving – every day of your life!
Warmly, Cindy
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“Recession is Coming!” “Recession is Here!” “Are we in a Recession Yet?”
I’m sure you’ve seen and heard headlines just like this.
So, exactly what is a Recession?
A Recession means that a country’s GNP (Gross National Product) drops at least 2 quarters in a row – 6 months of shrinking. Unfortunately, we only know that we are in a recession after the 2 quarters are over and all the data has been gathered and reported in the media.
Regardless of whether the US economy is in a Recession, your family may be in one. Has your income stayed the same or even shrunk over the last year or two? And we know energy, food, housing and taxes are all increasing. This combination could mean that your family is in a Recession.
Recessions are as important to an economy as the boom times just like a controlled burn improves the health of a forest. During recessions, weaker companies are weeded out and companies who make it through are stronger for the next boom time.
Furthermore, even if the economy is booming, you can be going through a personal recession due to job or lifestyle changes such as a new career, starting a new business, leaving the workforce to take care of a family member or a medical condition.
What should you do?
On the Home Front
1. Reduce or eliminate the non-essentials. Act as if you are on a desert island. What would you really need to be there? Be brutal and leave no spending unexamined. Newspapers, groceries, telecommunication services, personal grooming, transportation – can any be postponed or eliminated?
You can start by reducing expenditures rather than completely eliminating them. For example, when I looked at my newspaper cost a couple of years ago, I decided it just wasn’t worth it but I so enjoy the Sunday paper that I kept it. Now, I’ve canceled it altogether and when I have the urge for the Sunday edition, I walk to the grocery store and pick one up.
Keep a Needs/Wishes list (you can download one here) so your subconscious mind isn’t constantly reminding you. When you do have extra money, go for the needs and save up for the wants. This is a good habit to get kids to develop, too, and the Needs/Wishes list is a good one for them, too.
Note: you’ll want to involve your family or you’ll feel like the Enforcer if you make all the decisions. And, when offered the opportunity, kids can be very creative. Try to make it a game rather than making the kids feel like they’re in the poor house.
2. Review all insurance policies. Get appropriate insurance for the best prices. Life insurance, for example, has come down in price over the last few years so you may be able to get equal or more coverage for lower cost. Increase your deductibles if you are able to pay more out of pocket. Make sure your insurance shows that you have alarms, air bags, or a home security system.
3. Request rate reductions from on your credit cards. Yes, some credit card companies are lowering rates but they often don’t do it unless you ask. If you hear “No”, ask for a supervisor or ask when they would be able to do it for you. You can call in again later if you don’t get the answer you are looking for.
4. Refinance your car. Believe it or not, this is possible. One of my clients purchased a new Prius last year and the original interest rate was a whopping 12.45%. As soon as she started coaching with me, I suggested she refinance it and she was able to get it down to 8.45%. Just last week, she refinanced it to 6.45%!
At Work
1. Protect your current job. Find out if there’s any additional training you can participate in. Let your boss know you are ready and willing to take on new responsibilities. Look for opportunities to reduce expenses, improve customer service and offer more value to your employer. Take outside courses, read books or learn more online – keep yourself up-to-date on happenings in your field. Try copying articles to your boss that would be interesting or helpful and make a comment or two about how it relates to you.
Attend and participate in at least one professional organization. Offer to be the greeter so you can chat with everyone that attends. See how you can offer value to other members.
2. Think of yourself as a contractor. Gone are the days of life long employment. Your employer will keep you around as long as they get more out of you than you cost them. You should be thinking the same way; if you’re growing in your profession and earning a salary appropriate to your skills and talents, then stay with your current employer. But always be on the lookout for better opportunities. Your loyalty is to you and your family rather than your employer. Always keep your resume fresh and your ears to the ground at work. Read your company’s annual report (and others in your field) and set up a Google alert so you can be informed and watching for current news about your employer.
3. Change your income tax withholding. Did you get a refund this year? If so, you can increase your monthly take-home pay by reducing the amount taken out for taxes. The average family gets about $2000 back and that’s $166 per month (just for federal). Of course, you have to remember that you won’t get a refund next year. You should target paying exactly what you owe. Check out the IRS withholding calculator for an estimate http://www.irs.gov/individuals/page/0,,id=14806,00.html. You can change your withholding any time you want. Note: if you are working several jobs, add all the income together and do the calculation.
4. Check your benefits. Make sure you are taking advantage of all that your employer has to offer – health care and health care savings accounts , retirement contributions (you and your employer), education assistance for you, scholarships for your kids, child care accounts, etc. If you have a health care savings account, review what is a covered expense and make sure you don’t lose anything you’ve contributed
5. Continue funding your retirement. This should be one of the last things to go because retirement is inevitable and the longer you have your money in a retirement account, the more it grows. $10,000 in a retirement account for 10 years at 7% will be approximately $20,000 but for 20 years, it will be about $40,000 and 30 years will be $80,000 — and it will be even more if you continue to contribute. If you must stop your contributions, restart as quickly as possible.
When all else fails…
1. Contact your car loan holder or mortgagor and ask for an extension. If they say “yes”, they’ll extend your loan by a month and will probably ask you to cover the interest for the month. This will increase your total costs but it’s better than having your home foreclosed or your car repossessed.
2. Get counseling. Talk to Consumer Credit Counselors or a Mortgage Counselor. Watch out for scams in this area. Above all, don’t ignore your creditors – you’ve promised to pay and they expect you to do so. But they’re used to dealing with people who are struggling and most have programs that can help you out of a temporary jam.
3. Consider borrowing from your 401k. You will have to pay it back over 5 years so if you’re already having trouble making your payments, this one isn’t for you. For example, if you borrow $50,000 at 4% interest, your payments will be over $900 per month after taxes so subtract $900 from your current take home pay. Can you afford that? Plus, if you are laid off or leave your job, the entire amount will be due or it will be taxable (see below).
Don’t you dare…
Raid your retirement accounts. The government heavily discourages you from doing this by tacking on any withdrawals to your income (you pay taxes on the amount and it could push you into a higher tax bracket) plus a 10% penalty. One of my clients took $40,000 out of their 401k last year and it pushed them into the 35% bracket. So out of the $40,000, they paid the IRS $14,000 in additional income tax plus $4,000 in penalties and that was before Oregon got them (another 9% or $3,600). In the end, they netted $18,400! And since they didn’t have enough taxes withheld from it, they’re in “hock” to both the IRS and Oregon.
One final note…
Have you ever noticed that the more you focus on the negative things around you, the worse things seem to be?
The good news is that you can ‘choose’ to do just the opposite! If you focus on all the wonderful things in your life, guess what you get more of? Exactly! Wonderful things.
So while you’re out there breathing anyway, see how many things you can find in your life today that are wonderful and focus on them. Think of family, friends, home, a job, your health and more! (This is another great thing to teach your kids).
By the way, ‘choice’ is one of the biggest principles we teach in all of our programs. financial freedom, after all, is your choice.
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Come play a fast-paced, fun game while discovering your Money Habitudes. If you only have negative feelings and thoughts about money, this is the game for you! Come by yourself or bring a friend/spouse. You’ll never think about money the same way again!
October 7, 2008 from 6:30 – 8:30
Hood River Middle School Room 119
Limit 12 Cost: $29
Contact Community Education at 541-386-2055 for registration
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Yes, even Money Experts worry about money. Does this happen to you, too?
It used to happen to me a lot before I became a Money Expert (and was one of the reasons I became one).
So, what am I worried about? Well, maybe if I share them with all of you, I’ll be able to go back to sleep!
Here’s my list:
The Recession: What will the Recession mean for my business and what does it mean to all of you. What can I do to ease you through it?
My Business: I’m currently enrolled in a new marketing and business development course and it’s great! And, it’s taking a lot of time. So, I’m worried about how to fit it all in and not turn any clients away.
My Money Pit of House Projects: A couple of months ago, I decided it was time to put in new carpet upstairs. But, before that could be done the walls going upstairs and in the hallways needed to be painted. But, I couldn’t paint just them – the downstairs walls needed to be painted, too. And now that the walls look beautiful, the window coverings need to be replaced and the doors look really dingy.
As for the carpet… When my son, Toby, pulled it up, we discovered that the original owner had done some really strange things on the steps around the railing and now I have a drywall mess that’s going to be expensive to fix.
So, my home improvement budget is blown and I’ll have to put some of it on a credit card. I’ll probably use Home Depot for the carpet and they have 0% for 12 months which lets me push out the payment until after next tax season’s bonus check. (I did call them to ask if they had any discount coupons and they sent me one for 10% off the carpet itself – every little bit helps).
Ah, I do feel better! Back to bed.
Would you like to get your money worries off your chest? The comment box cries out to unburden you!
Warmly, Cindy
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Article republished with permission from Credit.com.
If you’re tired of having to pay when you leave your cell phone company for a better deal, this is THE time to vent your frustration! The FCC is meeting tomorrow, Thursday, June 12th, to discuss those hefty early termination fees, which range from $175 to a high of $250, according to Consumers Union (CU), the publisher of Consumer Reports. CU is spearheading an email campaign through its site, to let the FCC hear from customers, not just the cell phone companies, because: “You shouldn’t have to pay up just to get better service elsewhere.”
While the FCC could put limits on these fees, the companies want something in exchange. “They want to take away consumers’ right to sue them for potentially illegal behavior in exchange for lowering these fees,” says CU, “a possibly worse situation in the long run.” In fact, a class-action lawsuit was just certified to proceed in California, challenging the companies’ unfair business practices, including early termination fees.
“Cell phone companies shouldn’t get special legal treatment just for giving consumers a fair shake!” says Consumers Union. I agree! So I sent an email to the FCC, and hope you will, too. CU makes it really easy to tell the FCC what you think. I doubt that it took more than a minute to add my name and address — as well as a personal note — to the excellent message CU drafted. And I feel better for having spoken up. Try it, you’ll like it!
After you’ve sent your message to the FCC, please come back and let us know what your other pet peeves are about your wireless service. With over 200 million of us having cell phones, imho, we ought to get better protection and treatment! Do you agree with me?
Nancy Castleman – Co-author of “Invest in Yourself: Six Secrets to a Rich Life” and founder of Good Advice Press. Nancy has spent the last 23 years teaching people how to get out of debt, save money, and live better on less. She writes on all these subjects for CreditBloggers.com.
Article republished with permission from Credit.com.
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Recession is big news these days. We read/hear about foreclosures and we all know about higher prices because we’re the ones paying them every day. Everyone I talk to is worried about how this will affect them.
I’m giving a special free teleseminar called “Dealing with Financial Worries” to give some hope and strategy for surviving hard financial times like these. If you’d like to get call in details, please sign up here.
I want to make sure I tackle the specific urgent issues that my readers are dealing with, so would you do me a quick favor? Post a comment below or click 
and tell me what you’re worrying about right now. You don’t have to leave your name, you can post anonymously. I’m looking for the real thing here so please don’t sugar coat it.
Just answer the question: What is your number one financial worry?
Warmly, Cindy
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