Total Money Make Over
19 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
in Baby Steps, Books, Books, Financial Peace University, Goals, Tools Tags: Dave Ramsey, Financial Peace University, personal finance
My husband and I are on track to pay off half of our debt this month, and I am so excited! I have worked an extra job, done freelance work, and planned for this moment. It feels really good, I’m not going to lie.
If you’re struggling with debt and money issues, I recommend this book to you. If you can, attend a Financial Peace Class (they have them outside of churches,too, though they may be harder to find). It has changed a lot about how I think about money.
Yahoo Budget Calculator
18 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
I have been away for quite awhile, haven’t I? Well, I’m back and hope to help. Let’s start with this handy calculator I found over at Yahoo! It gives a lot of categories for you to think about (like property taxes…I always forget those until it’s too late). It adds everything up for you, so there’s no arithmetic mistakes. And if you’re the type of person who likes old-fashioned pen and paper, you can just print it out.
Different Credit Types
13 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
in Loans, Tools, Web Sites Tags: credit score, Credit Sesame, personal finance
I was talking to my Mom about the Credit Sesame site I found yesterday and how I was excited because if nothing else, you could get your credit score for freesies (something you usually have to pay for). Turns out it might not be such an awesome deal. Mom was a mortgage broker and she told me a couple things about a “credit score”:
Each bureau has a different score: Sure, you might have a 718 with Experian, but with SARMA, you have a 725. Each bureau has a different version, even a different ratings system. For example, instead of going to 820, a credit bureau could score based on a perfect score of 900, skewing you “score” higher.
Each industry uses a different score: People who are giving car loans weigh different criteria than people who give home loans. Mainly, the car lenders are interested in knowing if you make your car payments, and people who lend on homes weigh mortgages as more important. Therefore, each industry has a different credit score. Take that into account when you are applying for a loan.
So if you do go and get your free score, take these items into consideration. I personally don’t know which score they’re giving you, or if your lender uses Experian as their main bureau. I will say it is more common here because Experian headquarters is right in Allen, TX. If you have questions regarding your credit, it’s always best to ask a credit counselor or your lender.
New Site: Credit Sesame
12 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
in Baby Steps, Step 2: Debt Snowball, Tools, Web Sites Tags: Credit Sesame, debt, Debt snowball, gazelle intensity, personal finance, tools
I was reading the new articles on Wallet Pop, and I saw one for a new online service called Credit Sesame. Credit Sesame is a new site that helps you keep track and manage your debt, as well as give you suggestions (refi your house, that kind of thing). It seems to pull your info from Experian (one of the three major credit bureaus).
The author of the article seemed mildly impressed, but the site is still in beta and is invitation only right now. The part I am curious about is that it’s supposed to have your credit score, which is something you usually have to pay for. Your free credit reports you get every year only show the accounts, so it would be worth it just to see what your score is. This is especially true if you’re thinking about making a big purchase like a house to get a better idea of what kind of rate and down payment you can qualify for.
I signed up for an invitation, and I’ll let you know more about it if/when I get in. If anyone has used it, please let us know what you think!
Gift That Keeps On Giving
08 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
in Baby Steps, Financial Peace University Tags: budgeting, Dave Ramsey, Debt snowball, Envelope system, Financial Peace University, gazelle intensity
So I was pursuing the Dave Ramsey site today, and I saw there were some new bundles available plus there was a sale.
This system has helped my husband and I a lot. We’re not religious, but the financial messages made a lot of sense and we’ve paid off about 30% of our debt (before house). I have some friends that I think this would help a lot as well. Granted I don’t know a lot about their financial situation, but I do worry. My question is this: is it OK to give this to someone? Or is it insulting? I don’t think poorly of them, but I do want them to protect their growing family. Is it OK to give to someone without being privy to their financial situation?
Operation: Child’s Play
06 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
in Baby Steps, Goals, Step 7: Grow Wealth and Give, Success Principals Tags: Child's Play, Gabe, Penny Arcade, personal budgeting software, Tycho
Remember how I was telling you that I was planning on putting on a benefit show for Child’s Play? Well, I’m really doing it! If you want more details, you can go to my site at www.DallasForChildsPlay.com!
Preperation
30 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in Budgeting, Tools, Uncategorized, Web Sites Tags: budget, Dave Ramsey, Envelope system, extra job
Now that we’re (almost) in the last quarter of the year, thoughts turn to one very important budget-busting holiday: Christmas. Thinking of presents to get loved ones is really really fun, but the bill on January first is not.
This is the time of year where I used to start thinking about the holidays. This year, of course, I have been budgeting the whole year for this. It’s kinda relaxing to think I already have a leg up and it takes a lot of the anxiety out of what SHOULD be a fun time of year. The hardest part for me is going to be to stay in budget…I think everyone in my life deserves the AWESOMEST present.
Here’s what I’m trying this year:
- Part Time Benefits: A lot of stores hire part time help during the holidays. So why not kill two birds with one stone by picking a job somewhere you would like to buy gifts from? That way you earn money to get out of debt AND get a discount on your presents to help meet budget.
- Try Ebay: Kid wants an expensive gadget? Try Ebay. But do your research first…just because it’s on an auction site doesn’t mean it’s automatically a great price. At least search retail sites to make sure you’re getting a good deal.
- Etsy: This is a site where people sell their home made goods from jewelry to clothing. You can get some cute stuff there for a relatively good price. Make sure you plan cause it can take some time to get the items.
- Shop Online: A lot of online retailers offer great specials for Cyber Monday (Monday after Thanksgiving). At the least, you can get free shipping, and most online retailers have good prices (again, do your research first!) Amazon usually has free shipping.
Any one else have good tips?
Save the Date
27 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in Goals, Step 7: Grow Wealth and Give, Success Principals Tags: Child's Play, fundraising, Gabe, giving back, Penny Arcade, Tycho
Remember a little while ago I was talking about doing a benefit for a favorite charity of mine, Child’s Play? Well, I finally got a room and a date. Mark your calendars for December 17th, 2010, cause we are going to have a comedy show!
I am really excited to be able to do this. I will give everyone more details as everything comes together. Hopefully you will be hearing more about this soon.
Budgeting Software
21 Sep 2010 2 Comments
in Budgeting, Goals, Success Principals, Tools, Web Sites Tags: budgeting, Mint.com, personal budgeting software, Quickbooks, Quicken
One the best tools I use in my budget making is my budgeting software. Right now, I am using Quicken to keep track of all transactions in my accounts. I check it and balance my checking account at least once a week. Without it, it would be twenty times harder to do my zero budget. This is what I do:
Besides our monthly budget, I have a list of items we HAVE to pay every month with their amounts and due dates. Everything that is paid monthly is on there from our utility bill to our Gamefly to the check I write every month for our envelopes. At the beginning of each month, I go through and make those entries for that month. That way everything I have to pay is already accounted for. I also put in our paychecks. That creates a general ledger for our checking account. At the end of the month, everything that’s left over goes straight to Sallie Mae.
This general ledger is great to use in addition to your budget. It’s great to know how much you will spend, but to know how much money you plan to have each day of the month is EXTREMELY useful. I had to replace the tires on my car and it was $25 more than I had in our repair account. I KNEW I had the extra $25 in my account that day, and it was a relief. It also helps me not forget any important payments and helps me ensure that no checks or electronic payments bounce.
Interested in budgeting software? I use Quicken, which is enough program for most home users. If you have complicated accounts or a business, Quickbooks might be a better choice. And for those of you who have gazelle-intensity, you can try Mint.com, which is free. I have personally never used this one, but some people I know have a like it.
Wallet Pop
21 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in Tools, Web Sites Tags: answers to questions, budgeting, Financial Peace University, personal finance, tools
It was great to be in the Financial Peace Class. There were people there to answer your questions, you could bounce ideas off of others, and you were starting the new and exciting road to debt-free life. Now you’re out. You still have questions, but limited resources. And you need to continue to educate yourself. What to do?
I spend a lot of time on teh interwebs (as I’m sure a bunch of people reading this do), so I try to find sites with lots of articles and experts. I stumbled upon this one the other day as I was looking through the Yahoo Personal Finance Section. It’s called Wallet Pop, and it has articles on all kinds of things from tax prep to starting your own business. It can give you a good steer in the right direction and help you understand basics of personal finance. The free calculators are kinda cool too, but I’m a nerd. 
