BUSY!!

I've started selling things on craigslist to get started on the moving. So far I've got at least 2 buyers for everything I've posted (TV, VCR, DVD player, TV stand, Ikea futon chair). All that should net me about $100. I still have to sell my desk, couch, bookshelf, nightstand, bed, dresser...oy! There's just...so much CRAP I have. I have a feeling every day is going to be uber busy from now on. Yucky.

I am going to work from home for a half day and take off the other half tomorrow to help out with the busy-ness. I think I'll pack up all my books and make a pile of everything I want to ship home tomorrow. I am hoping that the cost of shipping all the boxes home will be offset by the money I get from selling the rest of my crap.

Updates:

(family) sis seems to be doing ok. Fingers are firmly CROSSED. A tornado hit what I consider 'my' mall back home in VA today--uber freaky. My sister almost went to the Target where all the cars are piled up on top of one another. Everyone that I know seems to be ok.

(health) wrist seems to be holding up without the brace. I can grip a little bit more weight now.

(social) my old roommate and VERY good friend got free tix to an Avril Lavigne concert this week. It's juvenile of me, but I *heart* Avril, and I miss my friend, so I'm going even though I'm super busy right now.

(school) I'm kicking major butt in my class. I got most of my work back today, and perfect scores across the board...two finals to go.

(work) A MAJOR, major player/manager quit today. This is HUGE news, and makes me wonder if they are going to sell the company soon, as the rumor predicted.

(relationship) no change here, things are slowly getting better.

(financial) Like I said, I hope to sell a bunch of stuff. I didn't get my rebate today.

Left Wrist Blues

My left wrist started hurting at work on Thursday. I didn't do anything to it, it just started being acutely painful. I already have carpal tunnel (self-diagnosed and managed) in my right wrist, but that feels completely different than what's going on in my left hand. Very odd. I bought a wrist brace for my left hand, and it seems to be working for the general pain, but I'm still worried 'cause I can't seem to grasp anything over one pound with my thumb/forefinger without hurting.

The left-most part of the underside of my wrist (just under my thumb and palm) just feels sore, like I pulled something. Only, I haven't done anything extreme lately, and don't remember hitting it on anything or sleeping wierd--it was fine on Thursday morning, and hit me in the afternoon, and just got worse from there, anyway. Could this be something other then CTS? I really hope so!! The surgery stuff on the internet for CTS is scary. And wearing wrist braces on both hands is just...not cute.

I'm giving it two weeks--if it doesn't go away by then, I'm hitting up a doctor.

My sister called today, all freaked out and sad--it's roughly about the time of year she gets committed to a mental hospital. I hope she's ok and can make it through April/May without the usual issues.

Sigh. Medical problems in the midst of moving and family and relationship issues. It could totally get worse, but when it rains, it pours...

Spent WAY More Than I Intended...

Due to my extreme paranoia and paralysis in the face of too many options, I spent $193.93 total on two external hard drives today. I kept reading reviews of various external hard drives, and every time I thought I had a winner, I then read a significant number of BAD, BAD reviews. The bad reviews were consistent enough in their stories (hard drive failed after X, Y, and Z), and across every brand that I started to believe in their general unreliability across the board. So...instead of getting ONE 250 GB hard drive for $150 max, I bought TWO 160 GB hard drives for $200. Ick.

I'll keep them in their boxes until tomorrow. I still am hesitant to believe this rebate nonsense. (WHY on EARTH would 'they' think that $600 each is going to make even a dent in our economy?? And WHY would 'they' want to disrupt what is a natural cycle? SO STUPID. But, hey, I'll take the money...).


P.S. The hard drives I bought are from an American company. I totally didn't consider this when I bought them, but I'm glad I'm 'doing my part.' Heh.

Four Hundred Bucks to Spend...

Tax Rebates Will Be Early!!

I read today in an article that our tax rebates will be up to a week early! So, since my lovely Social Security Number is one of the first to be paid, I can expect $600 on Monday!

How I will spend my $600:

I decided to scan most of my documents (my work has a new amazing copier/printer/fax/scanner/everything, and it'll go through and scan my hundreds of class notes, old copies of tax forms, insurance forms, etc., and email them to me in .pdf form). I plan on keeping a minimum number of paper items (things like hand-drawn birthday cards my friend Julia gives me every year), and keeping the electronic copies both on my mp3 player and A NEW HARD DRIVE. I plan on spending roughly $150 for 250 GB. Can anyone recommend a brand or place to get one? Is $150 enough for 250 GB?

I want to sell my car, but it'll need a few touches to get top dollar. things like an A/C refill (who wants a car without A/C?), maybe reattaching a passenger side mirror, a good detailing and wash, and maybe some dent repairs should do the trick. My friend at work has a side business detailing cars, and has volunteered to help me out with this, esp. if it doesn't sell right away. I plan on giving him 10% of the total selling price if he does all the labor himself, plus a bonus if he sells it for more than my base price. (Probably $1000-$1200 for a 98 Neon automatic 2 door with 110K miles on it...sound fair? Kelley blue book shows a price of ~$2500 for this car in 'fair' condition, but i don't think it's worth that much actually.)

Anything left over--I will blow on new clothes, shoes, etc (no more than $150, though--if there's more that will go to savings). Yay!

Weekend Activities

Tomorrow I have a field trip all day...unfortunately missing what promises to be an awesome beach day (it's nice and hot out here in SoCal), bringing a picnic and watching my boyfriend play in a volleyball tournament with some friends. Oh well. The field trip will be fun, too.

Updates:

(relationship) Seems fine now, things are settling down, and he's being very sweet. Proceed with caution?

(moving) We gave notice on our apartment in a letter we sent today with our rent check. One month to go!! I confirmed with my mom today that they wouldn't care if I stayed a month...or three while I figure things out.

(fun) I decided that no matter what, I'm going to Hawaii for my 30th birthday in July. I gotta go.

(money) Work ...worked...my unpaid hours out and I received a check today for more than I thought. Did I get a raise??

Anyway, I'm slowly hacking away at my to-do list. What always seems to fall off is the working out. I feel like a big slob. Must. Fix.

More Updates

1) Work is cutting me a check tomorrow for the hours they didn't pay me for. I ran the numbers again, and figured out that 2 of those missing hours WEREN'T overtime, like I thought. I made sure the business office knew that those two hours were only regular pay--I may hate my job, but I don't want to rip them off intentionally. It's also possible that they've already written the check and will keep that same amount--they are pretty lax about stuff like that.

2) Relationship limbo continues. Everything is tentatively ok and I'm moving on with NZ planning (and VA plans as well). I understand that there are no guarantees, but wow...the alternative to staying with the BF is so very disappointing and boring no matter how I slice it.

3) I just ordered my $50 Von's gift card from the hotel points I racked up from my recent business trip!

spending:
$26 groceries

Work Messed Up

I thought my paycheck was a little light last week. I just got my pay stub today, so I figured out how many hours I was supposed to get paid for and compared my check to it--not even. They missed 13.5 hours of regular time, and 2 hours of overtime. That's no small bit of money--almost $400 to me!

So i'm trying to get that straightened out.

As a quick update, things are a little better--they are settling down, and the shock that things may not turn out like I'd like is sinking in. It'll be ok and I'm sitting on the wrong side of it, I know this, but imagining my life without the boyfriend right now is impossible--I just can't imagine it very well. Nor do I want to.

This kind of surprises me, 'cause I think of myself as pretty independent, but maybe my emotions are more involved in this than I thought.

Love Sucks

Thanks for all the nice comments. :) I feel a little better this eve. I'm going to be concentrating on both plans a and b a little more equally now. I also think that if i keep being driven crazy by this not knowing what's going to happen (and subsequently acting paranoid about everything), I'm going to end up breaking it off myself...

tonight I couldn't even care, or try to care, about making a healthy, cheap meal. I didn't sleep much last night, and I had a crazy day at work, with many deadlines and meetings. I still have a 2 page paper to write for my class tomorrow, too--and it's midnight now! Oops. I'm exhausted from running around and not being able to really concentrate on anything. I ended up getting thai takeout even though my eating out budget is completely shot.

Free Stuff

Rite Aid, single rebate check, get the following for FREE 4/18 - 4/24/08:

pure shine bouncy curls or miracle style creme ($3.99 value); limit 1

jane be pure mineral makeup; limit 1 ($5.99 value)

oral b cross action vitalizer or pro-health toothbrush; limit one ($3.19 value)

just for men touch of gray hair color; limit 1 ($7.99 value)

Hersheys bliss chocolates, 9.6 oz; limit 1 ($2.99 value)

American telecom cordless telephone; bonus rebate on package ($19.99 value)

thera-gesic pain relieving creme; limit 1 ($3.00)


At CVS:
free softsoap spa body wash 12 oz.; limit 5 per card ($4.99 value X 5)

Whoa...Disaster

I was out shopping and somehow left my wallet on some ledge in a store. A significant amount of time had passed by the time I realized that I didn't have my wallet. I knew exactly where it was.

So I get to my wallet, and I breathe a sigh of relief--it's still there! However, my heart sinks as I pick it up...it's so light...TOO light. it holds very little--only my library card and AAA card. My ID, my cash (I keep about $200 in it usually), my credit cards, my debit card are ALL gone...oy! I'm freaking out...my immediate concern is that the criminal is using my debit card right now, spending the larger-than normal paycheck I just received (the business office screwed up and didn't pay me for a week in March, so this check was effectively three weeks of work).

And I'm running around, trying to figure out how to call, who to call, how to check my balances...

and then I wake up. Whew...it was a VERY vivid dream. :)

GOTCHA.

but really, it made me realize that I need to keep a list of phone numbers in my car and home in case this really happens. When I was younger, I used to leave my purses everywhere--it's why I don't carry purses anymore, and just HOLD onto my wallet.

But even that isn't fool-proof...when I was in grad school, my wallet somehow fell out of my pocket as I got out of my car. I didn't realize it until a full day had passed and I had driven the mile to the grocery store! I had to leave the grocery store due to my lack of money and wallet--I was freaking out. I had NO idea where I had left it--school, home, somewhere on my bike ride to/from school, what... but eventually I find it...on the BUMPER of my car. OMG. I can't believe 1) someone found it and placed it on my car bumper (it only had my P.O box as the address on my ID), 2) they didn't take ANYTHING, 3) no one else took it off the bumper (lots of people walked by my house daily), 4) I drove over hilly terrain to the grocery store AND BACK, and it didn't fall off. How CRAZY is that?? That's just insane to me, esp. with the high crime rate in my grad school city. I mean, one time, someone took my car insurance payment from my mailbox, washed the check, and paid their cell phone bill and a bunch of other bills with it.

I definitely breathed a sigh of relief when I woke up...that was too scary.

Passive income isn't so Passive

I signed up for ads, but they don't seem to be working...when I go on the site, it says that there's 'no data available' for any of them--and I certainly haven't received any income from them. Today, blogger says that my account needs verification, so i should go check my email...i did. there's nothing there. I have no idea what to do. How do I make this work??

In addition, some people have been sending me emails to place ads on my website. I'm not sure if these are legit or not--or if I should start messing around with that kind of thing. I started my blog for fun and my enjoyment...but extra income never hurts. I'm just not sure if I want to go there, nor if I want to put the time into adding the new ads or having contracts with random companies.

Do any of you have experience with this?

Could I Go Non-Profit?

I've really been getting into selecting the recipient of my monthly charity budget lately. The $25 to $75 a month I've been donating is not ENOUGH! There are so many good causes out there, and I feel like I'm giving as much as I can afford to give monetarily right now--and stretching it just enough to make me slightly uncomfortable.

However, I really feel like I need to do more for my fellow mankind, the Earth, and the creatures in it. I know that sounds new age-y, but I wouldn't be doing it for karma...just myself. (not that the fallout of good karma wouldn't help!) Now, I don't know WHAT I'd do if I were to start applying to work for a non-profit organization, but I do know, and feel, that I would make a good candidate. I enjoy giving, helping those less-fortunate than me, I am very empathetic, I love to feel like I'm making a difference, and I now know that I can live off of less than $20K/year pretty easily. I guess what I'm saying is that I wish my efforts in my job were for a PURPOSE--other than making my employer money.

When I started my job as someone who helps to clean up groundwater, surface water, and soil contamination, I guess I thought I'd be doing my part to clean up the environment--a cause that has been very dear to my heart from an early age. But what I've learned is that it ISN'T about getting the groundwater and soil as clean as you can get it--it's about cleaning up as little as possible by bending the EPA rules and spending as little money as possible. I hate it. I feel like I'm going against my own moral codes every time I suggest less cleanup by circumventing and finding loopholes in government regulations--all to save my multi-BILLION dollar client a few bucks. It's rediculous. Not only that, but my day-to-day tasks consist of entering in numbers into spreadsheets--the exact same spreadsheets they gave me on Day 1 of my job. I'm not learning anything, I'm not growing, I'm not expanding, and yet they continue to give me raises and bonuses for 4 years now. the less I do, the better my performance review. I have no motivation to learn anymore--not when I get rewarded for doing nothing. They are golden handcuffs, and while that sounds luxurious in a way, I assure you it is not.

That's partially why I lobbied so hard to take classes this year. It's been my saving grace--I'm actually learning again, and it feels so good! I have many opportunities at school, as well--volunteering to teach 4th graders about the earth is so much fun!

I'm not saying I'm going to go out and change my job this instant--I'd probably volunteer for various organizations first, to figure out what I'd most enjoy as a career. But if I WERE to go non-profit, what would I do? My ideas include: finance counselor, science museum guide, teaching science (but not in a classroom setting--something outdoors and/or specialized for a museum or nature park), women's shelter, homeless shelter, a place like heifer international,...etc. SO many ideas!

there are sooo many options. I don't know what it would take to get a job at one of those places--presumably I would neeed to take classes in fundraising and other things like that. And I have no idea what kind of competition there is to get these jobs. On one hand, they pay very little, so no one should want them...on the other, they seem to offer so much personal satisfaction that maybe lots of (rich and connected) people want them!

I don't know. I suppose I will try to change my career path to something that is lucrative but slightly more philanthropic before I full on engage in non-profit land.

Is there anyone out there that works for a non-profit? do you like it? Do you have a hard time paying bills with the salary? I could use some feedback here.

Guest Post: 8 Tips for Traveling Abroad on a Budget

Heather Johnson, a contributor for Credit Card Lowdown, was kind enough to write a guest post for me regarding overseas traveling on a budget--perfect for the topics I've been writing about lately! She had alot of great ideas--check them out:

Spring has sprung and some of you may already be planning for a summer vacation. Don't be quick to dismiss the idea of traveling overseas when you are weighing your options. Although a foreign vacation may sound very expensive, there are ways to plan one on a strict budget and still have a lot of fun. Below are eight frugal tips for traveling abroad.

1. Research, Research, Research – You need to thoroughly plan your trip before you leave in order to avoid any unexpected expenses. For instance, you will find that Eastern Europe is much cheaper to travel through than Western Europe. Not only do you need to research your destination, you need to plot exactly where and when you will travel.

2. Purchase an International Phone Card – Not only will you save money on long distance charges if you use a pre-paid phone card, you will also ensure that you don’t lose the ability to communicate. After all, losing your cell phone service in a foreign country could be a tad daunting.

3. Give Your Credit Card Companies a Heads Up – Some credit card companies charge extra fees when you use a card overseas. Other companies don't allow foreign usage at all and will freeze your account if you try to make overseas charges. Call your credit card issuers beforehand and ask them about their policies.

4. Skip the Gift Shops – You may feel obligated to grab a souvenir for everyone you know when you're traveling to exotic locations. However, gift shop prices are always gouged. There are plenty of ways to procure free souvenirs when traveling. A rock or shell from a famous beach is one example.

5. Consider a Money Belt – Unfortunately, you will become more susceptible to being robbed when you are in unfamiliar territory. Although robberies can obviously occur while traveling in the U.S., you may not be as observant when you are in a foreign location. For that reason, you may want to keep your money and valuables inside an obscured money belt.

6. Use Public Transportation – Many foreign countries offer dependable public transportation. If you feel the bus is just as safe as a taxi, then you should certainly go with the cheaper of the two.

7. Wash Your Own Laundry – Certain amenities, such as paying for a laundry service, can add up very quickly. Just like when you are in the U.S., it is much cheaper to wash your own laundry.

8. Share Lodging With Friends - You will probably be traveling with at least one companion. However, it may be even less expensive to go as a group and share lodging expenses. Ask some of your closest friends and family if they would like to get in on the deal.

Traveling overseas isn't reserved for the rich and famous. Many people wax poetically about seeing foreign lands, as if it's an unattainable goal for those who aren't independently wealthy. However, a little foresight can help your dollars stretch over the ocean and back again.

Byline:

Heather P. Johnson is a freelance writer, as well as a contributor for Credit Card Lowdown, a site specializing in helping consumers select a 0 apr credit card. Heather invites your questions and writing/editing job inquiries at her email address heatherjohnson2323@gmail.com.

Donate to Stop Puppy Mills

As a follow up and comment to this post, I promised Karyn that I'd donate my charity money for April to one of the listed charities. And I just did--to the Humane Society. If you want to as well, please go to this web page and click the donate button.

The Decision

New Zealand it is!

Kansas Vs. New Zealand--Final Round

Well, it's done. After alot of long, anxious hours last week and this past weekend, the boyfriend made a decision and sent off declines to several universities last night. Only one, his chosen university, remains. Which do you think made the cut? Which would you choose?

Answer to follow in tomorrow's post.

Goals, Revisited

As you may (or may not have, let's face it) have noticed, I changed around my goals on my sidebar. I used to have EF ($9K), New-to-Me Car fund ($6K), Roth 2008 ($5K), Mom Payback ($5K), 401K contributions ($8K), and Dream House fund ($60K). Lofty goals, yes--but altogether possible once I started up full-time at work again (with a raise!). My EF is done, my new to me car fund is done, and I've put a small dent in the Roth 2008 fund. But that's it. Now that I'm planning on quitting at the start of May, I just can't do most of them, and I need to make sure the NZ move goes as smoothly as possible.


To that effect, I changed it up--my EF is necessary, so that stays the same. my new to me car fund just isn't necessary right now--if i wrecked my car I only have a month and a half left, so I wouldn't need a new one--and my deductible would be taken care of by my EF. I therefore converted this fund to my NZ move fund. This means that I can't pay my mom back for a while--but i'll talk to her about this and see what she thinks. I know my mom and dad have talked about giving that to me, no strings, but I want to make sure that it gets paid back eventually. Maybe a $100 a month? My Roth 2008 fund stays the same--and that's it. So those are my new goals. once I get a new job in NZ, I'll revisit this topic.

...Less Expensive Than Having a Baby

I don't have prescription insurance anymore--not since I went part-time at work and bought an independent catastrophe policy for $47/mo. My old co-pay for my prescription was $25...retail for my prescrip is $60/mo with no insurance. It would have cost more to keep my health insurance through COBRA ($250/mo+ for crappy coverage, anyone?), so I opted to pay for it myself. Boyfriend has offered to help with the cost but I said no--I'm also taking it to alleviate some symptoms I have. If it were entirely for pregnancy prevention, I'd let him.

So, fast forward to today--my online order for 3 months of pills ($151) hadn't come yet and I ran out today. I still had the original prescription, so I went to a drug store and explained the situation. They let me have 3 months of pills right then for $180. I scoped out a few free prescription plans online, and ended up here. It looks bogus but it lowered my payment by 11% to $160. The girl then asked if I had a AAA membership, and I do--using that, my payment was $158 (12% lower). I had no idea AAA offered prescription discounts as a perk! I wish I'd known this all along!

Anyway, less than $53 for a month's worth of pills is not great, but it's better than $60. And the cheapest price I found on the 'net is still CanadaDrugs.com, at $50.33 a month, and free shipping.

So, when my shipment comes in, I will have 6 months worth of pills. Combined with the fact that I'm taking a hiatus from them when my boyfriend leaves for NZ, I should have a few months worth to start my life in NZ. Whew. Stage One complete, fourty thousand more to go.

Kansas?

OK, so my boyfriend has officially gotten a letter from U Auckland, saying he is registered and everything looks great!

He talked to a professor at another one of the universities he applied to, U. Kansas, and they offered $400 reimbursement if he wanted to visit the campus. He said, why not? free trip! and is there now (I know, good timing, eh?). He arrived just in time for classes to be canceled due to the celebration of them winning the championship! And, (un?)fortunately, he LOVES it--the campus, the people, his phd topic, the...everything. So now he needs to make a decision regarding NZ vs. Kansas.

Wow. It seems like a no-brainer to me (he also LOVED NZ), but it's his decision solely. On the one hand, it'd be an easier move and I'd be closer to my family in Kansas, but I'd also...be in kansas. No mountains or ocean around, just prairie dog hills. On the other, New Zealand! it's hard not to be excited about that move.

Either way, there's a plus and a minus. He needs to make the call for himself. This is going to get interesting...

Dentist Visit and gift card for $32

I just had my first dental checkup in a year. I usually go religiously every six months. During my last visit, the dentist found my FIRST cavity EVER. I mean, I do not get cavities as a rule--must be all the milk I drank as a kid. So I was pretty upset to get a filling last June (?). And I was nervous that my year-long lapse of dental visits and my horrible eating habits had caused new ones.

Thankfully, the dentist searched and searched for cavities, but I had none. I do need to floss more, but who doesn't?? I need to put that on my to-do list for sure. My X-rays looked ok...sweet.

I'm really glad I went, and finding independent dental insurance was stupid easy--why didn't I do this 6 months ago?? On ehealthinsurance (where I got my normal health insurance), I found a dental policy for $16/mo (Dental Blue 100 Basic) that covers preventative services (X-rays, cleanings, fluoride treatment) with no cost and no waiting period, deductible waived if the dentist is in-network. They just sent me a bill for $32 (two months payments) as an initial payment. The annual benefit is $500, and I asked the receptionist how much of that I used today--$212. I plan to cancel before I need to pay for June. In essence, I saved $180 by buying this health insurance.

My boyfriend went to the dentist just a half a mile from our apartment, and luckily they were on the list of in-network dentists! He gladly recommended them, and they are going to send him a thank you AMEX gift card for $25 for referring me. Sweet!

More for the to-do list--
floss
get copies of my dental records for NZ

Site Maintenance

I apparently just registered with FeedBurner. Let me know if you have any problems.

And yes, i know i'm slow on the site revamp uptake. I'm computer illiterate--i've killed 4 computers and at least 3 laptops in the past decade!

Join Pinecone Research--take surveys

I received an email from Pinecone Research stating that they had openings to join their cash-for-surveys operation. Specifically, for males over 18 and adults in households with teenagers 13-17 of age.

Email me at sensetodollars@yahoo.com or write your email add in the comments to sign up--I apparently can't link to the link here and have it work. No idea what happens if you don't fit the specifics of what they are looking for...

I've made a little bit of money using this. Every little it helps!

One person per household may sign up.

Sunday laziness

Yesterday was a(nother) perfect day in southern California. The boyfriend and I slept in late, ate a little, and then headed off to a nearby museum for an awesome exhibit and movie. It was right up my alley. (Tix: $41 for both of us) We walked around the park near the museum for awhile, and decided to go get dinner at a local italian place--one of the restaurants we went to when boyfriend was visiting me from Chicago. (my share of dinner: $38.22)

I spent alot of money yesterday that I didn't have to, but I feel it was worth it--just once.

Oprah's puppy mill show

Check out Karyn's post on the Oprah puppy mill show--she has some helpful links to show you how you can help. She really woman-ed up to watch this show, because let's face it, it's heartbreaking and excruciating to watch that kind of thing.

I'm pledging my charity money this month to one of the places that Oprah (and Karyn) link to. If you also want to help, check it out!

no updates and FREE stuff

You may have noticed that I haven't updated my sidebar net worth or goal bars in a while--I just can't handle those decreasing numbers. hopefully that will change soon!

In that light, I looked through the drugstore ads again this week and found one more free thing--the dates may be different outside of CA.

Longs Drugs: Softsoap Spa Body wash 18 oz, FREE after mail-in rebate. April 4-April 10. You have to snag one of those booklets Long's publishes to get the rebate form, I believe.

New Zealand Tips

I need a place to dump everything I've learned so I can keep up with where I am. In that light, please ignore everything here (unless you are also moving abroad to NZ).

1) Bring a couple of surge protectors, so you can buy one or two converters, but have multiple US style sockets available. (Esp. handy for computer setups!)
2) Bring your cell phone--they can switch over the hardware if it is unlocked, a GSM phone, and you buy a SIM (Vodafone) card. I've heard that most US cell companies will unlock your phone when you cancel your contract with them.
3) I can't bring over my US prescription--I have to see a NZ GP to get a new prescription.
4) Since I'm not going to be a permanent resident (PR in immigrant speak), I have to buy my own insurance.
5) car insurance down there is not required (but is recommended)!