Thank you to TurboTax for sponsoring my writing about household finances.Learn more about how TurboTax can help you find every tax deduction you deserve. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.i was never destined to work in the financial industry. never. me & my money? we have this oil-water relationship. okay, it's more like a 'i have some money so now i need to spend it' kind of a relationship. yes, i am that girl who always, always, always has money burning a hole in her pocket. wait, let me rephrase that because that statement suggests that i always have money which is such a lie.life would be mucho bueno if i had one of these in my backyard:{source}wouldn't it be nice to walk out into the yard … [Read more...]
confessions.
i watched 'confessions of a shopaholic' on sunday afternoon for the first time and it struck something within me. i was actually in tears towards the end of the movie when rebecca's father {played by john goodman...love him!} offers up the motor home that he & his wife saved so long for in order for rebecca to pay off her debts.it's what parents do for their children.without regard.in some ways, i'm much like rebecca. i love to shop. not nearly as extravagantly as rebecca, but i do - nonetheless - like to shop. brand names don't hurt. although, i've never shopped at barney's nor have i ever spoken prada.multiple cards. living a lie. hiding simple truths from those we love. no money. more problems.i, too, have very genuine & very loving parents who - with the help of some tough love … [Read more...]
Mo’ Money
It's funny how an emergency like, oh, an $1100 eye surgery can make you rethink your budget & reconsider any frivolous necessary expenses.Today, the hubs & I will be talking about money. Our money. What seems like a lack of it. How to save it. How to spend it. How to pay things off. How to be frugal. How to correct all of the financial errors from our twenties. Basically, how to become tightwads - something both of us - clearly - are not.We are following the principles of Dave Ramsey {we enjoy watching his show on the Fox Business Network}. We like his message, his Christian-based approach and his "non-judgemental" attitude. My mom absolutely adores Suze Orman and thinks that I need to read her book, but she scares the heebie-jeebies out of me {and she really shouldn't because … [Read more...]
SEEING RED
Why did I get a wild hair up my butt and decide to paint our front door red? Oh, that's right...because I've always wanted a red front door. While the idea seems really spectacular in my mind, the whole process of it has been anything but. I'm currently waiting on the 3rd (uneven) coat to dry. Red paint is a pain in the you-know-where. Don't get me wrong...the color is absolutely gorgeous (Holly Berry by Behr), but the task in itself is frustrating. I mean, even after two coats of primer (the door once was a really deep Hunter Green) the door STILL isn't looking right. I should have known better...I mean, this isn't my first experience with red paint (fortunately, I didn't have the joy of painting that wall red...Adam did, but I got to hear all of the cursing and complaining that resulted … [Read more...]
April Fool’s, right?
I called my mortgage company on Wednesday afternoon to ask a question.The guy I spoke to told me that we were delinquent. Do-whaaa?What do you mean, delinquent?He responds to me, "Ma'am, you're behind for the month of April. I'm not showing a payment yet."Are you effin' serious crazy in your skull?? I mean, seriously serious? (Yes, I say seriously a LOT.) I literally wanted to jump through the phone, grab him by his shoulders and shake him. I mean, to me, behind for the month April means that the month has come and gone and a payment still hasn't been made...NOT if your current month's payment isn't made by the 1st of that particular month.So, ladies and gentlemen, yes, according to GMAC Mortgage we are delinquent on our mortgage for the month of April. A mortgage payment that has been due … [Read more...]
