A Happy Day at the Pump

Image by Bitzcelt

Since I bought my car, I have had the hardest time dealing with the price of gas. Going from using a gallon every two weeks to ten gallons every week has made it hard to deal with tighter finances. Today, though, I was pleasantly surprised. Today I filled up my car for $26. 

Gas is now about $1.20 a gallon cheaper than it was three weeks ago. This means that everyone is probably breathing a little sigh of relief. We're also coming to the end of hurricane season (November 1st), which means that technically, things will ease up. However, it's started getting cold, which means the demand for heating oil will start to go up. 

So what does this mean? Well, it means that although we are seeing a bit of slack on gas prices, it's unlikely to hold. 

Now, if I had more money, and if I were better at keeping track of things, I would take that $10.80 that I didn't spend on gas and put it in a savings account or earmark it somehow for the future. That way, I'm still acting like I'm spending $4 a gallon on gas, but I'm putting that extra money away for when it either goes higher, or to use it when I really can't afford to fill up. 

I hope this price holds for a little longer, though, because I know that everyone could really use a break.

Patience is a Virtue

I'm being patient right now. very patient because I have two checks that are "on the way" to me. Once I have received them, I can write and mail the final car payment, and I'll have $200 a month off my minimum payment list.. reducing it by about 47%. I want those checks so badly. I can't wait. I'm so antsy.
It's hard being patient when you are so close that you can practically smell it. It's also difficult because I have absolutely zero control about when these checks will arrive. One is a week overdue and one is two days overdue. I know they will probably both come at the same time and there will be much rejoicing.
I'm also excited because yesterday my husband and I agreed to work on some joint savings, something which we have not done yet. We're putting away money for future travel, and eventually for a house. It's a big step for him since he has never been much of a saver. I'm really proud of him for deciding to do this. I know that this will make me feel very good when I see us working towards a financial goal together.
And so I will remain patient, and I will continue to check my mail obsessively until those checks come!

Blog Action Day 2008 : Poverty

This post is part of Blog Action Day 2008. The idea is to have many voices talking about one issue at the same time to build awareness. I wrote this post as a stream of consciousness on what I think about poverty and I wholeheartedly welcome discussion in the comments about what I have to say.

When I think abut poverty, the first thing I think about is starving children in Africa. I think about countries that are so poor that their children are born already in debt. I think about people unable to feed or clothe their families, or people that have no access to clean water.

Then when I think more, I start to think about the United States, and then I think of desperation. I think of people who are really very rich by world standards, but who consider themselves to be so poor that they become desperate. They are not starving. They still have cars, jobs, or food. Maybe they have to forgo a vacation, or they need to downsize their house, but they aren't fighting for survival.

Poverty, to me, is a global issue, and it is unbalanced. I think that many people are richer than they think they are. But then, there are those who have no homes and are living on the street. Those who are denied basic necessities due to their lack of wealth are poor.

But in that respect, in the US, does that mean that everyone without health insurance or access to proper healthcare is poor?

A right to medicine, isn't that a basic need? Or does it really get limited to food and shelter.

Some people who are homeless do not consider themselves poverty stricken. They have food, and sometimes shelter. To you or me, they might seem poor... but not to them.

So lets get back to poverty as an issue. I think we're talking about developing nations where there is no clean water, little food and shelter, no clothes or shoes, and where children die every day of preventable illnesses. Places where people are starving to death every day. Places where children have no education, where schools are as rare as hospitals. Those are the places where I think we should turn our eye today. Those are the people that really need help, and I think that many of us are in a position to help them. I think that if everyone denied themselves one small thing and gave that to a person in a developing nation, it could really make a difference in a persons life. 

You can even give a little of your time instead of something tangible.

Discuss.

Grow Your Own Basil and Save $40 and the Environment

Image by Darny

In our house, we use basil in just about everything. We put it in salads, in pasta, on pizza, in omelets, on bruschetta, in sauces, and we make our own pesto. I would buy a pack of basil from the grocery store about every other week for about $5 each time, and I would throw half of it away. 

A while ago I bought a planter, and I started growing my own basil. It was such a good decision. I never have enough to make pesto, but my basil plants always yield enough for my other recipes. I also grow my own rosemary and I used to grow parsley as well.

I like keeping plants in my house because I firmly believe that they improve the air quality in my home. I like the idea that they are taking care of some of the carbon dioxide that my husband and I are exhaling, and enriching the environment with the oxygen that they give off. 

I would say that my basil plant has saved me about $40 in basil purchases, helped me feel like I am doing my part for the environment by oxygenating the air and by avoiding purchasing basil that would come in a plastic packages, and it definitely makes my house look a little prettier. 

So are you growing your own kitchen plants inside? If you are, let me know what you successfully grow! I'm also on the lookout for natural fertilizer ideas, so feel free to share.

News and Progress

Today we sold my husbands car. It was a tough decision for him because he really loves his sound system, but since he got his scooter he has been driving the car maybe once or twice a month. Since I have a great car, we decided it would be better to just be a one car one scooter family again. 

It also went to a friend in need. Someone I know had had a car accident and her car was totaled. She desperately needed a car, so I believe that it was a great decision for all involved. She seemed very happy with it as she drove off today. 

The other news is that I have gone on hiatus at one of my jobs. I no longer work my regular saturday job. I will still be called in if it gets busy and they need something, or if someone gets sick or takes a day off. Since it's really a seasonal job anyway, this is probably best for all involved. I wasn't making much money there so it won't feel like too big a hit and I could really use having the weekends free again. 

I'm still working on paying my car off this month, and I'm hoping to get on a more consistent blogging schedule. I'm also in need of questions for the next Monday Reader Mailbag. I still don't have enough, so feel free to ask them in the comments. 

Have you entered the drawing for my book giveaway yet?

101 Top Personal Finance Tips - Part 5

Image by Kiki99

Welcome to Part 5 in my series of Top Personal Finance Tips! 

Be sure to subscribe to my RSS feed to get all of the rest!

21. Work Out at Home

There are so many ways to work out at home and cancel your gym membership. One of my favorites is the deck of cards method. I shuffle a deck of cards and draw as many as I have time for, which is usually 10 or 15 cards. For me, red cards are squats and black cards are sit ups. You can pick any, and do suits instead of just colors if you want to add more in. Then I draw a card and whatever number value that card is, thats how many of that exercise I do. I was so happy to hear that other people use the same method as me!

I play Wii Fit as well when I can, but I have attention span issues with it. 

22. Take Advantage of 0% Balance Transfer Offers

Many credit card companies offer limited time 0% balance transfers. If you are carrying credit card debt of more than $1000, these are fantastic opportunities to save money on interest. 

When you use one of these offers, be sure to make a note of when it expires and make sure you make your payments on time or you can invalidate the offer. There is a great list of cards with these transfers available here. The reason I advise moving $1000 of debt or more is that there are usually transfer fees associated with moving the money and often if you move a really small amount it isn't as worth it. 

23. Start an Emergency Fund

I can't stress the importance of creating an emergency fund enough. I put 5-6% of my income into a high yield savings account. I am saving for three months worth of living expenses. The benefit of this is that if something happens, I can pay for it in cash and don't have to charge money to my credit cards. Also, if something happens and I couldn't work, I would not only have breathing room for a couple of months, but I would also be able to make payments on my credit cards and I wouldn't have late payments on penalties. 

24. Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

A little change can go a long way. Switching all of your lights to CFL's can save 4-10% on your energy bill. My husband claims that he doesn't like the way the light looks, and I can understand that but I can't honestly tell much of a difference and I think it is worth it. The price of CFL's is going down, and they last longer than regular lights. I highly recommend the change if you can!

25. Get Rid of Your Paper Towel Habit

I'm working on a project here. I knit, and I'm trying to make enough cotton dishcloths to stop using paper towels altogether. I hate buying them, they aren't good for the environment in that they contribute to the cutting down of trees and the encouragement of landfills. Dishcloths are incredibly inexpensive to purchase and tend to last a long time. I would recommend hand knit absorbent cotton ones if you can get them. 

There is a great Etsy store here that is selling them very cheaply and even offers free shipping through December 15th if you don't feel like making your own. 

Check out the other posts in this series:

101 Top Personal Finance Tips - Part 4

101 Top Personal Finance Tips - Part 3
101 Top Personal Finance Tips - Part 2
101 Top Personal Finance Tips - Part 1