I Forgot

 Have you ever had those moments when you think that you have done something, only to find out that you didn't?  I had that happen today when I received a letter in the mail informing me that they were going to turn off my cable.  I could have sworn that I paid that bill a couple of weeks ago, but when I called and had them look into my account, it showed that my last payment was in September.

Oops. 

Thankfully they are going to hold off the disconnection and let me pay the bill when Junior gets paid next Friday.  I am the worst when it comes to money.  I get phone calls from people asking me about Consolidating My Credit Cards, and I just laugh, because we don't have any credit cards. The last one we had i paid off years ago, and I really don't want anymore.  We have been living by the motto "pay cash or do without", and that seems to be working for us.   

Except when I forget to pay the bills.

Debt

By this time next week, all the financial problems Junior and I have faced this past year will be gone. I don't know how we made it through, but we did. Not only will we be in a better place physically, but we will finally, after so many years, be in a secure place financially.

This is a big deal for us.

I will admit that we are not very good with managing our money. I will also admit that 2009 has taught me so much about money management, and how easy it is to get caught up in high interest "loans" when you are left with no other options. I think it was in September when we figured out that we were paying more in fees than we were in payments, and we knew it had to stop. It was then that we discussed getting credit counseling.

One night I was so stressed about money that I couldn't sleep. I got online and tried to find some one who could help us with our money issues. Do you have any idea how much information is available out there? It was difficult to make sense of it all, and to be honest, I had no idea what the difference was between debt management, debt settlement, and credit counseling. I just knew that we needed help.

I ended up finding a site that had all types of articles about debt management news. They talked about all the different options available, and what the difference is between them all. I found so much useful information about how to get out of debt, from budgeting your money better to finding a credit counselor who can talk to your creditors for you, and sometimes even reduce your debt. I subscribed to their RSS news feed for free, and now I can read their daily news. If you are a Tweeter, you can also follow them on Twitter.

Once Junior and I get rid of all our debt next week, I am going to make sure we stay debt free in 2010. We don't have any credit cards, and we will no longer have a car payment. I am really looking forward to a stress free year.

Or at least a less stressful one.

Real Estate Tax Benefit

I have heard a lot lately about this home owners tax credit, and to be honest, I didn't really know what it was all about. The only thing I did know was that if you bought a house last year, you would get an $8000 tax credit.

Junior and I had our taxes filled out last week, and the lady doing it asked us if we had bought a home, or were planning to buy a home in the next few months. I told her that no, we couldn't afford to buy a house right now, and she said that was too bed, because they had extended the deadline to qualify until the end of April of this year, as long as you closed before the end of June. She said a lot of people are qualifying for the Real Estate Tax Benefit, and it's too bad that we didn't.

Yeah, that's too bad.

We are going to spend another couple of years throwing money away on rent, but what can we do? Hopefully some day soon we will be able to afford to buy a house.

Hopefully.

If you did buy a house last year, make sure you know everything about this tax credit, especially if you file your own taxes. Check out this video, which shares all the details.


Junior and I may not have qualified for this house credit, but we did qualify for some other things. Thankfully we will be getting enough of a refund to get us out of our financial mess, which means that come March, I will be a little less stressed.

I like less stress.

Etsy Question

I ordered a little ring for Brandi from a seller on etsy. I placed my order, and paid, on September 3, almost two weeks ago.

On Saturday, I sent a messgae to the seller, asking what the hold up was, and got no reply.

On Monday, I sent another message asking the seller to either reply to my message, or refund my money. I told the seller I was prepared to report them for not sending the item I ordered.

I got this reply early this morning:

I am very sorry for the delay, I will be happy to send your money back :)
Please request me for the amount of payment & I will accepted :]

I find it odd that there are happy faces, when I was clearly upset in my message. Second, the seller knows exactly how much what I ordered was. Third, I really want the ring...why won't the seller just send me the darn thing?

What are your policies for shipping an order? If it is going to take a week or more, do you let the buyer know? I don't want to over react, but I think others need to be warned about this person. I should have noticed before I paid that I was their first buyer.

Oh man. I should have read the shop policies first, because apparently this is a teen aged girl who is more interested in having anyone who reads her policy to be her friend on myspace. I think I need to accept that my money is gone. This is from her shop policies:

I was made in the Philippines on October 18 & shipped here to Washington United States I am still young, but take my own responsibility. I'm a true Asian, I speak my own language. If you really want to get to know me & be a friend of mine please feel free to add my personal myspace account >> http://www.myspace.com (I deleted the link...I'm not pimping her myspace)
I add most E V E R Y O N E. Unless you are too old for me, no picture, or just someone I should stay away from. I'm friendly & listen to people, some I just hear their words. I take my time on most of everything. I am a high school student. & Have my personal life to deal with. Although in my spare time I will assists you in any of your needs or just to keep in touch. Anything you would like to know? Just let me know[:

Crap.

Make Money Online

I have people ask me all the time how I make money online. I don't really know what to tell them, because in all honestly, I don't know very much about all the possibilities out there. I know what works for me, but I also know that there are many ways of generating income that I am unaware of. I would love to be able to make enough money to pay off some bills, and maybe even put some money into a savings account.

I found this blog that explains how to make money online. It goes into detail about all the different ways you can make money, and the things you should look for in the companies you decide to work with. There is so much information, and I can not wait to read it all.

I just had to come share the site with you first.

Buying Into A Franchise

People are losing their jobs at an alarming rate these days. Because of this, more and more people are looking to start their own businesses. Junior was actually talking about checking out some franchise opportunities. We don't have the finances necessary right now, but it couldn't hurt to check things out. I have a lot of experience in fast food, so something along those lines would be perfect for us. I could even see us buying into a coffee shop franchise. How much difference could there be between fast food and coffee? I know how to deal with the public, and I have been present for quite a few inspections. I always tell people it takes a certain type of person to work in the food industry, especially fast food. You really have to have patience, and good people skills. I have a lot of practice with this.

If you are interested in buying into a franchise, look into getting a franchise consultant. They could help you find the right business for you. Do your research. Know where you want to have your business located. Be prepared, but have an open mind. These people know what they are talking about, and they can get you started on the path to financial independence.

Trading

Want to make some money in the stock market? Read this guide to swing trading and you'll be on your way. I know I could use a little extra cash these days. How about you?

Money

These days, money is tight for everyone. If you are looking to make a short term investment, check out this 6 month cd rate. You don't need much money, and they are offering an APR that is well above the National average. I wish I had the extra cash to take advantage of this offer. But, right now, we need every penny just to survive.

Settlement Advance

Are you suing someone for personal injury? While waiting for your settlement, bills and other expenses tend to pile up. With pre settlement funding you can get an advance on your winnings so that you can pay your bills, or just spend the money you are entitled to. It's a simple process to see if you will be approved, and you will know within 48 hours. Don't let an injury ruin your credit. Get an advance today.

Private Student Loans

I have three children. We live from paycheck to paycheck, and I worry about my kids education. We are not financially able to put money away for their college. Luckily they are bright, and can hopefully qualify for scholarships or financial aid when the time comes. The problem is that there will also be additional costs they will have to pay. Private student loans are available to help ease the burden of having to pay for books, supplies, housing, and unpaid tuition balances. At privatestudentloans.com, you can fill out an application online in just minutes. There are no prepayment fees, and repayment begins after graduation. This is an avenue we may take advantage of as my children start looking at colleges in a few years.