From the category archives:

Planning

Do you have a Will?

by jolyn on May 7, 2011

in Planning

A survey popped up on my USAA accounts when I logged in this morning:
What percent of Americans do not have a will or estate plan?

92%
57%
44%
22%

What say you?
I did guess the correct answer, which was a whopping…
*****

What percent of Americans do not have a will or estate plan?

92%

57%

44%

22%

You guessed right! A recent survey conducted by Harris [...]

{ 4 comments }

A Financial Re-Think.

by jolyn on April 13, 2011

in Planning

Well, that was fun, wasn’t it? (See previous.)
Now that we have that crisis diverted, can I see a show of hands for those who may be conducting their financial lives differently in the future? No more can we claim our income is guaranteed just because we work for the government. Oh, we would have gotten paid [...]

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Government Shut Down?

by jolyn on April 7, 2011

in Income,Planning

John addended one of his emails to me last night, all casual-like, like it was just an after thought (which it probably was): ”Hey, what’s our strategic reserve lookin’ like. You know, in case we don’t get paid next pay period.”
NOT FUNNY, HONEY. Rhyme intended. Because he’s joking, ha-ha and all that, right?
Apparently I’ve had my head buried [...]

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Remember how I totally mis-managed my whole budget last week and overdrew our account? I thought I would still be okay because of my overdraft protection. I think I just figured out why I wasn’t.
“Under new Federal Reserve rules you must now give us advance permission to pay debit card purchases and ATM transactions [...]

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Alternate Title: Why You Shouldn’t Travel Without an Emergency Fund
Alternate-Alternate Title: How Not To Communicate with Your Husband About Finances
Alternate Sub-Title: Why You Might Not Want to Max Out a ROTH Right Before Traveling Cross-Country

First I Met With Our Financial Adviser
On our recent trip to Kansas to visit family, I met with our financial advisor [...]

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Update on Our Debt

by jolyn on March 31, 2010

in Planning,Savings,Snowball Status

We paid off our consumer debt last month! Woo-hoo!
Oh, wait. Did I mention that already?

But we still have a boat-load of mortgage debt. Here’s the skinny.

Second Mortgage: $31,552.49
Primary Mortgage: $170,820.61
Rental Mortgage: $109,150.33

Total Mortgage Debt: $311,523.43
*gulp*
We are taking a brief hiatus on the debt snowball to build up some savings (beyond the $1000 emergency [...]

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We most decidedly do not. For better or for worse, I cut my kids’ hair.
(Please don’t judge based on this photo. I had just started.)
Of course I have no professional training! And it takes me forever, but the labor’s cheap.
And yes, I cut my teenager’s hair, too. So far, so good. But he’s at that [...]

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Goals for 2010

by jolyn on December 31, 2009

in Planning

I generally dislike New Year’s Resolutions — too vague and easily unaccomplished. Like telling someone you want them to be happy without ever asking them what would make them happy. Or something.
Goals, however, are worthy: we’re all going to end up somewhere at the end of the year, why not pick our own map? We [...]

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Evolution of an Attitude

by jolyn on November 14, 2009

in Planning

After yesterday’s post of “Oh, woe me, I really want a big flat screen TV – WAAH!” I thought I’d put finger to key and relate to you all a couple of ways how we’ve evolved for the better on this debt-free journey of ours.
On CarsYou might recall how The Hubs’ car went kaput about [...]

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Happy Friday the 13th Pizza Special!

by jolyn on November 13, 2009

in Planning

We caved. And $22.60 later…
Is this what happens about six months into a debt eradication plan? Is there a 12-step program for this? Because pizza is but a small step in a spending direction we seem to be heading toward.
The problem is that The Hubs is (likely) going to deploy in January, and that [...]

{ 4 comments }

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