Monthly Financial Update: May 2010
I came out with a negative cash flow for the month of May and ended up
$707.46 in the red. The main part of this was paying for some classes that I
will be taking over the summer in order to further my career.I did not have
to dip into my savings to pay for these classes and did not go further into
debt as I was able to pay for the additional costs with advertising money,
loan repayments and refunds that I got over the course of the month.
Debt 101 (Guest Post)
Debt became a way of life for most families only in the last few decades. Other generations chose to pay for everything in cash. The introduction of the 30 year mortgage drove home prices out of the reach of most cash purchases and the debt stone began to roll. Soon everything from groceries to second homes was being purchased with debt.
How I Save Money At CVS: 23 May 2010
Today I paid $0.00 out of pocket for $4.00 worth of items. I got this body wash that I will be giving to my best friend (along with some other items. I was on my way to another store and passed CVS on the way so I decided to stop and make use of my ECBs to get a FREE item.
Transaction 1
Item: Old Spice Body Wash
Price: $4.00
CVS Extra Care Bucks earned: $4.00
Total coupons used: $4.00 ECB
Total paid today: $0.00 , on gift card.
Tracking My Finances In 2010: May Week 4
I have decided to post my weekly spending for the previous week on Fridays so you know how my cash has been flowing for the week. Please note that I get paid on the last day of the month so my cash flow net effect will usually be negative until the last day of the month.
This does not mean that I am adding to my debt, it just means that the money coming in is less than the money going out because bills are due starting on the first but I don’t get paid until the last day.
Lending Club Investment Updates: May 2010
I am pleased with my small investment into Lending Club as my loans are generally doing well. I invested the minimum $25 in each loan that I funded so that I could spread the risk around. I will continue to invest only $25 in each loan so that I have less to lose if one person defaults on the payments.
Here is the breakdown of my 25 loans as of this month:
- 3 fully paid off
- 1 charged off
- 21 current
Easy Tips for Saving Money on Home Expenses (Guest Post)
Saving money on home expenses can mean the difference between making ends meet and seeing a big gap in the financial situation. The good news for home owners comes from a few simple tips that will reduce expenses and make keeping a budget one step easier.
Tips to Save Money on Home Expenses
Turn out the lights – the amount of heat that one 60 watt light bulb can raise the temperature of a typical bedroom about five degrees per hour. Multiply that by all of the light bulbs around your home and you can begin to understand why it can be so difficult cooling your home. Turning out all of the lights in rooms where they are not necessary will help you cut down on the cooling expenses of your home.
How I Save Money At CVS: 18 May 2010
Today I paid $0 out of pocket for $13.97 worth of items. I ended up using all my ECBs but got about $0.50 more in ECBs so it was a good haul.
Transaction 1
Item: Clairol Herbal Essences shampoo
Price: $2.99
CVS Extra Care Bucks earned: $2.00
Item: Colgate toothpaste
Price: $3.99
CVS Extra Care Bucks earned: $2.00
Item: Blade 5 razor system
Price: $6.99
CVS Extra Care Bucks earned: $6.99 making this FREE
Total coupons used: $1 MFR on toothpaste + $1 MFR on shampoo + $10.49 ECB
Tracking My Finances In 2010: May Week 3
I have decided to post my weekly spending for the previous week on Fridays so you know how my cash has been flowing for the week. Please note that I get paid on the last day of the month so my cash flow net effect will usually be negative until the last day of the month.
This does not mean that I am adding to my debt, it just means that the money coming in is less than the money going out because bills are due starting on the first but I don’t get paid until the last day.
