I'm sure I can't be the only GenX'r that woke up to the fact that I'm woefully unprepared for the rest of my life. After several chaotic years of moving from place to place after my marriage ended and then finally being able to afford a divorce, I reached a moment of peace and quiet when I suddenly remembered that I haven't prepared for retirement at all and needed to do something about it.
It's relevant to this journal that I got diagnosed last year with ADHD at the age of 51. My whole life, I was doing things like changing jobs every one or two years (and not in a strategic way), enrolling in school and dropping out, jumping into relationships, and making big plans for lifestyle changes that would not pan out because I couldn't think through the details and plan properly. I've been under treatment for a year, but even so, I'm just starting to think clearly.
I'm working in retail in a rather strenuous job in store layout, that is, I change shelves around and do merchandising. I feel like it's time I move on before I experience any kind of repetitive stress injury. So, next week, I'm making the lateral move into a job in which I will be changing price tags on the shelves. I won't get paid any more than I am now, but I also won't wear myself down every day. I've also started classes in accounting, which will get paid for through my workplace's tuition reimbursement benefit. I'm also doing overtime while it's available (probably until right after Christmas). So I haven't had time or energy to cook or do other frugal, money-saving activities. I've been really tired after work, so I've been unfortunately prone to overspending, both at the store where I work and online.
To make a long story short (Too late!), I'm working my way into eventually getting a higher-paying job that is not physically demanding so I can contribute more to my retirement fund. But I also want to be able to afford some things before that time. It would be nice to afford to buy a modest house. I also want to take some road trips around the US. And I really want to not leave a financial mess to my son, who has disabilities and doesn't need more burdens placed on him.
So yeah, I won't be retiring early, but I do feel like I need to take extreme measures.
Details in next post.
Getting my act together, better late than never
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
Good for you choosing to take actions to retire earlier than if you continued on in the same way, Stacy. Welcome!
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
Frita- Thanks for the welcome! I'm frankly terrified of finding myself elderly, unable to work, and without options. That's a huge motivator for taking action now.
I feel like I dumped a lot there, but it was important to give some backstory. There's a whole lot more, because I've lived a long life already, but that should do for now.
Now on to my numbers. I made a spreadsheet of my income and expenses, and another one with a debt payoff plan. Here I thought I had a good handle on my financial situation, but I guess not.
Income: $1415 per month from work, take home. This is after taxes, insurance, 401k with 10% contribution, and HFSA are taken out. Not much at all.
$700-ish from my son, who lives with me. This is his half of the living expenses for the things that we share, such as rent, utilities, food and household supplies that I pay for, and cat supplies. He buys some of his own food and anything else he needs. He's got disabilities and is getting SSI.
$62 last month from high-interest checking and savings accounts that I recently opened.
$681 per month from overtime, after taxes. I intend to work overtime two hours a day as long as it's available, probably until the end of December.
Total per month: $2177 to $2858, depending on how much overtime I get.
Expenses that my son and I share come to about $1400 a month:
Rent: $750 (One of the few apartment managers in town that haven't jacked up rents outrageously high. Yet.)
Electric: $76. Internet: $109 (He's got a gaming computer and insists it makes a difference to pay for one speed higher than the minimum). Renter's insurance is about $11 a month, although I pay it off once a year. Heat, water, sewer, garbage, and lawncare are all included in the rent.
That leaves $454 in variable expenses, which includes all the groceries and home supplies that I buy. I work at a store, so it's convenient for me to do most of the shopping. Also, restaurants about three times a month, which is usually pizza, subs, or pasta fast food. I try to do pick up rather than delivery to avoid the fees, but sometimes I'm too tired after work.
My separate expenses:
My subscriptions: Audible $16, Hulu/Disney+/Max bundle $18, Peacock $9, YouTube Premium $15 (I know, I know)
Cell phone: $21
All car expenses except for loan payment: $189
My own personal spending adds up to an average of $567, and, frankly, I'm shocked. This includes things like Halloween decorations, clothing, jewelry, education expenses that won't get reimbursed, personal care products, books and hobby-related items (even though I've said that I haven't had time to read or work on hobbies).
Minimum payments on debts: Medical payment plan at zero percent interest: $153. Current balance, about $2900
Visa card: $640. I had a deal in which I transferred money into it for deferred interest, but it must be paid off by the end of November. Balance is about $965
Car loan: $308. Balance is about $1820
Line of credit: $15. Balance is about $367.
Student loans from years ago: They are in deferment, and I'm feeling hopeless about ever being able to pay them back. It's just too much.
Investments that shouldn't be considered expenses but are still outgoes from my paycheck:
US Savings Bonds: $100
Roth IRA contributions: $400
Total of just my spending: $2451
Total spending: $3851. You see the problem here.
I had gotten a small inheritance of $21,000, and I put some away into two separate CDs of $5000 each, and with the rest, I've been making extra payments on my car loan, Visa, and LOC to pay them off faster. But that money is dwindling fast.
My goals, once I can get this flipped around so my income is higher than my expenses:
Travel. I have several road trips I'd like to make, and I keep coming up with different places I'd like to visit.
Own a modest home, so we don't have to worry about rent hikes, I can decorate with abandon, and my son will always have a place to live.
And that's pretty much it, although I'm sure I'll come up with more ideas along the way.
I feel like I dumped a lot there, but it was important to give some backstory. There's a whole lot more, because I've lived a long life already, but that should do for now.
Now on to my numbers. I made a spreadsheet of my income and expenses, and another one with a debt payoff plan. Here I thought I had a good handle on my financial situation, but I guess not.
Income: $1415 per month from work, take home. This is after taxes, insurance, 401k with 10% contribution, and HFSA are taken out. Not much at all.
$700-ish from my son, who lives with me. This is his half of the living expenses for the things that we share, such as rent, utilities, food and household supplies that I pay for, and cat supplies. He buys some of his own food and anything else he needs. He's got disabilities and is getting SSI.
$62 last month from high-interest checking and savings accounts that I recently opened.
$681 per month from overtime, after taxes. I intend to work overtime two hours a day as long as it's available, probably until the end of December.
Total per month: $2177 to $2858, depending on how much overtime I get.
Expenses that my son and I share come to about $1400 a month:
Rent: $750 (One of the few apartment managers in town that haven't jacked up rents outrageously high. Yet.)
Electric: $76. Internet: $109 (He's got a gaming computer and insists it makes a difference to pay for one speed higher than the minimum). Renter's insurance is about $11 a month, although I pay it off once a year. Heat, water, sewer, garbage, and lawncare are all included in the rent.
That leaves $454 in variable expenses, which includes all the groceries and home supplies that I buy. I work at a store, so it's convenient for me to do most of the shopping. Also, restaurants about three times a month, which is usually pizza, subs, or pasta fast food. I try to do pick up rather than delivery to avoid the fees, but sometimes I'm too tired after work.
My separate expenses:
My subscriptions: Audible $16, Hulu/Disney+/Max bundle $18, Peacock $9, YouTube Premium $15 (I know, I know)
Cell phone: $21
All car expenses except for loan payment: $189
My own personal spending adds up to an average of $567, and, frankly, I'm shocked. This includes things like Halloween decorations, clothing, jewelry, education expenses that won't get reimbursed, personal care products, books and hobby-related items (even though I've said that I haven't had time to read or work on hobbies).
Minimum payments on debts: Medical payment plan at zero percent interest: $153. Current balance, about $2900
Visa card: $640. I had a deal in which I transferred money into it for deferred interest, but it must be paid off by the end of November. Balance is about $965
Car loan: $308. Balance is about $1820
Line of credit: $15. Balance is about $367.
Student loans from years ago: They are in deferment, and I'm feeling hopeless about ever being able to pay them back. It's just too much.
Investments that shouldn't be considered expenses but are still outgoes from my paycheck:
US Savings Bonds: $100
Roth IRA contributions: $400
Total of just my spending: $2451
Total spending: $3851. You see the problem here.
I had gotten a small inheritance of $21,000, and I put some away into two separate CDs of $5000 each, and with the rest, I've been making extra payments on my car loan, Visa, and LOC to pay them off faster. But that money is dwindling fast.
My goals, once I can get this flipped around so my income is higher than my expenses:
Travel. I have several road trips I'd like to make, and I keep coming up with different places I'd like to visit.
Own a modest home, so we don't have to worry about rent hikes, I can decorate with abandon, and my son will always have a place to live.
And that's pretty much it, although I'm sure I'll come up with more ideas along the way.
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
For many years my MIL worked the counter of a cosmetic company in a retail store. Between the brand discount and the retail store discount, it was constant purchasing. She was pretty much handing back her salary. It's a trick played on the retail employee by the retail employer. Not sure what the answer is, but it's a tough cycle to break when you're being stealthily encouraged to spend where you work. The only thing I can think of is working somewhere where you have no interest in the product.
That being said, the first thing you need to do is grow a sack and cut the cord on the streaming. I've been there and I can honestly say I don't miss it one bit. It's visual clutter, no different than going through your home and throwing material items you don't use anymore. You'll feel relieved and it's a tangible step you can build upon. It's also bad for your ADHD. Plus, what the fuck is on You Tube Premium? Baby cam videos of dogs buttfucking cats?
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
I know you didn't explicitly ask for help, but hey, we're a helpful group 
IRA contributions for 2024 can be made until April 2025. It might benefit you to delay contributions now to allocate more to debt payments to reduce interest charges. You can still meet your IRA contribution goal by making contribution as a lump sum before Tax Day.
Over $100/mo for unbundled internet seems high. You might be able to negotiate this down. The price often increases after the initial promo rate expires. If you're in an area covered by a duopoly (usually the local telecom company and cable company), you can play their promo rates against each other to get a better deal.
Does your local library system offer access to Libby? You can get lots of ebooks and audiobooks that way, without extra fees.
You didn't mention the interest rates for your line of credit or car loan, but they likely exceed the rate you're getting on new savings bonds. I'd reallocate this $100/mo to debt repayment.
IRA contributions for 2024 can be made until April 2025. It might benefit you to delay contributions now to allocate more to debt payments to reduce interest charges. You can still meet your IRA contribution goal by making contribution as a lump sum before Tax Day.
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
I think that part of your problem, which is very common these-days, is that you are stuck with a number of middle-class expenses and stresses and/or a middle-class budget/values framework without the benefit of earning a middle-class income from your full-time job. For example, you would quite likely be better off working 20 hrs/week at twice your current pay-rate, forgoing the over-time, and obtaining insurance on the federal health place market and the time/vigor to enact some frugal behaviors or gain some skills. The sucky place to be currently is a full-time W2 income somewhere between around 20,000 and 39,000, because your paying to play at the middle-class game table without churning enough chips to win.
Citizens of advanced social democracies, such as those in Scandanavia, do not fear old age without savings like many do in the U.S., because they will automatically end up in a cute little IKEA cubicle senior studio apartment with their needful medical expenses covered. OTOH, advanced social democracies can also vibe a bit Vanilla Totalitarian inclusive of forced saving and sharing, causing some of their best and brightest to prefer to test their luck and/or strategy and/or force-of-will in the garish gambling dens of 21st century American Capitalism, because potentially more monetarily rewarding and/or more fun and free.
My point here being is that I see your current situation as being mostly towards a default lower middle-class compromise when you would be better off consciously integrating aspects of underclass, working class, middle class, upper-middle-class, and even elite class options and/or "seeing" clear to how/where/why the tangled structure of our society functions most like Scandanavia, Ellis Island era NYC, Jetson's Cartoon Future, or Game of Thrones, etc. etc. etc. For example, moving from your current position towards "owning your own home" is a predictable, socially promoted move (also one I have made myself, so not dissing your take), so there may simultaneously be advantageous programs in place to help you make this move, but also high costs associated, simply because this is the default popular expected thing to do, so both the support and the demand is high. So, for example, if meeting the security needs of yourself and your son is your primary motivation, you might be better off securing a subsidized apartment or co-op and investing in dividend bearing securities than buying a house with a mortgage, unless you can uniquely qualify for a program that would assist with your purchase or construction of a home.
Citizens of advanced social democracies, such as those in Scandanavia, do not fear old age without savings like many do in the U.S., because they will automatically end up in a cute little IKEA cubicle senior studio apartment with their needful medical expenses covered. OTOH, advanced social democracies can also vibe a bit Vanilla Totalitarian inclusive of forced saving and sharing, causing some of their best and brightest to prefer to test their luck and/or strategy and/or force-of-will in the garish gambling dens of 21st century American Capitalism, because potentially more monetarily rewarding and/or more fun and free.
My point here being is that I see your current situation as being mostly towards a default lower middle-class compromise when you would be better off consciously integrating aspects of underclass, working class, middle class, upper-middle-class, and even elite class options and/or "seeing" clear to how/where/why the tangled structure of our society functions most like Scandanavia, Ellis Island era NYC, Jetson's Cartoon Future, or Game of Thrones, etc. etc. etc. For example, moving from your current position towards "owning your own home" is a predictable, socially promoted move (also one I have made myself, so not dissing your take), so there may simultaneously be advantageous programs in place to help you make this move, but also high costs associated, simply because this is the default popular expected thing to do, so both the support and the demand is high. So, for example, if meeting the security needs of yourself and your son is your primary motivation, you might be better off securing a subsidized apartment or co-op and investing in dividend bearing securities than buying a house with a mortgage, unless you can uniquely qualify for a program that would assist with your purchase or construction of a home.
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okumurahata
- Posts: 235
- Joined: Sat Jul 01, 2023 5:26 am
- Location: 127.0.0.1
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
It’s never too late to be a late bloomer. The first step is swapping those subscriptions for shares in the same companies. Welcome, stay here for a while and let the magic happen.
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
Thanks for your journal! I am also 51 years old. So I'm GenX, interesting.
Your financial story muddles up expenses, debt, interest payments, and savings. A budget envelope system like YNAB can help you get a picture of what's really going on. Envelope budgets make it easy to set aside money for expected expenses like yearly bills and car repair. When I get a bill, I have an envelope with money for it, and there is no stress at all.
Once you have a clear picture of your dollars you can see how your finances match with your piorities. Most people prioritize other spending over retirement and that's okay.
Your financial story muddles up expenses, debt, interest payments, and savings. A budget envelope system like YNAB can help you get a picture of what's really going on. Envelope budgets make it easy to set aside money for expected expenses like yearly bills and car repair. When I get a bill, I have an envelope with money for it, and there is no stress at all.
Once you have a clear picture of your dollars you can see how your finances match with your piorities. Most people prioritize other spending over retirement and that's okay.
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
I relate strongly to that. Everything I feel the slightest inclination to buy, I've been buying it, because it's right in front of me. It was even worse when I worked at a fabric store years ago. I've got more fabric now than I could ever use in a lifetime, hidden away in every nook and cranny of my apartment.
I agree. I think I've watched everything I was wanting to watch on these channels, except for one show, and I really don't have time to vegetate in front of the tv lately anyway.
Well, there's no accounting for taste.
I was watching some good content there for awhile about frugality, simple living, money management, and philosophy. And some fun things, like spooky stories. When I decided to start paying, I got access to their music streaming app, which I've used a lot. But I can always go back to Pandora and put up with ads.
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
I was hoping for suggestions, and this are all great ones!
I need to go through all my expenses and question each of them. Like whether my son is right or not about needing the higher speed internet. The speed increased a lot recently, so I assume that it's true about the lower-priced plan. We are past the promo period, so it is time to look into that.
And, yes, we have a great public library, and I need to get back to using many of their services, including Libby.
My car loan has a pretty low interest rate, but the savings bonds probably are lower. I really didn't need to open a Roth IRA either, because I do have a 401k at work. I'm thinking of not investing further in them until I pay off my car loan, LOC, and the Visa card.
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
I believe you're right, and part of that comes from my workplace being located in an up-and-coming neighborhood with a solidly middle class population. We sell nice things to people who seem to always be buying more and more, while most of the employees are badly underpaid. (The benefits are decent, so I'm staying for awhile.) To not feel so deprived, I buy some of those nice things, too.7Wannabe5 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 16, 2024 10:55 amI think that part of your problem, which is very common these-days, is that you are stuck with a number of middle-class expenses and stresses and/or a middle-class budget/values framework without the benefit of earning a middle-class income from your full-time job. For example, you would quite likely be better off working 20 hrs/week at twice your current pay-rate, forgoing the over-time, and obtaining insurance on the federal health place market and the time/vigor to enact some frugal behaviors or gain some skills.
Also, my interest in home decor and personal style leads to me to spend too much, even when going to thrift stores. I need to take a few thousand steps back and think about what I really need in my home and life. Too much, and it all turns to clutter.
I really like the idea of home ownership. My desire is for something small and modest with not much of a lawn. I'm mostly worried about staying in an apartment because rents are increasing in this city. One option I have is to move to a slightly smaller city 25 miles away, where housing prices are lower.
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
Okumurahata, Thanks for the welcome!
Delay, I do use a budgeting software using the envelope method called Goodbudget. I'm really good about tracking my spending, but my problem is that I forget to use the reports features that allow me to analyze my spending compared to my income.
I did just that today and saw that, in the three months since my windfall, I've been spending way more than my means, as I detailed above. And before that, it was pretty much paycheck-to-paycheck.
I need to remember to keep an eye on the big picture as much as I'm careful with the details.
Delay, I do use a budgeting software using the envelope method called Goodbudget. I'm really good about tracking my spending, but my problem is that I forget to use the reports features that allow me to analyze my spending compared to my income.
I did just that today and saw that, in the three months since my windfall, I've been spending way more than my means, as I detailed above. And before that, it was pretty much paycheck-to-paycheck.
I need to remember to keep an eye on the big picture as much as I'm careful with the details.
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
Can you get your son on board somehow? "I'd like to work towards a modest home that you can inherit, let's put our heads together and figure out what we can do." You're much more likely to get buy-in from him on things like the internet issue if he feels he is doing this for himself, and if he sees the changes you are making and things you are giving up as well (eg subscriptions, buying craft supplies, etc.) Ask him for help. People are more engaged in activities they help with. Ask him for ideas. People feel more engaged when they think they're making a valuable contribution. A family meeting might be in order. "We've been going on auto-pilot and it's been fine, but it's not really getting us anywhere"
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WingsOnFire
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2020 4:24 pm
- Location: Finland
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
Hi, and welcome! Ertyu's suggestion is good, get your son to do this together with you.
I can totally relate to having an interest in home decor and clothes and crafts (I knit and sew too) and having ADHD tendency to impulse shop. I have also dealt with traumatic things and used shopping as an escape and a comfort. But, I'm naturally a minimalist who can't handle a lot of stuff well. The term "clutter threshold" is spot on, and it varies from person to person. Mine is quite low. My teenage daughter once said that she hates having stuff she isn't sure she will need, and that is exactly how I feel too. There is a sweet spot in the amount of stuff to own, in this right-for-me place I wear all my clothes and shoes, use all my kitchen gadgets and plates and cups, like all my books (and will re-read or re-re-read them at some point), have supplies only for current hobbies / hobbies I have done throughout my life even if sometimes there are times I don't actively do them, and only for a few projects at a time MAX (would prefer to only have materials for the current project! I might sell and donate some more of my stash that I have been downsizing a lot already, and while I don't think I can get rid of all but one project, I'd like to only have, say one smallish container of materials for each hobby. So one box or shelf or drawer for yarn and knitting tools, one for fabric and sewing tools (besides sewing machines, and I have a regular sewing machine, serger and and an overlock machine, after just selling a second regular sewing machine).
Ertyu's suggestion is good, get your son to do this together with you.I can totally relate to having an interest in home decor and clothes and crafts (I knit and sew too) and having ADHD tendency to impulse shop. I have also dealt with traumatic things and used shopping as an escape and a comfort. But, I'm naturally a minimalist who can't handle a lot of stuff well. The term "clutter threshold" is spot on, and it varies from person to person. Mine is quite low. My teenage daughter once said that she hates having stuff she isn't sure she will need, and that is exactly how I feel too. There is a sweet spot in the amount of stuff to own, in this right-for-me place I wear all my clothes and shoes, use all my kitchen gadgets and plates and cups, like all my books (and will re-read or re-re-read them at some point), have supplies only for current hobbies / hobbies I have done throughout my life even if sometimes there are times I don't actively do them, and only for a few projects at a time MAX (would prefer to only have materials for the current project! I might sell and donate some more of my stash that I have been downsizing a lot already, and while I don't think I can get rid of all but one project, I'd like to only have, say one smallish container of materials for each hobby. So one box or shelf or drawer for yarn and knitting tools, one for fabric and sewing tools (besides sewing machines, and I have a regular sewing machine, serger and and an overlock machine, after just selling a second regular sewing machine).
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
Thanks for your reply! Tracking spending is just like tracking calories. Everyone agrees it should be done, but it works for nobody. Tracking is dwelling in the past, while financial decisions are made in the present.
A good budget makes you aware of your finances. If you are about the click the Purchase button, do you know if you have the money? If you don't, which future purchases will you have to forego to buy this one? If you cannot answer these questions while you make a purchase decision, you are not budgeting.
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UrbanHomesteader
- Posts: 117
- Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2011 9:02 pm
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
Hi Stacy, thanks for starting a journal!
For internet, I use Xfinity Internet Essentials, it is fast internet for $10 a month designed for low income folks. If your son has Medicaid, he would qualify for this internet discount. The website says you can't have ahad Xfinity for 90 days prior, but I was able to get them to switch me directly from a full priced plan to Internet Essentials.
You got a lot of good input above. I look foward to following your journal!
For internet, I use Xfinity Internet Essentials, it is fast internet for $10 a month designed for low income folks. If your son has Medicaid, he would qualify for this internet discount. The website says you can't have ahad Xfinity for 90 days prior, but I was able to get them to switch me directly from a full priced plan to Internet Essentials.
You got a lot of good input above. I look foward to following your journal!
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
I started my first week at my new job at the store, and I have mixed feelings about the fact that it’s so simple compared with my previous job. The other one involved setting shelving, merchandising, and stocking, so it was all very physical, complicated, chaotic, and perfect for my ADHD brain. Though not-so-perfect for my aging body. This one is very simple, and I was shocked to learn that 90% of the job could be trained to me in a few hours. That made me very worried that I would be bored out of my skull, but I soon learned that I could do the job and create side quests for myself to make the day fly by. I like the fact that I’m pretty much left alone and that I won’t get too worn out to get other things done at home. Overtime is still available, and it involves stocking shelves, so I’ll think of that as my exercise routine.
Today was my day off, and I spent it on the couch, looking at all my accounts. I made another spreadsheet, in which I wrote down all my financial accounts, such as savings, checking, investments, loans, and credit cards. I included balances and interest rates and decided on some strategies.
For one thing, my car loan has a 4.24% interest rate, which is lower than I’m getting through high-yield savings and two CDs at an online bank, and even less than the savings bonds I’m buying through Treasury Direct. So, making extra principle-only payments was perhaps not the best use of my money, especially since it’s going to be paid off in April anyway. I had two other things with much higher interest to focus on first: a line of credit at 15.6% and a credit card that is on a deferred interest plan. With that one, I must pay it off in November to avoid the interest that is accruing. So I paid off the line of credit, and I upped my weekly payments to the credit card to $200 per week.
Also, I have way too many accounts, and I’m not even talking about all the store credit cards that I don’t even use. I have four savings and three checking accounts in three credit unions and an online bank. I had good reasons to open each of them, but now some of them are sitting there, being redundant. I’ll just keep open the ones that offer the best interest and have an actual need they are serving.
I also cancelled Audible (after using my two credits to get audiobooks), Peacock, and the Hulu bundle. I noticed several shows that I’ve been intending to watch, but then I looked them up on my public library’s website and discovered that every single one of them is available if I put in a hold request. Savings: $43 for subscriptions I was barely using.
I’m pretty sure that’s everything. It was productive day of sitting on the couch.
Today was my day off, and I spent it on the couch, looking at all my accounts. I made another spreadsheet, in which I wrote down all my financial accounts, such as savings, checking, investments, loans, and credit cards. I included balances and interest rates and decided on some strategies.
For one thing, my car loan has a 4.24% interest rate, which is lower than I’m getting through high-yield savings and two CDs at an online bank, and even less than the savings bonds I’m buying through Treasury Direct. So, making extra principle-only payments was perhaps not the best use of my money, especially since it’s going to be paid off in April anyway. I had two other things with much higher interest to focus on first: a line of credit at 15.6% and a credit card that is on a deferred interest plan. With that one, I must pay it off in November to avoid the interest that is accruing. So I paid off the line of credit, and I upped my weekly payments to the credit card to $200 per week.
Also, I have way too many accounts, and I’m not even talking about all the store credit cards that I don’t even use. I have four savings and three checking accounts in three credit unions and an online bank. I had good reasons to open each of them, but now some of them are sitting there, being redundant. I’ll just keep open the ones that offer the best interest and have an actual need they are serving.
I also cancelled Audible (after using my two credits to get audiobooks), Peacock, and the Hulu bundle. I noticed several shows that I’ve been intending to watch, but then I looked them up on my public library’s website and discovered that every single one of them is available if I put in a hold request. Savings: $43 for subscriptions I was barely using.
I’m pretty sure that’s everything. It was productive day of sitting on the couch.
Re: Getting my act together, better late than never
This is the way, friend. Keep up the good work!Stacy wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2024 10:51 pmI also cancelled Audible (after using my two credits to get audiobooks), Peacock, and the Hulu bundle. I noticed several shows that I’ve been intending to watch, but then I looked them up on my public library’s website and discovered that every single one of them is available if I put in a hold request. Savings: $43 for subscriptions I was barely using.