AmbitiousSaver's Personal Finance Blog

Forced Savings

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:10:09 PST

This is the first month DH is getting his pay raise & I had completely forgotten that I had increased his contribution to the TSP account to 15% of his base pay.

Because of the pay increase, his take home pay is only $40 less each pay period. But we are saving a large chunk of...

Navigating healthcare

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:48:26 PST

So I'm taking the steps to switch my coverage to allow for more choices in my healthcare.

However, I feel lost. I have no idea who to pick as a doctor.

I've always seen a Family Practice doctor. But people are telling me to see an Internist. Can I see both? (My new insurance...

If inflation is down, why do things seem to cost more?

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:55:48 PST

As I'm looking at our food budget & seeing that over time - our grocery bill has gone up.

Immediately I thought - it must be inflation.

So I look at the latest inflation rates that say in 2009, we actually experienced DEflation of -1.3%

Regardless, it seems I'm having to increase...

Negotiating Pay Raises

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:28:09 PST

I'm thinking about negotiating for a pay raise. Not so much because money is tight (its not, when I am unable to pay an extra $510/mo on my credit cards I'll start to think $$$ is tight).

The reason I'm considering asking for a pay raise is simply because, when I think about...

Changing Insurance

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:38:58 PST

I think I'm going to end up switching providers/insurance after all.

Currently, I'm on Tricare Prime which is 100% but the catch is that I need to see a military treatment facility for all of my healthcare needs.

I can switch to Tricare Standard which is $150/yr deductible plus...

Security

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:02:18 PST

As I was reconciling DH's credit card today, I noticed an unusual $25 charge from a rental car company. We've done business with that company before but never that city or for that amount.

So I clicked for more information on the charge & the vendor did not have a phone number....

What qualifies as accounting experience?

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:09:34 PST

As I've said many times on this blog, I'm in pursuit of my CPA license. I plan to take the exam next year but I have one MAJOR hurdle - my job. I need 1-2 years of accounting experience to get my actual license even after I pass the exam.

I started working for the company 5 years...

Self-Sufficiency

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:57:25 PST

I found a blog yesterday (not on this site) that bothered me.

It was called "Poor and Pregnant" and chronicled how this mother is pregnant with her 3rd child and this is also the 3rd pregnancy she that she is going through under government assistance.

Yet, this woman has expensive...

School and classmates

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:00:37 PST

I debated participating in graduation this December. $107.50 for my cap/gown/tassel/hood + shipping.

But in the end I decided to participate. Mainly for 2 reasons:

1) I missed my bachelor's degree graduation because my husband transferred duty stations during my last semester...

Planning Christmas

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:08:53 PST

I'm still not 100% what we are going to do for Christmas.

The younger kids are easy to please. Last year the baby only got one gift & you wouldn't be able to tell. She was so enthralled with that one gift.

This year I am really trying to plan this out carefully. But the problem...

Why I'm changing my habits

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:48:26 PST

Even more so now than in the past, I find that I'm changing my habits

I went online to pay one of my credit cards and saw on the main screen "Late Payment Warning"

So I clicked on it and received a nice little "warning" that if my payment was just a little late, they'd revoke...

Remembering

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:49:47 PST

Its amazing how you can feel fine one minute and then you see something and your heart just drops.

I have my days where I'm feeling fine & am optimistic about the future. In a way, I almost feel like this was the worst thing I could have imagined - things can only go up from here....

I was tempted

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:25:18 PST

To overreach my budget tonight because my oldest had a playdate during dinner time. I sort of groaned at the thought of making a meal for 7, the dishes, etc.

But I didn't. I kept reminding myself the $35 I'd spend on pizza wouldn't be worth the one night off from cooking.

So...

Budgeting is not a sign of struggling!

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:00:09 PST

I wish people understood that budgeting is a tool that helps you achieve your financial goals, NOT something you do because "money is tight"

We're thinking about adopting another Birman, have been for quite awhile - a year at least but timing is just not right, and I'm not suggesting...

Would you admit to your children if you need help?

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:29:31 PST

I'm beginning to think my mom is in financial trouble.

Several months ago I received a phone call from an 866 number asking for her. I said she didn't live here (she doesn't, she's on the west coast).

Then another call. So I called the number back.

It was Capital One.

So...

What has my life become?

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:45:37 PST

That I am now excited about finding unused check registers so that I can give them to my kids so that they can learn how to balance a checkbook (or at least manage their money).

Each kid has a savings account at our credit union and they received their statements yesterday.

As...

Gratitude

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:02:42 PST

We finally got our mail for the past week and a half.

In there, I found a card from the American Cancer Society.

Now going back, my boss asked me to send her the funeral information once I found out & when I did I copied her on the obituary which said "No flowers, casual attire"

I...

Revelations in Finances and The Past

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:47:35 PST

My Dad's death has brought so much to light for me.

First off, I'll start with that. I was extremely emotional those first few days. I was fine on the plane until the pilot announced we were landing and I broke out into tears.

It was that sudden realization that this was...

Chaos of Packing for 6 in a Few Hours

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:21:01 PST

I'm still pretty numb about everything. We get on a plane in 10 hours and I'm still nowhere near packed for me or the four kids or DH. We hadn't even started packing 8 hours ago, I felt like all the energy had been drained from me.

We went out to eat while the older kids were...

He's gone

summermgyck@hotmail.com (AmbitiousSaver) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:37:24 PST

I got the call around 1 pm today that he had died around 6 am Hawaii time. I knew immediately when I saw my Dad's caller ID show up on my phone because lately my Aunt (she lives with my Dad) hasn't been calling us, I've been calling them every other day. So for her to call, I knew...