Dividing the Dime Personal Finance Blog

How Many Ways Can I Divide A Dime?

(Sher) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:45:50 PST

Already, like others out there, I'm looking at new financial goals for the new year. I love this fresh start stuff. It always gives me energy. I've tried to involve my spouse in my excitement and my review, but as usual, he lacks interest. I really just want to throw the book at...

OCTOBER REVIEW

(Sher) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:38:17 PST

Received 3 paychecks this month instead of the usual two. Also received $82 in overtime.

Regular household expenses: $3,261
Spending from Freedom Account and cushion:
Paid $475 Home warranty
Paid $410 Car repair
Paid $103 AAA membership
Paid $141 Plumbing repair (leak)
Total...

Don't Look Now - My IRA Balance

(Sher) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:42:08 PST

I had hoped to remain in ignorant bliss until some of this crazy stock market action has settled, but I opened my IRA statement quite by accident and was horrified to see that the value of my IRA (stock mutual fund) dropped from nearly $44,000 from last year to $31,500 currently.

Ignorance...

Go Freedom Account Go!

(Sher) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:25:43 PST

Yes, I'm a Freedom Account addict!!

If memory serves correctly, I've had my Freedom Account going for about 2 years or less and it was rough (rough!) in the beginning, but lately I've noticed that things have smoothed out nicely.

The plan is still to deposit an automatic $90...

New Strides with The Kid

(Sher) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:03:31 PST

The kid continues to have a spiritual growth spurt and has matured a great deal due to surviving such an ugly car crash last month.

It's affected our relationship in a positive way. As a result of this, I've had more meaningful conversations and emails with him. I've expressed...

DREAM

(Sher) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:32:14 PST

I just hit a work anniversary and realized this: I am tired of working!

I've been working full-time for 22 years (with a one year break in my late 20s due to a relocation move with my first husband). I'm TIRED!

But every morning I drag my tired butt out of bed, wash my face,...

SEPTEMBER REVIEW

(Sher) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:49:14 PST

Had high goals of saving on utilities and groceries this month since my son would be away at school rather than home every weekend. However, we didn't do as well as I'd hoped.

Total household expenses: $3,103 plus $639 for regular car insurance premium, so that's $3,742 total....

The Kid is Doing Well

(Sher) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:39:42 PST

The kid is doing well after the car crash. He's back at school and grateful to be alive. He's settled and quietly maturing and I'm so grateful and quite proud of him. He's managing his classes and sports and has applied for work study to save money for a car, he tells me. He wants...

No Lotto for Me

(Sher) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:29:56 PST

I do not buy lotto tickets. Nothing personal. Maybe some religious concerns. But really, I just prefer to keep the dollars that I work for. I've probably spent a few dollars over my lifetime buying raffle tickets, scratch-offs, and the like in the past, but no regular lotto tickets...

The Car Crash

(Sher) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:17:09 PST

Well, the kid has done it. He totaled the car he drives. I was incredibly relieved to find him ok with very few scratches on him. Praising God for that all day and every day. He was pretty shaken up and I'm hoping this will become an important life lesson for him.

Here's what...

Progress in September - Musings

(Sher) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:26:32 PST

I'm reading everything I can and watching a lot of Dave Ramsey, Suze Orman, the Big Idea, etc., to get additional ideas to save more money now that the kid is back in school. I'm saving fairly well each month, but feel like I should be doing more, saving more.

Budget: I've reviewed...

AUGUST REVIEW

(Sher) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:32:58 PST

Made $473 extra in overtime during the month of August. Received gift of $100 (for birthday).

Total household expenses from household account: $3,646 (Ouch! Expensive month for us!)

Extra bills paid from the freedom account and savings cushion:
Paid $412 balance on Visa...

The Kid - Part Two

(Sher) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:42:08 PST

After an earlier blog entry about my son and receiving some of the advice I got from fellow savers, I've made some steps over the summer to help train the kid in financial matters. He was destroying the budget this summer and it had to stop. I feel like I tried so hard to teach him...

Happy Birthday to Me -- Bash on a Budget

(Sher) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:18:11 PST

Ok, so it really wasn't a birthday bash. It was actually a BORING birthday according to my son. For my birthday last week (the 15th), I tried to ask my family not to buy anything for me, but instead that we just enjoy a leisurely breakfast together at a nearby restaurant and to allow...

Random Acts of Deposits

(Sher) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:24:05 PST

My IRA is in a global stock mutual fund and has lost approximately $8,000 in the past year or so. I'm still contributing an automatic deposit of $100 a month. The positive side is that I'm buying a lot of shares at a very low price. The negative side is that it doesn't feel good...

Christmas Is Coming

(Sher) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:29:59 PST

Christmas shopping used to destroy my budget. And my Christmas spirit. Year after year it just wasn't pretty. I needed a plan!

Several years ago, a library book called Getting What You Want With The Money You Already Have (by Carol Keeffe) encouraged me to save for specific...

JULY REVIEW

(Sher) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:45:33 PST

Made $160 extra in overtime during the month of July.

Total household expenses paid from household account in July: $2,446
(Note 1: A week-long visit to my parents home out of state meant no gas or grocery expense for household--very little expense at my parents house, they live...

POSITIVE STRIDES IN SAVING

(Sher) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:39:18 PST

Focus.

Consistency.

Learning from my father's thrift. (My mother, however, calls him cheap.)

A cash-only budget (envelope system) for flexible expenses.

Regular automatic savings allotments toward several savings goals--wealth, retirement, Christmas shopping, home repairs,...

Budget Me Silly

(Sher) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:30:52 PST

I love budgets. I love reading about budgets. I love re-working budgets. I love reading about other people's real-life budgets.
Because of the way I get paid, it took several years, if not decades to manage the income. I made the mistake (often) of thinking I had more momey...

THE HOUSE

(Sher) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:56:38 PST

I stumbled across a book in the library called True Prosperity, Your Guide to a Cash-Based Lifestyle by K.C. Knouse. This book would have been an excellent book for me to read before purchasing a house. Unfortunately I didn't read the book before purchasing a house.

Not to say...