Here is what I thought - Whatever you charge (let's say $5.50, the bank rounds it up to $6.00 and give's you the remaining 50 cents.
Here is what happens. You charge $5.50, the bank rounds it up to %6.00, and gives you the 50 cents...from your own account! So their not giving you extra money. Their just giving you your own money!...which you can't get til a year later lol. Sure your having a savings...but it's just transfering your cash.
The good thing is for the first three months they match everything you save, so if you save lets say $60.00 after adding all the change, they'll match that with another $60.00 now (or at least that is what I think so don't depend on me because I could be wrong then). So it's ok if you do this anyway. But if you don't, then I don't think it's that good then. Maybe for the first three months. But after that they match about 5% and then I think they won't go past $250. So once again if something is to good to be true it just might be then .
@Kathryn - i think the couple with a restaurant problem might do really well with separate "spending money" accounts, especially if there is a third, joint account for paying important bills.
Psychologically, it's a different feeling to look at your checking account and see $4,000 there, even knowing $3000 is bills due this month and $500 is your partner's spending money, vs. seeing $500 in your spending money account. It is a lot harder for some people to spend from the $500 account. Also, if you don't carry an ATM card or checkbook for the bill paying account, you can't accidentally make it overdraft.
My partner and I have *way* different standards for what it is appropriate to spend money on. We would fight all the time if we didn't have separate accounts. Now we only fight over purchases $200 or more (our agreement for "discuss before buying")
Also, we each put half of what we earn into the joint account, so the bills are split according to what we make instead of 50/50. We have pretty big income disparity (especially since we had a child) so that seems a lot more fair.
And this is why I'm VERY glad that we have backyard chickens! I know exactly how they're treated, what they eat, how healthy they are, and even their different personalities.
I know not everyone can have their own chickens, but for those who can manage it, why not take advantage of such a great opportunity! And if you can't, try to get eggs from real people, not big companies. Support your local farmers -- or neighborhood chicken owners.
Although it does seem strange when you think about it from a business pov it makes logical sense to attempt to get new customers by that extra push. People love to spend and when you offer them something like a debit card many people will deem it as free money or at least a new convenience to deposit into. Its a cheap ploy but it does work. For me i hate this tactic (it happened to me with a LOC credit card that i did not order).
I agree in having separate accounts. In my case i managed several accounts at the same time evne though they were all separate. I found it best because i could see exactly where things were going instead all of it being mixed together confusing when and what was causing the withdraws.
Where I live there are many ranchers and farmers that do things organically but cannot afford to have their farm or ranch be organic certified. So again, knowing where your eggs and meat are coming from is probably the best bet of all. A local producer might be your perfect organic and just not have the label.
What in the world? There isn't anything at the Frye Art Museum that you won't find at ANY other museum in the world or that every human on earth won't find in their own shower! My daughter who's 11 currently has art displayed there as a project for her middle school!
If you're so sensitive you probably shouldn't be going to any art museums.
I agree that it's important to have personal money. I think it helps avoid arguments over small things, and helps keep a sense of independence which is important in any relationship.
What I do with my wife - and this takes some trust - is we do not have shared accounts (we do list each other on our accounts in case of an emergency, but we do not share accounts other than that).
We split up the bills, expenses, saving, etc... in a way that is fair and proportionate to our income. After that? We use our money as we please, and don't have to explain/justify our spending, as we're taking care of all of our needs.
This works well in our relationship as I'm an obsessive numbers type, and my wife gets easily stressed and overwhelmed by money.
With seperate accounts, I can budget my money to my heart's content without stressing her out. And as long as she takes care of her part of the bills, she doesn't have to stress or feel guilty if she buys a few things here or there.
This situation won't work for everyone, especially if either person is prone to using credit cards to spend beyond their means. But if you maintain a high level of trust and communication, having completely seperate accounts can be a good way to avoid unnescessary arguments and stress.
I keep a few laying hens for our eggs. Having direct experience with laying hens really opens one's eyes.
I would never pay a premium for eggs from "vegetarian diet" hens. Chickens are omnivores, and they will happily devour fish skins, insects, worms, or any type of meat they can swallow. I get it that the advertisement for vegetarian diet is meant to emphasize a lower standing on the food chain, and no possibility of canablistic feeding practices, but still. No points there.
"Organic" on the label to me means very little. The hens can be kept in disgusting conditions and given a very unhealthy diet and still have their eggs labeled organic. If I had no better choices, I'd go with organic over conventional though. It's little; but it's something.
Ditto "cage-free" or "free-range." The animals can be crammed so closely together in "cage-free" facilities that routine doses of antibiotics are necessary, and the animals often never see daylight or breathe fresh air. Very few "free range" chickens spend more time outdoors than it takes to get them to whatever slaughtering facility they end up in.
"No antibiotics or hormones" is a good start, but only a start.
I would say your best bet is that CSA or a local farmer or backyard poultry enthusiast. You say it may take some doing, but here's the thing: once you find a good source of eggs and establish a buying pattern, there's no more hassle. You could set up a regular purchase or barter with a backyard poultry keeper and that's that. Ask around at farmer's markets if any farmer knows of hobbyists in your immediate area.
a little more on the omega-3... my past research showed that the amount of omega-3 was very low relative to what we're supposed to have in our diets, and therefore (to me) not worth the extra $$.
If you and your spouse are fairly level-headed about finances, you can certainly do as you describe. I'm not sure I see how, in the long run, it's any different/better than having "X's personal" and "Y's personal" as two sizable miscellaneous categories in a joint budget/joint accounts. Some things can certainly be hard to categorize, but if you can afford a "Philip personal" account large enough to accommodate your trip, for example, you can just as easily have a big ole "Philip personal" budget category within joint account/budget system.
On the other hand, if money and spending is a hot-button issue for one or both spouses, the personal account may just shift the problem around. In your example of eating-out expenses: a couple without fundamental money conflicts has no problem taking very approximate turns paying for restaurants if they have separate accounts, but the same couple probably wouldn't have problems with restaurant budgets if it were a joint budget. A couple that *does* have fundamental money problems and attempts to circumvent those problems by keeping separate accounts will wind up bickering about whose paid last time, whether the last time was equivalent because it was more or less expensive, and just whose choice was it was to eat out anyhow?
The whole project seems to have problems and the more I look into it, the more appalled I am at how little results have been shown and how much money has gone to adults.
Also, in counties like Ventura, all that paper pushing you did appears to have resulted in little or no confidence in the "results"
I think this debate should not stop just because 1D did not pass
So, I am sure you may not agree with everything I post about First 5, but here are two links to other blogs where some interesting debate took place - some of it is lengthy:
My sister just received a credit card like that yesterday. She was puzzled because she didn't apply for the credit card. The attached letter said that it has 0%APR and 5% Cash Back. After showing me she shredded it right away. It seemed too good to be true.
I think your CSA/farmers market idea is the best bet. Raising chickens isn't hard, it's easy...but you have to be prepared for certain realities such as dealing with predators (and possibly injured chickens) and what to do with hens that are too old to lay eggs but still have years to go in their lifespan. After just a few years, you could have a flock of "pet" chickens rather than "egg" chickens. We harvest our chickens when they are no longer laying (and use them for making stock and food for our dog and cat), but not everyone is (or wants to become) handy with a hatchet.
You're certainly right that what category you put an expense in doesn't matter in the greater scheme of things. However, I think it does matter, in that what category you think it belongs in will affect how you make certain kinds of decisions.
My favorite examples are including car insurance in the "transportation" category and homeowner's insurance in the "housing" category. Do that and you see the real costs of car and home ownership. If instead you have an "insurance" category, you're likely to imagine that cars and houses are cheaper than they are but that insurance is expensive--ideas that could lead you astray if you tried to economize.
As you note, it's important to find what works. We don't even have a budget! My husband hates keeping track of things, so I am 100% in charge of bills etc. I did write out a list of our assets and account numbers for him in case I die. The only danger for him would be if I took off (and took the piece of paper). That did happen to a friend of mine when her marriage broke up.
One problem with separation is that each partner can get into debt separately--or, as happened to a colleague--one can get into debt when the other doesn't want to pay for things.
Finally, I don't think it matters what category you use; it matters that you have a general sense of where your money is going--and if it's going where you want it to go.
I agree. I use MS Money to manage our finances and one can quickly became overly involved in the minutia in an attempt to track every penny. And then on the other side of the coin, by tossing most of the stuff into the misc category provides virtually no checks and balances.
There is a happy medium and finding it with a spouse on the subject of money and spending and finances is a very precious and stress relieving achievement.
we have a person here in our town that does that she sells stuff from the stores that she buys. I did not know it was illegal and yes i think that is wrong too and people like that should have to have a licence to that.
Really interesting. Our money problems only started happening when we had a joint bank account, up until that point we managed relatively easily. You lose an element of control when you start sharing your account and I would advise everyone to not do it.
Here is what I thought - Whatever you charge (let's say $5.50, the bank rounds it up to $6.00 and give's you the remaining 50 cents.
Here is what happens. You charge $5.50, the bank rounds it up to %6.00, and gives you the 50 cents...from your own account! So their not giving you extra money. Their just giving you your own money!...which you can't get til a year later lol. Sure your having a savings...but it's just transfering your cash.
The good thing is for the first three months they match everything you save, so if you save lets say $60.00 after adding all the change, they'll match that with another $60.00 now (or at least that is what I think so don't depend on me because I could be wrong then). So it's ok if you do this anyway. But if you don't, then I don't think it's that good then. Maybe for the first three months. But after that they match about 5% and then I think they won't go past $250. So once again if something is to good to be true it just might be then .
@Kathryn - i think the couple with a restaurant problem might do really well with separate "spending money" accounts, especially if there is a third, joint account for paying important bills.
Psychologically, it's a different feeling to look at your checking account and see $4,000 there, even knowing $3000 is bills due this month and $500 is your partner's spending money, vs. seeing $500 in your spending money account. It is a lot harder for some people to spend from the $500 account. Also, if you don't carry an ATM card or checkbook for the bill paying account, you can't accidentally make it overdraft.
My partner and I have *way* different standards for what it is appropriate to spend money on. We would fight all the time if we didn't have separate accounts. Now we only fight over purchases $200 or more (our agreement for "discuss before buying")
Also, we each put half of what we earn into the joint account, so the bills are split according to what we make instead of 50/50. We have pretty big income disparity (especially since we had a child) so that seems a lot more fair.
And this is why I'm VERY glad that we have backyard chickens! I know exactly how they're treated, what they eat, how healthy they are, and even their different personalities.
I know not everyone can have their own chickens, but for those who can manage it, why not take advantage of such a great opportunity! And if you can't, try to get eggs from real people, not big companies. Support your local farmers -- or neighborhood chicken owners.
Although it does seem strange when you think about it from a business pov it makes logical sense to attempt to get new customers by that extra push. People love to spend and when you offer them something like a debit card many people will deem it as free money or at least a new convenience to deposit into. Its a cheap ploy but it does work. For me i hate this tactic (it happened to me with a LOC credit card that i did not order).
Kelly
Stock Coupons - (incl. Questrade Coupons, Promotional Codes, Offers, Reviews)
I agree in having separate accounts. In my case i managed several accounts at the same time evne though they were all separate. I found it best because i could see exactly where things were going instead all of it being mixed together confusing when and what was causing the withdraws.
Kelly
Stock Coupons - (incl. Questrade Coupons, Promotional Codes, Offers, Reviews)
Just prepare as above, using the following:
2 cans of cherry pie filling (21 ounces each)
1 box of chocolate cake mix
2 sticks of butter, sliced into 12 pieces each
Really good with cool whip on top!
Linsey Knerl
LOL! You are the first to bring this to my attention, and it has been fixed. Wow! What the spell checker won't fix these days. Thanks!
Linsey Knerl
Where I live there are many ranchers and farmers that do things organically but cannot afford to have their farm or ranch be organic certified. So again, knowing where your eggs and meat are coming from is probably the best bet of all. A local producer might be your perfect organic and just not have the label.
Margaret Garcia-Couoh
What in the world? There isn't anything at the Frye Art Museum that you won't find at ANY other museum in the world or that every human on earth won't find in their own shower! My daughter who's 11 currently has art displayed there as a project for her middle school!
If you're so sensitive you probably shouldn't be going to any art museums.
I agree that it's important to have personal money. I think it helps avoid arguments over small things, and helps keep a sense of independence which is important in any relationship.
What I do with my wife - and this takes some trust - is we do not have shared accounts (we do list each other on our accounts in case of an emergency, but we do not share accounts other than that).
We split up the bills, expenses, saving, etc... in a way that is fair and proportionate to our income. After that? We use our money as we please, and don't have to explain/justify our spending, as we're taking care of all of our needs.
This works well in our relationship as I'm an obsessive numbers type, and my wife gets easily stressed and overwhelmed by money.
With seperate accounts, I can budget my money to my heart's content without stressing her out. And as long as she takes care of her part of the bills, she doesn't have to stress or feel guilty if she buys a few things here or there.
This situation won't work for everyone, especially if either person is prone to using credit cards to spend beyond their means. But if you maintain a high level of trust and communication, having completely seperate accounts can be a good way to avoid unnescessary arguments and stress.
I keep a few laying hens for our eggs. Having direct experience with laying hens really opens one's eyes.
I would never pay a premium for eggs from "vegetarian diet" hens. Chickens are omnivores, and they will happily devour fish skins, insects, worms, or any type of meat they can swallow. I get it that the advertisement for vegetarian diet is meant to emphasize a lower standing on the food chain, and no possibility of canablistic feeding practices, but still. No points there.
"Organic" on the label to me means very little. The hens can be kept in disgusting conditions and given a very unhealthy diet and still have their eggs labeled organic. If I had no better choices, I'd go with organic over conventional though. It's little; but it's something.
Ditto "cage-free" or "free-range." The animals can be crammed so closely together in "cage-free" facilities that routine doses of antibiotics are necessary, and the animals often never see daylight or breathe fresh air. Very few "free range" chickens spend more time outdoors than it takes to get them to whatever slaughtering facility they end up in.
"No antibiotics or hormones" is a good start, but only a start.
I would say your best bet is that CSA or a local farmer or backyard poultry enthusiast. You say it may take some doing, but here's the thing: once you find a good source of eggs and establish a buying pattern, there's no more hassle. You could set up a regular purchase or barter with a backyard poultry keeper and that's that. Ask around at farmer's markets if any farmer knows of hobbyists in your immediate area.
a little more on the omega-3... my past research showed that the amount of omega-3 was very low relative to what we're supposed to have in our diets, and therefore (to me) not worth the extra $$.
You said "asses" when I think you meant "assess." Two butts are not better than one! :D ROFLMAO!!
If you and your spouse are fairly level-headed about finances, you can certainly do as you describe. I'm not sure I see how, in the long run, it's any different/better than having "X's personal" and "Y's personal" as two sizable miscellaneous categories in a joint budget/joint accounts. Some things can certainly be hard to categorize, but if you can afford a "Philip personal" account large enough to accommodate your trip, for example, you can just as easily have a big ole "Philip personal" budget category within joint account/budget system.
On the other hand, if money and spending is a hot-button issue for one or both spouses, the personal account may just shift the problem around. In your example of eating-out expenses: a couple without fundamental money conflicts has no problem taking very approximate turns paying for restaurants if they have separate accounts, but the same couple probably wouldn't have problems with restaurant budgets if it were a joint budget. A couple that *does* have fundamental money problems and attempts to circumvent those problems by keeping separate accounts will wind up bickering about whose paid last time, whether the last time was equivalent because it was more or less expensive, and just whose choice was it was to eat out anyhow?
oops - I was thinking of the gal name Marie who has been defending First 5 and I glitched on your name - many apologies.
I totally agree Maria -
The whole project seems to have problems and the more I look into it, the more appalled I am at how little results have been shown and how much money has gone to adults.
Also, in counties like Ventura, all that paper pushing you did appears to have resulted in little or no confidence in the "results"
I think this debate should not stop just because 1D did not pass
So, I am sure you may not agree with everything I post about First 5, but here are two links to other blogs where some interesting debate took place - some of it is lengthy:
http://blogs.venturacountystar.com/mlakin/archives/2009/04/prop-1d-the-d...
http://www.thesweetmelissa.com/sweet_melissa/2009/04/proposition-carves-...
My sister just received a credit card like that yesterday. She was puzzled because she didn't apply for the credit card. The attached letter said that it has 0%APR and 5% Cash Back. After showing me she shredded it right away. It seemed too good to be true.
I think your CSA/farmers market idea is the best bet. Raising chickens isn't hard, it's easy...but you have to be prepared for certain realities such as dealing with predators (and possibly injured chickens) and what to do with hens that are too old to lay eggs but still have years to go in their lifespan. After just a few years, you could have a flock of "pet" chickens rather than "egg" chickens. We harvest our chickens when they are no longer laying (and use them for making stock and food for our dog and cat), but not everyone is (or wants to become) handy with a hatchet.
@frugalscholar:
You're certainly right that what category you put an expense in doesn't matter in the greater scheme of things. However, I think it does matter, in that what category you think it belongs in will affect how you make certain kinds of decisions.
My favorite examples are including car insurance in the "transportation" category and homeowner's insurance in the "housing" category. Do that and you see the real costs of car and home ownership. If instead you have an "insurance" category, you're likely to imagine that cars and houses are cheaper than they are but that insurance is expensive--ideas that could lead you astray if you tried to economize.
I actually wrote a whole post about budget categories called Refactor your budget categories.
As you note, it's important to find what works. We don't even have a budget! My husband hates keeping track of things, so I am 100% in charge of bills etc. I did write out a list of our assets and account numbers for him in case I die. The only danger for him would be if I took off (and took the piece of paper). That did happen to a friend of mine when her marriage broke up.
One problem with separation is that each partner can get into debt separately--or, as happened to a colleague--one can get into debt when the other doesn't want to pay for things.
Finally, I don't think it matters what category you use; it matters that you have a general sense of where your money is going--and if it's going where you want it to go.
I'm always looking for free drinks and I found 'em. Check out http://www.clicklinksforfreedrinks.com -it's amazing
You should expand and partner with artists and venues in other towns! Let us know how your DIY scene grows.
I agree. I use MS Money to manage our finances and one can quickly became overly involved in the minutia in an attempt to track every penny. And then on the other side of the coin, by tossing most of the stuff into the misc category provides virtually no checks and balances.
There is a happy medium and finding it with a spouse on the subject of money and spending and finances is a very precious and stress relieving achievement.
we have a person here in our town that does that she sells stuff from the stores that she buys. I did not know it was illegal and yes i think that is wrong too and people like that should have to have a licence to that.
Really interesting. Our money problems only started happening when we had a joint bank account, up until that point we managed relatively easily. You lose an element of control when you start sharing your account and I would advise everyone to not do it.